The Best Steak Companies

Friday, September 29th

2023 Steak Company Reviews

Chicago Steak Company

• Over 3,000 5-star reviews from happy customers
• Rewards program for discounts or gift cards to major retailers
• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• Gift packaging included at no extra charge

Chicago Steak Company specializes in "the very best steaks money can buy" : hand-cut, USDA Prime beef raised in the Midwest, wet- or dry-aged as you prefer. In March of 2015, these steaks went head-to-head with seven top competitors at Manhattan's American Cut steakhouse and came away with the People's Choice Award. If you're looking for a truly exceptional cut that's perfectly packaged and delivered right to your home, you don't need to look much further than Chicago Steak Company.

Average pricing with above-average bonuses

To make an equal comparison across steak companies, we looked at three items: filet mignon, prime rib, and a sampler. Chicago Steak Company had several sizes of filet mignons to choose from, and the basic four 8-oz. steak package we used to compare was priced at $179.95. That was a little more expensive than some, but at the time of our visit we saw a promo code that gave us free shipping and some tasty extras like 12 gourmet steak burgers and seasoning (a $99 value). Sadly, there was no prime rib that we could find (though it was mentioned on the Ribeye page).

Delicious choices

Fortunately, we had more luck with a steak sampler: their "Finer Things Assortment" - the top package in their steak category - was sold out, but the Classic Prime Steak sampler was a respectable next-best option. For $349.95, customers get USDA Prime Wet Aged filet mignons (two 6-oz), boneless strips (two 12-oz), ribeyes (two 12-oz), top sirloins (six 6-oz), Angus steak burgers (16 4-oz), and a bottle of steak seasoning. Even better: that promo code applied to the sampler too. Hungry yet?

Lots of other meats and add-ons to consider

You've got a lot to choose from here if you're trying to put together a very special meal. In Chicago Steak Company's online store, you'll also find desserts like cheesecake and bread pudding, sides like chicken wings and green bean casserole, and other main courses such as baby back ribs, whole boneless hams, and pork chops.

Abundant options for giving gifts

Sending a gift? No problem. Chicago Steak Company doesn't merely offer gifts but rather "Perfect Gifts" - For Him, For Her, For the Holidays, For Corporate Gift-Giving, and naturally there's always the option of giving a gift card. We appreciate that this steak retailer gives every package the royal treatment - gift box and personalized message, anyway - at no extra charge.

Free shipping (sometimes)

You won't automatically get free shipping here; standard fees are based on your order total and start at $19.99. However, almost every time we've shopped with Chicago Steak Company, our order has qualified for a promo that included complimentary delivery so keep an eye out when you're ready to make a purchase.

Generous rewards program

When you create an account with Chicago Steak Company, you're enrolled in their rewards program. Earn points on every purchase that can be redeemed for discounts on future orders (basic) or for gift cards from some of your favorite big-name retailers (impressive!). You can earn bonus points for placing two orders in a month, leaving a review on a purchase or submitting one on a third-party site - but take note that you'll have to email or call Chicago Steak Company to get the credit for those bonus points.

Thousands of five-star shopper reviews

The Better Business Bureau gives Chicago Steak Company a disappointing "B-" rating - but since the reason was the company's lack of response to a single complaint filed there, we're not too concerned. On the other hand, there were 20 reviews there too and almost all of them gave this steak company a perfect five stars. But who needs 20 five-star reviews at the BBB when you've got over 3,000 of them elsewhere? Time and again, customers say that the steak here practically melts in your mouth. Chicago Steak Company's customer service team gets lots of praise for being responsive and helpful, and for packaging orders so that they arrive in perfect condition.

Best steak company on the market

For so many reasons, Chicago Steak Company earns our first-place ranking. Excellent prices on delicious cuts of meat, phenomenal attention to customer satisfaction, and thousands of five-star ratings from delighted shoppers are just a few. This steak company should be the first on your list to consider too.

Mr. Steak

• Family owned and operated
• All USDA Prime meats sourced within 250 miles of Omaha, Nebraska
• Steaks are hand-cut, hand-selected
• Free shipping on orders of $175+
• Subscribe and save 10%
• Committed to sustainability and social responsibility
• "Grill School" to help you cook your steaks perfectly
• 7-day refund policy

You might get the idea that a place like Mr. Steak knows a thing or two about... well, steak, of course! You'd be right. Decades of love for grilling, cooking and selecting the best meats have all been lovingly poured into this family owned-and-operated steak company. Everything you'll find here is USDA Prime, hand-cut and selected, raised on family farms with strict standards for sustainability, ethics and humane processing (using a facility designed by Dr. Temple Grandin).

Go to "Grill School" for an education

If you need to take your steak game to the next level (or any level, if you're a novice chef or griller), you won't want to miss Mr. Steak's Grill School. Full of recipes like Grilled Bone-In NY Strip Steak with Chimichurri, tips and techniques with funny titles like "10 Commandments of Steak" , and videos to show you the differences among various cuts of meat, it'll give you plenty to chew on (pun intended).

