Pappas Bros. Steakhouse

The original Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is a Houston institution. For nearly 30 years, the Galleria-area restaurant has served the best steak in town, bar none (there’s also a Downtown location if you’re craving an after-work ribeye). Houstonians have come to count on Pappas Bros., whether they’re sitting alone at the bar, taking a client out with a corporate card, or celebrating a special occasion. Because eating here feels slightly ostentatious, a little stuffy, but also luxurious—the kind of place you can get away with wearing a suit with cowboy boots. 

Every detail in the remarkably dark dining room feels as though it's from at least 40 years ago, like the roomy booths, plush chairs, crisp white tablecloths, tiny silver candle lamps, yellow faux-painted columns, and gaudy neo-modern artwork. Even though this is just what was fancy in the 1980s, it’s still pretty fancy now. Or at least that’s how the servers and sommeliers quietly maneuvering around with serving carts displaying dessert or wine in adorable baskets will make you feel.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

The impeccably dressed servers are all trained in the stealth art of selling you anything and everything, no matter the price, and you will thank them for doing so. Mention you like seafood, and they will respond with an irresistible description of whatever crab is in season. Muse about sharing a steak, and suddenly the 72oz tomahawk is an option you are happy to consider. Want fancy French wine, gin martinis, an after dinner scotch? Why yes, of course you do. 

Thanks to the 28-day in-house dry aging program, steaks at Pappas Bros. are intensely nutty, juicy, and rich, and every black-pepper crusted hunk of meat arrives warm with a simple sprinkling of salt and pepper. The sides , served a la carte, also feel special, despite their simplicity—whether it’s a trough of creamy mashed potatoes, disturbingly large asparagus, or just a pile of creamed spinach.

On a recent trip to Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, we were with a group of 20, and every steak arrived at the same time, at the correct temperature that each guest requested. That’s some serious old school magic. So, if you want to feel like a recently crowned oil baron, or real estate tycoon, or partner of a prestigious law firm—given this is Houston, it’s possible you’re already one of those things—then Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is likely your kind of place.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Food Rundown

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Caesar Salad

When a restaurant garnishes a caesar salad with thick sheafs of nutty cheese instead of a grated sprinkle, you know the rest of the meal is going to follow suit. Bigger sometimes is better.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Crab Cakes

Even though the Pappas crab cakes are already decidedly more crab than cake, even more crab gets included on top. Just in case.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Lobster Tail

Add one of these juicy buttery tails to any steak order, because what’s a steakhouse dinner without a helping of surf and turf?

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Filet Mignon

The filet at Pappas is extra thick, like a double-stack of hockey pucks, but made out of buttery soft beef. Skip over the fat if that’s not your thing, and head straight to the center for tender and juicy bites all around.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Dry Aged Bone-In Ribeye

The steaks at Pappas are aged for a minimum of 28 days in-house, a fact Pappas is very proud of, which is probably why they display the steaks in a giant deli case. It’s mostly for show, but if you want, you can select your very own bone-in beef baby. That way, when the hand-chosen hunk of meat arrives, rested and still warm, you can know every forkful was meant for you.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Cheesecake

This New York-style cheesecake is so tall, you might need some kind of mountain gear to reach its summit. It probably weighs like five pounds, and tastes like a decadent, sweet cheesy heaven, with just the right amount of sour cream sauce drizzled on top.