▁a ▁ser r ated ▁edge . ▁ ▁Ste ak ▁clubs ▁ ▁Be ef ste ak ▁Club s ▁were ▁once ▁part ▁of ▁London ' s ▁club ▁life . ▁They ▁were ▁described ▁as ▁" a ▁club ▁of ▁ancient ▁institution ▁in ▁every ▁theatre ; ▁when ▁the ▁principal ▁perform ers ▁d ined ▁one ▁day ▁in ▁the ▁week ▁together ▁( gener ally ▁Saturday ), ▁and ▁authors ▁and ▁other ▁genius es ▁were ▁admitted ▁members ." ▁Dr ▁Johnson ' s ▁club ▁in ▁I vy ▁l ane ▁was ▁originally ▁a ▁Be ef - Ste ak ▁Club ▁and ▁the ▁" R ump - Ste ak ▁or ▁Liber ty ▁Club " ▁was ▁in ▁existence ▁from ▁ 1 7 3 3 – 3 4 . ▁The ▁present - day ▁Be ef ste ak ▁Club , ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁is ▁at ▁ 9 ▁Ir ving ▁Street , ▁London . ▁Among ▁its ▁members ▁are ▁many ▁notable ▁people . ▁ ▁Ste akh ouses ▁A ▁ste ak house ▁is ▁a ▁restaurant ▁that ▁special izes ▁in ▁be ef ste aks ▁and ▁other ▁individual ▁port ions ▁of ▁meat . ▁Ch oph ouses ▁started ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 9 0 s , ▁and ▁served ▁individual ▁port ions ▁of ▁meat , ▁known ▁as ▁ch ops . ▁The ▁houses ▁were ▁normally ▁only ▁open ▁for ▁men ; ▁for ▁example , ▁women ▁were ▁only ▁admitted ▁to ▁Stone ' s ▁Ch op ▁House ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁Account s ▁of ▁trav ellers ▁in ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁London ▁refer ▁to ▁their ▁" d