The Cheapest To Most Expensive Chain Restaurant Tomahawk Steaks You Can Find

It's hard to go wrong with a tomahawk steak. Made up of a juicy and tender ribeye, the tomahawk features a distinctive long rib bone that resembles a tomahawk axe. Depending on the source, this bone has to be at least five or seven inches long for this cut to qualify as a tomahawk. The bone is French trimmed – or "Frenched" — meaning that the exposed part of the rib has been meticulously cleaned of meat and fat. This preparation technique ensures that tomahawk steaks aren't just delicious, but also visually striking.

Also known as "bone-in ribeye" and "tomahawk chop," the tomahawk doesn't appear on most restaurant menus. Even at steakhouses, it can be somewhat uncommon. That said, some steakhouses choose to highlight the cut as one of their signature dishes. 

The price of a tomahawk steak normally reflects both the cut's large size and premium quality. Some of the factors that can influence the cost of a tomahawk include the grade of the beef and the restaurant's reputation. Whether you're a seasoned tomahawk enthusiast or a curious first-timer, here's a list of the cheapest to most expensive chain restaurant tomahawk steaks. Bon appétit!

Those wishing to try a restaurant-quality tomahawk at the reasonable price of $100 should make a beeline for Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. The 35-ounce, 1 ¼ inch cut is made with USDA Prime beef, which is the agency's top meat grading, ahead of USDA Choice and USDA Select. Replete with marbling, USDA Prime beef is exceptionally tender and juicy. To make the most of the cut, Fleming's ages its tomahawk, seasons the cut with the chain's special salt and pepper blend, and broils it at precisely 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. The steak is then rested and served on a 350-degree Fahrenheit plate with a dollop of butter and a little parsley.

The popularity of the Tomahawk Tuesday at Fleming's stands testament to the cut's superior quality and flavor. The $143 three-course dinner for two lets diners enjoy a 35-ounce tomahawk steak, two salads, two sides, and two desserts. Alternatively, diners can opt for the Sliced Porterhouse to Share composed of a 28-ounce USDA Prime Bone-In New York strip and 6-ounce filet mignon.

Diners have positive things to say about the tomahawk steak at Fleming's, with many reviewers noting that their dish was expertly seasoned and prepared. For instance, one satisfied patron says: "It was cooked to perfection (medium), really juicy and packed with flavor. [...] It was also super tender and easy to eat." Another diner agrees, saying, "The tomahawk steak was delicious. It had [a] nice crust and was seasoned well."

Fogo de Chão is a Brazilian churrasco restaurant that specializes in rodízio-style dining. This all-you-can-eat experience involves servers, known as gauchos, who move from table to table with oversized skewers of various types of fire-roasted meats, slicing them directly onto plates. Some of these include picanha, the prime part of the top sirloin, filet mignon, and bone-in ribeye. Fogo de Chão's Dry-Aged Tomahawk Ancho isn't a part of the rodízio experience. Instead, this cut is served à la carte, prepared to each diner's exact specifications.

Priced at $115, the 36-ounce long bone ribeye is aged for 42 days to enhance its flavor and texture. Like the chain's other cuts of beef, the tomahawk is then roasted in a multi-level grill, a process that gives it a beautiful charred exterior. The chain's General Manager Wanderson Oliveira recently explained this process in an exclusive interview with Mashed, saying, "Sometimes [it] can be tricky, right? Because fire is there and it's hot. So if you don't pay attention, if you're not on top of your meat ... you can burn it. ... But that doesn't happen. [The gauchos], they're really proud of what they do and they take accountability for it."

Just as its name suggests, the Prime Tomahawk at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse is made with USDA Prime beef. Ranking above USDA Choice and USDA Select, only the top 2% of the beef graded by the organization earns this prestigious designation. While $132 for 32-ounces isn't cheap, the tomahawk is by no means the priciest on the restaurant's menu. Those looking to spend big can opt for the Japanese A5 Wagyu Steak, which costs $80 for 3 ounces.

The Prime Tomahawk at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse has earned top marks from diners. A case in point is one happy reviewer who says: "The tomahawk steaks were cooked to perfection. All the food was great. A definite place I would return to." Another diner shares this sentiment, saying, "[It] was like eating bliss with a fork and a knife." Perhaps the only slightly negative feedback came from a guest who remarked: "[The] tomahawk was tasty, perhaps a bit less fat would've been ideal but delicious nonetheless."

Listed alongside other outstanding cuts of beef such as filet mignon, New York strip, and porterhouse, the Bone-In Tomahawk is one of the highlights of the menu at Perry's Steakhouse & Grille. Available for $135, the 32-ounce cut is aged USDA Prime-graded beef. The steak is infused with the chain's signature seasoning and topped with butter before being served on a hot cast iron plate.

The tomahawk steak at Perry's is a favorite among patrons for its rich flavor and succulent texture. One reviewer calls the dish fantastic, adding, "We decided to share a tomahawk ribeye and it was quite honestly the best steak I have had out in years. Well worth the price point, but we couldn't finish it between [the] two of us. It came out perfectly seasoned and cooked. We asked for the topper on the side because we wanted to be able to taste the steak as it is." In a similar vein, several other diners have described the tomahawk at Perry's as perfect, incredibly tender and tasty, and a 10/10.

