Killen’s Steakhouse. Credit: Killen’s Steakhouse
When it comes to meaty morsels, Houstonians are spoiled for choice. Locally owned chains like Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille thrive alongside one-off places such as Taste of Texas. There are chic options like La Table Chateau in the Galleria doing cognac-marinated tomahawk steaks flambéed and carved tableside, and neighborhood favorites like Riel Restaurant that sous-vide and slice up 48-ounce, bone-in rib-eyes served on rustic wooden platters.
For the best prime cuts, however, there’s nothing like a true steakhouse experience, and, for that, you’ll want to visit one of these five exquisite establishments.
Killen’s Steakhouse
For the quintessential Texan steakhouse experience, head 30 minutes south of Houston to the suburb of Pearland. It’s there that you’ll find the elegant, 425-seat flagship stop from James Beard-nominated chef and restaurateur Ronnie Killen.
“We do almost everything from scratch,” Killen says when asked what sets his restaurant apart. His crab cakes, creamed corn and carrot cake are legendary. His meat selection will make your head spin.
In addition to having its own dry-aging room, Killen’s offers wet-aged cuts as well as wagyu from Japan, Australia and Texas. Top-ticket items include his New York strip flight — four ounces each of four types of wagyu — and the Texas-sized 48-ounce, Marble Ranch long, bone-in rib-eye.
The 700-label, 5,000-bottle wine list features selections from around the world, ranging from Napa cult favorite Scarecrow to prestigious Bordeaux Grand Crus like Chateau Petrus.
B&B Butchers & Restaurant. Credit: Fulton Davenport
B&B Butchers & Restaurant
From the upstairs patio overlooking the downtown skyline to the custom Himalayan sea-salt-lined dry-aging room and an onsite butchery where all of the steaks are hand-cut, this local spot is a prime choice when you’re looking for a Houston-only steakhouse experience.
The first restaurant in the city to serve genuine certified Kobe beef from Japan (one of nine in the United States), B&B also carries Texas or Japanese wagyu and 28-day or 55-day dry-aged steaks.
Tables are presided over by white-jacket-and-bowtie-wearing waitstaff, who wheels larger cuts to you in classic carts for tableside carving.
B&B also has a cool shuttle service called Rare Force One, a custom-designed Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van for drop-off and pick-up from venues within the downtown theater district.
Starting in July, the restaurant will also offer its own version of Japanese eatery Wagyumafia’s famous wagyu katsu sando, a panko-crusted, deep-fried A5 Japanese wagyu sirloin on toasted white bread.
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. Credit: Julie Soefer Photography
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
Ask anyone who knows anything about beef in Houston and he’ll undoubtedly mention Pappas Bros. Widely regarded as one of the best steakhouses in the city, this popular place has two locations, one in the Galleria area and another downtown.
The meaty selections here are all USDA Prime and dry-aged in house for 28 days, seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper and butter, and then seared in a Montague broiler for a beautiful brown crust. No matter which cut you choose, you can count on impeccable service and an impressive wine list.
To oversee its award-winning wine program (a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner several years running and a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program in 2018) — an ever-changing list of approximately 3,900 labels and a cellar of 35,000 bottles — Pappas employs a team of certified sommeliers led by master sommelier Jack Mason.
Steak 48. Credit: Steak 48
Steak 48
From the minute this glamorous spot debuted in Houston’s upscale River Oaks District in the summer of 2016, it’s been a magnet for the city’s see-and-be-seen crowd. Founded by Jeffrey and Michael Mastro of Phoenix’s Steak 44, this ritzy restaurant’s specialty is the experience.
In addition to the glittery bar area, the two-story venue features several intimate spaces that flow seamlessly from one area to the next, including a fully exposed kitchen with floor-to-ceiling glass and strategically positioned booths where you can observe the culinary action in real time.
And while the hand-cut USDA Prime, 28-day wet-aged steaks might be the focus, the menu also highlights sumptuously fresh fish and raw selections. The mouthwatering seafood platters, piled high with lobster, shrimp and oysters, are not to be missed.
Mastro’s Steakhouse. Credit: Connie Anderson Photography
Mastro’s Steakhouse
Debuting in December 2018, Landry’s Inc. owner Tilman Fertitta’s Mastro’s Steakhouse, adjacent to his new The Post Oak Hotel, has quickly catapulted to the top of the list of best steakhouses in the city.
The first Mastro’s to open in Texas, this rendition of the upscale chain brings with it a slew of succulent menu items. We’re talking 16 signature cuts of USDA Prime dry-aged meat; creative sushi selections developed by chef Angel Carbajal of Cabo San Lucas’ Nick-san; an array of Houston-only selections, such as Japanese A5 wagyu on the hot stone, garlic-roasted bone marrow, and crispy shrimp and scallop bird nest dumplings; and Mastro’s first whiskey bar.
Oenophiles also have a special place here: Mastro’s master sommelier Keith Goldston is onsite daily to help you navigate through the restaurant’s massive vino list (which it shares with the hotel) — a 20,000-bottle collection spanning 25 countries with vintages dating back to the 1800s.
