Location: 603 W 45th Street
Cuisine: American Steakhouse Items: 2 appetizers, 2 cocktails, 3 entrees
Best Dish: One of the best New York Strip Steaks in the city. The Executive chef loves to prepare steak and it shows!
Overall: Robert’s Steakhouse was surprisingly comfortable, with superb customer service and amazing atmosphere. This is ain’t your run of the mill Gentleman’s Club expect to be treated like royalty.
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Before I could over think the situation the bouncer caught my attention and after a brief chat ushered me inside. I expected a seedy interior and wanton drunken debauchery, but I found a beautifully furnished entryway leading to a main floor decorated with plush seating, a magnificent well stocked bar, and a gorgeous winding staircase leading to the restaurant. At the landing of the staircase are artfully placed artistic photos of scantily clad and nude women. The large images cover the space from floor to ceiling with soft ambient back lighting. I was lead to a comfortable lounge area to wait for my friend. Immediately upon seating I was approached by a beautiful server in a black lace teddy, who offered me a drink and some polite conversation. I’ve been to more than my fair share of strip clubs in the past but not ever for dinner, but then this isn’t a “Strip Club” its a Gentleman’s Club. A space where lovers of the female form gather and enjoy cocktails and food while beautiful women entertain. A strip club however is a raunchy house of ill repute filled with noisy patrons, rude staff and attractive women doing strange things for change. The real difference between the two is hospitality. At a strip club you’re just some weird voyeur looking for flesh but a Gentleman’s Club you are a welcomed guest invited to enjoy the fruits of your labor. After what felt like an eternity but was really just enough time for me to have two sips of my beverage my companion arrived and we were seated in the dining area. We chose a corner table so we could actually concentrate on reviewing dinner without the distraction of the gorgeous dancers wandering around greeting patrons and strutting their stuff. If I was going to relax enough to enjoy my meal I was going to need a nice strong drink. Establishments filled with half naked women tend to be heavy handed with the booze. My theory is that liquor makes people happy and happy people spend more money. I ordered an apple martini and my friend had a french martini.
After a few sips I was more than relaxed enough to look over the menu. The items chosen by Executive Chef are basic steakhouse staples with a few added surprises. We started with the Robert’s Salad and the pasta of the day. The Robert’s salad is filled with avocado, tender lobster, succulent shrimp, cherry tomatoes and a light citrus vinaigrette. It was delicious, the perfectly cooked seafood was superb and the tomatoes added the right the balance to the creamy avocado.
On our visit the pasta of the day was linguini in a light sauce served with Jumbo Shrimp, sun dried tomatoes and broccoli rabe. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce light and flavorful a perfect first course.
After enjoying our first dishes we simply took in the sights and sounds of the space. The atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed with a duo of dancers entertaining at each corner of the space and a privacy curtain covering what we can only assume was the “Champagne Room”. We watched with amusement as stuffy gentlemen were ushered in but only smiling patrons emerged. Our first of three entrees arrived and it was back to business. At the chef’s suggestion we went with their New York Strip Steak. This amazing hunk of cow flesh was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Each bite was juicy and tender, the way a steak should be prepared. The steak was presented with minimal garnish and a generous serving dish of house made steak sauce.
As with most steak houses sides are ala carte. For our elections we chose the savory sauteed mushrooms and the potatoes gratin. The mushrooms were tasty and succulent and the potatoes firm on the outside but creamy on the inside and topped with thick bits of smoked bacon.
Next we sampled the Chilean sea bass. The lovingly prepared fish is poached and served with a Asian inspired Miso glaze and chive oil.
Our last entree of the evening was the lamb chops. Regrettably we could not finish the lamb chops, but only because we were stuffed! However we simply had to taste them, this generous platter of lamb chops is more than enough for two people to share but so tasty you may not want to. The chops were decadent and fall off the bone tender.
We skipped a dessert and headed downstairs for a better look at the main stage. I will admit to having some ill conceived notions about dinner at a “Gentlemen’s Club”, I outside of my fear of strange nipples I was worried we would be eating some low budget version of steakhouse fare. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality, quantity and expert execution of the dishes we ordered. This is real food prepared by a trained professional, there just happen to be nearly naked women twerking in the background. For a unique dining experience and ahem, “arousing” performances take a trip to the “Penthouse Executive Club” and please don’t forget a nice wad of cash, for the lovely ladies. You won’t be disappointed.