New Duke's Steakhouse in Metuchen may have the best steak in NJ

🔴 One of the best small towns in New Jersey is getting its first upscale steakhouse🔴 Duke’s Steakhouse at 413 Main Street offers a rotating menu with staple items🔴 It has an elegant atmosphere and delicious dishes prepared by the owner

METUCHEN — What if one of the best steaks that you’ll ever eat is right here in New Jersey?

Duke’s Steakhouse in downtown Metuchen opened this month. Without exaggeration, Duke’s is a must-try for steak lovers.

Fresh cuts on display at Duke’s Steakhouse in Metuchen (Rick Rickman)

On Thursday, I went to Duke’s with no plans to write about the experience. Now I can’t stop raving about the tomahawk steak and filet mignon we had.

A small entrance at 413 Main St. leads to its long and narrow candlelit interior. But past the curtain, the intimate setting is much larger than its facade lets on.

Cool, blue backlit shelves contrast with the hot colors of a fiery bar (Rick Rickman)

Tables extend far to the back, with bar seating and the kitchen on the opposite side.

And the depth of the flavor in each prime cut matches the depth of the elongated space.

A section of the atmosphere at Duke’s Steakhouse in Metuchen (Kathryn Rickman)

A section of the atmosphere at Duke’s Steakhouse in Metuchen (Kathryn Rickman)Duke Estimé opens dream steakhouse in Metuchen

The owner, Duke Estimé, prepares each meal himself. He’s a culinary graduate who takes great pride in his work, and it shows.

For Woodbridge locals, the name may be familiar; he also owns Estimé’s Cafe on Inman Ave in Colonia.

“I always wanted to open a steakhouse. And when this opportunity came by, I didn’t want to turn it down. I knew this place was the place that I wanted,” Estimé said.

The tomahawk steak and filet at Duke’s Steakhouse (Rick Rickman)

The tomahawk steak and filet at Duke’s Steakhouse (Rick Rickman)Delicious meal includes lamb lollipops and tomahawk steak

To start, our table shared the savory seared lamb lollipops and Duke’s spin on a Caesar salad. And our side of choice was the mac & cheese with griot, a Haitian dish made of pork shoulder.

Without question, the star of the delicious show was a 44-ounce tomahawk steak, cooked perfectly to medium-rare with the perfect amount of fat — well worth the $240. Not shabby either was the 8-ounce filet mignon.

(Rick Rickman)

(Rick Rickman)How does Duke’s Steakhouse compare to other New Jersey restaurants?

Maybe you’ve been to Wolfgang’s in Somerville, which may be one of the best steakhouses in the county. It’s an incredibly high bar, as Bill Spadea will attest.

Having eaten at Wolfgang’s twice, I can say I prefer the meal I had last night at Duke’s. It was incredible and every bite was impressive.

A huge thank you to Duke, along with the sommelier, Patrick, our waiter, Lucas, and the rest of the hardworking staff.

If you go…

Make reservations on their website: dukesteakhouse.com.

And make sure to BYOB.

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