A growing number of Kyivans are starting to realize what many North Americans know already: beef tastes good. We present a list of Kyiv's feature steakhouses.
is available here. Steakhouses have become more numerous in Kyiv lately, as native Ukrainians have joined ex-pats in their desire for bovine flesh; and Black Angus steaks are now available in some local supermarkets, accompanied by pamphlets explaining what “blue,” “medium-rare” and “well-done” mean.
So if barbecue season is largely finished, Kyiv’s steakhouses still beckon. Lots of restaurants do steaks, but we’ve focused only those places dedicated to charring hunks of bloody protein. They’re admirable pioneers in a developing field.
Top Grade
Perhaps Kyiv’s finest steakhouse, Soho on Artema welcomes guests into a spacious and richly decorated hall. Inside as out, the place feels like some establishment out of North American ski-country: it’s all wooden accents, lofty ceilings and deep, warm hues.
Soho offers superb food and top-notch service. The staff knows plenty about the restaurant’s meats – ranging from porterhouse to T-bone to filet mignon to New York sirloin and onward – and their in-house sommelier can tell you all about the wine. Ask him; he knows what you need.
Michael Beacham, Soho’s American owner/founder, can boast as having the best beef supply in the city, flying in shipments every two to three days directly from New York. Nor is Beacham shy about defending the cost of his steaks: He says they’re worth it. He’s a big fan of American beef, and it shows. As for the steaks, they’re every bit as tender, juicy and well-prepared as you’d expect from the city’s leading steakhouse.
Making reservations for dinner at Soho are recommended. A steak dinner for two, including wine, should run in the Hr 400 range. It’s definitely one of Kyiv’s finer dining establishments.
Soho
82 Artema, 244-7351.
Open daily from 11 a.m. till the last customer.
English menu: Yes.
English-speaking staff: Yes.
Previously known simply as Uncle Sam’s, Sam’s Steak House on Zhylyanska has a reputation for serving up great steaks, salads and starters, and for generally offering a classic American steakhouse experience. It goes without saying that the restaurant’s long history in Kyiv is directly attributable to providing outstanding food and service at reasonable prices.
While a bit hard to find, hidden away as it is on a side-street between the Vokzal and Olympic Stadium, it’s worth seeking out, as Sam’s has a friendly feel to it that will make anyone feel immediately at home.
Sam’s bright interior gives the place a lively feel, and the wait staffers are pleasant, engaging and well-versed in the fine art of steak preparation. Bottles of house wine are placed on each table.
While the service and decor are not so surprising, what is surprising is the thick cut of the steaks: they’re huge, and they’re incredibly tender for their size, allaying any fears that such a piece of meat can’t possibly be as good as everyone says it is.
Cardholders of the Myrovaya Karta restaurant group will be pleased to know that Sam’s is part of that bunch, meaning it’s a good idea to bring your card along and present it when asking for the bill. It makes the place an even bigger bargain than it is already.
Making reservations is a good idea, but not necessary. A steak dinner for two, including drinks, should run in the Hr 300 range.
Sam’s Steak House
37 Zhylyanska, 227-2000
Open Mon.-Fri. from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Sat.-Sun. from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.
English menu: Yes.
English-speaking staff: Yes.
Likely the hardest steakhouse to find in Kyiv, or at least the farthest from the city center, Steak House is the newest addition to the city’s steakhouse scene and possibly its most underrated. In fact, for meat-loving diners, this is an ideal place to fill up while trying to economize.
Light music and straightforward decorations disguise the fact that Steak House, with more than 60 meat and barbecue dishes available, including good grilled steaks and fish, is still a great place to order a steak, despite its almost well-hidden location.
Reservations are seldom necessary. Dinner for two, including wine, is a bargain at around Hr 200.
Steak House
16 Chokolivsky, 241-0597.
Open daily from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
English menu: Yes.
English-speaking staff: Yes.
