My BF was in the mood for a good steak; so we made our way to the Clayton Steakhouse.. The service is nothing short of stellar ! As for ambience well It's a steak house with heavy wooden furniture ; it's really quite nice! read more

We had heard great things about Clayton Steakhouse since moving up from Tampa Bay two years ago. For whatever reason it took us until my wife's birthday last week to finally go. Sadly, it was very disappointing. We've been to several steakhouses in the area, including Lane's and Southern Vines, as well as the usual suspect chains. Clayton Steakhouse is priced on a higher end with most steaks above the $40 threshold. Prices comparable to one of our nearby favorites, The Depot on First in Knightdale. Unfortunately, the food, the atmosphere, and the service were all well below the Depot's standards. Stepping into the restaurant feels more like walking into an older neighborhood restaurant, than a steakhouse serving $40+ steaks. Basic tables and chairs, fairly close together. Not exactly the atmosphere you'd want for the birthday dinner of your spouse. The fact it was crowded with families shows there are still plenty of people who don't mind paying these prices for this kind of food. Our server was fine, although she seemed like she was a bit worn out. Friendly-ish. Contrast this with spending the equivalent money at the Depot, or another restaurant at that level where the service is polished and gracious. The greatest disappointment by far was the food. The meals included their highly touted salad bar, which was fairly well stocked, but not overly exciting. Then came the steaks which made us immediately regret coming. My wife ordered the 8oz filet which was a decent steak, but nothing spectacular. She commented the filet at Texas Roadhouse is better, which says a lot. Especially considering Texas Roadhouse prices are significantly lower. I had the 12oz ribeye. I ordered it medium rare and the steak came out on the far side of medium, very warm, slightly pink center. On top of this our meals were apparently sitting in kitchen for a bit since they arrived luke warm. Due to the overcooking my steak was dry and not tender at all. The flavor was okay, but far from the dry aged steaks at comparably priced steakhouses. We ended the night feeling like we had made a really bad decision. Even though we've been to the Depot many times already, we should have stuck with a known quantity. I have absolutely no idea what the obviously enthusiastic customers of Clayton Steakhouse see in this place. Maybe it was an off night for them? Don't know. Won't likely repeat. read more

This place is sooo good! We drove into downtown Clayton trying to find a cute little restaurant. We found this place. Park on the street and walk down! We walked in with a party of 6 and were seated right away. Our waitress was so friendly and we ordered pretty quickly. Once we ordered we started at their salad bar. It had lots of options on it, very clean. I got a 9 oz sirloin and a sweet potato. The sweet potato was amazing. And the steak was good too! It was slightly overcooked but still just fine for me. I used their house made horseradish sauce with it. Easily one of the best meals. When it was time for dessert our waitress came out with a tray of homemade desserts and there were TONS of options on it-- carrot cake, triple chocolate cake, chocolate chess pie, key lime pie, berry cheesecake, and a few others. We tried the key lime pie and the chocolate chess pie. The chocolate chess pie was AMAZING. I loved it. The owner makes the desserts handmade. It's a must try in downtown Clayton! read more

Clayton Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

A Clayton staple! So glad I live close by! Clayton Steakhouse is nestled in the heart of Downtown Clayton, right on Main Street. There's parking on the street nearby, as well as a couple of parking lots available nearby as well. I know Downtown Clayton has started putting up some signs for paid parking, so just pay attention when parking. That being said, there are plenty of options for parking. I've been numerous times for lunch and dinner and always enjoy my visits. The staff is friendly and definitely fits the small-town/family vibe of Downtown Clayton. The restaurant is small, but still a great size, and never too packed. I love the simplicity of the menu. There are good options, but it's not too much or overkill. Although they are a steakhouse, there are quite a few other great options if you don't eat steak or want something. The steaks are always cooked well and correctly with lots of flavor. I love a good salad bar, and there are many times I've gone for a solo lunch just for the salad bar. It's not a huge salad bar, but there are great topping options, and it's always fresh, which I love. During lunch, they also have options for made-to-order cold sandwiches and wraps. You can choose your bread/wrap, meat, cheese, and toppings. I love Clayton Steakhouse and highly recommend. The prices are also great for the quality of food as well. read more

