Sparks Steak House

To be fair the food was amazing as usual and our waiter Junior was so great! Unfortunately, when we went to pay we had an old gift certificate with no expiration date and sparks would not honor it. They blamed the group that gave out the certificate, bloomspot. Sparks had their name and logo on the gift certificate, if they had a problem with the gift certificate they should go after bloomspot. Instead the managers decided to show us how to look up a website on an iPad so we could follow up and complain. Thanks for nothing! We dropped $ 900 at the place and they would only honor half of a $ 200 gift cert.
We had two people with us who had never been and said they loved it but would now never go back because of the way sparks handled the gift certificate situation.
Not classy sparks, not classy!

Wonderful dinner, filet was fantastic. Sautéed mushrooms & asparagus were cooked perfectly. Dirty martini was one of the best I’ve had. Our waiter was Andy, very attentive & when we told him we were in New York for an Anniversary weekend, he also told us to take our time & not rush! Will come back again when we’re in New York!!!

Yes this is where the famous mob hit took place that sent John Gotti into stardom. If you want to have the perfect experience at Sparks, follow a few of my steps and you’ll be treated casual as if you are a regular. and if you have good humor, always check your surroundings before walking inside…
* Always confirm your reservation and check in before arrival. Don’t bring a big crowd, The service and food consistency is best when the occupant count is low. As you walk into Sparks you will notice that the rooms are filled with big pieces of antique furniture and the walls are lined with gilt-​frame paintings. When your waiter arrives he will basically tell you what the chefs have prepared so do not order something out of the ordinary unless it’s one of the popular menu selections. When it comes to selecting a wine, this place carries the best wines in the world. So if you plan on ordering something new, do your research before dropping a lot of money on a bottle.
I always try to stay clear from cooked Appetizers. Most of the regulars order a cold dish like the shrimp cocktail, a salad, or lump crabmeat. If you order the tomato & onion salad, request it to be chopped and topped with roquefort dressing which is delicious. Another secret is order the asparagus vinaigrette, it’s not no the menu but it is very good and popular amongst the regulars. When it comes to ordering entrées, stick with the plain steak or chops. These items are their specialties but If you do have seafood on the brain, order the lobster. It’s reliable and very delicious. All other seafood seems to get looked down on because this is a steakhouse. If you have room for dessert, it really doesn’t matter what you choose but I personally order the cheese cake. My overall experience here has always been great. It honestly is one of New York’s best steakhouses. I highly recommend Sparks.
SERVICE: Brusque at the door, very solicitous at the tables.
SOUND LEVEL: It can get Loud.
RECOMMENDED DISHES: Shrimp cocktail, crabmeat cocktail, chopped tomato and onion salad, asparagus vinaigrette, lamb chops, prime sirloin steak, steamed lobster, cheesecake.
WINE LIST: Large, impressive, extremely reasonable.
PRICE RANGE: Appetizers, $ 6.50 to $ 15.50; main courses, $ 19.95 to $ 89.95 (for a five-​and-​a-​half-​pound lobster).
CLOSED ON SUNDAYS

Had dinner last night at Sparks to celebrate. As usual the best Porterhouse ever ! We had a great bottle of Château Simard ’85 «The price will soon be forgotten and the taste will long be remembered !

Sparks is a little different from a typical steak house because they do not serve porterhouse and have plenty of seafood choices. This place by far has the best sirloin in New York City and beef scalopini is to die for. Deserts are great too. Service is typical of all other high-​end steak houses. Highly recommend!

My husband and I went here for my birthday last night and left feeling we’ve been had. Way, way over-​priced for what you get. And I’ve been to Alinea in Chicago as well as Blue Hill at Stone Barns so I’m not what you’d call a cheap diner. The steak was NOT medium rare but too charred and brown on the inside. And FATTY. The lobster was dry and the garlic butter had an odd taste (they did replace it for us with plain butter.) and we only each wanted a glass of wine, not a $ 65 bottle of mediocre CA Chardonnany. We felt pushed. The service was too quick and felt rushed even though it wasn’t busy. I feel I just wasted $ 259 that would have been better spent at brunch at the Waldorf instead.

I am a steak and lobster nut. Absolutely love them both. And, the first time I went to Sparks, my lobster was so unbelievably good I thought it might be a fluke. It wasn’t. OMG! I have gone back three times now and Sparks has the absolute best lobster in NYC! No question about it. Every time I leave the restaurant I find myself saying, «that was the best!». The waiters (who are also exceptional) take the lobster out of the shell, then put it back in at the table. My date always orders the filet mignon, which was also outstanding. And just when I think my dinner cannot get any better, I order the homemade French vanilla and chocolate chocolate chip ice-​cream, with nuts and whipped cream. Now, I’ve died and gone to heaven. Not overly dressy: comfortable, clubby atmosphere. When it comes to food and service, this just might be my favorite restaurant in NYC.

