"Red Ash isn’t the type of place you just casually visit. Maybe that’s because the steak menu is made up of 50-day dry-aged porterhouses and massive NY strip steaks. Or maybe it’s because the wait to get in has been over a month long since they opened their doors in 2016. But plan far enough in advance, and you, too, can be sticking a candle into a giant, dry-aged filet and singing yourself "Happy Birthday" to the sounds of a busy kitchen, a bustling dining room, and a giant woodfire grill. You might get lucky by calling on the day of and asking about cancellations, but if you want a guaranteed table, you’ll need to start planning early. Reservations open up six months in advance, and prime time tables book up about four months in advance (and about two months for the late-night seats). If you’re mostly here for steak, you can get a very similar steak at Red Ash’s sister restaurant, J. Carver’s, with a little less planning. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion