From the outside, M. Wells looks like the old auto body garage it’s housed in, but step inside and the interior is all gloss and swagger. The dining room is a dark, sultry space—from its gold-and-black wallpapered ceiling and crystal chandeliers, to its sexy red walls, stunning bar area and open, wood-burning kitchen. The drinks list has everything you could want, from NYC craft beer to mezcal. Nestled in the industrial heart of Long Island City, Queens, M. Wells Steakhouse emerged as a bold reimagining of the classic steakhouse, transforming a former auto-body shop into a cavernous den of carnivorous delights.
Chefs Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis, fresh from their wildly inventive M. Wells Dinette at MoMA PS1, unleashed their gonzo spirit here in late 2013, blending French-Canadian flair with nose-to-tail excess that turned heads and filled bellies across the East River. What started as a quirky outpost in a then-sleepy neighborhood quickly became a magnet for adventurous eaters, its roll-up garage doors framing scenes of raucous feasts amid exposed brick and flickering neon.
The menu at M. Wells was a fever dream of prehistoric portions and playful subversions, where a simple New York strip might arrive kissed with maple bulgogi rub, and the house Caesar salad hid whispers of smoked herring in its creamy depths. Star attractions included the dry-aged porterhouse, a hulking beast capable of feeding a small army, paired with silky pommes aligot and sauces like Bordelaise or au poivre that begged for seconds. Raw bar gems—oysters, tuna crudo—offered lighter respites, while appetizers like foie gras-stuffed crepes or bone marrow with escargot butter set the tone for indulgence, all washed down with a deep wine list favoring bold Burgundies and natural oddities that matched the kitchen’s irreverent pulse.
For over a decade, M. Wells Steakhouse pulsed as a singular force in New York’s dining scene, earning a Michelin star for its unapologetic joy and earning raves from critics like Pete Wells, who marveled at its gut-busting splendor despite occasional kitchen hiccups. It weathered the pandemic with resilient takeout pivots, from batched cocktails to oven-ready tourtières, evolving into a communal hub for flea markets and pop-ups that kept its spirit alive. Yet by late 2024, the curtains fell on this beloved anomaly, leaving behind a legacy of unforgettable bacchanals that remind us how a steakhouse could be so much more than meat and potatoes—a wild, heartfelt roar against the ordinary.
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