11 Of The Most Popular US Steakhouse Chains, Ranked
Even though many of us enjoy grilling steaks at home, going out to eat at a steakhouse can be a nice treat from time to time. There's something undeniably satisfying about being able to relax and let someone else do the cooking. Of course, that requires some level of trust in the kitchen and results can vary, depending on the quality of the restaurant. The good news is that here in America, we're blessed with a lot of popular steakhouse chains that routinely whip up some amazingly delicious dishes. That said, there are often discernible differences between chains.
While some chains might cost a little more, those higher prices might be justified with higher-quality food. Still, sometimes all you're looking for is a solid meal for a fair price. Even though other chains may be easier on the wallet, the cuts of beef offered there might not be ideal, and the steaks might not be seasoned and grilled to perfection. The number of different cuts offered on the menu, the grade of beef provided, the dry-aging process, and how much of the food is made from scratch can all vary between chains.
For these reasons, deciding which steakhouse chains are worth your time might be challenging when hunger strikes. Read on to learn more about what some of the most popular steakhouse chains in the country have to offer.
11. Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse is one of the most familiar steakhouse chains in the country. The restaurant opened up its first location in Tampa, Florida back in 1988. Outback has become famous for its Bloomin' Onion — a gigantic, deep-fried onion cut into flower-like petals and served with a zesty dipping sauce. For many diners, the Bloomin' Onion alone is worth the trip to Outback Steakhouse. The restaurant is also well-known for affordable burgers and steaks.
But there's a reason that the steaks at Outback are cheaper than some fancier steakhouses. The United States Department of Agriculture offers three main grades of beef: Prime, Choice, and Select. Prime is one of the best cuts of beef on the market and contains the most marbling — the weblike fat content in beef that makes it tender and flavorful. In general, the more marbling that beef contains, the more prized it is.
According to a former restaurant manager on Quora, Outback uses USDA Choice beef. Choice beef is lower quality than Prime beef. This means there's a little less marbling in Outback's steaks when compared to the Prime beef that you'll find at more upscale steakhouses. Eating a steak at Outback will get the job done, but other restaurants may offer more tasty cuts.
10. LongHorn Steakhouse
LongHorn Steakhouse is a step up from Outback: the steaks at LongHorn tend to have a subtle char along the edges, which gives the beef more flavor and texture. While the steaks at Outback can be a little bland and even a bit chewy, the steaks at LongHorn are consistently tender and well-seasoned.
One of the best dishes at LongHorn Steakhouse is the LongHorn porterhouse. Weighing 22 ounces, LongHorn's porterhouse is the biggest steak on its menu. This massive bone-in slab of beef basically features two steaks in a single cut: one side is a strip, and the other is a filet. Flame-grilled to your desired level of doneness, this is definitely one of our favorite items on the menu at LongHorn.
Another dish that stands out is LongHorn's Churrasco, which is a marinated skirt steak that's drizzled with chimichurri sauce and served with fried plantains. This dish is clearly inspired by Latin American cuisine, which features an abundance of flame-grilled meats and sauces such as chimichurri. LongHorn's ventures into different regional cuisines pay tribute to international influences in a delicious way that nudges them ahead of Outback.
9. Texas Roadhouse
With over 600 locations across the country, Texas Roadhouse is definitely one of the biggest steakhouse chains in America. Similar to Outback and LongHorn, Texas Roadhouse is a steakhouse with a casual vibe that's approachable and relaxed. Despite the easygoing atmosphere that it conjures in common with those two of its main competitors, there are a few things on the menu that elevate Texas Roadhouse above them.
We'd be remiss if we didn't touch upon one of the humble — yet undeniable — stars of the show at Texas Roadhouse: the delicious rolls that are baked fresh every five minutes and served with cinnamon honey butter. Another thing that we appreciate about Texas Roadhouse is how surprisingly consistent it is. Other popular steakhouse chains tend to fluctuate in quality, based on how busy they are and how skilled their kitchen staff is. But Texas Roadhouse manages to steadily deliver dependable results at its various locations. One of the best dishes at Texas Roadhouse is definitely the ribeye steak, which is luxuriously tender thanks to its generous marbling. As great as Texas Roadhouse is, there are still some even tastier options out there.
