There is a particular kind of anxiety that settles in when you are following a ketogenic diet and someone suggests dinner at a steakhouse. On one hand, a restaurant built around slabs of protein and melted butter should feel like coming home. On the other hand, the average steakhouse menu is a minefield of sugary glazes, flour-dusted sides, and bread baskets that arrive before you have even unfolded your napkin. The ketogenic diet, which typically restricts carbohydrate intake to roughly 20 to 50 grams per day to maintain a metabolic state called ketosis (Healthline, 2024), demands vigilance — but it does not demand that you stop dining out.
According to a 2023 survey by the International Food Information Council, approximately 8 percent of American adults reported following a keto or very-low-carb diet, making it one of the most popular dietary frameworks in the country. And steakhouses, by their very nature, are among the most keto-accommodating restaurants in existence. The trick is knowing exactly where the carbs hide — and they hide in places you would never expect.
This guide breaks down every section of the steakhouse experience, from appetizers to after-dinner drinks, so you can enjoy a night out without derailing your progress. Whether you are at a Peter Luger in Brooklyn, a Ruth’s Chris in Garden City, or a local chophouse in Smithtown, these principles apply everywhere.
The Steakhouse Advantage: Why This Is Your Best Restaurant Option on Keto
Steakhouses are, in many ways, purpose-built for the ketogenic diner. The centerpiece of every menu is protein — ribeyes, filets, porterhouses, New York strips — and most cuts arrive with zero carbohydrates when ordered plain. A standard 8-ounce filet mignon, for example, contains roughly 0 to 1 gram of net carbs, 62 grams of protein, and 29 grams of fat (KetoVale, 2023). That is a near-perfect keto macro profile without any modification at all.
The advantage extends beyond the entree section. Most steakhouses offer grilled seafood, roasted vegetables, and composed salads that can be easily adapted. As Aimee Aristotelous, certified nutritionist and author of The 30-Day Keto Plan, notes, the key to dining out on keto is focusing on whole, unprocessed menu items and requesting simple modifications (Ketogenic.com, 2023). At a steakhouse, those modifications are minimal because the food is already close to compliant.
Brazilian-style steakhouses like Fogo de Chão deserve special mention. These all-you-can-eat establishments send servers to your table with skewers of grilled meats — picanha, lamb, filet — and the only thing you need to avoid is the extensive salad bar’s starchier options like potato salad and candied nuts (Carb Manager, 2022).
What to Order: Building the Perfect Keto Steakhouse Meal
Appetizers: Start with a shrimp cocktail (typically 0 to 2 grams of net carbs per serving), a wedge salad with blue cheese and bacon (hold the balsamic glaze), or bone marrow if the restaurant offers it. Avoid anything described as “crispy,” “breaded,” or “glazed” — those words are almost always code for flour and sugar.
The Main Event: Fatty cuts are your best friend. Ribeye steaks carry the highest fat content among common cuts, making them ideal for meeting your keto macros. The USDA notes that a 12-ounce ribeye contains approximately 74 grams of fat and zero carbs. New York strip, porterhouse, T-bone, and filet mignon are all excellent choices. Request your steak prepared with butter or olive oil rather than a house-made sauce, which may contain sugar, flour, or honey.
Sides: Steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, creamed spinach (ask about flour thickeners), grilled asparagus, and Caesar salad without croutons are your safest bets. Swap the baked potato for a double order of vegetables — most steakhouses will happily accommodate this. Avoid mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, onion rings, and any preparation described as “loaded.”
Drinks: Dry red wine (about 3 to 4 grams of carbs per glass), a neat whiskey or bourbon (zero carbs), or sparkling water with lemon. Avoid cocktails with simple syrup, tonic water, or fruit juice mixers.
Watch: How to Order Keto at Any Restaurant — Thomas DeLauer — A practical walkthrough of restaurant ordering strategies from one of keto’s most recognized voices.
What to Skip: The Hidden Carb Traps That Catch Everyone
The bread basket is the obvious one, but it is hardly the only trap. Here are the sneakier culprits that steakhouse veterans overlook:
House-made sauces and glazes. That gorgeous peppercorn cream sauce? It likely contains flour as a thickener. Teriyaki glaze is essentially liquid sugar. Bourbon reduction sauces often include brown sugar or honey. According to KetoVale (2023), even BBQ sauces on ribs can contain 15 to 20 grams of carbs per serving — enough to blow through your entire daily allotment in a few bites.
