14 US Steakhouse Chains And What To Order From Them

Chains have been a huge part of the United States' restaurant industry for decades. Regardless of what food they serve, chains all boast the same appeal: they offer familiarity. Eat at an Olive Garden in both New York and San Francisco and the experience will hardly vary. The same can be said of steakhouse chains, which thrive by offering the same quality steaks, entrées, and sides across the nation.

Steakhouse chains such as Texas Roadhouse are among the most popular in the entire country. However, creating a hit steakhouse chain is by no means easy. Not only do proprietors have to battle a huge amount of competition, they also have to live up to the high standards Americans associate with steakhouses. Robert Byrne, a director of consumer insights highlighted this to Nation's Restaurant News: "At a steakhouse, you're opening your wallet wider, so your sliding scale of value changes because you're going for a steak for a special occasion."

In order to meet these expectations, every successful steakhouse chain has a number of specialty dishes that have been designed to impress. From a customer's perspective these dishes promise the best experience. For that reason, we've identified the best dishes at 14 different steakhouse chains, selecting them based on the opinions of both professional and amateur critics. You can find more information concerning our methodology at the end of the article. Until then, let's learn what to order at 14 of America's steakhouse chains.

Texas Roadhouse is a steakhouse chain celebrated for its affordability. This is most readily demonstrated in its steaks, which are noticeably more affordable than many other chains; Texas Roadhouse sells 11-ounce steaks for as little as $20. The chain's focus on low prices clearly endears it to the American public and by the end of 2023 there were 686 locations in the States.

Each of the Texas Roadhouse restaurants is known for serving classic, American steaks. Among the most popular of these is the Ft. Worth Ribeye. This steak, which is available at 12-, 14-, and 16-ounce cuts, is a favorite thanks to the balance of flavorful fat and lean, well-cooked meat it presents. In true Texas Roadhouse style, the Ft. Worth Ribeye is a steal, costing $22.99 for the 12-ounce option. Although most opt for this menu item, many other great steaks abound on the menu. One of these is Texas Roadhouse's Road Kill, a chop steak that's served with onions, mushrooms, and cheese. Other, oddly named dishes abound at Texas Roadhouse including Chicken Critters, although these are not as highly regarded.

In terms of beverages, Texas Roadhouse has gained acclaim for the selection of margaritas it offers. The 18-ounce House Margarita is perhaps the best of these, presenting a clean, simple taste that's not short on booze.

Black Angus Steakhouse has been operating since 1964 and has gained a reputation for serving solid, well-aged steaks. These include the usual cuts such as ribeye and prime rib. However, it is seafood where the chain really shines, especially lobster. This is because Black Angus Steakhouse takes care when cooking this crustacean, choosing to steam the lobster tails instead of baking them. This simple step ensures the lobster meat remains both moist and tender.

Diners do not have to pick between steaks or lobster when dining at Black Angus Steakhouse, they can have both by upgrading their steak to surf and turf. For an additional $28, two lobster tails are added to any steak, instantly transforming a good meal in to an excellent one.

The steakhouse chain is also celebrated for its prime rib, which comes in a variety of sizes. These include the so-called Diamond Cut, a 24-ounce steak that's seasoned with a dry rub and served with a homemade jus. Two lobster tails can, of course, be added.

Outback Steakhouse is an Australian-themed chain with nearly 700 restaurants located in the United States, and over 1,000 globally. The famously tech-savvy restaurant chain welcomes thousands of guests every week, suggesting it was only a matter of time until a menu item became famous. Surprisingly, it wasn't a steak that went viral but the Bloomin' Onion, a breaded, deep-fried onion appetizer. This item has been on the menu since 1988 and spotlights a 1-pound onion that's been sliced into 200 petals. Over 8 million Bloomin' Onions are ordered per year and countless copycat recipes have been developed thanks to its incredibly moreish nature. As such, ordering such an iconic dish should be a no brainer when visiting Outback Steakhouse.

