I may not have a lot of extra cash to spend on fine dining at the moment, but these 50 most expensive restaurants definitely have gotten me fantasizing and salivating. These are some of the country's most expensive fine-dining establishments, and if steak and lobster aren't exciting enough for you, they also have some of the best cocktails in America.
Alabama
Perry's Steakhouse Grill, Birmingham
Experience: Perry's has multiple locations throughout the south, all of which include chops, seafood, wine & cocktails served in an upscale setting with a lounge & live jazz
Most expensive dish: Captain's Chateaubriand ($55), carved table side with truffle Merlot demiglace, bearnaise, and peppercorn reduction sauces
Cocktail I'd order: Cucumber Blueberry Martini ($15), Smirnoff Blueberry vodka is shaken with fresh lime juice, cranberry, and muddled cucumber
Alaska
Experience: High-end restaurant offering French & New American cuisine, a huge wine list and a 360-degree view of the city
Most expensive dish: Bone-in Bison Rib-eye ($68), herb and balsamic marinade, roasted leek and young onion, red potatoes, porcini butter, fermented garlic cream
Dessert to die for: Foie Gras Semifreddo ($12)
Arizona
Experience: Michael Mina outpost serving butter-poached steaks in elegant contemporary Fairmont resort quarters
Most expensive dish: 32 oz. Prime dry aged porterhouse ($175)
Wine to break the bank: Domaine de la Romanee Conti 'Montrachet' grand cru 2005, Chardonnay ($5083)
Arkansas
One Eleven at the Capital, Little Rock
Experience: Sophisticated, French-inspired American plates presented in a traditional, white-tablecloth setting
Most Expensive Dish: Grilled prime beef filet, Bordelaise sauce ($46)
Cocktail I'd Order: Chocolate-Pear Martini ($12), Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, Pear Vodka, Crème de Cacao
California
The French Laundry, Yountville
Experience: Chef Thomas Keller's refined fixed-price meals continually draw food lovers to this stone farmhouse.
Most extravagant dish: Chef's Tasting Menu is $310, not including the Soft Boiled Rhode Island Red Hen Egg with black winter truffle "Coulis", sweet onion "Tagliatelle" and Shaved Australian Black Winter Truffles ($125 supplement)
Bottle of wine more than your student loans: 1992 Napa Valley Screaming Eagle ($17,500)
Colorado
Experience: High-end destination for Japanese fusion fare & sushi, served in a posh setting with dramatic views
Most expensive dish: Lobster with wasabi pepper or spicy garlic sauce ($42)
Cocktail I'd order: Lavendar Margarita, Cuervo ‘tradicional’ Blanco Tequila, lavender honey, lime ($12)
Connecticut
David Burke Prime, MashantucketExperience: Steaks dry-aged on-site & playful American fare in a vast, glitzy space with a 3-story wine tower
Most expensive dish: Mustard Crusted Colorado Lamb Chops ($65) haricots verts, caramelized baby carrots, roasted garlic whipped, rosemary au jus
Dessert to die for: Cheesecake Lollipop Tree ($18) cherry pink cashmere, triple chocolate tuxedo, toffee top hat
Delaware
Harry's Savoy Grill, Wilmington
Experience: Steakhouse known for standards like prime rib, served in clubby space with dark-wood decor & patio
Most expensive dish: Grilled petite filet & butter poached lobster “surf & turf” ($58) Cous-Cous, baby carrots, Bercy butter, demi-glace
Champagne: Cristal, Louis Roederer Champagne ’06 ($395)
Florida
Experience: Each season has its own flavors and colors, and each day Chef Hunnel selects whatever is fresh at the market to create unique menus for the Dining Room, Queen Victoria’s Room and the Chef’s Table. With a wealth of resources from farmers, fishermen, and artisans, the kitchen sources pristine ingredients for dishes such as Spanish octopus with Iberico ham and sherry vinaigrette, or a whimsical poached local chicken egg with Florida corn and crayfish. Flavors shine as Hunnel melds tradition with innovation – it’s all about the joy of pleasing his guests.