While Morton's The Steakhouse specifies that most of its steak offerings are USDA Prime beef, the highest grade awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this isn't the case for its Tomahawk Ribeye. Listed in the "Butcher Cut Features" section of the menu, alongside Japanese and American Wagyu dishes, the 36-ounce Tomahawk Ribeye comes with the hefty price tag of $149. This, however, is nothing compared to the chain's Japanese A5 Wagyu New York strip, which costs $119 for 6 ounces. Though we can't be sure whether this is how Morton's prepares its tomahawk, the chain ages its prime beef between 23 and 28 days. The restaurant also recommends that beef be cooked at temperatures over 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most reviewers rave about the Tomahawk Ribeye at Morton's The Steakhouse, praising the cut for its delicious flavor. One patron, who brought her son to the restaurant so that he could try a tomahawk for his birthday, says that the juicy and well-seasoned dish didn't disappoint. Some other adjectives used to describe the cut have included sublime, the best, and full of rich flavor.

Priced at $154, the Tomahawk Ribeye is the most expensive steak at Ruth's Chris Steak House. This said, at 40-ounces, the bone-in cut is probably more than enough for two diners, provided that you order some side dishes. Graded USDA Prime, the Midwestern beef is rich in marbling, tenderness, and flavor. To lock in flavor, the tomahawk is broiled at an ultra high temperature of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit before it's served with a dollop of butter on one of Ruth's Chris' signature sizzling 500-degree Fahrenheit plates.

Some guests who have tried the tomahawk at Ruth's Chris say that they will be back to experience it again, and for a good reason. One reviewer calls the dish "drool-worthy," adding, "We truly have never had a better steak in our many adventures. It was decadent to the very last bite. It was the talk and envy of the table for flavor and tenderness." Another satisfied guest agrees, saying that the tomahawk was "to die for."

The steaks at STK Steakhouse are divided into three categories: small cuts, medium cuts, and large cuts. Small cuts include the 6-ounce filet, the 8-ounce steakhouse skirt, and the 8-ounce ribeye spinalis. Medium cuts consist of the 10-ounce ribeye filet, the 14-ounce bone-in filet, New York strip, and dry-aged delmonico, and the 18-ounce dry-aged bone-in strip, and cowgirl bone-in ribeye. Meanwhile, the large cuts feature the 34-ounce dry-aged tomahawk and the 28-ounce dry-aged porterhouse. STK Steakhouse also serves Japanese A5 Wagyu and Australian flat iron steak.

At $184, the Dry-Aged Tomahawk at STK Steakhouse isn't the cheapest dinner option, but for some, it can be a splurge-worthy indulgence worthy of its steep price tag. A good example of this is one enthused reviewer who shared the tomahawk with his dining companion: "[We] ordered it at medium temperature and boy was it perfect. The steak [...] melted in my mouth the moment it touched my tongue and the seasoning was perfect!" Another patron concurs, saying that their steak was "great [in] size, quality, and taste."

The Swinging Tomahawk Ribeye at Smith & Wollensky commands attention. Rather than being plated in the kitchen, the tomahawk is charred and carved right at the table, allowing the beef fat to drip into a bowl of potatoes beneath. This absolute showstopper is made from a 44-ounce cut of Black Grade American Wagyu, well-known for its superior marbling, rich flavor, and melt-in-the mouth texture. Perfect for sharing, this mammoth of a steak will set you back around $265. Just remember, the snaps you take on your phone will be worth every penny.

Diners give Smith & Wollensky's Swinging Tomahawk Ribeye the green light, praising the cut for its eye-catching presentation and decadent flavor. One reviewer says that they almost always order the steak at the restaurant, adding, "The table-side finishing with a blowtorch is spectacular, and the taste and quality of their in-house aged beef is superb." Another guest shares the same opinion, saying, "This is awesome! Had it a few times already and it's magnificent." Several other diners are also partial to the cut, describing it as the best steak ever, outstanding, and pretty darn good.

Mastro's offers two tomahawk options: the 32-ounce Tomahawk Chop for $195 and the larger 40-ounce Tomahawk Chop for $250. Both cuts are American Wagyu sourced from Durham Ranch, a family-owned operation known for its premium meats and responsible sourcing practices. Aside from its tomahawks, Mastro's also serves USDA Prime beef, Japanese A5 Wagyu, and A5 Kobe beef sourced from Tajima cattle from Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture. For those interested, the chain charges a staggering $120 for 2 ounces of the stuff. Mastro's prepares its beef in a 1,500-degree Fahrenheit broiler and serves it on 450-degree Fahrenheit plates.

Considering its steep price tag, it's surprising that the American Wagyu Tomahawk Chop at Mastro's has received mixed feedback. On a positive note, one diner says that their tomahawk was "extremely satisfying," adding, "The steak was prepared perfectly and the flavor was amazing." Conversely, some other customers haven't been as impressed with the cut. For instance, one patron says that the tomahawk was the worst they have ever tasted, adding, "[The] tomahawk steak was terribly cooked. Sent food back three times and [the] chef still could not get it right."

The Mashed award for the chain restaurant serving the priciest tomahawk steak — and the most expensive steaks in general — goes to Cut by Wolfgang Puck. Both of the restaurant's 40-ounce tomahawk options cost $425. These cuts include the American Wagyu Dry Aged Tomahawk from Snake River Farms in Idaho and the Australian Wagyu Tomahawk from Stone Axe in Australia. For those interested, Wolfgang Puck revealed his secret to quality steaks in a TikTok video while answering a fan's question about the ideal heat level for beef, saying, "As high as possible. I want to sear the steak so it gets a good crust and finish it slow."

Joyce Magdalena, who reviewed Cut for the Law Gazette, says that the tomahawk was the undisputed star of her meal at the restaurant due to its "impressive" presentation, generous seasoning, and juiciness. Most other reviewers agree with Magdalena, with one diner stating: "We've gotten the tomahawk every time we've come and it's 100% worth it. They slice it table-side once it's ready." On the flip side, a few diners have complained about the cut's texture, with one reviewer noting that it was overly fatty and another that it lacked flavor.