Bern's Steak House

Restaurant founder Bern Laxer was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1923 and grew up in the Bronx. He served in the Army in World War II, returning home to earn a college degree in advertising from New York University, where he met his wife, Gertrude; they married in 1950. Bern and Gert (as she preferred to be called) moved to Tampa in 1951, opening up a small restaurant in 1953 called Bern and Gert's Little Midway. Two years later they purchased the Beer Haven Bar into which they relocated their restaurant, which was in a strip shopping center in south Tampa, and is the site of the present-day "Bordeaux Room" in the steakhouse.

According to the restaurant's historical account, Bern and Gert were equal partners in the restaurant and planned on both of their names being on the marquee. They decided, however, that in order to save money they would repurpose the letters from the "Beer Haven Bar" sign, and purchasing the letter "s" to create a sign for Bern's, and name the restaurant Bern's instead of Bern and Gert. The word "steakhouse" was eventually added to the name to satisfy a telephone company requirement that phone listing not be single names.

The restaurant's footprint expanded over the years, eventually occupying the entire strip shopping center, and dining capacity increased from 40 to 350 guest seats. In 1985 Bern built and opened the Harry Waugh Dessert Room, named after the Director of the legendary First Growth French wine estate Chateau Latour, with 48 private dessert rooms for guests and typically serves over 50 desserts, wines, ports, sherries, and madeiras.

The restaurant is owned and operated by David Laxer, son of original owner Bern Laxer.

Its sister restaurant, Haven (previously SideBern's) closed in May of 2026. A new concept, Peddler + Potter is scheduled to open in late 2027.

George W. Bush ate at Bern's twice during his presidency.

The restaurant once kept live fish in tanks inside the kitchen but the fish tanks were removed before 2011 for logistical reasons.

In 2013 Bern's opened a hotel across the street called The Epicurean, with 137 rooms, restaurants and conference facilities; located in the hotel lobby is Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits. A 2023 expansion of The Epicurean will add 51 rooms and suites, office space, and additional conference facilities.