If you’re looking for a classic steakhouse, Daniella’s Steakhouse is an unexpected treat.

This quaint steak house, located next to a Best Western hotel, really impressed me. Established in 1960, Daniella’s Steakhouse resembles many of the characteristics of an upscale steakhouse on Madison Avenue.

The name Daniella’s is in dedication to the owner Charlie Roman’s mother. Back in the ’60s, the restaurant started as a working man’s tavern. She used to cook Polish sandwiches on an electric flat top behind the bar. After this, the current owner, Roman, turned it into a club called Roman’s Tavern and it was the go-to bar in Syracuse for 20 years. Eventually, it evolved into a steakhouse and moved to its current location.

While dining at Daniella’s, I ate a variety of dishes. For my appetizer, I tried the pan-seared scallops, which were topped with lump crab and finished with a citrus hollandaise sauce. The scallops tasted fresh and tender. They were perfectly cooked but could have used less oil.

For dinner, I tried the 40-ounce, bone-in ribeye, which is topped with mushrooms and accompanied with a loaded baked potato. This entrée also came with sautéed asparagus. The meat was incredibly tender, but the loaded potato was the best part of the dish. I could barely finish a quarter of it, but I enjoyed every single bite. The portion was massive and definitely worth it.

Daniella’s offers steaks as well as fresh seafood shipped in twice a week from Foley Fish in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Every item is made from scratch, including the salad dressings, sauces and desserts. Their extensive wine list is impressive, as well as its wide range of craft beers.

My dessert was composed of Daniella’s famous chocolate cake. The homemade double fudge, dark chocolate cake has two layers of chocolate fudge and is topped with a decadent ganache. The cake was super rich. As a chocolate lover, this was an amazing treat, and I highly recommend it.

All of the recipes for the desserts come straight out of the owner’s late wife Ranee’s cookbook. Additionally, Chef Mike White’s crème brûlée is incredibly popular due to his secret ingredients. Daniella’s Steakhouse keeps its dessert menu fresh with seasonal desserts to accommodate the fresh produce. The current seasonal dessert is a homemade apple tart, which is served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The atmosphere is cozy. With 15 tables and 52 seats in the darkly lit dining room, there is an old, business city feel with dark wood, stained-glass decor and a nice 10-table patio for summertime dinners. Live music during dinnertime on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays adds to the atmosphere.

Daniella’s has a variety of resources for planning events. They have full-scale on-site and off-sight catering, serving events like baby showers, birthday parties, weddings and more. Though it does not have a student discount rate available at this time, it is looking to accommodate SU students. It is a perfect venue for graduation, homecoming, date nights, etc.

Whether you want to plan a graduation dinner or are looking for a new date night spot that feels more like you’re in New York City than Syracuse, Daniella’s is worth a try.

Published on November 8, 2015 at 10:00 pm

Contact Callie: caweinst@syr.edu