8 Unforgettable Steakhouses In Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City isn't necessarily known as a world capital of steakhouses. Yet, the industry is changing in Utah, and a reputational update might be in order. Last year, Utahn farmers received record prices for beef. Reports from the USDA mention the Beehive State as having great potential to experience growth in cattle processing and sales, with locals looking to get in on that action. Utah's proximity to top producers like Colorado, Idaho, and Montana means that it could soon become integral to the Mountain West's beef supply chain.
For stout cowboys and beef believers alike, the future looks so bright that it could be easy to overlook the past. Although mostly unintentional, the first settlements of Utah were built on the back of livestock grazing and the development of a taste for meat that would follow. Now, Salt Lake City is home to many unforgettable steakhouses, even if it's a low-key type of notoriety.
SLC is home to an outpost of almost every major national steakhouse chain, be it Fleming's Prime Steakhouse or Ruth's Chris, The Capital Grille, or Fogo de Chão. But some of the city's most memorable steakhouse experiences can be found among the fierce thread of independent restaurants that exist here. What makes a steakhouse unforgettable in the first place? The same traits that make any type of restaurant stand out in Grid City: An interesting ambiance, exceptional service, and a careful eye on the quality of beef.
Spencer's for Steaks and Chops
Among the great steakhouses of Salt Lake City, there seem to be two main vibe categories: the steakhouses that appear as if they're not exactly trying to be one at all, and the ones that lean into fine dining chops. Spencer's For Steaks and Chops is firmly of the latter. It's located in the Hilton at Salt Lake City Center, but has an atypical character for a hotel restaurant. The space has a fun play between light and shadow, which brings a sense of soft sophistication to your visit. This is doubled by any reservations made for Spencer's Rare Room, an elegant darkroom space with its own cocktail menu that accompanies the special environment. Given that it's a hotel restaurant, Spencer's is also a memorable place for group and private dinners of various capacities.
The menu at Spencer's For Steaks and Chops is, of course, loaded with both steaks and chops. The beauty is in the variety. Standard cuts like filet mignon, ribeye, New York Strip, and porterhouse are all Prime quality. The Wagyu section included 10-ounce Denver cuts, 14-ounce Kansas City strip steaks, and a 30-ounce tomahawk. As for the chops, you could choose Utah lamb touched by huckleberry gastrique, local elk meat, or a pork tomahawk to sink your teeth into. If you think any of those cuts seem average or forgettable, a little topping of tallow béarnaise or lobster Oscar can do the trick of sticking these firmly in "core memory" territory.
255 S W Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 238-4748
Harbor Seafood & Steak Company
On a grand scale, Harbor Seafood & Steak Company is almost the antithesis of the typical American steakhouse. There's very little pomp, and taken altogether, the restaurant feels like a lived-in and neighborly place. That said, for as simple as it is, the interior does a remarkable job of making you forget you're in the Sugar House district of a completely landlocked state. (Wild what a few nautical stars and paintings of fish skeletons can do.) During the warmer months, a tree-canopy turns the patio into a prodigious al fresco spot for dinner.
Everyone loves a list of accoutrements, but this writer stands by the opinion that the true measure of a steakhouse can also be found in its broader menu. Harbor stands by its surf and turf-focused name with offerings of red crab-stuffed squash blossom, wagyu-filled egg rolls, and Old Bay-steamed clams scattered across the apps page. Alternatively, if you can hold back on jumping in the ocean until your main, you might enjoy a cracking fish and chips or nearly 3 pounds of luxury seafood boil.
The steak menu is slightly more sparse, but intentionally high-caliber choices replace an overabundance of options. The wagyu hanger steak is Mishima Reserve-grade, and Chef Randall Curtis has gone big with a Korean-style short rib to diversify your selection. In addition to the food, the service at Harbor always feels as if you're in a fine dining joint, thanks to knowledgeable and welcoming staff.
