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Bern’s Steak House in Tampa

by Daniel Smajovits

The only way to describe an evening at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa is as an experience. From the moment you walk through the doors and soak in the dark, baroque atmosphere that is the lobby, you realize that you’re in a unique restaurant that has perfected every aspect of its craft over nearly seven decades.

While originally established as a luncheonette, today, Bern’s is known as not only one of the world’s foremost steakhouses, but also the home of the largest privately held wine collection in the United States.

Once seated in one of their eight intimate dining rooms, the menus are not for the faint of heart. Waiting for you at the table is Bern’s 200-page wine bible, featuring options at all price points. Fortunately, helping you narrow down your selection is the in-house sommelier, who, like all of Bern’s staff, has trained for years to ensure you order the perfect bottle or glass.

Unbeknownst to most guests until they open up their menu is that staff at Bern’s undergo an extensive training process before being allowed to wait on customers. Beginning with a one-year training period in the kitchen, future servers must observe others in action in the Harry Waugh dessert room. Additionally, they spend time working on the restaurant’s organic farm, bartending, hosting and finally, direct training with a captain. Once they earn the right to work on the floor, servers dawn a burgundy tie. After a minimum of one year on the floor, servers are finally eligible for a promotion to a silver tie. The training is evident by the care they demonstrate for each customer, ensuring their meal, whether it is simply a night out or a milestone celebration, is special.

Even the most seasoned Bern’s guest has questions and their expertise also ensures that they are prepared to brief guests on the restaurant’s extensive menu. The starters are plentiful, from the classic Caesar salad, prepared tableside, to 20 choices of caviar. Once guests flip to the entrée pages, especially if your eye is on their famous steak, then their expertise is needed. Bern’s offers seven different cuts: all dried and aged in-house. The steaks are accompanied by a chart, indicating the recommended thickness, degree of doneness and charring on the crust. For those not interested in steak, other options include numerous fish and shellfish choices, all of which are flown in daily, as well as a handful of poultry and vegetarian choices.

All entrees are served with a classic French onion soup, a salad, accompanied by one of eight home-made dressings, a baked potato, onion rings and a vegetable. As always, all of Bern’s vegetables are fresh from the restaurant’s farm.

The dinner itself is meticulous and sublime. Yet, as noted earlier, a visit to Bern’s is an experience, so the evening does not end there. All guests are offered a tour of the restaurant’s working kitchen and vast wine cellar, providing a glimpse into the inner workings of this culinary giant.

Following the tour is Bern’s piece de resistance: the Harry Waugh Dessert Room. Located upstairs is seemingly a world unto itself: an entire floor dedicated to dessert. Guests sit in private booths, which ensure the most intimate of ways to cap your evening, while a live pianist fills the air. As for the food? Much like the savoury options one floor below, each dessert is made in-house, from their famous Macadamia Nut ice cream to the classic Chocolate Cheese pie. If you can’t decide, opt for the Taste of Bern’s, which is a sampling of all their signature desserts.

While Bern’s welcomes the who’s who of celebrities on a regular basis, each guest is treated as if they’re that evening’s VIP. Whether you’re visiting for a special occasion, to cross this meal off your bucket list or simply because it’s an opportunity to splurge, an evening of Bern’s is an experience like no other – and a must for every visitor to the Tampa Bay area.

Visit: https://bernssteakhouse.com