Best Steaks in Utah

BEST STEAKS IN UTAH
- revised 30 May 2018

Check out our OTHER FOOD REVIEWS at TasterTestersClub.BlogSpot.com, including Best Cheesesteaks in Utah and Best Steak Sandwiches in Utah (on the same site).

We rate places with choice-grade beef (less expensive than prime grade steak places that charge over $50 per steak.)


Note 2: At the end of this analysis is a list of steak houses that includes other items we have graded at each restaurant.

Ribeye.  
Best for under $30 - we tested these side by side
1. Oregano, Provo, with fresh rosemary and sage butter A-
2. Ruby River, Utah chain. Ribeye is one of only two good steaks we found there, and we tried them all; prime rib is the other),
3. Wild Mustang, Orem NOW OUT OF BUSINESS
4. Claimjumper, Heber. Also try their Delmonico (see below)
5. Outback, national chain - their bone-in ribeye is decent.
6. Magleby's, Springville.
7. CJ's, Salt Lake City NOW OUT OF BUSINESS
8. Goodwood BBQ, Utah chain. (their garlic-pepper rub makes a huge difference), They also have Delmonico - see below.
9. Texas Roadhouse, national chain. Their bone-in ribeye is better than regular ribeye.
IN 2014, SERVED ONLY OCCASIONALLY, POSSIBLY NOT AT ALL NOW:
Black Sheep, Provo. Uses chimichurri butter on top.

Delmonico (both of these are better than above)
Note: The steak by this name is cooked differently around the country. In Utah it is a roasted prime rib finished off on the grill.
a. Claimjumpers
b. Goodwood
c. Christophers

Prime Rib:  
1. OUT OF BUSINESS: CJ's Bakery and Restaurant, SLC. Less expensive than Ruby River.
2.  Ruby River, Utah chain

Tenderloin (fillet mignon).   
1.  Outback, national chain. They do a better job with tenderloin than their other cuts, but their bone-in ribeye is also good. .

Over-rated places:  
a. Christophers, SLC and Draper.  for prime, 21-day aged beef, it tastes a grade lower and is not prepared all that well, in our opinion.
b. Texas Roadhouse.  Some nice things there, for sure, but just isn't in the same league as the top-rated places above.  

c. The chains like TGI Fridays, Applebys and Chiles are all disappointing, but the cooking sauces they put on them, especially at the latter two, are creative and decent. 

IMPORTANT NOTES:
First things first.  There are 15 grades of beef.  Three are available at restaurants of varying quality: Prime (at the expensive places like The Roof, downtown), Choice (at moderately expensive places like Ruby River and Outback), and Select (at the cheaper places like Denny's and IHOP).

We tested at every restaurant in Utah Valley we could find that serves steaks, and a few in Salt Lake Valley. Most, of course, we did not bother to list. They didn't cut it.

Tip:  When eating out, if you like both New York Strip and Tenderloin, it's usually just a couple dollars more to get them both in the form of a Porterhouse Steak (the first 4 ribs of a T-Bone section).  One side of the bone is the New York Strip, the other side is the Tenderloin.

Little known fact:  For decades, starting n the 1950's, sirloin was marketed as the great cut to get, and everyone got it, but it's really only the best of the cheap cuts like round and flank.  For  years we were on the ribeye bandwagon, as it was like the steak world's best kept secret -- and was much cheaper than sirloin!  (Now it's a whopping double the price of sirloin oftentimes, which it should be, comparing quality of beef cut.) Tri-tip is used at some top places (like Communal, Provo), but lacks the fat marbling that gives steak its flavor. Tri-tip still makes good sandwiches. (See Best Steak Sandwiches in Utah on our site: tastetestersclub.blogspot.com.)

Best cuts of steak:

Ribeye and Porterhouse are our favorites. (Tenderloin, though wonderfully tender, lacks some of the flavor we like, but we suggest you just get a Porterhouse - that way you get the Tenderloin and the New York Strip.)

Occasionally you'll see Delmonico.  It's really a fattier, bigger piece of steak, and we've had good and bad experiences with it, so we won't list it.

If you want the best, go for prime, aged beef (but not all places that serve even prime AND aged are the best.)

Historical Note (for you nostalgia buffs): Best steak place we've tried in Utah, counting prime-grade beef, was Hamilton's in Logan, which went out of business in 2012.

STEAK HOUSES and their menu items we have tested (restaurants in alphabetical order)

Texas Roadhouse, national chain
1. roast chicken (top 3 in state with Famous Daves and Wild Mustang) A-
2. BBQ roast chicken C-
3. sirloin steak C
4. steak kabob C
5. ribs C+
6. pork chop C+
7. grilled chicken C
8. corn kernals C
9. green beans C-
10. seasoned rice B
11. burger: bacon and cheese B-/B
12. smokehouse burger (with BBQ sauce, bacon, and cheese) B/B+
13. country fried sirloin (tender, and good batter) A-
14. white gravy (but better gravy is found at Cafe 300 and Great Steak, both in Provo) B++
15. prime rib (smoky) B
16. catfish (fish too think, breading is OK) C+/B- -
17. green beans (best in Utah, with pork and bacon seasoning) A
18. peach daqurie drink A-
19. bone-in ribeye: meat by the bone B+, lean inside B-, edges with fat C/B+
here 

Oregano, Provo
2016:
a. ribeye, with fresh rosemary and sage butter A-
b. bread with green herb sauce A

Outback
a. #1 crabcake in Utah (seasonal) (A -)
b. tenderloin steak (B+)
c. soup - chicken tortilla - hot B-/B
d. soup - potato cheese B-
e. seasoned rice B-
f. mashed potatoes with garlic C
g. baby back ribs (slightly dry inside) B+
h. grilled chicken breast C-
i. garlic mash B-
j bone-in ribeye (beside bone A-, outer part with fat B+, lean part C) overall B/B+
k. Delmonico steak (strongly herbed, a drawback) B/B+
l. baked potato C
m. sweet potato A-

Ruby River Steakhouse, Utah chain
a. one of best steaks under $30: Ribeye (great seasoning)
b. #7 best mashed potatoes (cheesy)
c. among best affordable prime rib in state (under $30): B+
d. bacon cheese burger (bun B, meat B-/B, american cheese C, bacon that is chewy but with good flavor B-, tomato, leaf lettuce, Ruby sauce - yellow orange mayo B+) total: B-/B
e. onion strips B+
f. roast 1/2 chicken with bbq sauce B-
g. baked potato B+
h. sweet potato B
i. parmesean tomato D
j. garlic mash B+
k. white gravy B-
l. mash and gravy B+/A-
l. pork tenderloin (alone B, with bacon B/B+, plus with mash B++)
m. ribeye (great seasoning), grades: with fat B+, lean B- - , with au jus B, outside A-
(No bone-in option is presented at Ruby River.) Overall: B/B+
n. French bread B+

Claim Jumper, Heber
a. baked potato B
b. best Delmonico steak (in Utah it is defined as prime rib finished off on the grill); (tender parts A, tough parts B+) total A-
c. ribeye, boneless C+ to A- (portions near bone) to C+/B- (tough inner parts), to B (outer portion) 
d. baked potato B

Christopher's, SLC
a. lobster corn dogs (tempura batter and frozen lobster meat)
grade B
b. Delmonico steak (theirs was like choice grade sirloin but with much grizzle and not at all tender, cooked stove top) B-
c. creamy mashed potato (garlicy, as perhaps half are, but they aren't in the same league as this one - excellent) A
d. creamed corn B