This was our first time visiting Alexander's Steakhouse and what a cool place to eat! First, it's right on the Illinois River, so a cool view. Next, it has a salad bar! Can't remember the last time I had a salad bar (pre-COVID??) and most importantly, great steaks, cooked on charcoal in the dining room! Steaks were delicious, and had that amazing charcoal flavor. Friendly service topped off a fantastic meal. A great dining experience!

While this place is a fun catchy little place and my steak was cooked perfectly (filet medium) but the other steaks were a bit over cooked- what was supposed to be medium rare were more medium. But we didn't want to send back and have to wait for our others party's food. The salad bar is good and had a lot of options. The service was decent he was nice and tried hard but a bit slow for 5pm and not busy. The cheesecake was good but the crème brûlée was meh-it had no flavor and the sugar on top was not hard due to the whip cream. The calamari was not my favorite either and could have been crispy. Overall my first experience was good and I would go back and try again. Please note it does get a bit Smokey due to their cooking and gets a bit toaster than anticipated!

First time here and I loved it! Our waiter was so awesome and quick to help our large group! The atmosphere was welcoming. The salad bar was a great start to the meal ... didn't realize it would get better. My steak was cooked to perfection!! I wish I took a picture but my phone did not eat first, it looked too yummy! The Caterpillar garlic bread was so fun!

Review Visit: May 3rd, 2014 Cook your own steak?! No thanks. Alexander's Steakhouse in Peoria is known for two things. It's legendary salad bar and the ability to cook your own food. Yep, you can go out to eat and cook your own food. I have some cooking ability but nothing that would produce a steak on the level as a professional. Not even close. So, it's my humble opinion that if you go out to eat, you should have someone else do the cooking for you. That's just how I feel. I've been to Alexander's quite a few times since 2014 and have seen a lot of people cooking their own steak. To each their own. I'm not sure the process on cooking your own steak but it does seem like they supply everything you need and you cook your food along side the chefs cooking my food. My first time here was to treat my dad for his birthday. We took a seat, we looked over the menu and we placed an order. My dad has a similar view on having your meal cooked for you versus doing it yourself. He picked out something meaty and I picked out a Santa Maria sirloin. The spices it was cooked with sounded too good to pass up. We placed our orders, sipped on our beers and were swimming in an olfactory overload of cooked meat. Once the chefs get cooking, the smells permeate everything. It's nearly impossible to not drool at the savory smells. The food came out and my dad and I dug in after being taunted by the scents lingering in the air. Each bite was bliss. I have and will use steak sauce but I don't go out of my way to get it from the waiter. The Santa Maria sirloin was cooked to perfection and each bite made you want to say 'Santa Maria' with an Italian accent while kissing your finger tips. I could tell my dad was also really enjoying his meal as he had the same smile on his face that I am sure was plastered on mine. The steakhouse fries that came with the meal were actually a bit of a disappointment. They tasted like they were either not fully cooked or sat out too long. The insides were cold, at best. That didn't put a damper on things but was still a bit of a bummer as I love some good steakhouse fries. Our bill came to about $100, which is what I was looking to spend. This place isn't cheap but it's not entirely outrageous, either. In fact, they have amazing lunch specials. That's what I normally come here for. You can get a sandwich, side, and a beer for about $10-12. Just think of that. A steakhouse where you can get a lunch special for $10-12 that fills you up. I've been here many times with my friend Maria to take advantage of that deal. It does change once in awhile so keep an eye on the website for their current specials. My go-to was and is New York Strip Sandwich. It's absolutely delicious except for the first time I had it. The bun was scorched a little too much for my liking. The fries that come with it weren't disappointing like my first time here. And the beer is beer. Can't really mess that up too much. If you happen to be a vegetarian/vegan, you are in luck. This place has a massive salad bar. Alexander's is legendary for their salad bar. I got it on a whim during one of my lunches here and I thought it was alright. There is a million things to put on your salad should you option for that. Alexander's is indeed a steakhouse and it's prices reflect that but the whole attitude of the place is pretty laid back and casual. This isn't a suit-and-tie place. You can roll up in your Tuesday Best and not be turned away. I'm pretty sure I've seen pajama pants during their lunch specials. (PSA: Do not go anywhere in pajama pants. It's not a good look.) I could go on more about Alexander's but I think you get the general gist of the place. Whether you are on a tight budget or have a company credit card burning a hole in your pocket, you can find something delicious to eat at Alexander's.

We always come here for my wife's birthday because of the discount and it's a tradition. Salad bar is epic. We always get the Santa Maria top sirloin. Always have good service here. The atmosphere is really cool, love the decorations and good spots to take pictures outside if you are on a fancy date or whatever. Now, if you think you will come here and have the best steak in the central IL area, that's just not true. I have been disappointed many times by my steak, tough, dry, undercooked, overcooked. Just need to get lucky. Will be back. Salad Bar: 5 Stars / Everything Else: 3 Stars. Restaurant average of 4.

The original! Talk about an authentic experience, I am not sure you could get more Midwest than charring a slab of beef over an open pit barbecue inside a barn, than Alexander's! The food is awesome, the setting as real as the day is long, and the experience addicting! Love going here every time we are back in town! And let's be clear, the beef is great! The setting is real and the beer is cold! You will have fun and a great time! Good for groups!