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Where To Get Your Steak On In Louisville

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With certain exceptions (we're happy you're here, Roots/Heart & Soy) it's fairly easy to find steak in a Louisville restaurant. However, certain establishments have created a culture around cow flesh, an atmosphere of beefy conviviality often consistent with cigars, gambling and golf. Eater has assembled a collection of steakhouse-ish restaurants, a collection of local, corporate (and locally-based corporate) restaurants of various attitudes and ethnicities. As always, any observations, additions or objections will be welcomed in the comments.


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Morton's The Steakhouse

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This venerable Chicago steakhouse chain stashed its Louisville outpost in a Main Street basement, but a lack of natural light never stopped anyone from what Morton's claims to be "the best steak anywhere!"

Brazeiros Brazilian Steakhouse

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This Brazilian (by way of Knoxville, TN) steakhouse offers 15 different cuts of meat, many presented on skewers. There's Alcatra (cut from top sirloin) and Fraldinha (cut from bottom sirloin), and many, many other meat options in an almost endless stream. As the place says: "the Gaucho chefs will not stop delivering to the table until all cards are turned to red and the check is requested." [Photo: Yelp]

Eddie Merlot's

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The CJ's former critic, Mary Rosen, said this Ft. Wayne, Indiana chain's finely-marbled steaks "require no enhancement." They also serve about 75 wines by the glass—unsurprisingly, several of them merlot.

Jeff Ruby's

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Derby City's version of this Cincinnati-based steakhouse empire is an extravagant jumble of celebrity shots, mirrors, brass and liberal dollops of "local flavor." Sushi and raw seafood stations, enormous fishtanks and plenty of glitz separate Ruby's from sedate, "old school" steak places, and Louisville seems to love it.

Palermo Viejo

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At Louisville's only Argentine restaurant, the all-beef Parrillada de Bifes serves up ribeye, strip and flank steaks (plus chorizo) on a bed of fries with chimichurri sauce. [Photo: Facebook]

Pat's Steakhouse

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Pat's is Louisville's oldest continuously operating steakhouse, and offers a hefty dose of old-time Louisville Irish identity along with the "Specialty of the House," an aged 32 oz. Porterhouse T-bone.

Del Frisco's

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For more than 25 years, Del Frisco's has been serving old school steakhouse food in a strip mall location best known by Louisvillians as "that place behind 'The Old Sears Building.'"

Texas Roadhouse

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Though there is sometimes line dancing, this Louisville-based corporate chain is not to be confused with the 1989 fiim, Road House. Texas Roadhouse's goal is "to give your family a place to go for great food and good times at a fantastic price." There is also steak—but no Swayze.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

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Steakhouse chain giant, Ruth's Chris, occupies the top floor of Kaden Tower, or what locals call the "Wedding Cake Building" because of its cantilevered structure and lacy facade. A Yelper recently said: "What you expect is what you get: perfectly cooked steaks, classic sides, great service." And, of course, steaks served on 500° plates.

Z's Oyster Bar & Steak House

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Mehrzad Sharbaiani "opened this fine dining establishment in October 2000 with a simple, strong concept"—creating an "independently owned and operated Steakhouse to specialize in Prime Steak and Fresh Seafood and to be known for an impressive, award-winning wine list as well as elegantly restrained service.” Prime midwestern aged beef, hand cut and cooked to order, seafood and all the other steakhouse stuff in a somewhat swanky East End suburban box.

Stoney River Legendary Steaks

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This chain, started in Atlanta and now owned by O'Charley's, emulates a North Georgia "lodge that served travelers and neighbors good, wholesome food." Louisville's outpost serves up its "legendary" steaks in the Paddock shopping mall on Brownsboro Road. [Photo: Yelp]

Morton's The Steakhouse

This venerable Chicago steakhouse chain stashed its Louisville outpost in a Main Street basement, but a lack of natural light never stopped anyone from what Morton's claims to be "the best steak anywhere!"

Brazeiros Brazilian Steakhouse

This Brazilian (by way of Knoxville, TN) steakhouse offers 15 different cuts of meat, many presented on skewers. There's Alcatra (cut from top sirloin) and Fraldinha (cut from bottom sirloin), and many, many other meat options in an almost endless stream. As the place says: "the Gaucho chefs will not stop delivering to the table until all cards are turned to red and the check is requested." [Photo: Yelp]

Eddie Merlot's

The CJ's former critic, Mary Rosen, said this Ft. Wayne, Indiana chain's finely-marbled steaks "require no enhancement." They also serve about 75 wines by the glass—unsurprisingly, several of them merlot.

Jeff Ruby's

Derby City's version of this Cincinnati-based steakhouse empire is an extravagant jumble of celebrity shots, mirrors, brass and liberal dollops of "local flavor." Sushi and raw seafood stations, enormous fishtanks and plenty of glitz separate Ruby's from sedate, "old school" steak places, and Louisville seems to love it.

Palermo Viejo

At Louisville's only Argentine restaurant, the all-beef Parrillada de Bifes serves up ribeye, strip and flank steaks (plus chorizo) on a bed of fries with chimichurri sauce. [Photo: Facebook]

Pat's Steakhouse

Pat's is Louisville's oldest continuously operating steakhouse, and offers a hefty dose of old-time Louisville Irish identity along with the "Specialty of the House," an aged 32 oz. Porterhouse T-bone.

Del Frisco's

For more than 25 years, Del Frisco's has been serving old school steakhouse food in a strip mall location best known by Louisvillians as "that place behind 'The Old Sears Building.'"

Texas Roadhouse

Though there is sometimes line dancing, this Louisville-based corporate chain is not to be confused with the 1989 fiim, Road House. Texas Roadhouse's goal is "to give your family a place to go for great food and good times at a fantastic price." There is also steak—but no Swayze.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Steakhouse chain giant, Ruth's Chris, occupies the top floor of Kaden Tower, or what locals call the "Wedding Cake Building" because of its cantilevered structure and lacy facade. A Yelper recently said: "What you expect is what you get: perfectly cooked steaks, classic sides, great service." And, of course, steaks served on 500° plates.

Z's Oyster Bar & Steak House

Mehrzad Sharbaiani "opened this fine dining establishment in October 2000 with a simple, strong concept"—creating an "independently owned and operated Steakhouse to specialize in Prime Steak and Fresh Seafood and to be known for an impressive, award-winning wine list as well as elegantly restrained service.” Prime midwestern aged beef, hand cut and cooked to order, seafood and all the other steakhouse stuff in a somewhat swanky East End suburban box.

Stoney River Legendary Steaks

This chain, started in Atlanta and now owned by O'Charley's, emulates a North Georgia "lodge that served travelers and neighbors good, wholesome food." Louisville's outpost serves up its "legendary" steaks in the Paddock shopping mall on Brownsboro Road. [Photo: Yelp]