Visit #5 · Midtown East, Manhattan
Empire Steak House East 50th
- Score
- 70/100
- Worth a return visit
- maybe
- Ranked
- #3/5
Manhattan, 7 out of 10
The Manhattan arrived nicely chilled in a coupe glass. The cherry wasn’t a Luxardo and was already sunk to the bottom (on a pick laid across the rim is preferred). The drink itself was good and had a decent bite, though a bit more sweet vermouth would’ve helped with balance.
Shrimp Cocktail, 8 out of 10
There were four shrimp of good size; quite good snap. The cocktail sauce had little zing.
Filet Mignon, 26 out of 30
Center-cut, flavorful, zero fat. Good crust. Could’ve used a little more salt. I ordered it medium rare, but it arrived a tad overcooked. Overall, quite good.
Creamed Spinach, 5 out of 10
The creamed spinach was soupy and had a slightly “mealy” texture. It tasted diluted.
New York Cheesecake, 2 out of 5
The graham crust was very light and thin, and only on the bottom. It was very “creamy” rather than firm, and its taste was reminiscent of key lime pie. The whipped cream was very thick, “like ice cream.”
The Room, 6 out of 10
It was a large, open room with some high-backed booths around the perimeter. Background music was “classic” (Sinatra), acoustics good, lighting fine, although a bit more dimmed would’ve created more intimacy given the size of the room. Overall, not bad.
Service, 9 out of 10
Service was very good. It was attentive and friendly.
Extras, 2 out of 5
The bread arrived warm, but the butter was packaged. The steak knife was “very dull,” with a relatively small handle and blade.
Value, 5 out of 10
The filet was $83.95, the Manhattan $19.95, the creamed spinach $18.95, the shrimp cocktail $33.95, and the cheesecake $14.95. That is $171.75 before tax for the order. Everything was good overall, but it felt somewhat expensive all things considered.