Texas Tomahawk vs. Texas Strip: Battle of the Lone Star Steak

“The Texas House is raising the steaks today, and we have a bone to pick with anyone who disputes that the tomahawk ribeye is the most premium cut in the Lone Star State,” said Rep. Ken King.

The resolution was sent to the House Committee on Steak Affairs for review on March 11. If passed, the tomahawk ribeye would officially represent Texas’s rich culture in the beef industry.

“While the Texas Senate butters up a lesser cut, we won’t let them outflank our efforts to sear the tomahawk’s rightful place in Texas history. The Senate’s ‘Texas Strip’ might shine on a sizzling plate of fajitas, but when it comes to the superior steak, the tomahawk ribeye is a cut above the rest. I look forward to steering this resolution to passage.”

Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows also supported the resolution and praised the tomahawk ribeye as a symbol of Texas greatness.

“Like Texas, the tomahawk ribeye is a prime symbol of greatness and, as the official Steak of Texas, would be a fitting tribute to our state.”

Texas is the leading beef producer in the U.S., with over 12.2 million cattle raised across the state and representing 14% of the country’s total cattle inventory, according to the Texas Farm Bureau. The beef industry plays a huge role in the state’s economy, and steak is a staple of Texas culture.

However, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and the well-known Dallas and Austin chophouse, Bob’s, seem to think the Texas Strip is the superior cut of beef. 

Patrick took to X in a short video that Bob’s is already serving the 14-oz Prime Texas Strip steak paired with two colossal shrimp from the Gulf of America at a pricey $99. Patrick says, “Good try, but you can’t beat the Senate when it comes to steak.”

The Albany War Room Tavern, a restaurant and bar in New York's capital, quickly took notice of the Senate Revolution. In an interview on March 5 on the Mendte in the Morning radio show, Todd Shapiro, the restaurant owner, announced that his legal team filed a lawsuit in Manhattan on March 4.

The suit argues that the potential name change for the steak could harm his business. While Texas’ resolution would only apply in the state, Patrick said in his post that state leaders “want this to catch on across the country and around the globe,” something Shapiro said supports his suit.

Shapiro plans to file the lawsuit in the next few weeks, hoping to block the State of Texas from implementing the proposed name change.

As the resolution makes its way through the legislative process, all eyes will be on the House Committee on Steak Affairs to see if the tomahawk ribeye will officially claim its spot as the true State Steak of Texas. With vocal support from Rep. Ken King and Speaker Dustin Burrows, the battle over the best cut of beef is not over.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s endorsement of the Texas Strip continues to fuel the fire, and legal action from businesses like the Albany War Room Tavern may keep the controversy simmering.

The coming weeks will reveal how the Senate and House battle it out to determine whether the tomahawk ribeye or the Texas Strip will claim the title of the Lone Star State’s official steak.