Metropolitan Grill

What Metropolitan Grill does

Metropolitan Grill is a privately held fine dining steakhouse operating from a single location in the historic Marion Building (built 1903) at 820 Second Avenue in downtown Seattle, established in 1983. The restaurant serves USDA Prime beef (less than 2% of U.S. production) supplemented by exclusive Japanese A-5 Wagyu programs including Hokkaido Snow Beef, Sanuki Olive Wagyu, and Ohmi Gyu, made available through proprietary supply relationships that position it among only two U.S. restaurants offering certain cuts. Core technical capabilities include a proprietary Himalayan salt-lined dry-aging room, a signature E3 seasoning blend, and tableside preparation techniques such as Chateaubriand carving and flambé desserts.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining dine-in service (with a mandatory 20% service charge), a 60-foot bar, four private dining rooms accommodating 6 to 75 guests, online ordering via ToastTab, retail sale of the proprietary E3 seasoning, and gift cards. The wine program spans approximately 3,000 selections (640 Washington wines specifically) and has earned the Wine Spectator Grand Award for nine consecutive years (2018-2026), held by only 99 restaurants worldwide. Custom bourbon blends are produced annually in partnership with Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, and Blanton's.

Metropolitan Grill is owned and operated by Jim Rowe through E3 Co. Restaurant Group, which acquired the venue in 2018 from Consolidated Restaurants Inc. (the Cohn family, who held it for nearly 70 years). The restaurant employs 45 staff and serves two primary customer segments: affluent diners seeking premium celebratory experiences and Seattle's corporate community for business entertainment, with documented clientele including Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Melinda Gates, and Russell Wilson. Distribution channels are concentrated at the single downtown Seattle location, supplemented by retail products and event hosting.

Name

Metropolitan Grill

Legal name

Metropolitan Grill

Website

https://themetropolitangrill.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Metropolitan Grill is a privately held, 45-employee fine dining steakhouse in downtown Seattle's historic Marion Building (since 1983), serving USDA Prime and rare Japanese A-5 Wagyu to affluent diners and Seattle corporate clients. It operates a Grand Award-winning wine program and four private dining rooms under owner Jim Rowe's E3 Co. Restaurant Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Dining Steakhouse

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

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), Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK)

Keywords

• Fine dining steakhouse
• USDA Prime beef
• Japanese Wagyu selection
• Private dining events
• Award-winning wine program

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Service: Full-service fine dining with food and beverage sales. 20% service charge included on all checks.
2. Private Dining Events: Catering and hosting private events in multiple dedicated spaces accommodating groups from 6 to 75 guests, including the Wine Cellar, Chairman's Room, Board Room, and Vintage Room
3. Retail Products: Sale of proprietary E3 Seasoning blend for home cooking, available in-store at The Met Shop
4. Gift Cards: Gift card sales with promotional bonus ($100 bonus for every $500 spent)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Metropolitan Grill is a classic fine dining steakhouse serving USDA Prime beef and exclusive Japanese A-5 Wagyu cuts in the historic Marion Building in downtown Seattle since 1983. The core offering is full-service on-premise dining, including lunch, dinner, happy hour, and weekend brunch, complemented by a Wine Spectator Grand Award wine program of approximately 3,000 selections. The restaurant also hosts private dining events for groups of 6 to 75 guests across four dedicated event spaces.

