What Exactly Is A Dallas Filet At Texas Roadhouse?

Texas Roadhouse is known for serving Southern favorites, including country-fried sirloin steak, its iconic dinner rolls, and its "legendary" side dishes. If you're craving steak, there are no shortage of cuts, but each cut has a slightly different taste and texture. The Dallas filet, for example, is described as the restaurant's "most tender steak" available, noting that it's lean with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. But what exactly is it? Texas Roadhouse's menu description doesn't explicitly call the Dallas Filet a filet mignon, but, according to one r/meat Reddit thread user, that's what it is. "I asked the waitress. She said it was indeed filet mignon," the user wrote. Chowhound called a local Texas Roadhouse location and confirmed that the Dallas filet is, in fact, filet mignon.

That said, a "filet" doesn't always have to refer to a filet mignon, though many people perceive it that way. It can also refer to the beef filet, also called a beef tenderloin, which is the actual tenderloin part of the cow where the filet mignon is cut from. The filet mignon, on the other hand, is usually the center-cut portion of that beef tenderloin. Put simply, all filet mignon is beef tenderloin, but not all beef tenderloin is filet mignon.

If you're going to order the Dallas filet, it might be worth going with the filet medallions instead. Chowhound learned the filet medallions are also filet mignon, meaning this is the better deal for your dollar on Texas Roadhouse's menu.

A former Texas Roadhouse employee once revealed on TikTok that the filet medallions are a 9-ounce portion of beef, while the Dallas filet only comes in either a 6- or 8-ounce portion, which costs either $25 or $29, respectively (depending on location). However, the medallions cost $25, meaning it's the best deal among the three filet mignons because you get more steak for less. Plus, the medallions also come with seasoned rice and two of the chain's side dishes, so it's as if you're getting three sides for your money instead of two. Most importantly, when you slice into the center of that cooked-to-order steak, you can feel confident that you're slicing into filet mignon.