E 2302 Parleys Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84109
(801) 466-9827
Ruby River Steakhouse
Local chain Ruby River has several locations around the Salt Lake City area and one location in Nevada. The menus at each are what you'd consider standard American fare, prioritized for family dining and meeting the most palates (and wallets) possible. Take, for example, the 8-ounce top sirloin, which is USDA Choice, aged for 21 days, and still only $20 with a side. (There isn't a single steak over $35 on the menu.) The same menu lines up coconut shrimp next to Parmesan-crusted halibut, garlic pepper ribeye, and Southern fried chicken. As we said, this 100-item, from-scratch menu has food that can please everyone.
Visit any other Ruby River location besides the 700 East spot, and you might wonder what's so unforgettable about this Salt Lake steakhouse. But land at that specific eatery, and you're in for a treat. Ruby River is like eating at a Texas Roadhouse before it hit the big time. Its over-the-top Western kitsch is warm, as is the browning onion — the house dupe of the steakhouse favorite blooming onion.
435 S 700 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 359-3355
Blind Rabbit Kitchen
With Blind Rabbit Kitchen, you might say that the label of steakhouse is being used a little fast and loose, and you would be correct. Blind Rabbit is not a steakhouse proper; it's something more ethereal. White tablecloths are spurned and replaced with minimalist, reclaimed wood pieces. Rather than hiding behind tall, formal kitchen doors, the grills are open and available for all guests to see into. Instead of a rancher or Western aesthetic, plant life is the local point, whether sprouting from the floor or painted onto the walls in a mysterious mural. All the same, Blind Rabbit Kitchen is as much about its beef game as any of the other top players in SLC.
A unique approach inspired by Mexican cooking turns Blind Rabbit into a place you'll want to make some memories at. Each steak is given a friable crust straight from the broiler. The kitchen staff finishes them with a unique cowboy butter that includes enough jalapeño to make your tastebuds feel alive, but not threatened. A pork chop option features pineapple glaze and papaya mint relish, but not all options are some form of reinvention. The prime rib has been described as unbeatable, the bone marrow is consistently rated as a reason to stop by, and the chef's choice steak board gives you access to a shareable portion of house specialties and chef cuts. That's a variety of ordering that buttoned-up steakhouses couldn't dream of providing.
Cocktails are another reason not to let Blind Rabbit Kitchen pass from your mind. Sure, you could indulge in a classic steakhouse cocktail, the Old Fashioned utilizes High West double rye, but when could you pair a roasted rack of lamb ribs with a cocktail featuring squid ink, añejo tequila, and red chili liquor?
1080 E 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
(385) 743-8007
Kimi's Chop & Oyster House
The design of Kimi's Chop & Oyster House sort of feels like someone walked into Blind Rabbit and walked out with an idea of how to similarly emphasize color and space, but in a ritzier way. Massive abstract paintings look down from on high, which floats the wood-paneled ceiling up higher over the blue-grey dining than it really is. The floor is covered in tight, contemporary carpet, topped by lush seating. As if the clean and glamorous lines aren't enough, a glass staircase spirals through the dining room to add a pleasantly soft contrast. Kimi's is airy and fresh, and a place you can really relax into luxe.
And luxe, the menu is. Starting with the freshest oysters on the half shell you'll find between the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Mountains, the menu continues on to feature other seafood delicacies, like Greenland shrimp and blue crab on the Toast Smögen, and pink peppercorn crusted ahi tuna. The steak selections are simple in their finesse, and they include Niman Ranch ribeye, steak au poivre with lyonnaise potatoes, and a filet mignon with port wine demi glace. Specials are a big pull at Kimi's, and often one of the best ways to see what really makes the place memorable. If you're feeling some surf, the cashew-crusted seabass is known to please, but if you need something terrestrial, one need only turn to reviews to see how well received the pork chop is.
4699 Highland Dr, Holladay, UT 84117
(385) 602-3177
Christopher's Prime
For over 30 years, Christopher's Prime has been the place to turn to if you're looking for a memorable steakhouse experience in Salt Lake City. The restaurant's located in the Peery Hotel, a 1910 building that harkens back to the 801's earliest days. If the bistro awnings don't give it away from the outside, a reservation at Christopher's Prime means you've finally arrived at your white table-clothed steakhouse. From steak frites and Kobe medallions to prime sirloins and Delmonicos, Christopher's thrives on using traditional steak preparations and wood fire, and this writer can testify that no steak leaves the kitchen without a firm crust to slice through.
