The Best Steaks in the Austin Area: Our Picks
Steak is one of the Texas essentials, along, of course, with BBQ and Tex Mex. We are blessed with some outstanding steak joints in Austin and we often get emails requesting our take on them. Well as you might have expected, we do have opinions on where the best steaks can be found. So here they are, in order of preference. This is a relatively short list so your favorite might not have made it. Tough but terrific choices!
This is one of those restaurants you’d expect to find in NYC or Chicago. The decor is very appealing, the service is outstanding, the front and back of the house are in sync, and the steaks are drop dead delicious. Chef Adrian is a force to be reckoned with and the out put from the kitchen is nothing short of amazing.
Like most on this list III Forks is pricey.But after a bite of the Durham Ranch Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye you’ll agree that every one of the $190 dollars is well spent. Besides it’s gigantic and can feed three people. The marbling is phenomenal,and it is ridiculously tender and tremendously tasty.
There are other items much farther down the price chain that are equally appealing., The USDA Prime Bone-In Ribeye [$51] is delicious as is the USDA Prime New York Strip [$48]. And when budget is really an issue the steal of the menu is the USDA Prime Flat Iron [$23
It’s unlikely that Bob’s would have ranked this high before the arrival of Partner/Manager Darryl Wittle. But as he did for Fleming’s, Wittle has a way of turning an upscale chain into a place that feels like an owner-operated place. And that can make a huge difference.
Our last dinner at Bob’s was a blast. We tried three steaks between us and each was unique in its own right. The Prime “Cote de Bouef” Ribeye at 22oz [$59] was as flavorful as any steak on this list. Cooked to medium-rare plus it was absolute carnivore’s bliss. We also tried the 22 oz Prime Bone-In Kansas City Strip. This was another steak with a wonderful taste profile and seared delight oozing out of each bite [$59]. Finally, the Prime T-Bone was another excellent choice. Normally I prefer the loin on a T-Bone but every inch of this baby reverberated with taste.
Big plus for Bob’s: each steak is served with complimentary glazed carrots and a baked potato or scalloped potatoes.
This Austin version of the Houston chain has long been one of my favorites. We love their 12 oz Filet Mignon [$48] and the 14 oz. Bone-In Filet Mignon [$60]. Both are very tender and beautifully cooked: I suggest medium-rare plus. The Prime Bone-In Cowboy Ribeye [$54] is another really nice and is probably my favorite.
They also make a killer Bernaise sauce that I recommend.
Now I know we’re talking about steaks here but I would be remiss were I not to mention their amazing 32 oz.Pork Chop that is cured, roasted, slow-smoked and caramelized to add that last layer of flavor. [$38], It is virtually impossible for one person to finish an order as we discovered on our first visit. They also do a special lunch version of the Pork Chop on Fridays and its usually SRO for this event.
At one time Sullivan’s lounge was the coolest place in the Warehouse District. While that may no longer be the case they still serve up some serious steaks.
The steaks are all hand cut and dry aged and there are several that stand out for me. The 14 oz Dry-Aged N Y Strip has long been a favorite [$45]. Add a little Peppercorn sauce to this [complimentary] and you have a terrific dish. Another killer for me is the Dry-Aged Long Bone Ribeye. This 26 oz extravaganza will set you back $60 but it is certainly worth it. I also like to top this Oscar style with some Lump Crabmeat, Asparagus, and Bernaise sauce. The restaurant has recently been given a new look and I for one find it very appealing: a place for grownups.
ALC Steaks/Austin Land and Cattle
I have always enjoyed this place, first because it’s owner-operated and secondly because they serve damn good steaks. But first, you must try the famous Sweet Potato Clam Chowder. This soup is amazing and it is a requisite for us before we start chowing down on the steaks.
Austin Land and Cattle is a little easier on the wallet than the downtown places as well. The 22 oz. Bone-In Ribeye comes in at $42 and is a fine and well marbled cut. I love the 28 oz, T-Bone which is priced at $44 and it is a slam dunk for taste and marvelous texture. Also try the Porterhouse [$48] which is 30 oz. of goodness topped by the Roasted Garlic sauce. The sauce is a perfect complement.
The first time I opened their web page and saw some grainy footage of several naked women splashing in a bathtub i thought they might have been cybersquatted by a porn site.
But no. That was their page and it was designed by Justine. Love their sense of humor. Love their Steak and Frittes [[$24] even more. This is typical of what you might get in a small suburb of Paris or even in a train station restaurant in the city of lights. And the dish is authentically French and absolutely marvelous. I’ve had it at least threee times and still love it.
I have to hand it to Larry and Guy. After the sale of Eddie V’s to Darden a few years back, I feared for this fine restaurant’s future. And while it may not be 100% of its former self, it’s at least 90% and that’s good enough for me.
The steaks have always been great there. Indeed, back in a time of lower prices, I had my first Tomahawk steak there. It was excellent.
Like ALC Steaks’ Clam Chowder, Eddie V’s has a Corn and Crab Chowder that is an absolute must before the steaks are tried.
My favorite steak has been and remains the 22 oz USDA Prime Bone-In Ribeye at $50. The flavor of this ranks right up there with the other contenders but this steak has a first bite flavor rush that is out of this world!! Valet parking is still cheap and swift and there'[s always the bar scene which still rocks.
When it comes to Steakhouses with near perfect views. Steiner Ranch off Highway 620 near Lakeway is the one. You can see Lake Travis along with gorgeous views of the Hill Country.
This is another place where you must start with a bowl of the She Crab Soup, a low country specialty. Absolutely spot on!! Wonderful lump crab meat. They also have a great bar that actually houses people who look like they’re having fun,
Then try the the two steaks that light my fire. The first is the 22 oz Cowboy Ribeye. This is literally exploding with flavor. Juicy, texturally perfect, and not a piece of grizzle anywhere to be found.
I also love the 14 oz Pepper Steak. We first fell in love with Steak au Poive in France but Steiner Ranch holds its own on this version. The green peppercorn brandy sauce topped with a Feta crown lifts the flavors right over the top.
This cozy little spot on Manor is capable of turning out mind blowing steaks.They don’t have a lot but what they have in their nightly Supper Club menus can be absolutely riveting.
The 20 oz Wagyu [$74] is a feast, literally, for the senses. The flavor of this cut that has been aged for 35 days is drop dead amazing. So you like tender? You can cut it with a fork. And as Barbra would say, “it’s like buttah.”
The other choice is the Grilled Beef Rib with cortido, queso cortija, fresh chilies and sweet potato mole honey. This melange of flavors is mind boggling and it all perfectly works, Of course you could say that for most things about Dai Due.
