Jack Ryan's Steak and Chophouse — Restaurant in Kilgore

I've left many reviews for many restaurants over the years. This will be my favorite one by far. I was beyond impressed. I have eaten at some of the most expensive restaurants in Texas which include Gaidos of Galveston. This restaurant is easily the best out of all of them when it comes to the food. Which is what matters more than anything at a restaurant. You can put a tuxedo on anybody. You can make your restaurant plated in gold. But you can't change somebody's life with one bite of food unless you go to Jack Ryan's. As someone who enjoys steak quite immensely and will judge a restaurant based upon its ribeye. I would like to say that I was disappointed when I saw sauce all over my steak coming to my table without being requested. I believe a good steak does not require a sauce. However, Jack Ryan's has changed my mind. The Asian based sauce that they put on my steak was absolutely amazing. My wife had the braised beef tips. They came out looking like artwork and she refused to eat it until a photo was taken of it. But I expected this and was not let down. Presentation is very important. My wife offered me a bite of her braised beef tips. I was expecting it to taste like a pot roast. I didn't expect what I got. What I got was something that will make you hate every pot roast that ever existed or any other braised beef tips for that matter. That braised beef was easily one of the best things I have ever eaten. I was also extremely impressed with the prosciutto salad that my wife received. I detected a hint of ginger. However, the ginger I tasted reflected more that of a ginger cookie. Very robust. But not overpowering. I would recommend anyone, that has the money, to go eat here at least once. YOLO. And if you do it without visiting Jack Ryan's you may have wasted your entire life. Excellent job everybody at this restaurant. I look forward to seeing you again in the future. I wish I could give...

I had a difficult time with the rating. The food was delicious and our server was great; however, they were out of everything. I intended to order sea bass but was told it was substituted with halibut, which was fine. I was told there were only two halibut left so I ordered ahead of everyone at our table. They were out of diver scallops, the queso and several other items. After everyone ordered, I was told there was a miscount and they were also out of halibut. The menu is very beef-heavy and I have an unfortunate allergy to beef (not their problem, I understand that). I chose the salmon. The menu described the salmon as being served with rock shrimp and a butternut squash risotto. No shrimp and no risotto. It was served over a few slices of asparagus and a butter sauce (which was actually really good but not what I paid for). We spent almost $300 for 4 people. My husband's steak was cooked perfectly so that made me happy. As we were leaving, they were telling other customers they were out of the tuna and salmon, leaving zero seafood choices and mostly just beef. I felt really bad for the servers. They were working very hard to please everyone. I understand supply issues right now and greatly appreciate dedication to fresh food but we had an early reservation on a Saturday night. If you are out of most of your entree choices, how do you expect to serve your customers? Maybe expand the menu to items more readily available. Regardless of this experience, I would try it again - maybe next year when the crazies are over COVID and people realize they have to go...

I called and made a reservation two months in advance for a dinner to celebrate me and my wife's wedding anniversary. The young man on the phone confirmed the time and date. Two months of anticipation later my wife and I drive out to Jack Ryan's, only to find out that they are closed. Apparently they are closed on all Mondays, yet there was no mention of this when I made the reservation. None. Needless to say, our anniversary was utterly ruined. The expense of a babysitter for our daughter and a night reserved to celebrate our marriage was wasted as a direct result of Jack Ryan staff's ineptitude and complacency. I left a message on their machine that evening stating my frustration and disbelief that such a restaurant would fumble something like this so badly. The call was returned the next day by one of their managers, Micah. He may have said the words "we're sorry that..." but no genuine, meaningful apology was made and no attempt to rectify the situation was made. In fact, multiple times he stated that they've never been open on Mondays and implied that the evening’s failure was a function of my mistake. He totally glossed over the fact that I called HIS restaurant, spoke to one of HIS employees and made a reservation that HIS employee confirmed. It is incumbent upon the restaurant, not the patron, to protect against these instances. Micah's handling of the issue was every bit as disappointing, insufficient and frustrating as the experience itself.

I will not be providing this restaurant another opportunity to gain a...