Bern's Steak House...So Amazing It Almost Killed Me

"Oooooooh Bern's"

Is the reaction you'll get from someone in Tampa, FL if you tell them you're going to have dinner at Bern's Steak House. Luxurious, sophisticated, and memorable, Bern's is the definition of the ultimate fine dining restaurant experience.

Bern's is known for their comprehensive wine menu (with bottles up to $10,000) and "art in steaks". Their approach is to hand cut every single steak they serve and then cook them to perfection to ensure the complete meal satisfaction.

So....with expensive bottles of wine....and even more luxurious steaks I pondered how I even managed to get an invitation to eat a Bern's as I walked through the door on a recent visit.

Bern's Steakhouse - looks better on the inside...

I was running a bit late so appetizer's had already been ordered....one of which included a Lobster Corn Dog.

Yes, a Lobster Corn Dog. A normal corn dog would have been far to mediocre for Bern's.

I was freaked out at first, but after just one bite of the Lobster Dog...I was completely convinced. Never will I eat a normal corn dog again (ok, that's not true). The juicy and moist lobster mixed with the thick corn bread like shell was unexpectedly delicious.

Right after the appetizers came out we ordered our entrees. Steaks are not ordered as you would normally imagine at a regular steakhouse. It's an entire process due to the comprehensive menu and options for steak preparation. Take a look at just the number of choices of steaks and ounces here.

I opted for the 9oz Chateaubriand fillet with a baked potato, fresh salad and french onion soup. Moments later my french onion soup came out and simply said........I almost died. The cheese melted on top of the crouton was absolutely remarkable. It was thick like glue (in a good way) and the most satisfying cheese I've ever tasted.

When I was eating the salad for some reason the vegetables tasted extremely fresh. You may know that I'm not much of a vegetable guy....but yet these veggies were delicious. I was so dumbfounded as to why they were so good that I asked my server where they got them from..."Oh, from our farm about 8 miles away" Uuhhh.....this place is legit.

After I already had stuffed my face, the large and sensational looking fillet came out. As it was placed in front of me I pulled out my fork (yes my fork because I didn't need a knife) and cut through the tender steak to take my first bite......complete sensation. Every single bite was like a precious and rare gift.

Upon finishing our meals, our server asked us if we wanted to take a tour of the kitchen and view the "wine room". At first I thought he was joking......what kind of restaurant offers tours of their kitchens?

Eager to check the place out, we were led to the kitchen and met by another server who walked us through the enormous kitchen to explain the extreme level of detail that Bern's goes through to make their food complete perfection.

Image this - a flat top grill large enough to grill 200 steaks at the exact same time at the exact same temperature. There is a cutting station...as every steak order comes in, a chef literally cuts the meat right then and there and proceeds to give it to the chef on grill.

Bern Laxer, sampling the largesse of his 6,500-bottle wine cellar

The amazing cheese that I had in my French Onion soup? They're aging it in their refrigerator right in the kitchen.


At the end of the tour we went through two doors into the 50 degree wine room/cellar which had dim lighting and the most extensive wine collection I've ever laid eyes on. Thousands....upon thousands of bottles all stacked up probably 15-20 feet high....wall to wall.

In one section of the wine cellar with it's many rows and aisles there was a locked gated section that contains bottles of wine dating back to the 1800s. Their oldest bottle is from 1827 (yes, the year 1827) and they do sell it by the glass. For a half ounce it's $250.

Bern's meets up to their expectation. Impeccable service, unmatched food and a truly compelling atmosphere.

Just wait till I tell you about the dessert room...