Great prices and selection

So, let's say you're looking at those three cuts we used for comparison across the steak companies in our review: filet mignon, prime rib, and a sampler package. How did Mr. Steak do? You could get a 6-oz filet mignon for $38.95, or go big and get the 10-oz cut for $64.95. Prime rib came up empty (probably because it's technically a roast and not a steak, after all). On the other hand, Mr. Steak offers sampler boxes galore, often with a holiday-themed name but always with the same top-quality meats. Their most popular combo is the USDA Prime Grill Masters box: two 14-oz NY Strip steaks, two 6-oz filet mignons, one 12-oz boneless ribeye, one 20-oz bone-in ribeye, and a four-pack of half-pound craft steak burgers, priced at $289.95.

Keep your freezer full with a subscription

And, that's not the only way to save some cash on these first-rate steaks. You can choose to have your meats on a subscription basis, keeping your freezer full and your grill going year-round: just look for that option during checkout, because it will save you 10% on your order. Also, Mr. Steak gives you complimentary shipping when your order is over $175.

Lots of gift-giving possibilities

How about gifts? Gift cards are easy and can be purchased in increments of $50. You'll also see several fun boxes in Mr. Steak's Gift Center: for example, in December you might spot a "Santa's Sampler" or a "Merry Meats Holiday Box" . Or, if you're doing some corporate gifting, fill out the online form so that someone from Mr. Steak can reach out to you and help you create a personalized experience with a short lead time and fast turnaround.

Limited but enthusiastic customer feedback

We think Mr. Steak might be a well-kept secret: we were surprised to not find much feedback from their customers, and even their most popular item (that USDA Prime Grill Masters Box we mentioned) only had around three dozen ratings on the site. The good news? Everywhere we found customer comments, they were almost universally ecstatic about the quality of the steaks here. It was impressive to see praise from meat connoisseurs who said that this is the best of all the steak companies they've tried, or from repeat customers who won't buy their steaks anywhere else. It's also a good sign that, positive or negative, comments almost always get a response from Mr. Steak representatives.

Shop here for amazing steak

Great meat. Great prices. Great customer service. Do you get the impression that we think Mr. Steak is pretty great? It's one of our all-time favorite steak companies, and we encourage you to visit them before word gets out about how fantastic they are.

US Wellness Meats

• Grass-fed and pasture-raised meats
• Can buy individual cuts
• Very affordable
• Minimum order: 7 lbs. and $75
• Free shipping, $9.50 handling fee

Founded in 2000, US Wellness Meats (also known as Grassland Beef) knows how important it is to take good care of livestock and of the land where the animals are raised. They believe that healthy meat makes for a healthier planet, and they allow their cattle to graze as nature intended: no growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides or artificial irrigation systems necessary. You can also find an interesting range of other products here, from poultry and duck to pet food and even rabbit, elk and bison.

All grass-fed and finished beef, mostly domestic

85% of the beef sold here is domestic. The company's four founding cattle farms are alongside the Mississippi River in northeastern Missouri and western Illinois, and a handful of partner farms from throughout the US supply beef throughout the year. And the other 15%? That comes from a farm in Tasmania; if it's important to you that your steaks come from the US, check the product description carefully because all cuts from Tasmania will be clearly identified as such (no trickery involved). Regardless of source, all steaks sold by US Wellness Meats are 100% grass-fed and finished.

Very competitive prices

We were stunned to see how affordable the steaks are at US Wellness Meats. For example, you can buy a 9 oz. filet mignon for just $27.18 or get the Ultimate Grass-fed Steak Bundle (with over 10 cuts of steak weighing over 8 lbs.) for $201.21. That's much less than what you'll pay with almost any one of this steak company's competitors. (We didn't find any prime rib on offer, though.)

Not the easiest online retailer to shop

This steak company's online store isn't the most intuitive to shop. For example, when you get to the Steaks part of the site, there's no way to further sort by cut or size. Instead, you just have to browse until you find what you're looking for, keeping in mind that different weights of the same cut (tri-tip steak or ribeye) will be listed separately. That's not a huge downside, though, and it's worth a little extra effort to get such high-quality beef for the price.

Somewhat limited for gift-giving

As for gift-giving, your choices are a little light when using US Wellness Meats. Browse the Gifts section of the online store and you'll see e-gift cards (no option for a physical card) and extras like chocolate bars and seasonings. They also show several of their most popular bundles, like the Carnivore Collection and Keto Cravings, if you need some inspiration. Lastly, you can enter a gift message during checkout, but there's definitely no fancy packaging or any other way to dress up a delivery.

