From Chophouse To Beefsteak Banquet: How Modern Steakhouses Came To Be

When you think of the modern American steakhouse, you most likely picture low-lit rooms with dark wooden panels and porterhouse steaks the size of your head. It's an identity that's so distinct it feels like it's been that way forever — and in some ways it has. Because as the combined descendant of working-class chophouses and fancy beefsteak banquets, steakhouses brought together elements from both traditions to create a new kind of restaurant that remains popular to this day.

The story of the modern steakhouse starts in England around the late 17th century, when men would go to chophouses for a quick meal of roasted and grilled meats (a.k.a. chops) after work. These establishments then made their way to the United States in the early 19th century, feeding working-class men in New York City and eventually the American West. Out there, chophouses would become popular meeting places, where ranchers, cowboys, settlers, and miners would eat and conduct business.

The 19th century also saw the rise of beefsteak banquets amongst the New York elite. At the beginning, they were small gatherings of working-class men, who'd meet in taverns or cellars to sing, drink, tell stories, and eat steaks with their hands. However, beefsteak banquets would turn into upscale social gatherings by the mid-1800s, often serving as political fundraisers. But according to Joseph Mitchell's 1939 New Yorker article, "All You Can Hold for Five Bucks," they began to wane once women started attending after being granted suffrage in 1920.

After women began attending beefsteak banquets, Mitchell said things became more "polite," with things like utensils, tablecloths, orchestras, cocktails, fruit, and fancy salads. By this time, though, the first modern steakhouse had already opened in 1837 in New York City, where some of the oldest steakhouses in America can still be found. And unlike their predecessors, these new steakhouses also let in women and children, allowing for a family dining experience that combined the permanence of a chophouse with the elegant instinct of a beefsteak banquet.

That said, modern steakhouses took one more cue from beefsteak banquets. When it came to their menus, they began serving better quality cuts, as well as wine and side dishes, which is a practice that now forms the basis of every steakhouse today. So if you want to experience that tradition for yourself, you can always visit a national chain steakhouse or a restaurant off our list of best steakhouses in every state. Just make sure to come hungry.