Frank's Steaks in Jericho closes after 35 years

Shortly after Frank’s Steaks in Jericho opened in 1988, a review by Newsday food critic Peter M. Gianotti noted that “for all in need of iron, plus zinc, protein and a dose of cholesterol, Frank's could become a hangout.”

It indeed became a hangout that endured until last Friday, when the kitchen grilled its last steak.

“We did everything possible to stay open,” owner Richard Gerzof said. “We just couldn’t find a way.”

Gerzof, who joined the business in 1992, said COVID “struck a terrible blow that we never recovered from.” Like so many other longtime restaurateurs who have closed their establishments recently, Gerzof found that “the rising costs of ingredients, labor and rent” made recovery that much more difficult.

Frank’s occupied a middle ground among steakhouses: a step up from the national chains, but more affordable than high-end places like Blackstone’s or Tellers. “We offered the best bang for the buck,” Gerzof said. “And we made the Romanian steak famous on Long Island.” That skirt steak, marinated in a garlicky Worcestershire-based sauce, was a bestseller in Jericho. It, along with a nearly identical menu, is still available at Frank’s Steaks in Rockville Centre, which opened in 2002.

Although the two restaurants have had separate ownership for a number of years, the Rockville Centre location will honor Jericho’s gift certificates, owner Chris Meyer said.