Why STK's Wagyu Beef Steaks Miss The Mark, According To Customers

STK offers a modern approach to the steakhouse experience, focusing as much on vibes and ambiance as perfectly executed meals. Unfortunately, the fancy steakhouse chain falls short on various fronts. Not only do we think that STK is an overrated steakhouse chain, generally speaking, but it's also among the fancy steakhouses that earned scathing reviews from critics. However, negative reviews extend way beyond food critics and writers to customers who have plenty to say about STK's Wagyu steaks. And unfortunately, none of it is good. Yelp reviews for STK in New York were very disappointed in the preparation, taste, and texture of its Wagyu beef. STK offers an A5 Japanese Wagyu strip and filet as well as a cheaper Australian Wagyu flat iron steak. But regardless of which cut customers ordered, the execution was a common complaint. 

One Yelp customer wrote that their "wagyu flat iron steak [...] was supposed to be medium well, but it was overcooked." Another customer also experienced the sad textural outcome of overcooking, recalling, "The wagyu was very tough and didn't cut easily like prior experiences." Others complained about how dry the steak was, which did nothing to enhance its flavor. More importantly, according to one Yelp customer, the Wagyu beef "didn't taste like wagyu at all. Almost as if we were scammed with a different cut." In other words, as one Yelp reviewer put it rather simply and comically, "My wagyu wasn't wagyuing." Beyond dry, overcooked Wagyu steaks, customers also thought that the overall STK experience was not worth going back for.

Wagyu comprises four different breeds of cows, which are highly prized for impeccably marbled beef with a distinctly buttery taste and texture that also changes according to what the animal in question has been fed. Furthermore, the marbling in Wagyu beef supplies a high content of monounsaturated fat, a healthy form of fat with tons of great benefits. Consequently, Wagyu is one of the most expensive types of steak you'll find at a steakhouse or your local butcher. But it's well worth the price if prepared correctly. To that effect, Tasting Table consulted a steak expert to find out exactly how to dry age and cook perfect Wagyu beef at home. Sautéing and grilling are the methods of choice, but the most important thing to remember is to always cook it rare or medium rare to really showcase the flavorful marbling and buttery texture.

Clearly, STK steakhouse's chefs need a lesson or two in the proper cooking techniques, as it's hard not to criticize them for not knowing the difference between medium rare and well done. If you'd rather leave the cooking to the chefs that get it right, you're better off checking out this list of the best chain restaurants that serve Wagyu beef, which range from classic American steakhouses like Flemings to Brazilian Churrasquerías such as Fogo de Chão, and even tasty Korean barbecue joints.