8. Saltgrass Steak House
Owned by Landry's — a corporation with a massive portfolio that includes restaurant chains, casinos, amusement parks, and hotels, Saltgrass Steak House has an interesting niche. While the restaurant isn't necessarily as casual as Outback or Texas Roadhouse, it also isn't as fancy as Ruth's Chris or other upper-tier steakhouses. Saltgrass seems to aim for the market somewhere in between, creating a space for diners who want a slightly more sophisticated menu in a more laid-back atmosphere.
The prices at Saltgrass are comparable to cheaper steakhouse chains, even though the food is a bit more elegant. The restaurant's menu offers premium additions for its steaks such as the Oscar topping, which includes succulent lump crab meat, lemon butter, capers, red chile flakes, green onions, and fried asparagus. The macaroni and cheese is smoked, giving the cheesy noodles an extra depth of flavor. It's all the little fancy touches like these — at relatively reasonable prices — that put Saltgrass ahead of some of the more dominant steakhouse chains.
7. Black Angus Steakhouse
Having just over 30 locations, Black Angus Steakhouse may not be dominating the market like some of its larger competitors, but don't mistake that as a sign of inferiority. Black Angus Steakhouse has been in business since 1964 and is no stranger to success. The restaurant offers aged steaks with deep, rich flavors that are sure to please any beef lover. But even beyond its steaks, one of the real surprises on the menu — and a big part of what makes this chain stand out — is the sandwiches.
Black Angus' filet mignon sandwich comes with red peppers, sautéed onions, melted cheddar cheese, and a chipotle mayo sauce that's made from scratch. The smokiness of the creamy chipotle pepper sauce is a wonderful pairing with the tenderness of the grilled filet mignon. The steakhouse bacon cheeseburger is another winner on the menu, featuring a half-pound of fresh ground beef that includes a hand-made patty. Topped with cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and crispy onion rings, this burger is bursting with flavor. If you prefer surf over turf, there's also the BBQ salmon sandwich, that's topped with fried green tomatoes, greens, and lemon aioli. Between its tasty steaks and succulent sandwiches, Black Angus Steakhouse is definitely a chain that you can count on for a solid meal.
6. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
As its name suggests, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is prized for its quality of beef and impressive wine selection. A diner on TripAdvisor showcased both of these strong points, writing: "We had 2018 Varella Cav Sauv. It was simply marvelous. Emily, our server was fantastic and our food (we all had steak — mostly ribeye) was really good. The cuts were quality cuts of beef and they were all cooked to perfection." Fleming's flair for flavor and its well-curated menu nudge it into more exceptional territory, compared to some other steakhouse chains on our list.
Fleming's also dry-ages its Prime ribeye for a minimum of 21 days to develop flavor, using its special seasoning blend, then sears the beef in a broiler that's a blistering 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes this ribeye truly a treat. The chain even offers a few different butter sauces for its steaks, including béarnaise, smoked chili butter, and herbed horseradish butter. The scallops seared in miso butter and paired with shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and ginger salsa verde is another wildly flavorful choice on the menu.
The bottom line is that you can't really go wrong at Fleming's no matter what you order. Our one wish? A slightly bigger lunch menu would be nice.
5. The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille has an elegant, upscale feel that's well-suited for special occasions. This steakhouse chain has a dress code and recommends reservations. What we appreciate about The Capital Grille is that even though the atmosphere and food are a bit more elevated, the prices are still reasonable. The restaurant has similar menu items that you'll find at other popular steakhouse chains, but the quality is vastly superior and usually only costs a few more bucks.
