Candles, Cocktails, and a Bison on the Wall: Our Anniversary Night at Anthony's Chophouse

Published August 9, 2026

My wife and I have a short list of places we save for the nights that matter, and Anthony's Chophouse sits at the top of it. Last night was our anniversary, and we spent it exactly the way Midtown Carmel is built to be spent — on foot, with a couple of stops along the way.

First, a Candle

We started at Penn & Beech Candle Co. on Elm Street, right in the heart of Midtown Plaza. If you've never done it, you pick from something like 120 fragrances, blend your own scent, and pour your own candle. It takes about two hours to set, which is a suspiciously perfect amount of time to go have dinner. From there it's a short walk over to Main Street.

Starting at the Bar

We grabbed seats at the bar first, which is my favorite way to start a night at Anthony's. I had an Old Fashioned — served in that heavy cut-crystal rocks glass that makes the bourbon glow under the lights.

Then I followed it with something called the "Thank You Very Matcha," a frothy, honeycomb-garnished coupe that had no business being as good as it was.

My wife had a mojito, tall and packed with mint. The bartenders here are the real deal. They're not just pouring; they're building things.

The Table

When we were seated, there was a handwritten Happy Anniversary card waiting on the tablecloth with a note inside. Nobody asked us to make a fuss about it. It was just there. That's the kind of detail that separates a nice dinner from a night you remember.

We started with the lobster bisque — velvety, deeply savory, with a little toast point floating in the middle.

Then the snow crab cocktail, which came out looking like art: four enormous claws, a charred lemon, a streak of bright green herb oil, and a scatter of something crumbly and cold.

For entrées, she went with the spinalis — the ribeye cap, the best cut on the animal and the one most steakhouses never bother to serve on its own. It came sliced, and then hand shredded Bone Marrow Butter was added tableside, with a nest of shoestring fries alongside.

I had the red snapper, crusted and golden with a pool of red pepper sauce and a bright little cucumber-and-tomato salad. We split the roasted Brussels sprouts. Everything was excellent. Not "good for Carmel" — just excellent.

The Send-Off

On our way out, our waiter Jason — who was outstanding all night — surprised us with a to-go bread pudding for the anniversary. We ordered two DORA drinks to go, walked over to the Monon, and sat outside eating dessert while the sun went down and Main Street did its thing around us.

Why This Place

To us, Anthony's is what Carmel is about. The service. The quality. The bartenders and the wait staff. The two-story open interior with the exposed brick and the staircase running up the middle. The view out over Main Street and the Monon. And that enormous bison portrait staring down at the dining room from the brick wall — the unofficial mascot of the whole place.

It all adds up to a place that feels genuinely special without ever feeling stuffy.

If you've got an anniversary, a birthday, or frankly just a Tuesday you want to elevate — go. Make the candle first, walk over, sit at the bar, and let them take it from there.

Anthony's Chophouse is at 201 W. Main St., Carmel. Penn & Beech Candle Co. is at 45 Elm St. in Midtown Plaza. Hours and menus via anthonyschophouse.com and pennandbeech.com.