Flank, a new 240-seat steakhouse inspired by the century-old beefsteak meal where hundreds of men would consume massive quantities of meat with their bare hands, opened in Waltham, Mass., earlier this month. Whole House group, a hospitality company led by managing partner Greg Hill, owns and operates this restaurant.
In addition to offering the beefsteak dining option with prime cuts of flank and hanger steak served family-style, in three to four courses, Flank offers a wider a la carte menu, including vegetarian and fish dishes, and soups and salads prepared tableside, naturally served with cutlery and napkins. In a nod to the era in which the beefsteak got its start, Flank offers a pre-Prohibition-era craft cocktail program, and uses a preservation system that allows the restaurant to pour a wider variety of wines by the glass.
The expansive, 7,300-square foot space includes a 130-seat dining room, 24-seat bar, 50-seat lounge, a 50-seat year-round patio with gas heaters and a fire pit, and multiple private dining spaces that can accommodate up to 100 people. In a juxtaposition of old and new, masculine and feminine, and the modern and traditional, key design highlights include ornate chandeliers, antique mirrors, antiqued tin ceiling tiles, a vintage grandfather clock, and herringbone and green onyx flooring. Salvaged farmhouse windows from Worcester separate the kitchen from the dining room, allowing for a peek into the kitchen.
A jewel box wine vault with floor to ceiling glass separates the dining room from the bar, boasting a bottle organization system that mimics an antique armoire. Waltham is often referred to as Watch City because it is believed to be one of the first places these time keeping devices were built on an assembly line. Flank pays homage to this aspect of the city’s heritage with an oversized clock behind the bar. The one-of-a-kind Flank ‘Cigarden’ is an outdoor garden for guests who like to enjoy a cigar after dinner.