“Healthy” salad dressings. Many house vinaigrettes and specialty dressings include honey, agave, or sugar. Your safest option is always oil and vinegar, or ranch dressing served on the side so you can control the amount. As the team at Cast Iron Keto recommends, always ask for sauces and dressings on the side (Cast Iron Keto, 2025).
Crispy toppings and onion strings. That innocent-looking handful of fried onion strings on top of your steak? Breaded and deep-fried. The same goes for “crispy shallots” and panko-crusted anything.
Soup. Loaded baked potato soup, French onion soup with its bread crust, and many cream-based soups use flour or cornstarch as thickeners. If a steakhouse offers bone broth, that is usually a safe and nourishing choice.
What to Ask the Kitchen: Scripts That Actually Work
The single most valuable skill for a keto diner is the willingness to ask questions without apology. Restaurant kitchens are accustomed to dietary requests, and most are happy to accommodate. Here are specific phrases that get results:
“Can I get the steak prepared with just butter, salt, and pepper — no sauce or glaze?” This eliminates the most common hidden carb source in one sentence.
“Is there flour or sugar in the creamed spinach?” Some steakhouses thicken their creamed spinach with roux; others use only cream and cheese. Asking this question signals to the kitchen that you are serious about ingredients.
“Can I substitute the potato for a double order of steamed broccoli or asparagus?” This swap is so common at steakhouses that servers rarely blink. As the team at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse in Oklahoma City advises, steakhouse menus are built around simple protein-and-side combinations that are easy to modify (Cattlemen’s, 2024).
“Can I get olive oil and vinegar instead of the house dressing?” Nearly every restaurant has these on hand, even if they are not listed on the menu (KetoVale, 2023).
The Pre-Game Strategy: How to Set Yourself Up Before You Arrive
Nutritionist and keto advocate Stephanie Laska, author of DIRTY, LAZY, KETO, emphasizes the importance of preparation. Review the menu online before you arrive. Most chain steakhouses — Ruth’s Chris, Outback, Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn — publish full nutritional information on their websites. Apps like MyFitnessPal and Carb Manager allow you to pre-log your meal and see exactly how it fits into your daily macros.
Another pro move: eat a small keto snack before you leave the house. A handful of macadamia nuts or a piece of string cheese takes the edge off your hunger, which dramatically reduces the temptation to reach for the bread basket. As Cattlemen’s Steakhouse notes, hunger has a powerful effect on the brain’s decision-making capacity — eating something small beforehand helps you order with your head, not your stomach (Cattlemen’s, 2024).
Watch: Keto on $5 a Day Budget Meal Plan — KetoConnect — Smart strategies for eating keto affordably, including meal prep tips that carry over to restaurant dining.
Chain Steakhouse Cheat Sheet: Your Best Orders at the Big Names
Here is a quick reference for some of the most popular steakhouse chains, based on published nutrition data:
Outback Steakhouse: Victoria’s Filet Mignon (8 oz, 1g net carbs) with asparagus (3g net carbs) and a Caesar salad, no croutons. Avoid the Bloomin’ Onion (86g carbs) at all costs (KetoVale, 2023).
Texas Roadhouse: Any steak ordered dry with steamed vegetables. The Herb Crusted Chicken is another solid option at just 3 grams of net carbs. Avoid the rolls with cinnamon butter — arguably the most tempting bread in American chain dining (Perfect Keto, 2023).
Ruth’s Chris: Petit Filet and Shrimp with creamed spinach and grilled asparagus. The meats here are high quality and typically seasoned simply with butter and salt (Carb Manager, 2022).
LongHorn Steakhouse: LongHorn Salmon with crispy Brussels sprouts and fresh steamed broccoli. Their steaks are also excellent choices when ordered without sauce.
The Bottom Line: Steakhouses Are Keto Territory — Own It
The steakhouse is one of the few restaurant categories where the ketogenic diner has a genuine advantage. The menu is built around exactly the foods you should be eating: high-quality protein, healthy fats, and simple vegetable preparations. The only real threats are sauces, starches, and the bread basket — and all three are easily neutralized with a polite question to your server.
So the next time someone invites you to a steakhouse, do not hesitate. Order the ribeye. Ask for extra butter. Double the broccoli. And enjoy every single bite.Related: Is Dirty Keto Worth It? What Happens When You Stop Caring About Food Quality | Keto Meal Prep for the Week Using Nothing But a Cast Iron Pan | How to Stock a Keto-Friendly Kitchen on Long Island Without Breaking the Budget
