11 Best Steakhouses In The U.S., According To Our Readers

TravelAwaits readers know a thing or two about a thing or two. You’ve been around. That’s why we turn to you, dear reader, to vote in our annual Best of Travel Awards to help us determine the best of the best of everything from the friendliest small towns in the U.S. to the best state parks.

This year, we asked meat-lovers for their favorite non-chain steakhouse. The results are in — and mouthwateringly drool-worthy. Get your knives and your wallets out, because most of these places are pretty pricey. Here are the best steakhouses in the United States.

1. The Cedar Room (Winner)

North Platte, Nebraska

Drumroll, please. And the winner of the Best Steakhouse in the U.S. is…The Cedar Room! You can find it downtown “on the bricks” in North Platte, Nebraska, a scenic stop on U.S. Highway 30, also known as the Lincoln Highway. One of Nebraska’s most endearing small towns, North Platte takes pride in its connection to Buffalo Bill Cody and the Union Pacific Railroad.

Enjoy cocktails, calamari, a juicy tender ribeye, and some live music while ensconced by exposed brick walls and tin ceilings. Helmed by Executive Chef Trish Sculley, the kitchen prepares 100% Certified Angus Beef.

2. Cattlemen’s Steakhouse

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TravelAwaits’ 2022 Best of Travel Awards runner-up for best steakhouse is Cattlemen’s Steakhouse in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. No stranger to accolades, this OKC steakhouse has been featured on Man vs. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Nestled within the heart of cattle country, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse can be found in historic Stockyard City, which is home to the world’s largest cattle market.

Opened in 1910, the restaurant switched hands in 1945 when Gene Wade won it in a craps game. Cattlemen’s claims it is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Oklahoma City. What’s the secret to staying open for over a century? There are a few. First, the four-day wet aging process vacuum packs the meat right after it is butchered so it is tenderized by the enzymes from its own juices. Another secret is actually a secret, and that is whatever is included in the restaurant’s steak seasoning. Thirdly, a little au jus ladled over a hot steak fresh off the grill adds flavor and makes it even juicier.

3. Myron’s Prime Steakhouse

New Braunfels, Texas

When you go to Myron’s Prime Steakhouse in New Braunfels, Texas, you’re not just in for a great steak, you’re in for a fine dining experience. Housed in a 1920s movie theater downtown, Myron’s serves handpicked, dry, and wet-aged USDA Prime cuts of beef in an intimate setting. Low lighting, private booths, and an ornately stamped tile ceiling add to the ambiance.

Select from steakhouse classics such as surf and turf and sides like creamed spinach as well as decadent desserts. Perfectly marbled, Myron’s 24-ounce bone-in ribeye is perfectly seasoned before it is perfectly cooked with a dab of butter. The seafood is nothing to sneeze at either — guests rave about the ahi tuna medallions served with a tangy cilantro sauce. Creamy with a kick, the jalapeno mac and cheese is very popular as well.

A second Myron’s outpost was opened in San Antonio in 2011. If you find yourself in the Texas Hill Country, here are some other fantastic restaurants to try in New Braunfels, which was named runner up in our 2022 Best of Travel Awards best small towns to visit in the U.S.

What To Order At Myron’s Prime Steakhouse:

• Bone-In Ribeye
• Jalapeno Mac & Cheese

4. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse

Dallas, Texas

Now on our Best of Travel Awards nominations, we specified “no chain restaurants,” but apparently Pappas Bros. Steakhouse does not come off as part of the Pappas corporation to our readers. Perhaps that is because it only has a few locations: one in Dallas and two in Houston.

Make a reservation and summon the sommelier to help select the perfect pour for your meal. Since this steakhouse is part of the collection of restaurants that includes Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, it has amazing lobster dishes.

Start with an order of the lobster deviled eggs and some of the spicy lobster bisque, if that happens to be the soup du jour. Whatever steak or main you order, be sure to pair it with the phenomenal lobster mac and cheese, which is a sharable-sized side. Finish it off with a slice of warm pecan pie — complete with carmelized pecans and a scoop of ice cream on top!

5. Citizen Kane’s Steakhouse

Kirkwood, Missouri

St. Louis is a rib town, but it has tons of great places to eat. Citizen Kane’s Steakhouse is one such restaurant, and it can be found in a classic turn-of-the-century Victorian home in the suburb of Kirkwood.

Citizen Kane’s Steakhouse has been family-owned and operated by the Kane family since 1993. For nearly 30 years, the steakhouse has been serving up dishes made with the freshest ingredients, including soups, salad dressings, side dishes, and desserts prepared in-house every day. Guests comment on this STL staple’s outstanding food and impeccable service. Not in the mood for steak? Sink your teeth into the huge, juicy pork chop instead.

Unlike fancier steakhouses, at Citizen Kane’s, the valet is complimentary, entrees are served with a signature side and a soup or salad, and you can dress up as much as you’d like. Create a Citizen Kane’s restaurant experience at home by stopping by the butcher shop and gourmet food store!

What To Order At Citizen Kane’s Steakhouse:

• New York Strip Steak
• Chocolate Cake

6. Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

Chicago, Illinois

The Windy City is no stranger to fabulous restaurants. Chicago is a meat and potatoes kinda town, and Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse is the go-to place for great steaks. Since 1989, this legendary Rush Street chophouse has welcomed celebrities, tourists, and locals into an upbeat, comfortable atmosphere. Known for its U.S. Prime Angus beef, fresh fish, classic cocktails, and an extensive wine list, dining here will make you feel like an A-list celebrity.

