This is simply the best steakhouse in Peoria...period! If you are looking for the "chain" environment with buttoned up waiters and such this is NOT for you. If you ARE looking for great, home cooked steaks, chops, seafood and more this is the perfect place for you. My wife and I go to Lariat at least 2-3 times every month and are never disappointed. We recommend the ribeye, scalloped potatoes and their homemade garlic dressing for your salad. They also have awesome ice cream drinks afterwards. A warning: share the drink, it is huge! We recently had our company party there and it was very warm, the service was fantastic and so was the food!
(5)
Pierre L.
Strange this place does not get better reviews. The steak quality is probably the best in town for the price Staff and atmosphere are nothing to write home or really complain about either
(4)
Terry K.
was there on a Monday evening, fair size crowd there. Service was excellent and decor was nice. Had the French Onion Soup, it came nice and hot, and was very good, not the best I've ever had, but it was good. Next came a side salad, potato wedges and ribs. Salad was fresh and crisp, good dressing. Potato wedges were huge, don't think I was able to finish them. Ribs were good, but had just a tad too much bbq sauce on them for my taste. Overall a good place and I would return if I come back to the area.
Great food. Excellent staff. Simple menu but it works. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Seems to be a place that locals go to. Beats the chain steak houses hands down.
(5)
Jared T.
I was seriously underwhelmed by the Lariat. All of the food was bland, and the cheap metal plates they serve your steak on give the meat an acrid metallic taste. A place like this that wants to serve your steak "sizzling" needs to invest in some cast iron serving plates to keep the taste of the plate away from the food. The atmosphere was also a bit too dark for my tastes, but the service was friendly. Overall, I'd recommend skipping this place. I don't plan on coming back any time soon.
(2)
Jeremiah C.
Food: Prices online do not reflect those on the current menu. The bread was fantastic with the honey butter as well as our appetizer of cocktail shrimp. However, steak ordered "medium" came back very rare and had to be sent back. Food was placed on our table by a server, then removed after the waitress said it was the wrong table, then returned after she determined it was the order for our table. Atmosphere: We were seated in what looked like an overflow banquet room, even though the main dining area was empty. Should have been told at reservation time that main area was unavailable. One of our chairs felt like it was being kicked every time someone walked behind it (floor board problem?). Service: Wait staff was friendly, but see food comments. Overall: Ultimately our experience at Lariat's was a little unsatisfying considering the feel of the place didn't really match the prices that we saw on the (paper) menu that doubled as my placemat.
(2)
Sam N.
Very welcoming environment, from host to server to bus staff. Very busy evening, and wait staff was up to the crowd. Great catfish dinner - whole catfish deep fried with just a nice flour batter, not heavy cornmeal or beer batter. Yum - O!
(5)
Kevin D.
This place was recxomended to me by a lady i sat next to on thr flight in. She seemed educated and refined enough. It doesn't come as a suprise that there were no yelps about this paticular establisment , even though it boasts having been here since 1940. I don't believe there has been any updates in decore since the grand opening. The decor didn't bother me as much as the grown man smacking his food constantly. I have only finished my salad and I am About to vomit. I have run through knee deep swamps in full combat gear and made less noise. His wife should smack him.... And his momma too. OMG she ordered the ribs... Dammit and I am wearing a nice shirt too ... Oh good she's Blowing her nose now that her meal has arrived. No wonder she tolerates Him.... She's a hog too. Ahhh dining alone is so awesome. Ohhh wait a family of bikers...tbc Good grief. The service was very good. The bread was very good, the salad was OK, the potato was a baked potato, the ribeye was overcooked and served on a hot skillet continuing to cook the tough piece meat. Recommended by locals who eat their nostalgic memories of long ago when the place was respectable. Sigh... utterly disappointed
(2)
The C.
I had dinner here last night with three other people. We had a wonderful evening with great service by Marcia. I had the bacon wrapped filet with a potato and a house salad. They also serve bread. I had then throw on three fried shrimp. Everything was great. The steak was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. The outside doesn't look all that great but the inside is just fine. It is not fine dining but it is a class above all the chain places and the food is obviously of higher quality. The othe people in my party were equally pleased. I hadn't been for a couple years and would go back more often.
(4)
Michelle B.
The decor is old school and charming to most. The staff had its good and bad points. Very nice host....lack luster waitress. We seemed to be a burden to want to order some food. We found the Steaks to be tough and flavorless. There are other options in the area...go find them.
(2)
glenda c.
