Orlando's Best Steak Houses

By Susan & Simon Veness

If there’s one thing you can absolutely count on when it comes to Orlando’s restaurants, it is that you can be sure of a great steak. With Florida’s history as a prime ranching state – which actually pre-dates the Wild West – you usually don’t have to go far to find an exceptional steak house to go with it.

And, while steak remains a top tier restaurant choice in the UK, you can often find a more wallet-friendly option here in Central Florida. Of course, you can also push the boat out and opt for the real five-star experience, too, so we thought we’d flag up the best of the best in both categories. Some of these will be obvious, some of them not so. We’ve also left out some of the more middle-of-the-road chain restaurants that serve decent steaks without being specialists for them, places like the Miller’s Ale House group, Chilis, Applebees and Logan’s Roadhouse. These are our Top 15:

Manny’s Chophouse: Possibly the most well-known and highly regarded local restaurant in villa territory, Manny’s has been a Haines City institution for 23 years. Located right on Highway 27, it features generous portions of well-priced steaks, chops and ribs, as well as its signature endless salad bowl to make sure no-one leaves hungry!

Capital City Grille: With two Orlando locations, at Mall of Millenia and Pointe Orlando on International Drive, this is an upscale choice that won’t mind if you turn up in shorts and T-shirts. Their hand-carved steaks and chops are some of the very best, but with the price tag to match. A more cut-price choice is the Wagyu Burger – the full gourmet taste but not the expense.

Morton’s: One of America’s big names in upscale dining, Morton’s – located in the Dr Phillips Plaza just off Sand Lake Road – is a special-night-out proposition at the more expensive end of the scale, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find better filet mignon, dry-aged ribeye and top sirloin anywhere. Their Power Hour in the bar area from 6.30pm offers well-priced small-plate options.

Charley’s: With locations just off Highway 192 near Celebration and International Drive, this is another classy choice, featuring classic cuts from their wood-burning pit. Their prime dry-aged steaks and heritage ribeyes are a real treat. Or how about their Ultimate Surf & Turf for Two: A colossal lobster tail plus 50oz porterhouse or 20oz chateaubriand filet mignon. Just $250!

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle: This is another famous name in American steakhouses and one of the most eye-catching. Located in the heart of International Drive, its glittering two-storey expanse tastes as good as it looks. It should be for the price-point (steaks from $68-$160), but the bar offers scaled down versions of Surf & Turf and Filet Mignon sliders from $19-26.

Outback Steakhouse: With 17 restaurants in the greater Orlando area, including Kissimmee, Clermont and Davenport, this is back in more budget territory while still offering a good range of signature steaks, including New York Strip, Filet Mignon and Centre-Cut Sirloin. For more eclectic tastes, you can also try the Chimichurri Filet and Teriyaki Skewers.

Longhorn Steakhouse: Another national chain that is on the more casual side (and less expensive, in the $18-40 range), Longhorn specialises in seven classic steak cuts, plus several combos and surf and turf options. It also features chicken, salmon, shrimp and ribs and offers 15 area restaurants, including Kissimmee, ChampionsGate and the Four Corners area.

STK Steakhouse: The prime place for steak in Disney Springs, STK aims for a trendier, more lively style, with DJs and none of the formality of other upscale choices. With richly marbled Wagyu beef and premium cuts like New York Strip and a refined Surf & Turf, the menu is designed for everything from family dinners and celebrations to cocktails and ritzy evenings out.

Adega Gaucha: For the Brazilian steakhouse style, try this small-scale chain with locations close to the Florida Mall and in the Formosa Gardens area of Kissimmee (a former Outback restaurant). Featuring skewer-cut premium cuts of fire-roasted meat with the authentic flavours of Brazilian churrasco, it boasts ribeye, sirloin, tenderloin and beef ribs all for a set price.

Black Angus: Also in more budget territory, the Black Angus in Kissimmee is an old-faithful that has been around some 40 years and still serves up an enticing selection of steaks, as well as seafood, chicken and ribs. The lobster mac and cheese is one of their regular menu specialities, while they also offer a cut-price Early Bird menu before 5pm.

Texas de Brazil: More upscale style is the stock-in-trade of this Brazilian churrascaria, where it is an experience as much as a restaurant. Servers are dressed in traditional South American cowboy “gaucho” attire and move through the restaurant with an array of meats presented on the skewers they were roasted on. Even better – it’s all-you-can-eat for one set price.

Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster: Arguably Orlando’s most venerable steakhouse, dating back to 1993 and located on Lee Road just north of downtown Orlando, this is another special occasion venue that has five-star quality all the way through. A mouth-watering menu features the likes of Veal Porterhouse and Beef Wellington as well as fabulous USDA prime steaks.

Saltgrass Steak House: A nice blend of steak specialities and down-home menu choices is on offer at two Orlando locations, in Lake Buena Vista and on International Drive. Steak prices aren’t outrageous – in the $26-$50 range – and quality is extremely good, while other options include Country Fried Steak, Chicken Tenders and Pork Chops to cater to the whole family.

Vito’s Chop House: This long-time I-Drive restaurant takes a slightly different tack, featuring aged steaks and Italian specialities. Their Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye ($199) is a menu standout, as are another eight steak choices. A specialty Martini list, 850 wine selections and a variety of cigars also display Vito’s passion for the finer things in life, and dress code is smart casual.

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood: It might seem strange listing an overtly seafood-based restaurant among the best steaks, but swanky Eddie V’s (on Sand Lake Road) is high-quality all the way through. Oysters, caviar, Chilean sea bass and crab-stuffed shrimp are all highly recommended, but so are the premium hand-cut steaks and chops, including a sumptuous 22oz bone-in ribeye.

Simon and Susan Veness are Orlando-based travel experts and guidebook authors writing exclusively for Debbie’s Villas.