In 2025, Texas Roadhouse became the biggest casual restaurant chain in the United States, ousting Olive Garden from the top spot — and some would say for good reason. Its southern-inspired restaurants pride themselves on serving high-quality steak cuts at affordable prices, and if you want, you can even head over to the steak case and pick out the exact cut you want on your plate.
The Texas Roadhouse steak case is a display case similar to what you’d see at a grocery store; the steaks are categorized by type and visible through the glass. You can go over to the case, inspect the meat cuts, and tell the employee exactly which steak you’d like cooked for your dinner. This is optional; you can also just leave it up to the restaurant. It should be noted that not every Texas Roadhouse has a steak case, but if your local spot does, then it’s worth taking advantage of because there are a few ways you can separate the best steaks from the others.
How to choose the best Texas Roadhouse steak
The good news is Chowhound ranked all of Texas Roadhouse’s steaks, so you don’t have to decide which type of steak is best. From there, though, go to the steak case and look at marbling, thickness, and color to determine which specific steak you want cooked to order. Marbling is essentially the fat that runs through the meat; fat gives steak flavor, so choose a steak with good marbling. (You’ll usually find the most marbling on a ribeye; opt for this cut if you want plenty of it, then choose the best-looking piece from there.)
Next, choose the thickest possible steak, especially if you prefer a pink or red center. Thin steaks cook quickly, so it’s not as easy to control the temperature, especially if you want a rare or medium-rare center. They also need a little longer on the heat, which helps render that fat for even more flavor. Finally, pay attention to color; choose a steak that has a bright pink, almost cherry color to it, which suggests it will be tender and flavorful compared to a deep red one.
