Not Texas Roadhouse, Outback, Or LongHorn: 5 Alternative Steakhouse Chains To Try At Least Once

If you're craving a hearty steak dinner and all the fixins, there's something comforting about choosing a well-known steakhouse chain. You know what to expect, and most have been sizzling up ribeyes, filet mignons, and New York strips for decades of deliciousness. While Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and LongHorn Steakhouse undoubtedly buzz with name recognition and fan devotion, they're certainly not the only steakhouse chains worth trying at least once. 

Whether it's a classic upscale dining room, chophouse, or Western roadhouse vibe, switching things up often comes down to determining what kind of experience you actually want. That could mean dressing up for a special-occasion dinner, ordering an enormous dry-aged steak to share, or keeping things casual with a sirloin and comfort-food sides.  

The five steakhouse alternatives here are chains that cover quite a bit of that territory. Ruth's Chris and The Capital Grille lean toward refined, traditional, steakhouse dining, while Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House offers everything from USDA Prime steaks to Japanese A5 Wagyu. Logan's Roadhouse brings the experience back into casual territory with mesquite-grilled steaks and yeast rolls, and Saltgrass Steak House charms with a casual, Texas cattle-rancher vibe. Let's take a closer look at the distinct personalities and splurge-worthy food at these chain-style steakhouse dining options. 

Ruth's Chris is likely the most recognizable alternative on this list, and it stands out for at least one memorable detail: Steaks don't arrive hot from the kitchen in a standard way. This chain serves USDA Prime steaks sizzling on 500-degree (Fahrenheit) plates, a method the chain developed for keeping meat smoking-hot throughout the meal. The steaks get broiled at 1800 degrees before receiving a finish of butter and parsley.

The upscale restaurant chain traces its story to 1965 in New Orleans, when Ruth Fertel established Chris Steak House and eventually created the multi-state collection that still bears her name. The dining experience now includes multiple options, such as seafood, lamb chops, and Berkshire pork chops — but steaks remain the signature draw for most guests, including classic cuts such as T-bone and New York strip, plus a specialty tomahawk, 26-ounce "Cowboy Ribeye," and 40-ounce porterhouse for two. Almost all steaks are USDA Prime beef, with the exception of classic and petite filets, which are high-end cuts from cornfed Midwestern beef aged for 28 days.  

Sides at Ruth's Chris stand out for touches such as pecan crusting on sweet potato casserole and a rich lobster mac and cheese, both designed for sharing. A Southern-style dessert to try is bread pudding with whiskey sauce — a big nod to the chain's roots in New Orleans. For a deeper dive into the Ruth's Chris experience, check our our Tasting Table guide on  steaks to order and steaks to skip at Ruth's Chris Steak House.

The Capital Grille takes the classic steakhouse formula in a decidedly polished direction, making it a good alternative when the occasion calls for more than a casual plate of steak and fries. One of the chain's defining practices happens behind the scenes: In-house butchers cut each steak by hand, and the beef gets dry-aged for at least 18 days and up to 24 days.

That attention to detail shows up in a curated menu of steaks including center-cut filet mignon, a Kona-crusted New York strip with shallot butter, and a porcini-rubbed ribeye served with aged balsamic. But steaks aren't the only proteins populating diners' plates; chicken and seafood provide alternatives for lighter appetites. The sides at Capital Grille put on their own little showcase, taking on the classic old-school steakhouse persona of mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, creamed spinach, and lobster mac and cheese. 

Soups and salads, however, go beyond traditional offerings, featuring ongoing or seasonal gems such as butternut squash bisque with curried apples, and a roasted beet and goat cheese salad with crushed pistachios and citrus vinaigrette. A go-to steakhouse wedge also stakes a claim on the menu, personalized here with gorgonzola, candied bacon, and heirloom tomatoes. The chain is known for creating casual, limited-time, creative dining experiences as well, such as a current Wagyu and Wine pairing. Centered on a collection of Wagyu burgers, the options include a blue cheese and black truffle burger with cabernet-braised red onions, or a chips and caviar plate with caramelized onions and caviar dip. 

