Sometimes the ubiquity of ethnic food seems overwhelming, the pretension of contemporary cuisine tiresome. Sometimes you just have a taste for traditional American cuisine.

This is why they invented the contemporary American steakhouse.

A new entry into the genre is Max Stein’s, off Route 128 in Lexington on the site formerly occupied by the Hartwell House.

Opened recently by Richard Brackett, along with two co-owners, Max Stein’s embodies the tradition of the upscale American steakhouse. Brackett was most recently a managing partner of the Capital Grille in Chestnut Hill, and that experience is reflected in the menu and tone of Max Stein’s.

Located on a handsome nine-acre estate, Max Stein’s looks like a 1940s supper club. There’s lots of leather and dark wood, as well as a large fireplace with a roaring wood fire. Service is impeccable and attentive. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.

On a recent Saturday evening, we visited Max Stein’s for an early dinner. The restaurant has been open for seven months, but business is brisk and reservations are recommended. The menu is lengthy and comprises traditional dishes.

Appetizers ($8 to $13) include oysters Rockefeller, jumbo shrimp cocktail, Maryland lump crabcakes and wild mushroom strudel. Entrees ($17 to $45) include rack of lamb, lobster thermidor, a variety of seafood dishes and a lengthy selection of steaks. All entrees are served with your choice of potato, but vegetables are a la carte ($5 to $9). Max Stein’s also has an excellent selection of salads ($5 to $6.50).

I began with a plate of oysters on the half shell ($12). They were beautifully presented on ice, accompanied by horseradish, cocktail and mignonette sauces. I prefer oysters with just a squeeze of lemon, and these were delicious. My companion opted for the escargots a la bourguignonne ($9), baked with shallots, garlic and parsley, and served with a toasted baguette.

My next course was the chopped salad ($6.50), which consisted of cucumber, red onion, tomato, kalamata olives and field greens tossed with a red wine vinaigrette. Garnished with four Belgian endive leaves topped with fried Brie croutons, it was a terrific salad.

My companion ordered the lobster bisque ($8). Laced with Armagnac, it was a superior version of this often poorly prepared dish. The soup was smooth and creamy, not thick and gummy. It was thickened with real cream, not flour. I wish more chefs understood that a good cream soup should not resemble bechamel sauce.

The signature dish on Max Stein’s menu is an unusual 16-ounce bone-in filet mignon ($45). Any good cook will tell you that meat cooked on the bone is almost always more tender and flavorful than boneless cuts.

That apparently was the reason that this cut was added to Max Stein’s menu. Despite the price, my companion could not resist ordering it and was pleased with his selection. He proclaimed it a steak for the connoisseur.

For those of us who are not connoisseurs but just looking for a good steak, Max Stein’s has a full selection of more reasonably priced steaks of all cuts and sizes. I ordered the 18-ounce Delmonico steak ($26). The Delmonico cut is a boneless rib eye steak that has lots of flavor. My steak was cooked perfectly, just as I ordered it.

Max Stein’s has a good selection of desserts. I ordered the individual hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Tart apples filled a free-form crust and were covered with a crumb and nut topping.

My companion ordered the fried banana split. Served in a large cocktail glass, it featured a variety of ice creams and sauces. It was topped with fresh banana pieces that had been coated with nuts and deep-fried, and garnished with fresh whipped cream.

For great steaks, generous portions and traditional American food, Max Stein’s offers a special evening out. Bring a hearty appetite.

The weekly restaurant review, ‘‘Taste & Tell,’’ is written after anonymous visits to area restaurants by Patriot Ledger food critics.