The first American steakhouse didn’t begin as a steakhouse at all. Its roots can be traced to a six-table cafe in New York City, opened in 1827 by the Italian-Swiss Del-Monico brothers; one a trained baker, the other a merchant ship captain who became savvy in the wine business. The cafe’s European-style pastries were such a hit that the brothers opened a full restaurant soon after (thought by many to be America’s first restaurant, due to its à la carte menu). When the Great Fire of New York destroyed their William Street location in 1835, the brothers reopened Delmonico’s two years later on a grander scale at 56 Beaver St. in NYC’s Financial District, where the business remains to this day. America’s first steakhouse — with heavy roots in French cuisine — was born.
In 1859, Delmonico’s was the first restaurant reviewed by “The New York Times,” and was lauded for both its intimidating fine dining experience and its impeccable service: “No noblemen of England—no Marquis of the ancienne noblesse—was ever better served or waited on in greater style than you will be in the private room at Delmonico’s. The lights will be brilliant, the waiters will be curled and perfumed and gloved, the dishes will be strictly en règle and the wines will come with the precision of clock-work that has been duly wound up.”
Notable early guests included Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla. It was also expensive, with the first standalone wine list, and one of the earliest trailblazers in what is now known as farm-to-table cuisine. The Delmonico brothers had a 220-acre farm in Williamsburg where they grew all their produce; this is where they grew the spuds for the much-loved Delmonico’s Potatoes (mashed, topped with breadcrumbs and melted cheese). The Wedge Salad, still on many a steakhouse menu, was created at Delmonico’s about a century after by then-owner Oscar Tucci. And, of course, there was the namesake Delmonico steak — then, whatever cut the chef chose that evening. Today, it’s an 18-ounce cut of boneless ribeye.
Many steakhouses feel like time capsules. Walk into Delmonico’s, Keens Steakhouse or Peter Luger Steakhouse in New York City and there are white tablecloths; dim, warm chandeliers; vintage photos documenting a bygone era; a side of creamed spinach on the menu. Keens has 45,000 smoking pipes hanging from the ceiling (the closest a New York State dining room will come to a smoking section again). The owners hail from all backgrounds: Italian, French, Irish. Perhaps the best part of a steakhouse is that it’s uniquely American, and no one country can really lay claim to the cuisine.
Here in Rochester, there are several variations on the theme — with a few industry standouts.
MAX CHOPHOUSE | 1456 Monroe Ave.
Before Max Chophouse began its nearly 20-year tenure as a fine dining destination in Rochester, chef/owner Anthony “Tony” Gullace opened a bistro concept with two other partners. When the partners decided restaurant biz wasn’t for them after a year, Gullace pivoted to what is now Max Chophouse, a “New York City style neighborhood steakhouse.”
The tiny storefront near Cobbs Hill is unassuming at most, a sort of “if you know, you know” spot for locals. A double-door entrance leads to an intimate bar area with banquette seating and only 12 tables in the dining room beyond. Yes, there are white tablecloths and Ol’ Blue Eyes is crooning from the speakers, but the longtime servers aren’t wearing stiff black and white uniforms.
Gullace’s reputation as a 30-year wine collector and connoisseur draws many of the regulars, as does Max’s menu, which has remained largely unchanged over the last two decades. All the classics are here — shrimp cocktail, iceberg wedge, steak frites, surf & turf — though the sides vary away from creamed spinach to more inventive territory like a rotating haricot vert dressing and smoked gouda grits. When it comes to beef, Max holds certificates of authenticity for genuine wagyu beef from Japan and Australia.
Gullace, who grew up on a farm in Victor and lived next door to his Italian grandparents, never planned to be a chef. As the story goes, it just sort of happened.
“We were ‘one of those’ Italian families. My grandmother made bread. My grandfather made wine,” Gullace said. “It was a very old-school Italian kind of upbringing. And then, after school I realized that I wasn’t a nine-to-fiver or a suit-and-tie kind of person. I needed more freedom, more expression, so I ended up in the kitchen.”
Gullace seems somehow connected to nearly every chef and restaurant that laid the foundation for fine dining in Rochester; his stories include opening Water Street Grill with Mark Cupolo (who went on to open Rocco) in 1988, at the location now occupied by Pane Vino.
“We had a great run. It was the busiest restaurant in Rochester during the heydays of Kodak and Xerox,” Gullace said. “Everyone had an expense account, and stupid amounts of money were being spent in the city.”
His work in subsequent years included executive chef for the Sands family at the now-defunct Inn on the Lake; VP of food and beverage for the Hudson Hotels Corp.; running the kitchen at Tonic Nightclub (co-owned by Charlie Fitzsimmons, who would eventually open Black & Blue); three years in Florida as owner of the high-end 1352; and finally, operating five Max locations at one time (there are now two remaining).
“When you do this for as long as I have, and you have the connections — I’ve been able to travel, have dinner with chefs that I would otherwise never meet,” Gullace said. “It’s been very fulfilling. I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
That said, 2025 will bring some aesthetic updates: a redesigned bar and dining room design for the Chophouse, and a full bar install for Max at Eastman Place, as bar dining remains popular. Gullace is also spending less time behind the line at the Chophouse these days, leaving that to Chef Rory Halliday, who he said “knows how I want things done.” And he’s hired Kris Klinkbeil, who previously managed Bar Bantam and Black & Blue, to run operations for both Max Chophouse and Max at Eastman Place. Klinkbeil has added a few new cocktails to the Chophouse lineup — for those who don’t fancy a dirty martini during their steakhouse experience, he’s crafted a savory Manhattan called “The Colonel” using Pabst Worcestershire sauce and Fee Bros. Turkish tobacco bitters.
