STK London

North American, Steak·
££££
·
Bronze Award
·

SquareMeal Review of STK London

Bronze Award

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years, you’re likely to have come across STK’s famous Instagram wall at some point while you do your daily (or hourly) timeline scroll – and no wonder. When it comes to the glam factor, this spot delivers on all fronts.

With its vowel-free moniker, super-sleek looks, DJs on the decks and a ‘dress to impress’ code (check if your threads will pass muster on the website), STK certainly comes with plenty of attitude.

The menu isn’t shy or retiring either, piling on the indulgence with caviar starters, truffle toppings and lobster mac’n’cheese, ahead of USDA prime-grade beef, Wagyu and British native-breed steaks at wallet-busting prices – although our New York strip and rib-eye both passed muster when it came to proper ageing and cooking. A lighter scallop and shrimp ceviche also scored points, though a dessert of deconstructed ‘rhubarb and custard’ was more style than substance.

Although it is best known as a glitzy venue for dinner and drinks, the simpler lunch menu promises a slightly more laid back affair, minus the stiletto heels and body-con dresses. It features the likes of crispy chicken salad, and New Orleans favourite, the popcorn shrimp po’boy sandwich, as well, of course, as the signature steaks.   

This branch of the restaurant group, which hails from the US and has locations all over the world, has proved popular with a moneyed international crowd who may well be familiar with the outposts in Dubai, Ibiza, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Readers recommend it for glamorous entertaining with “attentive service” on the side.

Located in the ME Hotel, this sleek restaurant fits right in with the property’s Radio Rooftop bar and Zela, the Japanese-cum-international dining room backed by Rafael Nadal and Enrique Iglesias. So after enjoying a steak and snapping enough Instagram pics to last a lifetime, head to Zela’s cocktail bar or on up to the roof to finish your night.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £50 - £79
Cuisines
North American, Steak
Ambience
Dark and moody, Fun, Glamorous, Lively
Food Occasions
Dinner, Late night dining, Lunch
Special Features
Gluten-free options, Live music or dancing, Vegan options, Vegetarian options
People
Birthdays, Celebrations, Dates, Special occasions

About

Part of the Me London hotel and an offshoot of the North American steakhouse brand of the same name, this first UK outpost of STK has a plum location on Aldwych that’s great for pre- and post-theatre dining, though the basement setting and nightclub vibe really come into their own when it’s dark outside and you don’t mind being underground.

The menu will be familiar to anyone who has spent time in the sort of country-club restaurants and steakhouses that constitute classic American cuisine on the other side of the pond. There are boldly flavoured salads such as chicory and watercress or Caesar to start, jumbled with ingredients like blue cheese, caramelised pear and roasted walnuts, as well as crispy bits of protein along the lines of softshell crab sliders or octopus and oat-fried chicken.

Given, though, that steak with side orders is the house speciality, something from the raw bar might make a sensibly light beginning to a meal at STK: jalapeño pickled shrimp with cocktail sauce and lemon, say, or a yellowfin tuna ceviche with radish, black sesame seed pesto and charcoal crisps.

The steak itself – made from grain-fed USDA prime beef as well as dry-aged British beef – comes in three sizes of small, medium and large, from a 200g fillet to a whopping 900g tomahawk, with toppings of garlic butter, smoked bacon and blue cheese, black truffle butter and sauces of béarnaise, peppercorn, red wine and chimichurri.

If steak’s not your thing, there’s also roasted lemon sole, miso-glazed duck breast, organic salmon fillet and cornfed chicken breast, plus indulgent sides of mac and cheese, truffle and parmesan French fries, creamed spinach and mushroom pot pie.   

A DJ playing from Tuesday to Saturday underlines the Ibiza nightclub atmosphere of the place, as too the big central bar for cocktails and Champagne.


FAQs

Are there gluten-free options on the menu?

Yes there are gluten-free options on the menu.