Product overview

Metropolitan Grill is a classic fine dining steakhouse offering a unified restaurant experience centered on USDA Prime beef and premium Japanese A-5 Wagyu steaks, complemented by award-winning wine, craft cocktails, and private event services. The core product is the dine-in restaurant experience at the historic Marion Building (since 1983), supported by additional service modules including Happy Hour in the bar, Private Dining with four event spaces, and Game Day Brunch events. The company also extends its brand into retail products through The Met E3 Seasoning (proprietary spice blend), gift cards, and custom bourbon collaborations with distilleries like Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace. Wine program features approximately 3,000 selections and has earned Wine Spectator's Grand Award for nine consecutive years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dine-In Restaurant Services Full-service fine dining experience featuring USDA Prime steaks, Japanese A-5 Wagyu, American Wagyu, award-winning wine list, craft cocktails, and classic steakhouse cuisine served in an elegant setting in the historic Marion Building since 1983.
• Private Dining and Events Private event hosting across four unique spaces including the Met Wine Cellar (up to 6 guests), Chairman's Room (up to 75 guests), Board Room (up to 50 guests), and Vintage Room (up to 30 guests), with full-service event planning from menu selection to wine pairings for corporate and personal celebrations.
• Lunch Service Midday dining served Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am to 3:00pm exclusively in the bar area, featuring midday steaks, proper cocktails, and full bar service on a walk-in basis.
• Happy Hour Weekday happy hour service in the bar area from 3:00pm to 5:30pm featuring specially priced cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, and bar bites.
• Game Day Sunday Brunch Special weekend brunch events during NFL home games featuring elevated breakfast classics, premium cuts, and craft cocktails.
• The Met E3 Seasoning Proprietary chef's blend seasoning developed by original Metropolitan Grill chef Earl Owens, available for retail purchase in-store for seasoning steaks, burgers, chicken, and vegetables at home.
• Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable for dining experiences at Metropolitan Grill, available with a promotional offer of $100 bonus value for every $500 purchased.
• Ensemble Cabernet Blend Custom Cabernet blend created in partnership with Doubleback Winery, available exclusively to Cellar Club members as a quarterly allocation release.
• Sanuki Wagyu Olive Beef Exclusive 5 oz cut of rare olive-fed Wagyu beef from Shodoshima Island, Japan, offered at $135 per cut and available at only two U.S. restaurants.
• Hokkaido Snow Beef Premium 5 oz cut of rare Japanese Wagyu beef from Hokkaido offered at $110, available at only two select U.S. restaurants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wine Spectator Grand Award for 9 consecutive years, held by only 99 restaurants worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Upsidedown Wine Co. & Kitzke Family VineyardsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2026Seth Kitzke winemaker dinner featuring wines from Candy Ridge Vineyard on Candy Mountain and Upsidedown wines, paired with multi-course dinner at $215 per guest.
• Doubleback Winery (Drew Bledsoe & Josh McDaniels)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaboration to create 'Ensemble' - a custom cabernet blend exclusively for Metropolitan Grill. First-ever restaurant private blend from Doubleback, released in January 2020 to Cellar Club members. Blend is 78% Cabernet from Lafore Vineyard in Rocks District plus 22% Malbec from Bob Healy Vineyard.
• Double R RanchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership for USDA Prime beef supply. Double R Ranch operates on 70,000 acres in Okanogan region of northern Washington State. Their family ranchers Kent & Lana Clark provide the highest quality Prime beef that forms the backbone of Metropolitan Grill's steak program.
• Woodford ReserveflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership since 2013 where Metropolitan Grill team travels to Kentucky to select and blend custom bourbon. Under Master Distiller Chris Morris, they create three custom blends (sipping, cocktail, dessert) which are hand-bottled with batch numbers and Metropolitan Grill signature. Current batches are number 15-17.
• Buffalo TracecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for custom bourbon offerings alongside Woodford Reserve and Eagle Rare. Part of the restaurant's acclaimed bourbon program.
• Eagle RarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for custom bourbon offerings alongside Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace. Part of the restaurant's acclaimed bourbon program.
• Blanton'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingle barrel bourbon selection program. The restaurant selects specific barrels of Blanton's bourbon, which changed the whiskey industry by being the first commercially sold single barrel bourbon nearly 40 years ago.
• Sound Sustainable FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability partnership where Metropolitan Grill provides food scraps for compost, receiving fresh local produce in return including Shuksan strawberries used in seasonal desserts.
• W.T. VintnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoodinville winery featured on wine list. Grapes sourced from Destiny Ridge Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, Yakima Valley. Featured with skirt steak pairing.
• Domaine SereneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon winery featured for wine pairings, particularly with seafood dishes like black cod.
• Côte BonnevilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington winery whose rosé is recommended for summer pairing.
• Kerloo CellarsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington winery whose rosé is served by the glass at Metropolitan Grill.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Capital Grille: Upscale steakhouse chain under Darden with dry-aged steaks, award-winning wine lists, and private dining. Comparable to Metropolitan Grill on premium beef program, wine program recognition, and corporate client entertainment positioning.
• Canlis: Seattle fine dining institution operating since 1950 with a Wine Spectator Grand Award (30 consecutive years, the only other Washington State recipient). Directly comparable to Metropolitan Grill as a peer-level fine dining destination serving affluent diners and corporate clients in the same Seattle market.
• Morton's The Steakhouse: Classic American steakhouse chain featuring USDA Prime steaks, tableside service, and private event spaces. Directly comparable category competitor to Metropolitan Grill in the upscale steakhouse segment with similar customer use cases (celebrations, business dining).
• Peter Luger Steak House: Iconic historic New York steakhouse (since 1887) operating on heritage reputation, dry-aged USDA Prime beef, and cash-only old-world service. Highly comparable to Metropolitan Grill as a heritage destination steakhouse with multi-generational brand equity and premium beef program.
• Eddie V's Prime Seafood: Upscale steakhouse and seafood chain featuring prime steaks, extensive wine lists, and live jazz. Comparable to Metropolitan Grill in premium positioning, wine program emphasis, and special occasion dining use cases.
• Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse: Premium steakhouse concept known for extensive wine lists, private dining, and corporate entertainment. Comparable to Metropolitan Grill in tier (premium steakhouse with strong wine program) and customer base (corporate clients, affluent celebrants).
• El Gaucho Seattle: Seattle-based upscale steakhouse serving Wagyu, USDA Prime steaks, and tableside service with private dining. Directly comparable regional peer in the same Seattle market competing for the same affluent and corporate clientele.
• Smith & Wollensky: Historic American steakhouse group featuring USDA Prime dry-aged steaks, award-winning wine programs, and private event spaces. Directly comparable to Metropolitan Grill in product, format, and corporate dining use cases.
• Ruth's Chris Steak House: National chain of upscale steakhouses offering USDA Prime beef, private dining, and full bar programs in a fine dining format. Most directly comparable U.S. steakhouse chain to Metropolitan Grill in terms of core product (premium steaks) and customer segments (celebrations, corporate dining).

Broad incumbents

• Bonefish Grill: National casual-upscale seafood and steak chain owned by Darden. Comparable to Metropolitan Grill in category overlap (premium protein, wine programs) but operates at a lower price point and broader demographic, making it an incumbent rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MetGrill
• Instagraminstagram.com/metropolitangrill
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metropolitan-grill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Metropolitan Grill