When my husband and I planned our trip to NYC, we agreed that one of our stops had to be the famous Sparks Steak House.
When we arrived, we were greeted immediately by the maitre’d. After checking in our coats, we were seated right away. Within a few minutes, we were given warm rolls and water. Shortly after, our waiter arrived. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and was able to answer my question about one of the menu items.
For my meal, I had the Steak Fromage. It is a sirloin topped with roquefort cheese (which is a blue cheese). It was cooked just the way I like it (rare) and was absolutely delicious.
Keep in mind, the menu is a la carte. But, they have good appetizers and sides that are worth ordering to go with your steak. I highly recommend the mushroom caps. They were nice and warm, with melted butter covering them. Mmm!
For the wine connoisseur: Sparks has what is probably the biggest wine list you’ve ever seen. It is 3 (large) pages long! You can also order a cocktail from the bar if wine isn’t your thing.
We definitely plan to return to New York in the future, and will eat here again, for sure.

Do not eat here unless you like your steak rare. Every time I have been here (yes, I had to go many times for business dinners) the steak has been fair to low quality and always overcooked compared to what I asked for (e.g. medium rare is served medium). That’s not a coincidence, it’s a classic steakhouse trick to cover up the lower quality meat they serve. On my last visit I ordered a rare steak, meaning they couldn’t hide the quality of the meat, and therefore they had to give me a good piece of steak and indeed it was surprisingly good.
BUT the other trick is that the waiters ridiculously overfill your wineglasses and keep filling them every time you take a sip, to get you (especially if you’re in a group) to order more wine, padding the bill and therefore the tip. In a group, they always ask a different person if they should bring another bottle.
Is this just good service? No because they never fill your water glass, so you’ll end up drinking more wine.
It got so annoying that on my last visit, I finished my water and put the empty glass up against my wine glass, and the waiter refilled my wine after every sip without even noticing the empty water glass. I then put my water glass upside down on my plate. Still no notice. I then balanced my water glass ON TOP OF my wine glass and he almost poured wine into it before stammering «ah ah ah, do you need more water?»
Skip this place and go to Peter Luger which is the most consistently good steakhouse in the city.

If you find yourself in New York and are looking for a good steak, look no further. My wife and I stopped here for several reasons. First we wanted to eat at a well known steakhouse in New York. Also, we are true crime buffs. This was the location of a mob hit in 1985. But back to the food… I would suggest making reservations either by phone or online.
We arrived and immediately were greeted by the maitre’d. He directed us to the coat check to deposit our coats.
Once seated at our table it wasn’t long before we were served waters. We were then asked if we were ready to order drinks shortly after.
Our waiter was a nice gentleman from Texas. He asked if we had any questions about the menu. We were ready to order, as the menu is very well put together. If you are a wine connoisseur, their wine list is very extensive.
There was a short wait once we ordered. But they did a great job of asking if we wanted additional warm rolls.
When the steaks arrived, I was impressed by the size of them. For $ 54 you get an impressive filet mignon. The steaks were beautifully prepared, and awesomely tender.

I bring my family to Sparks every year when we come to New York City for the Christmas holidays. This year half of us ordered the sirloin and the other half got the filet minion. The sirloin steaks were perfectly seared and tasted amazing. The filets were huge, probably larger than the sirloin and were so tender. The whole meal was incredible and the staff was very attentive but not suffocating. We’ve come to Sparks about 9 years and can honestly say we’ve never had a bad meal. We’ll be back again next year God willing.

So far this is the best steak house in town! They have many varieties of steaks which are all so delicious; the wait staff is awesome gave a lot of suggestions and was very on point with the service and had the best experience here; will definitely come back again!

The management is honourable

This has been on my places to go for quite some time now. I enjoy trying different steak houses and this has to be one of New Yorks better know. To start, the bar is a great place to have a drink before dinner. I’m pretty sure reservations mean you’ll be seated in the general time frame of your chosen time so have a drink and relax. Once you’re seated, the service is top notch and the food… is really great. The lobster as an app is a great way to go if you have 4 or more people. Again, the service and presentation is well worth it. The steaks are fantastic but oddly enough if you’re looking for just a stand alone rib eye it isnt happening — you’ll get it with peppers and onions. Hey, when in Rome, right?
Four stars because of the food, service and history. Frankly, what you pay for everything you get it keeping the fifth star off the board — it’s VERY pricey. But, if you enjoy steak and people watching, hit Sparks when you’re in NYC

Nice place, very classy, and food is good, i ordered the biggest lobster they had and it was so delicious

Awesome place to go as a first timer in NYC!
Split your steaks, because they are huge. Great wait staff, bring some bills to tip the coat check lady and come hungry. I promise you will leave happy!
I ordered the Filet Mignon medium rare with a side of grilled onions. It was yummy and my fiancé and I split it and we both were stuffed. We also got the NY cheesecake and it was perfection. Get that too!