We've eaten here multiple times and keep coming back. This visit we shared a ribeye and it was tender and full of flavor. The salad bar is always one of my favorite parts of the meal. Friendly staff and consistently good food make this an easy recommendation. read more

Came here for a big team lunch on a Friday. They handled the large group with ease. I got the steak sandwich with a side salad and it was delicious. Cooked perfectly to medium rare. Will definitely be coming back to try the salad bar. read more

Clayton Steakhouse - Lunch steak sandwich with side salad - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

Clayton Steakhouse is one of those true local gems that still believes in doing it the right way. From the minute you walk in the door the staff makes you feel like you're at a place that appreciates food, service, and the people they serve. The steaks come out exactly how you order them -- not "close" -- actually spot on. Perfect char on the outside, tender on the inside, and seasoned just right. You can taste that they use quality cuts, not the cheap stuff you get at big chain steak places. Their sides are classic steakhouse sides done well -- creamy mashed potatoes, crispy fries, and vegetables that aren't just an afterthought. Service is friendly, efficient, and they keep your glass full. The atmosphere is relaxed, not pretentious. You can come here for a date night, you can bring family, you can bring coworkers after a long week -- it fits all of it. Price-wise, you definitely get what you pay for. This is a place where you actually feel like the food and experience match the price. If you want a real steakhouse experience without the corporate feel -- Clayton Steakhouse is absolutely worth it. Highly recommend the ribeye or filet, and don't skip dessert. read more

This place used to be amazing. We went tonight, we go about once a month for bdays, anniversaries etc. We always have a great experience....til tonight. I ordered a filet. $43 and the waitress told me the chef forgot about the filet so he butterflied it and cooked it as the last minute. This was not a filet, it was covered in fat. Super thin and not cooked in night. The rest of everyone's steak was over cooked (probably waiting on my filet) they refused to give my daughter a refill in her Shirley temple.....they have gone to you know what ..:.. read more

Old fashoined hometown steak house. Reasonable, not a chain steak house. Good crust outside and cooked to order/taste. Decent/ok salad bar and has alcohol. Parking on main streeet can be very busy on weekends read more

The clayton steakhouse has been a staple in clayton NC since 2008. It was originally opened by Michael and Betsy Grannis who retired in 2017 after selling to Bobbi and Ryan, both who had worked at the steakhouse prior to purchasing. I was expecting more of a menu from this steakhouse, especially in terms of appetizers. With only three options total and two of them being fried, I reluctantly chose the fried green beans. Yes, I am a fan of green beans, but not a fan of deep-fried green beans, nor will I be anytime soon. It's a bit of an acquired taste as far as my palate is concerned, this is definitely an appetizer that relies heavily on the wasabi and ranch dipping sauces. They do have a small salad bar, although it doesn't offer much of a variety, it served as a better appetizer than the 3 options they currently offer. Unfortunately, still not enough to satisfy a vegetarian and unfortunately, they don't offer any decent vegetarian entree on or off the menu. Steak is clearly their forte and they serve it your liking, unfortunately for me the sides did not overly impress. Being a classic steakhouse, I was expecting the classic steak dinner, but I do think a more progressive menu would serve this steakhouse better. Cheers! read more

