Ranking The 9 Best Sides You Can Order At A Steakhouse

It goes without saying that meat tends to be the main attraction when you go out to eat at a steakhouse. However, most of those dining establishments give you the chance to round out your meal with some traditional sides, and some of them deserve a spot on your table more than the others.

Our ranking of the best sides you can order when you go out to eat at a steakhouse

Delmonico’s is widely viewed as the first steakhouse to open for business in the United States, as the New York City eatery that was essentially responsible for introducing America to the concept of fine dining debuted in 1827 and lent its name to the thick cut of beef that was one of a number of signature items it was known for serving up.

It was also largely responsible for the steakhouse blueprint that has served as the foundation for countless independent restaurants as well as popular chains like Ruth’s Chris, The Palm, and The Capital Grille, spots you usually go to when you have some money to burn and are in the mood for a meal that revolves around hunks of beef and multiple cocktails and glasses of wine served up on white tableclothes in wood-paneled dining room.

The specifics of the menu may differ from place to place, but most self-respecting steakhouses give diners the chance to choose from a list of fairly standard sides. As someone who’s been lucky enough to have my fair share of them at a wide variety of restaurants over the years, here’s how they tend to stack up against each other.

Asparagus

As is the case with every single dish I’ll be mentioning here, preparation is key, and there are undoubtedly some steakhouses that know how to take asparagus to a whole new level. However, they’ve rarely been something I’ve felt the urge to write home about after having some with a meal at one.

I’d somewhat obviously ranked asparagus higher in situations where they’re wrapped in prosciutto and sprinkled with some parmesan, but there’s only so much you can do to elevate them when they’re the star of the show.

Creamed Corn

A lot of the dishes I’ll be mentioning here adhere to the age-old restaurant formula of maximizing taste with the help of ungodly amounts of salt and dairy, and creamed corn certainly fits the bill.

This is a pretty old-school dish that you rarely encounter in the wild or cook for yourself at home, and I find myself drawn to it when I go out to eat at a steakhouse because there aren’t many other scenarios where I get the chance to try it. However, I’m still waiting for the day I’m blown away by creamed corn.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms pair pretty well with steak thanks to their meaty texture, and many restaurants will take things one step further by serving them up in a red wine sauce to hammer home that association.

I’ll usually pull the trigger on mushrooms at a steakhouse even if they’re prepared via a straightforward saute. I’m rarely let down, but I feel like I have to put them toward the bottom of the rankings due to the fact that they struggle to hold their own with the actual meat they end up being a faint imitation of when eaten together or side by side.

Creamed Spinach

This is another instance where the vegetable at the center of the dish isn’t really doing the heavy lifting, but I’ve found cream spinach has a tendency to scratch an itch I didn’t even know I had until I chow down on some at a steakhouse.

It also gets bonus points for easily being the most visually unappealing offering on this list while managing to overcome that handicap by virtue of being absolutely delicious.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts have undergone a dramatic reinvention in the 21st century with the help of the Dutch scientists who identified the gene responsible for the bitter taste that made them a very divisive vegetable prior to that discovery in the 1990s.

Most steakhouses that offer Brussels sprouts (which are almost always roasted) opt for an approach that incorporates sweetness in the form of balsamic vinegar or maple syrup along with bacon or panchetta to tie it all together. Those variations make it slightly hard to make a blanket statement, but they’re as high as they are here based on the ratio of hits to misses I’ve experienced.

Potatoes au Gratin

The last four items on this list have an inherent edge on the rest of the field thanks to their carb-centric nature. They’re also pretty neck and neck, and there’s a good chance I’d rank them in a different order if you asked me to do it again tomorrow.

On this day, however, potatoes au gratin are coming in fourth place. When they’re done well, the thinly sliced portions of cheesy goodness can go toe-to-toe with every single side on this list, but their tendency to be fairly hit-or-miss depending on where you get them makes me hesitant to rank them any higher.

French Fries

French fries are the ultimate crowd pleaser and something you can order at most restaurants that offer standard “American” cuisine.

However, most steakhouses that offer them go to great lengths to take them to the next level by making them with duck fat or beef tallow, and the premium you’ll usually have to pay is worth it even if you’re not opting for popular upgrades like truffle or parmesan.

Mac and Cheese

I’m aware that the dishes that earn the bronze and silver medal here tend to be tailored to please the palate of a child, but what they lack in sophistication they more than make up for in the flavor department.

The mac and cheese you get at a steakhouse is not the kind of stuff that comes in a box, and it tends to be a force to be reckoned with even if you’re not taking common add-ons like bacon or lobster into the equation. If loving it is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Mashed Potatoes

Last, and certainly not least, we’ve got mashed potatoes, which can more than stand on their own with the help of the unholy amounts of cream, butter, and salt any self-respecting steakhouse is using to make them.

However, they’re also the perfect vehicle for soaking up any juices or sauces that might remain on your plate after you’re done with your steak, and that versatility helps put them over the top and earn the crown.