Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks Reviews - Best Online Steaks
I am a huge fan of this service. I find the shipping, customer service, and steak quality all above average, and the prices below average. About a third of my freezer space is filled with Omaha Steaks, and they are a favorite of mine for when I entertain larger-sized events.
About Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks was founded in 1917 and named after the city where the company was, and still maintains its headquarters. It could the most famous steak supplier in the country. Omaha is privately owned and operated for five generations. In 1952, they shipped their first steak via mail order. The company is well-known for its line of steaks including Filet Mignon, NY Strips, T-Bones, Porterhouses, and Ribeyes. They also sell Top Sirloins, Flank Steaks, Flat Irons, Bison, Pork, Veal, and Poultry.
Unlike almost all butchers, Omaha does have the USDA inspect their beef, but the grading is unknown. Consumers do not know if they are buying Prime, Choice, or Select beef. Each grade comes with a very different price point, so it is possible to be paying a premium rate for a USDA Select grade product.
All products are shipped frozen and on dry ice. Unlike almost all other providers, Omaha packages their products in boxes to help their customers manage and organize their freezer space.
- Omaha Steaks offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
on all of their products, and their customer service is available 24/7.
King Cut Bone-In Ribeye served with Cheesy Rustic Masted Potatoes.
Our Omaha Steaks Review
USDA Ungraded King Cuts Bone-In Ribeye 48 oz. - $110
Bucket List Steak. Any of the Omaha King Cut steaks can qualify as a bucket list steak, well, maybe not the Top Sirloin, but only one can qualify as the king of the kings, and this is it. Its 48 ounces is a tremendous size for presentation, it is very easy to prepare, and it packs a punch-in-your-face bold steak flavor guaranteed to give you, or your lucky guests, an unforgettable steak dining experience.
The magnitude of data your brain will be processing could come close to overload.
You may not want to eat this steak alone in case you fall off your chair. Combine the perfectly seasoned crispy crust, with the tender meaty texture of the beef, soaked in melted fat juices, and you'll find yourself surgically cutting your next bite while you savor the one in your mouth. If you have happened to come across this page and are looking at this as a once in a lifetime experience you can't do today, all the Omaha Ribeyes are top shelf, just go as thick as your wallet will allow.
Filet Mignon served with Roasted Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus and a Grilled Onion Half
USDA Ungraded Filet Mignon 10 Oz. - $23
These are the largest Filet Mignon's offered on the Omaha website. You will get emails and see specials for their other Filet Mignon's that are 5 and 6 oz. but don't be tempted. Hold out and spend the extra money on them at this size. At this size and this price, they are an excellent value.
The texture, flavor, and juiciness of these steaks rival some of the biggest USDA Prime names in the business, and if I were to them, side-by-side I bet that you would think the best meal came from the Omaha Filet. 10 oz. is enough to make a meal. With smaller Filet's you will either need to have two or load up on sides an vegetables. Neither option qualifies for a memorable steak dining experience.
But even if you put the size of these aside, the Omaha steak by itself is damn good. We would say in the Top 3 for sure and maybe higher. It checks all the boxes and is one of the best values out there. There is always at least a dozen in my freezer, they make excellent diner options for smaller intimate or family gatherings, and they are just as easy to cook on the stove as they are on the grill.
King Cut NY Strip Steak served on a Bed of Grilled Onions with a Baked Sweet Potato and Sauteed Zucchini
USDA Ungraded NY Strip 36 oz. King Cut - $80
You're probably not going to be serving this in an entertainment setting. It certainly qualifies as a personal dining experience, as I buy these when I host a few guys from my fantasy football league for a day of gluttony.
If you go up to the pictures at the top of the page, you'll see I pointed out the excellent marbling. Omaha doesn't tell you the grade of their steaks, which I'll get into in my summary. If I were a USDA Inspector, I would grade the marbling between high Choice and near Prime. The excellent marbling allowed me to trim the fat and some silver skin so the salt and pepper could get into the meat. Grilled it to 110 degrees and let it rest for 26 minutes. The internal temperature rose to 129 degrees, so be careful about overcooking it!
