I never expected that the Keg would prompt a good number of posts.

Overall it was a good experience. The company I was with was Filet Mignon.

In Toronto... It's a good alternative choice. For me it's Hy's Steakhouse. I have nto been to Harbour 60 but maybe sometime I should try it.

The Outbacks I have been have been inconsistant. From this thread sounds like the Kegs are like them in some ways.

Going OMNI: Now I"m hungry for steak...and if the Mets go to the World Series (read: GO) I get a full steak dinner at Old Homestead Steakhouse That's one of my two favorite steakhouses (with Cite and the wine tasting menu.)

I am blessed to have a great butcher shop near me.I just grilled a t-bone that was the best steak I ever ate :D This butcher shop only sells prime steaks.Big T-bone,$26.If anyone wants the name and location please private me.
Oh and Catman-If you would like to adopt a new cat,,,,, :D

Some of the best steaks in the world come from the home grill. I know a Flyertalker who can grill a purrfect New York Strip, medium well.

Now to go OMNI (off topic)

bigguyinpasadena

I would love to adopt that cat but my building now is enforcing a NO PETS Policy. Becuase if it I have to give up two of my three children. :(

I've looked high and low for a place in greater Vancouver that sell prime grade beef (to grill at home) and haven't been able to find a place. I even used this "personal assistant" service (my company gives us X number of credits per year that I never get around to using up) so that they could do a bunch of grunt work calling around to different butchers and the such. No luck.

I'm stuck searching and picking out the "nicer" AAA grade (aka USDA Choice) steaks at Costco. They turn out pretty good on the grill but not as good as most of prime cuts I've had.

That's a shame. In Cleveland, the supermarket near my house (Giant Eagle) sells choice, certified angus (top tier of choice), prime, and kobe cuts. Hopefully I have another couple of weeks of grilling weather here.

As per the moderator's request of, "You might consider more informative posts, such as "I find steaks at xxx to be more fully flavored/better value/chose your benefit" in the future."

I find steaks at pretty much any independant, non-franchise, non-mass marketed restaurant staffed by people who are actually chefs with papers and waitstaff who do this as a career not something to give them drinking money on the weekend to be a much better benefit. That is to say, the Keg is fine for what it is. A mass manufactured, generic steak franchise where people go and pay the same prices that they would pay at a real (not pretend) restaurant as described above.

The Keg is fine for what it is, but it is overpriced. People often complain about how expensive nice restaurants are and go to the keg and pay 90% of what they would at one of the former mentioned places, have half the experience and think it is a great deal. All the while taking business away from the smaller better restaurants.

I hope that my expanding upon my previous post takes away any misunderstandings of what I mean. I'll be sure to make my posts longer in the future to avoid any confusion.

"No, sorry, it's not worth what they charge. You can go to a real restaurant, not a pretend one, for that price."

My two cents....

I've eaten at various locations around Canada during the past fifteen years...as well as the location in Renton, WA (near SEA).

My opinion....
The positives: A place to go for a good (but not great) steak. Some of the sides can be really good.

The negatives: Over the past few years it's become slightly overpriced. Also, the excellent salad bar they used to have here is long gone.

Would I go back? Absolutely....but not to go out of my way for.

Jay71 check out the Whole Foods Market,they usually have good steaks.I was really impressed upon visiting the one in Las Vegas this weekend,they actually had an aging room on premises with hunks of beef tagged with dates and providence.

Thanks for the hint, BGIP. I'll have to try them out.

Sorry I meant to post this ages ago, but forgot about it. I ate at a Keg in Denver about 6 weeks ago. There were about 14 of us. About 10 or 11 of us had steaks. We sent 5 back and one person suffered through a steak that was undercooked for his liking. The steaks that came back were close to doneness, but still off. The bill was the same as what an independent restaurant would have been and I'm sure our food would have been correct.


In terms of the home steaks, they can be great. Some steak people love the charred taste and you likely can't get your grill as hot as a steakhouse. To me it's not a huge difference and steaks (especially the cooked plain American variety) can easily be done properly at home.

"I know a Flyertalker who can grill a purrfect New York Strip, medium well."
One can't do a Strip purrfect when it is cooked to that high a temp. ;)

Ric's is cute. They market themselves as a swanky high end eatery, referring to themselves as an "award winning grill" and a "chop house" even offering a "tapas" menu, even though, the last time I checked, Ric's is not Spanish, and Calgary, Lethbridge, Edmonton, or *shudder* Whistler, is not in Spain. Like all workers in chain-resturants with a yuppie marketing approach (earls, moxies, milestones), Ric's employees have a tendancy to think that they're the purveyors of all that is great, that they are working for the finest establishment in the city serving the most inspired food the city has to offer, which leads to an aura that seems to undeservingly demand respect, even though they're nothing more than foodservice employes who have 10 hours of unpaid training through a training packet and 6 months experience under their belt.

Having gone to a Ric's in uptown Calgary with a business-friend, I was disappointed by the absurd stares from the patrons and sneery attitude from the 18 year old server because we were in jeans, sneakers, and a longsleeved t-shirt and quiksilver fleece at 9pm on a weeknight, contrasting with the standard aramani suit complete with a pompus triple windsor knot and blackberry on the table in front. The NY strip was bland and served on a ridiculous slanted square plate, made for pasta, not steak. The steak with bleu cheese was not worth the $32, I get better steaks, better service, less uppity attitude from the hole-in-the wall steakhouse down the street from my house for a lot less.

Ric's presents itself to be a a lot more than it really is, I'll be sure to stick with my hole in the wall, or Opus on 8th in Calgary if I want a high-end ambiance. You're not missing much in Vancouver.

I've been to the Keg a few times, and it was neither horrible nor spectacular, but closer to spectacular on the spectrum Every server I came across was laid back, attentive, and authentic. They wern't upselling, croutching down with their eyes wide open asking me if I'm ready to order, using lines from their training such as 'pardon my reach', etc. I just tell them what I want, they kindly acknowledge, and I get it fresh and served properly. I see it as more of a place to go in the last minute when I'm hungry and don't feel like dressing up or finding a new place to eat, or if I want to go for some steaks with the guys before/after a hockey game. To dine at this place while visiting a city when you have the time to check out some independent businesses is just ludicrous, consistency sucks. Further, I just love how much the Americans on this thread love the Keg. As much as I love the USA, I miss CBC and the food quality of .CA whenever I'm down South, the Keg isn't that great. However, it's a lot better than the prevailent chains in the us and a like Outback, Chilis, etc.

I used to work at The KEG steakhouse (Calgary Northwest location) long time ago in the late 80s, worked as a dishwasher in those days. :D

Sanosuke!

I've dined at them on several occassions in Toronto & Vancouver. Okay but not much to write home about.