A dry-aged bone-in ribeye, medium-rare, sliced and fanned on a walnut board with the rib bone beside it
Living here

The best steakhouses in Northern Virginia12 ranked by the beef, from Tysons to Ashburn

Ranked by what is on the plate first: the grade, the aging and the Wagyu. Then the ratings and the critics.

Dry-aged ribeye, medium-rare· Artist’s rendering

Steak pictures on this page are artist’s renderings.

Updated October 8, 2026Restaurant menus, Google and Yelp ratings, Northern Virginia Magazine, Eater DC, Wine SpectatorAbout a 15-minute read

Quick answer

Seoul Prime in the City of Falls Church is the best steakhouse in Northern Virginia for the beef itself: every cut on its steak tours is USDA Prime or American Wagyu, and it holds a 4.9 Google rating from 2,179 reviews. For a classic American steakhouse, go to Randy’s Prime in Tysons. In Loudoun, DC Prime in Ashburn serves only USDA Prime, aged at least 35 days.1,2,4

The list in six numbers

From the restaurants’ own menus, October 2026

4.9Google rating at Seoul Prime, from 2,179 reviews, the best on this list1
35 daysMinimum aging for every USDA Prime steak at DC Prime in Ashburn4
42 daysDry-aging on the 36 oz tomahawk at Fogo de Chão Reston14
1,100°FThe broiler DC Prime cooks its steaks in, Pittsburgh-style4
38 ozGuerra’s tomahawk for two, flambéed tableside with brandy11
135°FMedium-rare: a warm red center, and Ahmed’s order26

Ratings were read on October 8, 2026, and every place on this page was open that week. No restaurant paid to be here or knows about this list.

The ranking

Twelve steakhouses, ranked by the beef.

The steak comes first: its USDA grade, how long it ages and where the Wagyu comes from, as each restaurant states it. Ratings and critics break the ties. The list covers Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington and the independent cities among them, so the famous names across the river in D.C. are not here.1

City of Falls Church · Korean steakhouse · $$$$

No. 1: Seoul Prime

The beef rule here is the strictest in the region: every cut on its steak tours is USDA Prime or American Wagyu. It also has the highest Google rating on this list.2,8

106 Founders Ave, Falls Church · Website

The beef
USDA Prime and American Wagyu only on the tours, including a dry-aged Prime ribeye. The menu does not say how many days it ages.
Order this
The Prime Steak Tour, $75 a person with a two-person minimum: dry-aged ribeye, dry-aged ribeye cap, Prime short rib and marinated Prime galbi, grilled at your table.
Ratings
Google 4.9 (2,179 reviews) · Yelp 4.7 (431)
Critics
No. 5 on Northern Virginia Magazine's 50 Best Restaurants of 2025.

Tysons · American steakhouse · $$$

No. 2: Randy's Prime Seafood & Steaks

Eater DC calls it the Great American Restaurants group's “crown jewel steakhouse,” and it comes up first when you search Yelp for steakhouses in Northern Virginia.9,3,10

8051 Leesburg Pike, Vienna · Website

The beef
USDA Prime steaks, plus Snake River Farms American Wagyu filet and ribeye cap.
Order this
The blackened “King Cut” prime rib on the bone, Fridays and Saturdays ($67), or the 34 oz Prime tomahawk ($112).
Ratings
Google 4.6 (808 reviews) · Yelp 4.4 (413)
Critics
On Eater DC's steakhouse map, updated April 2026.

Ashburn · American steakhouse · $$$$

No. 3: DC Prime Steaks

Loudoun's best steak by its own rules: USDA Prime only, from one Chicago packer, aged at least 35 days and cooked in a 1,100-degree broiler.4,7

20120 Lakeview Center Plaza, Ashburn · Website

The beef
Only USDA Prime, from Consumers Meat Packing of Chicago, aged at least 35 days (the menu does not say dry or wet). Wagyu flights include Japanese A3.
Order this
The 20 oz bone-in Kansas City strip ($79), or all three 4 oz Wagyu, American, Australian and Japanese A3, side by side ($169).
Ratings
Google 4.6 (1,476 reviews) · Yelp 3.9 (567)
Critics
Readers' Best of NoVA 2025 winner for steak, in Northern Virginia Magazine.