You are not going to find a cut like this at other providers, so there is an element of fun attached to buying and serving a steak like this. It does have an intense and robust steak flavor, but you have to season it to pull all its greatness out. We served this on a bed of sauteed sweet onions, which matched perfectly. These steaks are never on sale, but don't be afraid of the price! You can easily split it in half and still have a massive 18 oz. steak.
King Cut T-Bone Steak with Cheesy Potatos Au Gratin and Creamed Spinach
USDA Ungraded T-Bone Steak King Cut 48 oz. - $90
It would be hard not to recommend this steak with the highest enthusiasm. Yes, it's $90, but you would pay at least twice that in a restaurant At 48 ounces, it can easily serve two or a small family, as we plated here: Family style with creamed spinach and Potatoes Au Gratin.
No surprise, and the only negative thing we have to say about Omaha is their butchering, we had to finish the hand trimming. We agree you shouldn't have to, but a few strokes with a boning knife makes this steak perfect. I do want you notice the size of the Filet Mignon. You probably know, one side of a T-Bone is a NY Strip and the other is Filet Mignon.
T-Bones have very small Filet Mignons. The larger Filets are on the Porterhouse. But not with these amazing King Cuts. In fact, every King Cut T-Bone we have ever purchased came with a Porterhouse-sized Filet Mignon. A Porterhouse this large could easily cost between $140 and $180, or more. Most importantly, this steak is beyond delicious making it a great value for its price.
USDA Ungraded Top Sirloin Steak King Cut 72 oz. - $120 ea.
Let's not play around here. Even the largest appetite would trouble downing this 4.5 pound steak, but they enjoy every bite trying. We smoked it and served this for a 4th of July party we were hosting. Other entrees featured that day were cheeseburgers, hot dogs, smoked ribs from Pat LaFriedas, and this massive top sirloin roast from Omaha. It took to the smoke very well but the amazing thing about this steak was how juicy it was, and it didn't see a braise of any kind. Just smoke. Now it did rest a long time, so the juices recirculated well, but intense sirloin flavor with the pop of the smoke made this a huge favorite. About 15 people took two to three slices of this, that I could see, and there was still plenty of leftovers. In my mind, that makes it a very economical value, and anytime you get robust steak flavor like this, it's a treat for your guests. It had a sirloin bite to it, but it wasn't chewy at all. The next day, we made a beef vegetable and lentil soup in the pressure cooker with the leftovers. We like to balance a day of gorging with a few healthy ones, and our soup was a hearty and healthy visit to Yum City.
Bone-In NT Strip served with a Baked Potato and Corn.
USDA Ungraded NY Strip Bone-In 14 oz. - $17
This version of the NY Strip comes in two sizes, a 12 oz for $13 and a 14 oz for $17, which we obviously selected. Buying a steak with the bone is said to add flavor during cooking.
We tend to buy on the bone when the opportunity exists. These steaks are priced economically enough to have any day during the week and hearty enough to satisfy even the most fierce of appetites. The price and value of these steaks is perfect for mid-week dining and entertaining.
Of all the Omaha NY Strips we have tried over the years, we have found the 14 oz. size of these to be the most flavorful, with the 48 oz. King Cut a very close second place, if not tied for the top honor. We do rate these higher than the Private Reserve NY Strip which we found to be a disappointment and not worthy of the higher costs.
Frenched Double Pork Chop with Grilled Red Potato Wedges, Broccoli Florets, and a Grilled Onion Half
Pork Chops King Cut 16 oz. - $12
If you like pork chops, even a little, then these are a "must add" to your order. We frenched these double-cut pork chops for a better presentation, and watched almost in shock as they went faster than some of the high-end steaks we served family-style. The beauty of these chops is that cook just like a steak too.
