Take Your Girl Out for a Steak Dinner (Without Her Guessing It Cost You Less Than Twenty Quid)
There comes a point in every man’s life when you realise you can’t keep taking your other half to the local carvery and calling it a date. Nothing kills the mood faster than fluorescent lighting and the smell of microwaved gravy. You need something with atmosphere, something that makes you look like you’ve still got a bit of taste left, but preferably without the need for a payday loan.
That’s where Swiss Butter in Holborn comes in. It’s the London offshoot of a global restaurant that’s quietly redefining the steak dinner. The deal’s simple: steak, salmon, or chicken, all served with golden fries, a crisp salad, warm bread, and the hero of the plate: their secret butter-based sauce that’s taken the internet by storm. The price? £19.95. That’s a proper meal, not a sad “early bird” special, for under twenty quid.
And don’t worry, this isn’t some greasy spoon with a flickering light and laminated menus. Swiss Butter’s got class, modern interiors, a bit of aesthetic lighting, and that moody buzz that makes it feel like you’ve discovered something. It’s all over Instagram, so if she’s the type to check the place online before she agrees to dinner, she’ll be impressed.
Now, yes, there might be a bit of a queue, but that’s part of the charm. A short wait out front doesn’t make you look unorganised, it makes the place look popular: like you’ve brought her somewhere people actually want to get into. It gives off that confident, “I know where the good stuff is” vibe.
Once you’re seated, you’ll both get a plate that looks far more expensive than it is. The meat arrives sliced, perfectly cooked, swimming in that signature sauce that’s rich, garlicky, and more addictive than it should be. The fries are crisp, the bread is warm, and you’ll both end up mopping the plate clean like a pair of teenagers on your first date.
If you’re feeling generous, share a dessert, the lava cake is a winner. Hot, gooey, just decadent enough. Add a cocktail or a glass of wine and you’ve managed a proper night out that looks like fifty quid’s worth of effort for half the price.
The thing about Swiss Butter is that it doesn’t try too hard. There’s no 12-page menu with “small plates to share.” No need to nod through a sommelier’s pitch about organic vineyards. You pick your protein, your drink, and you enjoy yourself. It’s straight-talking dining, done properly.
And that’s probably why the place works so well with women. They’ve seen enough blokes who overcomplicate everything. Dinner here says you’ve still got taste, but you’re not pretending to be someone you’re not. You’re not the man ordering oysters for effect. You’re the man ordering steak because you actually like steak.
Plus, there’s something nostalgic about it. It’s the kind of date spot that reminds you of when going out for dinner meant something, before everything turned into street food trucks and £16 cocktails served in jam jars. It’s a return to simplicity, with a bit of swagger.
And when she inevitably posts a photo, that perfectly plated steak, that golden sauce glistening like something out of a gourmet kitchen, just sit back and sip your drink. Let her followers think you’ve gone all flash.
Swiss Butter, Holborn. Steak, salmon, or chicken: for £19.95. The sauce? Still a mystery. The value? Unbeatable.