As Gullace trains the next generation of his staff, he emphasizes learning and technique — but never underestimates the power of simplicity.
“If you have the technique down, then you can expand on it,” he said. “It’s not all about putting 18 ingredients together. Sometimes it’s simple. I can dehydrate a tomato and cut it. But the best tomato you’re ever going to have is one that’s warm off the vine.”
“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day.” maxrochesterny.com
BLACK & BLUE STEAK AND CRAB | 3349 Monroe Ave.
When Rocky Baye walked into Black & Blue Steak and Crab for his first shift almost 20 years ago, Thievery Corporation was playing over the dining room speakers.
“I thought, ‘Oh, I’m in the right place,” Baye said, who is now director of operations for the Two for Seven Restaurant Group. “It was very on trend for design at the time — and that has continued, right down to the music. We’re not playing Frank Sinatra.”
Two for Seven also includes JoJo Bistro in Pittsford and Webster; TRATA; and Village Bakery & Cafe in Pittsford, Webster and downtown Rochester. Though co-owner Charlie Fitzsimmons was inspired by old-school New York City steakhouses, with Black & Blue, he created something a bit more modern and accessible to the everyday diner. It’s a testament to his hospitality group’s ability to give the people what they want — Black & Blue has been doing nearly 300 covers nightly for 20 years, with no sign of slowing. In fact, since the Rochester location opened, the group has gone on to open four more locations: Buffalo; Albany; and Burlington and Wellesley in Massachusetts.
“We’ve leaned into the guest from the gate — the owners are local guys, they grew up here, their friends are here, they get it,” Baye said. “It’s not just baked potato and asparagus with a ribeye. It has a unique flair to it. We don’t want to be that ‘white tablecloth’ experience, but a new version where guests feel more comfortable.”
The private dining rooms available at Black & Blue also create additional opportunities for guests, whether it’s a special occasion or a business gathering. But Baye said it all comes back to the sensory experience.
“From the attention of your server to the sizzling steak skillets flying by in an upbeat atmosphere or little touches like a chocolate truffle or a welcome card,” he said. “We’ve done those things for 19 years and we’ll continue to add on and hone.”
Black & Blue will celebrate 20 years at the Monroe Ave. location next summer — but first, it’s getting a little dining-room facelift. Stay tuned for more updates. blackandbluesteakandcrab.com
PATRON SAINT | 260 E. Broad St., Suite 120
After two years of anticipation and pivots, Patron Saint steakhouse — the newest concept from SCN Hospitality — opened its doors to the public in early November. With a lush green interior that sports pops of gold and fuchsia, the Center City spot is as social media-worthy as they come these days.
At the helm are restaurateurs Josh and Jenna Miles, whose first project was The Revelry in 2013. In all, SCN Hospitality includes six concepts: Patron Saint, Velvet Belly, Branca Midtown, Ziggy’s, Bitter Honey and The Revelry. Branca Basin was formerly theirs as well; that property is now independently owned and operated.
But it was Josh and Managing Partner Jeremy Nucelli’s time operating Char Steak & Lounge in The Strathallan on East Ave. that really drove the latest concept.
“It was passion from Josh and Jeremy in particular — having all that experience and then the opportunity to do a steakhouse that’s refined and have a space where we’re able to offer high-end food and service and really polish that,” Jenna said. “Ken from Buckingham (Properties) wanted us to put something here based on our ability to run Branca successfully for almost 10 years.”
Patron Saint is named for Ken’s father, Larry Glazer, who died in a plane crash along with his wife, Jane Glazer, in 2014. The Glazers were longstanding champions of downtown development, and The Grove — where Patron Saint, Butler/Till and Tower280 are all located — is the culmination of Glazer’s vision. From its name to the decor, Patron Saint honors that legacy; its showstopping piece is a vibrant tree designed by Wisteria Flowers & Gifts in the center of the dining room.
“We played off of Larry’s idea of the growth in this area, and that’s where the tree and the green stemmed from,” Managing Partner Chelsea Felton said. “From the carpet to the booths and the luxury Art Deco, walking in here feels less masculine, more soft.”
Many classic steakhouse traits remain, and intentionally. SCN wanted a space where guests could have a lavish night out; the eight-person velvet corner booths and private dining room flanked by a wine wall speak to that. The menu itself has plenty of stalwarts, from a Crab Louie Salad to Hasselback Potatoes; on Thursdays there’s prime rib; on Fridays, a martini lunch.
“I also think the physical menu itself is relatively classic,” Jenna said. “It’s big. It’s a book. It feels weighty. Inside, the offerings are pretty traditional. Even the glassware, all of the choices that we made in this space aren’t white tablecloths, but still feel luxurious.”
She added that for her, steakhouses are always about nostalgia.
“There’s something about having a steak out, in a certain type of environment,” she said. “But this doesn’t feel like a time capsule in the same way.” patronsaintsteak.com
Additional Rochester-area steakhouses
- Char Steak & Lounge in the Strathallan Hotel | 550 East Ave.
- Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse | 125 White Spruce Blvd. (Editor’s note: this is an upstate chain that began in Syracuse and has no affiliation with the Delmonico’s of New York City.)
- Naughton’s Johnson House | 19 S. Main St., Churchville
- Nucci’s Italian Seafood & Steak House | 807 Ridge Rd A., Webster
- Rare 3001 | 3001 Monroe Ave.
- The Porterhouse Steak Scotch and Seafood | 400 Packetts Landing, Fairport
- Tournedos Steakhouse at The Inn on Broadway | 26 Broadway
Leah Stacy is the editor of CITY. She can be reached at leah@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