Tysons · Korean steakhouse · $$$$

No. 4: Ingle Korean Steakhouse

The Wagyu specialist: American Wagyu at marbling score 8 and up, plus a Japanese A5 cut, grilled at the table in front of you.5,8,6,7

8369 Leesburg Pike, Suite A, Vienna · Website

The beef
American Wagyu at a marbling score (BMS) of 8 or higher, and a Japanese A5 ribeye cap.
Order this
The Wagyu galbi, then the A5 ribeye cap to finish.
Ratings
Google 4.8 (1,376 reviews) · Yelp 4.5 (290)
Critics
No. 7 on Northern Virginia Magazine's 50 Best Restaurants of 2025; readers' Best of NoVA winner for Korean food in 2025 and 2026.
A dry-aged porterhouse for two, carved off the bone and set back in place
A dry-aged porterhouse for two, carved off the bone and set back in place.Artist’s rendering
A tomahawk ribeye carved at the table, the long bone still on
A tomahawk ribeye carved at the table, the long bone still on.Artist’s rendering

Arlington · Steakhouse · $$$$

No. 5: Guerra Steakhouse

Northern Virginia readers' pick for steak in 2026, and the best show on this list.11,6,7,3

1725 Wilson Blvd, Arlington · Website

The beef
About a dozen cuts, from hanger to a 32 oz bone-in ribeye, each cooked one of three ways with a choice of seven sauces. The menu does not state the grade or the aging.
Order this
The 38 oz tomahawk for two, topped with herb butter and flambéed tableside with brandy ($165).
Ratings
Google 4.6 (338 reviews) · Yelp 4.6 (172)
Critics
Readers' Best of NoVA 2026 winner for steak (runner-up in 2025); on Eater DC's steakhouse map.

Tysons · American steakhouse · $$$

No. 6: The Capital Grille, Tysons

Dry-ages its steaks in house for 18 to 24 days, with its own butcher, and holds one of Wine Spectator's top wine awards.12,13

1861 International Dr, McLean · Website

The beef
Dry-aged 18 to 24 days in house and cut by an in-house butcher.
Order this
The Porcini-Rubbed Bone-In Ribeye with 15-year aged balsamic, or the 24 oz dry-aged porterhouse for two.
Ratings
Google 4.7 (1,347 reviews) · Yelp 4.1 (669)
Critics
Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. A second Northern Virginia location is at Fair Lakes (Google 4.7, 913 reviews).

Reston · Brazilian churrascaria · $$$$

No. 7: Fogo de Chão, Reston

All you can eat, carved at the table, with dry-aging lockers on site and a 4.9 on Google from more than 11,000 reviews.14,15

11915 Democracy Dr, Reston · Website

The beef
Dry-aging lockers in the restaurant; the 36 oz tomahawk is dry-aged 42 days.
Order this
The Full Churrasco dinner ($70 a person): picanha, fraldinha, bone-in ribeye and filet, carved tableside. Or the 42-day dry-aged tomahawk ($140).
Ratings
Google 4.9 (11,620 reviews) · Yelp 3.8 (342)
Critics
A Fogo de Chão is No. 1 on Tripadvisor's Northern Virginia steakhouse list. The Tysons location rates 4.8 on Google from 15,191 reviews.

Old Town Alexandria · Steakhouse · $$$$

No. 8: Oak Steakhouse Alexandria

Old Town's serious steakhouse, and the place to try Japanese A5 by the ounce.16,3,12

901 N St Asaph St, Alexandria · Website

The beef
Prime Certified Angus Beef cuts, in the restaurant's words, and Japanese A5 Kagoshima strip at $40 an ounce, two-ounce minimum.
Order this
The 16 oz Prime ribeye ($86) with beef-fat fries, plus two ounces of A5 for the table.
Ratings
Google 4.4 (813 reviews) · Yelp 4.1 (368)
Critics
On Eater DC's steakhouse map; Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Picanha shaved off the skewer at a Brazilian churrascaria
Picanha shaved off the skewer at a Brazilian churrascaria.Artist’s rendering
Filet mignon in a peppercorn cream sauce, cut to show medium-rare
Filet mignon in a peppercorn cream sauce, cut to show medium-rare.Artist’s rendering

Ashburn · American steakhouse · $$$

No. 9: Eddie Merlot's

Hand-cuts and ages its Prime steaks at least 28 days, and carries both Australian and American Wagyu.17,12

20350 Minot Dr, Ashburn · Website

The beef
Prime steaks aged at least 28 days, Rangers Valley MS9+ Australian Wagyu and a Snake River Farms American Wagyu strip.
Order this
The 22 oz Prime bone-in cowboy ribeye ($89) with Eddie's Potatoes.
Ratings
Google 4.7 (2,621 reviews) · Yelp 3.5 (374)
Critics
Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023.

