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1200 19th St. NW
(202) 296-4333
Hours of Operation and Prices
Lunch: M-F 11:30-2:30; Entrees: $9-$20
Dinner: M-Sat 5:30-10:30; Entrees: $18-$30
Closed: Sun
Other Information
• Credit Cards: All major
• Reservations: Recommended
• Dress: Casual
• Parking: Complimentary valet at dinner
• Nearest Metro: Dupont Circle
• Handicapped accessible
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As far as I'm concerned, there are two great steakhouses in town: Morton's and Sam & Harry's. And even though Morton's steaks have the edge - slightly juicier, more precisely cooked - I'd be hard-pressed to choose between them. First, Sam & Harry's wins hands down on environment. It's an exceedingly
comfortable, clubby restaurant, handsome in a strong, silent kind of way. Both restaurants know how to care for a diner, but the last waiter who served me at Sam & Harry's was one of the best I've found anywhere. Then there's the food: If Sam & Harry's steaks don't quite match those at Morton's, nearly everything else is better.
Sam & Harry's serves crab cakes as an appetizer, so luscious, so clearly tasting of crab yet creamy, that I'd be glad to have them as an entree and, again, as dessert. Other appetizers are also fine - a salmon tartare that blossoms upon being mixed with the onions, capers and riced egg on the plate; well-browned veal sausage; a sumptuous house salad with blue cheese and corn as well as the usual raw vegetables, and a properly tangy Caesar.
In addition to steaks, the entrees include lamb chops of magnificent flavor. However, there are a couple of disappointments - lusterless fish and double-thick pork chops that would be better off cooked with a little moisture than grilled. Compensation comes in the à la carte vegetables, as Sam & Harry's serves outlandishly delicious fried onions, creamed spinach that puts its steakhouse competitors to shame and several potato dishes that tempt one to order them all. Finally, a world-class list of California wines (no bargain, except during the restaurant's summer sales) reminds us what a serious restaurant this is.
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
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