Its been called the best steak house in the United States.

This post is underwritten by San Pellegrino.

photography: 2011 thecoolist.com

Stepping into Berns Steak House is like entering a different world.

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What first attracted us to Berns Steak House was its wine cellar.

That includes a bottle of 1947 Chateau Latour which can be yours for just $30,000.

During that stretch, in 1996,Wine Spectatornamed Berns the best steak house in the United States.

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All of this acclaim set the expectations quite high for our visit to Berns Steak House.

To start, we pored over the extensive menu of appetizers, caviar, steaks and additional entrees.

For a steak house, the variation of this menu was surprising.

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It opens with an observance of a gluten-free diet.

It caters to vegetarian preferences.

Obviously, we were here for the steak.

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We opted for a 2 thick Special Chateaubriand, dry-aged for seven weeks and prepared medium rare.

Then the main event arrived.

Alongside those steak house onion rings and vegetables from Berns farm was our 2 Special Chateaubriand.

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Then theres the wine.

Its list alone includes 6,800 different labels with 150 available by the glass.

Our favorite was the 1975 Chateau Du Pape from the Rhone region of France.

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The surprise is that a wine like this can be affordable at Berns.

A five ounce pour of the 1975 Chateau Du Pape would run $14.95 on todays menu.

The dessert room was added in 1985, featuring 48 private dining booths built into large redwood wine casks.

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This is an experience in itself with a menu to match.

Three pages of desserts and an extra page of coffee options joins a 39 pages of wine and spirits.

It tasted precisely as good as it looked, the ideal cap on a truly excellent dining experience.

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Thats the point we have to emphasize about Berns Steak House.

This is dining as entertainment, an experience that brings people together over a truly phenomenal meal.

Does the food and wine at Berns Steak House match the high acclaim?

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While the expectations were lofty to start, the experience delivered.

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Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Lobby 3

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Lounge

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Lobby

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Rhone Room

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - dining Room

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Lobby 4

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Clock Detail

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Wine by the Glass

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Albarino

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Soup Trio

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Chateau des Capitans

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Aged Chateaubriand Steak a

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Berns Steak Grill

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Dry Aged Steak Chiller

Berns Steak House - 11162011 - Harry Waugh Dessert Room 2