Clayton Steakhouse - the dining area of the restaurant - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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Salad bar was nice. Lots of options for salad toppings and it's unlimited! So go get as much salad as you want. They also have cottage cheese and mixed fruit. Not things I'd put on my salad, but I'd eat these separate. I ordered myself the 8oz ribeye and got a baked potato with it. It also comes with their Texas toast and the salad bar. My steak was cooked perfectly! This is the first time ever my steak was cooked to how I asked. Most places always over cook and sometimes under cook. I was pleasantly surprised!! My daughter had the Mac n cheese kids meal and that comes with one side. We got sweet potato fries. My husband ordered the salmon. It was the first time ever someone asked how he wanted it cooked. They said that's because their fish is fresh daily! Wow! He said it was the best salmon he ever had! I've got to try it sometime. The service was great. Lisa came over and took our drink orders since she knew our assigned server was busy. Love their teamwork! She even brought crayons and a paper my daughter could draw/color on to keep her busy. As you can see in the picture under her meal (it's 2 sided!) Good food and great service for our first time here! We will be back! read more

Clayton Steakhouse - Kids Mac n cheese - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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The food and ambience and service are all good. The bad is no fresh bread, just saltines- not what I would expect at a steakhouse restaurant. read more

I went to Clayton Steakhouse on Friday with my husband, our infant, and my parents; we had a GREAT experience! The restaurant setting is casual but cozy, very warm and welcoming. I called at 4:30 to make a reservation for 5:00 and they were able to accommodate us without hesitation. It did, however, get busy a bit later! I can see why! We were seated instantly and Lisa, our wonderful waitress greeted us. We ordered wine as they have quite a few great options, and she provided us with water. She then told us about the features and how the menu works. We started with Shrimp Diablo, a featured appetizer. This dish was amazing! A flavorful and buttery order of pan seared shrimp, with the perfect amount of spice! This was served with toast, perfect for dipping! The appetizer list wasn't extensive by any means, but I think the feature appetizer and salad bar made up for it! On to the entrées! My dad and I ordered a steak, and my husband and mom the tilapia. All of the entrées came with Texas toast, a side, and unlimited salad bar. The salad bar was SO good; it was fresh and the homemade ranch dressing was 10/10! I tried some of the tilapia and it was delicious, fresh and flavorful, perfectly cooked! The side of green beans that my husband ordered = also delicious! Saving the best review for last: my steak. I ordered the 8 oz filet and for me this was a risk. I have bad luck with steaks at restaurants. Order it medium, get it medium rare or well done. Order it medium rare, get it close to rare. FINALLY! I order a steak (medium rare) and it was cooked PERFECTLY. So tender, flavorful, and delicious. It was so nice to not have to send a steak back. The menu even states exactly the temperature and what that will look like. I ordered a baked potato with mine, and it was great; served with butter and sour cream. I was holding my daughter, so I asked my mom to get me some shredded cheese off the salad bar for my potato. Out of nowhere, one of the magical waitresses just popped up and said "I can grab it for you!" Lastly, we tried a few desserts, and they were, surprise, delicious! The chocolate cake was moist and amazing. I got the coconut pecan pie to go, and I will try that tonight! I would highly recommend the Clayton steakhouse! The atmosphere is no frills yet cozy, and the service and food was five stars! I can't wait to go back, and we will soon! read more

Great little place to grab a delicious steak! My boyfriend and I stopped by on a whim and decided to grab dinner here. When we got there, we were told it would be a 45-minute wait since we didn't have a reservation. That's fine, again, this was spur of the moment. We sat and waited and was informed in a table in the bar area opened we were welcome to take one of those instead as it was first come, first serve. Perfect for us! After about 15 minutes, we were sitting in the bar area. We started with the daily special scallops, cooked to perfection! The sauces drizzle across the top just brought the flavor to the next level. We ordered our main course next, I ordered a steak and he ordered the porkchop. While we waited for our food, we were permitted to grab a salad from the salad bar. Fresh ingredients and plenty of choices to build a tasty salad to get your meal going. The main course arrived and it was excellent! Steak cooked to temp and seasoned wonderfully! The porkchop was thick and seasoned beautifully. Overall, it was a wonderful meal experience, and I'll definitely be going back! I'll just make sure to have a reservation on my next visit. read more

