What's life without a few splurges here and there? Americans love their big portions, but some people want the flourish of a elaborate and beautifully plated meal by master chefs to plaster all over their social media feeds. If that sounds like you, we've got you covered.
Herewith, you'll find a guide to the most luxurious, outrageous, and delicious restaurant dishes you can eat (sometimes only with reservations months in advance) across the United States. And for more on great food around the country, check out the Greatest BBQ Joint in Every U.S. State.
1 | Super Guadalupe Special; Highlands Bar & Grill; Alabama
Price: $95
A lot of Americans might overlook the fact that Alabama is a a seafood paradise. Birmingham's Highland Bar & Grill offers up a $95 variety platter of oysters they call the "Super Guadalupe Special." You might need a prayer or two if you hope to finish it alone. For more ideas on dining in style, take a look at the Best Power Lunch Restaurant in Every U.S. State.
2 | Ribeye steak; Crow's Nest; Alaska
Price: $68
Surrounded by 360-degree views of stunning Arctic water views, the appropriately-named Crow's Nest is situated of the top of the Hotel Captain Cook in scenic Anchorage. The catch of the day is always fresh from freezing nearby waterways, but the real star of Crow's Nest is a $68 ribeye steak that will make even the most diehard seafood lover's mouth water. And meat lovers, if you're cooking a steak at home, Steal Bobby Flay's Top Steak-Cooking Secret.
3 | Epic Crystal Dinner; Bourbon & Bones Chophouse; Arizona
Price: $35,000
Coming in at a whopping $35,000, Scottsdale's Bourbon & Bones Chophouse will pick you and a dozen of your friends up in a limo to be treated to its Epic Crystal Dinner. The evening stars an exclusive wine list—featuring a menu with prices larger than some mortgage payments—and a dozen dry-aged, 32-ounce Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye Steaks. And if you feel guilty about splurging this much, don't: A portion of the night's proceeds goes to Arizona's largest family homeless shelter, so you can pat yourself on the back during the limo ride home. And for more on the best group trips, these are the 10 Most Expensive Airbnb Rentals in the U.S.
4 | Veal Ossobuco; Ristorante Capeo; Arkansas
Price: $43
Little Rock's Ristorante Capeo serves up Old World staples with a homestyle Southern flair. Their Veal Ossobuco will throw any Italian food purist for a loop—and will run up a solid $43 (not including the wine pairing).
5 | Prix fixe menu; Urasawa; California
Price: $395
Californians—Angelenos in particular—are no strangers to great Japanese food, but many have never seen anything like the sushi at the Michelin-starred Urusawa in Los Angeles. It's not just the highest standard of quality present in the food that's rare. It's the $395 prix fixe that Urasawa only serves up from master sushi chefs. For those thinking that shelling out $400 for a 30-course sushi fix is too much, you can breathe a sigh of relief that, at the very least, gratuity is included. Tipping in Japan is nonexistent and is one of many Major Cultural Mistakes Americans Make Abroad.
6 | Waygu Tomahawk steak; EDGE; Colorado
Price: $130
Denver has been a growing hub of experimentation with staples of American food for years now, but EDGE Restaurant & Bar in the Four Seasons Hotel takes the staid steakhouse and injects it with some new vitality. Their 30-ounce Waygu Tomahawk steak costs a belt-busting $130 and, due to its cartoonish size, is sure to also be literally belt-busting. And for more great info for meat-eaters, here's how to Cook a Steak at Home Like a Pro.
7 | 55-Day dry-aged Ribeye; David Burke Prime; Connecticut
Price: $140
The only thing you won't be taking a gamble on at the Foxwoods Casino—just a short drive into Connecticut from New York City—is by dropping dough on an expensive meal at David Burke Prime. The impressive 280-seat restaurant serves up all kinds of chops, seafood, and other delights. But the real big spenders aim for something a bit more aged. The kitchen staff at David Burke Prime dry age their 38 oz. Ribeye in pink Himalayan salt for 55 days so it can be as tender and delicious as possible when it's served. And remember: Wherever you choose to dine, here are the 20 Secrets Your Chef Won't Tell You.
