These 11 Seafood Chains Serve The Best Steaks

Seafood establishments might house some of the tastiest proteins the ocean has to offer, but there are times — even when sitting in a restaurant specializing in fish — that the craving for cow's meat comes knocking. And when that happens, you might tear your eyes away from the section of the menu reading crab, salmon, or lobster and begin perusing the segment that lists the steak options, instead. But then, you stop your red meat consideration as an oft-repeated phrase used by fellow foodies reverberates in your mind: "Never order steak at a fish house!" Discouraged — yet figuring the saying presents a valid point considering beef is the restaurant's sub-specialty — you stifle your craving and turn back to the fish section, convincing yourself it wouldn't have been enjoyable anyway. You can scratch the itch for a ribeye at a place concentrating on red meat (such as an established steakhouse) some other time. 

And while there may indeed be some seafood eateries lacking the ability to produce a quality steak, this truth does not ring true for every chain. When it comes to the following fish restaurants, consumers brave enough to dip their forks into the red meats have reported particularly appetizing, mouth-watering cuts that can hold their own against any steakhouse slab. From prime ribs to tomahawks to skirts prepared in the churrasco style, here are 11 seafood chains that serve up some of the best steaks.

Truluck's: Ocean's Finest Seafood and Crab began in 1992 and has grown into a chain with 12 locations. The center of its business model is quality and sustainability when sourcing its deluxe seafood, the franchise specifying its commitment to wild-caught fish and avoiding the poaching of endangered ocean species. Given this approach, it comes as no surprise that the same care and respect is taken when sourcing its beef, as well. With an entire dedicated steak list on the Truluck's menu, serving red meat which is of the same quality as its seafood is a priority for the franchise — and it starts with the cut of the beef itself.

Unbeknownst to many, the chefs at Truluck's double as skilled butchers. The chain is unique in that it slices its very own steaks in the backs of the kitchens of its dozen locations, serving up a whole other level of freshness to its meat-eating patrons. If this isn't enough to convince you to give one of its New York Strips or Steak Frites a shot, then the stellar reviews across platforms like Tripadvisor should do the trick. "Best steak ever" reads the title of one of these shining consumer appraisals. "I am from Nebraska where we know good beef and we have good beef, but the steak at this place was the best I've ever had!" Say no more — we're ready to place our order, Truluck's. 

In 1998 Orlando gained a new exciting eatery courtesy of owner, Darden Restaurants, Inc. It was called Bahama Breeze, and it promised authentic Caribbean taste and cocktails to whisk you away to an island paradise as you nibbled and sipped. Fast forward to 2024, and Bahama Breeze has expanded far beyond that single fun-loving location in Florida. While you can snag some delicious jerk shrimp, glazed salmon, or seafood paella in whichever of its 44 locations you find yourself dining, you can also expect to find churrasco-style steak. And according to consumers who've tasted it, this latter dish is incredible.

In a Reddit post titled, "Best Churrasco Steak in Orlando?," some of the responding users were caught in a battle between the local Bahama Breeze location, and another Florida-based restaurant, Agave Azul. "I've had this multiple times at both locations," said one of the responders confidently. "Bahama Breeze beats Agave Azul in the skirt steak Churrasco battle hands down." This attitude regarding the quality of the chain's spiced and fired steak, which is often served alongside flavorful piles of rice, beans, chimichurri, or fried plantains, is shared by consumers across platforms — so you may want to consider adding this beef pick to your own personal "to-try" list.

Legal Sea Foods began as a humble family-owned fish market in Massachusetts in 1950, specializing in serving its community with the freshest ocean catches. Its first restaurant followed, opening up adjacent to the original market store in 1968. Since then the brand has grown into a chain of 23 locations, sprinkled exclusively along the Eastern seaboard of the United States. While of course best known for its clams, lobster bisque, calamari, oysters, or scallops, Legal has a leg to stand on when it comes to its "Surf & Turf" steak menu section, according to consumers.

"Amazing filet mignon for a fish place" reads a stellar review on Tripadvisor, in which the poster goes on to describe how the slab of beef they ordered at dinner practically melted in their mouth. But it isn't just incredible meat steaks that are up for grabs at Legal; if grilled slabs constructed of fish are more your speed, then the chain has you covered with a tuna steak that is particularly palatable, as well. "Best tuna steak ever" reads the title of another glowing customer review shared on the same online platform. "Best I've had in a while. Been looking for a good tuna steak ... I'll definitely be back."

