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AJ's Steakhouse

3.6 (56 reviews)
PriceySteakhouses
Closed • Closed
Updated over 3 months ago

AJ's Steakhouse Photos

AJ'S STEAKHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Romantic
Classy
Casual

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Recommended Reviews - AJ's Steakhouse

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Reviews With Photos

Lobster & Seafood Roll
Trixie T.

Made reservations for 2 for Mother's Day at AJ's Steakhouse. We arrived 5 minutes early, seated right away. It was beautiful. The server refilled before we were even empty. Stuffed mushrooms were devine, smothered in mozzarella. Dinner rolls, I love rye and there was one in the basket. Lucky me. Side salads were fantastic, not just iceberg. The real green leaves. I had the Lobster & seafood Roll with roasted potatoes. Everything was absolutely perfect, I could not have asked for better ambience, service or food. From start to finish, I was impressed. When the sever dropped off the check, she left 2 little boxes with an extra treat in them. After I reached my car, I opened the little box to find 2 chocolate covered strawberries. Such a nice touch! Highly recommend AJ's!

Prime Rib Special
J M.

Absolutely love this place. I have only been here a handful of times but the food and service are always on point. Love their Prime Rib special but also try their lobster bisque. It is fantastic! Love the ambiance, this place is delightful.

Raw steak.
Dave W.

Wow. What a horrible experience for a steakhouse. I get it that there are mistakes in the kitchen, but twice? The first was ordered medium rare. It came almost well done. The second, upon receipt seemed to be ok on the first cut but after a bite or two, it was raw. The seasoning on the 1st was non-existent. The 2nd one was heavy salt. As well, my wife ordered a wedge. She got a full head of lettuce cut in quarters and a pile of old bacon on top of it. She asked for medallions of beef and they came out looking like they were days old. On the service, she seemed annoyed when we arrived and then offered mediocre service at best. When I sent the steak back, she never apologized. The manager brought the new one back and the mashed potatoes were microwaved and scalding hot from the inside. For the price,, this place should just close vs waiting on a slow death by poor service and product. It's a shame. I won't get the time nor money back, however, I know never to go back. I hope they change their ways for the sake of the casino.

Filet de Burgo* **
Tim B.

Went to the bar Friday around 7, it was mostly full but the restaurant seating was mostly empty. Ordered an old fashioned and filet de burgo. We asked for bread a few times but it took about 20 minutes to arrive. Then we got bread brought again, which seems to really confuse the table runner. Found out later they can smoke the old fashioned but I didn't know. Next time. Steak was cooked to my liking but the pile of raw carrots was not needed as filler. Try asparagus instead to round out the meal, I mean it's already $45 so make it worth it. Had a small Ceaser with it and the dressing was great. Also came in a mini Parmesan crust bowl.

I forgot to take a picture of the salad, but this was the prime rib, vegetable baked potato oh, and it came with a basket of bread.
Sandy K.

i'm amazed that this restaurant wasn't busier. We went on a Wednesday night and well there were tables occupied. There were plenty of tables available. Let's just start with the cocktails. We had a old fashion, and then our second order at the suggestion of the waitress we had a smoky old fashion $12 that's not bad in a restaurant that you would consider to be high end if you asked me. That smoky old fashion was probably one of the best I've had in a very long. The special of the evening was prime rib, and we were all tempted to order it. The price of the rib included a salad, which was delicious, and with the prime rib, came a baked potato, and a perfect Lee El Dente vegetable. We splurged and shared the crème brûlée for dessert. It was very reasonably priced if you ask me after eating in quite a few restaurants in the area, this one was reasonably priced. I would highly recommend eating here.

Mozzarella sticks
Ana D.

Food was in general underwhelming. Didn't think it was any different than a chain restaurant. Bread was okay. The mozzarella sticks were a little bland. Filet mignon was okay. I asked for medium and it came pretty much well done. Nothing special. Not tempted to come back even if I happen to be in the area. Service was superb.