Fairfax · Korean barbecue · $$$

No. 10: ChoSun Hwaro

Korean barbecue built on Prime-grade beef, and a critics' pick.18,8

10790 Fairgrounds Dr, Fairfax · Website

The beef
“Empress Galbi,” which the restaurant calls top-quality Prime-grade short rib, and Prime ribeye, grilled at the table.
Order this
The Empress Galbi.
Ratings
Google 4.5 (475 reviews) · Yelp 4.0 (105)
Critics
On Northern Virginia Magazine's 50 Best Restaurants of 2025.

Tysons · Brazilian rodizio

No. 11: Chima Steakhouse, Tysons

A Wine Spectator award winner every year since 2010, and the only ranked steakhouse here that states a halal option.19,12

8010 Towers Crescent Dr, Vienna · Website

The beef
Brazilian rodizio carved at the table, with a gourmet salad bar.
Halal
Its website offers a halal rodizio for groups of 20 or more at $110 a person, booked through its events manager. The site does not say the regular rodizio is halal.
Ratings
Google 4.7 (5,048 reviews)
Critics
Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2010.

Old Town Alexandria · Steakhouse · $$$

No. 12: 1799 Prime Steak & Seafood

Old Town's other steakhouse, and the readers' runner-up for steak in 2026.20,6

110 S Pitt St, Alexandria · Website

The beef
A 16 oz Prime New York strip, a 16 oz Prime ribeye, an 18 oz bone-in cowboy ribeye and a 44 oz Prime tomahawk, plus prime rib in 10, 14 and 16 oz cuts.
Order this
The 18 oz cowboy ribeye ($83), or the 44 oz Prime tomahawk ($165) to share.
Ratings
Google 4.2 (1,161 reviews) · Yelp 3.9 (570)
Critics
Readers' Best of NoVA 2026 runner-up for steak.

Pick by craving

Which one tonight? Start with what you are hungry for.

If you wantGo toWhy
The best beef, full stopSeoul Prime, Falls ChurchUSDA Prime and American Wagyu only, on every steak tour
A classic American steakhouse nightRandy's Prime, TysonsPrime steaks, Wagyu and the blackened King Cut
Steak in LoudounDC Prime or Eddie Merlot's, AshburnPrime aged 35 and 28 days or more
Wagyu grilled at your tableIngle, TysonsAmerican Wagyu BMS 8+ and Japanese A5
A show at the tableGuerra, ArlingtonA 38 oz tomahawk flambéed with brandy
Dry-aged, with a big wine listThe Capital Grille, TysonsDry-aged 18 to 24 days in house
All you can eatFogo de Chão, Reston, or Chima, TysonsRodizio, carved tableside
A steak in Old TownOak or 1799 Prime, AlexandriaA5 by the ounce, or a 44 oz Prime tomahawk
HalalBeitna, Herndon, or Chima, Tysons (groups of 20+)Both say so on their own websites
Good steak on a budgetMedium Rare, ArlingtonOne set price for bread, salad and steak frites
The steakhouse table: a sliced strip, creamed spinach, roasted potatoes and a glass of red
The steakhouse table: a sliced strip, creamed spinach, roasted potatoes and a glass of red.Artist’s rendering

Where they are

Tysons has four. Prince William has none on the list yet.

The numbers on the map are the ranks. Each town name opens that town’s guide, with its home prices, schools and commute.