Another cool thing about The Capital Grille that sets it apart from other chains: Steak Grille Boxes. The Capital Grille sells various boxes that include four New York strip steaks, four bone-in Prime ribeyes, or a mix of both. Each box also comes with signature steak sauce. There are other items, like burgers and lobster mac and cheese. If you love top-notch cuts of beef and you'd rather grill the meat yourself, this is an excellent option — and one that a lot of other chains don't offer.
4. Ruth's Chris Steak House
After a fire ravaged her investment in a restaurant called Chris Steak House, Ruth Fertel moved to a new location and attached her name to the company. Over the course of decades, the restaurant has steadily grown into one of the most respected steakhouse chains in America and can be found in over 20 countries. One of the details about Ruth's Chris that makes it stand out is the fact that it serves its mouthwatering steaks on 500 Fahrenheit piping hot plates. This gives the beef some extra sizzle by the time it reaches your table which makes it supremely delicious.
The restaurant serves USDA Prime beef and offers nearly a dozen different cuts. The overall quality of the food at Ruth's Chris nudges it ahead of several other steakhouse chains in the ranking. The salad dressings are made from scratch, the steaks are expertly seasoned and cooked, and the service is impeccable. Sure, the higher prices might make it a little less accessible than more casual chains, but this is a case where you get what you pay for.
3. Peter Luger Steak House
Peter Luger Steak House has amassed a lot of hype over the years, but in this case, it's largely warranted. The restaurant has become famous for its half-pound cheeseburger and extra thick-cut bacon, which make for a match made in heaven. Peter Luger's menu features Prime cuts of beef that are dry-aged on-site, which makes the steaks extra flavorful. Peter Luger isn't a massive chain like many of the other steakhouses on this list — it only has a couple of locations. But this gives the restaurant an air of charm and distinctiveness that those other more corporate chains just can't really compete with.
The only downside here? As expected for a renowned restaurant, the prices are pretty steep. But when you consider the undeniable quality and talent in the kitchen, it ultimately feels like a treat that's well worth it. At the end of the day, life is short — and it's gratifying to embrace the flavorful pleasures of a truly exceptional meal from time to time.
2. Wolfgang's Steakhouse
Wolfgang's Steakhouse has a handful of locations mostly scattered around the New York area, but the restaurant has also branched out internationally to destinations such as Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. Wolfgang's exclusively sells USDA Prime beef that's dry-aged at its restaurants for at least 28 days. The ambiance is decidedly luxurious and fit for celebration.
Even though Wolfgang's is a bit costly, diners feel the quality justifies the price. As one diner on TripAdvisor puts it, "Expensive yes, but worth it. Incredible food. The steak was cooked to perfection, and a large portion. Very much worth it." The last thing you ever want to feel when you're dining out at a steakhouse is that you're getting ripped off, but that's not the vibe at Wolfgang's.
While the menu only features a handful of steaks, they're all carefully selected and meticulously prepared with finesse. The restaurant also offers classic sides like creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and crispy steak fries. If you're in the mood for seafood, there's plenty to pick from there too. Jumbo lobster, fresh oysters, clams, and Chilean sea bass are just a few of the options on the table. What's exceptional about Wolfgang's is that it manages to deliver true quality and consistent greatness at home and abroad, despite its high standards.
1. Smith & Wollensky
When it comes to top-notch beef at steakhouse chains, it's hard to beat Smith & Wollensky. Sure, this is by far the priciest restaurant in our ranking. At the end of the day, what matters most in this ranking is how delicious the food is at each steakhouse chain. And the truth is that the menu at Smith Wollensky is truly spectacular and blows the competition out of the water.
Take the Wagyu flat iron frites. Does it get any better than Wagyu topped with bone marrow butter and crispy rosemary fries? It might be tempting to answer no, but pursuing the menu at Smith & Wollensky reveals surprise after surprise. The tableside-smoked gold-grade Wagyu New York strip (which contains a mindblowing level of marbling), rubbed with cocoa and coffee and served with roasted corn puree and chimichurri is a testament to this fact. For the best plate your money can get at a steakhouse chain, Smith & Wollensky reigns supreme.