We brushed in a little BBQ Sauce with the pork chop finished on the grill. If you are going to french your own like we did, you have cover the exposed bone with foil or it will burn.
For $12, it's hard to imagine you adding these to your gourmet inventory. They have a great pork flavor, were extremely juicy, and made an impressive gourmet presentation. These are great to add to your freezer for mid-week meals or last minute entertaining. They defrost very quickly in cold water without losing any texture or flavor.
Private Reserve NY Strip served with Mushroom Ravioli and Creamed Spinach
USDA Ungraded Private Reserve NY Strip 14 oz. - $28
We were excited to try some Private Reverse steaks from Omaha finally. It's no secret they do not share their beef grades with their clients, so one might assume this would be on the same level as a USDA Prime steak. It certainly started out that way. The marbling was more significant than their regular steaks, and the gourmet trim on these was actually better than average.
On the day we grilled, and taste tested these we also grilled Angus Top Sirloin Filets and a Wild Boar Steak from D'Artagnan, and Chateaubriand Filet Mignon from Creekstone Farms. Of the four steaks, this one came in third with our taste tasters beating out the Wild Boar Steak by less than a point. And the steaks for the Wild Boar were cut from an inexpensive roast.
Our Private Reserve NY Strip just didn't have any of the flavors one would expect from a high pedigree steak. In fact, this steal would have lost to Omaha's other NY Strips we have taste tested, the 14 oz. Bone-In NY Strip and the 48 oz. King Cut.
Sliced Chuck Roast with Sauteed Potatoes and Corn.
USDA Ungraded Chuck Tender Beef Roast 2 lbs. - $20
One of the things we love about Omaha Steaks is their rewards program. Basically, you accumulate points for free food items, which is how we got this 2 lb. Chuck Roast. No doubt, you are not buying steak online for a Chuck Roast, but you can't argue with the value.
First off, there is no comparison to an upper class steak, this is not going to be as tender, but it did have a great "Roast Beef" flavor that is likely to take you back to your childhood. We wouldn't pay full price for these, but it loved it for free, and would buy it again on sale.
If you have a deli slicer (we do) our review changes a bit. Now you can slice ultra thin pieces of roast beef for sandwiches to take to work or better yet, a roast beef hero on toasted garlic bread with melted mozzarella. This is better than the supermarket's version so it worth the extra $2 a pound. We make these heroes as an appetizer all the time and there is never a crumb uneaten.
Beef Brisket Served with Seasoned Zucchini and Roasted Cauliflower
USDA Ungraded Whole Beef Brisket 12 lbs. - $99
If you love Beef Brisket, Omaha is the way to go. Don't be intimidated by purchasing a whole brisket, you don't have to be a master smoker with thousands of dollars of equipment to enjoy delicious at home. We sliced this one in half and braised them in a pressure cooker. You don't even need a pressure cooker, you can do it right in the oven by following our Braised Brisket Recipe.
We do a lot of briskets, especially when entertaining, and we do smoke them but more so for the show. A Wagyu or USDA Prime brisket will bring more flavor to the party, but for great tasting value, it's hard to beat the Beef Brisket from Omaha. In fact, it's out favorite.
Oven Roasted Bone-In Prime Rib with Sauteed Breakfast Red Potatoes and Asparagus
USDA Ungraded Prime Rib Roast 6 lbs - $150
Two buddies came over to watch some football, and have me whip up something in the kitchen once all the munchies disappeared. That menu would be another web page, but I immediately thought to go to the freezer inventory and break out an Omaha Bone-In 6 lb. roast. It's easy to cook, it just needs seasoning and an oven, and the Bone-In not only adds to the flavor, but it also makes a fantastic presentation.
