Jan NorrisBeef prices have skyrocketed this year, making for much higher prices at area steakhouses. Here’s a list of restaurants to compare.
If you’re planning to treat Dad to a steak dinner for Father’s Day, you’re going to need a fat wallet.
Stet News did an informal survey of prices at 16 restaurants and found a range from $18 for a sirloin at Outback steakhouse to $240 for a premium Japanese beef at a Palm Beach steakhouse.
Beef prices have climbed steadily in the past couple of years, but prices have jumped “astronomically” this year, said Ralph Lewis, one of the owners of Okeechobee Steakhouse in West Palm Beach. Started in 1947, it’s the oldest steakhouse in the state.
“In the last six months, they’ve skyrocketed,” he said in an interview June 5. “There’s no end in sight, either. Just this last week, ribeyes, prime rib, Delmonicos went up $3 on the wholesale level. That’s another $4 a pound to put it on a plate and serve it. It’s mind-boggling. Tenderloins have gone up $5 (per pound) in the last month.”
Even the costs of cheaper cuts, including hamburger and skirt steak, have soared. “We grind a lot of our own burger meat, but it’s up 50% easily,” Lewis said. “Skirt steak is up 300% (in the past year). It used to be relatively inexpensive — $6 or $7 a pound. Now it runs from $14 to $20 a pound.”
A multitude of factors have affected beef prices, but one of the biggest is the “extreme cattle shortage,” Lewis said.
“We’re at an 80-year low with herd size in this country. But demand is very high — we love our beef.”
‘Red meat is a natural food’
Nutrition advice that once demonized red meat has toned down. “We now know it’s processed food that is the demon, not red meat. Red meat is a natural food.”
Ranchers facing higher costs from tariffs that curtail fertilizer, the rising price of diesel fuel and feed and land costs force them to pass the beef prices to the buyers, and it trickles down to the consumer.
There’s seasonality, too. Around the winter holidays, prime rib and tenderloin cuts go up since more people buy them to cook at home or eat as a special meal, he said.
Meats for grilling tend to be lower then — until Memorial Day.
In restaurants, rising labor and rent costs dig into profits as well.
“For restaurant owners, it’s the most stressful thing to raise prices,” he said. The casual national chains can cut quality or portions, but the standalone steakhouses and bigger traditional chains have reputations to maintain.
“But we’re going to have to raise prices. We can’t lose money and stay in business.”
Here are some prices to compare
Stet News took a look at several steakhouses in the area to get prices on a steak dinner, looking at the most popular cuts and what was offered with them.
Many of the steakhouses listed are as much about the ambience and memorable experience as the meal. Interiors are elegant, traditional or stylish and vibrant. Servers are informed, polished and present curated wine lists and chef-driven menus. Meats are top-tier and often come a la carte. For these, diners pay a premium.
STEAKHOUSES
West Palm Beach
Raindancer — 2300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., 561-684-281
A traditional steakhouse — the second-oldest in the county. Dark wood decor, traditional service. Entrees include a potato and house salad with options for an upcharge. Meats are USDA custom Prime cuts and premium Midwestern beef, aged 21-28 days. Bone-in, aged filet mignon, 16 ounces, $89; barrel cut tenderloin filet, 9 ounces, $62; New York strip, bone-in, 20 ounces, $65; porterhouse, 24 ounces, $71. Sauce add-ons are $6. Steak tips au poivre, a steak sandwich and chopped steak dinners also are available. Lunch on weekdays.
Okeechobee Steakhouse — 2854 Okeechobee Blvd., 561-683-5151
Traditional steakhouse with dark wooden booths and a big bar area for waiting. The oldest steakhouse in the state, still family-owned. USDA Prime meats butchered and aged in-house are served. Dinners include a choice of potato. Filet mignon, 8 ounces is $63; 12 ounces is $76. The “Ralph Lewis signature cut” – the 8-ounce Palm Beach sirloin, is $43. A 12-ounce boneless New York strip is $63. A bone-in, dry-aged Kansas City strip, 20 ounces, is $77. The 24-ounce porterhouse is $87. The 40-ounce Tomahawk is on special for Father’s Day for $155 and includes a pork belly hash, tobacco onions and compound butter. The don’t-miss appetizer is the French onion soup.
Pink Steak — 2777 S. Dixie Highway, 561-557-9083
Dress well: This modern, clublike steakhouse has a strict dress code listed on its website. There’s sushi as well as vegetarian entrees along with steaks. The steaks are served a la carte. An 8-ounce truffle butter filet, Certified Black Angus beef, is $58. Prime New York strip, 7 ounces, is $57; the 14 ounce is $74. A Prime ribeye, 20 ounces, is $95. The chef cuts include a Prime hanger steak, 10 ounces, coffee-rubbed, that is $47. Wagyu beef choices include a filet, 8 ounces, at $85; a Tomahawk, 32 ounces and enough for two, is $225. An A5-wagyu strip steak is $89 for 4 ounces and $168 for 8 ounces. Pink Steak offers outdoor seating and a Disco Brunch.
