As a Chef, Here Are 6 Steakhouse Dishes I Order – and 4 I Skip
Walking into a steakhouse shouldn’t feel like navigating a minefield. Yet here we are, staring at menus filled with tempting options that range from absolutely brilliant to frankly disappointing. After years working in professional kitchens and dining at countless steakhouses, I’ve learned which dishes consistently deliver and which ones are better left alone.
Let’s be real, not everything on that leather-bound menu deserves your hard-earned money. Some items are afterthoughts thrown together to pad the selection, while others showcase exactly what these restaurants do best. So let me share the insider knowledge that’ll help you order like a pro next time you’re celebrating something special or just treating yourself to a proper steak dinner.
Bone-In Ribeye: The King I Always Crown
The ribeye is a favorite among steak enthusiasts, featuring fantastic marbling which melts into the steak as it cooks, adding richness and juiciness with a rich, buttery flavor and tender texture. I never skip this one. The generous fat content means every bite practically dissolves on your tongue, delivering that deep, beefy satisfaction you came for. Ribeye steak comes from the rib area of the cow, which is known for being juicy and flavorful, with plenty of marbling that melts when cooked, giving the Ribeye its rich, buttery taste.
What makes this cut foolproof is its forgiving nature. Even if the kitchen slightly overcooks it, all that intramuscular fat keeps things moist and flavorful. The bone adds an extra dimension of taste that boneless versions just can’t match, despite what some people claim.
Dry-Aged Cuts When Available: Worth Every Extra Dollar
Standard steakhouse protocol includes requisite appetizers like shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad, with recommendations for opting for a dry-aged rib-eye and bone-in filet. Dry-aging concentrates the beef’s flavor and creates this almost nutty, funky complexity that regular steaks lack. The process breaks down muscle fibers over weeks, resulting in meat that’s insanely tender with a concentrated beefiness that hits different.
Sure, you’ll pay more for dry-aged beef. The question is whether you want a good steak or a memorable one. When a steakhouse advertises dry-aging, they’re usually serious about their craft, which means the rest of your meal will likely be on point too.
Classic Shrimp Cocktail: Simple and Reliable
I know what you’re thinking – shrimp at a steakhouse? Hear me out. Standard steakhouse protocol for a table of four includes a round of wet martinis and requisite appetizers like shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad. There’s something refreshing about starting with cold, perfectly poached shrimp before diving into a heavy main course.
The key here is that quality steakhouses source premium seafood for their raw bars and cold appetizers. They’re not attempting to cook it in complicated ways where things can go wrong. It’s simply good shrimp, cocktail sauce, and maybe a lemon wedge, which honestly is all you need to whet your appetite without filling up.
Creamed Spinach: The Side That Seals the Deal
This might be controversial, but I’m always ordering creamed spinach when it’s done right. The rich, velvety texture provides the perfect counterpoint to a crusty, charred steak. It’s indulgent comfort food that belongs in this setting. At many chain or corporate steakhouses, creamed spinach often turns into a watery, bland, and overcooked mess, usually held in a steam tray too long, but when done well with a proper cream reduction and a little nutmeg or parmesan it can be fantastic.
The trick is knowing where you are. High-end independent steakhouses usually make this fresh to order, while chains tend to batch-cook and steam-table it into submission. If the restaurant looks serious about their food, this classic side won’t let you down.
Bone Marrow Appetizer: Decadent Luxury
Bone Marrow is served roasted with pickled shallots and toasted sourdough, representing the definition of decadence and melt-in-the-mouth luxury. This starter isn’t for everyone, yet if you appreciate rich flavors, it’s absolutely stunning. You spread the soft, buttery marrow on toasted bread, and the pickled accompaniments cut through the richness beautifully.
It’s one of those dishes that reminds you why humans have been eating animals for millennia. The primal satisfaction of scooping marrow from bone feels both rustic and refined simultaneously. Plus, it shows the kitchen knows how to work with the whole animal, not just the obvious cuts.
Caesar Salad: When You Need Something Green
The iconic steakhouse Caesar salad is traditionally made to order, which means it can’t be prepped ahead of time. A properly executed Caesar with crisp romaine, real Parmigiano-Reggiano, and anchovies in the dressing is a thing of beauty. The problem is many places phone this in with pre-made dressing and bagged lettuce.
Ask your server if they make it tableside or from scratch. If they hesitate or look confused, maybe skip it. When it’s good though, that combination of salty, tangy, and crunchy provides a welcome break from all the protein and fat you’re about to consume.
Skip: Filet Mignon (Usually)
Controversial take incoming. Filet mignon is a cut of meat that you should avoid according to chef Diana Manalang, who stresses that while it is tender and juicy, because it’s so lean, it has no real flavor. Chef Manalang recommends skipping the filet mignon and going for the rib-eye, her favorite cut. The tenderloin lacks the marbling that makes steak taste like, well, steak.
Many steak chefs and experts say filet mignon is overrated, and while it’s true that filet mignon doesn’t have the robust flavor of a rib eye steak, you’ll usually see it wrapped in bacon or paired with gravy or sauce to help provide extra flavor. If you need to drown something in sauce to make it interesting, maybe that tells you something about the star ingredient.
Skip: Any Seafood Entree
Executive chef Jeremy Shigekane advises to never order fish at a steakhouse, believing in sticking to what the restaurant does best. Many steakhouses offer seafood options, but they often don’t hold a candle to what you’d get at a dedicated seafood restaurant because the kitchen’s expertise and equipment are geared towards perfecting steaks, not seafood. Their suppliers specialize in beef, their grill masters know meat, and their whole operation revolves around land animals.
Ordering salmon or sea bass at a steakhouse is like going to a sushi restaurant and ordering a burger. You’re asking them to prepare something outside their wheelhouse. Save the seafood for restaurants that live and breathe it daily.
Skip: Pasta Sides and Mac and Cheese
According to Chef Jeremy Sharpe, pasta is often a misstep when dining at a steakhouse, as dishes made with alfredo sauce pasta or deep-fried macaroni and cheese bites don’t pair well with a high-quality steak, with the rich, creamy textures tending to clash with the savory flavors of the meat. Josh Mouzakes advises avoiding non-steak menu fillers, recommending to stay away from pasta or vegan options they threw on the menu for diversity because steakhouses are designed to grill.
These heavy, cream-laden sides fight with your steak instead of complementing it. You end up feeling stuffed and sluggish rather than satisfied. There are better options that won’t leave you unbuttoning your pants halfway through dinner.
Skip: Daily Specials (Approach with Caution)
Celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay recommend avoiding rotating daily entrees because instead of being an opportunity for the chef to express creativity, daily specials are often a way for the kitchen to use up leftover ingredients from days prior before they go bad. That fish special on Monday? Probably from Thursday’s delivery. The “chef’s creation” might be less inspiration and more refrigerator cleanout.
Another downside of specials is that they sometimes don’t align with the rest of the menu, and if a steakhouse offers a pasta dish as a special, it may not fit the menu’s vibe, leading to a disjointed dining experience. Stick with what they’re known for instead of gambling on something that doesn’t fit their identity. You’re not missing out on anything groundbreaking.
Your steakhouse experience should be about savoring what these restaurants do exceptionally well, not exploring every corner of an overstuffed menu. Order that beautiful ribeye, pair it with thoughtfully chosen sides, and skip the dishes that dilute the experience. What’s your go-to steakhouse order? Does it align with what actually delivers, or have you been falling for the traps?
