Does Texas Roadhouse Offer Tomahawk Steaks On Its Menu?

It's nearly impossible to scroll FoodTok, or any other social media nook where gourmands hang out, and not be bombarded with droolworthy pics of tomahawk steaks. Luscious, marbled, and, most distinctively, possessed of a long attached rib bone not unlike the handle of an eponymous axe, tomahawk steaks are the culinary equivalent of Instagram models: insanely photogenic and aspirational. If you're planning a visit to Texas Roadhouse, you may be wondering if you can order a tomahawk steak to enjoy while you sip a beer and listen to some country music. The answer, sadly, is "no."

A peek at Texas Roadhouse's menu reveals no tomahawk steaks, alas. While Texas Roadhouse doesn't feature a tomahawk steak, what it does have is a ribeye, which is cut from the tomahawk steak's rib bone. There's a difference between ribeye and New York strip steak that matters, because ribeye is exquisitely marbled and much juicier. Better yet, Texas Roadhouse's specific 20-ounce ribeye is served on the bone, meaning that you get a lot of that flavor benefit, minus the high cost of a trendy tomahawk steak. Tomahawk steak is so pricey, it's listed at "market price" at Ruth's Chris Steak House (known for melt-in-your-mouth steaks) – plus it's 40 ounces of meat. That right there is the most likely reason why you won't see tomahawk at Texas Roadhouse, because it's not in line with the demands of the clientele.

Unlike Ruth's Chris, Mastro's, Capital Grille, or a number of other bougie, higher-end "date night" steakhouses in the North American pantheon, Texas Roadhouse made its name on entry-level relatability. The menu is comparatively affordable, the steaks are served with two sides apiece (as opposed to the à la carte model at the restaurants mentioned), and the vibes are relaxed and casual. Take, for example, the fact that the best-selling steak at Texas Roadhouse is the humble, inexpensive sirloin. On the flip side, many upscale steakhouses don't even offer sirloin.

Besides which, depending on who you ask, you might not be getting anything more special than a regular ribeye when you order a tomahawk steak, anyway. A Reddit post asked, "I'm confused on why these steaks are so popular — aren't they just ribeye steaks with the bone kept on? Aren't you paying for the extra weight?" The top-rated answer? "You are correct on all counts. It's visually attractive to some, but nothing more." Some steak snobs might quibble with this answer, but, for the intents and purposes of the average Texas Roadhouse customer out for a low-key steak dinner, the ribeye is probably just fine ... no tomahawk bone needed.