McCormick and Schmick's started back in 1974, and unlike most restaurant chains which tend to specialize in either seafood or steak, the chain originating in Portland, Oregon has kept both land and sea proteins at the heart of its identity from the very beginning. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that customers rave about its red meat dishes across online platforms.

"I had the ribeye," begins a recent review on Tripadvisor. Though the user pointed out a slight critique over the meat being prepared with what they felt was a different cook than originally asked for, the finished product was so delicious, it more than made up for the minor discrepancy. They described it as "cooked to perfection ... melt in the mouth with such glorious flavor." This praise is echoed by additional consumers across sites such as Yelp and Facebook, sufficiently convincing us that a steak at McCormick and Schmick's is more than a safe bet the next time you're stopping in for a bite to eat. 

The story behind the successful upscale seafood-focused chain restaurant known as Chart House is a modest one. Starting with a single, unassuming location in 1961, it has grown to a nationwide franchise — each one offering a stunning waterfront view, slamming seafood, and additional proteins like chicken and steak also on the menu. And while a New York strip or a filet mignon from the celebrated eatery is certainly a secure bet in the way of an enjoyable meal, it is the company's prime rib that consumers particularly covet.

Chart House's prime rib dish is granted consistent high praise. One Reddit review, posted alongside a mouth-watering photo of a perfectly pink slab of meat, was titled: "18oz of some of the best Prime Rib I've ever had from Chart House in Melbourne, FL." This view was shared by multiple responders on the thread, one of whom said: "It was the best prime rib I have ever had. I can't wait till I go back." Similar reviews regarding this specific delicacy echo across other platforms such as Tripadvisor as well, with the chain's steak dish again declared "the best prime rib" the reporting consumer had ever tasted. Pardon us while we add this Chart House slab of beef to our food bucket list.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, a family-owned franchise that has been serving up gumbo, snapper, catfish, and crab since 1976, also offers filet mignon and aged ribeye options for its red meat-craving consumers. But if you were skeptical of this seafood chain's ability to whip up a decent steak, never fear. Pappadeaux's beef is, according to consumers who've sampled it, completely unforgettable — in a good way.

"The best rib-eye steak that I have ever had!" reads a shining review on Tripadvisor in which the poster goes on to describe a flavorful slab seared to magnificence. Further evidence of the superiority of the chain's beef exists in a 2023 post on the company's official Facebook page, in which online users flooded the comment section of a photograph of a mouth-watering cooked steak sitting beside a baked potato on a plate. "Years ago, my mom ordered the ribeye at the Pappadeaux's in Albuquerque," admitted one of these commenters on the post, "and said it was the best ribeye she'd ever eaten!" Pretty incredible praise, we'd say — praise sufficient to encourage us to expand our culinary horizons beyond the fishy dishes the next time we're debating what to order from Pappadeaux, for sure. 

Ocean Prime, the first location of which opened in Michigan in 2008, is an upscale chain with locations in cities such as Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, and others. It specializes in savory seafood, creative, refreshing drinks, and — you guessed it — juicy steaks. Although there are ample oysters, crab legs, tartare, and spicy tuna rolls to be found on the franchise's menus, there are also filet mignons, bone-in filets, or New York strips available to pair with one of its signature cocktails or a glass of smooth red wine at dinner time.

And because Ocean Prime's beef list is so extensive, one would expect (or at least hope) these meaty dishes to be of decent quality. Thankfully, this assumption not only rings true — it is exceeded. Ocean Prime doesn't disappoint in the beef category, and "decent" would be too subtle a word to describe its red meat plates, according to consumers. Reviewers across platforms such as Reddit and Tripadvisor all declare not only the superiority of Ocean Prime's seafood but of its seared steak picks, as well. With consistent descriptive words like "excellent" and "fantastic" being used to reference the chain's steak slabs, it feels hard to deny that the fish house can cook up a pretty mean beef meal.

You might be wondering what happened to Cousins Maine from "Shark Tank." This varied company — that got its big break on the hit reality TV show — has a slew of food trucks and restaurants under its belt, along with an online seafood-to-order catalog. While its sit-down locations and kitchens-on-wheels serve up ocean-forward delicacies like lobster tacos, lobster grilled cheeses, crab rolls, or clam chowders, they do not serve steak. However, Cousins Maine does offer up some incredible beef cuts via its online to-order food catalog for those who prefer to cook and dine at home.

