For many diners, steakhouses provide an opportunity to indulge in a meal that most people don’t make at home—even chefs. Whether it’s a bone-in ribeye, a dry-aged steak, or USDA Prime beef, these are specialties that necessitate concerted time, care, and effort, from the sourcing process and the aging to cooking and presentation. And if there’s one steakhouse staple that captures all of this pomp and circumstance, it’s prime rib.
A dish that requires a long cooking and rest time—up to five hours!—it’s no wonder that prime rib, which comes from the large round cut of beef attached to rib bones, typically only shows up on special occasions or around the holidays. This is why, much like a Thanksgiving turkey, it’s far easier to just order it at a restaurant worth its salt, where thick slices of succulent beef have been cooked to perfection by the pros. Of course, not every plate of prime rib is a perfect one, and thanks to its rich marbling and high moisture content, it’s important to prepare it carefully, often roasted bone-in and served in a sauce made from its own juices, aka au jus.
It’s a careful, diligent process that requires a steady hand and an eye for precision. And these are eight steakhouse chains doing it right.
Texas Roadhouse
Nutrition: (Per 12-Oz. Serving)
Calories: 950
Fat: 72 g (Saturated Fat: 31 g, Trans Fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 1,660 mg
Carbs: 3 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 74 g
Texas Roadhouse didn’t become America’s most iconic steakhouse by accident. The massive, ever-expanding brand, regarded as America’s favorite dine-in chain, has its fair share of fans for everything from burgers to fried onion appetizers. And of all its always-fresh steaks, carved by in-house butchers, the prime rib is a prime choice as well. A relative rarity at chains this prolific, it’s slow-roasted, succulent, and tender, and available in 12-, 14-, and 16-ounce portions. Some online commenters call it the best thing on the menu, and a former Texas Roadhouse employee on Reddit says the seasoning is the key to its savorous success.
Lawry’s the Prime Rib
With locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and internationally, Lawry’s The Prime Rib is so proud of its beef that it touts it right there in the name. It’s a time-tested recipe for success, dating back to 1938, when Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp opened the original Lawry’s The Prime Rib opened in Beverly Hills, Calif. Nearly a century in, the restaurant is run by third- and fourth-generations of the Frank and Van de Kamp families, and steakhouses don’t have staying power like that unless the quality is consistent. Indeed, in its Beverly Hills birthplace, Lawry’s still feels like dining in another era, with prime rib carved table-side from silver carts, in five different portions and cuts, along with traditional sides of mashed Idaho potatoes, whipped cream horseradish, and Yorkshire pudding.
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille
A prime rib so good that it’s only available one night a week, Caramelized Prime Rib has become a sought-after specialty at Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille. With locations spanning the country nowadays, the brand got its start as a meat market in Houston in 1979. And ever since Chris Perry opted to add on-site dining tables, the company has maintained a commitment to quality beef. Today, it’s evident in Perry’s popular Caramelized Prime Rib, made with Prime USDA-aged steaks, only available on Thursdays. Roasted over pecan wood, the 16-ounce cuts are crusted and caramelized, then topped with Perry’s Steak Butter and served with Truffle Merlot Demiglace and housemade horseradish cream.
Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse
Arguably the best steakhouse in Illinois, Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse is widely acclaimed— so much so that the restaurant routinely ranks as the highest-grossing restaurant in Chicago, according to Eater. And all those loyal diners aren’t wrong. In addition to supplying beef of such high quality that the restaurant has its own Gibsons Prime Angus standards, sourced from elite suppliers in the upper Midwest, prime rib has become a menu requisite at its three locations in the state. Diners can keep it casual with a prime rib French dip sandwich, or upgrade to a full-blown plate of prime rib, prompting some online reviewers to herald it as “The Prime Rib to end all Prime Ribs.”
Jimmy’s Steer House
Just because it’s a smaller, regional chain doesn’t make it any less laudable. Just look at Jimmy’s Steer House, a homespun Massachusetts fixture, with outposts in Saugus and Arlington, that’s become a New England favorite — especially for its charcoal-broiled Kansas City prime rib. Some of said New Englanders include chefs like Rico DiFonzo of Boston’s Union Oyster House: “They serve prime rib for lunch and dinner seven days a week,” says the chef chef of Boston’s historic Union Oyster House, highlighting the three different portion sizes available, all cooked for at least five hours to bring out its full flavor. “The prime rib is well seasoned and is priced at a good value, and served with fresh baked potato, and salad.”
801 Chophouse
After originating in 1993 in Des Moines, Iowa, 801 Chophouse has gone on to open timeless steakhouses in other steak-loving cities like Omaha, Kansas City, and Denver. And ever since its opening day, through all of its expansions, the company has adhered to its quality commitments, using only USDA Prime beef, a diligent wet- and dry-aging program, and even exclusive cuts, like Japanese Wagyu. The in-house meat program, alone, is an exemplary effort that ensures each cut is of the utmost. This includes prime rib, available in 16 oz. and 24 oz. portions, which some online reviewers have called the “Best Prime Rib Ever!”
Gallaghers Steakhouse
For the better part of a century, Gallaghers Steakhouse has been a meaty mainstay in a city with no shortage of steakhouses, both classic and contemporary. It’s a testament to the enduring legacy, and reliable quality, of the New York City icon, which first began as a speakeasy and has since gone on to open another location in Boca Raton, Fla. Offered at limited availability, the roast prime rib of beef has long been a favorite among customers, including local chef Vincent Fraissange. Describing Gallaghers as a new favorite, the Pheasant chef says if he had to pinpoint one menu item that keeps him coming back, it’s the prime rib. Calling it “perfect in all ways,” he notes that “the difference here to other steakhouses is they cook over charcoal. A real treat!” It’s a sentiment echoed by Eater food critic Ryan Sutton, who exalted Gallaghers as serving one of New York’s best prime ribs.
The Palm
From chops to bone-in ribeye, The Palm is an old-school steakhouse that does a lot of things well. And this includes a prime rib so elite that it’s typically offered as a periodic special, or as part of a holiday prix fixe, eliciting heart-eyed emojis from social media fans. The fact that The Palm is famously dedicated to serving great food and treating guests like family, it’s a specialty cut that only adds to the sense of special occasion dining. For instance, during the holidays, select locations are offering a three-course prime rib dinner “fit for royalty,” featuring starters like ribolitta soup and lobster bisque, a 16-ounce queen-cut prime rib, and desserts like housemade tiramisu or carrot cake.