Minimum order requirements apply

We've started to see minimum order amounts popping up in the steak industry, and US Wellness Meats is one of a handful of retailers that has added such requirements: you'll need to order at least 7 pounds of meat and reach a minimum order amount of $75 to make a purchase. The good news is that you'll get free shipping, and the bad news is that you'll still be charged a $9.50 handling fee. (To us, that sounds like delivery will cost $9.50, just wrapped in different wording.)

Praiseworthy track record for customer service

Customers say that you can trust US Wellness Meats to deliver steak that tastes amazing. Almost everything they sell has ratings and reviews, so you can see for yourself what the consensus is on any steak or other product you're considering. Outside of the company's own site and feedback, we found over 3,000 five-star ratings praising this steak supplier: excellent customer service, fantastic value, and worth buying from again and again. While there's no obviously-posted satisfaction guarantee on US Wellness Meats' site, it's clear from their responses to shopper reviews that they're on the ball and want you to be completely happy with anything you buy here.

Terrific all-around choice for meat

While US Wellness Meats stops just shy of earning our highest rating, we still give this steak company our enthusiastic approval. We're always happy to see a company that gets thousands of recommendations from customers, particularly when prices are also reasonable. Be sure to check out everything US Wellness Meats has to offer if you're looking to order steak online.

Rastellis

• Can buy steaks as a one-time purchase or set for recurring delivery
• Complimentary rewards program
• 21-day refund policy
• Free shipping on orders over $200

Rastelli's began as "Meat Stop" , a small-town butcher shop with a reputation for hand-selected, premium meats. Expanding first into eight more brick-and-mortar locations and then into online sales, this business offers not just steaks but other cuts of beef, plus seafood, poultry, pork, lamb, veal and plant-based choices, and a selection of apps, sides, and rubs/butters.

Carefully-sourced meat

Rastelli's sources its products from around the world, looking for farming (and fishing) families who take good care of their animals and the environment, and whose products are free of antibiotics, steroids and hormones. For more details about where their beef comes from, just visit the Sources page on their online store and click on the type of beef (pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed, Wagyu or private stock/prime). Most of it is US-raised, but you can also find cuts from Uruguay and other locales.

Attractive pricing, good availability

How did this steak company do with our apples-to-apples items? The grass-fed filet mignon was out of stock at the time of our most recent visit to Rastelli's, but it's normally priced at $16 for one 6-oz. steak; their regular filet mignon was available at $46 for two 5-oz. filets. There were several options for prime rib, including a 4.5-lb. roast for $159, a 5-lb. oven-ready roast seasoned with garlic and herbs for $185, and a 5-lb. private stock prime rib roast for $199. And, when we visited the Rastelli's site most recently, there was a pop-up offering a 15% discount on any order of $150+ if we entered our email address. All of those prices were very competitive, coming in quite a bit less than some of Rastelli's rivals. Unfortunately, there were no samplers in their online store; you'd have to create your own combo if you want to try several cuts of steak.

Subscribe to stay stocked up

One feature we really like here is the ability to turn pretty much any product into a subscription. If you run out of staples like ground beef as often as we do, you'll recognize the appeal of having your freezer restocked on a regular basis, no effort required. When you add steaks, chops, or anything else to your cart, you should see the option to make it into a subscription. Set your delivery schedule for anywhere from 1-6 weeks and you're done - and you'll get a 5% savings too.

How about a discount?

Rastelli's will regularly try to earn your business through promotions - and who can complain about that? During our most recent visit to their online store, we got a pop-up offer of 15% off an order of $150+, and there were also some seasonal promos that included free products with that same order minimum.

Loyalty program for return customers

You can also rack up points with Rastelli's free loyalty program. You're automatically included when you register for an account to make a purchase, and points add up with purchases, referrals, and so on. Subscription purchases earn extra points too.

Free shipping over $200

How about shipping? Orders here are sent out within five business days of being placed, or you can select a specific shipping week during the checkout process. If your order is over $200, delivery is complimentary; orders between $100-$199 ship for a $10 fee, while those under $100 have a fee of $25. In other words, it's worth your while to go big when you buy your steaks here.

Super-smooth gifting experience

Are you buying steaks as a gift? No problem. If it's just for one lucky recipient, shop the site as you would normally and then include a gift message during checkout. If you're buying for multiple people, we recommend that you click on the Gifting link on the site, then follow the next link under "Buying Up to 15 Gifts" : they say it's the "ideal way to send gifts... in one easy checkout" . Should your gift-giving needs include 15+ gifts, you're encouraged to fill out their Gifting Form so that a representative can reach out to you directly. (Or go the super-easy route and buy an e-gift card)

Some mixed reviews about delivery

Even though they've been in business for several decades, Rastelli's doesn't have a ton of feedback to consider, particularly with respect to their online steak delivery service. And, what we did find was pretty hot-or-cold - literally. Some people said that their steaks and other products arrived perfectly frozen, while others said they received thawed meats on more than one occasion.

