Bern's Steak House

Burns needs no review. Great steaks, seafood, atmosphere, service, and if you live near Tampa Bay you already know. Simply one of the best steaks restaurants in the country.

I enjoy visiting classic and iconic steak houses when I travel. I'm glad I finally got to check out this legendary establishment. Unfortunately, I found it to be a bit overrated. First off, the service is impeccable. You're attended to with the best service and feel welcomed. The waiter, Jordan, was very knowledgeable and really seemed engaged. You could tell he's proud to work there. I started off with some champagne and caviar per Jordan's recommendations. It was really tasty. The French onion soup and salad were both great. However, it was at this point that I realized the very pungent smell I had been smelling since walking into the lobby was the type of cheese they use on both these dishes. It's not terrible, just has a very pungent funk and smell to it. It definitely gave both sides a unique flavor that I enjoyed. By the time I finished dessert though, a couple hours later, I was finding the smell, which was everywhere I went, to be a bit off-putting. For my main course, I ordered the 14oz 100 day dry-aged Delmonico. I ordered it Medium. Much to my dismay, it came out medium rare at best. I found this surprising. You can expect to have this happen at low end places or joints that aren't steakhouses, but never at an upscale 5 star place, where your steak is nearly $100. Jordan offered to throw it back on the grill. I tried getting through it without having to do that, but I just couldn't. I did not enjoy this steak one bit. I took him up on his offer, for the to-go box. I did eat the rest of it the next day but there still, was no special flavors or uniqueness to the 100 day dry aged vs a regular cut. Needless to say, it was disappointing. The onion rings and green beans that come with the plate were meh... Not what I would have picked for my sides, if given a choice. The trice baked potato was dry and also had the pungent flavor of the cheese. That's pretty much all I could taste on it. After my meal, Jordan gave me a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar. Then, he took me up to the dessert room. I very much enjoyed my Baked Alaska. What a unique and flavorful dessert. Makes for a great Instagram or Snapchat story. The piano player was also a delight to watch. I took nearly 10-15 minutes to get served once seated and another 25-30 minutes to get my dessert. I almost left but really didn't want to miss out. By the time I finished, I just couldn't wait to get out of there. I'm really glad I got to experience this iconic steak house and am grateful to Jordan for the great service. However, I don't feel like it's a place I'd care to revisit, or could in good conscience recommend to friends or family.

Iv had better steak at places such as Ruth’s Chris and Capital Grille but you’re paying just as much for the food as the experience. Definitely worthwhile to check out at least once.

Visited Bern’s the evening of February 8th in a party of 6. Three of us had the “14oz 100 day dry-aged Delmonico”, which was terrible. I complained to the waiter, who brought the manager over, and apologized. The menu says each meal comes with a baked potato, but the waiter forgot to bring them. Honestly I’ve had better meals at chain steak houses where you didn’t have to spend $1000.00.

Destination experience. Book way in advance, or do the desert room.

One of my favorite steak houses. Make your reservations well in advance, Tour the wine cellar and kitchen. The desert room is fantastic. The staff is the best and the food is incredible.