Restaurant management offers high salaries, especially in fine dining, where high expectations and premium offerings lead to great potential.
Below is a list of top-paying fine dining restaurants in the U.S., categorized by type and manager wages.
High-End Steakhouses
Steakhouses are known for premium cuts of meat and exceptional service, requiring managers to ensure operational excellence
These restaurants often attract affluent clients willing to spend more, which reflects in the compensation offered to their management teams.
1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
[Source: Ruth’s Chris Steak House]
Ruth’s Chris is a well-established fine dining steakhouse known for its sizzling USDA Prime steaks served on hot plates. With upscale locations across the country, the restaurant draws high-end clientele for an elegant dining experience. Restaurant managers oversee daily operations, ensuring flawless service and maintaining top food standards. This leads to high salaries and bonuses.
Location: Nationwide (including major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles)
2. Morton’s The Steakhouse
[Source: Morton’s The Steakhouse]
Morton’s is one of the most iconic steakhouses in the U.S., offering high-quality steaks, seafood and an extensive wine list. Known for its elegant and refined atmosphere, Morton’s caters to upscale customers seeking a luxurious dining experience. Managers at Morton’s earn competitive wages due to premium pricing, high-ticket sales and a busy atmosphere. This leads to performance-based incentives and generous tips.
Location: Nationwide, with key locations in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas
3. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
[Source: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse]
Del Frisco’s is a high-end steakhouse offering prime steaks, fresh seafood, and an extensive wine list for an upscale experience. With luxurious locations in major cities, it attracts affluent clientele for fine dining events, business meetings and celebrations. Restaurant Managers are compensated well for managing large teams and ensuring smooth operations in a high-volume, high-revenue setting. Performance bonuses and profit-sharing contribute to the overall compensation.
Location: Nationwide, with locations in cities like New York, Las Vegas, and Dallas
4. The Capital Grille
[Source: The Capital Grille]
The Capital Grille offers an elegant setting with a focus on dry-aged steaks and a rich wine selection. The chain is renowned for its exceptional customer service and high-quality food. The Capital Grille’s upscale offerings and busy locations require managers to oversee both front- and back-of-house operations. They ensure a luxurious guest experience. As a result, Restaurant Managers earn top salaries, plus bonuses and tips from high-revenue sales.
Location: Nationwide, including major cities like Boston, Miami and San Francisco
5. Smith & Wollensky
[Source: Smith & Wollensky]
Smith & Wollensky is a premium steakhouse known for top-tier USDA Prime steaks and exceptional dining. The high-end clientele and demand for premium steaks ensure managers are well-compensated for maintaining high standards. Base salaries, performance bonuses and tips boost overall earnings.
Location: Nationwide, with flagship locations in New York City, Las Vegas and Chicago
Michelin-Starred French and European Restaurants
These restaurants offer gourmet cuisine and maintain Michelin-star ratings, making them prestigious destinations for diners. These restaurants reward Restaurant Managers with substantial compensation packages due to their high standards and elite clientele.
1. Le Bernardin
[Source: Le Bernardin]
Chefs and staff at Le Bernardin, an iconic Michelin-starred French seafood restaurant in New York City, refine seafood dishes and provide exceptional service. The restaurant’s reputation for culinary excellence attracts a sophisticated clientele willing to pay top dollar for a world-class dining experience. Le Bernardin rewards its Restaurant Managers generously for overseeing operations at such a prestigious establishment, offering high salaries, performance bonuses and benefits.
Location: New York City, NY
2. Jean-Georges
[Source: Jean-Georges]
Jean-Georges, a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City, blends French techniques with global flavors to offer innovative cuisine in a chic, modern setting. The restaurant’s culinary creativity and attention to detail draw in an elite clientele. Restaurant Managers are highly compensated due to the complex nature of operations, high guest expectations and the overall prestige of the establishment, with substantial base salaries and performance bonuses.
Location: New York City, NY
3. Per Se
Per Se is a renowned Michelin-starred French-inspired restaurant located in New York City. Offering a luxurious dining experience with meticulously prepared dishes, it attracts guests who expect nothing less than perfection. Managers at Per Se are responsible for overseeing a world-class operation, and due to the restaurant’s high revenue and Michelin status, they enjoy high salaries, performance-based bonuses and generous benefits.
Location: New York City, NY
4. The French Laundry
The French Laundry in Yountville, California, is a three-Michelin-star restaurant celebrated for its exquisite farm-to-table dining experience. The restaurant’s innovative tasting menus, along with its emphasis on sustainability, have earned it worldwide recognition. As one of the top fine dining restaurants in the world, Restaurant Managers are highly compensated to ensure the flawless execution of service and operations, with substantial salaries and performance bonuses.
Location: Yountville, CA
5. Alinea
[Source: Alinea]
Alinea, located in Chicago, is one of the most innovative Michelin-starred restaurants in the country, known for its avant-garde approach to modernist cuisine. Alinea offers a multi-sensory dining experience that combines creativity and precision.