Committed to customer satisfaction

Fortunately, Rastelli's has a solid refund policy: if you're unsatisfied for any reason, contact them within 21 days of your shipment. Depending on the circumstances, they'll refund all or a portion of your order.

A steak company you can trust

Thinking of buying your steaks (or other items) from Rastelli's? Not a bad choice. Overall they're a good option as a well-established business with a solid commitment to quality and to customer satisfaction. We'd like to see just a few more compliments about their steak delivery before boosting them higher in our rankings, but Rastelli's still earns a respectable rating.

Snake River Farms

• Specializes in American Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork
• Loyalty points earned with every order
• Frozen products guaranteed for up to 6 months after delivery
• Fresh (unfrozen) products have a 15-day guarantee
• $9.99 ground shipping on all orders (can pay extra for expedited delivery)

Snake River Farms calls itself the "pioneers in American Wagyu" . All of the steaks they offer come from their own breed of cattle, first bred in the late 1980s and carefully raised ever since. From start to finish, this steak company keeps a careful watch over the process, from the fields where the cows graze to the processing facility and beyond.

Expensive meat

Brace yourself, because the prices here are in line with the quality of the meat you're getting. Looking at our comparison cuts, you'll pay $61 for two 4-oz. filet mignons and $255 for the smallest, least expensive-grade prime rib roast (5 lbs., American Wagyu Black Grade). And the sampler? If you're looking for all-steak, we'd recommend the Steak Lovers with four 6-oz top sirloin, two 1.5" ribeyes, one cowboy steak, and four 6-oz filet mignons. Believe it or not, this assortment alone had nearly 48 five-star reviews - despite the $375 price tag. Shipping defaults to ground delivery for $9.99, unless you pay extra to upgrade to an expedited option.

Customer comments paint a questionable picture

That's good to know, because Snake River Farms has some mixed feedback. Out of more than 60 reviews we found in one place outside of the SRF website, the average was just 3 out of 5 stars. That's not what we would want to see when spending top dollar for best-quality steaks. Delivery issues formed the bulk of the complaints, along with having issues getting refunds and replacements in a way that was both timely and fair. Others described the meat as being sub-par for the price, especially disappointing when the steaks or other items were selected for a special occasion. Then again, elsewhere we found nearly 700 five-star reviews praising everything from the steaks to the service. We wish this weren't such an expensive experiment.

Quality guaranteed; check the timeframe

SRF says that they'll guarantee the quality of their frozen meats within 6 months of delivery; if you've ordered dry-aged items, they arrive fresh and you'll need to reach out to customer service within 15 days of delivery if there's a problem. Photos will always be required when asking this company to make good on their guarantee, just FYI.

Novel gift items that go beyond steak

How about gift-giving? We enjoyed browsing the Gift Center offered by Snake River Farms: from their best-selling bundles to gear like Yeti coolers and seasoning packs, we had plenty of inspiration for special-occasion shopping. You'll also find options for sending gift cards or corporate gifting.

Above average, with room for improvement

At the end of the day, this steak company gets a just-above-average rating: there's a lot to choose from and plenty of carnivores who say that they love the meat here, but that's not quite enough to make us entirely overlook the negative reviews out there - especially at these prices. We'll keep an eye on Snake River Farms and hope to see them move up in our rankings in the future.

Stock Yards

• 14 items to choose from
• Competitive prices
• 100% satisfaction guarantee with refund or replacement
• Part of the 1-800-Flowers group of companies
• "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB

Stock Yards is part of the 1-800-Flowers brand family, a collection of companies that specialize in gift-giving and often sell gourmet foods. They've got a decent selection to choose from, particularly if you'd like to order a little something extra with your steaks - like appetizers and sides, burgers and hot dogs, or pork and poultry.

Not as many steaks to choose from

The truth is, you may need some of those extras to round out your purchase here - there are only a little over a dozen items in their Steaks category, and that includes a peppercorn steak rub. Granted, in each item you may find multiple choices. For example, you'll see two options for filet mignon: the Complete Trim and Barrel-Cut. When you click on one of those, you'll see a range of possibilities, from four 5-oz. USDA choice cuts for $99.99 to eight 8-oz. USDA prime cuts for $369.99.

Prime rib and samplers

Same for the prime rib (under the Roasts category): three choices starting with a pre-seared boneless prime rib for $149.99 to a bone-in USDA prime cut for $399.99. Stock Yards has a few sampler-type packages, like the Ultimate Meat Collection: your choice of two or four servings each of USDA Prime center-cut NY strip steaks, Complete Trim filet mignon, and boneless ribeye steaks, priced at $179.99 for the two-portion package and $339.99 for the four-portion package.

Yes, you can finance a steak

Interestingly, this is one of the only steak companies where we noticed that financing is offered. Look for that option right below the part of the product description where you select which quantity of steaks you're ordering (above the "Add to Cart" button).