Mine came with three bones. I thought about frenching them, but we were watching football, not figure skating. Use your meat thermometer and pull it out of the oven at 115 degrees. It will continue to cook to about 130, as this one did. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Don't even think about slicing it or it will bleed out. Look at the plate in the picture. Notice there is no juice on the plate. It's all in the meat where you want it.
If you are having more people over I would recommend you get the boneless rib to make thinner slices. My highest recommendation for taste, texture, and value.
Lobster Tails served with Red Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, and a Butter Lobster Tail Broth
Main Lobster Tail Halves 2.5 oz $8.62 ea
I was born in a great Northeastern seaport where fresh fish and shellfish was measured by the hour, not the day. Shellfish is a passion of mine and has been all my life. There are frozen lobster tails that are God-awful and stupidly expensive. The Rock Lobsters from the Caribbean and the muscular South African Lobster come to mind. You'll find them buried in the freezers of markets and wholesale clubs in the range of $30 each, and they taste like chalk. Run away!
Omaha got the right lobster. The cold water Maine and Canadian lobsters are the best in the world. There is no frozen lobster near as good as buying a fresh one that is alive. Stay away from the lobster tails you might see at your local market. They will be in ice, probably on sale, and most likely came from lobsters that died. We had a lot of trouble getting the lobster meat to separate from the tail which is a standard issue for frozen lobster because the meat dries out. You should be able to get a whole live lobster at your supermarket for less than the price of a half of one here. If there are no local live lobsters available, Omaha can ship you two live lobsters.
Pan-seared Pork Tenderloin with Corn and Quartered Zucchini in Tomato Sauce
Pork Tenderloins 9 oz. - $7.50 ea
We were so impressed with the flavor of the King Cut that we went back to try some tenderloins. Omaha calls this 9 oz. cut the "Chateaubriand" of pork and says it serves two. We felt it served one more realistically, so our price was adjusted accordingly, but if a 4.5-ounce serving works for you, then you cut your cost in half.
Most of the people that buy pork online will be BBQ Pitmasters and will stick to more traditional and expensive brands and types of pork to capitalize on any competitive advantage they can get. Don't you be fooled by that logic. The pork at Omaha is delicious, if not equal, and practically free compared to what other vendors charge.
Then the Pitmaster will inject their pork with apple cider and other flavorings, and heavily season it on the outside. All you have to do with this pork tenderloin is add a little salt and pepper and put it on a hot grill or pan-sear it. In a few minutes, you'll have a delicious pork dinner, perfect for busy mid-week schedules and probably enough for leftovers for a gourmet office lunch. It's a great product at a great value.
Pan-seared Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin on a Bed of Spanish Rice Served with Haricot Verts
Teriyaki Pork Tenderloins 12 oz. - $11 ea
These are same pork tenderloins as above, expect they are larger (12 oz.) and they are marinated in a blend of sugar and soy sauce. They are about the same price if you go by the ounce, but in all honesty, we didn't get any sense of a strong or flavorful Teriyaki marinade. You would probably do much better adding your own, even if it was your own favorite store-bought brand.
But that is not to say that these little beauties are not worth your attention, because they are. The difference for us is in the size, with a larger portion being three ounces larger.To us, that justifies the additional cost and still qualifies as a great value for the amazing flavor this pork packs in every bite.
Don't look at the picture and think this pork is undercooked, because it's not. Today's pork has evolved to be as safe to cook as beef. This means you can enjoy juicy pork cooked to medium without any issues. Enjoy!
USDA Omaha Steaks Burgers 4 oz. and the Omaha Signature Burgers 5.3 oz.
We didn't pay for these burgers, they came as part of a promotion. In all honesty, when we buy burgers from online steal companies we buy the Pat LaFrieda Burgers.
We have had these in the past and didn't think much of them. While they were both better than what we remembered, it would be hard to say they are any better than a frozen burger you can locally. These average about $2.50 each and we couldn't tell the difference between them.
