Nick & Sam's Steakhouse
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is a single-location, upscale steakhouse in Uptown Dallas serving premium steaks, wagyu beef, sushi, and seafood to affluent diners, athletes, and corporate clients through dine-in service, private events, off-site catering, and signature experiential dinners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersDallas, Texas, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Nick & Sam's Steakhouse does
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is a single-location, upscale steakhouse operating in Uptown Dallas since 1999, founded by restaurateur Phil Romano and owned since 2022 by his son Sam Romano as majority owner and general partner. The restaurant offers a premium menu anchored by prime steaks, Japanese wagyu beef (including true Kobe from Hyogo Prefecture), sushi, and seafood, complemented by a wine program of over 500 exclusive labels, a craft cocktail program, signature experiential dinners (Fork Dropper Friday omakase and Sunday Supper community dinner), and a retail 7-layer cake line. The business derives revenue from four streams: dine-in restaurant service, private dining events, off-site catering, and cake retail. Distribution is concentrated entirely at the 3008 Maple Avenue location, with reservations via OpenTable, event requests via TripleSeat, and gift cards via Toasttab.
The business model is direct-to-consumer fine dining with a local high-net-worth and celebrity clientele, supplemented by corporate event and catering revenue. Marketing is driven by earned media (Forbes, NYT, D Magazine, USA Today, Southern Living), an Instagram and Facebook presence, PR agency Allyn Media, and the halo effect of celebrity regulars (Dirk Nowitzki, Luka Dončić, George Clooney, Bono, Derek Jeter). The company has no external institutional investors, no proprietary technology stack, and no multi-location footprint. Operational leadership is anchored by Corporate Executive Chef and Partner Samir Dhurandhar (James Beard Foundation featured), Executive Chef John Kleifgen, General Manager Rory Jenkins, Director of Events Julianna Pakhnyuk, and Catering Director Christy McLain. The company has earned recent industry recognition including OpenTable Icon 2024, DFW Restaurant Week Star 2024, and Restaurant Business Top 100 Independents 2025.
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nick & Sam's Steakhouse
- Legal name
- Nick & Sam's Steakhouse
- Website
- https://nick-sams.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is a single-location, upscale steakhouse in Uptown Dallas serving premium steaks, wagyu beef, sushi, and seafood to affluent diners, athletes, and corporate clients through dine-in service, private events, off-site catering, and signature experiential dinners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Dining Steakhouse
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA), Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG), Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK)
Keywords
Where Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas, Texas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Dine-in restaurant sales: Revenue from food and beverage sales during regular restaurant service, including steaks, sushi, seafood, cocktails, and wine. The restaurant operates with bar opening at 4pm and kitchen opening at 5pm, serving Sunday-Wednesday 5pm-10pm and Thursday-Saturday 5pm-11pm.
- Private dining events: Revenue from hosting private events in dedicated private dining rooms, managed by Director of Events Julianna Pakhnyuk. The restaurant offers private dining accommodations for business meals and celebrations.
- Off-site catering: Revenue from bringing Nick & Sam's culinary offerings to external venues. Managed by Off-Site Catering Manager Christy McLain. Services include event production, decor, table styling, and logistics management.
- Cake retail sales: Revenue from selling full 7-layer sheet cakes for take-home celebrations. Flavors include Summer Strawberry ($145), Red Velvet ($130), Amy’s Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate, Carrot, and Rainbow Celebration ($165). Pre-orders accepted through online form.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Sunday Supper monthly community dinner experience |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Fork Dropper Friday omakase experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full sheet 7-layer cakes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse operates a single-location upscale fine dining steakhouse in Uptown Dallas, Texas, serving prime steaks, Wagyu beef (including true Kobe from Hyogo Prefecture), sushi, seafood, and craft cocktails alongside an extensive wine program of over 500 labels. Beyond dine-in service, the restaurant offers private dining events, off-site catering, signature experiential events such as Fork Dropper Friday omakase and monthly Sunday Supper, and retail 7-layer celebration cakes.
Product overview
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is a single-location upscale steakhouse restaurant offering a unified dining experience centered on prime steaks, wagyu beef (including true Kobe from Hyogo Prefecture, Japan), sushi, and seafood. The restaurant operates as a cohesive full-service offering that includes multiple complementary components: a main dining restaurant with extensive food and beverage menus, private dining services for events, off-site catering, and signature experiential events such as Fork Dropper Friday (10-course omakase) and Sunday Supper (monthly family-style dinner). Additional products include 7-layer celebration cakes available for dine-in or pre-order, and a wine program featuring over 500 exclusive labels. The restaurant also offers gift cards through a third-party platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fine Dining Steakhouse Restaurant Upscale single-location steakhouse in Uptown Dallas offering prime steaks, Wagyu beef including true Kobe from Hyogo Prefecture Japan, sushi, seafood, craft cocktails, and a wine program with over 500 exclusive labels for individual diners and walk-in guests.
- Private Dining Events Dedicated private dining rooms accommodating business meals and celebration dinners, managed by Director of Events Julianna Pakhnyuk, with customizable menus and event coordination.
- Off-Site Catering Full-service catering bringing the Nick & Sam's dining experience to external venues, managed by Catering Director Christy McLain, including event production, decor, table styling, and logistics management.
- Sunday Supper Community Dinner Monthly communal family-style dining experience held on the last Sunday of each month at $85 per person including wine, featuring diverse themed menus curated by the culinary team and seating more than 40 guests.
