McKirdy's the Steakhouse

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses: £19.50
• House wine: £11.50 per bottle
• BYOB: £3 corkage

• High point: Tons of choices for everyone
• Low point: Strange flavour in the onion rings
• Food served: Sun-Thu 5.30-10pm; Fri/Sat 5-10.30pm
• Private dining: 8 or 35
• Open since: 1999
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

It's a surprise to look out of the windows of McKirdy's and see Morrison Street outside. Something about the style of the place makes you feel as if you should see a windswept promenade and the sea beyond. Why the seaside vibe? It could be the warm welcome from staff who have kept a collection of snaps of favourite customers. Or maybe the pared-down décor, or perhaps the sheer size of the picture windows themselves. But it's clearly somewhere where you can take a break from city-paced living. The McKirdy family members are known as butchers, but, in fact, the vegetable broth is tasty enough to warrant an alternative moniker of McKirdy's the Souphouse, and there is an unusually wide choice of main courses for a steak-focused place. In essence, you can eat pretty much whatever you want here, from grilled salmon to mushroom stroganoff. The steaks themselves come fitted with tiny flags to indicate how each is cooked and to prevent mix-ups, and it is interesting to see that the menu from a kitchen that cares about its meat contains a disclaimer to the effect that people ordering theirs 'well done' do so at their own risk!