Argentinean chef and director Antonio Ruiz has made a career of opening Argentine steakhouses the world over: in San Francisco, in the French culinary capital of Lyon, in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk up in Ukraine’s northern neighbor, and now in Kyiv, which he’s called home since the late 1990s. Ruiz puts flair, energy and charm into everything he does, and El Asador is no exception.
The only dedicated steakhouse in Podil and the city’s only Argentine steakhouse, El Asador serves combinations of grilled meats: beef, pork, chicken, and fish. Besides, Ruiz offers Argentine-inspired tapas (appetizers) every bit as tempting as the main courses themselves. Recommended are any traditional Argentine preparations, including tangy soups, and especially beef specials such as the El Asador and the Toreador dishes.
El Asador offers displays of – and even lessons in – tango dancing on many nights. Even if you’re not into the dancing, the music’s good.
Reservations are recommended, but not essential. A dinner for two, including drinks, should run about Hr 300.
El Asador
29 Nyzhniy Val, 416-4402.
open daily from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
English menu: Yes.
English-speaking staff: Yes.
It’s hardly known as a steakhouse at all, but Myly (Dear) Augustin is trying to change that. The fare recalls Bavaria more than it does anywhere famous for steak.
Still, a range of beef and other meat entrees are on the menu, many of which are accompanied by a range of sauces, including creamy mustard and pepper sauces commonly found the Alps. For drinks, try some of the nice wheat beers on tap, such as Paulaner, or a shot of Apfelkorn liqueur.
Altogether, Myly Augustin, which can be found near Lva Tolstoho metro below street level, is a quaint respite from the bustle of the Kyiv streets.
Reservations are usually unnecessary. Dinner for two, with drinks, should top out at Hr 230.
Myly Augustin
18 Chervonoarmiyska, 234-9129.
Open daily from
English menu: Yes
English-speaking staff: No
MyasoyedoFF on the Andriyivsky Uzviz is certainly worth checking out if you’re in the area. Located closer to the bottom of the fabled street, and next to the former home of the great Ukrainian author Mykhail Bulgakov, MyasoyedoFF is a play on the word “meat-eater,” so it’s no surprise that it’s a place to get great meat dishes.
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| MyasoyedoFF on the Andriyivsky Uzviz gives that storied street a cozy, well-heeled option for meat-lovers. (Post photos by Oleksandr Medvedev) |
Inside this other Myrovaya Karta meat-themed restaurant are lightly colored stonework and fireplaces, which lend both of the main dining halls a cozy feel. The service is adequate and it’s rarely busy, so you won’t feel boxed in.
Menu selections are reasonably priced and consist largely of beef and pork dishes, though chicken and even game can also be found. Soups and starters are as well-portioned as are the mains, which usually come after just a short wait.
Reservations are typically unnecessary. Dinner for two, including drinks, should total no more than Hr 240. It’s well-matched to the other stops located on the street.
MyasoyedoFF
11 Andriyivsky Uzviz, 416-5037.
Open daily from 11 a.m. till 11 p.m.
English menu: Yes.
English-speaking staff: Yes.
Zorro Steak House slashed its way onto the Kyiv dining scene a little more than a year ago. It’s a quiet, warm place set off the street in a courtyard, and it makes for a nice quiet dinner setting, but it’s just not up to par with the city’s other steakhouses.
Zorro sometimes suffers from lack of attention to detail. The meat can be good, and the prices are lower here than elsewhere, but you might be served a Caesar salad made with Chinese cabbage instead of even iceberg lettuce (and a dressing that’s far more anchovies than oil, egg, or garlic); or you’ll get a pepper steak smothered in an orange tomato-tasting sauce that masks, rather than accentuates, the flavor of the meat.
On the other hand, the service is more than adequate and the starters are usually good and reasonably priced.
Reservations are unnecessary at Zorro, and a steak dinner for two, with wine, should come to no more than Hr 220.
Zorro Steak House
67 Saksahanskoho, 227-1278.
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
English menu: Yes.
English-speaking staff: No.
