Most people pick a sauce the way they pick a side quickly, without much thought, and usually by defaulting to whatever sounds most familiar. But a sauce chosen with intention changes what the steak tastes like in a way that nothing else on the table can. The right pairing amplifies the cut. The wrong one fights it.
At Andrew Steak Society in Manhattan’s East Village, the sauces menu is not an afterthought. It is a deliberate extension of the kitchen’s philosophy, every sauce designed to complement specific cuts, enhance the dry-aged depth of the beef, and give the diner something that makes the plate greater than the sum of its parts.
This complete steak sauces guide covers every sauce on the menu, what makes each one distinctive, and exactly which cut it pairs with best. By the end, you will know how to build a plate at Andrew Steak Society that works on every level.
Why Sauce Pairing Actually Matters
The best steak sauces are not designed to cover the flavor of the beef, they are designed to work with it. This distinction matters more than most people realize when they are sitting at a steakhouse table deciding what to add to their order.
A well-marbled dry aged steak like the Ribeye or Tomahawk at Andrew Steak Society has already developed a complex flavor profile through 28 to 45 days of careful aging. The fat is rich and nutty, the muscle is deeply beefy, and the wood-fired crust adds a smoky aromatic layer that no seasoning can replicate. A sauce that is too heavy or too sweet will mask all of that.
The eight sauces on the Andrew Steak Society menu each occupy a different position on the flavor spectrum. Understanding where they sit and which cuts they sit alongside most naturally is what separates a good plate from a great one.
The Complete Steak Sauces Guide: All 8 Explained
Chimichurri
Chimichurri steak is one of the most classic pairings in steakhouse dining. The sauce is herb-forward, bright, and slightly acidic, built on fresh parsley, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. That acidity is its defining quality.
On a bold, fatty cut like the New York Strip, Chimichurri cuts through the fat, lifts the beefy flavor underneath, and adds a freshness that makes every bite feel lighter and more defined. On a wood fired steak nyc with a deeply caramelized crust, the herbal brightness of Chimichurri provides the contrast that makes the smokiness of the exterior even more apparent.
• Best paired with: New York Strip, Porterhouse (strip side)
• Not ideal for: Filet Mignon the acidity can overwhelm the delicate tenderness of the tenderloin
Cafe de Paris Butter
Cafe de Paris Butter is an aromatic compound butter built on a blend of herbs, spices, and aromatics. It melts into the crust of the steak as it arrives at the table, adding a layered, slightly herbal richness that enhances rather than dominates. On a heavily marbled cut like the Ribeye, it adds a depth that complements the rendered fat without fighting it.
• Best paired with: Ribeye, Tomahawk
• Also works with: New York Strip adds aromatic richness to the bold beefy character
Black Truffle Butter
Black truffle butter steak is the most indulgent pairing on the menu. Truffle has a deep, earthy, almost musky flavor profile that pairs with the leanest cuts most effectively where the neutrality of the muscle provides the canvas on which the truffle can express itself fully.
The Filet Mignon is the natural home of Black Truffle Butter at Andrew Steak Society. The tenderloin’s mild, clean flavor and buttery smooth texture provide exactly the right backdrop. The truffle adds the complexity and depth that the lean cut on its own does not carry.
• Best paired with: Filet Mignon
• Also works with: Ribeye adds earthy complexity to the richness of the marbling
Au Poivre
Au poivre sauce literally ‘with pepper’ in French is one of the most classic steakhouse sauces in the world. Built on cracked black pepper, cream, and cognac, it delivers warmth, spice, and a gentle heat that builds through the meal without overwhelming the palate.
On a Filet Mignon, Au Poivre adds exactly the bold character that the lean tenderloin lacks on its own, giving the delicate cut a confident edge. On a New York Strip, the pepper complements the assertive beefy character of the short loin perfectly.
• Best paired with: Filet Mignon, New York Strip
• Also works with: Porterhouse pepper complements the strip side particularly well
Beurre Rouge
Beurre Rouge is a classic French butter sauce, a red wine reduction mounted with cold butter to create something silky, slightly acidic, and deeply savory. It is elegant without being heavy, and it adds a complexity that wine-forward diners particularly appreciate. On a Porterhouse, it works across both sides of the bone simultaneously.
• Best paired with: Porterhouse, Filet Mignon
• Also works with: New York Strip
Butter of the Gods
Butter of the Gods is Andrew Steak Society’s most indulgent house butter, a rich compound preparation built for the most premium cuts on the menu. On a 45-day dry-aged Tomahawk, it melts into the caramelized wood-fired crust and adds a layer of richness that amplifies the nutty, complex depth that extended aging produces.
• Best paired with: Tomahawk, Ribeye
Maitre d’Butter
Maitre d’Butter is the classic steakhouse butter herbed, slightly tangy, and designed to melt cleanly over a hot steak and distribute its flavor evenly across the surface. As a steak butter NYC staple, it works across almost every cut and is the most versatile butter on the menu.
