OT - best steakhouse in FW?

[BigPurple87]

I’ve concluded that the majority of people are just purely ignorant when it comes to knowing the difference between a good steak and an average one.

Capital Grille excels at creating an upscale atmosphere, providing decent service, and making its customers feel as if they’re experiencing an upscale dining experience. Their appetizers, sides, drinks and deserts are on par with other upscale dining establishments. Accomplish all of this and you’ve already convinced the majority of your customers that you’re a phenomenal restaurant.

The unfortunate reality is that their steaks simply aren’t very good. And I’ve eaten there more than a handful of times, always desperately hoping that every previous experience was a fluke, and that they’ll finally live up to the hype. Never. Every time the steak has been insultingly bad.

Don’t get me wrong, everything else about the experience was good. But their steaks are complete garbage. Filets have always been flavorless and poorly cooked. Ribeye (I’ve ordered twice) was tough, chewy, and lacking of flavor. The “dry aged” strip, which I’ve ordered numerous times has always been bleh. And I love a good dry aged steak. I love the richer, beefier flavor, and the more tender and buttery texture of a well dry aged steak. I’m convinced Capital doesn’t actually dry age. Haven’t tasted even a hint of the distinguishing characteristics of a dry aged steak any time I’ve ordered it at Capital. Just so bland and boring every time. They also coincidentally are big proponents of adding one of their sauces to your steak. Makes sense why.

Anyway. It really pisses me off that Capital is the #1 ranked steakhouse on trip advisor for Fort Worth. Complete scam. If you actually care about the quality of your steak, strongly advise avoiding.

Who crowned you steak judge and jury

 

[Paint It Purple]

Perini Ranch. Many many many times and almost always on the corporate dime (but not in the last 15 years or so). It was very good but not in the same elite league with some of the steak houses mentioned on here. I think that some of the allure is in the location and ambience. Same with the old Lowake Steakhouse.

Lowake! Now you’ve done gone and started a Chicken-Fried steak thread.

 

[Land Frog]

Lowake! Now you’ve done gone and started a Chicken-Fried steak thread.

Mary's Cafe in Strawn.

 

[stbrab]

Bob’s and Del Friscos for me. In fact, dined at Bob’s last Friday. It was excellent.

 

[frogs9497]

And since I’ve gone on a steakhouse rant, I figured I’d share my favorite steakhouse experience I’ve ever had:

Hall’s Chophouse in Charleston, SC. All around incredible experience, but the steak was simply on another level.

Will be back Charleston next month for a wedding and can’t wait to go back.

You missed an opportunity to use the phrase “next level.”

 

[Pharm Frog]

Lowake! Now you’ve done gone and started a Chicken-Fried steak thread.

I do enjoy me some Lowake chicken-fried steak. They used to do a pretty good Cowboy cut but it’s been 20+ years since I’ve had a true steak at Lowake.

 

[LeagueCityFrog]

Houston is a solid 4th or 5th in US, IMO, which is very good. Best thing about Houston restaurants is the very large variety of international cuisine.

Who you got for food cities 1,2, and 3?

 

[Frog-in-law1995]

Who you got for food cities 1,2, and 3?

In the US, I’d go with NYC, Vegas and San Fran/Napa/Yountville. DC is also good if you include northern virginia. My family in Oregon swear by Portland (and to a lesser extent, Seattle), both of which I’ll be checking out later this year. My personal favorites are Santa Fe and New Orleans, though both are slipping, and kinda fast.

Now cue TCUownstheBig12 to discuss Chicago.

 

[LeagueCityFrog]

In the US, I’d go with NYC, Vegas and San Fran/Napa/Yountville. DC is also good if you include northern virginia. My family in Oregon swear by Portland (and to a lesser extent, Seattle), both of which I’ll be checking out later this year. My personal favorites are Santa Fe and New Orleans, though both are slipping, and kinda fast.

Now cue TCUownstheBig12 to discuss Chicago.

When was the last time you ate in Houston? And where did you eat?

All three cities you mentioned I have been and are good. I haven't done DC for food, maybe next Spring. H-Town has the delicate food places like those cities you mentioned plus Mexican, plus fresh Gulf Seafood, plus steaks from steers that were killed across the street from the restaurant like fresh.