Clayton Steakhouse - steak and french fries on a plate - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. I ate at the bar, and the service was incredible and attentive. The pork chop was delicious. I highly recommend. I will most certainly be back soon! read more

Clayton steakhouse was a nice spot to try. I ordered the salmon and salad bar. The salad bar is good, and abundant with options. The salmon was fresh and cooked perfectly. The ambiance was not what I expected though, the dinning room felt cramped and we just felt rushed, despite it not being that busy. I'll be trying a steak next time! And obvs the salad bar! read more

The food I will give a five out of five. The service was awesome. She kept giving us our refills before the glasses were even empty. The aura there was awesome. It just seemed like the atmosphere was a great place to eat. I will give it a five out of five stars. read more

Walked in at 6pm on Friday night. It was already pretty busy. The estimate was 30 minutes, we were seated in 20 (gold star). We had found a pair of chairs at the well-stocked bar to wait. Drinks were generous and well made. We headed to our table about midway back. Our server was prompt and friendly. We ordered the Fried Green Bean app and headed for the salad bar. Impressed by the freshness and variety. Good Blue Cheese dressing! Green beans were solid. Dinner was a pair of 12oz ribeyes, loaded baked potatoes, small side of mushrooms. Ribeye was well seasoned and cook was on point. Tater was... a tater. Very satisfying. We shared a slice of Coconut Pecan Pie. Good stuff. Decor is a little sparse, but the dining room is very clean and organized. It could benefit by a rug on the floor or tapestries to help control the noise. Overall, a good local spot. We'll choose this over a chain steakhouse any day. read more

Our server was so wonderful and helpful. Food was delicious and I cannot wait to go back. Don't miss it.

Good food! Will definitely go back for more delicious Ribeye! The owner recommended the perfect wine for our meal. Thank you read more

After being a Clayton resident for 20 years we finally gave this place a try. Took my wife out for her birthday. First impression is that this place is way too casual. I wasn't expecting upscale dining but I sure wasn't expecting cheap diner tables and chairs, etc. The other immediate observation is that this place is loud! Not the place to go for a romantic dinner. There were plenty of patrons in very casual dress and hooting and hollering like they were at a bar. So disappointing. Let's get to the food. We both had the 8 ounce filets with baked potatoes. My wife ordered medium and it was spot on. I ordered medium well but it was a bit overdone. The steaks were good. Definitely better than any chain restaurant around the local area. Baked potatoes were good as well. I'd good the food a solid 4 out of 5 stars especially compared to the other options around town. Overall it was an ok experience but I just won't be back. For just a little more money we will continue to go to Sullivan's in downtown Raleigh. That place is way more upscale, romantic, quieter, etc. read more

Clayton Steakhouse - 8 oz Filet. - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

I ordered the filet steak and baked potato with the salad bar. Simple but so good. We had a great waitress and she was attentive the whole time. Nothing fancy, just a simple nice place for a good steak. read more

So let's start out that my wife and I went here for our 20th Anniversary dinner. Heard good things about it and had to do a reservation so I'm thinking fancy because I'm just old mountain boy that thinks this way. So we showed up right at our time the outside looked fancy so I'm expecting a very lavish restaurant. Nope! Went inside and the place was smaller than I thought from outside. The style was more mom and pop restaurant inside. For the prices on the menu I was expecting more. The tables where like IHOP tables not the fancy feel I was expecting. The waitress was very nice and professional wish I could remember her name to give better praise. The salad bar had good selection but felt like a Pizza Hut salad bar. Salad was delicious! The appetizer we got were the onion rings with this barbecue sauce type deal. The onion rings where outstanding and very hard not to eat them all right there. The sauce was blah not bad but not what I was looking for. Maybe a couple different types of dips for onion rings would be better. I ordered the 12oz New York Strip. The steak was tender and cooked great same with the baked potato not dried out at all. The steak would have been better if I wasn't paying for 5ozs of fat. My wife had the 8 oz sirloin which was perfect because she is very picky about if it done enough. We ordered a slice of chocolate cake to share for dessert it was good also. But would have been better with vanilla ice cream. Which afterwards we found out we could have had ice cream with it but wasn't told that. Over all very good food 100% Ambiance 75% Service 100% Priced a little to much. read more

