Kiernan's Steak House 21931 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-565-4260; $$$: A dimly lit lounge and main dining room provide a cozy atmosphere for lunch or dinner. Daily specials are served. Kiernan's is known for its steaks and veal. 

 

Knight's Steak House 2324 Dexter Ave., Ann Arbor; 734-665-8644; knightsrestaurants.com; $$: Where a fairly older crowd of townies enjoys old-time dining in a somewhat casual environment. Expect both kinds of food: surf and turf, including perch, crab, filet mignon, New York strip, Delmonico, sirloin, porterhouse, prime rib, pork tenderloin schnitzel, baby back ribs, char-grilled London broil and much, much more.

 

Morton's: The Steakhouse 888 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy; 248-404-9845; mortons.com; $$$: Snazzy Chicago chain specializes in serving the actual best beef possible. Not those select cuts from the supermarket. Not those choice cuts that are cleverly branded and well-marketed. But the limited stock of prime beef (less than 3 percent of the total supply), with beautiful marbling. "Marbled" meat has fat finely speckled throughout it, which keeps the meat's fibers from tightening up during cooking. Then Morton's sears the flavor into the steaks by cooking them briefly at very high temperatures. That would be enough for a quality steakhouse, but Morton's offers all the trimmings: upscale appetizers (tuna tartare, jumbo lump crabmeat cocktail, oysters Rockefeller and half-shell), quality sides (sautéed brussels sprouts with bacon and shallots, potatoes Lyonnaise), sumptuous desserts (New York cheesecake, Key lime pie, crème brûlée), as well as seafood (Chilean sea bass, colossal shrimp Alexander, lobster tail, whole baked Maine lobster). Or drop in to the restaurant's lounge, Bar 12.21 for their bar bites menu, which includes mini-prime cheeseburgers, petite filet mignon sandwiches and more.

 

Mr. Paul's 29850 Groesbeck Hwy., Roseville; 586-777-7770; $$: There was a time when every town had a Mr. Paul's, where locals, wearing coats and ties and skirts and heels, came to celebrate birthdays, graduations and engagements. East siders still party at Mr. Paul's — albeit in less formal attire. Founded in 1968, the staff at Mr. Paul's prepares the labor-intensive, flamboyant tableside dishes and still finds time to serve, bus and chat up their guests, many of whom have been regulars for years. Once you enter the freestanding, ordinary building in a nondescript, mostly light-industrial area on Groesbeck Highway, Mr. Paul's appears frozen in time in terms of decor, service and cuisine. The dimly lit, low-ceilinged, brick-walled structure can seat 200. Almost everyone starts with the Caesar salad ($13.95 for two), carefully hand-crafted tableside by the brothers who perform graceful acrobatic maneuvers to transfer ingredients from one part of their cart to a wooden bowl. The creamy, mildly garlicky end product ranks among the best in town. At most of Paul's tables, at least one of the patrons, usually more, are there for the beef dishes that average a reasonable $25. The most popular is the Chateaubriand for two, another tableside extravaganza, arriving flambé from the kitchen. Although both are perfectly tender, the Black Angus New York strip is more flavorful than the fillet. Fish mains are highlighted by pickerel, stuffed flounder and Dover sole. Not surprisingly, the elegant wine list is weighted toward the reds, dominated by big California and French varietals, most of which cost more than $50. 

 

No.VI Chophouse inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 27000 Sheraton Rd., Novi; 248-305-5210; $$$: As plush a steak and seafood house as can be found in the area, this one offers top-of-the-line fare in a sophisticated setting. All of the meats are prime quality, aged, and cooked at 1,700 degrees, so expect to plunk down good money for fine proteins. Expect filet mignon ($32 for 8 ounces, $42 for 10-ounces), a 14-ounce New York strip ($39), a 24-ounce porterhouse ($46), and such delicacies as steak au poivre ($42) and beef Wellington ($32). Seafood offerings include seared big eye tuna, pan-roasted sea scallops, grilled Atlantic salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, live Maine lobsters and more.

 

Roast 1128 Washington Blvd., Detroit; 313-961-2500; roastdetroit.com; $$: This is no ordinary steakhouse or barbecue joint. It's true that they offer several cuts of beef, all naturally raised and dry-aged for a minimum of 21 days. The same amount of gastronomic attention is paid to the poultry and seafood dishes. Even the optional sides have their own unique signature. Restrained lighting, white linens and floor-to-ceiling windows pervade the two rooms. Oozing from the sound system are chill-out lounge beats at just the right volume. Many of the most interesting dishes appear on the appetizer menu, including a charcuterie and smoked seafood plate for two or more. Both the thick rib-eye and strip steaks are ideally prepared to order and full of flavor with only a simple rub of sea salt and oregano. Optional sauces and toppings are priced separately and include crab Béarnaise, blue cheese onions, salsa verde and roasted wild mushrooms among others. Open 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. No smoking. For more information, see roastdetroit.com.

 

Rochester Chop House 306 Main St., Rochester; 248-651-2266; kruseandmuerrestaurants.com; $$$: Classic chophouse atmosphere, often with live piano music in the background. Expect generous portions of steak and seafood; alternatively, the raw bar in the front offers lighter fare.

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