Most expensive tasting menu: Chef's table, $163 per person
Wine to break the bank: St. Julien Château Léoville Las Cases 1982 (Magnum), Cabernet Sauvignon ($6150)
Georgia
Experience: "Bone's has been named Atlanta's best steakhouse for 16 years in a row — it's no wonder that it prepares all cuts of beef to perfection. It stays true to its Southern heritage with side dishes that include hash browns and grit fritters." - Business Insider
Most expensive dish: Veal Rib Chop with Lemon and Sautéed Mushrooms ($50)
Dessert to die for: Warm Pecan Pie with Praline Sauce and French Vanilla Ice Cream ($10)
Hawaii
Experience: Famed chef Alan Wong presents his innovative, colorful Hawaiian flare in an upscale, 3rd-floor space
What I'd order: Pan steamed opakapaka, short tail pink snapper with shrimp pork hash, truffle nage, gingered vegetables, tapioca pearls ($40)
Cocktail I'd order: Blueberry Hibiscus Strawberry Sangria ($15) - Sparkling libation - blend of strawberry hibiscus nectar, fresh blueberries, mint, basil and fresh island watermelon macerated with Brachetto D’Acqui
Idaho
Experience: Top-shelf steaks & seafood served in a swanky, hip setting with live jazz & a martini bar
Most expensive dish: Wild Baja California Abalone Meunière with Mushroom Risotto ($95)
Cocktail I'd order: Pomegranate Mojito ($11)
Illinois
Experience: Chef Grant Achatz draws foodies with New American tasting menus featuring highly creative plates
Most expensive tasting menu: The Kitchen Table, $385 per person. Includes dishes such as steelhead roe with coconut, curry, and yuzu; king crab with passionfruit, heart palm, allspice; lobster with carrot and chamomile
Interesting dessert: Helium balloon, green apple flavor
Indiana
St. Elmo's Steak House, Indianapolis
Experience: Historic & stately wining a dining destination known for its steaks & seafood, plus cocktail lounge
Most expensive dish: Surf ’n Turf ($79) 8 oz. South African lobster tail and 8 oz. filet mignon
Cocktail I'd order: Elderflower Gin & Tonic ($13) Sipsmith Gin copper stilled in London and Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic
Iowa
Experience: White-cloth destination for steaks with all the trimmings plus seafood, wine & cocktails
Most expensive dish: 24 oz. Bone-In Delmonico ($66) simply grilled or Cajun rub
Cocktail I'd order: Cat's Pajamas ($6) 801 Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Luxardo Maraschino, Carpano Antica, Dubonnet, bitters
Kansas:
Experience: Swanky farm-to-table restaurant & bar serving classic, upscale steakhouse fare & martinis
Most expensive dish: Cajun Spiced Pan Roasted Filet ($41) poblano au gratin potatoes, shiitake mushroom, port and sherry jus
Cocktail I'd order: Espresso Martini ($10) Three Olives Vanilla Vodka, Kahlua, espresso, heavy whipped cream, shaved chocolate
Kentucky
Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, Louisville
Experience: Upscale steakhouse with ritzy digs & notable seafood options, including sushi & a raw bar
Most expensive dish: Steak & Lobster ($92) 12 oz. Herb roasted lobster tail & 8 oz. filet mignon
Cocktail I'd order: Peach-Blackberry Smash ($13) Old Forester Bourbon, peach mint syrup, lemon, blackberries
Louisiana
Commander's Palace, New Orleans
Experience: Notable spot for refined Creole fare & an elegant jazz brunch in a chandelier-hung space since 1880
Most expensive dish: Market Fish Jardinière ($43) Covey Rise Farm summer vegetable ratatouille, confit garlic cloves, black olive oil, local legumes, basil puree and heirloom tomato chutney
Cocktail I'd order: Port of New Orleans ($11.75) Tanqueray, Quinta Do Noval “Black” Porto, fresh lime, orange bitters and housemade pecan simple syrup
Maine
Experience: A cutting-edge American menu caters to carnivores & vegetarians alike in swanky environs
Most expensive dish: Pork Chop Bo Ssäm ($45) napa cabbage, peanut, gochujang emulsion
Cocktail I'd order: Silver and Diamonds ($12), honeyed gin, egg white, lemon, lavender, bubbles
Maryland
Charleston, BaltimoreExperience: Celebrated pick for New American plates & a well-curated wine list in white-tablecloth environment. There is a flat price for selecting 3, 4, 5, or 6 dishes off the dinner menu.