 

[Peacefrog]

In the US, I’d go with NYC, Vegas and San Fran/Napa/Yountville. DC is also good if you include northern virginia. My family in Oregon swear by Portland (and to a lesser extent, Seattle), both of which I’ll be checking out later this year. My personal favorites are Santa Fe and New Orleans, though both are slipping, and kinda fast.

Now cue TCUownstheBig12 to discuss Chicago.

Yountville May be the best collection of outstanding restaurants in the smallest area anywhere.

 

[Frog-in-law1995]

When was the last time you ate in Houston? And where did you eat?

All three cities you mentioned I have been and are good. I haven't done DC for food, maybe next Spring. H-Town has the delicate food places like those cities you mentioned plus Mexican, plus fresh Gulf Seafood, plus steaks from steers that were killed across the street from the restaurant like fresh.

A few months ago. Had a deli sandwich near the courthouse, stopped at Chipotle for dinner that night on the walk back to my hotel and had lunch the next day at some Lebanese place across the street from my hotel. All were good.

Houston may be great, I just don’t think of it as a food destination. It’s too familiar to be “exotic,” I guess.

 

[Frog-in-law1995]

Yountville May be the best collection of outstanding restaurants in the smallest area anywhere.

Tough to beat the Vegas strip in that regard, but yeah.

 

[mcdaddy]

Well great...that's the only one I know down here. I bet there's less than a handful of Grandy's west of 360 now.

NE corner of I-35W and Seminary.

 

[LeagueCityFrog]

A few months ago. Had a deli sandwich near the courthouse, stopped at Chipotle for dinner that night on the walk back to my hotel and had lunch the next day at some Lebanese place across the street from my hotel. All were good.

Houston may be great, I just don’t think of it as a food destination. It’s too familiar to be “exotic,” I guess.

Okay. Chipolte is good. Just re putting Houston on your radar. Welcome some feedback next time you visit.

 

[YA]

Tough to beat the Vegas strip in that regard, but yeah.

The thing about Vegas that kills me is you could be eating at some of the best places and some overweight, flip flop wearing, drinking a mega size alcohol drink with a STRAW is walking by eyeing you eat. While outside the other window is some person handing out coupons or strip club date cards for the night.

 

[Frog-in-law1995]

The thing about Vegas that kills me is you could be eating at some of the best places and some overweight, flip flop wearing, drinking a mega size alcohol drink with a STRAW is walking by eyeing you eat. While outside the other window is some person handing out coupons or strip club date cards for the night.

Well, I don’t gamble much, so I gotta have something to do when I’m not the one in there eating.

 

[TCUdirtbag]

Mary's Cafe in Strawn.

Gross. Highly overrated is an understatement. Unless you like a chewy, soggy piece of subpar meat.

If you’re going to drive west for a chicken fried steak, drive past that dump til you get to The Beehive in Albany.

 

[BABYFACE]

The thing about Vegas that kills me is you could be eating at some of the best places and some overweight, flip flop wearing, drinking a mega size alcohol drink with a STRAW is walking by eyeing you eat. While outside the other window is some person handing out coupons or strip club date cards for the night.

Ah, atmosphere.

 

[Frog DJ]

To expand on League City Frog's comments about Houston dining - I'm certainly not a food industry expert, but I do interview a lot of highly regarded chefs, critics and insiders for a radio show I host.

I routinely talk to some of the most respected people in the business, and they all roundly agree that Houston is one of the top restaurant cities in America, and that's not just local people saying that - I talk to people from literally all over the world for this show.

The reasoning is simple: Houston's population is extremely diverse, and by extension - so is its cuisine. If there are enough people from a particular culture in the city then logic dictates at least a couple of those kinds of restaurants are going to be exceptional.

But, as one of my old bosses liked to say, "That's why they make all those different flavors of ice cream."

Or another boss used to sign off his show every day with, "Remember, everybody's got a right to their own stupid opinion!"

Go Frogs!

 

[frogs9497]

Tough to beat the Vegas strip in that regard, but yeah.

Best steak I’ve ever had was 10 years ago at Bally’s Steakhouse, of all places. I understand it closed 5 or 6 years ago and Bally’s Casino allowed an outside restaurant to occupy that space.