Guests visiting Outback should also consider ordering the restaurant's filet mignon. This steak is a barrel cut, meaning it is thicker than filet mignons served by other steakhouse chains. This has made it a firm favorite of many food writers and critics, along with Alice Springs Chicken, which features grilled chicken topped with mushrooms and two types of cheese.

The Capital Grille markets itself as a comfortably elegant steakhouse chain. This approach is demonstrated in both the dining room's classy decor and the quality of food that's served in it. Most noticeable are the steaks, which demonstrate a complex flavor thanks to an 18- to 24-day, in-house, dry aging process. After being trimmed, the steaks are hand-cut before being cooked and served.

These time-consuming processes result in some decadent entrées including The Capital Grille's take on surf and turf, which features a seared tenderloin served with poached lobster tails. The daily specials often include other surf and turf options including a filet mignon and lobster tail surf and turf that has been celebrated by critics as an exceptional demonstration of high quality ingredients and skillful cooking.

Another much-celebrated dish at The Capital Grille is a 14-ounce New York strip steak au poivre. This dish has been lauded by professional critics from numerous publications thanks to its well-balanced flavor that's complemented by a topping of Courvoisier cognac cream. This steak is best paired alongside Sam's Mashed Potatoes, the chain's iconic, creamy side.

The Palm was founded in 1926 as a single steakhouse in New York. Steady growth saw several Palm restaurants open across the United States during the 20th century, with many of these locations becoming hubs for writers, artists, and other celebrities. Like everyone else, these individuals came to The Palm for a traditional steakhouse experience, one the chain still offers.

This experience is defined by the menu; The Palm offers all the dishes associated with a classic steakhouse including a wedge salad, crab cakes, and oysters. The cuts of beef also lean classic with the most highly-touted option being a center cut filet, which is available in both 8- and 12-ounce portions. That being said, the Chicken Parmigiana, another longstanding menu item, is also a standout. Many have even called it the greatest chicken parmigiana on Earth. As such, it's a dish all customers should consider ordering.

Unlike all the other chains on this list, Fogo de Chão is not a typical steakhouse. Instead of customers dining a la carte, most pay a set fee for the Churrasco Experience, which sees them enjoy an array of meat that's paraded around the tables by waitstaff. This way of serving meat — called rodízio — is the de facto method employed by Brazilian steakhouses like Fogo de Chão and is a style that's rapidly gaining popularity in the United States.

Although there is no need to order meat, guests can still tailor their experience by turning down the offer of certain foods in favor of others. One piece of meat that definitely shouldn't be overlooked is Fogo de Chão's picanha. This is a traditional Brazilian cut and is Fogo de Chão's signature steak. Critics celebrate it for its succulent texture and intense, beefy flavor.

Although most people dining at Fogo de Chão are satisfied with the Churrasco Experience, there are some special dishes that can be ordered as additions. The best of these is the Wagyu New York Strip Steak. This 20-ounce, 21-aged premium steak is absolutely divine and has even been named by some professional critics' as their favorite ever steak.

There are 17 Del Frisco's Double Eagle restaurants in the United States, making it one of the smallest chains on this list. What it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in style, offering a high-end dining experience complete with luxury ingredients like caviar.

Although the chain boasts a variety of dishes, it's the steakhouse classics that are most highly regarded.; these include a blue cheese smothered wedge salad that's completed with crisp bacon and cherry tomatoes. Elsewhere, the lump meat crab cakes shine thanks to the use of high quality crabmeat. The use of quality ingredients is also on show for the chain's entrées with the Double Bone Lamb Chops standing out for critics thanks to the chop's great meat to fat ratio.

As with any steakhouse chain, the food is why so many people visit Del Frisco's Double Eagle. However, a large proportion of these customers return thanks to the chain's impressive wine list. Del Frisco's Double Eagle locations often receive Wine Spectator's prestigious Award of Excellence and its trained sommeliers are more than adept at finding the perfect wine to accompany any meal.