The best steakhouses in the Triangle: A guide to finding the top steak restaurants
If there’s a kind of restaurant beyond barbecue that the Triangle is famous for, it’s steakhouses.
Raleigh is home to one of the South’s most iconic steakhouses in the Angus Barn, a behemoth on the hill that’s beloved for its holiday display and best-in-the-state wine list.
But readers of The News & Observer found even more to love at another Raleigh steakhouse. The Peddler was named the favorite local steakhouse this year, led by charm, hand-cut steaks and a loyal fanbase in besting the Angus Barn in a reader poll.
Despite the whims of taste and trend in restaurants, the steakhouse endures.
Today The Peddler, open since 1969, offers something timeless in a region that’s constantly changing.
“Raleigh is such a new city, but nothing changes at The Peddler,” said Emily Barefoot, who now largely runs The Peddler, taking over for her semi-retired father and late mother Gale and Joyce Barefoot. “It’s an old school steakhouse with a clientele devoted to how we’ve always done it. People depend on it to not ever change.”
The Angus Barn is just off its busiest season, with a three month display of Christmas lights that draw thousands of diners from across the state and the South. But the Angus Barn is wildly popular all year, sought out like many steakhouses for life’s big moments.
“One thing that’s remained so constant forever at the Angus Barn and at steakhouse in general across our country is they’re synonymous with big celebrations,” said co-owner Steve Thanhauser, whose wife Van Eure is the second generation owner of the Angus Barn, following her founding father Thad Eure. “Birthdays, anniversaries, major corporate events, you go out and celebrate with a steak.”
The Triangle’s best steakhouses
Angus Barn
9401 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. 919-781-2444 or angusbarn.com
One of North Carolina’s most famous steakhouses and one of the country’s most profitable restaurants, Angus Barn is a true icon in an age when that term gets batted around quite a lot. It can take months of forethought to score a coveted reservation during the holidays, when the Angus Barn is festooned with countless twinkling lights and Christmas trees. One of the Triangle’s best wine lists pairs with a sprawling menu for steak-lovers, making for generations of memorable meals.
Bin 54 Steak & Cellar
1201-M Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill. 919-969-1155 or bin54chapelhill.com
There’s an important balance at Bin 54 between the steaks and the wine. More than any other local steakhouse, this Chapel Hill institution serves a deep and exciting wine list that can stand up with the tastes of any steak lover. The traditional cuts are all prime-grade and there are also flavorful trendy options like hanger steak and a $22 cheeseburger.
Capital Grille
4242 Six Forks Road, Raleigh. 919-787-3901 or thecapitalgrille.com
This North Hills steakhouse serves some of the most serious and enticing cuts of beef in the Triangle. There’s the umami-bomb ribeye that’s been rubbed with mushroom powder and drizzled with balsamic. Or a strip steak done in peppery au poivre style with a cognac cream sauce.
Clayton Steakhouse
307 E. Main St., Clayton. 919-533-2299 or theclaytonsteakhouse.com
Before Clayton became one of the Triangle’s trendiest destinations for restaurants, there was the Clayton Steakhouse, thriving nightly as one of the town’s most popular spots. Today, 15 years in, it’s a cornerstone in the downtown scene and specializes in ribeye steaks, offered in five different sizes.
Farm House Restaurant
6004 Millhouse Road, Chapel Hill. 919-929-5727 or farmhousesteakhouse.com
North of Chapel Hill in rural Orange County is an oasis of steakhouse comfort. The building is a cabin in the woods and the favorites are tin-foil-wrapped baked potatoes and a charred ribeye or strip steak. The Farm House dates back to 1969 and has possibly not changed a bit. Why would it?
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
4325 Glenwood Ave., Suite 5004, Raleigh. 919-571-6200 or flemingssteakhouse.com
Situated as part of Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall, Fleming’s embodies the classic upscale steakhouse vibe, with white tablecloths, glasses of big red wines and large, crusted prime-grade steaks.
