In a city that resists stereotypical definitions of iconic cuisines, even the notion of a “typical” steakhouse is hard to classify. Especially today.
Houston has long associated fine dining and celebratory restaurant fare with big hunks of beef accompanied by important wine lists and a hefty bill after it’s all said and done. Classic steakhouse temples have been abundant: Brenner’s on the Bayou, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Taste of Texas, Vic & Anthony’s, B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Steak 48, Doris Metropolitan and Matro’s Steakhouse, to name a few.
But lately, the steakhouse format is anything but predictable. It’s a genre that is as freewheeling and open to interpretation as Houston itself. Here are 10 restaurants redefining what a steakhouse can be in Houston right now.
Star Rover
Houston-reared restaurateur Ford Fry (State of Grace, La Lucha, Little Rey) recently transformed his Height’s Tex-Mex, Superica, into a casual, everyday steakhouse inspired by his admiration for Houston’s old Hofbrau chain. And while the décor and menu design might give off old school, West Texas honkytonk vibes, it is a serious immersion into the steak/potato/salad format: giddy nostalgia mixed with contemporary, grown-up sensibilities. The kitschy fun includes “The 76er Challenge”: Patrons who can finish a 76-ounce steak with side dishes in under an hour get it free. For everyone else it’s $250—and enough food to feed a family. 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, starroverhtx.com
Long Weekend
Important steakhouses were never built with children in mind. Not so, Long Weekend. This new “ranch inspired” neighborhood steakhouse in the Heights unabashedly caters to parents with kids. The restaurant features a massive outdoor play area for young’uns, and even a “Lil’ Wranglers” menu. Their socializing parents, meanwhile, can dig into food-fired Prime steaks, chicken-fried Wagyu steak, caviar potatoes, hickory-roasted quail, and pepper-crusted rotisserie chicken. The kid-friendly joint has been mobbed since opening in early March, raising the ire of neighbors complaining about noise and privacy concerns. Talk about long weekends. 2044 E. TC Jester Blvd., Houston, longweekendhtx.com
King Steak
What does a “fresh take” on the classic Texas steakhouse mean? In the case of this modern steakhouse (owned by the restaurateur who gave Houston Mo’s… Place for Steaks), it means a greater emphasis on fresh produce, no seed oils, and an atypically concise menu (at least by traditional steakhouse standards) that directs a lot of love toward greens. Indeed, diners can enjoy vegetable charcuterie and an array of salads in addition to beefy options including Texas strip and hefty Porterhouse. Think of it as a steakhouse with a crystal ball that is seeing a future about more mindful, conscientious dining. 2200 Post Oak Blvd., Ste. 140, Houston, kingsteakhtx.com
Fielding’s Steak
A year after opening, Fielding’s River Oaks launched a major rebranding in January by doubling down on Houston’s unbridled passion for serious (and seriously indulgent) steakhouses. Today, Fielding’s Steak bills itself as a chef-driven, destination steakhouse committed to Prime and dry-aged steaks including rare and premium Wagyu offerings. Given its River Oaks location, it’s a smart move. Bring on the A5 Wagyu toast, the weighty Porterhouse and the hefty bone-in Cowboy Ribeye. And another martini while you’re at it. Yes, it’s that kind of place. 3750 Westheimer Rd., Houston, fieldings.com
Maldo’s Steak & Ocean
A seriously luxe steakhouse with Latin flair? Bring it. Less than a year ago, Maldo’s opened in the North Houston District (Greenpoint area near the intersection of I-45 and Beltway 8), a part of the city not normally known for high-end dining. But the founder is a successful restaurateur whose concepts include Ostioneria Michoacan Seafood & Oyster Bar. The sophisticated chophouse menu features Prime steaks and seafood but with a welcome Mexican and Latin fare touches, including fish and crab tostadas, ceviche and aguachile, and seafood tacos. With serious cocktails, wine, and live entertainment on weekends, Maldo’s is an elite outing in an area of Houston you might least expect. 11025 North Fwy., Houston, maldossteakandocean.com
Latuli
Rare is the steakhouse that serves beef from the owners’ own cattle stock. But Latuli, while not a traditional steakhouse, does just that, carving out a space on its American menu (with healthy Gulf seafood influence) for top-quality beef, including cuts from owner Allison Knight’s family’s Rafter K Ranch in Madison County. Latuli serves a Rafter K Denver Cut Steak (with duck fat fingerling potatoes) as well as a Rafter K Double-Double Burger. Tallow from Rafter K stock is also used for frying. The restaurant’s proprietary beef program sets it apart, including in the vaunted steakhouse landscape. Texas Monthly recently named the posh Memorial restaurant among the 10 Best New Restaurants in Texas. For fans of chef Bryan Caswell, that was a no-brainer. 8900 Gaylord Dr., Houston, latuli.com
Medium Rare
Just as all steakhouses are not created equal, neither are they all necessarily expensive. When Medium Rare (a chain with nine locations) opened in Midtown last year, it was a welcome newcomer in the Houston steakhouse terrain: the everyman’s steakhouse. By that we mean affordable, and a cut above other national chains offering budget-conscious steak-n-potatoes dinners. For $33, Medium Rare offers a dinner of really good rustic bread, a simple green salad, and sliced steak (generously blanketed with a secret sauce), and addictive fries. A second serving of steak and fries is on the house. The beef is a culotte cut (rom the top sirloin) and it hits the spot. At brunch you can pair that same steak with bottomless mimosas and call it a weekend. 201 Louisiana St. Ste. 110, Houston, mediumrarerestaurant.com
Charolais
Chef Austin Simmons made the Woodlands destination dining with his upscale but now closed Tris. For his next move, he’s fronting a steakhouse serving beef from a “genetics-driven cattle program.” That restaurant, Charolais, is named for a cattle breed known for its high-quality lean meat. Simmons’ “pasture to plate” beef program promises beef derived from a program that focuses on genetics and sustainable animal husbandry. What kind of steakhouse will Charolais be? You’ll have to wait until later this year (no firm date set yet) when it opens at Restaurant Row at Hughes Landing.
