This Tiny Steakhouse Chain Manages To Disappoint At Every Location

Nobody's perfect, and that's as true for restaurants as it is for people. Google your favorite restaurant right now and odds are you will find at least one review so negative it makes you wonder if the reviewer visited the same restaurant. Every restaurant gets bad reviews now and then, but something appears to be wrong at Sirloin Stockade, the eight-location steakhouse buffet that is routinely criticized for the same issues across four states.

Sirloin Stockade's website says the chain believes in giving everyone the choice to eat what they want. Its menu consists of various cuts of steak, burgers, seafood, and a buffet with pot roast, fried chicken, and more. We called out Sirloin Stockade in the past one of the worst steakhouses in America based on reviews. On the Yelp page for the Carthage, Missouri, location, the majority of the reviews actually lean positive, though the low ratings are rather condemning. Reviewers accuse the steak of being boiled, cooked to oblivion, or as tough as leather. Other food critiques get into buffet items being cold or bland. Someone even complained of cockroaches. 

The Rolla, Missouri, location has even more negative Yelp reviews and some of these are so descriptive we'll just euphemistically say that a customer complained of severe gastrointestinal distress while still in the restaurant. Both food quality and poor service are frequently criticized, and several reviewers say the restaurant made them sick. This kind of feedback is bad for a single location, but if it's at every location, something is wrong.

So Missouri was bad. Does Texas fare better? Sadly, not really. The best reviewed of the four Texas locations is Del Rio, Texas, with 3.5 stars overall on Yelp. Criticisms of this location focus heavily on food being bland and overcooked. You'll find similar complaints in Taylor, Texas. Reviews of the Paris, Texas, location lament poor food quality, but also sanitation and hygiene practices, with particular attention being drawn to unclean bathrooms. Finally, over in Round Rock, Texas, one TripAdvisor user left a seven paragraph review that culminated in decrying the dessert options as "the absolute worst, most fake, hideous, meal-ruining, and upsetting desserts in all of the state of Texas." Harsh.

Only Oklahoma and Kentucky remain, each with a single Sirloin Stockade location. Sadly, both have more one-star reviews on Yelp than anything else and seem to be full of those buffet red flags you need to avoid. In Oklahoma, users complain of steak that tastes rotten and slimy cucumbers. One Yelp reviewer reported difficulty breathing and noticed a mold-covered vent above their table. They included a photo in their review. A diner at the Kentucky location said they saw an employee dump a tray of new beans on top of old ones that had been sitting on the buffet.

There are positive reviews of Sirloin Stockade to be found. Some locations have primarily four and five star reviews and love the food, selection, and service. That said, the overall ratings are average at best, and negative reviews repeat many of the same fundamental problems. Maybe one day they can save their declining business and turn things around. But for now, If you're looking for steak or a buffet, there are better options.