Man finds a 20-ounce Korean Ribeye at Yard House for $45. He can’t believe he’s been overpaying at Houston’s: ‘it was not a fluke’

A food reviewer says he found a cheaper stand-in for one of the most talked-about steaks in the country, and he did not find it at a steakhouse. Chef Joni, who posts food reviews on TikTok under the handle @joniblackstone, shared a video praising the Korean Ribeye at Yard House, calling it a close match to the Hawaiian ribeye served at Houston’s.

In the caption of his post, Joni wrote that “@Yard House delivered big time with this Hawaiian ribeye dupe for only $45,” adding that “Chain restaurants are back.”

The video shows a 20-ounce, bone-in ribeye steak served with a side of loaded fries topped with sauce and green onions. On-screen text in the clip lists the dish as a “$45 20 oz Prime Bone In Ribeye.”

The dish is listed on the menu as a sweet soy ginger marinated ribeye

In the video, Joni says, “I just found the best steak I’ve ever had for the money, and you won’t believe where it’s from.” He then says, “We’re skipping all the nonsense. We’re at Yard House, of all places in America.”

The clip cuts to a shot of a Yard House location, showing the restaurant’s gray and stone exterior with its sign displayed above the entrance. From there, the video moves to a close-up of the menu, under the “MAINS” section in the “STEAK & CHOPS” category. His finger points to the item labeled “KOREAN RIBEYE,” which the menu describes as a “sweet soy ginger marinated 20oz bone-in ribeye” priced at $44.99.

Joni explains the comparison in the video, saying, “This is their Korean ribeye. It’s a dupe of the Hawaiian ribeye from Houston’s, and it’s only $45.” He adds that “You can also get the non-marinated version for $43.”

The video then shows the steak being cut open, revealing a pink, medium-rare center. Joni says he ordered the steak medium rare, noting, “It has a great char on the outside, and the inside was cooked to perfection.”

In the final part of the video, Joni is shown sitting at a table wearing a black t-shirt and a black baseball cap. He cuts into the steak, eats a piece, and then picks up the bone to eat directly from it. He says, “If you love the Hawaiian ribeye from Houston’s like I do, this is an absolute gem.”

He goes on to say he finished the entire steak, adding, “I cleaned this thing to the bone, and we came back multiple times just to confirm it was not a fluke.”

Houston’s, a restaurant chain known for its Hawaiian ribeye, has built a reputation around the dish among diners who often describe it as one of the better steaks available at a casual dining chain. Joni’s video draws a direct comparison between that dish and the Korean Ribeye at Yard House, a chain more commonly associated with its wide beer selection and bar-style menu.

According to the menu shown in the video, diners can choose between the marinated Korean Ribeye at $44.99 or a non-marinated version at $43, giving customers the option to skip the sweet soy ginger flavor if they prefer a plainer cut. The debate over ribeye value continues, like when a Boston woman ordered a 20-ounce blue rare ribeye at Texas Roadhouse. 

The video drew a range of reactions in the comments section, with some viewers questioning the price and others defending it. One commenter wrote, “$45! Idk man. That is overpriced.” Another user pushed back on that view, replying, “It’s a prime steak. That’s actually a very good price. A prime ribeye is around $30/lb.”

Other commenters compared the dish to steaks at different chains. One person wrote, “longhorn 10 times worth it,” to which Joni replied, “It’s not even close. They use choice steaks lol.” Another commenter added, “Longhorn is trash,” while a separate user wrote, “Longhorn is a**.” Critics of Longhorn’s steaks have pointed to issues with portion size, such as when a man held his finger next to his Longhorn steak to show its embarrassing size. 

A different commenter brought up another chain, writing, “bone in ribeye at Texas roadhouse is $35. 2 sides with unlimited bread with cinnamon butter. way better.” The same user followed up by writing, “prime is overrated.” Joni responded, “Its choice. It’s not way better lol.”