U.S. CapitolThe White HouseThe PentagonArlington CemeteryReagan National DCADulles Airport IADTysonsNational LandingOld Town AlexandriaMount VernonFort BelvoirQuantico Marine BaseManassas BattlefieldGreat Falls ParkGeorge Mason UniversityWolf TrapNational HarborBethesdaHarpers Ferry FAIRFAXLOUDOUNPRINCEWILLIAMARLINGTONARLINGTONMcLeanViennaFairfaxChantillyCentrevilleHerndonRestonCliftonOaktonFairfax CityFairfax StationGreat FallsBurkeFalls ChurchAnnandaleFalls Church CitySpringfieldLortonAlexandriaAlexandria CityAldieAshburnBrambletonBroadlandsSouth RidingSterlingCascadesLansdowneMiddleburgLeesburgHamiltonPurcellvilleWaterfordRound HillLovettsvilleHaymarketGainesvilleBristowManassas ParkManassas CityManassasNokesvilleWoodbridgeDumfriesTriangleMARYLANDMontgomery CountyWEST VIRGINIAWASHINGTON, DCFauquier CountyStafford CountyClarke CountyCharles CountyPrince George's CountyFrederick County, MDPotomac RiverPotomac RiverOccoquan RiverBull Run 10 MILES BWI Airporttoward Baltimore669539549526726750291GW Pkwy71233 · 9Ashburn7Reston2 · 4 · 6 · 11Tysons1Falls Church10Fairfax5Arlington8 · 12Old Town
Outlined inside: the independent cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, Alexandria, Manassas and Manassas Park.
  • Tysons2 Randy’s Prime, 4 Ingle, 6 The Capital Grille, 11 Chima. Also The Palm and a second Fogo de Chão.
  • Falls Church1 Seoul Prime, with 2941 Restaurant a few minutes away.
  • Arlington5 Guerra Steakhouse, plus Medium Rare.
  • Old Town Alexandria8 Oak Steakhouse and 12 1799 Prime, a few blocks apart.
  • Reston7 Fogo de Chão.
  • Fairfax10 ChoSun Hwaro.
  • Ashburn3 DC Prime Steaks and 9 Eddie Merlot’s. Brasserie Royale is in Sterling, and Beitna in Herndon.
  • Prince WilliamNo steakhouse made the 12. The Black Sheep in Manassas, an American restaurant, is on Northern Virginia Magazine’s 50 Best for 2025 and rates 4.7 on Google.8

The perfect cut

Your Guide to Choosing the Perfect Cut

Every steak on these twelve menus comes from one of four places on the animal, and that address decides most of what you taste: how tender it is, how rich it is, and how big it comes. Find your cut on the map, then read the fat.

A butcher case with the cuts in rows: ribeye, strip, filet, porterhouse and tomahawk, with whole loins dry-aging behind
A butcher case with the cuts in rows: ribeye, strip, filet, porterhouse and tomahawk, with whole loins dry-aging behind.Artist’s rendering
ChuckRibShortloinSirloinRoundBrisketPlateFlank1–45–89·10111234567891011
The numbers match the cuts below; tap one to jump to it. Wagyu is number 12: a breed, not a place on the animal.

Lean, or well marbled?

Lean

Meets the government’s definition of lean, per the beef checkoff

In between

A strip and a filet on one bone; a hanger is all flavor, with a coarse texture

Well marbled

Described by the checkoff or the Wagyu breeders for their marbling

Ribeye, served whole
Ribeye, served whole.Artist’s rendering

1The rib

Ribeye

Boneless rib steak · 14 to 16 oz on these menus

Well marbled

The rich one. “Rich, juicy and full-flavored with generous marbling throughout,” and it carries a second muscle, the tender ribeye cap, curled around one side.32,34

Order it at Randy’s, DC Prime, Guerra, Oak, Eddie Merlot’s, 1799 Prime. Dry-aged and grilled at the table at Seoul Prime.

Cowboy ribeye, served whole
Cowboy ribeye, served whole.Artist’s rendering

2The rib

Cowboy ribeye

Bone-in ribeye · 18 to 32 oz on these menus

Bone-inWell marbled

The ribeye with a short rib bone left on and scraped clean. The beef checkoff’s rule: a bone-in rib steak with the bone frenched is a cowboy steak.32,34

Order it at 1799 Prime, Eddie Merlot’s, The Capital Grille, Guerra. Carved at the table at Fogo de Chão.

Tomahawk, served whole
Tomahawk, served whole.Artist’s rendering

3The rib

Tomahawk

Bone-in ribeye, long bone · 34 to 44 oz on these menus

Bone-inFor two

The cowboy with the whole rib bone still attached. “If frenched and full rib bone attached, referred to as Tomahawk Steak.” Built for the table, not for one.32,34

Order it at Randy’s, Fogo de Chão, Guerra, 1799 Prime. Fogo’s is dry-aged 42 days; Guerra’s is 38 oz for two.