High marks for gift-giving services

Even though the selection at Stock Yards is somewhat limited in comparison with many of their competitors, there are still some nice gift-giving options. Surf and Turf is always popular, with two or four USDA Choice Complete Trim filet mignons (6 oz each) and the same number of lobster tails (8-9 oz each). Or how about the Kings and Queens collection, which pairs thick filet mignons with plate-filling NY strip steaks and adds a bottle of peppercorn spice rub? You can enter a gift message during checkout; we enjoyed the fact that you can get suggestions for what to say based on a holiday or special occasion you select, if you don't consider yourself an eloquent wordsmith.

Spendy delivery, but good customizability

There are a lot of important details you'll see in your cart and in the checkout process - not just the gift message (if applicable), but all of the possible delivery dates. For instance, when we selected Christmas as our gift-giving occasion, the delivery date was shown to be guaranteed by the 25th. We also had the option of selecting a different date, though some of them came with a shipment surcharge. Delivery fees can be hefty here: that Kings and Queens Collection cost $25.98 to send, and if you do the math that's 25% of the cost of the meat itself.

Get a Passport and save

Consider opting into the Celebrations Passport: for an annual fee of $19.99, you'll get unlimited free shipping and no minimum order requirements across the 1-800-Flowers brands. Even if you only use it for your Stock Yards order, it will probably pay for itself and then some. Unfortunately for us, we got a "technical issue" error when we tried to sign up during checkout.

Solid satisfaction guarantee

Most of the steaks sold by Stock Yards don't have ratings from customers, but the few we spotted were almost always a perfect five stars. This steak company (along with the rest of its sister brands) enjoys an "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and they guarantee you'll get a no-hassle refund or replacement if your meats and other items don't delight you in every way.

Reliable option for steak

Stock Yards isn't a bad place to buy steak. Will you be blown away by all of the meaty possibilities? Not really, but you won't be disappointed by the quality or the service you get here either. And, if you enjoy buying from 1-800-Flowers and the other companies in the "family" , this could be an easy-peasy way to get a lot of gift-shopping done at once.

Omaha Steaks

• Wide selection of steaks to choose from
• Lots of add-ons like chicken, dessert, seafood and wine
• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• $79 minimum order
• Complimentary rewards program
• "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB

Who wouldn't be interested in buying steak from "America's Original Butcher" ? Omaha Steaks has been in business since 1917, delivering top-quality beef and many other giftable products like wine, desserts, and seafood.

Easy to shop and learn about steak

Shopping for steak here couldn't get any easier. On the main Steaks page, use the options on the left side to shop by cut, check out Omaha Steaks' Private Reserve category, or get your taste buds watering with specialty meats like veal or chicken fried steaks. There are plenty of visuals here in case you're not the most beef-educated customer, don't worry: you may even want to click on Chef Rose's Guide to Steaks video right in the center of the page for some additional guidance.

Exemplary variety of choices

How does Omaha Steaks compare price-wise? We took a look at three products (when available) across all of the steak companies in our evaluation: filet mignon, prime rib, and a sampler package. Here you can get a package of four 8-oz. Butcher's Cut filet mignons for $124.99, or upgrade to the Private Reserve and get six 7-oz. filet mignons for $199.99. Bonus: the upgraded package also gets you free shipping. A bone-in prime rib roast (6 lbs.) sells for $224.99, unless you choose the Private Reserve roast (4 lbs.) for $299.99.

Samplers too

And samplers? Omaha Steaks offers quite a few to choose from, most of which include not just steaks but also chicken breasts, hot dogs, and even apple tartlets for dessert. But, if you're looking for nothing but the very best beef, we'd recommend the Private Reserve Steak Flight: priced at $499.99 (with free shipping), this package includes six of their best filet mignons, four ribeye crown steaks, four boneless NY strips, four top sirloins, and a jar of Private Reserve steak rub.

Minimum order required

We spotted something during our most recent visit to Omaha Steaks that caught us off-guard: there was a little "minimum purchase may apply" disclaimer at the top of the site, due to "significant increases in demand" . While that might not still be in place when you're ready to place an order, be aware that you could be subject to a $79 minimum requirement. That's not to qualify for free shipping or anything else: you simply can't place an order of any kind from Omaha Steaks unless your total is at least $79.

Sign up for rewards

On a more positive note, Omaha Steaks offers a complimentary Steaklover Rewards program. You're not enrolled automatically, though, so be sure to sign up if you expect to order from this store more than once. It gives you rewards points on every purchase, exclusive offers via email, and even more benefits if you reach a spending level of $300 in a 12-month period.

Extra rewards with Gold membership

If you're really committed to buying your steaks and other gourmet foods from Omaha Steaks, you should consider their Steaklover Rewards Gold program. You'll get free standard shipping on all orders of $79.99+, double the rewards points on every purchase, and free products valued at least at $19.99. Oh, and that minimum purchase requirement? That's waived if you're a Gold member. Worth it for $39.99/year? You decide.