Lobster, garlic potatoes and asparagus ...
Mary N.

Love love love this steakhouse. Every time we visit, the experience is absolutely terrific. Great food, service and location.

Sounds good?
Susan K.

I looked forward to a great meal on Christmas Day. I got anything but! The lobster bisque was served cold, before I could even eat half they dropped my filet mignon on the table. And then they tried to take my soup on another pass through and I wasn't done. I ordered my filet medium and it was brought out raw. The outside was grey but the rest was red/blue. They server said she couldn't tell "she couldn't put her finger in it" (WTH) and she didn't have a thermometer. What good would a thermometer be? It had already set on the table while I was eating my soup. I was showing her with my knife how spongy and raw the steak was. She offered to take it back, which I have never done in my life but I agreed. I also paid extra for crab and Bernese sauce which the first time it wasn't served. They brought back out the same steak, a different cold potato with a teaspoon of crab and Bernese sauce but no onion this time. They must of scraped it off and threw it away. This time the steak came out crusty black burnt and still bright red in the middle. I thought maybe I was being a little difficult so I had my adult daughter try it. She spit it out in the napkin. The server had no care if I was made happy for the amount I was paying. How can a steakhouse ruin a steak so badly! "But how is the baked potato?" Was her response. So cold that the butter wouldn't melt. I asked for the desert to go, I was nauseated from what I had already tried. She dropped off the check and never came back. I had urgent business to take care of across the hallway so I went up to the front desk to pay so I could leave. They said they couldn't help me and had to get me server. I had my credit card in my hand and she came flying up there "where is your card?" What I stopped at the front desk with the bill and credit card in my hand so I could dine and dash??? Maybe care for your tables, we waited for a while for her to come back before we went to the front. I know why their prices are so high too, we were sat by the kitchen even though there was only 3 tables being used. They were constantly dropping dishes and them shattering. And I also got to listen a conversation right behind me of a server arguing with her supervisor that she wasn't going to take that table that was just seated in her section. So tacky. So finally we got things settled and I tipped way to high for the crappy service. Remember they served me steak that was inedible twice. I only had a small bite the rest went to the garbage, I wouldn't even take it home to my dogs. There was no care on how I enjoyed my meal I couldn't eat. Bill settled and I went across the hallway to the restroom with urgent matters trying not to throw up. I am not exaggerating. I was physically ill with cold sweats. I had my daughter go to the gift shop to buy me a bottle of water. I was sick the rest of the night and our reservation was at 2:30. You could never get me to go back there. The smell of cigarette smoke added so much to the meal too. $160 for inedible food. My daughter had the salmon and it was cool but edible. Her egg nog cheese cake was was plain cheese cake with butterscotch poured on it.

Cowboy Ribeye (Pre Menu Change)
Sarah N.