Metro 8 Steakhouse
1116 Broad St., Durham. 919-416-1700 or metro8steakhouse.com
This longtime Durham steakhouse recently moved from its spot on Ninth Street, one block over to the former Watts Grocery space. It still serves one of the Triangle’s most unique steakhouse menus, nodding towards the rich Argentine tradtion of grilled meats with options like churrasco steak and chorizo sausage.
NanaSteak
345 Blackwell St., Durham. 919-282-1183 or nanasteak.com
Steps away from the Durham Performing Arts Center, NanaSteak is the quintessential pre-theater meal. The wine list is solid, the cocktails are based on well mixed classics and the meals, if you’ve got time for that, cater to modern trends and tastes. Among the flourishes are tallow fried french fries with bernaise steak sauce, a prime rib that’s always on the menu and beef tartare served with potato chips.
Oak Steakhouse
417 W. Hargett St., Raleigh. 984-255-1818 or oaksteakhouserestaurant.com
The Triangle location of this Charleston-based steakhouse brand brought a Big Steakhouse to downtown Raleigh, occupying a prominent space on the ground floor of The Dillon building. Oak was built with a stunning dining room wrapped in darkened wood from floor to ceiling. There are the Big Steakhouse touches, like prime cuts of beef, but also some playful snacks and local connections, like creamed North Carolina collards, standing in for the classic spinach.
The Peddler Steak House
6005 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. 919-787-6980 or peddlersteakhouse.com
The Peddler seems to exist in a different era in Raleigh, but that era is the golden age for a certain kind of steakhouse. You’ll find a salad bar and baked potatoes and of course grilled ribeyes and strip steaks served in a darkened wood-paneled room. It’s a bit of a hidden gem these days, but the Peddler is a steakhouse experience like no other.
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille
4509 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh. 919-827-4158 or perryssteakhouse.com
One of the newest steakhouse chains to move into the Triangle, Perry’s opened in 2021 across the street from Crabtree Valley Mall. With that opening it brought a new, opulent kind of steakhouse to the Triangle, with multiple dining rooms, a wide, sleek bar top and steaks served sizzling in butter.
Rey’s Restaurant
1130 Buck Jones Road, Cary. 919-380-0122 or reysrestaurant.com
There’s a New Orleans streak running through this upscale Cary spot. As such, expect a spice-forward style of steakhouse and seafood-centric small plates, like buttery barbecue shrimp and a chicken and sausage gumbo.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
7007 Fayetteville Road, Durham. 919-3610-0123 or ruthschris.com/durham
One of the most famous steakhouse chains in America, Ruth’s Chris has two Triangle locations, though the Raleigh restaurant in North Hills is closed until 2024. As a brand, Ruth’s Chris has a reputation for high quality steaks, which are seared under a broiler and served swimming in butter.
Stoney River Steakhouse & Grill
201 S. Estes Drive, Suite 100-A, Chapel Hill. 919-914-6688 or stoneyriver.com
There’s a striking wall of wine at this modern Chapel Hill steakhouse, where the wine cellar is behind glass in a temperature controlled room. The steaks are heavily crusted and spiced and the loaded baked potato, never trendy but always satisfying, weighs in at one pound.
Sullivan’s Steakhouse
410 Glenwood Ave., Suite 100, Raleigh. 919-833-2888 or sullivanssteakhouse.com/raleigh
Once known as a hot spot for Hurricanes players, for more than two decades Sullivan’s has been Glenwood South’s steakhouse. The steak menu for this national chain with locations as far away as Anchorage includes very large bone-in and dry aged steaks amid more modest boneless New York Strips and ribeyes.
Vinnie’s Steak House & Tavern
7440 Six Forks Road, Raleigh. 919-847-7319 or vinniessteakhouse.com
This Raleigh favorite is well into its fourth decade as a neighborhood restaurant specializing in steaks. Vinnie’s is local and independent and balances the comfort of steakhouse classics with creative touches. Here you’ll find familiar cuts of beef and some unique options like a bone-in filet, served alongside other non-steak dishes like chicken parm and tangy chicken piccata.
