Favorite Chain Steak Houses

[SlammedZero]

So, Boise finally got a Longhorn Steakhouse. I made my way there with the wife the other night. I was really impressed. All the food was really good, the meats tender, and the price very fair. The free bread was solid too. I will definitely return.

With that said, I still think my favorite is The Texas Roadhouse. I just love, love, love that place. Food is great, price is great, and overall I just have great experiences every time I go. The buttery rolls with the cinnamon butter and the peanuts to start......mmmmmmmm........so delicious.

I may get crucified for this, but, Boise got a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse a few years back. I finally ate there awhile back. I really wasn't THAT impressed. For the price I was expecting much better. Maybe I set my expectations too high? I don't know. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad steak, it just didn't blow my socks off like I had hoped.

You guys have a favorite chain?

 

[cml750]

The best steak I have EVER had was at a Longhorn steak house in New Jersey. It is odd that I have never had such a good steak in Texas even at a Longhorn steak house.

 

[Tabascocat]

You have to seperate these by price range. You can't fairly compare Outback or the like to high-end steakhouses.

Also, I have had a great steak at Roadhouse but the exact same one at another location was terrible.

 

[Melonfeud]

Back in the day, I'd guess it would've been a western sizzler, just cuz' it was a chain franchise, and about the only one I can recall frequenting,,, now ,it'd have to be Texas Roadhouse.

 

[CF74]

Back in the day, I'd guess it would've been a western sizzler, just cuz' it was a chain franchise, and about the only one I can recall frequenting,,, now ,it'd have to be Texas Roadhouse.

Shoutout to Sirloin Stockade, just for humor...

 

[CouchCoach]

So, Boise finally got a Longhorn Steakhouse. I made my way there with the wife the other night. I was really impressed. All the food was really good, the meats tender, and the price very fair. The free bread was solid too. I will definitely return.

With that said, I still think my favorite is The Texas Roadhouse. I just love, love, love that place. Food is great, price is great, and overall I just have great experiences every time I go. The buttery rolls with the cinnamon butter and the peanuts to start......mmmmmmmm........so delicious.

I may get crucified for this, but, Boise got a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse a few years back. I finally ate there awhile back. I really wasn't THAT impressed. For the price I was expecting much better. Maybe I set my expectations too high? I don't know. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad steak, it just didn't blow my socks off like I had hoped.

You guys have a favorite chain?

I didn't realize you lived in Boise. Love that city, lived there for 3 years in Eagle.

Ruth's is inconsistent, the one in Dallas is excellent and consistent but I have been to others that were not near as good. They really refined the way to cook steaks that all of the high end ones use now with that 1600 degree oven to bring the steak up to perfect doneness.

Back in the day, the best, most affordable chain one I had been to was the Steak & Ale but they folded. There are some smaller chains like the Double Eagle and Sullivan's in Texas that are pretty good and Pappas Brothers is good. But I don't think they qualify as chains.

I don't eat steak out any longer and haven't for awhile. Once I found a couple of sources for the quality that only restaurants can get and learned the reverse sear method, I'd put mine up against theirs. I would rather go out for something I can't do as easily and there's something about the grill, a big ole prime bone-in ribeye and me that just seems right. I fire up a cigar with a nicely chilled martini and sit on my patio grunting like Tim Allen. Small animals keep away.

 

[Melonfeud]

Shoutout to Sirloin Stockade, just for humor...

Copy that, I'd forgotten about that one

 

[Tabascocat]

I didn't realize you lived in Boise. Love that city, lived there for 3 years in Eagle.

Ruth's is inconsistent, the one in Dallas is excellent and consistent but I have been to others that were not near as good. They really refined the way to cook steaks that all of the high end ones use now with that 1600 degree oven to bring the steak up to perfect doneness.

Back in the day, the best, most affordable chain one I had been to was the Steak & Ale but they folded. There are some smaller chains like the Double Eagle and Sullivan's in Texas that are pretty good and Pappas Brothers is good. But I don't think they qualify as chains.

I don't eat steak out any longer and haven't for awhile. Once I found a couple of sources for the quality that only restaurants can get and learned the reverse sear method, I'd put mine up against theirs. I would rather go out for something I can't do as easily and there's something about the grill, a big ole prime bone-in ribeye and me that just seems right. I fire up a cigar with a nicely chilled martini and sit on my patio grunting like Tim Allen. Small animals keep away.

I loved Steak & Ale, that cheese for the break was top notch. Gallagher's was also a great place known for Prime Rib.

 

[CouchCoach]

I loved Steak & Ale, that cheese for the break was top notch. Gallagher's was also a great place known for Prime Rib.

And that S&A salad bar was phenomenal. Not like these high enders charging $9 for a wedge of lettuce which works out to $36 for a head of lettuce, a little pricey.

The best chain steakhouses I've been in of the higher end variety are Smith & Wollensky that shut down in Dallas and Morton's of Chicago. I am not usually a filet guy but Morton's has this filet they call the baseball because it's double the normal size and I have never cut into a steak that tender. And The Palm is pretty damned fine but if I go there, it's that 6lb lobster. I had to wrestle it in the kitchen and lost the first round but won 2 out of 3 and ate that one clawed loser.