Ribeye cap, served whole
Ribeye cap, served whole.Artist’s rendering

4The rib

Ribeye cap

Spinalis · About 5 oz on these menus

Well marbledSmall portion

The curved muscle that wraps the top of the ribeye, cut off and served on its own: “rich and satisfying with exceptional tenderness and marbling.”32,34

Order it at Randy’s (Wagyu, 5 oz). Grilled at the table at Seoul Prime, Ingle, where it comes as Japanese A5.

New York strip, served whole
New York strip, served whole.Artist’s rendering

5The short loin

New York strip

Strip, shell, top loin · 12 to 16 oz on these menus

Lean

“Tender, lean and perfect for grilling.” The beef checkoff lists seven names for this one steak, from strip and shell to club and hotel cut.32,34

Order it at Ten of the 12. The easiest steak on this list to find.

Kansas City strip, served whole
Kansas City strip, served whole.Artist’s rendering

6The short loin

Kansas City strip

Bone-in strip · 18 to 20 oz on these menus

Bone-inLean

The strip with its bone left on. The checkoff accepts “Kansas City” and “New York” for both versions; on these menus, Kansas City means bone-in.32,34

Order it at DC Prime (20 oz), The Capital Grille (18 oz, dry-aged) and Eddie Merlot’s (18 oz, Wagyu).

Filet mignon, served whole
Filet mignon, served whole.Artist’s rendering

7The short loin

Filet mignon

Tenderloin steak · 6 to 12 oz on these menus

Most tenderLean

“The most tender steak, lean yet succulent, with a fine buttery texture.” It comes from the tenderloin, “the least exercised” muscle on the animal.32,34

Order it at Ten of the 12. As Wagyu at Randy’s, The Capital Grille, Eddie Merlot’s.

Porterhouse, served whole
Porterhouse, served whole.Artist’s rendering

8The short loin

Porterhouse

Strip and filet on one bone · 24 oz on these menus

Bone-inFor two

Two steaks on one T-shaped bone, the strip on one side and the filet on the other, “often big enough for two.” What makes it a porterhouse and not a T-bone is the width of the filet side.32,33,34

Order it at Only The Capital Grille, dry-aged. No T-bone on any of the 12 menus.

Top sirloin, served whole
Top sirloin, served whole.Artist’s rendering

9The sirloin

Top sirloin

Center-cut sirloin · 8 to 14 oz on these menus

Lean

“A flavorful cut that’s versatile and juicy,” and lean by the checkoff’s count. On these menus it turns up in salads, steak frites and mixed grills more than as the headline.32,34

Order it at Guerra (8 and 14 oz), The Capital Grille at lunch, 1799 Prime and Chima.

Picanha, served whole
Picanha, served whole.Artist’s rendering

10The sirloin

Picanha

Top sirloin cap, coulotte · 12 oz plated on these menus

Well marbledCarved at the table

The triangle-shaped muscle that caps the top sirloin. “With plenty of marbling, this is a juicy and savory steak.” Brazilian menus often just call it top sirloin.32,34

Order it at On the skewer at Fogo de Chão, Chima, carved at the table. Plated at Guerra.

Hanger, served whole
Hanger, served whole.Artist’s rendering

11The short plate

Hanger

Hanging tender · About 10 oz on these menus

Big flavor

From the short plate, below the rib, the same neighborhood as skirt steak: “full of flavor with a coarse texture.” Flavor first, tenderness second.32,34

Order it at Guerra, Oak (10 oz each). Grilled at the table at Seoul Prime, Ingle.

Wagyu, served whole
Wagyu, served whole.Artist’s rendering

12A breed, not a cut

Wagyu

Japanese, American or Australian · 2 to 4 oz tastes on these menus

Most marbledBy the ounce

Not a cut but a breed: “Wagyu literally means ‘Japanese cow.’” It comes as strip, filet, ribeye or cap, and it is so rich that it often sells by the ounce.37,34

Order it at Eight of the 12. Japanese A5 strip at Oak ($40 an ounce, 2 oz minimum); 4 oz flights at DC Prime.

