Quick Answer
Every cut is a trade-off between tenderness and flavor. The Filet is the most tender, the Ribeye the richest, the New York Strip the most balanced, and the Porterhouse gives you filet and strip on one bone — which is why it's the most ordered steak at Tavern On Clark. Located at 755 Clark Dr, Rockford, IL 61107. Call 815-708-7088
to reserve.
Tavern On Clark
has held the #1 Steakhouse title in Rockford on TripAdvisor for three consecutive years and topped Google's steakhouse rankings in 2017 and 2018. That kind of reputation gets built one plate at a time — and it starts with knowing what to order.
The steak menu
has something for every kind of eater, from the casual diner who wants a satisfying meal to the serious steak lover who wants the full experience. The difference between a great night and a good one often comes down to picking the right cut.
This guide makes that decision easy. Here's every cut on the menu, what makes each one distinct, and who it's right for.
Why the Cut Matters
Every steak on the menu comes from a different part of the animal, and each location produces a different eating experience. Muscles that work hard develop deep flavor but firmer texture. Muscles that don't work much stay tender but milder in taste.
The Trade-Off
"Every cut decision is a trade-off between tenderness and flavor. Knowing where you fall on that spectrum is how you end up with the right steak on your plate."
Decide which side of that trade you care about more, and the rest of the menu reads itself.
Every Cut on the Menu
Six cuts, each built for a different diner. Here's what each one is and who orders it.
The most approachable steak on the menu and the right call when you want the steakhouse experience without the steakhouse price tag. Certified Angus Beef, char-grilled and smothered with caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms. It's the cut that converts people who think they don't love steak — the onions and mushrooms bring a richness that ties everything together.
Who orders it:
first-timers, anyone watching their budget without sacrificing a real meal, or someone who wants a hearty, comfort-driven plate over a fine dining experience.
Tavern Steak
8 oz · Aged 28 Days
A center-cut Certified Angus Beef sirloin, char-grilled and served with a demi-glace sauce. The aging is what separates this from a standard sirloin — twenty-eight days concentrates the beef's natural flavors and breaks down the muscle fibers, producing a more tender, more flavorful cut than fresh sirloin delivers. One of the best value plays on the menu.
Who orders it:
the diner who knows what they want, appreciates the craft behind aged beef, and doesn't need the biggest cut on the menu to leave satisfied.
Char-grilled to order, served on a grilled portabella mushroom in a demi-glace sauce with roasted parmesan potatoes. The filet comes from the tenderloin — the least-worked muscle on the animal, and the most tender cut on any steakhouse menu. It cuts like butter. The trade-off is intensity: what you get instead of bold beefiness is a clean, refined, elegant plate where texture is the story. The portabella base and demi-glace add the savory depth that lets the filet's delicacy shine.
Who orders it:
someone who puts texture first, a first-time steak diner, or anyone who wants a sophisticated plate that isn't about richness and weight.
Certified Angus Beef, off-the-bone and over the top. The strip comes from the short loin — a moderately worked muscle that produces a steak with real character. More flavor than the filet, leaner than the ribeye, with a satisfying chew and a clean, beefy finish. The fat cap along the edge adds flavor during the cook without the full richness of a well-marbled ribeye. A substantial cut for a full meal with clear, defined beef flavor.
Who orders it:
experienced steak diners who know exactly what they want and come back to it every time.
Ribeye
14 oz · Upper 1/3 Cut
Well marbled and char-crusted. The upper 1/3 designation matters — it means the ribeye is sourced from the section of the rib with the highest marbling concentration, the fat running through
the muscle rather than just around it. That fat melts during the cook and bastes the meat from the inside, producing the richness that makes the ribeye the most celebrated cut in any serious steakhouse. The char crust adds a bold outer sear that holds the juices in.
Who orders it:
the steak lover who wants maximum flavor, someone celebrating something, or anyone who's ever described a steak as the best they've ever had — because it was probably a ribeye.
