STK Steakhouse in Downtown Bellevue.
The steakhouse that swapped leather booths for a DJ booth — Washington’s first STK took over the old Palomino corner of Lincoln Square in 2021 and turned it into downtown’s loudest good dinner.
STK is the steakhouse for people who find steakhouses boring. It occupies the ground-floor corner of Lincoln Square North on Bellevue Way, the room Palomino held for years, and it has been rebuilt as the chain’s signature look: a wave ceiling, a marble bar with a fire feature, a DJ most nights, and a dining room that is deliberately louder and younger than any other steak room downtown. It is the place a birthday group books when the alternative feels like a boardroom.
DBN first spotted STK in a city permit in September 2020 and covered the July 2021 opening, when The ONE Group brought its first Washington location to Bellevue with two private rooms of 20 that open into one of 40 and a happy hour that started on day one. A year later the wine list picked up a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Five years in, the tiered happy hour, the fixed-price Power Lunch, and the weekly Steak Night have made it a weeknight room as much as a weekend one.
It is not where you go for a quiet, old-school ribeye — downtown has El Gaucho and John Howie for that — and the volume is a feature, not a bug. For a celebration that wants energy, it fills a slot nothing else in the Collection does. See how it compares in our guide to the best steakhouses in downtown Bellevue.
What to Order at STK Steakhouse
A modern steakhouse menu with a lounge streak; these five are the plates that define it.
Bone-In Filet
The 14-ounce bone-in filet is the cut the room is built around; the 34-ounce Tomahawk from the dry-aged list is the one for the table that wants a show.
Lil’ Brgs
Wagyu sliders with special sauce on sesame buns — the STK calling card, and the reason the happy hour crowd never quite leaves.
Tuna Tartare
Hass avocado, taro chips, and a soy-honey emulsion. The lightest thing on the menu and the one regulars order every visit.
A5 Japanese Wagyu Potstickers
Wagyu beef and pork with a sweet soy-ginger sauce — the appetizer that tells you this is not a traditional steakhouse.
Bag O’ Donuts
Cinnamon-sugar donuts with dulce de leche, raspberry, and chocolate for dipping. Order one bag for the table and watch it not last.
STK Steakhouse Through the Years on DBN
DBN has reported on downtown Bellevue since 2005. This is STK Steakhouse’s story as we covered it, as it happened.
STK Steakhouse to Open at Lincoln Square in the Old Palomino Location
A city permit revealed the plan: STK would take the Bellevue Way corner Palomino left in 2019, its first Washington location.
STK Steakhouse to Open at Lincoln Square in Bellevue on July 19
The opening date and a first look at the menu — tuna tartare, Wagyu flat iron, and the bone-in filet that anchors it.
STK Steakhouse Bellevue at Lincoln Square Now Open
First dinner service on July 21 after a permitting delay, with two private rooms of 20 that combine for 40 and a happy hour from day one.
6 Bellevue Restaurants Receive National Recognition for Their Wine Programs
STK Bellevue picked up a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in its first full year.
Browse all STK Steakhouse coverage in the DBN archive.
Getting There & When to Go
Lincoln Square North is the easiest dinner in downtown to reach by car, sky bridge, or train.
Getting There & Parking
- Drive: Lincoln Square garage (enter from NE 8th St or Bellevue Way). Weekdays, get your ticket validated at the restaurant for 3 hours free; evenings and weekends no validation is needed. Bellevue Square’s garages are free and connect by sky bridge.
- Light rail: 2 Line to Bellevue Downtown Station, then a roughly 12-minute walk west along NE 6th or NE 8th to Bellevue Way — see our light rail guide
- On foot: STK faces Bellevue Way at street level; from Bellevue Square cross the sky bridge and come down, or cross at NE 8th. Din Tai Fung is a few doors down the same block.
Best Times to Go
Weekend dinners are booked and loud; if that is the point, book two weeks out and ask for the dining room. Weekday happy hour at the bar is the local move and the cheapest way in, and the Power Lunch fills the room with office crowds on weekdays. Holiday weekends and Snowflake Lane nights, the whole corner is a wait — reserve.
Make It a Night
You are on the busiest corner of the Collection, so keep going: dumplings-versus-steak decisions aside, pair the night with a movie or a lane at Lincoln Square in the same building, Snowflake Lane in the holidays, right outside the door on Bellevue Way, or the best happy hours downtown if you want to start somewhere quieter.
Good to Know
As of August 2026: OpenTable reservations up to 12 guests, with a credit-card hold on some dates; larger groups go through the events team. Two private rooms seat 20 each and combine to 40, with per-person lunch, dinner, and canape pricing on the official site. Happy hour, the Power Lunch, and Steak Night are all listed on the Bellevue page — check there for current windows and prices.
STK Steakhouse FAQ
Does STK Bellevue take reservations?
Yes. STK Bellevue books through OpenTable, embedded on the official site, for parties of up to 12; some dates and party sizes require a credit-card hold or deposit. Groups larger than 12 go through the private events team, and the two private rooms seat 20 each or 40 combined.
Where do you park for STK at Lincoln Square?
The Lincoln Square North garage, right under the restaurant. On weekdays parking is free for 3 hours with validation from the restaurant; in the evenings and on weekends no validation is needed. Bellevue Square’s free garages are a sky bridge away.
What should you order at STK Bellevue?
The bone-in filet is the signature cut and the Tomahawk is the table centerpiece. Start with the Lil’ Brgs and the tuna tartare, share the A5 Wagyu potstickers, and finish with the Bag O’ Donuts. The happy hour menu is the affordable way to try the greatest hits.
Is STK Bellevue a nightclub or a restaurant?
A restaurant with a lounge pulse. STK describes itself as steak, seafood, and vibe dining: a DJ, a long bar, and a louder room than a classic steakhouse. Dinner is a full steakhouse menu; the bar and happy hour carry the energy, and the private rooms are quieter.
Does STK Bellevue have a happy hour or lunch deal?
As of August 2026 the official site lists a tiered happy hour, a fixed-price Power Lunch, and a weekly Steak Night three-course dinner. Windows and prices change, so check the current details on the official Bellevue page before you go.