Had one of the best Prime Rib dinners I have had in a long time. Wait staff were very nice and polite. And believe it or not, a family with a toddler acting up took the child to the car and had their dinner wrapped to go! My hat is off to that family for showing consideration for others. The only think I didn't like was the blue cheese dressing...it was blue cheese on top of 1000 Island Dressing.
(4)
Jasmine R.
I am surprised that the reviews for this place are not higher. The decor is old school, the wait staff is old, however the food is delicious. The bread and garlic butter is YUM. The best thing I have had here is the T bone steak, it will melt in your mouth.
(4)
Galen K.
Went here last November prime rib was very tough worst steak ever had. Catfish was very good. Will not be back for any steak mushrooms were great Galen k
(2)
Paulo C.
I went for a dinner, looking for something nicer in the Peoria area and was disappointed. I ordered a Filet Mignon- $35 (I think) and it was ok, too expensive for that the quality food we were getting. The service was ok, a bit slow and they left the tables dirty for too long. I caught the bus boys almost dropping tables plates after walking away because there just not trained properly. For a restaurant that serves decent wine, the glasses were very small and not suited for the type of wine. Another person in the group complained that the meat was dry and very hard to eat. Overall 2.5 stars, not a place to go again.
It must be some timing but we haven't had great food here. Just ok. But others like it so I'll let them go there and I'll go elsewhere.
(2)
Ken A.
A perfectly suitable place for a decent steak and friendly atmosphere. We sat in the bar, sparsely appointed and sporting a few tvs. Some regulars enjoyed a few drinks while I had a burger, (not in a steak mood.) it's was fine, nothing spectacular and came with fries. With a soft drink and tip it was around$12. Our server was friendly and brought us 2 hot loaves of fresh bread. My friend had a regular cut steak and potato. He thanked us repeatedly for coming. All in all a great place for a quick bite and no pretentious nonsense some steak houses pride themselves in.
(4)
Keith L.
First time eating here. Kinda funky 80's decor but simple and quiet and not unpleasant. Kinda cool. Service was ok but not great. Had the house merlot (not actually too bad) and my wife had a grasshopper and quite enjoyed it. The bread was warm and delicious. Butter and apple butter were both good. We each got the onion soup. Not the best I've had but far from the worst. I got the prime rib and she got the seafood grill. Prime rib was cooked correctly. 'Horseradish' was too mild though. Fries were done just right. All in all very happy w my meal. My wife's seafood was cooked pretty correctly but sort of bland. The salmon was much better than the tilapia. Probably all cooked in too much butter but still ok. I probably wouldn't order it myself but she says she would and just tell them easier on the butter. I'd order the prime rib again. I'd go here again. Good meal and atmosphere for the price.
(4)
Steve S.
Been here twice. First time was okay (about 6 years ago). Then went about a year ago...very disappointing. I felt as though I'd time-traveled back to 1985. The food was bland and not worth the price at all. Was one of the worst meals I've had in Peoria to be honest. I guess people in Peoria that put up with mediocrity must like it though.
(1)
Jen B.
On the lookout for a good steak closer to us than Sky Harbor and the Lariat popped into our heads! The crowd was a little thin for a Friday night which is too bad because the food was spot on. The remodeled entry/bar and main dining room belong to two different restaurants. The bar is a huge mostly empty room with floor to ceiling windows and a very modern bar area. The dining room is straight out of the early 80's, all cosy dark wood and patterned carpet. We were sat right away and given menus by the hostess. We decided to order wine and our server was really great about getting us samples, even going back a second time! I wasn't impressed by the bread, it was extremely crusty and made a giant mess on the table. I prefer a savory butter like chive or garlic so the brown sugar in it wasn't my fav. I started with the French onion soup which was sooo hot but very tasty. Wasn't too salty which can be a frequent problem. The salad was lackluster and swimming in dressing, ask for it on the side! The prime rib was juicy and tender with a very delish au jus in the pan. The horseradish was extremely mild, seemed mixed with mayo maybe? The strip steak was cooked perfectly at every point, even near the edges! Both our potatoes were just okay, the au gratins were much too cheesy to be real au gratin but were still tasty. The baked was pretty dry but dressed up with butter and sour cream, it was fine. Our server was great and checked on us enough but not too much. She was definitely hustling around her tables and got us our check quickly. Overall, a very good steak dinner!
(4)
Xiomara C.