Palm Beach
Meat Market — 191 Bradley Place, 561-354-9800
At this modern, upscale steakhouse, a strict business casual dress code is enforced. Meats are Prime or wagyu. A 16-ounce Prime New York strip is $70; the 12-ounce filet is $72, and a 16-ounce ribeye is $70. A Father’s Day special features the 32-ounce Tomahawk at $150. Diners get a Tomahawk knife to take home. Wagyu is served: a 7-ounce filet is $125; Japanese A5 wagyu is $90 for a 3-ounce portion. The 16-ounce Japanese Miyazaki is $240. Steak specials are offered daily. Since Father’s Day is on a Sunday, diners can get in on the Specialty Steak Sunday with 50% off certain specialty cuts.
Lake Park
Seahawk Prime — 220 Lake Shore Drive, #101, 561-217-7463
Celebrity chef David Burke of New York is behind the spacious, modern, coastal-vibe steakhouse that overlooks the Lake Park Marina. Showmanship on the plate is a signature here. Steaks are dry aged for 30 days. Both Prime and wagyu are served. A 7-ounce filet is $55; a 12-ounce New York strip is $65. A 6-ounce A5 wagyu filet mignon is $128. The 40-day, dry-aged ribeye, 20 ounces, is $88. A 34-ounce, 30-day aged “swing” Tomahawk for two is $168 and brought to the table hanging from a large chain. It’s carved tableside. Among other offerings is a bison filet mignon, 4 ounces, for $72.
Palm Beach Gardens
The Butcher’s Club — 400 Avenue of the Champions, PGA National, 561-627-4852
Dine with the pros – the golf pros – at this ultramodern steakhouse from a Miami Michelin chef, Jeremy Ford, set in the PGA National clubhouse. Top-tier steaks at a premium price here. The 16-ounce bison ribeye is $110; the 18-ounce wagyu ribeye is $165. There’s an 8-ounce Heritage skirt steak for $50. The 8-ounce Heritage filet mignon is $80 with the 10-ounce wagyu filet for $110. A 14-ounce Prime New York strip is $115. The 32-ounce porterhouse, for two or more, is $225. The “experiences” steak, a “swinging” wagyu Tomahawk is $400, carved tableside. The “Butcher’s Cut” steak, undefined, is marked MP — market price.
The River House — 2373 PGA Blvd., 561-530-4313
Longtime locals’ favorite at the PGA bridge with great views. Moderate pricing, along with other non-meat menu choices, makes it good for large parties. Beef grades and weights are not noted on its menu. Steak frites, served with fries, is $46. All other steaks come with loaded baked or whipped potatoes. Prime rib is $48. A ribeye is $58 – served with maitre d’hotel butter. The filet mignon is $62 and is sauced with bearnaise. Sides are $12. A tiki bar for happy hour or pre-dinner cocktails allows for boat-watching. Lunch available.
J. Alexander’s — 4625 PGA Blvd., 561-694-2711
Hardwood grilled steaks are the signature of this chain that originated in Nashville. Their modern upscale design and scratch-made foods attract a wide group of diners. They use Certified Angus beef for their steak ‘n’ fries (steak frites, $36; a New York strip served with mac ‘n’ cheese is $51. The filet mignon with bearnaise has a loaded baked potato side for $52. The slow-roasted prime rib is aged Midwestern beef served with smashed potatoes, $43. Cocktails and mocktails are a hit here, at lunch and happy hour as well.
The Capital Grille, 11365 Legacy Place, 561-630-4994
A chain that began in Providence, R.I., the group is now owned by Darden — the Olive Garden folks. They use mostly U.S. Prime meats, dry-aged and carved in-house. They are geared toward business diners with expense accounts. A 10-ounce filet is $61; an 8-ounce domestic wagyu filet is $90, served with a potato stuffed with onion jam, and a porcini-rubbed, bone-in ribeye with aged balsamic finis is $81. The Kona (coffee) rubbed bone-in New York strip with shallot butter is $69; the 14-ounce, dry-aged grilled New York strip is $62. The 22-ounce bone-in ribeye is $77. A dry-aged (up to 24 days) 24-ounce porterhouse is $90. Lunch and happy hour menus are served here.