8 | Veal Porterhouse; Green Room; Delaware
Price: $40
Located in the stately Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, The Green Room is something of a time capsule of a more elegant period in history—one where men wear jackets by decree and tea time is adhered to with strict seriousness. While you're here, lean into that mystique. The restaurant's Veal Porterhouse is respectably priced at $40, but you might want to calculate how much that velvet smoking jacket will add to that bill.
9 | Chef's Choice Menu; Naoe; Florida
Price: $200
Miami might not be known for its Asian food, but upstart luxury sushi restaurant Naoe is singlehandedly changing the city's culinary landscape. The only menu option in the 16-seat venue is an ultra-luxe $200 prix fixe made up of a variety of raw fish delights prepared in front of you by Chef Kevin Cory.
10 | Tasting menu; Bacchanalia; Georgia
Price: $95
Since opening in 1993, Bacchanalia has consistently brought some well-deserved acclaim from elite chefs and serious food critics to Atlanta's culinary scene. Roast duck, beef tartare, and farm-to-table cheeses are the highlights of this chic prix fixe menu. (Don't worry: You can mix and match selections.) If you'd like to enjoy your meal with some caviar, that can add up to an extra $120. For more on fine dining, consider the 19 Fancy Menu Phrases Everyone Should Know.
11 | Oscietre Gran Cru; La Mer; Hawaii
Price: $390
Halekulani's in-hotel restaurant, La Mer, takes the stunning views of Honolulu Bay and makes them a virtual appetizer for your eyes. La Mer's menu is dotted with delights fresh from the sea, but the crown jewel of the menu is the Oscietre Grand Cru: Fresh sturgeon caviar priced at $390 a portion.
12 | Prix fixe menu; State & Lemp; Idaho
Price: $95
It's not all just potatoes with your meat when you step down in Idaho, and Boise's State & Lemp is proof. A local standout, State & Lemp flaunts connections to local agricultural suppliers and even features a themed dish—it changes every season—on the menu. The seasonally-tinged menu is fixed at $95. And $30 wine pairings will keep your bill a bit steep.
13 | The Kitchen Table; Alinea; Illinois
Price: $385
Dining at Chicago's Alinea is not your typical night on the town. The Michelin-starred restaurant offers three separate dining rooms and experiences: The Gallery, The Salon, and Kitchen Table. None of them are inexpensive, but the Kitchen Table option, in particular, offers the most elaborate menus, where an intimate group of six can enjoy a lavish meal for $385 per person.
14 | Surf 'N' Turf; St. Elmo's; Indiana
Price: $79
St. Elmo's has been part an Indiana mainstay since 1902. (It's even Ron Swanson's favorite steakhouse on Parks & Recreation.) For those feeling a bit landlocked looking at the menu, worry not: There is a Surf ‘N' Turf option that will add an 8-ounce lobster tail to your sizzling steak for $79. Pair any prime cut you find yourself in front of with any one of the Best Craft Beers In Every U.S. State.
15 | The Grand Platter; 801 Chophouse; Iowa
Price: $90
801 Chophouse is a burgeoning chain of Midwest steakhouses that have gained attention by only serving USDA Prime beef. But the Chophouse in Des Moines is serving up a bit of the sea. Try swapping out regular mashed potatoes for some lobster mashed potatoes—or try The Grand Platter, an absolutely monstrous conglomeration of iced Maine lobster, jumbo shrimp, Alaskan king crab, and oysters. Expect both your waistline and wallet to go bust after shelling out $90 on all that seafood.
