9 Larger-Than-Life Steaks

There’s just no escaping it—now and then, Las Vegas is a land of steakhouses and buffets. We’ve got more of each in one 4-mile stretch of road than most whole cities, and that means the stakes have been raised to provide even more exemplary experiences. For steakhouses to get a foothold among increased competition, they’ve had to increase not only the quality of the steaks, but also the size.

1. 32-ounce royal long-bone chop ($105, Gordon Ramsay Steak, Paris)

Gordon Ramsay’s first restaurant in Las Vegas was much trumpeted upon its arrival in 2012, and with good reason. Its beef, sourced from Pat LaFrieda and dry-aged for 28 days in LaFrieda’s Himalayan salt room, quickly won over critics and fans alike, especially his royal long-bone chop, a cut worthy of Her Majesty.

2. 35-ounce tomahawk ($100, 35 Steaks + Martinis, Hard Rock Hotel)

So special they named the restaurant after it, the 35-ounce, 35-day-aged USDA Prime tomahawk is the feather in the cap of the Hard Rock’s trendy steakhouse. The eye-catcher is the giant rib bone, but the marbled beef stands on its own, especially when paired with sides like chipotle creamed corn or mac-n-extra cheese.

3. 32-ounce “lollypop” ribeye ($99, Old Homestead Steakhouse, Caesars Palace)

After nearly 150 years in the beef business in New York, Old Homestead Steakhouse arrived at Caesars Palace in 2012 with the ribeye “lollypop,” a Certified Angus cut dry-aged for 30 days, seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper, then seared at 1,200 degrees to seal in the flavor.

4. 32-ounce 28-day dry-aged côte de boeuf ($130, Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak, The Mirage)

Don’t let the French fool you—côte de boeuf is simply another way of saying bone-in ribeye. In the case of Tom Colicchio’s second Las Vegas restaurant, the antibiotic- and hormone-free cut is cooked over an open flame. What needs no translation is the selection of sides, which ranges from the usual (potato purée, asparagus) to the sensational (barbecued foie gras, warm king crab).

5. Creekstone Farms Angus chateaubriand ($110, Delmonico Steakhouse, The Venetian)

Arkansas City, Kan., beef purveyor Creekstone Farms is responsible for Delmonico Steakhouse’s tender chateaubriand, essentially a long filet for two carved tableside. (Creekstone Farms also supplies beef to another Emeril Lagasse restaurant, his flagship Emeril’s in New Orleans.) The naturally raised Angus cut arrives not a la carte but with sides of asparagus and garlic smashed potatoes.

6. 32-ounce dry-aged Angus porterhouse ($96, Craftsteak, MGM Grand)

How do you judge a judge? When it comes to Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio, simply slice into a porterhouse for two at Craftsteak, a 32-ounce dry-aged Angus cut, roasted rather than grilled. Complement it with mushrooms like white beech or hen-of-the-woods (often known by the Japanese shimeji or maitake, respectively).

7. 44-ounce Prime ribeye tomahawk for two ($145, N9NE Steakhouse, Palms)

Not that size should matter, but N9NE’s ribeye tomahawk takes the cake when it comes to on-the-bone heft. The massive cut is pepper-crusted and grilled, then served with a red wine sauce alongside roasted bone marrow, seasonal vegetables and baby Dutch potatoes.

8. 32-ounce Andiamo tomahawk ($79, Andiamo Italian Steakhouse, The D)

It was The D owner Derek Stevens who brought Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse to downtown Vegas, and Vicari who tapped butchers Pat LaFrieda and Stockyard Premium to provide the beef. The Andiamo tomahawk is a steal at $79, dry-aged for 30 days and “charred to perfection,” as the menu states.

9. 30-ounce dry-aged porterhouse ($110, StripSteak, Mandalay Bay)

Michael Mina’s dominion now spans eight metropolitan areas and 18 restaurants, with four in Vegas, including StripSteak. The pièce de résistance might be his American wagyu (in three separate cuts), but don’t discount the Angus porterhouse, grilled (like all his steaks) over mesquite. A side of black truffle mac and cheese just puts it over the top.