Plenty of gift choices

Are you considering sending something from Omaha Steaks as a gift? Look for the links at the top of the page; this retailer breaks it down by Gifts and Business Gifts, and within each category you can see different occasions, samplers, and other suggestions. Or, if you've already added some steaks to your shopping cart, you can always choose your preferences for gift wrap and/or a personalized greeting card at checkout. You'll pay $14.99 for both signature gift wrap and a personalized message. Gift cards are another easy option, but keep in mind what products cost here when choosing your card amount (to avoid the embarrassment of your recipient having to spend money out of pocket to use your gift).

Customer opinions: some good, some not

This company continues to have a rock-solid reputation if you look at their "A+" and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. Despite those aforementioned supply-and-demand issues, there were only 30 or so complaints registered with the BBB in the year leading up to this review. But, when you look at customer comments in other places, it doesn't paint as pleasant of a picture. Many shoppers say they were disappointed in how small the steaks are, especially for what they paid. Some aren't happy with the quality either - we found more than one person who said they'd easily get better cuts at a local butcher (though we'd point out that their local meat shop likely doesn't send their beef across the country, either). Although we've never had an issue with Omaha Steaks' customer service, others have - and we, too, found the cuts to be small and the extras (like dessert and hot dogs) a bit underwhelming for the price.

Not bad, but check out competitors first

We give Omaha Steaks points for longevity and variety. Nonetheless, they're not the only brand in the online steak business now, and some of their rivals have done a solid job of giving them a run for their money. Omaha Steaks now ranks as a place that's "good enough" for your order, but that falls short of earning the highest ratings.

Great Wisconsin Steak Company

• 100% grass-fed American beef
• All steaks cooked sous vide for delivery; only need to be finished/seared prior to eating
• 2nd Day Shipping in the continental US on Mondays and Wednesdays

Have you ever wanted a really amazing steak but you worried that your lack of culinary skills would ruin it? Great Wisconsin Steak Company has the solution: all of their steaks are wet aged for 21 days, seasoned and vacuum-packed before being slow cooked (sous vide) to medium rare. All you have to do is sear and finish them to your liking. These are "idiot-proof" steaks if we've ever seen them.

Dedication to quality

We appreciate this steak company's dedication to quality. All of their animals are 100% grass fed, humanely raised on pastures in the US, never fed grain or animal byproducts. This is a relatively small, family-owned business; you'll see that reflected in this steak company's smaller-than-average selection of steaks. For example, we couldn't use the filet mignon or the prime rib as a comparison with other stores because Great Wisconsin Steak Co simply doesn't offer them.

Small selection, nice price

You can choose from a 3- or 6-pound pack of hanger steak or strip steak, a 6- or 12-pack of half-pound burgers, or a 6-pound variety family pack. That's it. Prices range from $49.99 for the smallest burger pack to $179.99 for either of the largest steak packs. Do the math and you'll see it works out to $17 to $30 per pound. Sounds like a lot compared with your local grocery store, but it's a bargain for what you get (and when looking at rival steak companies in the gourmet marketplace).

Delivery is cost-prohibitive

You may find that your delivery costs significantly raise that per-pound price, though. When we looked at the shipping fees to send a Hanger Steak Starter Pack (three pounds) to Florida, for example, expedited was the only option - for a jaw-dropping $50. $140 for three pounds of steak? Ouch. Great Wisconsin Steak Co. doesn't have published shipping costs; you won't know until you get to the checkout stage what yours will be.

Refund policy, please?

Know what else isn't published here? A satisfaction guarantee or refund policy. We're encouraged to see some positive feedback about this company on its social media channels, but we need more to reassure us that any issues are handled well. Most of Great Wisconsin Steak Co.'s rivals let you know upfront that they'll make it right if your steaks don't arrive in excellent condition or if they don't live up to expectations - and we'd like to see something similar here too.

Quality meat, but expensive to deliver

Don't get us wrong: the steaks produced by Great Wisconsin Steak Co. are delicious, and if you happen to live close enough to their location in Manitowish Waters you may want to visit one of the grocery stores where their meat is proudly featured. For everyone else, though, this company comes in a lot more expensive than many other online steak retailers - with a significantly smaller range of steaks and other beef products to choose from. We give Great Wisconsin Steak Co. a three-star rating: high points for the meat quality and approach to ranching, but lower-than-average because of the limited inventory and sky-high delivery fees.

Good Chop

• Steak (and other products) sold in boxes of 6 or 12 items only (36 or 72 servings), no a la carte option
• Delivered every four weeks
• Pause or cancel anytime
• All sourced from the US
• All steaks are from Angus breeds
• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• Free shipping

Do you love meat but hate going to the supermarket all the time? Good Chop wants to take care of that for you. This steak company offers an every-four-weeks delivery program, filling your freezer with either 36 or 72 portions of mix-and-match ribeye steaks, filet mignon, even salmon and pulled pork. All of the steaks, pork, and other meats here are exclusively sourced in the US.