The six courses I'd choose: ($124) Maryland lump crab cake, Grilled veal sweetbreads, Pan-roasted magret of duck, Pan-seared Hudson Valley foie gras, Fresh buffalo milk mozzarella salad, Prime beef steak tartare
Dessert to die for: Passionfruit Crème Brûlée (Included in fix-pris) - vanilla shortbread, pineapple sorbet
Massachusetts
Experience: Chef Barbara Lynch's French-Italian hybrid cuisine (plus tasting menus) in a luxurious setting
Most expensive dish: Wagyu Beef Ribeye ($48) bone marrow, peas, spring onions
Cocktail I'd order: Eagle Hill ($16) dark rum, punt-e-mes, almond ginger-lime
Michigan
Experience: Classically elegant steakhouse established in 1938 with an English feel & accompanying cigar lounge
Most expensive dish: Australian Wagyu Grade A4 ($65)
Cocktail I'd Order: Southern Bell Martini ($6)
Minnesota
Experience: Classic upscale steakhouse serving prime cuts & signature cocktails in stylish surrounds since 1946
Most expensive dish: Blue Cheese Crusted Filet ($50) 10 oz. bacon wrapped, caramelized pears, grilled spring onion, blackberry and port reduction
Cocktail I'd Order: The Manhattan Project ($18) Maker's Mark infused with Black Mission figs and sweet cherries, Carpano Antica, dash of port wine
Mississippi
Experience: Southern-accented steakhouse in clubby digs with leather banquettes, warm woods & large bar area
Most expensive dish: Cowboy Ribeye ($54) 20 oz. bone-in chili rubbed, maître d’ butter
Cocktail I'd order: Mississippi Mule ($10.50) Served on the rocks with Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, fresh lime, strawberry simple syrup and ginger beer
Missouri
Experience: Low-key, white-tablecloth setting for serious New American cooking from set-price tasting menus. There is a flat rate for three courses, five courses, or ten courses.
Five courses I'd Choose: ($85) Marinated Cherry Tomatoes, goat cheese, saffron, garden herbs; La Belle Foie Gras, Missouri Peach, hazelnut, lemon thyme; Yellowtail Hamachi Crudo, cucumber, avocado, radish, chili, green tomato gazpacho; Holland Pork Belly, bing cherry, burnt bread, golden zucchini, spinach; Dark Chocolate Cremeaux, pistachio, rose, blackberry
Cocktail I'd order: Black Currant Milk Punch ($11) black currant tea milk washed vodka, combier, verjus
Montana
Experience: Posh place at Northern Hotel serving select American mains with a global twist & seasonal cocktails
Most expensive dish: Tomahawk ($65) 48oz Colorado Ribeye, brussel sprouts, steak sauce, roasted garlic whipped potatoes
Cocktail I'd order: Vieux Carre ($12) 1938 Monteleone Hotel, New Orleans Woodford Reserve Rye, Hennessy, Antica Sweet Vermouth, Bénédictine, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters
Nebraska
Experience: Local fixture with roots in 1944 offering steaks, salads & sandwiches in an old-school environment
Most expensive dish: Omaha T-Bone ($39) 22oz bone-in steak
Dessert to die for: Molten Lava Cake ($6) with caramel, whip cream and strawberries
Nevada
Experience: Gourmet French tapas & tasting menus by Joël Robuchon served in a modern space with counter service, $230 per person
Most extravagant dish: Le Saint-Pierre - John Dory fish fillet with tempura of shiso leaf on delicate squid ink risotto
Dessert to die for: Le Papillion Chocolat Azelia (Included in fix-pris) - smooth hazelnut milk chocolate crémeux with coffee chantilly and praliné ice cream
New Hampshire
Hanover Street Chophouse, Manchester
Experience: High-end hideaway for steaks, seafood & diverse wines in an elegant backdrop with a clubby bar
Most expensive dish: Bone-In Filet ($58) 16oz center cut tenderloin steak
Dessert to die for: Kentucky Bourbon Crème Brûlée ($8) apricot butter cookie with spring berries
New Jersey
Experience: Classy eatery featuring from-scratch Italian cuisine, a full bar & ample wines in an intimate space
What I'd Order: Veal Rollatini ala Tiana ($45) - tender rolled veal, filled with spinach, prosciutto (salty), cheese, natural brown sauce with mushroom risotto
Desser to die for: Homemade Coconut Cheesecake ($12)
New Mexico
Experience: Eclectic New American fare served amid elegant, minimalist decor in a circa-1756 adobe home