If craving a steakhouse experience that clings closest to the casual jeans-and-T-shirt feel of Texas Roadhouse or LongHorn, then Logan's Roadhouse is an easy fit. Instead of the upscale steakhouse tradition of white tablecloths and lowlight flickering candles, Logan's builds its Americana identity around the campfire aura of open-flame grilling with real mesquite wood. 

The beef at Logan's is butcher-selected and comes from grain-fed cattle, presenting in a broad swath of familiar steak cuts including center-cut sirloin, filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye, a 22-ounce porterhouse, and Logan's signature 11-ounce sirloin known simply as "The Logan." Steak toppings let you customize with things like garlic butter, roasted jalapeños, Brewski onions, and a "blue cheese butter & bacon" mix. 

Outside the mesquite steak realm, this Kentucky-born chain nods subtly to its Southern roots with things like smoked cedar-planked chicken with Alabama white sauce, NOLA BBQ shrimp, seasonal Carolina Gold fried ribs, mashed sweet potatoes, and a house-made Mississippi brownie for dessert. It's also famous for its Roadhouse Iced Teas, endless from-scratch yeast rolls, and icy cold beer. To give you a better idea of the vibe at Logan's, here are a couple of official "Roadhouse Rules" for diners: "All persons are allowed to be themselves and may not be anyone else" and "All rules are to be strictly followed, unless you don't want to." 

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House is one on this list to consider when an "ordinary steak" isn't really what you have in mind. The current menu starts with a substantial lineup of USDA Prime steaks, including filet mignon, prime ribeye, prime strip, porterhouse, and a 32-ounce Prime tomahawk. But things get more ambitious the further you scroll down the menu: Japanese A5 Wagyu steaks, Prime strip and ribeye aged for an impressive 45 days, and enhancements including petite cold water lobster tail, gorgonzola fondue, truffle butter, and house-made sauces such as bourbon peppercorn and chimichurri.

The Del Frisco's chain also shines in the seafood category, starting with appetizers of oysters Rockefeller, Shanghai-style fried calamari, yellowtail crudo, king crab rainbow roll, and even charred octopus. Current sea-centric entrees range from seared Chilean sea bass to pan-roasted Arka salmon, Mediterranean spiced swordfish, sesame-crusted ahi tuna, and lots more. You can order a shellfish tower, caviar service, and unique appetizers such as thick-cut Nueske's bacon that's peppered (au poivre) and glazed with bourbon molasses.

It's worth noting that the filet mignon at Del Frisco's landed on our Tasting Table collection of the absolute best chain steakhouse filet mignons. And it has good company, with several other steakhouses on this list making the cut as well, including Saltgrass Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, and Ruth's Chris.

Saltgrass Steak House may lack the familiarity of other prominent chains, but it certainly gets a lot of love from across the country. At least 70 awards place this chain in "best" categories for steaks, steakhouses, steak dinners, special occasion dining, appetizers, favorite local restaurants, best places to take a date, and more. Its roots are unmistakably Texan, but Saltgrass marches past the Lone Star State line with 97 locations now in 15 states and territories.

Part of the draw for this steakhouse experience is the history and lore associated with its name. As the story goes, Longhorn cattle roamed across the Texan plains in the 1800s, and cattle ranchers herded them every winter to the Gulf Coast to feed on coastal salt grass: thus the Salt Grass Trail, and subsequently, the eventual name of this steakhouse chain. Nods to this background appear across today's menu, from a Range Rattlers appetizer with jumbo jalapeños to the Wagon Boss Center-Cut Top Sirloin, Cattleman's Prime Rib, and the more contemporary Urban Cowboy New York strip paired with grilled shrimp. 

Even the humble, country-style chicken-fried steak here is made from certified Angus beef, accompanied by cream gravy. Diners also find things like baby back ribs, a brisket burger, and Shiner Bock Fish & Chips made with the famous Shiner Bock beer made in Shiner, Texas. The breads and desserts get made from scratch every day — and just so you know: They even smoke their mac-and-cheese at this authentically rustic-style steakhouse that's a Rainforest Cafe sister restaurant.