Sizes and the “order it at” lists come from each restaurant’s online menu, read October 8, 2026. Korean barbecue places grill and slice the beef at the table, so they never send a whole steak to the plate.34

Fat and marbling: what the grade is really grading

Marbling is fat inside the muscle. The USDA defines it as “the amount of fat interspersed with lean meat,” and it is what the grade measures. More fine white flecks spread evenly through the red means a higher grade.29

The fat cap is something else. It is the band of fat on the outside edge. It crisps and renders on the grill, but it does not move a steak up a grade. On a ribeye you can see both, plus the curved ribeye cap set apart by a seam of fat.

More marbling, more flavor. Juicier? Not always. In a Texas A&M study for the beef checkoff, the Prime steaks carried 14% fat inside the muscle, against about 6% for Choice and Select. To a trained tasting panel, more of that fat meant more beefy, roasted and buttery flavor, but it did not make the steaks taste juicier.41

Fat capMarblingRibeye cap
A ribeye from above. Drawing, not a photo.
SelectMarbling: Slight

Leaner than the higher grades. “Fairly tender, but because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor.”

ChoiceMarbling: Small, Modest, Moderate

“High quality, but has less marbling than Prime.” Most supermarket steak is Choice.

PrimeMarbling: Slightly Abundant and up

“Produced from young, well-fed beef cattle” and “generally sold in upscale restaurants.”

Drawings, not photos: the white flecks show how marbling builds from grade to grade.29

Out of every 100 fed cattle graded in 2025

  • 12 Prime
  • 73 Choice
  • 12 Select
  • 3 The rest

Prime reached a record 11.8% of fed-cattle carcasses in 2025, fewer than one in eight.35

Wagyu and the A5 code

“Wagyu literally means ‘Japanese cow.’” The first Wagyu reached the United States in 1975: two black bulls and two red ones. Wagyu cattle are bred to marble so heavily that they often go past the top of the USDA scale.37 In Japan, the grade is a letter and a number. On this list, Ingle grills American Wagyu at a marbling score of 8 and up, and Oak sells Japanese A5 by the ounce.5,16

A5

A is the yield grade, A to C: how much meat the carcass gives.

5 is the quality grade, 5 to 1: marbling, color, firmness and the fat.

Beef Marbling Standard, 1 to 12

123456789101112
12345

Quality grade under each band. A 5 needs a marbling score of 8 or more, and color, firmness and fat are graded too.31,36

Grain-finished or grass-fed?38

Grain-finished
  • Grazes on pasture for most of its life, then finishes on grain for the last 120 to 200 days.
  • Creamy-white fat and more marbling.
  • Nearly all steakhouse Prime.
Grass-fed
  • Raised only on grass, pasture or other forage.
  • Fat often looks yellow, from carotenoids in the grass.
  • Most grass-fed cattle don’t reach Choice or Prime.

Dry-aged or wet-aged?30,39

Dry-aged
  • Unwrapped, in cold, controlled air at about 32 to 34°F for one to five weeks.
  • More tender, with a concentrated, beefier flavor.
  • Loses weight to drying and trimming, so it costs more.
Wet-aged
  • Aged in a vacuum bag. Most beef is aged this way today.
  • Many cuts need only the standard 14 days.
  • Higher yield and steadier color than dry-aged.

Days of aging, on this list

Dry-agedAged; the menu doesn’t say dry or wetStandard

A plus sign means “at least.” Fogo de Chão dry-ages its tomahawk; The Capital Grille dry-ages in house.

Whole rib and strip loins dry-aging behind glass, with a wall of salt blocks
Whole rib and strip loins dry-aging behind glass, with a wall of salt blocks.Artist’s rendering

How to read a raw steak at the counter

  1. Look for fine, even flecks. Many small white flecks spread through the red beat a few thick streaks. Compare them with the three drawings above.29
  2. Cherry red is fresh. Steak in a vacuum pack looks purple-red, and that is normal: it turns cherry red once it meets the air. Turning brownish-red under store lights does not mean it has spoiled; spoiled meat also smells off and feels sticky or slimy.40
  3. Check the fat. Firm, creamy-white fat is typical of grain-finished beef. Yellower fat usually points to grass feeding.38
Select, Choice and Prime side by side: the more white flecks, the higher the grade
Select, Choice and Prime side by side: the more white flecks, the higher the grade.Artist’s rendering

Medium-rare

Medium-rare: Ahmed’s order, and the chef’s.

Ahmed reads a steak menu the way he reads a listing: grade first, then age, then the price per square foot. Per ounce, sorry. And his order never changes.