The Porterhouse Most Ordered
20 oz
Center cut Certified Angus Beef, served with Lyonnaise potatoes and charred carrots. The most ordered steak at Tavern On Clark, and for good reason — it's the cut that refuses to make you choose. The Porterhouse is positioned from the rear of the short loin, where the tenderloin runs at its widest. That placement puts a full tenderloin section on one side of the T-shaped bone and a complete New York strip on the other. Two cuts. One bone. One plate.
Who orders it:
anyone who wants the full steakhouse experience, a table that's celebrating something real, or the diner who's learned that ordering anything else is a decision they'll second-guess on the drive home.
The Cuts Side by Side
If you want the whole menu in one view, here it is.
| Cut |
Size |
Tenderness |
Flavor |
Best Cooked |
| Chopped Sirloin |
10 oz |
Moderate |
Rich, onion-forward |
Medium |
| Tavern Steak |
8 oz |
High — 28-day aged |
Concentrated |
Medium-rare |
| Filet Mignon |
7 oz |
Highest |
Clean, mild |
Medium-rare to medium |
| New York Strip |
14 oz |
Moderate — good chew |
Defined, beefy |
Medium-rare |
| Ribeye |
14 oz |
High — marbled |
Richest |
Medium-rare |
| Porterhouse |
20 oz |
Both — filet + strip |
Both — filet + strip |
Medium-rare, rested |
Reserve Your Table
Know Your Cut. Book the Table.
Certified Angus Beef · Signature Crusts · Full Bar
Tavern On Clark · 755 Clark Dr, Rockford, IL 61107
Call 815-708-7088
Make It Your Own — Signature Crusts & Add-Ons
Every steak on the menu can be elevated with a signature crust or an addition from the seafood program.
Signature Crusts — $6
Blue Cheese, Blackened, or Peppercorn on any cut.
Lobster Tail — $16
Turns any cut into a surf & turf plate.
Crab Oscar — $9
Best known on the Filet. Worth knowing before you sit down.
Shrimp $8 · Mushrooms $3 · Onion $3
Simple additions that round out the plate.
If you order one thing off this list, make it the Blue Cheese crust on the Ribeye or the Crab Oscar on the Filet.
How to Order Your Temperature
Temperature isn't a matter of taste alone — it changes what each cut is capable of. Medium-rare is the default recommendation across the menu, but the reason differs by cut.
On the Filet, cooking past medium starts to work against the tenderness that makes it worth ordering in the first place. On the Ribeye, the marbling needs heat to melt properly — going past medium renders the fat differently and changes the texture the cut is known for. The New York Strip
holds up well across a range of temperatures but delivers its best at medium-rare.
The Porterhouse
is thick enough that medium-rare is what keeps both sides of the bone juicy and gives the marbling in the strip side room to do its work. Let it rest a few minutes before cutting in.
Common Questions About Steak Cuts
Which cut should I order if it's my first time?
The Filet Mignon if you want tenderness, the Chopped Sirloin if you want a satisfying plate without the premium price. Both are forgiving choices that don't require knowing the menu.
What's the difference between the Ribeye and the New York Strip?
Both are 14 oz. The Ribeye is more marbled and richer, with fat running through the muscle that melts during the cook. The Strip is leaner with a firmer chew and a cleaner, more defined beef flavor. Richness versus definition.
Why is the Porterhouse the most ordered steak?
Because it doesn't make you choose. The T-shaped bone has a full tenderloin section on one side and a complete New York strip on the other — the tenderness of a filet and the bold flavor of a strip on the same 20 oz plate.
What does Certified Angus Beef actually mean?
It's a grading standard that only a small fraction of US beef qualifies for, based on marbling, consistency, and quality. Every steak on the Tavern On Clark menu meets it.
Do I need a reservation?
Recommended on Friday and Saturday evenings. Call 815-708-7088 to book. The dining room fills on weekends and walk-in availability is limited.
Visit Today
📞 815-708-7088
📍 755 Clark Dr, Rockford, IL 61107
🥩 Certified Angus Beef steaks, fresh seafood, craft cocktails, private dining available
📅 Reservations recommended on weekends — call or book online
