10 Steakhouse Chains With the Best Tomahawk Chop

Steakhouses are one genre of restaurant where bigger is better. You can cut into a sufficiently sized filet mignon or bone-in rib-eye at almost any popular chain, but sometimes you just really want a steak large enough to satiate a lion. That's where America's higher-end steakhouses come in, exhibiting a particular penchant for supersized steaks with a side of pomp and circumstance. After all, there's nothing subtle about a 44-ounce cut dangling from a hook.

Tomahawk chops are the exemplar of the supersized steak form. These epic cuts of meat, typically elongated bone-in chops cut from the loin through the rib, are as massive as they are flavorful, tender, and richly marbled. The mere nature of such a cut means tomahawk chops are reliably—and considerably—larger than standard steakhouse fare, and they are often sizable enough to split with at least one other person.

Of course, cooking something so huge is no easy feat, but these 10 steakhouse chains earn top marks for their tomahawks.

The Capital Grille

The Capital Grille is the kind of posh chain you visit for fine wine, lobster bisque, and fancy bacon. It's also the place you visit when you want to live large and treat yourself. Of the many unique steak choices here, like a sliced filet with fig essence and a porcini-rubbed bone-in rib-eye, the tomahawk reigns as truly singular. For starters, veal is the meat of choice, served bone-in with sage butter, marsala jus, and crispy prosciutto.

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Morton's the Steakhouse

From the wedge salad through to dessert, Morton's the Steakhouse is the overachiever of the steakhouse world—and we're grateful for it. This diligence is especially apparent in Morton's steak selections, including a wealth of USDA prime cuts and a few exemplary "Butcher Cut" features, like a tomahawk ribeye. Weighing in at a colossal 36 ounces, this thing is succulent and shareable, especially when enhanced with optional supplements like blue cheese butter, cognac sauce au poivre, and cold-water lobster tail.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

What started as an indie venture in California has boomed into a chain with more than 70 locations in the U.S.—and practically enough California red wine to fill the Pacific. Regarded for its choice selection of USDA prime beef, the restaurant is also known for mammoth portions designed to share—like the USDA prime tomahawk, which comes in at a dainty 35 ounces, with a choice of béarnaise, smoked chili, or herbed horseradish.

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Fogo de Chão

Esteemed for its practically unparalleled quality and dedication to sustainability and animal welfare, Fogo de Chão is America's preeminent Brazilian-style steakhouse. It's as known for its healthy menu options as it is for its larger-than-life chops. Sure, you could opt for the churrasco experience, a beefy bacchanalia of endless meats carved table-side. Or you could upgrade to something truly extravagant: the 36-ounce tomahawk ancho. Available as an enhancement to the full churrasco experience, the chop is a bone-in ribeye that's dry-aged a minimum of 42 days to seal in optimal flavor and ensure a uniform richness through each slice.

Ruth's Chris

Between its sterling t-bones and ribeyes, Ruth's Chris is a steakhouse chain that knows how to cook meat on the bone. The fast-growing brand also serves big steaks on a budget, making this one of the more affordable destinations for a tomahawk on the cheap(ish). The tomahawk ribeye, an impossibly tender cut of meat, arrives sizzling on a heated plate at 40 ounces of well-marbled perfection. The heated plates come in handy since such a large portion will take some time to consume, ensuring each bite is hot and fresh.

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Mastro's

A couple of key indicators of a steakhouse worth its salt include a menu with unique cuts of meat and the encouraging endorsement of seasoned chefs. Mastro's, the gilded brand founded in Scottsdale, ticks both boxes and then some. The ritzy restaurant, with upwards of 20 locations, flexes its culinary muscles by serving some of the most elite ingredients available, including sushi, oysters, caviar, and, of course, top-shelf steaks. Among the latter, American Wagyu is the beef of choice for Mastro's two tomahawk options, a 32-ounce chop and a heftier 40-ounce option—you know, in case you're really hungry.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Smith & Wollensky

An iconic American steakhouse deserving of a spot on any beefy bucket list, Smith & Wollensky is just as adept at old-fashioned dishes as it is with modern innovations. Case in point: a hall of fame-worthy tomahawk chop large enough to feed the entire table. Nicknamed the Swinging Tomahawk Ribeye and clocking in at a whopping 44 ounces, it's a Wagyu beauty served dangling on a little hook. Perfectly seared and carved table-side, it's as much a feast as it is a show-stopping spectacle, commanding as much dining room attention as a birthday cake.

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Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse

From burgers to tartare, Del Frisco's is a brand that works wonders with beef in any and every form. The same is true of its largest menu items. Along with Japanese A5 Wagyu for some of its ritzier items, the steakhouse uses USDA prime beef for its biggest cut of steak: the 32-ounce tomahawk chop. Looking to gild the lily? Opt for enhancements and sauces, such as gorgonzola fondue, truffle butter, and horseradish cream.

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Rare Society

Even though it may not have the brand recognition or omnipresence of larger, more widespread chains, Rare Society is a California-based mini-chain that's made a name for itself in terms of quality—enough to earn itself top billing among America's finest steakhouses. Throughout its eclectic menus, the restaurant puts its own spin on steakhouse staples, from barbecued dry-aged meatballs to Dungeness crab cakes with charred oyster remoulade. Then there are the steaks, which are wood-grilled and sourced from top farms, like Snake River Farms. Interestingly, Rare Society is the rare steakhouse that serves pork in tomahawk form, opting for a 15-ounce portion that channels an al pastor-esque flavor profile with achiote glaze and pickled pineapple.

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The Palm Restaurant

There's something comfortingly old-school about The Palm, a small chain of upscale steakhouses that tread in red sauce Italian, seafood, and bone-in steaks you can share with your family. Of the elite "Butcher's Selections," the prime tomahawk ribeye is a 32-ounce behemoth that's rich and tender. Perfectly seasoned and seared, the chop pairs perfectly with lavish sides like black truffle risotto, three-cheese au gratin potatoes, and green beans with pancetta.