Is medium-rare right? It is where most steakhouses will steer you: a warm red center at about 130 to 135°F. Certified Angus Beef puts medium-rare at 135°F. Ruth’s Chris pulls a medium-rare steak off the heat at about 125°F and lets it rest up to 130 to 135°F, because a steak keeps cooking for a few minutes after it leaves the grill.26,27

The food-safety line. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s safe minimum for whole beef steaks is 145°F, which is medium, with a rest of at least three minutes. That is why steakhouse menus carry the small note about raw or undercooked meat.28 Medium-rare is the chef’s pick, 145°F is the government’s, and the choice is yours. The server will ask.

I’m a big steak eater, by the way. I like mine medium-rare.

Ahmed Makkiyah
A New York strip basted with brown butter, garlic and thyme in cast iron
A New York strip basted with brown butter, garlic and thyme in cast iron.Artist’s rendering
Under the broiler: steakhouses sear from above with fierce heat, and DC Prime’s runs at 1,100°F
Under the broiler: steakhouses sear from above with fierce heat, and DC Prime’s runs at 1,100°F.Artist’s rendering
Then a rest on a rack: a steak keeps cooking for a few minutes after it leaves the heat
Then a rest on a rack: a steak keeps cooking for a few minutes after it leaves the heat.Artist’s rendering

Five more

Five more worth the drive.

Not ranked, either because they are not steakhouses or because their menus say less about the beef, but each one is worth knowing.

  • 2941 Restaurant

    Falls Church · Google 4.6

    Not a steakhouse, but Northern Virginia Magazine's No. 1 restaurant of 2025, and its April 2026 steak roundup says the Braveheart Black Angus rib-eye au poivre “competes with the best offerings from beef specialists.”21,8

  • The Palm, Tysons

    Tysons · Google 4.5 (1,205)

    USDA Prime from a 14 oz strip to a 36 oz porterhouse, and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2002.22,12

  • Brasserie Royale

    Sterling · Google 4.6 (237)

    A French brasserie whose bavette steak frites is Northern Virginia Magazine's “current favorite iteration” of the dish. No. 91 on Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurants of 2026.21,23

  • Medium Rare

    Arlington · Google 4.5 (2,178)

    The name says it all. One set dinner: bread, salad, and culotte steak with fries and the house “secret sauce.” The lowest-priced steak dinner on this page; check the current price before you go.24

  • Beitna Smoked Meat & Steakhouse

    Herndon · Google 4.7 (1,512)

    States on its own site that it smokes and grills halal meats, with a menu section of premium sizzling steaks. Open daily from 11:30 am.25

From Ahmed

Where you eat is part of where you live.

Tysons, Reston, Old Town and Ashburn each have a different evening to them, and a different price per square foot. The town guides linked above put the homes, schools and commutes side by side.

If you are weighing one town against another, I can put the homes, the numbers and the drive side by side for you, in English or Arabic.

Questions

What people ask about steakhouses in Northern Virginia.

What is the best steakhouse in Northern Virginia?

For the beef itself, Seoul Prime in the City of Falls Church: every cut on its steak tours is USDA Prime or American Wagyu, and it holds a 4.9 Google rating from 2,179 reviews (October 8, 2026). For a classic American steakhouse, Randy's Prime in Tysons; in Loudoun, DC Prime Steaks in Ashburn, which serves only USDA Prime aged at least 35 days.

Which Northern Virginia steakhouses serve USDA Prime beef?

Seoul Prime, Randy's Prime, DC Prime Steaks, Oak Steakhouse Alexandria, Eddie Merlot's in Ashburn, 1799 Prime in Old Town and The Palm in Tysons all list USDA Prime steaks on their menus. DC Prime says it serves only USDA Prime.

Is there a halal steakhouse in Northern Virginia?

Two places state it on their own websites. Beitna Smoked Meat and Steakhouse in Herndon says it smokes and grills halal meats. Chima Steakhouse in Tysons offers a halal rodizio for groups of 20 or more at $110 a person, booked ahead; its site does not say the regular rodizio is halal. Always confirm with the restaurant when you book.

What is the best cut of steak?

It depends on what you want. Ribeye is the rich one, with generous marbling. Filet mignon is the most tender and lean. New York strip sits between them: tender and lean, and on ten of the twelve menus on this list. For a crowd, the porterhouse puts a strip and a filet on one bone, and the tomahawk is a 34 to 44 oz ribeye with the whole rib bone left on.