16 | Chateaubriand; Scotch & Sirloin; Kansas
Price: $76
If you're a fan of either Scotch or sirloin, then you'll be in heaven once you sit down at this premier steakhouse in Kansas. The culinary team at Scotch & Sirloin are trying their darnedest to drown patrons in prime cuts of steak. Try your hardest to get through the gargantuan Chateaubriand for two at $76.
17 | Tomahawk Ribeye steak; Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse; Kentucky
Price: $115
Steakhouse guru Jeff Ruby certainly knows his way around a cutting board. With several self-titled restaurants under his belt and celebrity clientele, the food has to live up to that kind of hype. Diners at Jeff Ruby's can eat like royalty (or like hometown heartthrob George Clooney) when you order the 30-ounce 55 Day Dry Aged Tomahawk Ribeye steak—or you will, at the very least, feel like a king when you pay the $115 bill.
18 | Prix fixe menu; Sqaure Root; Louisiana
Price: $300
The culture of food in Louisiana is not unlike a gumbo, a colorful melange of Afro-Caribbean, French, and Cajun cuisine. New Orleans' Square Root is the perfect example of a modern-day eating establishment celebrating that multifaceted heritage. The 15-course fixed menu for two might seem daunting to some, but the refined takes on fried chicken and okra will more than justify the $300 price tag.
19 | Blind tasting menu; Hugo's; Maine
Price: $90
It doesn't always have to be lobster night in Maine—and Portland mainstay Hugo's celebrates that diversity of choice. The a la carte menu stars several modernist takes on classic seafood appetizers, but the real crown jewel at Hugo's is the $90 blind tasting, curated by their executive chefs. And if you're feeling even more adventurous, a bespoke wine tasting to pair with your blind dinner is available for an additional $75.
20 | Prix fixe menu; Charleston; Maryland
Price: $124
Since 1997, Charleston has been the epicenter of Baltimore's fine dining scene. Head Chef Cindy Wolf has been consistently pumping out delicious food while still managing to keep the menu fresh and daring in its presentation and vigor. The menu is made up of 3 courses for $79 but jumps to $124 for a six-course selection. Wine pairings could bring the priciest of dinner options to $222—and that's before gratuity and tax.
21 | Caspian Sea Beluga; L'Espalier; Massachussets
Price: $380
Head Chef Frank McClelland's elegantly simple Boston fine dining institution, L'Espalier, only offers two nightly tasting menus, but the experience and flavors are more than worth the limited options. The 8-course tasting menu will run up a $208 bill. But for those that enjoy high-end caviar, the Caspian Sea Beluga will run a whopping $380 per portion.
22 | Kobe Beef Strip Loin; Iridescence; Michigan
Price: $120
Located in the MotorCity Casino Hotel, the luxe restaurant Iridescence is serving up elegant elegant chops and a uniquely American take on the Japanese art of kaiseki, starring an imported Japanese A-5 Kobe Beef Strip Loin for a whopping $120.
23 | Chateubriand; Murray's Steakhouse; Minnesota
Price: $115
Serving up classic cocktails and great grub since 1946, Minneapolis' Murray's Steakhouse is a cozy, modern take on the time-tested American steakhouse. Try not to fill up your stomach or check on the abundance of bar snacks and appetizers so you can leave room for the massive Chateaubriand for two at $115.
24 | Cowboy ribeye; Char Restaurant; Mississippi
Price; $51
You might feel the burn in Mississippi once you step into the Jackson branch of Char Restaurant. A growing chain taking on Southern comfort food with an upscale flare, Char's $51 bone-in, chili-rubbed cowboy ribeye is sure to light a fire in some hungry diner's stomachs and wallets.
25 | Royal Siberian Sturgeon; Pierpont's; Missouri
Price: $99
One doesn't have to look far for great BBQ in Kansas City, but Pierpont's is bringing some pricey fruits de mer to its landlocked food lovers. Diners can enjoy Royal Siberian Sturgeon, one of many fresh seafoods flown in daily, with crème fraîche and crackers for $99. For more on getting the best dining experience, read through the 20 Secrets Waiters Won't Tell You.