The restaurant’s high profile and exclusive clientele lead to high revenue, and Managers are compensated with competitive salaries, bonuses and other performance incentives.
Location: Chicago, IL
Modern and Innovative Fine Dining
These restaurants combine modern techniques with high-quality ingredients to offer unique and contemporary dining experiences. Their innovative approaches to fine dining ensure that Restaurant Managers oversee dynamic and profitable operations.
1. Nobu
Nobu is a globally recognized Japanese fusion restaurant known for its innovative menu combining Japanese flavors with South American influences. With locations in major cities worldwide, Nobu attracts celebrities and affluent clients, offering a high-volume environment with premium pricing.
Restaurant Managers here are well-compensated for managing operations at these high-demand restaurants, with strong salaries, performance bonuses and benefits reflecting the restaurant’s success.
Location: Nationwide, including New York, Los Angeles and Miami
2. Hakkasan
Hakkasan is a Michelin-starred restaurant that combines modern Chinese cuisine with a luxurious dining experience. The restaurant’s sleek design and high-end offerings make it a favorite for those looking for an upscale dining experience in a trendy atmosphere. Managers at Hakkasan are compensated well due to the premium pricing and high volume of business, with competitive base salaries, bonuses and tips.
Location: Nationwide, with key locations in Las Vegas, New York City and Miami
3. Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Blue Hill at Stone Barns is a farm-to-table restaurant in New York that focuses on sustainability and locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant’s innovative approach to dining and commitment to environmental sustainability has earned it a reputation as one of the best in the world.
Here,Restaurant Managers are highly compensated for overseeing operations in such an exclusive and prestigious restaurant, with top salaries, bonuses and benefits reflecting the restaurant’s success.
Location: New York, NY (Tarrytown)
Conclusion: What Restaurants Pay Managers the Most?
Restaurant Managers in fine dining can earn top wages, especially when managing high-end steakhouses, Michelin-starred restaurants and innovative fine dining establishments.
These restaurants offer competitive salaries, bonuses and tips due to their premium offerings, sophisticated clientele and successful business models.
If you’re looking for what restaurants pay managers the most, focusing on these prestigious restaurants provides an excellent opportunity to maximize your earnings in the restaurant management field.
How To Get Hired in These Top-Paying Restaurants
To get hired as a Manager at top-paying restaurants, it’s essential to have experience in high-end hospitality settings and a proven track record of successful management.
Start by gaining experience in fine dining or Michelin-star establishments, and focus on honing skills in customer service, team leadership and operations management.
Networking is crucial, so attend industry events and consider working your way up within well-known restaurant groups.
Additionally, showcasing a passion for food, a strong work ethic and the ability to handle high-pressure environments will make you a standout candidate when applying to these prestigious, high-paying restaurants.
Apply for Restaurant Manager jobs
Maximizing Earnings in High-Cost Cities: How Restaurant Managers Can Manage Salaries and Living Expenses
Restaurant Managers in the U.S. earn an average annual salary of approximately $69,580, equating to about $33.45 per hour. However, the cost of living varies significantly across the country. For instance, Hawaii has the highest cost of living index at 193.3, nearly double the national average, while Kansas has one of the lowest at 86.5. In 2023, the average monthly expenses for American households totaled $6,440.
For Restaurant Managers living in cities with a high cost of living, like New York or Miami, there are ways to make the most of your salary.
One strategy is to take full advantage of employer benefits, such as health insurance, meal allowances and performance bonuses. These can help significantly offset living expenses.
Additionally, Restaurant Managers can focus on managing personal finances effectively by budgeting, looking for housing options in more affordable neighborhoods or finding cost-effective alternatives to expensive city living, such as utilizing public transportation.
Many employees at high-end restaurants also get gratuities or tips, which can supplement base salaries and help make up for high living costs in major cities. By being strategic about both professional and personal financial planning, Restaurant Managers can thrive in high-cost cities without feeling financially stretched.
Criteria for Choosing What Restaurants Pay Managers the Most
When determining what restaurants pay Managers the most, several factors come into play. The restaurant’s reputation, clientele and location are key, as high-end establishments with a strong brand and affluent customers tend to offer the highest wages.
Additionally, we’ve factored in the size of the restaurant, its revenue potential and whether it’s a fine dining or Michelin-starred restaurant can also impact compensation. Restaurants with large, high-volume operations often provide higher salaries and performance-based bonuses to managers who can maintain smooth operations and deliver exceptional service.
Written by Rea Gierran
With a background in Communication Arts, Rea’s expertise lies in content marketing and copywriting. Her published works can be seen on online news websites such as Rappler and Adobo magazine. Outside of her work, Rea takes on the role of a “momager” for Shiro, a TikTok dogfluencer.
Reviewed by Marcy Miniano
Marcy is an editor and writer with a background in public relations and brand marketing. Throughout her nearly decade-long career, she has honed her skills in crafting content and helping build brands across various industries — including restaurant and hospitality, travel, tech, fashion and entertainment.