What is the difference between a porterhouse and a T-bone?

Both have a strip on one side of the bone and a filet on the other. The USDA's buying specifications call it a porterhouse when the filet side is at least 1.25 inches wide, and a T-bone when it is at least half an inch. None of the twelve steakhouses on this list puts a T-bone on its menu; The Capital Grille serves a 24 oz dry-aged porterhouse.

What does A5 Wagyu mean?

It is Japan's top grade. The letter is the yield grade, A to C, for how much meat the carcass gives. The number is the quality grade, 5 to 1, which weighs marbling, color, firmness and the fat. A 5 needs a marbling score of 8 or more on Japan's 1 to 12 scale.

Where can I get Wagyu or A5 beef in Northern Virginia?

Ingle Korean Steakhouse in Tysons grills American Wagyu at a marbling score of 8 or higher and a Japanese A5 ribeye cap at the table. Oak Steakhouse in Old Town Alexandria sells Japanese A5 Kagoshima strip by the ounce, DC Prime in Ashburn pours Wagyu flights that include Japanese A3, and Eddie Merlot's, Randy's Prime and Seoul Prime carry Australian or American Wagyu.

What temperature is a medium-rare steak?

About 130 to 135°F in the center: a warm red center. Certified Angus Beef puts medium-rare at 135°F, and Ruth's Chris pulls a medium-rare steak at about 125°F and lets it rest up to 130 to 135°F. The USDA's safe minimum for whole beef steaks is 145°F with a three-minute rest, which is why menus carry a note about undercooked meat.

What is the best steakhouse in Tysons?

Randy's Prime Seafood and Steaks for a classic American steakhouse with Prime and Wagyu, and Ingle Korean Steakhouse for Wagyu grilled at the table. The Capital Grille dry-ages its steaks 18 to 24 days in house, and Chima runs a Brazilian rodizio.

What is the best steakhouse in Loudoun County?

DC Prime Steaks in Ashburn, the readers' Best of NoVA winner for steak in 2025, serves only USDA Prime aged at least 35 days. Eddie Merlot's, also in Ashburn, ages its Prime steaks at least 28 days and carries Australian and American Wagyu.

Your next step

Found your steakhouse? Let’s find the house near it.

Tysons, Reston, Old Town or Ashburn: tell me where you want to live and when. I answer in English or Arabic, with real numbers, not a pitch.

دليل شمال فرجينيا · أفضل مطاعم الستيك

أفضل مطاعم الستيك في شمال فرجينيا

رتّبنا اثني عشر مطعماً بحسب جودة اللحم أولاً: درجة التصنيف الأمريكية «برايم»، ومدة التعتيق، ومصدر لحم الواغيو، ثم التقييمات وآراء النقاد. في المرتبة الأولى «سيول برايم» في مدينة فولز تشيرش، إذ إن كل قطع جولات الستيك فيه من درجة برايم أو من الواغيو الأمريكي، وتقييمه 4.9 على غوغل من 2,179 مراجعة. ويأتي بعده «رانديز برايم» في تايسونز، ثم «دي سي برايم» في آشبيرن الذي لا يقدّم إلا لحم برايم المعتّق 35 يوماً على الأقل.

ويضمّ هذا الدليل قسماً لاختيار القطعة المثالية: من أين تأتي كل قطعة من الذبيحة، والفرق بين طبقة الدهن الخارجية والتعرّق الدهني داخل العضلة، وما تعنيه درجات «برايم» و«تشويس» و«سيليكت»، ومعنى رمز «A5» في لحم الواغيو.

لمن يبحث عن الحلال: يذكر مطعم «بيتنا» في هيرندن على موقعه أنه يقدّم لحوماً حلالاً، ويقدّم مطعم «شيما» في تايسونز وجبة روديزيو حلالاً للمجموعات من عشرين شخصاً فأكثر بسعر 110 دولارات للشخص، بحجز مسبق. أما درجة الاستواء المفضلة عند أحمد فهي «ميديم رير»، أي نحو 135 درجة فهرنهايت، في حين تحدد وزارة الزراعة الأمريكية 145 درجة حداً أدنى للسلامة مع ثلاث دقائق من الراحة. راسلني بالعربية أو بالإنجليزية.

وكيلك العقاري الموثوق في شمال فرجينيا.

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