12 Chain Restaurant Filet Mignon Steaks, Ranked Worst To Best

When it comes to steak cuts, filet mignon sounds like one of the fancier options, especially with its French name. Known for its lean and tender quality, filet mignon is often pricier than other cuts due to limited quantities. Though this cut may also be sourced from lamb or pig, restaurants typically mean beef unless otherwise noted on the menu. It's sourced from the tip of the tenderloin, which results in only a few filets per cow. Hence the higher price tag. Given its scarcity, you might be wondering how so many steakhouses can offer such a delicacy. Fair question. Is it really worth the hype?

Filet mignon is not a big cut of meat — mignon means small, and it's usually offered in 6 or 8 ounces. It's perfectly round and usually a couple of inches thick. It's a coveted piece of meat, because although it's incredibly lean, when cooked correctly, it's also incredibly tender, to the point of being able to cut it with a fork and melt in your mouth like a light, beefy piece of butter. It's best cooked quickly and enjoyed medium rare to rare. This slightly less flavorful cut is frequently served with sauces, toppings, or other ingredients to enhance presentation and taste.

We set out to find which chain restaurant makes the best filet mignon, drawing on customer reviews and other sources to help determine this ranking. Details on the methodology follow below. 

Outback Steakhouse is a solid restaurant choice when you want a porterhouse, but the steak you should definitely skip is the filet mignon. Reviews across the country were overwhelmingly dissatisfied with the filet, easily placing Outback at the bottom of our list. 

From Arizona to New Mexico to Florida, customers were very unhappy with their meal. Though some patrons noted an excellent filet experience, others felt it was just okay and not worth ordering. But a surprising number of restaurant-goers compared the filet mignon to a thin, flat, overcooked burger. Many questioned whether or not they even received a filet at all, questioning whether it was sirloin instead.

Outback Steakhouse serves Victoria's filet mignon in 6 and 8 ounces, with your choice of two sides or as a surf-and-turf option with lobster. It's worth noting, given multiple comments regarding a questionable filet, that Outback also offers diners a 6- and 8-ounce center-cut sirloin. Might the chefs at multiple locations have made an error or two? Perhaps, but restaurant-goers complained about tough, dry meat that was either overdone or cold, like it had been sitting out for a while. Others indicated their filet was actually full of fat and just terrible. Regardless, if you want a fancy filet, we suggest you go elsewhere. Otherwise, try the porterhouse instead, where you'll get both the strip and filet with a generous portion that's worth your money.

One of my favorite chain restaurants to grab a ribeye, Texas Roadhouse also offers the Dallas filet, available in 6- and 8-ounce portions. In addition to the Dallas filet, Texas Roadhouse serves three 3-ounce filet medallions topped with either peppercorn or mushroom sauce, a surf-and-turf combo with a 6-ounce filet and shrimp, as well as a meaty combo of filet and slow-cooked BBQ ribs.

We previously ranked the Dallas filet as the restaurant's second-best steak cut to order, right after the ribeye. But compared to the other chains on our list, Texas Roadhouse has disappointed customers across the country. 
However, unlike Outback, Texas Roadhouse received more positive comments, which bumps it up the list a notch. At some locations, customers were thrilled with their filet, but others found it to be chewy, flavorless, and dry. And at least one dog was the lucky recipient of a disappointing filet. Maybe just order the ribeye.

Black Angus Steakhouse is a popular steakhouse chain that serves a 6- and 8-ounce center-cut filet mignon with the option to top it with mushrooms and bleu cheese or various other toppings. Restaurant-goers can also order their filet alongside shrimp or lobster. This chain lands near the bottom of our list because reviews were all over the place, from subpar, disappointing, and mediocre to average and just okay to fabulous, delicious, and amazing. This inconsistency might mean you're rolling the dice when ordering filet mignon from Black Angus.

Similar to Outback and Texas Roadhouse, some patrons questioned whether what they received was actually a filet because it was unusually thin, smaller than advertised, or of poor quality. Customers who had less-than-optimal filet mignon found it tough, gristly, and dry. Conversely, satisfied restaurant-goers said their filets were delicious and cut like butter.

We were surprised to discover that LongHorn Steakhouse didn't compare as well to the other chains and thus earns a lower spot on our list. Our ranking of five LongHorn's signature steaks declared Flo's filet the winner, not just because it was LongHorn's best steak, but because it was a great cut of meat. It may not hold a candle to our top five filet mignons, but other restaurant-goers were not nearly as pleased as we were with the filet. 