- Fork Dropper Friday Omakase An exclusive Chef's Table Series offering a 10-course small plate omakase experience at $175 per person hosted monthly with up to 8 guests per seating at 6:30 PM or 8:30 PM, with optional specialty cocktail or wine pairings for an additional $100 per person.
- Signature 7-Layer Celebration Cakes Full 7-layer sheet cakes available for dine-in or pre-order take-home celebrations in flavors including Summer Strawberry ($145), Red Velvet ($130), Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate, Carrot, and Rainbow Celebration ($165), with 72-hour notice required.
- Cocktail and Bar Program Craft cocktail program featuring signature drinks such as the Millionaire Margarita and Gold Old Fashioned, with creative seasonal additions. Bar opens at 4pm and the kitchen at 5pm.
- Wine Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Earned Star Restaurant recognition during DFW Restaurant Week 2024
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Nick & Sam's Steakhouse
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Crohn's & Colitis FoundationcoreNon-profit partnership dedicated to finding cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Founder Phil Romano was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and serves on the foundation board. Chef Samir and his wife Lori Dhurandhar are Night of Champions committee members. Nick & Sam's earned the foundation's 2025 Corporate Champions recognition.
- Samuel Lynne GalleriesminorAn 11,000 square foot art gallery located in the Dallas Design District on Dragon Street displaying 21st Century artworks by prominent contemporary artists. The space features four distinctive galleries along with a state-of-the-art HD media and theater room equipped with a full-service bar.
- Remy MartinminorPremium cognac brand partnership, typically involving cocktail programming and brand collaborations at the restaurant.
- Seats for HeroescoreAnnual event partnering with Dallas Mavericks, American Airlines, and the Neal and Jamie Hawks Foundation to honor military personnel. Nick & Sam's has participated for 16-19 consecutive years.
- Chef to the SheltersminorPartnership with Chef to the Shelters (CTTS) and world-renowned culinary experts to create gourmet dinners for fundraising events supporting individuals in early sobriety recovery across 34 North Texas treatment centers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bob's Steak & Chop House: Independent, high-end steakhouse concept headquartered in Dallas with multiple locations. Direct comparable in cuisine (prime steaks, classic steakhouse format), price tier, and Dallas market presence, with a similar independent-operator profile.
- Al Biernat's: Dallas-based independent steakhouse and seafood restaurant with comparable price point, celebrity/athlete clientele, and a strong private-events business. Directly competes for affluent Dallas diners.
- Pappas Bros. Steakhouse: Texas-based independent steakhouse chain known for an award-winning wine program (thousands of labels) and USDA prime steaks. Highly comparable in product mix (premium beef, deep wine program) and Texas fine-dining positioning.
- III Forks: Dallas-based upscale steakhouse with comparable price point and a similar celebratory special-occasion orientation. Directly competes for the same affluent Dallas dinner audience.
Broad incumbents
- Fogo de Chão: National Brazilian-style churrascaria competing for premium meat-centric diners and corporate entertainment budgets. Broader price-to-experience spectrum and national footprint, but overlaps on the premium-protein occasion.
- Ruth's Chris Steak House: Darden-owned national steakhouse chain (sizzling USDA prime steaks). Competes in the same premium business-dining segment but as part of a broad portfolio; offers a national loyalty program and gift card ecosystem.
- Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse: National upscale steakhouse chain (Lettuce Entertain You) competing for the same affluent business/entertainment diners. Broader geographic footprint and corporate event infrastructure, but overlapping premium steakhouse positioning.
- Eddie V's Prime Seafood: Darden-owned fine-dining seafood and steak restaurant with a comparable live-jazz/lounge atmosphere, premium wine program, and special-occasion positioning. Broad incumbent with national scale advantages.
- Perry's Steakhouse & Grille: Texas-origin steakhouse chain now operating nationally. Overlaps with Nick & Sam's on prime cuts, private dining, and special-occasion positioning, with broader geographic reach and standardized menu execution.
- The Capital Grille: Darden-owned national fine-dining steakhouse chain. Comparable dry-aged steaks, extensive wine list, and private dining capabilities, with deeper capital and a national loyalty platform Nick & Sam's lacks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse social profiles
Digital presenceNick & Sam's Steakhouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nick & Sam's Steakhouse
What does Nick & Sam's Steakhouse do?
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse operates a single-location upscale fine dining steakhouse in Uptown Dallas, Texas, serving prime steaks, Wagyu beef (including true Kobe from Hyogo Prefecture), sushi, seafood, and craft cocktails alongside an extensive wine program of over 500 labels. Beyond dine-in service, the restaurant offers private dining events, off-site catering, signature experiential events such as Fork Dropper Friday omakase and monthly Sunday Supper, and retail 7-layer celebration cakes.
Is Nick & Sam's Steakhouse a public or private company?
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Nick & Sam's Steakhouse founded?
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Nick & Sam's Steakhouse based?
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nick & Sam's Steakhouse make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in restaurant sales are the primary driver. The others are private dining events, off-site catering and cake retail sales.
Who are Nick & Sam's Steakhouse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bob's Steak & Chop House, Al Biernat's, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse and III Forks. Broad incumbents are Fogo de Chão, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille and The Capital Grille.
Does Nick & Sam's Steakhouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nick & Sam's Steakhouse.
What industry is Nick & Sam's Steakhouse in?
Nick & Sam's Steakhouse's product category is Fine Dining Steakhouse. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAE, Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAA, Fine Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.