Review: BULL & BEAR STEAKHOUSE at the Waldorf for Extraordinary Dining in a Casually Elegant Setting

The Bull & Bear Steakhouse at the Waldorf Astoria offers much more than an exquisite dining experience. The restaurant is part of the quintessential New York experience, one to enjoy and relish. Casually elegant, guests feel a part of a storied past. Bull & Bear dates back to the 1800's when it was located in the original Waldorf Astoria on the same site as the Empire State Building. The venue has been the stage for countless television shows and movies.

We stopped by early on a Saturday night for dinner before attending the theater. The interior has a rich, classic ambiance with spacious comfortable seating. We enjoyed the delightful background music, perfect for relaxing. Service is gracious and helpful making every moment of your visit a real pleasure.

We like that they offer light options with salad, seafood and game or you can indulge in their signature prime steaks with all the trimmings. And burger lovers will love their Bull & Bear Burger served with buttermilk onion rings, Waldorf slaw and Wagyu-bourbon fries. There's something on the menu to please every taste and dietary preference.

We began our culinary journey with their Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, rich with the freshest crabmeat, wonderfully seasoned and served with Shaved Brussels Sprouts. An ideal starter is also their iconic Waldorf Salad, the most frequently requested recipe at the restaurant. The original version has been updated slightly to lighten the dish by eliminating mayo for yogurt and adding truffles for a unique, earthy taste. Iced Shellfish, Onion Soup Gratinee, and Yellow Fin Ahi Tuna Tartare and more are on the appetizer menu.

The Prime Rib entree, tender and flavorful was prepared to our exact liking. The 16-ounce serving is slow roasted on the bone for nine to twelve hours and carved from the 35-day dry-aged Angus Prime Rib. Served with horseradish, beef jus and Béarnaise sauce, Bull and Bear's Prime Rib redefines juicy succulence. It is available by request Friday through Sunday only and it always sells out. We also suggest the Filet Mignon. The Black Angus prime beef is sourced exclusively from Nebraska and dry-aged 28-35 days. The Oven-Roasted Half Chicken is a favorite and seafood lovers will be delighted by choices like their New Zealand Salmon and Dover Sole Meuniere. Complete you meal with sides like Asparagus, Sauteed Mushrooms and Au Gratin Potatoes. Each of our courses was beautifully presented, a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

We are very impressed with Bull & Bears beverage program. You may wish to start off with a house favorite cocktail, their "Bull & Bear Black Manhattan" with Elijah Craig Bourbon infused with cinnamon, cherries, and orange bitters, and finished Top of the Waldorf Rooftop Honey from the hotel's 20th floor beehives. Your server will be pleased to pair your menu choices with a fine wine or beer selection.

A meal at Bull & Bear would not be complete without an aperitif or coffee and dessert. There is always a tempting treat specially prepared by their pastry chef and their Chocolate Bread Pudding is scrumptious. Topping off your meal gives you another opportunity to sit back and enjoy the charm of the restaurant that thrills Manhattanites and the city's guests.

The bar area was also humming when we were there. The Bar at Bull & Bear offers a "Bar Bites" menu that includes Three Cheese Lobster Mac n Cheese, East and West Coast Oysters, Thick Cut House Cured Bacon with Top of the Waldorf Honey and, of course, their signature Bull & Bear Burger. Stop by and enjoy these tempting menu items with a choice drink.

Bull & Bear offers a Prix Fixe menu with a choice of appetizer, entrée, side dish and dessert, served at the perfect pace for theatergoers insuring you make your curtain. Call the restaurant to explore the prix fixe seasonal offering.

And when you're in the neighborhood, make Bull & Bear your morning destination and enjoy "The Waldorf Breakfast" that features a full American continental breakfast buffet with made-to-order egg station, Catskill Smoked Salmon, brioche French toast, custom cut thick bacon, cheese blintzes, house-made pastries, fresh parfaits and donuts from Brooklyn's acclaimed Dough bakery. Seatings are available from 7am to 11am.

You haven't experienced the best of NYC until you've visited Bull & Bear at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. And we promise that it's a spot you will return again and again.

Bull & Bear Steakhouse is located at 54 Lexington Avenue (at 49th Street), New York, NY 10022. Call them at 212.872.1285 or visit their web site at http://bullandbearsteakhouse.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bull & Bear Steakhouse