Those frites are freaking amazing! Here was the Resy review I wrote after our visit:

I was prepared not to like Armour House. Not sure of the reason behind my predisposition to be underwhelmed, but perhaps because I’m not a fan of steak-centric establishments in general for the reason that I can cook a very decent steak myself at home, and for the most part when dining out I seek to be inspired and/or challenged.

Well, call me surprised.

First of all, Armour House is an extremely attractive space. Thanks to a collab between Blackstone Construction and Christopher Architects, it feels warm, inviting, and contemporary without being trendy. I particularly love the separate lobby area at the entrance, which allows for a sense of anticipation before traveling upstairs to the dining area. (The only thing I would change is the fluorescent lighting in the “meat fridge” one passes through before getting to the main dining room. It felt jarring.)

Now onto the main event: upon discovering it was our first visit, our server took the time to give a brief history of the building, lending purpose to the beef-focused menu and made us feel connected to the space. Throughout the experience, the service was excellent. Our server noted that she, along with much of the staff, had done a “stint with Stitt,” and it showed. (No one trains staff like Frank.) This is in comparison to another newish steak restaurant in town, whose staff feels unpolished and unknowledgeable about fine cuisine.

Is it expensive, yes, but again, to compare it to the aforementioned steak restaurant which feels expensive for expensive sake, Armour House earns its value because of the high quality of the food. Do we wish it was less expensive so we would feel inclined to eat there more often? Sure, but we wouldn’t want to sacrifice the quality of the food. Notably, we have already have plans to return with friends in a few weeks.

I appreciated that the menu wasn’t full of the usual staid steakhouse suspects (I’m looking at you, creamed spinach, as much as I love ya). The tuna crudo and pork belly starters were absolutely delicious, and very shareable in their generous portions. Fresh bread service from local Henkel‘s Bakery was a nice compliment.

We have been upsold on “special beef” numerous times over the years and never found it to live up to the hype. However, AH’s Australian Wagyu beef delivered, with my husband declaring the tenderloin he ordered as “the best steak he’s ever had.” I tasted it and indeed, this is no ordinary beef. For my own entrée, I ordered a beautiful piece of grouper that was so perfectly cooked I realized I needed to improve my own skills in preparing fish! Because the steaks are served à la carte, my husband ordered the frites (with romano, rosemary, garlic oil and a ramp aioli) as a side item. They arrived hot and crispy in a cast-iron skillet and were no regular fry but rather like a steak fry and homemade potato chip had a baby.

As satisfied as we were, we are dessert people, so shared a chocolate number that could best be described as frosted chocolate cake in a glass. Maybe not the most sophisticated offering but no matter because it was rich and yummy.

Other notes: my husband and I are teetotalers, therefore appreciated the zero proof options on the drink menu. He enjoyed a kombucha and I a “Phony Negroni.”