The Absolute Best Steakhouse Sirloin Steaks

Some nights are just perfect for a steak, and the good news is you don't have to break the bank to treat yourself. Top sirloin is one of the most economical of steak cuts, and although it has the rightful reputation as being more lean, less marbled, and not as tender as other cuts, it's still entirely possible to turn this into a delicious and affordable meal. However, if you're heading out to a restaurant, you're unlikely to see sirloin on most steakhouse menus.

Why? Simply put, you're probably going to want the pros to cook up something that's top-of-the-line, and generally speaking, sirloin isn't it. That said, there are some restaurants that are serving up a sirloin steak dinner done right, and we wanted to know where customers say you can order sirloin and walk away happy with at least one of the choices you made that day.

In order to make our recommendations, we wanted to get a feel for what customers were saying across the board, and at multiple locations of steakhouse chains, both big and small. In order to make our list, we had to find overwhelmingly positive reviews not only for the tenderness and flavor of the steaks themselves, but for things like side dishes, seasonings, how accurately steaks were cooked, whether or not customers recommended these meals to others, and if they said they would return. Sirloin might be an economical cut, but are some places knocking it out of the park? They are!

We here at Tasting Table were fortunate enough to try and rank 14 different cuts of meat from Texas De Brazil. Coming in at the top of the ranking were the beef picanha, the spicy sirloin, the lamb picanha (which is also a sirloin cut), and the bone-in ribs. That's a pretty outstanding showing for sirloin cuts, which are all lauded as being incredibly tender, brilliantly flavorful, and, in the case of the spicy sirloin, having the right amount of heat. Lamb isn't necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sirloin, but what's being served up here might be the perfect, extra-tender piece of meat to persuade you to give lamb a try more often.

The spicy sirloin has fans who have headed to Reddit in an attempt to get some idea about just what goes into making this simply outstanding dish. When we recommended the best steaks to order at different chain restaurants, we suggested the spicy sirloin for anyone who likes a bit of heat and firmly believes that an outstanding marinade can truly elevate this sometimes tricky-to-get-right cut.

While others agree with our findings that not all the meat options here are created equal, the picanha here is downright delicious. We found customers agreeing with that sentiment across the board, with reviewers from Orlando to Denver giving high praise to all the sirloin options. 

Brasão Brazilian Steakhouse boasts a menu that includes 17 different cuts, including USDA prime meat, and there are a couple of options for sirloin. Our featured image is the fraldinha, which is a bottom sirloin cut that's known for extensive marbling that makes it much more tender than you might expect. It's the kind of cut that doesn't take any extra work to turn into something delicious, with customers saying it's a must-try, tender, flavorful piece of meat. 

The picanha here also gets rave reviews, promising an extra-tender cut thanks to the fat cap on the top sirloin (which is also aged 45 days). This ultra-popular, must-try dish forms the backbone of any good Brazilian steakhouse. It's the kind of thing that gets praised as being what memories are made of. The spicy picanha is a consistently-recommended fan favorite, and while there is a garlic picanha option, the general consensus seems to be that it's the spicy one that has people coming back for more. Tender, tasty, and with perfectly-balanced flavors, it's a total win.

Brasão Brazilian Steakhouse checked off all the boxes we were looking for, including delicious sides, attentive service, and plenty of customers who reported that the sirloin was perfectly-cooked every time. It's the kind of meal that happy customers say is worthy of a special occasion, and they're keeping it in mind for the next time one rolls around.

Sirloin is the most popular cut at Texas Roadhouse. There's a good reason for that, too: We found the general opinion to be that Texas Roadhouse serves up a perfectly serviceable, always on-point, absolutely reliable sirloin steak. 

If you've ever wondered what makes the sirloin steaks here so good, the secret is in the seasoning. When one employee headed to Reddit to share some behind-the-scenes info, the discussion turned to how steaks are made so perfectly. How's it done? Steaks are pulled from near-freezing temps when ordered, seasoned, and seared immediately for that caramelization that fans know and love. (You can order a side of the sirloin seasoning as well, and you'll definitely want to dip your buttery rolls into it. You're welcome!)

There are a few different sizes available, and here's something of a pro tip. Although the menu includes six-, eight-, 11-, and 16-ounce sirloin steaks, fans know that Texas Roadhouse prides itself on hand-cut steaks. Not only does that mean there's a better texture in the final product, but it also means that you can order that sirloin steak in any size. You might want to: Insiders say that's a great way to guarantee your steak is cut when you order it. When one Reddit user posted pictures of their 30-ounce sirloin, a meat cutter weighed in to confirm that yes, there are plates on hand specifically to handle larger cuts of steak. So there you have it!

There are a lot of really outstanding dishes at Fogo De Chão, and no, not all of them are steak or even meat. We're here to talk about sirloin, though, and it's the alcatra that made it onto our list of must-try meats. That's a section of top sirloin, and when our reviewer headed to Fogo De Chão for some seriously enviable research, it was this that was found to be the most tender, perfectly juicy, and sheer, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. That's high praise when a particular meat stands out from a slew of delicious choices, and other sirloin options get some love, too.

The picanha is advertised as ultra-thin, flavorful, and since it's touted as the chain's signature steak, you might expect a lot to go into this. According to customers, that's the truth — so much so, we found some copycat recipes out there from those attempting to get that restaurant taste at home. It's widely recommended by Reddit users who call it a favorite, and advise definitely not skipping this one. 

