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Ranch Steakhouse
3000 W. Britton Rd.Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 755-3501
Growing up in Oklahoma I never realized that other parts of the country did not enjoy the same
abundance of good quality steaks as here, but in recent years it has been much harder even in
the Southwest to find the same kind of beef I remember as a youngster. I am not sure where
along the supply chain much of the beef seems to have lost its flavor, but I have learned to distrust
many of the claims made by restaurants of serving great steaks.
Ranch Steakhouse on the north side of Oklahoma City, though, goes a long way in my quest to
find steaks that live up to my expectation of the way I know they can be. I do not know if Ranch
Steakhouse has the best steaks in Oklahoma, but I believe it is close. I cannot afford to go to all of the
steak restaurants to find out which one is actually the best, but at Ranch Steakhouse I am pretty sure
people will be satisfied that this is about as good as it gets.
Even though I thought the steaks were top notch, I did not feel the same way about the Chop
House Salad. This was a good salad, but it did not seem to me to reach the same level as the
salads at Boulevard Steakhouse, Cheever's, or a number of other good restaurants. The fact that it
was topped with cheddar cheese was not a good sign to me, and I was underwhelmed enough by the
other ingredients to think that maybe putting cheese on top was actually an improvement. Still, it
was not bad, just a little below the level I would expect in a very good steak restaurant.
There are quite a few other choices for salads and appetizers, so I do not know if I would have a
better opinion overall if I tried some of the other items.
Of course the steak is the main reason to come to Ranch Steakhouse. All of the steaks are "Prime,"
but to me the real attraction is the Oklahoma grass fed, all natural, hormone free beef served in three cuts
(filet, strip, and rib eye). I think one reason the flavor and quality of beef has changed is that producers
have abandoned the "old way" of raising cattle, where they had a grass fed diet. The potential
health benefits of eating all natural beef, though, should not be minimized.
The Filet I ordered was excellent in flavor and in the way it was cooked. Although not large in
size, I would rather have a smaller portion that is very good than a larger quantity of lesser quality steak.
In case anyone thinks grass fed beef is not as flavorful as the corn fed variety, the steak at Ranch
Steakhouse should prove this wrong (although others are certainly allowed to form their own opinion
about this).
On my second visit I ordered the Strip (also from the Oklahoma grass fed beef menu),
but the extra fat and slightly different flavor convinced me that on any subsequent visits I will probably
stick with the filet (although the strip was also what I considered to be an excellent steak).
Ranch Steakhouse has recently begun to serve Kobe beef that supposedly goes a step
further than the grass fed beef in providing all natural meat (I first saw the Kobe beef on the menu
in 2010). One of the reasons I was impressed with Red Prime was that they offered Kobe beef
(or wagyu, which is another name for the same type of steak), although I could not afford to order
it at Red Prime. Ranch Steakhouse offered a small Kobe Beef Filet at a price that was
comparable to the other filets, and thus I was finally able to try it. The good news was that it was
excellent as I expected, but probably the even better news was that I thought the Oklahoma grass
fed filet was just as good. I could tell the difference in flavor, but I will still go with the Oklahoma beef
because it is like the steaks I remember when I was growing up.
Steaks are available with a choice of toppings for an extra charge, but with beef this good I am
not sure it could be improved upon.
I wish some of the side dishes lived up to the quality of the steak, but the meat seems to be some of
the best in Oklahoma. I had a Baked Potato with dinner that was good, but was not really any
better than I have had at a number of other restaurants (including inexpensive ones). Quite a few of the
side dishes looked too expensive to order and run the risk that I might not care as much for them as a
simple potato, so this is the problem at this restaurant. The meat is really worth what you pay, but I am
not as sure about some of the side dishes.
The Au Gratin Potatoes proved my theory that some of the side dishes were not very
worthwhile, with this one being unattractive to me because of too much garlic, too much cheese in
relation to the other ingredients, and potatoes that were not crispy enough with a texture I did not
enjoy.
After several visits I have concluded that Ranch Steakhouse probably has the best steaks I
have tried in Oklahoma City (or in the case of Red Prime, which also has excellent steaks, Ranch
Steakhouse seems to be less expensive). The problem, though, is that many of the side dishes at
Ranch Steakhouse do not match up to the steaks. Ranch Steakhouse is my personal choice for "best
steak," but for a whole meal experience, including salad and side dishes, other restaurants such as
Boulevard Steakhouse or Red Prime might be a better choice.
One feature that does seem to be as good as the steaks, though, is the desserts. The Dulce
de Leche Cake I tried was one of the best after dinner treats I have had in Oklahoma City. I also
understood from the waiter that this is the only dessert Ranch Steakhouse makes in house, so this
may be the only one about which I would have such a high opinion. This particular dessert, though,
was well worth the money.
Ranch Steakhouse is located in north Oklahoma City away from the popular tourist areas (but
just down the street from the popular "restaurant strip" on Lake Hefner), so it does not seem to be on
the tourist radar for out of town visitors. I think, though, that it offers an excellent taste of Oklahoma
steak. It is certainly popular with locals, and it usually seems that even when I go on weekdays, I
end up getting one of the last tables available. I think there is good reason the locals make regular
visits when they want a fine dining experience.
Chop house salad
Filet made with all natural Oklahoma beef
Baked potato with everything on the side
Dulce de leche cake
Go to Index
Restaurant Web Site
RESTAURANT DETAILS
RATING: 25
Cuisine: Steaks
Cost: $$$$
Hours: Closed Sun.
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: Non-Smoking Area
Alcohol: Beer, Wine
Most Recent Visit
Jul. 14, 2010
Number of Visits: 3
Best Items
All Natural Oklahoma Beef, Kobe Beef, Dulce de Leche Cake
Special Ratings
Grass Fed Filet:
Grass Fed Strip:
Kobe Filet:
Baked Potato:
Au Gratin Potato:
Salad:
Dulce de Leche Cake:
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