OK. Good not great. Would go back, but not my top choice.
Had the strip (cooked differently for all 3 who ordered although we ordered the same temperature).
Lobster was good, can’t really mess that up.
Wish they had some better side options and a bone in ribeye, but I guess they’ve had this menu a while and I can respect that.
Again, good not great.

Was recommended this restaurant by a friend. Highly unfavorable. Ordered the halibut steak. Wanted to try something different. Was expecting something moist and flavorful. It was bland, chewy and very dry. I was still hungry when I left and felt sick afterwards. I shouldn’t have been hungry after such an expensive meal. Not worth coming here.

4 stars for the food quality. 2 stars for service.
Old school NY steak house in mid-​town east. Date night with the bf.
Pros: food was delicious. My bf had the steak au fromage, which was perfectly cooked. Tender cut and flavorful treatment. I had the lamb chops. Served perfectly medium, with a nice char. Believe me when I tell you that I broke my normally strict insistence on etiquette when fine dining and chowed down on those bones!
Cons: Service from the time we entered until we left was sub par. Sexist: I asked for the wine list and it was given to my bf not me, even though he had already been served his drink order (martini). Not to mention that the host walked us to the table and then instructed me where to sit, (in the corner). I had a flashback to Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing saying «no body puts baby in the corner». We didn’t make a fuss but it was noted. There were also multiple mistakes with our order: 2x wrong drink delivered for example.
Overall, I’d recommend the food, especially the steak fromage which not many places serve. However the service is spotty.

Family dinner for party of four + plus one + good quality wine = GOOD TIMES! Our immediate party of three arrived on time via MTA subway rather than a revival scene of Gambino mafia boss Paul Castellano’s entrance leading to his assassination.
We all skipped appetizers and went straight to the entrée because portions are HUGE. Salads are also huge portions but it is the meat that is the shining star for your reason to patronize Sparks. You must come hungry and must be carnivore’s gluttony feast. Sadly, there was no room for dessert. Sparks Steakhouse also have gargantuan lobsters in three sizes: 3 to 3.5 lbs OR 4 to 4.5 lbs. OR 5 to 5.5 lbs.
Three ladies ordered Medallions of Beef, served with Bordelaise sauce and fresh mushrooms. I am not a mushroom fan and there were entirely too much on my plate. The Bordelaise sauce was rather dry and very minimal. I did not taint the entrée by adding condiments as I wanted to taste the Bordelaise sauce.
Prime Sirloin Steak, a boneless shell steak from premium steers
Sliced Steak with Sauteed onion and red peppers
Libation: one glass of Cabernet Sauvignon
Customer service is phenomenal and they exceeded our needs and expectations. A mandatory coat check is required. Facilities are clean with Brill automatic toilet seat covers. The menu is huge about 20 inches X 25 inches and written legible for elderly eyes to see without being strain. Atmospheric conditions are filled with antique furniture and the walls are lined with gilt-​frame paintings of the Hudson River School. The section of quality wine and sparkling wine are gargantuan as nearby the coat check area wine bottles are on display for purchase or to accompany with your steak dinner. I now have Sparks Steakhouse business card in my collection. Reservations are highly recommended as I made mine via
but no Sparks do not participate in their dining points program. Semi-​formal attire for this glitzy high-​end steakhouse is highly recommended. No annoying TVs screens are blaring in the background and soft music is playing overhead so I our party of five’s conversation was audible and transmitted clearly. This restaurant is street level for mobility accessible to all including the physical challenged.
Note: Sparks Steakhouse is the site where mafia boss of the Gambino family, Paul Castellano was assassination by the notorious mob boss, John Gotti in 1985. After Castellano’s death he was succeeded by John Gotti to become the mafia boss of the Gambino family, controversial without permission for appointment. The man exited his car en route to dinner but was assassinated… oh man, at least let the man enjoy his steak– even Jesus was allowed to have his Last Supper before his death.

Eines der besten Steakhäuser New Yorks. Fantastische Vealchops, tolle
T-​bones-​die Steaks sind einfach klasse. Sehr gute Vodkauswahl-​gute Martinis. Da es ein sehr großes Lokal ist, fehlt es etwas an Gemütlichkeit.
Die Weine/​Degistifs (insbesonere Portweine) sind leider überteuert. Dennoch, immer einen Besuch wert.

Gutes Fleisch, tolles Ambiente, mässige Weinliste, ziemlich amateurhafter Service (beherrschten die Sprache nicht richtig und machten keine Anstalten mit dem Gast kommunizieren zu wollen. Schade.

Für Steakgenuss sicherlich eines der TopAdressen in New York und dafür auch weltweit bekannt. Sehr urige Atmosphäre die an alte Mafia Filme erinnert. Für das Steak werden aber auch gesalzene Preise (ab 50 Dollar) genommen. Eine RolliToilette gab es leider nicht, sonst aber voll zugänlich