One interesting thing, we measured these before cooking, expecting them to shrink. Hamburgers with a lot of water in them shrink tremendously. To our surprise, these did not shrink at all, meaning they are all beef. If you are going to serve these, we recommend making double cheeseburgers out of them and be very careful of overcooking them.
Our Conclusion
Mostly Above Average Quality Every Time I Order
It is no secret Omaha Steaks will not tell you the USDA Grade of their beef. I have been ordering from them since the 80's, and I ask every time I happen to be on the phone. I always get the same answer: "We give you a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on anything you order." End of topic conversation. I am not a USDA Inspector, but I can look at the marbling in a piece of meat and make a pretty good guess educated guess if it's Prime or Choice. I have never purchased a flavorless steak from Omaha, nor would I say I received on the looked like it was USDA Select. And if I did, I would call their customer service and get a 100% refund. I learned to modify how I like to do business with how they want to do business, and I have to say it's been working out just fine.
Customer Service
They have the best Customer Service on the planet! There is no automated attendant, there is no long waiting on hold, you always get a representative from this country and speaks the language, and probably most importantly, they know what they are talking about. I have some great times making orders with their representatives and always found them to bend over backward to make me a happy customer. Through the years I can say they don't have to bend too much.
Gourmet Hand Trimming
If there were one weakness of this company, I would say it is what they don't do more than what they do. I almost always have to trim excess fat or silver skin from the steaks I buy. Excess fat is more my taste. Steaks are supposed to have some fat on them, but if there is silver skin, no seasoning will ever get to the meat. And while they say they "hand trim," anyone can see the butchers are using ban saws, which does not produce a steak with the same love and passion as a butcher skilled with a knife.
Product Pricing
I have to say, one thing I hate is how Omaha marks up their pricing by 50% and then offers 50% discounts. C'mon Omaha, you've been doing it since the 1970's, and you're not fooling anyone. Omaha Steaks are a staple in my freezer inventory because I feel their steaks are close to equal to some of the highest quality vendors in the market, and their price is between 10% to 25% less.
I would estimate about a third of my freezer space has steaks and roasts from this company at all times, and it's one of my favorite menu selections for large entertainment events.
Kevin Bouchard
BestOnlineReviews.com
Customer Experiences Submitted to Best Online Steaks
Here is my picture of the Omaha Steaks Rib Roast with the Bones in it. This one is the middle piece. In the future, I would probably not buy the roast with the bones in it because it is easier to cut pieces without the bone, as you suggested. I think I overcooked it because I didn't allow for it continuing to cook after it came out of the oven. I couldn't believe that would make so much of a difference.
I thought the steak itself was delicious. The meat was tender, and the texture was excellent. I wish they could get that giant clump of fat out of it because that wasn't appealing to me. This was my first purchase from Omaha, and I will definitely order again. Thank you.
-Sharon K.
New Jersey
Hi! I just wanted to say I bought the Omaha 10 oz. Filet Mignon for my boyfriend's birthday. I wanted to make him a special candlelight dinner, and I thought your picture of the meal was beautiful.
Here is my picture of the dinner I cooked. It is not as pretty as yours, but the steak was delicious. My boyfriend ate two, so I am glad I bought four of them. And I have to say thank you for all the cooking tips you share on your website because I would have overcooked it.
I am looking forward to my next steak dinner!
-Alexandria Leigh
Albany, NY
Thank you for the time and effort you invest in doing this for guys just starting out on their steak bucket list, LOL, that is funny. I just made my first order, and I can't wait for it to get here. I took your advice by staying away from the packages with the small cuts and have some big steaks coming for the holiday weekend. If you're near Michigan stop by for a beer!
-Kyle B.
Cutlerville, MI
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Additional References
- What is Marbling? - Best Online Steaks Blog
- USDA Certified Beef Programs - Companies certified with the USDA for the type and quality beef they sell. Omaha Steaks is not listed.
- Omaha Steaks Website