Houston Restaurants to Compete for Best Steak Bragging Rights in New Festival

Texas is a city that loves its meats, whether they’re slow-cooked, smoked, grilled, or charred — and this October, Houston will host what might be the city’s first steak-focused festival and competition.

The RARE Steak Championship will take over Post Houston on October 19, featuring 24 chefs from some of the city’s most prominent steakhouses and restaurants, including Killen’s STQ, Patton’s Steakhouse, and newcomer Andiron. Each will compete for the coveted title of “Top Steak,” submitting a more classic preparation for the traditional steak category and a more innovative take for the creative steak category. All participating restaurants will also enter a signature cocktail to complement their dish. Festivalgoers will reap the benefits, with plenty of opportunities to try samples of the prime-cut steaks and cocktail pairings with the option to place their votes and help professional judges decide who will take home bragging rights.

Restaurants will include:

• Andiron
• B&B Butchers
• Blood Bros. BBQ
• Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
• Etoile
• Guard and Grace Steakhouse
• Killen’s STQ
• Le Colonial
• Loro
• Marmo
• Mastro’s
• Meat Mafia
• Morton’s The Steakhouse
• Ouisie’s Table
• Patton’s Steakhouse
• Pearl and Vine
• Phat Eatery
• Rosalie Italian Soul
• Saltgrass Steak House
• Taste of Texas
• The Blind Goat
• The Capital Grille
• The Palm
• Vic & Anthony’s

All-inclusive tickets, which can be purchased online, will include unlimited steak samples, craft cocktails and drinks, plus live music and entertainment for $175. VIP tickets, priced at $325, will include early entry, and access to a VIP lounge area with private access to a special chef experience that includes chefs like Dawn Burrell, Tom Cunanan, Paul Qui, Christopher Haatuft, and Rebecca Mason. A portion of the tickets will benefit Blackwood Educational Land Institute and The Skyfarm at POST Houston.

Rare joins a lineup of fall festivals, including Chopd & Stewd, an all-day event that will celebrate West African cuisine and culture leading into Nigerian Independence Day, and in October, Chris Shepherd’s annual star-studded Southern Smoke Festival and the Chefs for Farmers festival, which pairs local chefs with Texas farmers for a two-day tasting extravaganza.

Mixologist Alba Huerta, owner of James Beard Award-winning cocktail bar Julep, will also host Bourbon Fest in celebration of National Bourbon Heritage Month on Wednesday, September 20. The 21-and-up event will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring tastings of various bourbons, cocktail lessons with recipes meant to take home, live music, and a full menu of cocktails for purchase.