While we and other diners experienced a juicy, tender, flavorful filet, some found it to be tough, chewy, dry, and bland. Customers at a few different locations questioned whether they received sirloin instead of filet, since the cut was thin and looked nothing like a filet ought to. The Flo's filet we received didn't resemble the traditional round, plump filet mignon either, but it was still a delicious filet.

Flo's filet is a center cut available in 6 or 9 ounces, seasoned with LongHorn's signature grill seasoning, and seared on a flat top. I did find the filet to be heavily seasoned, which didn't bother me, but other patrons felt their filet was too spicy. Much like Texas Roadhouse, the LongHorn location plays a role in whether you find an amazing or terrible filet mignon.

The Palm Restaurant is full of history and has long been known for serving great food. So how does its filet mignon compare to the rest of our list? Reviews were fairly split down the middle, with customers claiming the filet wasn't as good as expected, leaving them disappointed with their experience. However, other restaurant-goers loved the filet, citing it as delicious, tender, and well worth it. Again, location matters. Customers from New York to Houston said the filet mignon was either terrible with no flavor or absolutely perfect and melt-in-the-mouth tender. 

The Palm offers an 8- and 12-ounce center-cut filet, as well as a Beeman Ranch Akaushi wagyu filet. If you're in the mood for surf-and-turf, you can get the 8-ounce filet with an 8-ounce lobster tail. You also have your choice of sauces or toppings, such as classic Oscar, black truffle butter, brandy peppercorn, or béarnaise. Restaurant-goers recommended the wagyu filet, noting that it's super tender and tasty, while others felt the center-cut was great, citing it as flavorful and juicy. But since there was a wide swing of positive to negative feedback, The Palm lands lower on our list.

One of the few chain restaurants on our list to offer a 14-ounce bone-in filet mignon, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse comes in midway on our list since customers were evenly split on what they thought about the filet. Besides the bone-in version, Fleming's also serves an 8- and 11-ounce filet with the option of adding seafood for a surf-and-turf meal. Quite a few customers felt the filet was impeccable and completely worth it. They reported a filet that was cooked to perfection with melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that produced great flavor. 

Unfortunately, many were also disappointed because they received a tough, chewy, and dry piece of meat. Some customers received an overcooked piece of meat, while others cited a burnt exterior and less-than-stellar interior. Overall, reviews leaned more toward the positive, but this inconsistency wasn't just across multiple locations; it was within the same chain location. Maybe check out the reviews of your local Fleming's before heading out to dinner.

As one of the best restaurants to serve filet mignon in New York City, Smith & Wollensky offers its patrons a variety of options, from a simple signature filet to high-end wagyu filet. Though this restaurant wows quite a few folks who visit, it earns mid placement on this list since, according to customer reviews, the filet might not be the restaurant's best meal. Plenty of restaurant-goers felt their filet mignon was perfect, and masterfully prepared and cooked. They cited tender and juicy meat that cut like butter and was seasoned nicely. Many customers felt it was superb, perfectly aged, flavorful, and worth the price. But not everyone felt that way.

Smith & Wollensky serves filet mignon in various weights from 9 to 18 ounces, with or without rubs or toppings, and as part of a surf-and-turf meal. With choices like a coffee and cocoa rub, brandy peppercorn sauce, and a gorgonzola crust, you'd think you can't go wrong ordering a filet. But for every patron who thought the filet mignon was exquisite and extraordinary, there were those who were flat-out disappointed. Some locations had complaints of sub-par food, overcooked and tough meat, or a cut that didn't resemble a filet with its fatty nature and lack of flavor. 

While the porterhouse from Morton's is really nothing special, the filet mignon is far more impressive. Landing in our top five, Morton's serves an 8- and 12-ounce filet mignon that the majority of restaurant-goers found delightful, outstanding, and fabulous. Customers loved the butterfly cut, citing it took the steak to another level, while many oohed and aahed over the fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat. 

In addition to its signature filets, Morton's also offers a 10-ounce wagyu filet mignon. Seafood lovers can opt for a combo that includes a center-cut filet and lobster tail. Diners can choose from a variety of steak toppings, such as crab, seasoned butters, whipped horseradish cream, and béarnaise sauce. Though the majority of restaurant-goers had positive experiences with their filet mignon meal, other customers weren't quite as happy, and some were just disappointed that Morton's didn't live up to its reputation. A few locations reportedly had problems cooking the filet to the requested temperature, and some customers complained of fatty or gristly meat that was inedible and of poor quality. 

