A Chef’s Perspective on 6 Steakhouse Dishes to Order and 4 to Avoid

The Medium-Rare Filet Mignon – Your Ultimate Safe Bet

Walking into any reputable steakhouse, I always gravitate toward the filet mignon ordered medium-rare. When you’re paying steakhouse prices, you want that perfect pink center that’s practically impossible to achieve consistently in your home kitchen. The beauty of a well-executed filet mignon lies in its tender texture and subtle beef flavor. This tender cut represents everything a great steakhouse stands for – precision, quality, and technique. This cut doesn’t need fancy sauces or complicated preparations – just a skilled chef who understands temperature control.

Fresh Oysters – The Perfect Palate Awakener

Fresh oysters are my ideal way to start a meal, and many steakhouses – especially those on the coasts – take pride in their daily mollusk offerings. There’s something magical about how these briny gems cleanse your palate before the richness of beef arrives. Their salty burst cleanses your palate before the richness of beef arrives. Not only does a 100 gram serving provide approximately 151% of your daily recommended value of zinc, but you’ll also get 115% of your daily selenium, 489% of your copper dv, and 667% of your daily B12 needs. The contrast between ocean freshness and your upcoming land-based feast creates this beautiful rhythm that gets your taste buds excited for what’s coming next.

Caesar Salad – When Execution Matters Most

Caesar salads – they’re either phenomenal or forgettable, with very little middle ground. If I’m going for a salad at a steakhouse, it has to be a classic. A savory Caesar pairs well with both beef and seafood. If the restaurant is making crispy croutons in the back and using real Parmesan, I’m all in. The tableside Caesar salad preparation adds a touch of theatrical flair to the dining experience. Those little details make all the difference between a meal enhancer and just some lettuce taking up space on your plate.

Classic Shrimp Cocktail – A Test of Excellence

Shrimp cocktail is a go-to because even though it’s so standard, it really gives you insight into the execution and consistency of a restaurant. St. Elmo Steak House dinner menu has become world famous for perfectly aged steaks, fiery shrimp cocktail, and award-winning cocktails. When a steakhouse can nail something as simple as jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, it tells you they understand quality sourcing and proper preparation. The beauty lies in the simplicity – there’s nowhere to hide poor ingredients or sloppy technique when it’s just shrimp, ice, and sauce.

Steakhouse Fries – The Perfect Steak Companion

Truffle, Parmesan, or simple salt and pepper – no matter how the steakhouse fries are seasoned, I want them on my table. Fries often pair nicely with steak and can be dipped in some of the meat’s juices, too. There’s something deeply satisfying about that combination of crispy potato and beef drippings. Think about it – you’ve got this beautiful piece of meat creating these incredible juices on your plate, and then you have these golden fries just waiting to soak them up. That symbiosis between crispy potato and rich beef drippings creates one of those perfect flavor marriages that makes steakhouse dining so special.

Quality Crab Cakes – A Seafood Surprise Winner

A lot of steak houses I’ve been to have impressed me with their crab cakes. I love crab cakes that are golden and crisp on the edges and fluffy and tender inside. In my experience, steakhouses tend to do a good job on the crab-to-filler ratio – I want crab cakes, not breadcrumb cakes. The secret lies in sourcing and technique. Premium steakhouses often maintain the same high standards for their seafood as they do for their beef. They understand that proper crab cakes require restraint – minimal filler, gentle handling, and just enough binding to hold everything together without masking the sweet crab flavor.

Well-Done Steak – The Cardinal Sin

Well-done steak is something you should never order at a steakhouse. Simply put, the more cooking that is done to a steak, even if it’s a top-tier cut of meat from a high-quality steakhouse chain, the more the integrity of the product is going to be hindered or masked. The reason why well-done is not the greatest is because of all the loss of flavor, fat, juice, and the promotion of tough dry texture after it gets cooked to 160 degrees or higher. Because at the end of the day, no amount of béarnaise or lobster tail can mask the inferior texture and flavor of a dried-out slab of meat.

Fish at a Steakhouse – Missing the Point Entirely

Never order fish at a steakhouse, suggests Jeremy Shigekane, executive chef of 100 Sails & Bar at the Prince Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu. If you’re dining at a steakhouse, you’re dining at a place that specializes in steak, with the chefs who work there likely being pros at cooking red meat. Although they’re probably able to rustle up a decent fish dish, there’s a risk of these being somewhat of an afterthought. Think of it like going to a world-renowned violin maker and asking them to fix your guitar – they might be able to do it, but wouldn’t you rather go somewhere that lives and breathes fish preparation?

Loaded Baked Potato – Dry and Disappointing

A steak and loaded baked potato sound like the classic choice, but Kyle Taylor, Founder / Chef at HE COOKS doesn’t recommend it. Most steakhouse baked potatoes end up dry and under seasoned, then they just drown the thing in generic sour cream and that pre-shredded cheese from a bag. The fundamental issue stems from volume cooking and advance preparation. Most steakhouses bake dozens of potatoes hours ahead of service, leaving them sitting under heat lamps where they lose moisture and develop tough skins. What should be fluffy and perfect becomes a starchy disappointment that doesn’t deserve space on your premium-priced plate.

Lobster Mac and Cheese – Economics Don’t Add Up

Another pasta side to stay away from at a steakhouse is lobster mac and cheese. Unless you are in a restaurant that offers some type of lobster dish or is passionate about their seafood program, the lobster meat was brought prefabricated in a sealed bag. Furthermore, because lobster is so expensive, chefs and owners are less likely to throw this item out and will hold on to it longer, potentially past its time of peak deliciousness. The economics don’t make sense for most steakhouses to maintain fresh lobster inventory just for a side dish. What you’re getting is likely frozen, pre-cooked lobster meat that’s been sitting around far longer than you’d want to know about.

Choosing Wisely for the Perfect Steakhouse Experience

The secret to an outstanding steakhouse meal lies in understanding what these restaurants do best and staying within their wheelhouse. America’s best steakhouses are perfect destinations for a memorable meal. Not only are these the types of restaurants that use the best quality ingredients on the market, but they’re places where chefs and servers are well-versed in the art of making recommendations. Smart diners recognize that steakhouses have spent decades perfecting their craft with beef, understanding exactly how heat interacts with different cuts of meat, and building relationships with the best suppliers. When you honor their expertise by ordering what they do best, you’ll walk away with memories worth every penny spent.