Most expensive dish: New Mexico Four Corners Grilled Rack of Lamb ($52) fresh pea puree, parmesan polenta cakes, roasted leeks & merlot lamb-reduction
Dessert to die for: Caramel Chocolate Decadence ($12) raspberry panna cotta, cassis sorbet, chocolate cake & wild strawberry sauce
New York
Experience: The most expensive restaurant in the country, Masa is a high-end Japanese restaurant offering a fixed-price sushi menu served in modern, elegant surrounds
Price per person: $585
Notable dishes: Fatty Toro Tartare with cavair; Wagyu Beef with truffle, Toro, Ika, and Uni
North Carolina
Fearrington House Restaurant, Fearrington
Experience: The intimate dining rooms within the white-columned Fearrington House Restaurant welcome guests with exceptional service and a seasonally changing menu, four different menus are offered, 3-course, 4-course, vegetarian 8-course, and 8-course
Four courses I'd order: ($115) Ono with Melon & Spearmint, crème fraîche, yellow wax beans, chilies; Seared Foie Gras with Garden Onions & Lime, chamomile, honey jicama; Rabbit with Burnt Orange & Poblana, wax bean, prosciutto, cherry, anise; Valrhona Cœur de Guanaja Chocolate Soufflé, hot chocolate sauce, whipped cream
Wine to break the bank: Château Margaux 2005 ($2495), French Bordeaux
North Dakota
Experience: Upscale venue serving surf 'n' turf in 5 rustic rooms, each referencing a period in ND's history
Most expensive dish: Dry Aged Cowboy Ribeye ($65) King Cut 35 days dry aged
Fanciest Scotch: Glenrothes Scotch Flight: Select reserve, Vintage 2001, Vintage 1998 ($19)
Ohio
Orchids at Palm Court, Cincinnati
Experience: Upscale hotel restaurant serving inventive & traditional American dishes in an ornate space. Tasting menu for 3-course, 4-course, 5-course, and 10-course
Five courses I'd choose: Burrata, strawberry, white balsamic, chia seed, pistachio; Escargot, ramps, parsley, ricotta, agnolotti, guanciale; Lamb, carrot, ginger, caramelized fennel; Strudel, maitake mushrooms, sunchokes, paneer, crisp lentils; Matignon, chard, wheat berries, artichoke, enoki
Dessert to die for: Custard ($16) cream cheese, golden raspberry, lychee, almond hibiscus
Oklahoma
Experience: Upscale operation with an on-site fish market, featuring fresh catch & wines plus regular live jazz
Most expensive dish: Kumamoto Wagyu Grade A5 ($123) 6oz tenderloin, roasted wild mushrooms, shishito peppers, ponzu sauce
Cocktail I'd Order: Jalapeno Pear Margarita ($15)
Oregon
Experience: Clean-lined, minimalist restaurant serving fixed-price, high-end modernist Northwest dinners. Two tasting menus, 7-course and 13-course
Chef's tasting menu: 13-course ($165), snacks; Crab, grilled cucumber; Shima aji, tomato, ginger; Spot prawn; Orach, porcini, concentrate of halibut; Trout, potato, lovage, fava; Foie gras, strawberry, currant; Chanterelles, hops; Aged duck, gem lettuce, roquefort; Zabuton, society garlic; Strawberry, spruce, sansho; Dark fruit; Caramelized potato skin
Cocktail I'd order: A Sweet Notion ($11) dark rum, lime, chili, creme de cassis, turbinado
Pennsylvania
Experience: Elevated takes on foods of the Jewish diaspora served in a snug, minimalist space with a retro feel
Most expensive dish: Montreal Style Smoked Short Ribs ($60) served with pickles, mustards, breads, and spreads
Cocktail I'd Order: By the Way ($12) brandy, coconut, pineapple, amaro
Rhode Island
Experience: Upscale eatery in a historic building with seasonal steak & seafood dishes & an extensive wine list
Most expensive dish: 16oz Niman Ranch Ribeye ($48)
Cocktail I'd order: South Water Soother ($14) Thai Basil infused Tequila, Cointreau, coconut water, vanilla syrup, lemon & lime juice
South Carolina
Experience: Sizable cuts of beef & seafood served in elegant surrounds, also known for its Sunday gospel brunch
Most expensive dish: Tomahawk Rib Eye ($98) 34oz
Cocktail I'd order: Hot Pepper Martini ($13) house-made habanero infused vodka and passion fruit puree
South Dakota
Dakotah Steakhouse, Rapid City
Experience: Steakhouse fare plus local game & fish in a handsome setting accented with dark wood & leather
Most expensive dish: Dry Aged Prime Rib-eye ($49.50) 12oz
Dessert to die for: Kuchen with Berry Topping ($8) South Dakota's state dessert with berry sauce and fresh whipped cream