Alongside the option for wild-caught, delivered-to-your-doorstep live lobsters or sample packs of fresh scallops, there are also 8-ounce beef tenderloins available for delivery via the Cousins Maine website. The steaks are available as both a solo two-pack of filets or roped in alongside lobsters with the company's surf-and-turf family meal bundle — but whichever selection you opt for, the beef is a total slam dunk according to on-site reviewers. And it's not hard to believe when one considers the company's assurance regarding the meat's origins: the cattle from which the steaks are drawn are locally sourced in Maine, exclusively grass-fed, and free of any hormones, steroids, or antibiotics. Happy cows certainly make for good quality steaks — it's just science.

24 years ago, two men named Chris Parker and Tim Curci opened the first Bonefish Grill in Florida. As the name suggested, the center of its business model was frying up fresh catches — and now the once-single restaurant is 175 locations strong, peppering nearly every territory of the United States. Understanding the epic pairing that steak and seafood provide, Bonefish Grill offers multiple red meat dishes on its menu — perhaps the most celebrated of which is an eggs benedict variant with filet mignon.

The Filet Mignon and Lobster Eggs Benedict is a delicious pairing of two English muffins; one topped with rich lobster meat, the other with a cut of seared steak. Both are finished off with a perfect, ready-to-be-popped poached egg — and the result is an effortless, elevated take on the classic surf-n-turf flavor combination. The love for this particular dish via the consumer populace is well-evidenced, with one YouTube reviewer boldly declaring that "filet mignons should always be on benedicts" after her first on-screen bite. Another popular steak delicacy worth sampling from Bonefish is its sirloin and shrimp platter, which once again harnesses the made-in-heaven flavor mash-up of ocean protein and land protein together on a plate. Whichever dish you go with, there's a glorious chance you'll have a great steak experience at Bonefish Grill.

Eddie V's Prime Seafood is a fine-dining restaurant chain present in 14 states with 31 locations in total. Its menu is impressive, offering distinctive from-the-sea bites like The Shellfish Tower, Tableside Steak Tartare, Chilean Sea Bass, or South African Lobster. With an entire section of its menu also dedicated to steak dishes — such as the 22-ounce Prime Bone-In Ribeye or the 18-ounce New York Strip with Chili Rub — the consumer certainly won't be disappointed in the way of choices when they find themselves craving red meat at Eddie V's.

According to consumers, they won't be disheartened in the way of taste, either; the seafood chain's filet mignon and tomahawk steak dishes in particular are repeatedly praised by patrons across the board. From being referred to as "outstanding" on Yelp to earning a product-specific review titled, "The Tomahawk Steak was Crazy" on Tripadvisor, ordering steak at Eddie V's Prime Seafood appears to be not only a safe bet but an advantageous one. Seeing as the chain's red meat has the potential to make your taste buds sing, what is there to stand in your way when it comes to trying one? 

We know, we know; the largest seafood chain in the United States isn't without its faults, but hear us out. Red Lobster, known best for its famous Cheddar Biscuits, often finds itself at the center of consumer debates. Eaters frequently appear split on issues such as the quality or taste of the chain's products, but one aspect of Red Lobster's menu brings such a surprising amount of positive buzz that it deserves a mention. According to a chunk of consumers who've tasted it, the steak coming out of the kitchen at Red Lobster is quite delicious ... causing us to wonder if it might be worth a try.

Despite the questionable opinions regarding some of its fishy fair, Red Lobster's steaks are called out frequently via platforms such as Tripadvisor, YouTube, or Reddit in an optimistic light. "Best Steak" reads the title of one of these online reviews. "Yes, you read it right — Red Lobster has unbelievably delicious steaks. So good, in fact, that it is one of my two preferred steak destinations. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, juicy, deliciously seasoned, and cooked to perfection ... you just can't beat it. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed." All that being said, this opinion is hardly universal. There exists another percentage of consumers who have had decidedly less positive experiences with their meat from Red Lobster — so if you do decide to go for it with a beef order, we certainly hope your tasting experience goes the right way.

To determine which seafood chains serve up a decent steak dish, the writer's own tasting experience, as well as consumer reviews via Tripadvisor, Reddit, Yelp, YouTube, and Facebook, were taken into account. All of these elements helped contribute to what we believe to be a well-rounded and accurate list of fish houses in the United States with some of the best steaks. However, food is subjective, and it is important to note that individual taste preferences and experiences may vary.