Recently my wife and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. As per our standard tradition, the date night was planned to be an evening of wining and dining at one of Dallas’ best restaurants.
When I asked my wife Taylor what she’d like to eat to celebrate our special day, she promptly responded, “Steak!”
So, there I was on the hunt for the best steakhouse in downtown Dallas. A quick Google search and I found myself perusing Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse’s website.
Overall, the experience at Y.O. was a 10 out of 10, but I feel that a simple numerical rating isn’t enough to paint a pretty picture in a review.
So, I have some confessions about how Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse changed my idea of an ideal date night in downtown Dallas.
Confession 1: Reservations Were Simple Even When Issues Arose
I made a quick online reservation with no trouble at all. The plan was to show up for a 7 pm dinner date. However, we live in Fort Worth and the trip to Dallas can be an unexpected venture between busier hours on the weekends.
Of course, even with planning, we hit awful traffic and knew we’d be late to our reservation. I called the reservation desk, let them know about my problem, and was informed that our table would be available whenever we arrived.
Crisis averted. One point to Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse!
Confession 2: Appetizers & Drinks…Texas Style
Once we entered the romantically-lit restaurant, my wife and I were promptly seated. We ordered 2 of the house Rancharitas and sipped them as we waited for our Smoked Sweet Corn Bisque
and Chuck Wagon Chili.
As the restaurant’s Drink Menu states, the drinks took away every problem we ran into on the drive in. The spice and sweetness of the drink were the perfect palate cleanser for the smokey succulance of the chili I ordered. The 50-year-old Y.O. Ranch chili recipe was one for the books and left me eager for what the Prime Cowboy Ribeye I ordered had in store for my tastebuds.
Confession 3: The Best Steak in Dallas
I’d heard the restaurant had the best steak in Dallas and was admittedly curious. After all, what business doesn’t deem themselves “the best?” I’ve had a great steak before, and I admit that I can even cook a steakhouse-worthy dinner. However, this Ribeye was a cut from a whole other dimension.
Cooked to perfection, seasoned with just the right amount of punch for my palate, and topped with a glorious garlic butter, this truly was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. It was so good, I forgot to offer my wife a bite.
But that’s okay; she was busy tending to an extremely tender File Mignon. We split a side of mashed potatoes. While they were fantastic, the night’s main event will always be the cuts of beef that came directly from the hills of Y.O. Ranch.
Confession 4: I Can Still Be Surprised at the End of the Night
We were so stuffed after dinner that we agreed to hit up dessert at Y.O. the next time we were in the area. However, before the check came, our ultra-attentive server approached our table with a shareable plate of Chocolate Lava Cake; a free treat celebrating our anniversary. We were extremely surprised, left feeling extra full, and vowed to go back to Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse on our next big date night.
Overall, our evening at Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse was one for the books that we won’t soon forget. We’ve actually already planned out our next visit while family and friends are in town during the Christrmas holiday.
‘Til next time. Thanks for the best steak in Dallas!”
Signed, a Dallas Carnivore