26 | Tomahawk ribeye; TEN; Montana
Price: $83
Montana might be known as Big Sky Country to some, but visitors to Billings' Northern Hotel might easily confuse it for Big Steak Country. The world-class chefs at TEN dress up locally-sourced Montana beef and greens into dishes that everyone will go wild for. If you and a friend are feeling brave, you can try tackling the 48-ounce Colorado Tomahawk Ribeye with a salad meant for two at $83.
27 | Alaskan King Crab Legs; Mahogany Prime Steakhouse; Nebraska
Price: $100
The menu at Mahogany Prime Steakhouse is another example of a Midwestern state known for loving corn-fed things just bucking that trend and going all out with a food choice you can't just get anywhere. Eat like you just won the lottery or the Super Bowl when you order two pounds of Alaskan King Crab Legs for $100.
28 | Tasting menu; Joël Robuchon; Nevada
Price: $425
Las Vegas is home to numerous world-class casino resorts that play host to some of the best fine dining in the world, but the French chef Joël Robuchon's self-titled flagship in the MGM Grand stands alone. The guy has more Michelin stars under his belt than any other chef in the world—and his Las Vegas oasis of refined eating boasts three stars alone. The only dining option in the intimate 12 seat venue is the five-course tasting menu for $425—and it's definitely something you want to set aside some of your gambling money for.
29 | Seafood tower; Hanover Street Chophouse; New Hampshire
Price: $85
Sometimes you just want to eat some well-made, no-frills food, but Manchester's Hanover Street Chophouse is taking that to the next level. There are the requisite chops and pasta dishes, but for a state with a fairly small sliver of coastline, Hanover Street's menu is packed with seafood delights. See if you and a similarly hungry companion can tackle the $85 Seafood Tower.
30 | Chef's Choice menu; Restaurant Latour; New Jersey
Price: $145
Situated at four-starred Crystal Springs Resort, Restaurant Latour takes New Jersey's nickname of the Garden State literally. Executive Chef Anthony Bucco personally inspects the greens and vegetables—foraged straight from the grounds of the resort—to ensure a true farm-to-table fine dining experience. Diners can choose from a $115 prix fixe menu or a $145 Chef's Choice tasting menu of locally-sourced seafood and meat, not including a $65 wine pairing.
31 | Dry-aged strip loin; Anasazi; New Mexico
Price: $45
Named for the ancient society indigenous to the area, Anasazi at Santa Fe's Rosewood Inn features stunning desert views and a menu featuring a wonderful blend of modern and Native American cuisine. Chef Edgar Beas forages for wild mushrooms and locational wood to smoke meats in the traditions of the indigenous peoples of New Mexico. The experience of eating the dry-aged strip loin served up with locally-sourced ingredients is more than worth the $45.
32 | Omakase; Masa; New York
Price: $595
Everyone knows there's no shortage of good food in New York. Still, one question remains: Where is the priciest meal in the Big Apple? Look no further than the top floor of Columbus Circle's Time Warner Center, where exalted chef Masa Takayama (he of three Michelin stars) is continuing his life passion of making sushi into a sublime and transitory art form. Though simplicity and elegance is the name of the game there, Masa's reservations often fill up months in advance and will run diners $595 a person for the multi-course omakase menu.
33 | Chef's tasting menu; Fearrington House; North Carolina
Price: $150
Fearrington House, located in Fearrington Village just outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is a quaint former dairy farm serving up some serious country eats. The various menus of the eateries at Fearrington will be sure to make anyone hungry, but the main eponymous restaurant has a $150 per person chef's tasting menu that will leave everyone satisfied. See if you can't fit the black truffle tortellini down over some to-die-for roasted sweet potato soup.
