mr lyons steakhouse

Best of the Best 2021: Steakhouse

Chef Jon Butler’s offerings at Mr. Lyons in Palm Springs put an inventive spin on classic steakhouse fare by infusing local, seasonal ingredients.

Lizbeth Scordo Current PSL, Restaurants

mr lyons steakhouse

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATE ABBOTT

F10 Creative, the local hospitality outfit behind the Uptown Design District’s breakfast juggernaut Cheeky’s and patio pizzeria Birba, opened Mr. Lyons in the building that formerly housed the iconic Lyons English Grille — known for its traditional prime rib dinners and heavy 19th-century English décor — in 2015, reimagining the multi-room space and menu to blend old school with modern.

editorspick

Design is as important as the fare here, with the restaurant centered around a glammed-up dining room, dubbed the grand salon, featuring a cut-mirrored ceiling, bold vertical light fixtures set within natural wood walls, moss-green velvet banquettes, and a dramatic striped marble floor. Bonus: The pandemic prompted Lyons to expand its open-air seating options with tables now covering its fire feature-flanked patios and outdoor spaces that surround the building.

Chef Jon Butler’s offerings put an inventive spin on classic steakhouse fare, infusing local, seasonal ingredients along the way. The oft-changing menu features simple steaks like a prime filet and New York strip, as well as dishes that give a nod to the venue’s roots with beef wellington and slow-roasted prime rib (the latter starts at 10 ounces and goes up to a full 16-ounce piece) paired with horseradish cream and beef au jus.

palmspringssteakhouse

Chef Jon Butler sources local ingredients for his classic dishes.

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The extensive appetizer offerings toggle between familiar and more far-out with shrimp cocktail, parker house rolls, and a baby iceberg wedge served alongside blistered snap peas garnished with preserved kumquats and a yuzu koshu cream and a burrata tartine laced with cherries and edible Nasturtium flowers. The same goes for the additions (which especially shine here) with the kitchen churning out old-fashioned steakhouse sides of creamed spinach and mac and cheese as adeptly as it does Asian-inspired dishes like Japanese sweet potato with vegan XO sauce and fried rice topped with a quail egg. And, come hot-weather months, there’s nearly always a buttery Indio corn sauté that screams summer.

It’s tough to visit to Mr. Lyons without trying one of its boozy beverages. Most nights, you’ll find the dimly lit lounge with its eight-seat bar and low-slung tables filled with locals who might not want a full meal … but don’t necessarily want to stay home either. The bar is all about the classics like the French 75, Pimm’s Cup, and Old Fashioned. For more creative cocktails, make your way behind the velvet curtain to Seymour’s, a jewel box speakeasy with a side entrance and vintage vibe where barkeeps take advantage of everything from white cacao to avocado to create innovative drinks imbibers won’t soon forget. mrlyonsps.com

Winners Voted by Our Readers
Rancho Mirage
The Steakhouse

Expect an elegant experience at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa’s steakhouse. Go for a classic, like a filet mignon or New York strip, or get downright decadent with a chateaubriand for two, bone-in Tomahawk ribeye or uber-rare A5 Miyazaki Wagyu. aguacalientecasinos.com

Palm Desert
Mastro’s

The luxe steakhouse chain’s Palm Desert location is always a good time with a bustling scene inside its bar and lounge, featuring live music most nights. Of course, the steaks are standout too with favorites including a bone-in Kansas City strip, bone-in filet, and mega, 40-ounce Wagyu tomahawk. The lobster mashed potatoes are legendary as well. mastrosrestaurants.com

La Quinta
LG’s Prime Steakhouse

LG’s is a family-owned restaurant that focuses on doing one thing really well: prime steaks, the highest grade given by the U.S.D.A. All of LG’s steaks are not just prime, but made with fresh, Midwestern corn-fed beef that are aged and hand-trimmed in house. We love the bone-in rib-eye, slow-roasted prime rib, and tender filet mignon amped up with blue cheese or done Oscar style with lump crab meat and béarnaise. lgsprimesteakhouse.com

Indio
The Bistro

This intimate steakhouse hidden inside the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is perfect for a date or larger group celebration since its menu has something for everyone. Beyond its steak selection, including a bone-in rib eye, filet mignon, T-bone, and NY strip, there’s also an impressive sushi menu (try the seared scallop-tempura shrimp roll), plus specialties like pork chops, veal parm, and a brothy bouillabaisse. fantasyspringsresort.com