Jupiter
1000 North — 1000 U.S. 1, Suite 900, 561-570-1000
While this is a membership club, the steakhouse on the first floor is open to the public. Basketball legend Michael Jordan is one of the backers. The waterfront dining room is dark woods and traditional service. Prime and wagyu steaks are served. An 8-ounce filet mignon is $58; a Prime petite filet, 6 ounces, is $68; and a wagyu filet mignon, 8 ounces, is $110. A 12-ounce Prime New York strip is $68, and a 14-ounce Prime Delmonico ribeye is $78. The 21-ounce, bone-in, Prime ribeye, is $98. Sauces are $6 each. Don’t-miss dishes here are the Charleston she-crab soup and Bourbon & Hay roasted oysters.
Lewis Steakhouse — 6390 W. Indiantown Road, Suite #59, 561-277-9188
One of the smaller spinoffs of Okeechobee Steakhouse, with a more casual-upscale atmosphere. The steaks are similar, but all cut and dry-aged in house. For Prime cuts, the filet mignon is $61 for 8 ounces and $73 for 12-ounces. The 10-ounce Palm Beach sirloin is $51. A 12-ounce New York strip is $57, and a Delmonico, 14 ounces, is $60. The dry-aged meats include the porterhouse for two, 36 ounces, for $137; the bone-in New York strip, 18 ounces, at $73; and the “Tomahawk experience” — a 40-ounce steak with sauces and bone marrow butter for $143. The top-tier steak is a “Beef Flight” for two that includes a cowboy ribsteak, A5 Kobe striploin, a beef cheek marmalade over roasted bone marrow, sauces, pickled vegetables and crostini for $210.
FOR THE BUDGET CONSCIOUS
Palm Beach Gardens
Outback Steakhouse — 10933 N. Military Trail, 561-625-0793
A national casual chain of Aussie-themed steakhouses based in Tampa. Steaks include a meal of a potato or side choice and salad. Free bread, as well. The steaks are U.S. choice cuts, wet-aged. A barrel-cut filet mignon is $29.49; a center-cut sirloin is $17.99; a New York strip, 12 ounces, is $26.79; the Down Under Appetizer is the no-brainer: They sell the original Bloomin’ Onion. Open for lunch.
Longhorn Steakhouse — 5320 Donald Ross Road, 561-776-9961
This chain from Atlanta with an Old West theme, is now owned by Darden Restaurants. It uses mostly U.S. Choice beef, but for its signature cuts (such as Flo’s Filet) they use a mix of Choice or Prime. Steaks are cooked over fire or seared on a flat-top with special seasonings for a crust. They’re served as a meal with a side and chopped salad. Flo’s Filet, the most popular, is $26.99 for 6 ounces and $32.29 for 9 ounces. A 20-ounce Outlaw ribeye is $35.29. The porterhouse is $37.29, and a fire-grilled T-bone is $31.99. Open for lunch.
Lake Park
Texas Roadhouse — 280 N. Congress Ave., 561-473-9038
Steaks are limited, but it’s family-friendly and cheap. Despite its name, this lively, casual steak and burger chain originated in Indiana. At any given moment, servers will perform a line dance to loud music in the aisles. Free roasted peanuts in the shell are served at the door. Steaks are U.S. Choice and served with two sides. Sold by weights, with two or three choices for sirloins, ribeyes, filets and strips, prices are $15.99 for an 8-ounce sirloin, $25.49 for a 14-ounce Fort Worth ribeye; $24.99 for an 8-ounce Dallas filet and $21.99 for a 12-ounce New York strip. The bone-in ribeye is $29.99; the 23-ounce porterhouse T-bone is $33.99, and a weekend-only prime rib is $26.49 for the 14-ounce cut. Both lunch and early-bird menus are slightly cheaper.
RESTAURANTS WITH CUTS ABOVE
While the above steakhouses offer dedicated steak menus, most upscale restaurants offer some steak cut on the menu.
As one chef says: “You have to have a steak on a menu. It might be a loss-leader because of the price now, but you still have to offer one.”
North Palm Beach
North Palm Beach Country Club — The Clubhouse Restaurant, 951 U.S. 1, 561-841-3380; The Clubhouse offers a 10-ounce New York strip for $42, served with mashed potatoes and asparagus.
Palm Beach
Henry’s Palm Beach, 229 Royal Poinciana Way, 877-797-0543, offers a wood-grilled filet mignon with roasted mushrooms and a loaded baked potato for $74. Their steak frites are offered by cuts: the filet is $69, a New York strip, $85, and a ribeye is $80.
Note: While these prices were current on June 6, there’s a strong possibility most menus will change this month. Before you book a reservation, call and ask for prices and any specials for Father’s Day. As with all holidays, reservations are usually required.
