The Room
Elbert's Steak Room opened in 2007 on Aguirre Street in Salcedo Village. Elbert Cuenca runs the kitchen as a 25-seat fine-dining steakhouse — the booking window is among Asia's longest at eight to twelve weeks ahead, the dining room hosts a single seating per night, and the format is set: a six-course tasting menu around the steak programme.
The dining room is small and confidential. Service is small-team and floor-warm. The clientele is Makati's most discreet corporate-dining segment.
The Food
The kitchen runs USDA Prime alongside Japanese A5 wagyu, dry-aged in-house, prepared in a single open-kitchen format the diners watch. The set menu rotates monthly and includes a small amuse, a Cuenca-signature foie gras course, the steak (the format's anchor), seasonal sides, a cheese course and dessert.
Wine programme is small but deep — Cuenca's personal cellar, with serious Bordeaux and California Cabernet.
Best Occasion Fit
Close a Deal: Elbert's is the Makati deal dinner for the agreement that requires confidentiality and the upper-register steak signal. The 25-seat single-seating format means the room is built for confidential dining.
Impress Clients: International visitors recognise the 12-week booking window and the Japanese A5 programme without translation. The dinner translates Makati's serious dining tier.
Birthday: Birthdays at Elbert's are quiet and family-managed — Cuenca personally tastes-tests each table.