34 | King-Cut Cowboy Ribeye; 40 Steak + Seafood; North Dakota
Price: $65
After braving the cold and the fierce winds that define North Dakota winters, sometimes you want to eat like royalty to get some of that internal warmth back into your system. Bismarck's 40 Steak + Seafood might just be up to that steep task. There are surprisingly fresh and large seafood dishes, but the real business is in the barn, as always. If the 96-day dry-aged, King cut, cowboy ribeye steak for $65 doesn't thaw out your insides, then nothing will.
35 | Chef's Grand Course Tasting Menu; Orchids at Palm Court; Ohio
Price: $120
There's a running joke that a disproportionate amount of NASA astronauts come from Ohio because they're all looking for a way out of Ohio. But Orchids at Palm Court will bring all of them and probably some hungry alien visitors back for more. Diners can sample an out of this world Chef's Grand Course Tasting Menu for $120 per person, not including the Grand Wine pairing for an extra $60.
36 | Surf 'N' Turf; Prhyme; Oklahoma
Price: $123
This is another case of a landlocked state known for its prime cuts of beef doing seafood dishes in a very big way. Tulsa's Prhyme is an upscale and updated interpretation of the classic American steakhouse serving old favorites in a vibrant presentation. A centerpiece of that mentality is their take on Surf ‘N' Turf, a 30-ounce prime porterhouse steak topped with lobster, jumbo lump crab and shrimp, and sautéed in foie gras butter for $123.
37 | Tasting menu; Castagna; Oregon
Price: $165
Looking at the food at Portland's Castagna feels like looking at something in an art exhibit or a scientific display. The harsh white of the plates makes the food stand out in stark comparison and the deconstructed nature of the cuisine contributes to diners feeling like they're consuming an abstract art piece. You'll experience a barrage to the senses when you taste executive chef Justin Woodward's multi-course tasting menu for $165 per diner. Then dull those sense by splurging for the $85 wine pairing.
38 | Prix fixe menu; Vetri; Pennsylvania
Price: $165
Philadelphia is known for its history and, sure enough, stepping the town's vaunted Vetri feels like taking a step into the past. Located in a picturesque townhouse that Ben Franklin could have had lunch in, Vetri boasts a cozy dining atmosphere with a menu of Italian-inspired comfort foods, like almond truffle tortellini and ginger gorgonzola-stuffed squash. The only dining option, however, is the prix fixe menu, which clocks in at $165 per customer.
39 | Prix fixe menu; Gracie's; Rhode Island
Price: $190
Fresh-caught seafood and locally-produced vegetables are abound at Providence's enclave of fine dining, Gracie's. Open-minded diners will have the opportunity to dine on eclectic dishes, like wonderfully-dressed hen eggs and charred Spanish octopus, in a colorful nine-course prix fixe menu, which includes wine pairing, for $190.
40 | Red's Porterhouse; Halls Chophouse; South Carolina
Price: $115
Enjoying a stay in Charleston but want to enjoy something other than sweet tea? Look no further than the down-home charms of Halls Chophouse. Try not to fill up on jumbo shrimp cocktails and stuffed mushrooms before setting eyes on Red's Porterhouse—an entire cut of sirloin and tenderloin filet weighing 36 ounces that will set you back $115.
41 | Bone-in ribeye; Delmonico Grill; South Dakota
Price: $79
Delmonico Grill might just be the best antidote to a blustery South Dakota evening that money can buy. The Rapid City eatery takes Midwestern mainstays and injects them with some whimsy, like bison tartare or espresso-rubbed ribeye. The real star of the show is a dish named after the restaurant: It's a bone-in ribeye for two at $79.
42 | Chef's tasting menu; The Barn at Blackberry Farm; Tennessee
Price: $250
A trip to Blackberry Farm won't just center you in serene Tennessee wilderness and backwoods charms; you'll be surrounded by great food as well. Hotel guests at Blackberry Farm have several choices of casual eateries for breakfast and lunch, but the main attraction is The Barn. Serving up and shining a spotlight on locally-produced Appalachian Foothills cuisine is the centerpiece of the James Beard-winning multi-course menu for $250 per diner, which comes with selected wine pairings.
