Hawksmoor New York: A British Steakhouse That Earns Every Dollar

May 2, 2024 — Manhattan, New York City

Sometimes the best meals happen because someone else dropped the ball.

I was in New York for business, and a colleague in northern New Jersey had been trying all day to get me out to meet one of our largest customers. He kept pushing the time. And pushing it. Finally, at five-thirty, he comes back with: “We’re ready.”

Five-thirty. Rush hour. Manhattan.

He offered the train. Forty-five minutes, he said. I wasn’t about to decode the New York subway system for a thirty-minute meeting and a meal in Jersey that — let’s be honest — probably wasn’t going to be as good as what I could find two blocks from my hotel. So I said thanks, but no thanks, and went looking for dinner.

That’s how I ended up at Hawksmoor. Very English, very serious. I figured if they’d crossed the Atlantic to set up shop in Manhattan, they’d better be good.

They are.

The Room

Let me start with the space because it sets the tone for everything that follows. The interior features these stunning cascading architectural ceilings — almost Roman in their grandeur — with stained glass catching the light above a room that’s genuinely large and genuinely full. It’s the kind of room that makes you feel like something is actually happening. Yes, it’s loud. But this is New York City, and that kind of ambient energy is part of the deal.

Starting Strong: Oysters and Then Some

Hawksmoor is apparently known for their oysters, so naturally I started there. A batch on the half shell, cold and clean and as good as advertised. Solid opening move.

Then things got interesting.

The Caesar salad here is not your Caesar salad. The romaine is cut in long vertical sections — six to eight inches tall, maybe an inch wide — standing upright like some kind of edible architecture. The dressing and Parmesan are already layered right on, so you’re not tossing anything. After a few attempts at being polite about it, I just picked them up and ate them like crackers. It was the correct decision. Unique presentation, excellent execution.

The steelhead tartare was the real surprise of the evening. Their take on beef tartare, except with cubed steelhead trout, citrus, ginger, and chili. If you’re not a sashimi person, this probably isn’t for you — the fish is raw, the texture is present. But if you are, the freshness here is exceptional. The citrus and ginger do exactly what they’re supposed to do, making the flavor pop without masking the fish. The chili is a whisper, not a shout — just enough to make things interesting without tipping into spicy.

The Main Event

This is a steakhouse. I ordered accordingly.

Ten-ounce filet, cooked exactly as you’d expect from a place that knows what it’s doing at a high-end steakhouse. But the move here is the bone marrow gravy — their version of what you might call gravy, except infused with bone marrow, which gives it a richness that pairs beautifully with the beef. I poured it on. I have no regrets.

The Cocktail That Stopped Me Cold

I need to spend a moment on the brown butter-washed double bourbon old fashioned because it deserves it.

It had two bourbons — one butter-washed, the other a higher-quality base to smooth it out and give it structure. The result was so silky, so well-balanced, that I did something I almost never do: I ordered a second one. That’s a lot of alcohol on top of a full dinner, and I did it anyway because the cocktail was that good. Rarely does a drink make me stop and think about what I’m tasting. This one did.

Finishing with a Peanut Butter Lui

For dessert, I went with their peanut butter Lui. The backstory: the original Lui — Louis XV — was supposedly invented at a restaurant in Monte Carlo. Hawksmoor’s version looks like an upscale Snickers bar and is layered similarly, except the comparison undersells it significantly. It’s richer, more refined, and honestly excellent. I had it with a glass of port, which was exactly the right call.

The Verdict

Hawksmoor is expensive. This is not a casual dinner. But for what you get — the room, the service, the food, and that cocktail — it’s worth it.

New York has no shortage of great restaurants, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back in the area. But if I am? I’d seriously consider returning. That old fashioned alone might be reason enough.

Hawksmoor New York — Manhattan, NYC
Cuisine: British Steakhouse
Visited: May 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½