Saltgrass Steak House serves a pretty good restaurant ribeye steak, and it does well with its filet, too. It places high on our list due to so many pleased customers. Plenty of diners raved about their meal, stating the filet had a butter-soft texture that you can slice with a spoon. They loved the deep, flavorful bite that was juicy and perfect.

Unlike some other chains on our list, Saltgrass keeps it simple with its filet selection — depending on the location, you can find a 6- or 9-ounce center-cut filet or bacon-wrapped filet with shrimp on the menu. Seafood lovers can opt for adding a topping of crab, shrimp, or lobster.

All steak cuts come from Angus beef and are seasoned and char-grilled for a flame-kissed taste. Although many patrons mentioned tender, flavorful meat, others were left disappointed with a filet that had no flavor and just fell flat. Some restaurant-goers questioned if they received the right order — the filet didn't look right, in either shape or size. Others got a tough and chewy filet or one that was just okay as a basic piece of meat. Despite that, Saltgrass serves up a filet mignon worthy of the top five.

Ruth's Chris Steak House is a popular place for steak lovers to find a consistently well-done meal. With many steak cuts to choose from, the filet mignon is a home run with most diners, placing this restaurant near the top of our list. A large percentage of restaurant-goers praised Ruth's filet mignon as a fantastic piece of meat. So it's understandable that the filet is its most popular cut of steak. Serving an 8- and 11-ounce filet, as well as a 4-ounce filet with shrimp, Ruth's Chris prides itself on serving USDA Prime beef to keep its quality high. Many customers agreed that the filet was fork-tender, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. If you're visiting Ruth's in the fall, you also have the option of an 8-ounce center-cut filet with crab-stuffed shrimp.

Though the majority of diners said you can't go wrong when ordering the filet, others weren't as sold on the idea, claiming a strange-tasting piece of meat that was low quality and just okay. Served on a sizzling hot plate, steaks arrive super hot, but not all patrons appreciate this signature move from Ruth's Chris. Some felt that's why their filet was overdone, burnt, and not up to par. However, other diners loved the crust and thought it was cooked perfectly. 

The Capital Grille is a high-end steakhouse that buries just about every other steakhouse chain with its winning menu and choice of steaks. It's almost impossible to find anyone saying anything bad about the steaks at Capital Grille and the filet is no different. This restaurant was bumped from the top of our list due to only a few complaints that said it was terrible or just okay. A high percentage of patrons felt the filet was out of this world, exceptional, and truly one of the best steaks they've ever had. It wasn't just that restaurant-goers enjoyed the filet with its tender, flavorful meat; their meal attracted all sorts of strong adjectives like amazing, mind-blowing, dream-worthy, on point, and magnificent.

The Capital Grille has an in-house butcher who hand-carves its steak cuts, so each cut is fresh. Customers raved about the filet's buttery, velvety texture. The restaurant serves a 10-ounce filet that's finished with tallow butter and a popular finishing salt for steak: fleur de sel, which is French for "flower of salt". It also serves a sliced filet mignon with cipollini onions and a mix of wild mushrooms, which is finished with an aged balsamic reduction.

Mastro's Restaurants hit it out of the park with its filet mignon, taking the top spot on our list. The high-end (dress code required) steakhouse offers a 6- and 8-ounce filet mignon or a 12-ounce bone-in filet. Customers raved about their meal, giving the filet the highest praise possible, with descriptors like outstanding, incredible, phenomenal, masterful, and to die for. After scouring hundreds of reviews, we didn't find any negativity beyond a couple of customers who thought it was good but not great. That's a solid track record. 

Restaurant-goers loved their perfectly cooked filet, stating it was delicious with a fantastic sear and tender cut. Many complimented the chef for primo preparation and execution, delivering a showstopping, rich, buttery piece of meat. How can you go wrong when reviews consistently tout a melt-in-your-mouth, super juicy, and delightfully flavorful filet mignon? Filet mignon is clearly worth the price at Mastro's.

With such a large number of steakhouses across the U.S., this is not a full, exhaustive list of those that serve filet mignon. We focused on chains — steakhouses that have multiple locations in the U.S. — and even that resulted in a lengthy list, so it was narrowed down to the most popular chains.

Filet mignon is not my go-to cut of steak, so we relied on thousands of customer reviews across multiple online sites. I disregarded reviews older than a few years and focused more on the most recent restaurant visits. We paid attention to compliment or complaint trends. Customers who praised with words like "phenomenal" or "exceptional" were ranked higher than those who used "good" or "okay." Likewise, we watched for diners complaining about the same thing, indicating a trend rather than just a solo unhappy customer.