Choose the size for your family

How does it work? Your first decision is whether you want a Medium Box or a Large Box. The medium comes with up to 36 portions, and you select six items from the menu. This option is priced at $149 per delivery. If you've got a bigger family, the large includes up to 72 portions and you choose 12 items from the menu, all for $269. At the time of our visit to the Good Chop site, we spotted a promo offering an $80 discount throughout the first three deliveries, so keep an eye out for any specials on offer when you're setting up your account.

Free shipping, deliveries every 4 weeks

Shipping is always included at no cost; your steak and other meats arrive frozen and can be kept in the freezer for up to a year. Your box will come every four weeks, and you can pause your membership or skip a delivery anytime. Just remember that you won't get another steak shipment until the next month.

Not a good choice for gifting

Unfortunately, there are really no gift-giving options here. While you can include a comment during checkout to indicate that you're sending Good Chop boxes as a gift, that's about the extent of it. They don't even offer gift cards or certificates - leaving you in charge of your recipient's subscription, and making them have to tell you when they want to pause the membership. Awkward.

Not much feedback yet

Good Chop is still pretty new, and that makes feedback a little hard to come by. We couldn't find a listing for the company with the Better Business Bureau, and their social media channels were pretty quiet in the months leading up to this review. (We did call the customer service line to double-check that they're still in business.) Most of the positive buzz we found came from unboxing videos (where there may be a financial incentive involved). On the other hand, we read several negative comments on Good Chop's own social media posts from customers who said that their meat often arrived thawed and/or spoiled. This retailer offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but we'd rather see them consistently get it right the first time.

Wait and see

While we like the idea of getting our monthly supply of steak and other meats delivered automatically, no grocery trip required, Good Chop is still too new for us to give them a strong recommendation - especially with those subscriber complaints. We hope to see improvements and more satisfied customer reviews down the road, but for now we think you should use a different steak company instead.

Farm Foods

• Free shipping on orders over $99
• You know where your steaks came from

Farm Foods seeks to help consumers be more aware of where their food comes from, specifically meat. Here you can choose beef, pork, chicken and other meats "of known origin at a reasonable price" .

Not the easiest online store for shopping

Shopping this site feels a little strange. When we went to compare our three reference products - filet mignon, prime rib, and a steak sampler pack - it wasn't as straightforward as we're used to. The grass-fed beef filet mignon tenderloin was listed as $13.99, ranging in weight from 7-10 oz. from multiple farms, and we weren't given any other details beyond that. Searching for prime rib gave us a lot of unrelated results, and the only correct match was listed as sold out.

Sampler packs available

Most of the sampler packs were also sold out, but one was reasonably priced and available: the Grass-Fed Beef Big Steak pack, which included 10 steaks (or up to 9 pounds of meat) for $119 and with free shipping. That package description included links to the three farms those steaks would be sourced from: the first time we got to see the "know where your meat comes from" in action.

Gift cards, that's it

You're not going to find much that excites you for gift-giving here. How about a gift card? That's literally it. Farm Foods doesn't even have an option during checkout to include a message.

Too many missing pieces

Farm Foods comes across more than a little sketchy when we start digging into customer feedback. The link on their own site to their Google reviews? "Not available." Their listing with the Better Business Bureau? "404 Not Found." (Using our sleuthing skills, we found that the BBB rating was an "F" about two months before this evaluation. Not a good look.) We found some positive reviews in other places, but even those had more than 25% of customers giving Farm Foods a rating of average, poor or bad.

Customer service on the decline

Many of the reviews said that this steak company was decent in the past but that meat quality and customer service have taken a nosedive recently - and that would seem to be the case with the Google ratings and the BBB listing both going "missing" . So many comments said that the meat received was well past the "best by" date, that it tasted spoiled after cooking it, or that the cuts were completely different from what was ordered (either in weight/size or the actual cut itself).

Company reachable via email only

It's also a big red flag to us when companies limit their contact options to online forms or email addresses; Farm Foods offers no phone number or other way to get help if something goes wrong (like it apparently does on a disturbingly regular basis).

Changes coming? Shop elsewhere until then

Our research revealed that Farm Foods was acquired by OpenStore in 2021, and that may have an impact on the way this steak company operates. We'll keep an eye on things and update our evaluation in the future, but until we see some big-time improvements, Farm Foods will remain one of our lowest-ranked steak retailers.

Crowd Cow

• Sustainably-raised meats
• No antibiotics or added hormones
• 100% carbon neutral
• Save money with a convenient recurring delivery through membership
• $75 minimum order

Crowd Cow got its start in 2015 with the goal of "creating a meaningful connection" between people and the food they eat. They want to help you find steaks, fish, poultry and more that's not only good for you but also good for the planet, so they partner with the most ethical farms, fisheries and producers worldwide. Every step from sourcing to shipping aims to reduce waste, offset carbon emissions and use planet-first packaging. This is a steak company you could get behind.

