UPDATED: Link at bottom of post.
I've been to the #1 steakhouse but I wouldn't say it's the best. It's an experience and a unique place, but best?
If you don't want to view the entire video, the winner was The Big Texan in Amarillo. The last time I was there, I took my British friend elle when she was here for one of her visits. We had the multi-meat appetizer and I talked her into trying the "calf fries" (which were about the worst I'd ever had, much worse than the ones I've eaten right off a branding iron stove w/ no salt except for what dripped off me on that long ago hot Texas afternoon) but she wouldn't touch the rattlesnake, which was pretty good.
I took an ex-g/f and her kiddos there once after an evening at Wonderland Amusement Park. My g/f's little girl was happy with her burger; her mother and I had chicken fried steaks which were good, but not the best I'd ever had. (the best one of those I ever had was at a crossroads cafe near Balko, Oklahoma.) Her 16 yr. old son sulked the entire time we were there because I wouldn't let him have a try at eating the 72 oz. steak. (he was already angry because we left the park after "only" four hours) I was doubtful that he'd eat it, but I knew he wouldn't even touch the other things you have to eat, such as the baked potato, the shrimp cocktail and especially not the salad that has to be consumed along with the meat and bread in under an hour. It certainly wasn't worth risking having to pay $72 if he DIDN'T finish it all in time.
(Her daughter was a sweet little girl, born on Feb. 29th, a Leap Year baby. She made me regret not having a little girl of my own. The boy, OTOH, made me glad I didn't have kids, at least having one like him. If he'd been MY child, I'd have sold him to the gypsies for less than $72.)
They have one of the steaks on ice in a display case as you enter and trust me, that's a huge chunk of meat. Just the weight - 4.5 lbs. - doesn't put the massive size of it in perspective. If you go to The Big Texan website, you can view a list of those who have successfully completed the challenge; I didn't see the information on the site (I'm sure it's there somewhere) but I once read a 70-ish grandmother scarfed one down and there has been at least one person who ate two! The site also has webcams that show a real-time view of anyone taking the challenge.
(EDIT to add: I found the Free 72 oz. Steak Facts page: the grandmother was 69, the youngest to eat it all was an 11 yr. old boy, and the fastest time by a human was 8 minutes and 52 seconds. I say "human", because a 500-lb Bengal tiger consumed the meat in less than 90 seconds. They didn't try to make him eat the potato or salad.)
4.5 lbs. of steak. I haven't had four and a half pounds of steak total in four and a half years!
UPDATE:
Eating champ Molly Schuyler devours 3 72-ounce steaks
I've been to the #1 steakhouse but I wouldn't say it's the best. It's an experience and a unique place, but best?
If you don't want to view the entire video, the winner was The Big Texan in Amarillo. The last time I was there, I took my British friend elle when she was here for one of her visits. We had the multi-meat appetizer and I talked her into trying the "calf fries" (which were about the worst I'd ever had, much worse than the ones I've eaten right off a branding iron stove w/ no salt except for what dripped off me on that long ago hot Texas afternoon) but she wouldn't touch the rattlesnake, which was pretty good.
I took an ex-g/f and her kiddos there once after an evening at Wonderland Amusement Park. My g/f's little girl was happy with her burger; her mother and I had chicken fried steaks which were good, but not the best I'd ever had. (the best one of those I ever had was at a crossroads cafe near Balko, Oklahoma.) Her 16 yr. old son sulked the entire time we were there because I wouldn't let him have a try at eating the 72 oz. steak. (he was already angry because we left the park after "only" four hours) I was doubtful that he'd eat it, but I knew he wouldn't even touch the other things you have to eat, such as the baked potato, the shrimp cocktail and especially not the salad that has to be consumed along with the meat and bread in under an hour. It certainly wasn't worth risking having to pay $72 if he DIDN'T finish it all in time.
(Her daughter was a sweet little girl, born on Feb. 29th, a Leap Year baby. She made me regret not having a little girl of my own. The boy, OTOH, made me glad I didn't have kids, at least having one like him. If he'd been MY child, I'd have sold him to the gypsies for less than $72.)
They have one of the steaks on ice in a display case as you enter and trust me, that's a huge chunk of meat. Just the weight - 4.5 lbs. - doesn't put the massive size of it in perspective. If you go to The Big Texan website, you can view a list of those who have successfully completed the challenge; I didn't see the information on the site (I'm sure it's there somewhere) but I once read a 70-ish grandmother scarfed one down and there has been at least one person who ate two! The site also has webcams that show a real-time view of anyone taking the challenge.
(EDIT to add: I found the Free 72 oz. Steak Facts page: the grandmother was 69, the youngest to eat it all was an 11 yr. old boy, and the fastest time by a human was 8 minutes and 52 seconds. I say "human", because a 500-lb Bengal tiger consumed the meat in less than 90 seconds. They didn't try to make him eat the potato or salad.)
4.5 lbs. of steak. I haven't had four and a half pounds of steak total in four and a half years!
UPDATE:
Eating champ Molly Schuyler devours 3 72-ounce steaks