Local theatre reviewer Mira Temkin recommends “the New York strip steak, masterfully grilled with just the right amount of seasoning, accompanied by a yummy double-baked potato (the size of your head or so it seemed) and sautéed spinach. If you prefer something that swims, try the Faroe Island salmon with salsa verde and paprika.”

For dessert, try the turtle pie or opt for the delicious sky-high carrot cake rich with cream cheese frosting and walnuts.

7. Omaha Prime

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha is known for its steak. Omaha Prime can be found in the historic Old Market, the city’s main entertainment district. Perfect for a special night out, here you can expect white tablecloths, impeccable service, and the USDA Prime steaks and chops for which the restaurant is named.

Start with something to sip on from the extensive wine list that will pair nicely with a bone-in ribeye. Plenty of fish and poultry options are available as well. While you’re in the area, here are some other must-try restaurants in Omaha.

What To Order At Omaha Prime:

• Bone-in Ribeye

8. The District: Seville Steak & Seafood

Pensacola, Florida

Situated across the street from the Seville Quarter Entertainment Complex in Pensacola, The District: Seville Steak & Seafood is in a beautiful two-story building that was built in 1888. Expect upscale quality and service and a relaxing dining experience at this New American steakhouse.

Executive Chef Josh Warner created a delectable menu using only higher grades of meat that are dry-aged onsite in a temperature and humidity-controlled meat locker. Once aged to perfection, the beef is flame-broiled in a 1600-degree oven.

Pro Tip: Walk around when you leave the restaurant so you can see the cuts of meat through the meat locker window.

What To Order At The District: Seville Steak & Seafood:

• District Dry-Aged Steakburger
• Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes

9. Kayne Prime Steakhouse

Nashville, Tennesee

Nashville’s most iconic restaurants serve hot chicken, but Music City has a budding dining scene. Located in the Gulch neighborhood, Kayne Prime Steakhouse is owned and operated by M Street, which is also responsible for Virago (sushi), Moto Cucina + Enoteca (Italian), Whiskey Kitchen (bourbon bar), Saint Añejo (Mexican), and Tavern (gastropub). Each can be found within a few steps of each other, save for Tavern, which is located on Broadway in Midtown.

Kayne Prime Steakhouse is modern. Stark white walls are juxtaposed with red chandeliers. It’s the trendy kind of place where house-made bacon is topped with cotton candy and buttered lobster is topped with popcorn. It’s these kinds of artful interpretations you’ll find on the menu of market-driven fresh, farm-to-table creations.

Fun Fact: This boutique steakhouse is named after the nearby historic Kayne switchyard.

10. St. Elmo Steak House

Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis’s well-known steakhouse, St. Elmo, is a must-visit on any trip to the city. It’s an old-school haunt, complete with large portion sizes, tons of sides, and a world-famous shrimp cocktail appetizer served with a horseradish-y cocktail sauce.

The Signature “Elmo Cola” is cherry and vanilla bean-infused bourbon served with a glass bottle of coke and drunken cherries. On the menu, you’ll notice a choice between tomato juice or navy bean soup to start. Go with the navy bean soup — or better yet — upgrade to the lobster bisque (when available).

Be sure to make reservations — it’s a very popular dining spot. And who knows? Ron Swanson might even be there.

11. Urban Farmer

Portland, Oregon

Located on the eighth-floor atrium of The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland, Urban Farmer has locations in Denver, Philadelphia, and Cleveland, too. Unlike most steakhouses, Urban Farmer puts an emphasis on local, organic, high-quality ingredients sustainably sourced from Northwest farmers, ranchers, fisheries, and foragers, prepared in a simple, straightforward style. In an effort to promote zero waste, the restaurant uses the whole animal, turning what’s leftover from the steak cuts into sausages, bone broth, and stocks.

Even the drink menu is local and sustainable, featuring a 350-bottle wine list, Portland beers, and cocktails concocted with Oregon spirits. On the dinner menu, you’ll find grass-fed Oregon beef as well as pasture-raised, grain-finished beef and corn-fed beef. There are three different New York steaks: one grass-fed from Oregon, one Prime that was corn-fed in Cali, and one dry-aged bone-in from grass-finished in Painted Hills, Oregon. See if you can taste the difference in a side-by-side comparison by ordering the New York Steak Tasting, which comes with 6 ounces of each.

If you visit for brunch, be sure to try the housemade English muffin in a Farm Benedict with braised beef and caramelized onions along with a yummy huckleberry mimosa or Bloody Mary. Guests love the complimentary cornbread that kicks off dinner and the deviled eggs that you can order with the charcuterie board.

Here are some other great restaurants to experience in Portland.

What To Order At Urban Farm:

• Charcuterie With Deviled Eggs
• New York Steak Tasting

Related Reading:

1. 10 Best BBQ Restaurants In The U.S.
2. Our 14 All-Time Favorite Splurge-Worthy Restaurants
3. 11 Best Small Towns To Visit In The U.S.

It’s imperative to feel comfortable and safe while traveling. Medjet provides premier air medical transport, travel security, and crisis response memberships, providing peace of mind for an affordable price.