All Style, All Substance - The Best Steakhouse in Cheshire

Upstairs at The Grill | Chester

This week, we were invited to Upstairs at The Grill in Chester. Inspired by the legendary steakhouses of New York. The restaurant combines tradition with contemporary cuisine to offer a truly unique dining experience.

Opened in 2002, this not-so-secret gem on Watergate Street is known for it’s opulent & chic decor, it’s top quality beef from around the world, and its extensive wine and cocktail selection. They even have some of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wines.

On arrival to this iconic building, we were greeted by Manageress, Gwawr (pronounced Harv for us non-welsh speaking folk). Gwawr is warm and inviting and clearly loves what she does. She takes us on a tour of the building, inside and outside. Showing us how influences from both Chester & New York have found their way into the space and the culture within.

Gwawr has done a fantastic job of finding talent that loves what they do too. The whole team made us very at home and at ease. They were really part of the conversation and helped lead us through our evening; Gio, in their speakeasy cocktail bar, took us through some mouthwatering mocktails (neither of us was drinking, so sadly, we could not take advantage of the wine selection). Josh, our waiter for the evening, gave a running commentary, wit and humour all night. We felt like we had just had dinner with friends… Our very wealthy but down-to-earth friends.

Before heading to your table, you’ll be seated in the Speakeasy, a relaxed, moody and terribly chic bar on the first floor. Sip on some skilfully created cocktails and enjoy some conversation while you browse the menu. With our trusty bar guide Connor, on hand, he made our deliberations much more manageable. He even went to the trouble of bringing some fresh cuts for us to see - sometimes you really need to see it to believe it.

A HUGE shout-out to the gorgeous menu design. This is another carefully thought-out part of the customer experience. The menu itself was heavy and encased in soft leather. As if protecting their most sacred treasures inside.

The menu takes inspiration from the steakhouses of New York, showcases some of the finest meat from around the world and pays homage to its roots. Their French onion soup and cheese Soufflé have been on the menu since opening, and recipes haven’t been touched.

If you’re not really into steaks or just don’t fancy one (why are you in a Steakhouse?), there are some fish, chicken and vegetarian options… for us. Show me the red meat!

The steaks are split into two sections: The Classics and The Signatures. The Classic steaks use British & Irish Steaks, sired from traditional and continental crossbreeds sourced only from selected farms. They’re aged for a minimum of 35 days. The Signature steaks are dry-aged on the bone in a specially designed Himalayan salt maturation chamber. Dry ageing improves tenderness and succulence, and the beef develops an intensely deep, rich flavour. We’re told these cuts were grass-fed for two seasons and finished for a period of 120 days on a diet of maize, barley, and rolled oats. I can already see your mouth watering.

Your order is taken from you in the bar rather than at your table. A simple approach, but made such a difference to the atmosphere and appearance of the dining area. It allows you to focus more on the company and the food rather than having a menu distraction.

Orders placed, we were escorted through the beautiful wine cellar and into the newly built terrace area, Encased in glass and a retractable roof with an open fire for extra hygge vibes. The room is intimate enough to feel like you can speak openly and not be overheard. It manages to strike a balance between getting yourself all dressed up and being able to relax because you’re with your new friends.

Before long, Gio joins us at the table to deliver an alcohol-free version of their New York Solstice. Fabulously fruity and the perfect start to get us excited. Shortly followed by Gwawr, who delivered a delicious treat: Homemade Cheese Scones covered in aged parmesan and a scoop of homemade Marmite butter. Don’t you dare turn your nose up. We love Marmite here. The butter was lighter than air, and the scone melted in our mouths.

For starters, Jamie had The Original Caesar Salad. Made at our table by Josh, he politely laughed at our poor jokes and posed for photos. Thanks, Josh. I opted for the Fire-Kissed King Scallop with sweet pork belly, corn, and stem ginger salsa. Delicious in taste and presentation.

Between our Starter and main course, Josh joined us with their knife cabinet so we could choose our “weapon of choice” for the steaks. The team is sent worldwide for research trips and brings back steak knives as souvenirs. They have knives from Italy and France and even have their original knives from 2002: a great touch and another glimpse into the story they’ve created.

Let’s not go on any longer, the moment we’ve been waiting for. The steaks. How good are they? REALLY GOOD. I think I’ve found my new favourite cut.

Jamie took a ‘classic’ approach and ordered the fillet. Perfectly pink and a big hunk of a steak. Tender and juicy, carrying a familiar herbaceous note throughout… I took a more American approach: the USDA Prime Delmonico. It's a steak that’s unlike any other I’ve tried. Carefully procured by their master butcher from the area where the ribeye ends and the NY strip begins. This steak has the richness of a ribeye with the firm texture of a strip steak. Its incredible marbling allows for a sweet, buttery, soft bite—pure eye-rolling heaven. Be sure to order this medium rare. I don’t care if you “don’t like it pink”.

The verdict? USDA Prime Delmonico wins. Tell me I’m wrong.

You’re not out of the hot seat just yet - You need to choose what you have on the side: Choose from butter or sauce to accompany your steak: We both took The Grill’s beef jus. Reduced over 3 days, this sauce is treacle-thick, deep and rich in flavour.

For the sides: American Style Fries with the most addictive chicken salt, Creamed Spinach with cheddar sable, Mac n Cheese and deliciously garlicky & creamy Dauphinoise potatoes. Admittedly our eyes were a little bigger than our belly and we couldn’t quite finish them all off… but we gave it our best shot.

Painstakingly, we agreed to dessert. The things we do for you guys, eh? The Golden Peach for Jamie and The Chocolate Galaxy for me. The Golden Peach is a light white chocolate & peach mousse filled with raspberry sorbet. While the Galaxy is filled with a rich chocolate brownie, orange-scented dark chocolate fudge & hazelnut praline. It was a gorgeous end to an unforgettable meal.

You might be able to tell that I’m having a little difficulty getting to the end of this write-up because, much like our meal, I don’t want it to end. We loved everything about our visit: The romance, the theatre, the style, the FOOD, the drinks, the flawless service and everything in between.

Thank you to the whole team at Upstairs at The Grill. You made a core memory for us. One that we are most grateful for and won’t forget.

Click here to visit their website

70 Watergate Street, Chester, CH1 2LA

*This food was gifted to us, however, this does not make anyone exempt from our feedback. This is a true representation of our experience.