Based on the price/quality this restaurant lacks in many ways. The steaks in general, and we had 3 different ones were tasteless, dry and burnt. The sides were small and tasteless. We order a bottle of wine ($42) and it was served in a white wine glass, we asked the server for a bigger glass but it wasn't any better. The bottle was brought open to the table instead of opening at the table. Server had no concept of wines or even how to pour our glasses. Busboy, not trained properly on how to approach a table or clear one. Desserts, chocolate cake was was very dry. Staff starting from hostess could be trained better, bar area needs ambiance, more tables a more welcoming atmosphere. It seem we were walking into an abandoned building. Very disappointed!!
(1)
Robert C.
Visited on 11/22/14. Still one of the best restaurants in Peoria. We happen to be in town for Peoria's light festival.
(4)
Steve S.
This must be one of those places the memory is better than the experience. I can think of no other reason for more than one or two stars. I have been hearing for years how great this place is. My wife and I took a friend of ours here when we couldn't get into The Fish House. The steaks were thin, thin, thin and way overcooked. Also, the waitress seemed like she couldn't wait for us to leave. If you were fond of Ponderosa Steakhouse steaks in the 70's you'll love this place. This was our first and last visit.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Rich Heather R.
This is simply the best steakhouse in Peoria...period! If you are looking for the "chain" environment with buttoned up waiters and such this is NOT for you. If you ARE looking for great, home cooked steaks, chops, seafood and more this is the perfect place for you. My wife and I go to Lariat at least 2-3 times every month and are never disappointed. We recommend the ribeye, scalloped potatoes and their homemade garlic dressing for your salad. They also have awesome ice cream drinks afterwards. A warning: share the drink, it is huge! We recently had our company party there and it was very warm, the service was fantastic and so was the food!
(5)Pierre L.
Strange this place does not get better reviews. The steak quality is probably the best in town for the price Staff and atmosphere are nothing to write home or really complain about either
(4)Terry K.
was there on a Monday evening, fair size crowd there. Service was excellent and decor was nice. Had the French Onion Soup, it came nice and hot, and was very good, not the best I've ever had, but it was good. Next came a side salad, potato wedges and ribs. Salad was fresh and crisp, good dressing. Potato wedges were huge, don't think I was able to finish them. Ribs were good, but had just a tad too much bbq sauce on them for my taste. Overall a good place and I would return if I come back to the area.
(3)Joe Ann O.
My husband and I frequent Peoria often however had never had the time to eat at Lariat. We decided to go on New Years Eve. What a letdown! There were four of us and none of our steaks came as ordered. I ordered medium well and it come out very well done! Well my cousin likes hers that way so we exchanged steaks thinking maybe I got hers. No deal...they were all over cooked. Also they serve steaks on these sizzling platters....two reasons why this is not the best idea...1. Your steak continues to cook, and 2. both me and my cousin burned our fingers! The room was very dark and we just didn't see the metal parts of the platter nor were we warned by our server. My cousin's thumb burn was pretty painful and they offered a burn salve which took about 10mins to bring. Hmmmmm? Never had to have burn ointment in a restaurant...seems like a problem. Kudos to the salve...it worked quickly! Also, my baked potato seemed like it had been baked early in the day and warmed for dinner. Hubby and another cousin chose the rice. They weren't told that it would be wild rice..neither of them ate it. Although I did like the rice. We also ordered sautéed mushrooms which were horribly mushy and over salted. Two items were delicious...the starter Goulash soup, and steak fries! Warning...cocktails were missing liquor (or so it seemed). I ordered a Cosmo and received a glass of cranberry juice with lime! We have enjoyed steak dinners at several restaurants (Alexander's, Jim's Bistro, Longhorn) in Peoria and have never had such a bad experience. Recommendation for Lariat...SEASON your steaks. All we tasted was chewy, dry, tough meat disguised as ribeyes that tasted like the grill. Expensive flavorless steaks! How does a steakhouse that has been in business for so many years destroy Ribeyes??? Our server was good other than the time it took to bring the burn ointment. We did leave her a nice tip...the food wasn't her fault! One funny note...we got ToGo boxes just because too much money had been wasted. I just couldn't take mine and left it on the table. Well, our bus girl ran out the door to bring my steak...we all yelled Oh No! We laughed all night about the stalker steak that wouldn't go away!
(2)Josh S.
The nostalgic décor of this local supper club is a comfortable reminder of the restaurants we went to as children when it seemed like everyone knew everyone. The staff at the Lariat has been there forever which is to it's advantage. Consistently good food - try the au gratin potatoes extra done - they're delicious! I would recommend the Lariat to anyone looking for a nice casual steak / supper club experience (and no, you do not need a membership).
(5)rob b.