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I really enjoyed my first trip to Clayton Steakhouse. The steak meals come with the salad bar which was the real show stopper for me. Everything tasted super fresh and I loved the ranch dressing. Our meal was delicious and our server was sweet and attentive. Atmosphere isn't the best - it's pretty loud and can feel like you're sitting in the middle of the floor with people walking all around you. Despite that, I'm looking forward to returning soon! read more

Clayton Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

It's alright... a bit pricey for being not an upscale steakhouse. Service was friendly and swift. They also have a salad bar, which is a good touch. read more

Excellent food and service! Definitely a resturant to go to regularly. You will not be dissapointed!

The restaurant is clean and brightly lite. Service is fantastic, you are never wanting for anything. Salad bar is fresh and kept stocked. Manhattan cocktail was pretty decent. Steak was good but not great, a little heavier on the seasoning than I care for and a smaller ounce cut is thin and not really medium rare. Based on the thinness of the steak, impossible to cook less than medium. Knowing this for next time, I will order a larger steak and just share it. read more

Through by steak sandwich I had for lunch was quite tough. Maybe their dinner might be a little bit better, but I'm not gonna be rushing back. read more

So, come here for the excellent service and the pie. I had to rate this restaurant this high because of the wait staff. The wait staff is simply amazing and we appreciated their service and their attention to detail. Kerry, our waitress, was wonderful. Our friends loved the pie for sure. The steak was an issue. Most of us ordered 12 oz ribeyes ($33), but we were DEFINITELY served NY Strip. Plus the steak was lacking flavor. We didn't make a fuss as the restaurant was getting ready to close and we were immersed in conversation. Yeah, I know restaurants are having a hard time, but this is either a grand faux pas or a bit of deception. Frankly, I can do so much better at home. But, go give them a try. Clayton has a quaint and welcoming downtown. Not sure if I will be back to Clayton Steakhouse based on the food. read more

Clayton Steakhouse - Leftover steak. With the lack of marbling, there is no way that this is ribeye. - Steakhouses Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

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It's okay. Steak ($27) was very good but on the high side for an 8oz price wise Burger and salad bar were good and more reasonably priced. Six dollar pie slice was out of line and truly not worth it. Biggest disappointment was telling hostess at reservation and when arriving we were celebrating a birthday and it never being passed on to the server or others and basically diluting what should have been a special meal. We won't dine here again and I would not recommend it. read more

Truly disgusting, food quality and food taste/prep wise. Avoid!!!! Ordered takeout, so this review is solely regarding quality and taste of 2 entries, one being a steak and baked potato, where the cheese on the loaded baked potato was cheap, yellow/orange, nacho cheese w a bland an unimpressive steak. I'd rate this place as the very worst steakhouse experience I've had in my 42 years read more

Ordered a sirloin medium well and that thing was congratulations most dry steak I think I've ever eaten Gordon would have an aneurysm. Baked potato was overcooked. To be fair it was a busy day read more

Visited the Clayton Steakhouse for the first time on my birthday . Here are my thoughts: * Place was packed , good sign ..started with beverages and ordered 8oz filets and mashed potatoes. Baked potato for the wife . * Filets were both seasoned well and tasty..very tender and juicy ...one of the best I've had. * Mashed potatoes were very good ..wife's baked potato was average..Texas toast was ok ...could of been crispier. * Friendly service and for the quality , a very good price. * Don't expect Capital Grille ambience , but this place doesn't need it . We will definitely be back :) read more

Good value. Atmosphere is average. Food is above average and the price is right. Get a reservation. It's usually full

Such a nice little restaurant! A secret the locals keep to themselves. Such a friendly and happy staff that really looks like they are there to serve you. A tasty meal in a quiet little town just a stones throw from Raleigh. If you don't try it, you are missing out. read more