Like all steakhouses worth their seasoning salt, Christopher's Prime has a succinct whiskey menu that makes sense, including approachable tipples like George Dickel and nuanced sips of Whistlepig Rye. The extensive wine list is under the organization of Sonoma Wine Bar, which has stocked it with exceptionally crowd-pleasing vinos. Despite not normally being one for steakhouse sandwiches, it's hard not to recommend Christopher's smash burger, which is an astounding win for budget-friendly food among so many upscale price points. At the end of the day, the thing that imparts a feeling of the unforgettable into Christopher's Prime is the history of consistency and care that's served up on any plate, regardless of if its meat between two buns or the casual savoir vivre of each staff member to touch your table.
110 W Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 890-6616
Hoof & Vine
Without needing all of the bells and whistles of a stuffy, clublike atmosphere, Hoof & Vine has cultivated a restaurant that's indelibly a steakhouse. The small touches make all the difference. Each main meal or steak cut is served as part of a whole, which includes fresh, warm bread service, a salad, house vegetables to go with, and potatoes. It's reasonable to expect that's all, but it wouldn't be Hoof & Vine if the amuse-bouche sorbet was forgotten about. A palate cleanser, in this economy? Take our money.
You'll be thinking about Hoof & Vine for years to come, no matter what you eat, but if you decide to nosh on the beef Wellington, you could possibly end up with intrusive meat thoughts for the next decade. You run the same risk when ordering the chargrilled New Zealand elk, partly because of a succulent mushroom duxelles that inspires one to give thanks for all that free bread.
There are a lot of great things going on at Hoof & Vine. But there are a lot of great things going on at many steakhouses around Salt Lake City. Keeping that in mind, there's one thing HV does that no other restaurant in the city is trying: Vegan steaks. Sourced from Baltimore-based Offbeast, Hoof & Vine plant-based filet is more than a novelty item; it is an offering that suggests everyone is welcome in this new American steakhouse.
7680 S Union Park Ave, Midvale, UT 84047
(801) 569-4645
Libertango
Brazil often claims a lot of attention when it comes to South American steak culture, though the traditions of Argentinian steakhouses should never be slept on. Argentina is well known for quality beef, but how the meat is prepared is just as important. The parrilla, an open-grated grill, is the most important tool for cooking Argentinian steak, and it's a magical thing to listen to it hiss. As fat escapes from a steak, it drips down the parrilla and flares up the wood fire to char itself. That process is repeated hundreds of times a night at Libertango. Depending on where you sit, you might even feel the warm kiss of the grill's heat. Once you've got your teeth into a meal at Libertango, you're not likely to forget it.
In the typical gaucho fashion, Libertango offers big, family-sized sampler plates that include a full taste of picanha, lomo (filet) beef, and asado de tira, a gaucho-cut short rib. There's a surprising preference for American wagyu here, which is great if you're craving highly marbled meat cooked with distinct wood finishes. The pork chop is premium Berkshire kurobuta, and if bovine or swine isn't your bag (or even if it actually is), the pollo a la parrilla (grilled chicken) is swell enough to make it a tough choice.
The apps, sides, and accoutrements deserve recognition here, too. Consider a slather of puré de manzana de La Lu, a green apple puree that imparts a bit of sour-sweet topping to any salty hunk of meat. The crema de maiz dehumada is unlike any creamed corn you've had, given the intense smoky profile, and of course, you can't go wrong starting with an Argentinian empanada.
10395 State St, Sandy, UT 84070
(801) 448-6449
Methodology
From early spring until late fall, I reside in a small town just a few hours north of Salt Lake City, which is to say that I visit SLC often. (Approximately six to eight times a year.) Throughout my time there, I've explored half of the restaurants on this specific list. For those that I haven't, I used web forums, consumer review sites (TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google, Reddit), and interviews with friends and locals to get a sense of what makes each one of these steakhouses unforgettable.
When devising this list, I made certain to steer away from national chains and instead focused on independent and/or small-to-medium-sized local chains. I qualified each restaurant on the same series of factors: how the menu was built to focus on steak, the variety of offerings overall, the ambiance and environment of each steakhouse, and an aggregate of reviews as they relate to service.