The high enders will kill you on the sides, that's where their profit is on the food side. Right after those $10-15 top shelf drinks and wine markup. Pappas has the craziest wine list I ever saw in Dallas. First of all, it's as large as a phone book and has at least 3 wines in at 10K a bottle. Probably more now, it's been 4 years since I was there.

 

[Cowpolk]

Back in the day, I'd guess it would've been a western sizzler, just cuz' it was a chain franchise, and about the only one I can recall frequenting,,, now ,it'd have to be Texas Roadhouse.

Roadhouse and the cuties in tight jeans gets my vote

 

[Cowpolk]

And that S&A salad bar was phenomenal. Not like these high enders charging $9 for a wedge of lettuce which works out to $36 for a head of lettuce, a little pricey.

The best chain steakhouses I've been in of the higher end variety are Smith & Wollensky that shut down in Dallas and Morton's of Chicago. I am not usually a filet guy but Morton's has this filet they call the baseball because it's double the normal size and I have never cut into a steak that tender. And The Palm is pretty damned fine but if I go there, it's that 6lb lobster. I had to wrestle it in the kitchen and lost the first round but won 2 out of 3 and ate that one clawed loser.

The high enders will kill you on the sides, that's where their profit is on the food side. Right after those $10-15 top shelf drinks and wine markup. Pappas has the craziest wine list I ever saw in Dallas. First of all, it's as large as a phone book and has at least 3 wines in at 10K a bottle. Probably more now, it's been 4 years since I was there.

I bought Fillet Mignon for the 1st time ever the other day at Albertsons 2 steaks that weighed less than 3 pounds all totaled. Cooked them myself on high in a skillet in butter Worcestershire garlic onion powder and black pepper and a lil Cajun seasoning 2 1/2 minuets on both sides best damn steak I have ever had anywhere. Did not need a knife to cut it

 

[JoeKing]

Texas Roadhouse does a good job of consistency from one establishment to the next. I can think of eating at at least 10 different locations and I've always been satisfied with the food, service, and atmosphere.

 

[rynochop]

I loved Steak & Ale, that cheese for the break was top notch. Gallagher's was also a great place known for Prime Rib.

I remember eating at both those places growing up, they are still right across I10 here in Beaumont from each other and been vacant for years, heck decades

Taste of Texas is good. And yeah they kill ya on the sides, 'would you like 6 mushrooms on the side for 6.99?
I know in order to get a med rare steak at these places you have to order rare, they seem to always over cook it

 

[Runwildboys]

I like Texas Roadhouse and Longhorn, but I also like Outback, because everything they make has spice to it.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Actually, I'm a big fan of Ruth Chris Steakhouses. Out of probably 30+ visits, I've only had one that wasn't up to par.

I've had far less success at Del Frisco's Double Eagle steakhouse.

It's been years and years since I have been there, but Bob's Steak and Chop House in Dallas was good too.

Since I bought a Sous Vide, I cook most of my own steaks at home. You can't cook a perfect steak over open flame, Sous Vide cooks them to perfection every time. Finally, the food is far cheaper, and not paying $25-$30 for a good glass of wine to go with it.

BOSS.

 

[The Fonz]

Black Angus

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Longhorn and Saltgrass.

Logans roadhouse isnt too bad. Not a fan of texas roadhouse.

 

[Tabascocat]

There is a chain out here in Cali called Tahoe Joes, a lesser known establishment. It is comparable to Longhorn or Logans and is quite decent. Their lobster tails to go with the steak is grilled nicely.

Being from Texas, it is hard to find a really good cut in stores out here. They love their tri-tip and I can't stand it, cooks up like boot leather. I have to go on a scavenger hunt to find a high quality ribeye or porterhouse when we want to cook our own.

Don't get me started on the so-called BBQ

 

[Tabascocat]

I remember eating at both those places growing up, they are still right across I10 here in Beaumont from each other and been vacant for years, heck decades

Taste of Texas is good. And yeah they kill ya on the sides, 'would you like 6 mushrooms on the side for 6.99?
I know in order to get a med rare steak at these places you have to order rare, they seem to always over cook it

I read an article last year saying that Steak and Ale is trying to make a comeback, in their plans anyways. I haven't heard another word about it since, hope it works out.

 

[CouchCoach]

When Steak & Ale opened in Little Rock, it was crazy, a two hour wait was the norm but there was nothing else like it. The menu was limited, all located on a meat cleaver. They had two things, one of which I have never been able to duplicate and it was the best I ever had, still to this day.

We got to know the manager as he was a friend of some friends and he gave me the recipe to one of my favorites that I have been making for 47 years, the Prince and the Pauper was a combo steak and chicken, both marinated in the same marinade and it hooked me. The marinade is 1/3 soy sauce, 1/3 red wine and 1/3 pineapple juice and it is terrific. The other was their vinaigrette salad dressing but he did not have the recipe except oil and rw vinegar because the spice mix came in a bag. It is, to this day, the best I ever tasted and I've only managed to come within sniffing distance of duplicating it. But that marinade is magic on a filet or chicken breast.