I live for a great steakhouse. Growing up, my late father, a lover of steak , took me to Cask ’n Cleaver in LA’s Inland Empire at the ripe age of 6, where I ordered filet with my best “Medium well, please.” Today, my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles is the classic Argentine steakhouse Carlitos Gardel , where I regularly partake in provoletas, empanadas, parrilladas, dulce de leche meringue cake, and a postprandial cigar.

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I’m not the only one loving a good steak these days. We’ve reached peak steakhouse in 2026, with chefs opening exciting new spots all over the country. After evolving from old English chophouses into a midcentury American art form all their own, steakhouses in the 21st century have become vehicles for cultural expression for a diverse array of chefs and diners — but that doesn’t make steakhouses accessible to all, per se.

Given their reputation as celebratory spots, steakhouses often lean on the pricey side.…