Great food. Excellent staff. Simple menu but it works. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Seems to be a place that locals go to. Beats the chain steak houses hands down.
(5)Jared T.
I was seriously underwhelmed by the Lariat. All of the food was bland, and the cheap metal plates they serve your steak on give the meat an acrid metallic taste. A place like this that wants to serve your steak "sizzling" needs to invest in some cast iron serving plates to keep the taste of the plate away from the food. The atmosphere was also a bit too dark for my tastes, but the service was friendly. Overall, I'd recommend skipping this place. I don't plan on coming back any time soon.
(2)Jeremiah C.
Food: Prices online do not reflect those on the current menu. The bread was fantastic with the honey butter as well as our appetizer of cocktail shrimp. However, steak ordered "medium" came back very rare and had to be sent back. Food was placed on our table by a server, then removed after the waitress said it was the wrong table, then returned after she determined it was the order for our table. Atmosphere: We were seated in what looked like an overflow banquet room, even though the main dining area was empty. Should have been told at reservation time that main area was unavailable. One of our chairs felt like it was being kicked every time someone walked behind it (floor board problem?). Service: Wait staff was friendly, but see food comments. Overall: Ultimately our experience at Lariat's was a little unsatisfying considering the feel of the place didn't really match the prices that we saw on the (paper) menu that doubled as my placemat.
(2)Sam N.
Very welcoming environment, from host to server to bus staff. Very busy evening, and wait staff was up to the crowd. Great catfish dinner - whole catfish deep fried with just a nice flour batter, not heavy cornmeal or beer batter. Yum - O!
(5)Kevin D.
This place was recxomended to me by a lady i sat next to on thr flight in. She seemed educated and refined enough. It doesn't come as a suprise that there were no yelps about this paticular establisment , even though it boasts having been here since 1940. I don't believe there has been any updates in decore since the grand opening. The decor didn't bother me as much as the grown man smacking his food constantly. I have only finished my salad and I am About to vomit. I have run through knee deep swamps in full combat gear and made less noise. His wife should smack him.... And his momma too. OMG she ordered the ribs... Dammit and I am wearing a nice shirt too ... Oh good she's Blowing her nose now that her meal has arrived. No wonder she tolerates Him.... She's a hog too. Ahhh dining alone is so awesome. Ohhh wait a family of bikers...tbc Good grief. The service was very good. The bread was very good, the salad was OK, the potato was a baked potato, the ribeye was overcooked and served on a hot skillet continuing to cook the tough piece meat. Recommended by locals who eat their nostalgic memories of long ago when the place was respectable. Sigh... utterly disappointed
(2)The C.
I had dinner here last night with three other people. We had a wonderful evening with great service by Marcia. I had the bacon wrapped filet with a potato and a house salad. They also serve bread. I had then throw on three fried shrimp. Everything was great. The steak was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. The outside doesn't look all that great but the inside is just fine. It is not fine dining but it is a class above all the chain places and the food is obviously of higher quality. The othe people in my party were equally pleased. I hadn't been for a couple years and would go back more often.
(4)Michelle B.
The decor is old school and charming to most. The staff had its good and bad points. Very nice host....lack luster waitress. We seemed to be a burden to want to order some food. We found the Steaks to be tough and flavorless. There are other options in the area...go find them.
(2)glenda c.
Had one of the best Prime Rib dinners I have had in a long time. Wait staff were very nice and polite. And believe it or not, a family with a toddler acting up took the child to the car and had their dinner wrapped to go! My hat is off to that family for showing consideration for others. The only think I didn't like was the blue cheese dressing...it was blue cheese on top of 1000 Island Dressing.
(4)Jasmine R.
I am surprised that the reviews for this place are not higher. The decor is old school, the wait staff is old, however the food is delicious. The bread and garlic butter is YUM. The best thing I have had here is the T bone steak, it will melt in your mouth.
(4)Galen K.
Went here last November prime rib was very tough worst steak ever had. Catfish was very good. Will not be back for any steak mushrooms were great Galen k
(2)Paulo C.
I went for a dinner, looking for something nicer in the Peoria area and was disappointed. I ordered a Filet Mignon- $35 (I think) and it was ok, too expensive for that the quality food we were getting. The service was ok, a bit slow and they left the tables dirty for too long. I caught the bus boys almost dropping tables plates after walking away because there just not trained properly. For a restaurant that serves decent wine, the glasses were very small and not suited for the type of wine. Another person in the group complained that the meat was dry and very hard to eat. Overall 2.5 stars, not a place to go again.
