Bern's Steak House

Bern's Steak House is a Tampa restaurant that has combined perfectly aged steaks, one of the largest wine collections in the world, and an internationally famous dessert room since 1956. Its prime steaks are cut to order and dry-aged in house for 5-8 weeks, and the menu also offers oysters, escargot, 22 different caviars and many other selections. The wine collection contains over half a million bottles and 6500 labels from all over the world, stored in an on-site 50° working cellar and a temperature-controlled warehouse; guests can enjoy over 150 selections by the glass. The restaurant's wine program received the 2016 James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program. Bern's Steak House was created from what was once an ordinary business block on Howard Avenue containing a grocery, barber shop and dime store, built by Bern and Gert with their own carpenters, metalworkers, painters and electricians. The story begins with Bern Laxer's birth in 1923 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan; after World War II he met Gert in a copywriting class at NYU, they married in 1950, and in 1951 planned to move to California but visited Bern's aunt in Tampa, ran out of money, and decided to call Tampa home. In 1953 they bought a small luncheonette called The Gator Juice Bar, and later built Bern's Steak House.

The story of Bern's Steak House begins in 1923 when Bern Laxer was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. After serving in World War II, Bern returned to New York City where he met his wife, Gert, in a copywriting class at NYU while earning his degree in advertising. Bern and Gert married in 1950, and Bern supported them with his one-man advertising agency. In 1951, Bern and Gert planned to move to California, but they first wanted to visit Bern's aunt in Tampa. After watching his aunt labor tirelessly in the Chinese restaurant she owned for nearly 40 years, Bern vowed never to enter the restaurant business. During their time in Tampa, Bern and Gert ran out of money so they simply decided to call Tampa home. Bern found work in advertising with several companies, while also freelance writing a garden newsletter called Garden Notes in his spare time. Bern and Gert initially attempted to open a soft-serve ice cream parlor in downtown Tampa but couldn't secure the necessary financing. In 1953, they bought a small luncheonette called The Gator Juice Bar which served orange juice, coffee, and cold sandwiches at lunch time. After several months, the Laxers added cold breakfast and opened earlier in order to accommodate more diners. Bern and Gert spent five days a week working at the luncheonette while Saturdays were reserved for shopping, cleaning, scrubbing, and making repairs in order to prepare for the week ahead. The Laxers served dishes prepared with only the freshest and best ingredients in their small restaurant. On Sundays, Gert rested while Bern continued to produce his four-page garden newsletter. Before long, the luncheonette added hot breakfasts and lunches, fresh eggs, and hom [text truncated in source]. Bern's Steak House was created from what was once an ordinary business block on Howard Avenue, containing a grocery, barber shop and dime store. Bern and Gert, with the help of their own carpenters, metalworkers, painters and electricians, built what you now see today. Since 1956, perfectly aged steaks, one of the largest wine collections in the world, and an internationally famous dessert room have combined to provide guests with a unique culinary experience. The wine collection contains over half a million bottles and 6500 labels from all over the world, stored in both an on-site 50° working cellar and a temperature-controlled warehouse. The wine program received the 2016 James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program.

A unique culinary experience defining Bern's not as a meal but as an experience.

• Prime steaks

  Cut to order and dry-aged in house for 5-8 weeks.

• Wine

  Over half a million bottles and 6500 labels from all over the world, with over 150 selections by the glass.

• Caviar

  22 different caviars offered.

• Oysters

  Offered on the menu.

• Escargot

  Offered on the menu.

• 2026

  Bern's Steak House and other property owners file class-action lawsuits against Tampa over $100 million South Howard flood project

  Bern's Steak House, companies tied to the Ciccio Restaurant Group and the Epicurean Hotel filed two class-action lawsuits against the City of Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor, contractor Kimmins Contracting Corp. and engineering firm AtkinsRéalis USA Inc., challenging the $100 million flood relief project along South Howard Avenue. The first lawsuit alleges the city illegally diverted $13.4 million from a taxpayer-assessed stormwater fee without a required public hearing and awarded the $92.7 million construction contract to Kimmins without following proper selection guidelines; the second claims Tampa does not own the property rights required to dig trenches underneath private land. The plaintiffs are asking a judge to block construction along South Howard Avenue until the legal disputes are resolved.

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• 2026-10-08

  Bern's Steak House and other property owners file class-action lawsuits against Tampa over $100 million South Howard flood project[3]Bern's Steak House and other property owners file class-action lawsuits against Tampa over $100 million South Howard flood projectfox13news.com

  Reported: 2026-10-10

  Bern's Steak House, companies tied to the Ciccio Restaurant Group and the Epicurean Hotel filed two class-action lawsuits Thursday against the City of Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor, contractor Kimmins Contracting Corp. and engineering firm AtkinsRéalis USA Inc., challenging the $100 million flood relief project along South Howard Avenue. The first lawsuit alleges the city illegally diverted $13.4 million from a taxpayer-assessed stormwater fee without a required public hearing and awarded the $92.7 million construction contract to Kimmins without following proper selection guidelines; the second claims Tampa does not own the property rights required to dig trenches underneath private land. The plaintiffs are asking a judge to block construction along South Howard Avenue until the legal disputes are resolved.

  Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.

1. 1Premium Steaks in Tampa | Largest Wine Collection | Bern's Steak Housebernssteakhouse.com
2. 2Learn The History and Story of Bern's | Bern's Steak Housebernssteakhouse.com
3. 3Bern's Steak House and other property owners file class-action lawsuits against Tampa over $100 million South Howard flood projectfox13news.com