For anyone who's concerned about getting a tender sirloin, don't overlook the fraldinha. Not only is it cut from the traditionally more marbled bottom sirloin, but Fogo De Chão stresses that the particular way this one is carved capitalizes on the tenderness. Customers agree, with some saying that theirs was so tender that plastic utensils did the job just fine — if utensils are needed at all!

LongHorn Steakhouse, we found, gets pretty consistent praise for the quality of its sirloin steaks. In fact, some say that the combination of the sirloin and sides has become one of those lunches that they've come to count on, while others are shocked at the quality of the steaks, coupled with the affordable price point. 

If you already agree, you know that one of the reasons the sirloin here is so good is because of the signature seasoning, which is called Prairie Dust. It's not just used on the steak, but here's a tip for anyone who might be giving us a bit of a side-eye: It's not unheard of for LongHorn to be a little heavy-handed on the spice, so you might want to just ask for a light dusting.

We here at Tasting Table got some behind-the-scenes information from a former LongHorn Steakhouse employee, and it turns out that if you know what to ask for, you'll find that there's a lot more to love about LongHorn's sirloins than just the standard dish. First, you can absolutely order a Parmesan-crusted sirloin, and you should. Also? Let's revisit that Prairie Dust. If that's the reason you're not a fan of the sirloin here, know you can ask it to be replaced with any other seasoning. Our insider suggested the seven-pepper seasoning. It turns out that in addition to quality and affordability, LongHorn also offers versatility. What more could you want?

In our ranking of the best Brazilian steakhouses in America, Espetus came in the top three. There were a few things that set this place apart, including a dedication to grilling over an open flame and a menu that included both dishes adjusted to cater to most American tastes and traditional dishes less commonly seen stateside. (Think things like chicken hearts.) We're happy to say that plenty of customers note that Espetus's open-flame grilling methods result in some outstanding sirloin dishes, including Brazilian steakhouse favorites like the picanha, fraldinha, and alcatra, the latter of which comes with a red wine sauce.

They're the kind of sirloin dishes that often get mentioned in reviews of customers' favorite items from the steakhouse, and it's true that first-timers might find things a little overwhelming. There are a lot of different options here, but the picanha in particular gets a lot of recommendations as being the thing that shouldn't be skipped.

Reviews hit a lot of the key words here, from juicy to perfectly cooked. Others note that it's the picanha that reigns supreme over all others, and confirm that it's very evident in the flavor that this has been cooked over charcoal. It's the go-to place for special family dinners, and if there's one thing that you might find yourself going back for again and again, it's the picanha.

Sirloin might be overlooked in most U.S. fine dining restaurants, but Brazilian steakhouses turn this cut into something that's proudly touted as the house special. Here's a pro tip for the next time you're at Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse: Don't be afraid to ask for the outside if you prefer that more well-done slice, and if that's not on the skewer that makes its way to your table, ask them to come back with a different skewer so you can get the outside. 

Honestly, though? You might want to go for both exterior and interior slices, because customers praise the sirloin here as being prepared with as much dedication as any other restaurant's signature dish. The crust is perfectly salty, while the interior is medium-rare, juicy, and so very tender.

Others suggest you won't go wrong with the bottom sirloin, either — and don't forget, that's the fraldinha. That, too, gets high praise for hitting the perfect balance of exterior crust and interior tenderness, and when you serve it along with sides that come from a salad bar that's described as being as beautiful as something you'd see in a magazine, you might find that this is a sirloin that redefines what a sirloin can be.

There's a lot going on at Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse, which is serving up skewers including pork sausages and loins, grilled shrimp and salmon, and several kinds of sirloin. The sirloin is so good here that it gets mentioned in the same list of favorites that includes arguably more popular cuts like the filet mignon and the ribeye, while the bottom sirloin is lauded for being incredibly juicy and an option that you definitely shouldn't skip.

The picanha is, of course, a solid win, but there's a spicy option here that's won a ton of fans. The picanha apimentada is made extra-flavorful with the addition of a dry rub, and the combination of the heat, flavor, and tenderness plucked from beneath the generous fat caps all come together to make something that customers report is pretty special, indeed. 

It's the kind of flavor that's unmistakable, and reviews report that not only is it delicious, but that those carving the meats are diligent when it comes to serving up the perfect cut for you. Some customers even note that the spicy picanha was much better than the chain's 24-karat gold steak, and that's the kind of sirloin that all other sirloins wish they could grow up to be.

In order to come up with our recommendations for the best steakhouse sirloins out there, we started by not only finding the chains (small and large) that offered sirloins, but also narrowed them down to the ones that had overall favorable reviews from customers. Then, we looked at reviews (on social media, Reddit, and sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor) specifically referring to the restaurant's sirloins, and there were some specifics we were searching for.

We wanted to see overwhelmingly favorable reviews, of course, but also customers who mentioned things like steaks being perfectly cooked to order, tender, and juicy, and we wanted to see some variety here, too. We gave extra points to places that offer different rubs and marinades, and we also took into account things like the availability of sides. What's a great sirloin without the perfect helping of mashed potatoes, some flavorful veg, and (of course) desserts?