(2)Andy F.
From appetizer to entrée this meal was every bit of it's fantastic reputation. Atmosphere A+
(5)Kyle H.
Meh - ok good, shit service
(3)Glenn W.
It must be some timing but we haven't had great food here. Just ok. But others like it so I'll let them go there and I'll go elsewhere.
(2)Ken A.
A perfectly suitable place for a decent steak and friendly atmosphere. We sat in the bar, sparsely appointed and sporting a few tvs. Some regulars enjoyed a few drinks while I had a burger, (not in a steak mood.) it's was fine, nothing spectacular and came with fries. With a soft drink and tip it was around$12. Our server was friendly and brought us 2 hot loaves of fresh bread. My friend had a regular cut steak and potato. He thanked us repeatedly for coming. All in all a great place for a quick bite and no pretentious nonsense some steak houses pride themselves in.
(4)Keith L.
First time eating here. Kinda funky 80's decor but simple and quiet and not unpleasant. Kinda cool. Service was ok but not great. Had the house merlot (not actually too bad) and my wife had a grasshopper and quite enjoyed it. The bread was warm and delicious. Butter and apple butter were both good. We each got the onion soup. Not the best I've had but far from the worst. I got the prime rib and she got the seafood grill. Prime rib was cooked correctly. 'Horseradish' was too mild though. Fries were done just right. All in all very happy w my meal. My wife's seafood was cooked pretty correctly but sort of bland. The salmon was much better than the tilapia. Probably all cooked in too much butter but still ok. I probably wouldn't order it myself but she says she would and just tell them easier on the butter. I'd order the prime rib again. I'd go here again. Good meal and atmosphere for the price.
(4)Steve S.
Been here twice. First time was okay (about 6 years ago). Then went about a year ago...very disappointing. I felt as though I'd time-traveled back to 1985. The food was bland and not worth the price at all. Was one of the worst meals I've had in Peoria to be honest. I guess people in Peoria that put up with mediocrity must like it though.
(1)Jen B.
On the lookout for a good steak closer to us than Sky Harbor and the Lariat popped into our heads! The crowd was a little thin for a Friday night which is too bad because the food was spot on. The remodeled entry/bar and main dining room belong to two different restaurants. The bar is a huge mostly empty room with floor to ceiling windows and a very modern bar area. The dining room is straight out of the early 80's, all cosy dark wood and patterned carpet. We were sat right away and given menus by the hostess. We decided to order wine and our server was really great about getting us samples, even going back a second time! I wasn't impressed by the bread, it was extremely crusty and made a giant mess on the table. I prefer a savory butter like chive or garlic so the brown sugar in it wasn't my fav. I started with the French onion soup which was sooo hot but very tasty. Wasn't too salty which can be a frequent problem. The salad was lackluster and swimming in dressing, ask for it on the side! The prime rib was juicy and tender with a very delish au jus in the pan. The horseradish was extremely mild, seemed mixed with mayo maybe? The strip steak was cooked perfectly at every point, even near the edges! Both our potatoes were just okay, the au gratins were much too cheesy to be real au gratin but were still tasty. The baked was pretty dry but dressed up with butter and sour cream, it was fine. Our server was great and checked on us enough but not too much. She was definitely hustling around her tables and got us our check quickly. Overall, a very good steak dinner!
(4)Xiomara C.
Based on the price/quality this restaurant lacks in many ways. The steaks in general, and we had 3 different ones were tasteless, dry and burnt. The sides were small and tasteless. We order a bottle of wine ($42) and it was served in a white wine glass, we asked the server for a bigger glass but it wasn't any better. The bottle was brought open to the table instead of opening at the table. Server had no concept of wines or even how to pour our glasses. Busboy, not trained properly on how to approach a table or clear one. Desserts, chocolate cake was was very dry. Staff starting from hostess could be trained better, bar area needs ambiance, more tables a more welcoming atmosphere. It seem we were walking into an abandoned building. Very disappointed!!
(1)Robert C.
Visited on 11/22/14. Still one of the best restaurants in Peoria. We happen to be in town for Peoria's light festival.
(4)Steve S.
This must be one of those places the memory is better than the experience. I can think of no other reason for more than one or two stars. I have been hearing for years how great this place is. My wife and I took a friend of ours here when we couldn't get into The Fish House. The steaks were thin, thin, thin and way overcooked. Also, the waitress seemed like she couldn't wait for us to leave. If you were fond of Ponderosa Steakhouse steaks in the 70's you'll love this place. This was our first and last visit.
(1)