43 | Marble Ranch ribeye; Killen's; Texas
Price: $175
Houston-area Killen's Steakhouse is proof that everything truly is bigger in Texas. Just look at the restaurant's enormous cuts of brisket and pork. For those feeling absolutely adventurous in the Lone Star State, the 48-ounce Marble Ranch Ribeye Longbone is for diners with deep stomachs and deeper pockets. This no-holds-barred steak dinner costs $175, putting serious dents in your hopes to go back home with genuine leather cowboy boots.
44 | Bone-In ribeye; Riverhorse on Main; Utah
Price: $60
We don't know where you'll work up a larger appetite: Carving down world-class mountains or powering through several Sundance screenings. Either way, Park City's Riverhorse on Main is more than ready to cater to both hungry crowds. Eager to dazzle, Riverhorse has smoldering appetizer towers of seafood and prime cuts along with a smattering of locally-sourced wild game meat. The dinner we have our hungry eyes on is the 20-ounce Bone-In Ribeye steak with portobello fritters and a red wine shallot butter sauce for $60.
45 | Prime Sirloin Steak; Guild Tavern; Vermont
Price: $79
Getting in from the cold calls for some comfort food and Guild Tavern has every base covered on that front. Dishes like poutine and braised pork shoulder just scream out to be shared fireside with good company, but you're actually going to need help with the $79 Prime Sirloin Steak for Two. You'll be glad you did.
46 | Prix fixe menu; The Inn at Little Washington; Virginia
Price: $218
Dining at the Inn at Little Washington is a genteel and refined experience. Being seated in front of verdant Virginia meadows sets the tone for a vibrant and humble meal of simple ingredients prepared with passion. Diners can feel the passion that goes into the carpaccio and chilled veal tongue that make up some of the $218 per person prix fixe menu, not including the $125 wine pairings.
47 | Chef's Tasting Menu; Willows Inn; Washington
Price: $195
Situated on the picturesque Lummi Island off the coast of northern Washington, The Willows Inn offers guests stunning views of serene Pacific Northwest waterfront and serves up some of the best and fresh fish, all caught right off the island. Dressed with greens and vegetables grown by the Inn's staff, the $195 Chef's Tasting Menu is as appropriate tour of Lummi Island as any.
48 | Lobster-topped Ribeye; Stefano's; West Virginia
Price: $145
Hungry visitors to West Virginia University will rejoice once they see the menu at Stefano's. Filled with Italian pasta classics and seafood entrees, you can't really go wrong at this Morgantown eatery. But the lavish foodie's attention will inevitably be drawn to is the $55 20-ounce Ribeye with the option to drop a massive 16-ounce South African lobster tail on top of that for another $90.
49 | Bone-In Ribeye; Republic Chophouse; Wisconsin
Price: $79
We all know there's great food in Green Bay, but this is more of a place where a cheese hat isn't as readily accepted (even if everyone there bleeds green and yellow). Republic Chophouse is a meat-lovers paradise that also finds itself catering to more delicate sensibilities as well. Artisanal cheese plates and chive garlic croquettes might fill you up happily, unless you want to take a Lambeau Leap into trying the 30-day aged 22-ounce Bone-In Ribeye for $79
50 | Prix fixe menu; Jenny Lake; Wyoming
Price: $92
There's doing it up and then there's doing it up: dining at one of America's most beautiful National Parks. The Jenny Lake Lodge, located in Grand Teton National Park, is a feast for the eyes and the stomach. Reservations are recommended because you are surrounded by scenic views of Grand Teton and the Rockie Moutains; the prime view seating can and do fill up fast. See if you can focus on the $92 prix fixe menu and not the snowcapped peaks. After all this eating, you're going to want to read through the 50 Genius Weight-Loss Motivation Tricks.
To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to sign up for our FREE daily newsletter!
