For supper at Shanahan’s, you’ll need to bring two things:
1. Lots and lots of money.
2. A snack.
I have been to Shanahan’s — the glitzy Tech Center steakhouse named for and co-owned by former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan — three times since it opened this year. Not once have I sat down unfamished because not once have I been seated within 20 minutes of my reservation time.
On my most recent visit, when our party of three arrived on time for a 7:30 reservation, the stunning hostess greeted us with her standard line (I’d heard it before): “We haven’t been able to get some of those early tables to leave yet. Perhaps a drink?” She gestured at the bar, which was already filled to capacity.
Translation: Prove how badly you want to eat here. Go spend some money.
After fighting through the scrum, flagging down a bartender and spending $50 for drinks, we stood with our cocktails (no seats available), stomachs grumbling, dodging staffers carrying plates of frustratingly fragrant, still-sizzling beef.
At 8, still standing, we had this quick (paraphrased) conversation with an acquaintance of one of our party who’d just arrived.
He: “Hi! Waiting for a table?”
Us: “Yep. We made a reservation for 7:30.” A glance at the watch and a smile. “You?”
He: “Oh? I just called a few minutes ago.”
Hostess — to him, not us: “Sir, your table for four is ready.”
He, shrugging as he joined his party: “I know the manager.”
Once we finally sat at 8:15, and once we explained to our waiter that we were ravenous (and why), he worked hard to change our mood. Two complimentary starters appeared while we sized up the menu, a pristine example of contemporary high-end steakhouse fare. No surprises. This is not a bad thing; you come here for steakhouse stuff — shrimp cocktails, iceberg salads, creamed spinach, perhaps a lobster tail and, of course, steak.
Oh, Shanahan’s steaks are marvelous. I feel my foodie-cred quotient dip every time I say so, but nothing presses my id-buttons like a New York strip, bare on an untouchably hot white plate. The deep brown crust shimmering like gift wrap, carefully obscuring a richly red, tender interior, flesh that I’ll reveal, slowly, with tiny slivers, each draped over my tongue to melt. Shanahan’s steaks — the bone-in filet, the porterhouse and the exquisite New York strip — melt.
Sides deliver, especially the meaty sauteed mushrooms and the savory creamed spinach. A shrimp cocktail appetizer features a pleasantly sharp sauce. A tuna tartare with ponzu, if overdesigned, is fresh and zingy.
Shanahan’s substantial wine list is full of usual steakhouse suspects at expected steakhouse prices — mostly West Coast reds, a few nods to Europe and Australia, some whites. The the steward-driven upsells were respectfully transparent.
The room is pizzazz itself, from the shiny central bar to the wall of wineglasses to the luxe patio and cavernous fireplaces. To contribute to the decor, the patrons dress to be noticed — high, very high, heels and low, very low, necklines. And blond, very blond, hair. A festive atmosphere prevails — frequently, orders of chocolate cake go by with candles flickering atop them and the piano in the bar strikes up “Happy Birthday.”
The elephant in the sparkling room is, of course, the looming bill. If you don’t budget at least $100 a head to cover cocktails, dinner and wine, you will come up short. A porterhouse with bearnaise is $52. With lobster scampi, $61. A 10-ounce pepper steak, the cheapest one, is $33. Seafood dishes run $28 to $74. Appetizers, $9-$18. Most sides are $8 (sauteed spinach) or $9 (creamed corn).
It’s not cheap. But it’s possible to picture paying $9 for creamed corn, if it were served with grace and humanity during an otherwise seamless evening. If you’ve been treated like a king, then kingly prices make sense. But when a restaurant displays, three times in a row, what can at best be described as inconsistent hospitality, settling the tab can be an exercise in resentment.
After three visits to Shanahan’s, my scorecard reads something like this: three excellent steaks; three astronomical bills; three prickly welcomes. The final count says that Shanahan’s is not the restaurant for a working-class, nonrubbernecking, hospitality-reverent man like me.
But if I were a high-rolling S-Class driver with a closetful of bespoke suits and the manager on speed-dial, I might come once a week.
Thoughts on Shanahan’s? Share them: denverpost.com/restaurants.
SHANAHAN’S
** (out of 4)
Steak
5085 S. Syracuse St. 303-770-7300 shanahanssteakhouse.com
Atmosphere: Expensive, glitzy room with spacious tables, very comfortable chairs.
Service: Looks great, stumbles frequently.
Wine: Solid, well-attended steakhouse wine list.
Plates: Very expensive.
Hours: Dinner from 5 p.m., seven days.
Details: Complimentary valet parking. Wheelchair accessible. Very crowded at peak hours. Reservations essential but not always honored promptly. Large patio.
Three visits
Our star system: ****: Exceptional ***: Great **: Very Good *: Good