I had dinner at the Clayton Steakhouse with my husband, and Mom who was visiting from out of state. To preface my Mom and I are not big fans of red meat but my husband had been wanting to try this restaurant for months, so we finally made a reservation. Overall, the restaurant was fine. It's quite small inside so maneuvering around the restaurant is a bit difficult, especially the salad bar, which is located towards the entrance. The decor was somewhat outdated; not something you would find outside of a small town restaurant. The entrées we're supposed to all come with Texas toast, which for whatever reason I guess my Moms got 'forgotten' as she didn't get any. My husband ordered a ribeye medium-well, but it came out well-done instead. On the plus side, the servers was attentive, and the salad bar and baked potato were good. I would return to frequent the salad bar but wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. For the price I think there are better steak restaurant alternatives you will just need to travel outside of Clayton (Raleigh, Durham) to frequent them. read more

I love this place. The food is always consistently good. If you live in the Smithfield, clayton, or Garner area this is the place for steak. Some of the things I think are great: 1) The salad bar: It's always fresh and their ranch dressing is fantastic. 2) main courses: The steaks are very good. We never have issues with how they come out. The sides are also excellent. Everyone should stop going to outback, longhorn, or whatever chain is in the area. This place is similar in price but the food is actually worth it. 3) Staff: the staff is always top notch and friendly. One waiter in particular is excellent. I think his name is Brian. Point being, they always serve their tables with good attitudes and precision. 4) Desserts: the chocolate pie is awesome. So is their other desserts. TLDR: it's great, you should go. read more

The lowdown: Great service, nice prices, food cooked to perfection. I was dog sitting in Clayton and Had a coupon for Clayton Steakhouse froM an attractions book that my son sold for his school. It was my 3ur dating anniversary dinner so we decided to check it out. The location was not what I expected, it does not have its own parking lot, however, there is some street parking and a parking lot across the street for those of us that can't parallel park! Upon entering I was surprised at the casual atmosphere. I didn't expect it to be super fancy or anything but it was much more casual than expected. There was a serve yourself salad bar which looked really yummy. Our waitress ( Michelle) was extremely helpful and attentive to our needs. I would recommend her to everyone! If I go back, I'm going to ask to be seated in her section of possible. I ordered a 9oz sirloin steak medium rare w broccoli and a baked potato. My steak was cooked to perfection! My one and only complaint, which isn't really a complaint because it tasted fine, was that my baked potato was burned on the outside. My guess is because it was cooked on the grill. My boyfriend got a burger and he loved it(especially the roll) w the salad bar. The salad bar had enough choices, making the 2.00 upcharge (I think that's what it was) worthwhile. The 12.00 off coupon we had just was icing on the cake making a great dinner even better! If I'm in Clayton I will definitely be visiting the Clayton Steakhouse again! read more

The steak was cooked perfectly ! The loaded bake potato was loaded with sour cream. Too much! Appetizers were good! Service was great. Cost was high! read more

We had a leisurely dinner on a Friday night. Most tables were full. There is a small, quaint bar area in front, the main dining room and then a more private area, also reasonably large in the back. The restaurant is long and narrow. A reasonably sized salad bar, frequently restocked and kept clean is on one side. We decided to move to the bar area from the main dining room to take advantage of sitting by the large window looking out to the street. We were quickly accommodated with no issues. Servers were very pleasant and our server frequently came back to check on us and refill water glasses. Service from Celine (?) was terrific. I had a hamburger and fries which were very tasty and added the salad bar for a modest extra five dollars. My companion's enjoyed her steak, baked potato and green beans immensely. All was cooked to perfection. There are other items on the menu if not a steak eater. Our server came by with a tray of pies to order from, a nice touch. Atmosphere is not overly fancy and tables are are a bit tight. Overall, it is worth a visit. Food and tax for two with two glasses of wine came to $79. read more