When it comes to dining, we all have our definitions of what qualifies as a “splurge.” For some, a visit to a restaurant where entrée prices exceed $20 is reserved for special occasions only; others have no problem ordering a $50 steak any night at all. There are expensive restaurants, and then there are the expensive restaurants, the ones where everyday folks are left wondering how anyone can actually afford to eat there and still have money for the cab ride home. Reserved for high-rollers only, these are the 30 most expensive restaurants in America.
The Old Homestead restaurant in New York City recently went far out of their normal price range, offering a decadent four-person meal for $35,000 ($8,750 per person): a Thanksgiving dinner complete with edible 24-carat gold flakes, sweet potatoes topped with caviar, and squab alongside the turkey. Granted, the dinner included city experiences such as grandstand seating at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a shopping spree, but the experiences were built around the meal, and they actually sold some seats. But many restaurants offer lavish dinners all year ‘round; maybe not at $8,750 per person, but with exorbitantly high tabs nonetheless.
Restaurants range from jackets-required spots like Victoria and Albert’s at Walt Disney World to low-key spots like Momofuku Ko in New York. Others, like Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, with its royal purple and velvet trimmings, are about as fancy as can be. The restaurants on this list have various accolades and awards including many Michelin stars and AAA Five Diamond awards, and kitchens full of James Beard Award-winning alumni.
Using current menu prices per-person based on an average tasting menu dinner, we’ve compiled a roster of America’s most expensive restaurants, with prices that could go even higher with extras and wine pairings. There’s a lot of competition in the restaurant business, so it takes a lot of confidence to charge exorbitantly expensive prices. Diners often say that you’re paying not just for the food, but for the total experience. Is it worth it? Only you, the diner, can decide. Read on for the most expensive restaurant menus in America, and click here to find out which restaurants are the most expensive in the world.
1. Masa, New York City
2. Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas
3. Urasawa, Beverly Hills, Calif.
4. Guy Savoy, Las Vegas
5. Per Se, New York City
6. The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.
7. Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, Brooklyn, N.Y.
8. Saison, San Francisco
9. Baumé, Palo Alto, Calif.
10. The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, Calif.
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