I decided to give AJ's a 2 star review however previous to my last two visits I would have given in it a 4. This is because of their recent menu changes. I'm at prairie meadows quite a bit and because I don't care for the buffet I tend to eat at AJ's. It used to always be a place I knew I could get several different things I liked at a fairly reasonable price. Unfortunately their new menu leaves much to be desired and the experiences I've had with the food preparation has not been good. First I'll address the steak- as they are supposed to be a steak house. Later I'll talk about the rest of the meal and the menu. AJ's recently changed their menu to offer all usda prime beef, which sounds like a great thing. Their prices went up by quite a bit because of this but I figured it'd be worth it with the better tasting beef. I'll be honest, I don't think I'm going to order steak here again. Since the menu change I ordered the same thing, the handcut ribeye. The first time I ordered it I ordered it exactly as I normally do "on the rare side of medium rare. I want it a warm red." This is actually how medium rare is supposed to be but I know in the past if I just say medium rare I get medium to medium well. The manager came out and made a big deal that I didn't need to do that so last night I ordered it medium rare - it came out VERY medium. I sent back the steak and a different manager came out and apologized. They remade it and once again it was over cooked. They were going to remake it but the manager came out and asked me to relook because she thought it was actually right just the "grizzle" and lighting made it look over. I looked at the part and it really looked like a medium steak to me but at this point I needed to leave and I ate it. Previous to that the manager said she wasn't going to charge regardless if I ate it or not but when the bill came I was still charged. It is worth noting I told her it wasn't what I was after & I just hated the waste, but when someone says you won't be charged and then you are it's a bit alarming. She was very nice and talked to us quite a bit about the changes on the menu and what we thought, which I appreciated. This manager always takes very good care of us. Overall I won't be ordering steak there again. The time before last my steak was perfect but the other in my party had a steak that was not evenly cut and therefore unevenly cooked. Last night I had 2 overcooked steaks and even if the one was right I don't feel like it should be so grizzly that it makes the steak was white. Yes prime meat has grizzle and fat but it should not be the majority of the steak. They have also changed their sides and again I don't feel for the better. The first time I had the balsamic asparagus & the second time the garlic green beans. Both were a $2 up charge because they now only offer potato sides with the meal. They used to always have a vegetable and rice option without the charge. The asparagus were not good. They weren't cut well and the woody ends were left on on some of them. They were too small to be grilled and the balsamic didn't add anything. The green beans were fine - better portion size but not worth the cost. The small candied carrot that they give as a garnish is actually really tasty and I want them to add it on the menu as a side. The wedge salad is much smaller and they no longer chop the walnuts which makes it hard to eat. The crab cake appetizer , which my dining partner ordered as their main meal were much changed. They are apparently now fried in meatball type balls and come with different sauces. Their opinion and mine is that they were extremely dry and lacked flavor. A fail on all levels. The menu has also removed their chicken piccata as well as their chicken wellington . They no longer have their prime rib every day - only on Friday's and Saturday's which I try to avoid due to the crowds. Will I be back? Probably. I'm hoping maybe I can find something else to eat that will live up to their former glory. I can tell you it won't be a steak.

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Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge - Bread

Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge

4.2(234 reviews)
0.4 mi
•$$

The Big Steer has long been a staple in Altoona's eatery options. I've been eating here since I was…read morea kid in the '70s. The quality of food is excellent! The prices since Covid have been a bit high, IMHO, but still acceptable. I do miss their take out dinner specials from the Covid era. They were an excellent value. If you enjoy a cocktail on occasion, they have one of the best bartenders in the Des Moines area!

Over-priced low quality steak. Service was excellent, with…read morea friendly attentive waitress, despite the restaurant being packed. Environment was noisy, with only a few inches between tables. Bacon-wrapped scallops were grilled to perfection, but could have used some seasoning. My wife said her French onion soup was too salty. The hashbrowns were a joke -- unseasoned mashed potatoes in a mold that was browned on top. No hashbrown texture at all. My wife's sirloin steak was quite good. However, my $56 dry-aged 12-oz ribeye was a disappointment. I expected a melt-in-your-mouth experience. What I got was a somewhat dry piece of meat with very little marbling, but with a chunk of fat in the middle. Both steaks were poorly seasoned. Steaks should be prepared with a ample amount of salt and pepper. Adding it after the fact isn't the same.

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Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge - From the far left seat at the entrance of the bar. I ended up moving all the way to the right

From the far left seat at the entrance of the bar. I ended up moving all the way to the right

Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge - Clam chowder

Clam chowder

Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge - Table centerpiece - very cute and I think it is a real lil boot.

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Iowa Beef Steak House - Best burger kit to go.

Iowa Beef Steak House

3.7(143 reviews)
6.2 mi
•$$

Got full rack of ribs. It was huge. The server Lisa was awesome. Kept our glasses full. It is the…read moreFriday before Valentines day, so it was packed. Great service, great food, great staff. I would highly recommend.

