Bern's Steak House
Encyclopedia
Bern's Steak House is a steak
restaurant
in the SoHo
district of Tampa
, Florida
, founded in 1956. It is currently owned and operated by David Laxer, son of original owner Bern Laxer.
It has a sister restaurant, Side Bern's, and a wine
and liquor store, Bern's Fine Wine & Spirits. In 1996, the Wine Spectator
rated Bern's in a tie for the best steak house in the United States. In 2009 Rachael Ray
rated Bern's as the best restaurant in America, having beat out over a dozen top-rated steakhouses across the U.S.http://blogs.tampabay.com/dining/2009/02/rachael-ray-say.html In 2010 industry magazine Nation's Restaurant News
deemed Bern's a "Top 50 All-American icon."http://www.nationsrestaurantnews-digital.com/nationsrestaurantnews/20100125/?pg=3#pg5 It was also named to GAYOT.com's Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S.
George W. Bush
ate at Bern's twice during his presidency.
Bern's Steak House is famous for not only its food, much of which is organic
and grown especially for Bern's, but also for its massive wine list
. Bern's has the largest wine list of any restaurant in the world. In its cellars can be found depression-era French
red wine, pre-war Sauternes
, and Madeira
from the 17th century. Diners can take a tour of the wine cellar as well as the kitchen at Bern's after their meal.
Bern's boasts the largest private wine collection in the world, and due to this status has quite a following of wine aficionados. Bern's is one of three locations that annually host "Winefest", the second largest private fundraiser for charity in the Tampa Bay area, the first being "Taste of Tampa".
The establishment also boasts a private dessert room, the Harry Waugh Dessert Room.
Another notable feature of Bern's Steak House is that there is only one single window in the entire establishment, although it is not viewable by customers.
Steak
A steak is a cut of meat . Most are cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, improving the perceived tenderness of the meat. In North America, steaks are typically served grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole...
restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in the SoHo
Soho, Tampa, Florida
SoHo Tampa, short for "South Howard Avenue," is an entertainment district within the Hyde Park neighborhood of Tampa. Some of the main cross streets are Kennedy Boulevard , Cleveland Street, Platt Street and Swann Avenue. The area has some of the finest examples of architecture in the city...
district of Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, founded in 1956. It is currently owned and operated by David Laxer, son of original owner Bern Laxer.
It has a sister restaurant, Side Bern's, and a wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
and liquor store, Bern's Fine Wine & Spirits. In 1996, the Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
rated Bern's in a tie for the best steak house in the United States. In 2009 Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray
Rachael Domenica Ray is an American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day...
rated Bern's as the best restaurant in America, having beat out over a dozen top-rated steakhouses across the U.S.http://blogs.tampabay.com/dining/2009/02/rachael-ray-say.html In 2010 industry magazine Nation's Restaurant News
Nation's Restaurant News
Nation's Restaurant News is an American trade publication, founded in 1967, that covers the foodservice industry, including restaurants, restaurant chains, operations, marketing, and events. It is owned by Penton Media, who purchased it from founding company Lebhar-Friedman in December 2010...
deemed Bern's a "Top 50 All-American icon."http://www.nationsrestaurantnews-digital.com/nationsrestaurantnews/20100125/?pg=3#pg5 It was also named to GAYOT.com's Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S.
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
ate at Bern's twice during his presidency.
Bern's Steak House is famous for not only its food, much of which is organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
and grown especially for Bern's, but also for its massive wine list
Wine list
A wine list is a menu of wine selections for purchase, typically in a restaurant setting. A restaurant may include a list of available wines on its main menu, but usually provides a separate menu just for wines...
. Bern's has the largest wine list of any restaurant in the world. In its cellars can be found depression-era French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
red wine, pre-war Sauternes
Sauternes (wine)
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined,...
, and Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
from the 17th century. Diners can take a tour of the wine cellar as well as the kitchen at Bern's after their meal.
Bern's boasts the largest private wine collection in the world, and due to this status has quite a following of wine aficionados. Bern's is one of three locations that annually host "Winefest", the second largest private fundraiser for charity in the Tampa Bay area, the first being "Taste of Tampa".
The establishment also boasts a private dessert room, the Harry Waugh Dessert Room.
Another notable feature of Bern's Steak House is that there is only one single window in the entire establishment, although it is not viewable by customers.