The Tree Steakhouse is a true Jacksonville classic. Originally opened on Arlington rd just North of Arlington expressway and many years ago moved over to their current location on San Jose blvd. in mandarin. In business over 40 years, they do things old school. From the décor to the ambiance to the service the Tree Steakhouse is a throwback to the classic steakhouses of old. They offer a wide variety steaks, rack of lamb, pork tenderloin or a tasty prime rib. Ask long time Jacksonville residents to tell you about Jacksonville’s best locally owned steakhouse and invariably they’ll tell you about the Tree.
Tree Steakhouse – Ribeye by the Ounce
We’ve visited the Tree Steakhouse many times and never been disapoointed. The hostess got us seated. Our drink orders were taken promptly and then we dove right in with our order. On our previous visits we’ve found that the prime rib is a favorite, consistently juicy and tender. We’ve had the filet mignon in the past and never been disappointed as well. On this visit though we went with the entrée The Tree Steakhouse is famous for, their ribeye($2.40 per ounce including salad bar and a side). When we ordered the ribeye the waiter asked if we’d like it carved table side and we said we definitely would. Getting the chance to have your ribeye carved tableside is one of the neatest things about the tree steakhouse. After a few moments out came the butcher/chef with a giant hunk of meat and a table for carving. He setup in front of our table and asked if we’d prefer the fatty side or the lean side. We chose the fatty side since it’s more flavorful and he commenced to cutting our steaks to our specifications. When you order the ribeye you let the gentleman carving it know how many ounces you’d like and the Tree Steakhouse guarantee’s he’ll carve within an ounce of the amount you asked him to carve. After our steaks were carved he showed us the cut and the marbling and asked if that looked good. Then off he went with our steaks back to the kitchen to cook them to the temperature we desired. All entrée at the tree come with the salad bar or a salad made for you. Most people choose the salad bar. We usually go that route as well which we did on this occasion. The salad bar is fairly small with mostly the salad bar basics on offer. We’ve found that the salad bar at the Tree is consistently fresh. The salad never appears old or wilted and everything generally tastes pretty good. In an age where salad bars are disappearing from non-buffet style restaurants it’s a refreshing throwback to the days of old. We ordered our steaks medium and when they came back out both steaks were cooked perfectly medium. They were juicy, tender, fatty, and flavorful…. just how a ribeye should be. These were truly great steaks carved and cooked beautifully. It seems like sacrilege to go to an old school steakhouse and not order a baked potato so that’s what we had for our choice of a side item. In the past we’ve tried the asparagus and the steamed broccoli. Both were enjoyable.
Tree Steakhouse – Steak
The service we received was impeccable. We were well taken care of from start to finish and never wanted for anything. We recommend you give the Tree Steakhouse a try. They definitely stand out from the crowd. If you’d enjoy the novelty of watching your steak carved tableside, the ambiance of a nice quiet and romantic dining room, or just want to take a trip to a steakhouse of old The Tree is a great choice for a nice night out.