Starts out strong with good selection

Crowd Cow performs well when you consider the three things we used as a comparison across the steak companies in our review: filet mignon, prime rib, and a sampler box. With the filet mignon, they offer a choice between regular and Japanese A5 Wagyu; the former is priced at $17.67 for an 8-oz steak, and the latter is $131.25 for a 6-oz steak. Prime rib roasts come in at $187.94 for a three-bone roast or $240.44 for a four-bone cut, weighing in at six and eight pounds, respectively.

Plenty of samplers

And, there were plenty of samplers with both all-beef and mixed meats/fish; our favorite steak option is called "For the Love of Steak" (can I get an amen?) and it comes with one Japanese A5 Wagyu NY strip steaks, two regular NY strip steaks, and two boneless ribeyes for $204.20. (P.S. At the time of our visit, the product description included a code that gave us a $30 discount if we made it a gift order. Who says you can't gift yourself? We won't tell.)

Subscription or a la carte

While you're always welcome to place an a la carte order with Crowd Cow - being sure to meet their $75 minimum order threshold - you can save money (and time!) by choosing a membership box. You can choose from a curated box of best-selling products or create your own, set the delivery schedule, and get a 5% discount on each shipment. If your order is $99 or more, you'll get free shipping, and if you keep your subscription for 10 deliveries, you'll save $10 on each one. You can change, modify, pause or cancel your membership at any time.

Decent gifting options

There are also easy gift-giving choices here. Whether you send an e-gift card, a physical card with a personalized note, or you choose a gift box with just steaks, surf and turf, or any other combo, this site can save you some time and hassle.

Horrible reputation with customers

Looking at all that Crowd Cow offers and promises, we expected to be equally delighted by their customer feedback. Sadly, that didn't happen. The Better Business Bureau gives this steak company an "F" rating: there were almost two dozen complaints filed there in the year leading up to this evaluation, many of which received no response from Crowd Cow reps. We found similar results elsewhere, with a high percentage of customers giving them the lowest possible rating. Why? Reasons include a lack of response when problems arose (just like the BBB complaints mentioned), no-shows on important deliveries (like Thanksgiving turkeys, yikes!), and the fact that you can only get support via text or online form (and even that's iffy).

Just keep walking

Darn it, Crowd Cow. You really got our hopes up! Who wouldn't want to buy steak in a sustainable way? Unfortunately, all signs point to "no" when considering if this steak company delivers on its promises. We recommend that you look at the higher-ranked retailers in our review for a more hassle-free buying experience.

Steaks & Game

• Offers grass-fed and Wagyu beef
• Also sells other meats like pork, venison, elk, lamb, and exotic species

Steaks & Game probably has the most unique array of meats to choose from, among all of the steak companies we reviewed. Sure, you can get the average flank steak, a decent ribeye, or a tomahawk - but why not add bison burgers, elk chops, or ostrich steaks to your order?

Online shopping experience hasn't improved

The last time we evaluated Steaks & Game, we found a lot of issues with their online store and hoped to see big improvements. That hasn't happened yet. First and foremost, we had a hard time finding the steaks we wanted in stock. For example, the Grass Fed Beef Prime Rib page said that no products currently existed in that category; under Wagyu we found a listing but it was out of stock.

More mistakes

Filet mignon is listed under the Tenderloin category; even there, the cuts were all just "tenderloin" and not "filet mignon" (there's a difference), and almost all of them were out of stock. And samplers? Forget about it: you'd have to mix-and-match something for yourself, assuming you can actually find enough steaks you want that are ready to ship.

Lots of mistakes

Beyond inventory problems, we once again found random typos (like putting "PHONEPHONE" in the returns section for their contact information instead of the actual company phone number, or listing ground shipping fees for orders under $70 as $110.99 instead of - we assume - $10.99). In the hopes of finding more in-stock steaks, we clicked on the link for "Best Sellers" at the bottom of the site; it took us to a completely different company's online store, no warning. Like we said before, that kind of oversight gives the impression that this steak company isn't really at the top of their game - ever.

Is anyone buying steak here?

It's still hard to find customer feedback for Steaks & Game too. BBB listing? Nope. Independently-verified ratings from customers on third-party sites? No again. Reviews on individual cuts of meat? Few and far between. And when a retailer doesn't have a clear satisfaction guarantee or refund policy, shopper feedback can mean the difference between clicking "order now" or searching for a different steak company.

Lowest recommendation among steak companies

As much as we want to like this company (what adventurous eater wouldn't love to try some grilling sausages made of pheasant or wild boar?!), we're always disappointed with the experience of trying to buy...well, anything here. You'll literally have to shop elsewhere for your steaks because it's rare (pun intended) that Steaks & Game will have what you want in stock.