I Tried Every Steak at Texas Roadhouse & This One Blew Me Away
Texas Roadhouse is the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the United States and the funny thing is, its execs can't really put a finger on what one thing is driving people to the chain. Is it the affordable, flavorful steak, the down-home country spin, the peanuts you can throw on the floor, or something else?
The variety of steak and customization likely has something to do with it. The chain has all the classic cuts available in all different sizes. While most people tend to stick to the cut they love, it's nice to be able to size up or down depending on hunger levels. But what steak should you get for the best flavor? Do you really need to spring for a filet or a massive bone-in ribeye, America's favorite steak, or will the simple sirloin do the trick? I enlisted two steak lovers to taste every steak on the Texas Roadhouse menu with me to find out.
Texas Roadhouse steak is USDA Choice and cut in-house in just about every size you can imagine by butchers that can actually compete in an annual steak cutting competition. All this adds up to a company that cares if you get a good steak in the size that you want and you leave ready to come back. And come back people do. We visited the steakhouse at noon on a Saturday, because if you try to come at peak hours in the evening, you'll likely have to wait an hour or more.
When you do get that coveted seat, if you aren't going for the enormous 20-ounce bone-in ribeyes or the even larger 23-ounce porterhouse, you'll choose between a sirloin, NY strip, filet, or Ft. Worth ribeye. Here's what they were all like and the one we'd come back for again and again.
NY Strip
The NY Strip comes in an 8-ounce thick cut or a 12-ounce thinner cut. We got the 8-ounce size for $19.99 (prices vary depending on location).
The look:
All of the steaks look pretty much the same, which showcases the consistency of the Texas Roadhouse kitchen. They all have beautiful grill marks with deeply charred and caramelized meat. In fact, Texas Roadhouse will show you how to make perfect grill marks on steak if you need a refresher.
The taste:
The strip was cooked perfectly, a beautiful medium rare throughout. It had a beefiness that the other steaks did not have and was perfectly salted. It was, however, chewier than the other cuts and had an almost shredded texture. While this cut of beef is meant to have more chew it had a bit too much.
We didn't love this steak and while tasty it was our least favorite of the four. If you're a strip person, maybe take the time to choose the most marbled cut from the display case. The more marbled it is, the better.
Dallas Filet
Everyone knows the filet mignon, and this is considered by many chefs to be the most-overrated cut of steak because while lean, it doesn't have a lot of beefy flavor. Again, the grade and type of steak can impact this immensely. Texas Roadhouse offers its Dallas Filet in 6-ounce and 8-ounce portions. We paid $26.99 for the 8-ounce filet.
The look:
The filet didn't look perfectly round and seemed to be a slightly inferior cut the way it was shaped. Also, we immediately knew that it was undercooked by the squishiness. We sent it back for a bit more fire.
The taste:
When the filet returned it was still a bit undercooked, but we decided to dive in anyway. The meat of the filet was very smooth in texture and that was the best part about it. Otherwise, it lacked the flavor of the other cuts. Having the steak cuts side by side really showcased the lack of flavor in the filet, and while was superbly tender, I found myself gravitating towards the other cuts, most surprisingly the next one.
Sirloin
Steakhouse chains tend to make steaks available in a singular size or two if you're lucky, Texas Roadhouse offers its sirloin, the least expensive steak on the menu, in four different sizes: 6-ounce, 8-ounce, 11-ounce, and 16-ounce portions. We paid $14.49 for the 6-ounce portion.
The look:
The 6-ounce sirloin was a tight little steak, that was relatively thick and it was trimmed of any extra fat. It looked and felt perfectly cooked. Again, it had great char and lovely-looking caramelized bits.
The taste:
This steak was definitely the sleeper of the bunch. In fact, I've never had a sirloin that was more tender than this one. Texas Roadhouse definitely takes this steak seriously, and since it is one of the most ordered on the menu, being the most affordable, that's a smart decision. While we were split on the taste of the filet, everyone loved the sirloin. This steak was perfect, tender but not too soft, seasoned all the way through, and it had absolutely no gristle. Melty fat was the only thing that separated it from the best-tasting steak. But this steak would be perfect for someone watching their fat intake.
Ft. Worth Ribeye
Ribeye is one of the most popular steaks with steak lovers and chefs because it is usually well marbled with fat, and that fat moistens the meat when it renders out. Texas Roadhouse has the Ft. Worth Ribeye and a Bone-In Ribeye, and the only difference is one has the bone, which can add a bit of flavor. The Ft. Worth Ribeye is served in 12-ounce, 14-ounce, and 16-ounce portions. We ordered the 12-ounce Ft. Worth Ribeye for $22.99.
The look:
This steak looked, again, perfectly cooked with bits of glistening fat at the corners and great grill marks and charred areas. It also looked more substantial than the other cuts. The 12-ounce Ft. Worth Ribeye is one of the most popular cuts at the restaurant, according to our server, so naturally, the chain takes this cut seriously.
The taste:
The care put into this steak showed in the flavor. The bites that had less fat were meaty and pleasantly chewy but still tender. The little bits of rendered fat melted away in my mouth and tasted almost sinful. One taster noted that this relatively thin steak was cooked a perfect medium rare, which is very hard to do while still getting a pleasing char on the outside. While there was a bit of gristle to the steak, the lean bits won out and it didn't affect the overall flavor.
If you are going to indulge in the larger of these ribeyes, I would suggest trading up to the bone-in ribeye because you will get more flavor.
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