Helpful? 0

Location

ME London hotel , 336-337 Strand, Aldwych, London, WC2R 1HA

020 7395 3450 020 7395 3450

Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon Closed
Tue 12:00-16:00
Wed 12:00-16:00
Thu 12:00-16:00
Fri 12:00-16:00
Sat 13:00-16:00
Sun 13:00-16:00
Dinner
Mon 17:00-00:00
Tue 17:00-00:00
Wed 17:00-00:00
Thu 17:00-01:00
Fri 17:00-01:00
Sat 17:00-01:00
Sun 17:00-00:00

Reviews

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21 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Helena H

05 December 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4
Very good steak

Had an absolutely lovely meal at STK we shared a steak between us with several of the delicious sides. The food was great. It isn't cheap but worth the quality food. 

sherry B

26 December 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4.5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Christmas day

Good service and lovely meal the meat was colder than the rest but was dealt with fairly merry Christmas 

Anon

05 December 2021  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 0.5
Value 0.5
Terrible Experience

The waiter assigned to our table was doing an incredibly mediocre job forcing food down while pushing my friend out of the way to take the plates after. When we decided to remove the service charge due to his Insolent behaviour he was in credibly argumentative discrediting our experience.

We called for a manager to manage his behaviour and no one proceeded to arrive. Had to speak to a hostess to find us another waiter to manage our payment. Terrible experience, never have I ever needed to remove a service charge for such behaviour.

The food was mediocre for the prices they charged, the restaurant was extremely loud, people overly drunk acting like it’s a club experience.

Will not be returning to STK.

Anon

14 August 2021  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 3.5
Value 4
Dinner

In my opinion, the best steak I've ever had! But then you get what you pay for. Pre-show meal and birthday celebrations made for a fabulous meal. I'll go for the small fillet next time ... the medium was enormous ... no room for dessert! Fab cocktails too ????

Anon

12 January 2020  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 1
Value 0.5
Never again

**What a joke of a restaurant. Never seen so many trashy people in one place ever. Food and service all sub par. Won’t be going there ever again. Save yourself the headache.**

Chloe B

06 August 2019  
Food is always amazing brill atmosphere.

jay

01 August 2019  
Food & Drink 2
Service 1
Atmosphere 1.5
Value 1
Bad Service

I visited STK on 13th July with a group of friend's for a birthday dinner.

We ordered some pre-drinks at the bar but the was just SO terrible and the waiters were more interested in having conversations between themselves then caring about there customer's.

One waiter in particular (Darked haired, slim tall guy with a foriegn accentand something on his lip) made very obvious that he did not seem to have any desire or care if we was served or not. I even left a tip for the grumpy guy and he still found it almost impossible to acknowledge me. Not even a thank you from this guy, So rude and not at all a friendly atmosphere.

Food was good and the Dj was quite loud.

I would rate the bar staff zero out of 10 for service . really poor and not professional.

Anon

28 June 2019  
What can I say? STEAK! Beautiful restaurant and beautiful steak. Drooool.. Service is good and decor is sophisticated with a great atmosphere. My fav steak place.

Wendy G

31 July 2018  
I have combined a visit to the STK restaurant at the Me Hotel on the Strand with a drink in their rooftop bar both great experiences.

Annabelle C

07 February 2018  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 2
Value 0.5
Don’t waste your money - AVOID
Save your money and don’t ever visit here. To summarise: - I called, left voicemail messages, emailed and sent Instagram messages over a period of two weeks to book a table for my birthday - no one ever responded to any of the above or even picked up the phone (called in excess of 20 times in morning, afternoon and evening) - I phoned again yesterday and someone finally answered and explained they have no availability on my chosen day. I therefore left my telephone number in the event that any tables become free. - someone finally responded to my email today and offered me 5 different time slots - how if there we none yesterday? - I responded 10 minutes later confirming my chosen time, to which they responded saying this is no longer available It is important to note that not once has anybody apologised or even addressed my complaints that no one has answered my calls, voicemails, emails or private messages, and they actually said they were doing me a favour by finding me a table - how so when obviously there would have been plenty of table options (based on the fact that there were 5 this morning) had someone responded to me 2 weeks ago? It is worth mentioning that I visit every year for my birthday - not because the food is particularly good but actually because there is a good atmosphere. However, I dread to think what the in house service is like if this is what you get when trying to book and I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable paying their extortionate service charge. Oh and last year they double charged one of our cards by an extra £200 and we had the same problem trying to contact them then. Truly is pathetic and I’m shocked they do any business at all. I will avoid The One Group and stick to D&D in the future as I trust they would not ruin my birthday.
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