Profile

This spacious Latin steakhouse, decorated with warm wood accents and paintings of flamenco dancers, is a destination for upscale comfort food in Spanish Harlem. Opened by brothers Jimmy and Eddie Mateus, Ricardo Steak House stands out from the casual neighborhood taquerias along Second Ave; it offers classic, well-prepared steaks, like a juicy T-bone and flavorful skirt steak, grilled in an open kitchen. Most beef dishes satisfy, but the pork chop is chewy and the chicken marsala too salty. If you’re seeking authentic Latin flavors, look to the sides. The majority of options are familiar foods like grilled plantains and filling rice and beans, with a few exceptions, like tender, Parmesan-encrusted grilled asparagus. And while the meat-heavy menu may make some diners crave fresh greens, just a few run-of-the-mill salads appear on the menu, making the mounds of crushed mint in the bar’s signature mojitos a refreshing alternative. — Alexis Korman

There’s live music most nights of the week and a backyard patio.

T-bone steak, $33; grilled skirt steak, $19