On my second visit to Rudy’s Prime Steakhouse, I did something I had never done before. I locked my keys in my truck. While it was running.
That’s how excited I was to get back to Rudy’s. I wasn’t thinking straight. I was stupefied. I was daydreaming about a well-made Paper Plane cocktail, drooling over the thought of a superbly engineered steak frites and an iceberg wedge salad with jammy tomatoes. I remembered that, upon request, chef Josh Stockton will add bacon jam to his already decadent mac and cheese. I also recalled that there was a severely underappreciated burger housed within the confines of this former grocery store turned into a modern steakhouse cathedral.
As I stood there mortified, watching the Oakland County sheriff shimmy his way into my vehicle using a burglar’s toolset, I realized that there is indeed something arresting about this restaurant, something that causes a person to become galvanic and flush. From the classic steakhouse menu full of insider secrets to the distinguished cocktails to the unparalleled service and exemplary wine program, Rudy’s has earned the right to be Hour Detroit magazine’s 2026 restaurant of the year…