Big Texan Steak Ranch

About

The Big Texan Steak Ranch has been serving up an outsized slice of Texas since 1960, when R.J. Lee opened the original restaurant along Route 66 in Amarillo. After Interstate 40 redirected traffic away from the old highway, the restaurant moved to its present location in 1970 and grew into one of the city’s most recognizable roadside attractions. Its bright yellow exterior, towering cowboy sign, giant steer, Western décor, gift shop, brewery, and adjacent motel make the Big Texan as much a Route 66 experience as a place to eat. Inside, the sprawling dining room leans fully into its cowboy theme with saloon-style furnishings, mounted wildlife, memorabilia, live entertainment, and plenty of photo opportunities.

The restaurant’s signature attraction is the 72-ounce Steak Challenge, a tradition dating to 1962. Challengers must finish a 72-ounce steak along with shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, and a dinner roll within one hour to receive the meal free. Thousands have succeeded, while many more have tried, often in front of a crowd watching from the restaurant’s specially designated challenge table. Beyond the spectacle, the Big Texan offers a broad steakhouse menu, house-brewed beer, souvenirs, family activities, and lodging next door at the Big Texan Motel, making it one of Amarillo’s best-known surviving links to the showmanship and roadside culture of historic Route 66.

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