I moved to the Des Moines metro in 1992 and have been coming to Iowa Beef Steakhouse for years…read more Iowa Beef Steakhouse opened in 1982. It changed ownership in early 2015 when two previous employees purchased the steakhouse from the original owner. For me it's the quintessential steakhouse in the metro... That's not to knock any of our other long standing locals like 801, AJ's, Chicago Speakeasy, Johnny's, John & Nick's, The Big Steer, Rube's, Irina's, Jesse's, Trostel's, etc. Probably others I've forgotten to mention along with many other recent additions... We live in Iowa. We have some of the best beef in the nation! It's hard to throw a rock without hitting a restaurant that serves up a good cut of beef. Outside of the ownership and some slight changes to the menu (weights, additional items, prices) not much else has changed since I started coming here. Same signage, same building exterior, same dark hardwood walls and furniture, even the same carpet I think... It's an old school vibe. One of my friends had a recent trip to Mayo. When they were up there they called me and told me about a horror show of a visit they had with a chain steakhouse up there in Rochester. I listened and I probably smirked a little on the other side of the phone... I told them when they got back in town, had recovered from their procedure, I'd take them out for a good steak. To me Iowa Beef Steakhouse is the place to go. We were greeted right away at the host station up front as we walked in. A later dinner on a Friday evening... We were shown to a low topped table towards the rear half of the restaurant. Seating is low top tables and chairs for the most part along with a standard bar area and seating. After a short wait Jess came by and introduced herself and took our drink order (Pepsi products, wine, beer, and anything else you may want from the bar). The drinks hit the table after a couple of minutes and it was on to our food order. 1x fountain drink 1x unsweetened ice tea 1x large sauteed mushroom skillet 1x 16 oz ribeye (medium), with fries, and salad bar 1x 20 oz sirloin (medium rare) with fries, and salad bar They offer seven cuts of steak, pork chops, chicken, ribs and more. Served with a baked potato and salad bar. The salad bar is one of the better ones! Boasting standard lettuce and fixings along with multiple dressings. On to potato, pasta, coleslaw, cucumber and onion, broccoli, bean, pea salad, etc. Pudding and fluff. No more pickled herring though... Guess the demand for that one is no more. I used to grab a piece or two now and then. I kind of missed seeing on there, but mostly from a nostalgia sense. Lol They started offering burgers on their lunch menu after the ownership change in 2015! Don't sleep on these! One of the best burgers you'll find in the city. We were able to sub the baked potato choice for fries, but Jess warned us they have a pretty small fryer in the kitchen and when it's busy at dinner time it's at their discretion whether they can do this or not and it may not always be an option. I have an issue with some textures. Lumpy mashed poatoes being one of them...so it's really hard for me to enjoy a baked potato. No matter how good it is. Lol I'm just really glad they have a fryer again... They went a few years without one at all. Jess was a rockstar! Attentive. Quick on refills. Welcoming and she had a very enjoyable personality. The steaks were cooked perfectly to temp. In all my years of eating here I've never sent anything back to the kitchen. And even back in the day when they offered to let you cook your own I always paid the extra $ to let them take care of it for me... The mushrooms... Little morsels from the gods themselves! The fries and Texas toast. So good. Rochester tragedy not forgotten... But Iowa Beef Steakhouse restored their faith that meat can be cooked properly the first time and there is still exceptional service out there. Frankly..., I hope this place never changes! Subtle is fine... There's just something so comforting about walking into a place you have been coming to for over 30+ years and it's still like you remember it. Kind of like walking back into your parents' house when you come home for a visit, no matter how old you are, and your childhood bedroom is still pretty much the same. Another great visit to Iowa Beef Steakhouse... I know I'll be back...! https://iowabeefsteakhouse.com/

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Iowa Beef Steak House - The salad bar looks great!

The salad bar looks great!

Iowa Beef Steak House - Large skillet of sautéed mushrooms.

Large skillet of sautéed mushrooms.

Iowa Beef Steak House - Slipknot rules this house. The Nine would be impressed

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Slipknot rules this house. The Nine would be impressed

AJ's Steakhouse - steak - Updated May 2026

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