• Best paired with: New York Strip, Ribeye
• Also works with: Any cut the most versatile option on the menu
Black Garlic Butter
Black garlic slowly ferments until its flavor transforms from sharp and pungent to deep, sweet, and almost caramel-like is the foundation of this compound butter. On the Tomahawk or Ribeye, Black Garlic Butter adds a sweetness and depth that complements the nutty character of the dry-aged beef without any of the sharpness that raw garlic would bring.
• Best paired with: Tomahawk, Ribeye
• Also works with: New York Strip
How to Pair Steak Sauce: Quick Reference
How to pair steak sauce comes down to one simple principle: contrast or complement. Either choose a sauce that contrasts the character of the cut acidity against richness, brightness against depth or one that amplifies it richness on richness, earthy on earthy.
| Cut | Best Sauce | Why |
| Tomahawk | Butter of the Gods or Black Garlic Butter | Complements the deep nutty 45-day aged flavor |
| Ribeye | Cafe de Paris Butter or Maitre d’Butter | Adds aromatic richness without masking the marbling |
| Porterhouse | Beurre Rouge or Chimichurri | Works across both the strip and filet sides |
| New York Strip | Chimichurri or Au Poivre | Contrasts bold beefiness with brightness or warmth |
| Filet Mignon | Black Truffle Butter or Au Poivre | Adds complexity to the lean delicate tenderloin |
Why the Sauces at Andrew Steak Society Are Different
Most steakhouse sauce menus are an afterthought a small list of generic options added because every steakhouse has one. The sauces menu at Andrew Steak Society is built with the same intention as the rest of the kitchen: every option exists because it works with the specific cuts being served, the dry-aging process those cuts go through, and the wood-fired cooking method that finishes them.
As an east village steakhouse that dry-ages its beef for a minimum of 28 days and finishes every cut over live fire, the flavors on the plate when a steak arrives are already more complex than those at most restaurants. The sauces are calibrated to that level.
For steak East Village diners who want the complete experience, the recommendation is always to order a sauce rather than going without. The kitchen built these pairings intentionally. Using them is the best way to experience everything the plate has to offer.
Reserve your table at andrewsteaksociety.com or call (212) 777-5151. Andrew Steak Society is at 51 Avenue B, Manhattan, NY 10009. Open Monday through Thursday from 5:00 PM, Friday from 5:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sauce to pair with a Ribeye steak?
For a dry-aged Ribeye at Andrew Steak Society, Cafe de Paris Butter is the top recommendation. Its aromatic herb and spice profile complements the richness of the heavily marbled ribeye without overpowering it. Black Garlic Butter is also an excellent choice: the sweet, caramel-like depth of black garlic interacts beautifully with the nutty character that 28-day dry aging produces.
What sauce goes best with Filet Mignon?
Black Truffle Butter is the most complementary sauce for Filet Mignon at Andrew Steak Society. The tenderloin’s mild, clean flavor and buttery texture provide the perfect canvas for truffle’s earthy depth. Au Poivre is the alternative; the peppery warmth gives the delicate Filet a confident edge without masking its tenderness.
What is Chimichurri and which steak does it suit best?
Chimichurri is a herb-forward sauce built on fresh parsley, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Its bright, acidic character makes it the ideal pairing for bold, firm cuts like the New York Strip. The acidity cuts through the fat, lifts the beefy flavor, and adds a freshness that balances the richness of the wood-fired crust. It is one of the most classic chimichurri steak pairings in steakhouse dining.
What is the difference between Beurre Rouge and Au Poivre?
Beurre Rouge is a red wine butter reduction silky, slightly acidic, and refined. It suits cuts where elegance is the goal, particularly the Porterhouse and Filet Mignon. Au poivre sauce is built on cracked black pepper and cream warmer, bolder, and spicier. It suits cuts with assertive flavor like the New York Strip or cuts that benefit from added boldness like the Filet Mignon.
Can I pair the Tomahawk with a sauce at Andrew Steak Society?
Yes and it is strongly recommended. The 45-day dry-aged Tomahawk has the most complex flavor of any cut on the menu. Butter of the Gods is the top pairing; its richness amplifies the nutty depth that extended aging produces. Black Garlic Butter is the second recommendation; the sweet, smoky character of the black garlic complements the wood-fired crust of the Tomahawk specifically.
Where can I try the best steak sauces in Manhattan?
Andrew Steak Society at 51 Avenue B, Manhattan, NY 10009 serves eight house sauces and butters alongside its full menu of dry-aged, wood-fired steaks. For anyone looking for the best steak in Manhattan paired with a sauce built specifically around the cut, this is the destination. Reservations at andrewsteaksociety.com or by calling (212) 777-5151.