Tennessee
The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland
Experience: Elegant farm-to-table tasting menus served in a regal wood-beamed barn at Blackberry Farm
Courses I'd choose: $150 for 7-courses; Bacon Wrapped Quail, tomato, eggplant, basil and crispy quinoa; Painted Hills Beef Hanger Steak, smoked potatoes, creamed kale and grilled oyster mushrooms; Grilled Pekin Duck Breast, roasted fall vegetables, sweet tea gastrique and foie gras; Springer Mountain Farm Chicken, Carolina gold rice grits, forest mushrooms, garden greens and confit
Cocktail I'd order: Blackberry Farm Eggnog ($15) spiced rum, Tennessee whiskey, meringue and whipped cream
Texas
Experience: Luxurious steakhouse serving rich starters, sides, award-winning prime beef & fine wines
Most expensive dish: New York Strip Flight ($175) Japanese A5 Wagyu from the Kagoshima Prefecture
Cocktail I'd order: Texas Peach Mojito ($8) rum, mint, peach, simple syrup, lime & a splash of soda
Utah
Experience: Contemporary eatery in the Waldorf Astoria hotel offers New American fare, cocktails & sleek decor
Most expensive dish: Guajila Rubbed Buffalo Tenderloin ($42) summer succotash, beetroot puree, huckleberry jus
Cocktail I'd order: Blackberry Bramble ($13) Bombay Sapphire Gin, St. Germain blackberry, lemon
Vermont
Experience: Locally sourced, wood-fired meats, plus casual tavern fare & handcrafted cocktails
Most expensive dish: Filet Mignon ($48.95) 9oz
Cocktail I'd order: Goddess of the Underworld ($10) Tequila, pomegranate shrub, lime, ginger beer
Virginia
Inn at Little Washington, Washington
Experience: Three different tasting menus, all priced the same ($218), pays homage to the lawmakers of Classical French Cuisine, reflects a belief in “the cuisine of today”, healthy, eclectic, imaginative, unrestricted by ethnic boundaries and always growing.
My pick: Here and Now, includes: Caramelized Catalan Custard with foie gras and orchard cherries; Chilled Scottish Langoustine with vichyssoise purée and Royal Osetra Caviar; Japanese Wagyu Beef Two Ways: seventy-two hour braised short rib and rib-eye sashimi with potato “noodles” in fragrant broth; A Grilled King Lamb Chop Perfumed with rosemary on lentils Dijonnaise with minted béarnaise
Cocktail I'd order: Bourbon Amoro ($18) Bulleit Bourbon, Averna Amaro, Moro Blood Orange and cucumber
Washington
Experience: Fixed-price, 9-course menus paired with local wine at a bucolic culinary retreat attached to an inn. Menus constantly change with each season. Price per person $215.
Summer 2017 Menu: Nine Songs of Summer; Staff of Life summer savory brichoe rolls; Herring, Man herring in lovage tempura; Rabbit Redux boletus & rabbit sugo; Sour Cherry vegetables roasted in lamb fat with Montmorency Tart Cherries; Cheek Clique barbecued Wagyu Beef cheek; Currant Events Chimacum Valley dairy cheese; Cot, Cake, Cream woodoven-roasted Yakima Apricots; Raspberry Fairy raspberry & chamomile soup
Don't forget dessert: Strawberry-filled chocolate, Smyrna Quince Macaron, DuChilly hazelnut pie, tangerine gem marigold milkshake
West Virginia
Experience: Old-school eatery with plush furnishings offers familiar steak & seafood dishes plus a cigar lounge
Most expensive dish: Cowboy Steak ($54) 22oz blackened or barbecued
Cocktail I'd Order: $6 Apple Martini
Wisconsin
Experience: Stylish chophouse with steaks, seafood & wine plus a lounge for signature cocktails & small plates
Most expensive dish: Bon-in Ribeye ($79) 22oz, prime, aged 30 days
Cocktail I'd order: Salted Caramel ($12) caramel, butterscotch schnapps, Kahlua, Bailey's, and a salted rim
Wyoming
Snake River Grill, Jackson Hole
Experience: Elegantly plated New American dishes in a refined log-cabin setting with a fireplace & a cozy bar
Most expensive dish: Cast Iron Seared Elk Chop ($69) grilled brown butter sweet potatoes, date-chipotle sauce
Cocktail I'd order: Trout Saddle ($11) Stoli Cirtros Vodka, fresh orange and lime, cranberry juice
Well, if you're like me and, at the end of this, feel poor and crave a steak, at least you can take solace in the fact that the best cocktails in America average around $12!