Here's What You Get When You Splurge On Outback's Fancier Steakhouse Sister Chain
Outback Steakhouse is part of Bloomin' Brands, which also owns three other restaurant chains. One is the slightly more expensive sister chain Carrabba's Italian Grill, while another is the seafood-based Bonefish Grill, both of which are mid-tier level fancy. But the third sister restaurant is Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, which takes things up another notch with prime steaks, caviar service, and tableside dessert (which includes a fancy ice cream sundae experience).
This is a far cry from a Bloomin' Onion and Kookabura Wings — in fact, you won't even find chicken wings at Fleming's. Instead, you'll be faced with choosing between a chilled seafood tower or beef carpaccio. There's also a wide variety of wine and even champagne (available by the glass or bottle) and signature cocktails, including a smoked Old Fashioned, which is a house specialty. Fleming's isn't a weeknight dinner-type of place; that aforementioned caviar service will cost you at least a cool $125 at some locations, while the steaks are around $70 and up. You might want to ditch the flip-flops and graphic t-shirt if you're dining here.
The steaks at Fleming's Steakhouse are from a coveted grade of beef
Fleming's serves prime beef, which is proudly noted on the menu. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says prime beef "is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has at least slightly abundant marbling (the amount of fat interspersed with lean meat), and is generally sold in upscale restaurants." This is why a prime bone-in tomahawk ribeye will cost you $150 at Fleming's, and if you want to go even rarer, Fleming's also serves Japanese A5 Wagyu, which is widely regarded as the finest type of beef in the world, and that's as marbled as it gets.
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar was founded over 20 years ago by restaurateurs Paul Fleming and Bill Allen, with over 65 locations in 25 states. For comparison, you can think of it like what The Capital Grille is to Darden Restaurants' Olive Garden. Going to Outback might be more of a weeknight thing, but you'll probably want an anniversary or a job promotion to spend an evening at Fleming's.