I’m looking, heaven only knows why, at an ad for these mail-order steaks, and am just curious. Has anyone tried them? What might make them worth ordering, as opposed to just buying them at the local grocery store?
I get my steaks from a butcher, and they’re cheaper and better. But Omaha is very good if you don’t have access to a good butcher; far better than can be found at any of my local grocery stores.
I’ve dealt with them, they do a good job, fast service, packaged well, and a pretty good selection. Why use them ?
1] Gift certifcates are a nice gift (I got some filet mignons, pack of 4, around $50, they were a GREAT gift)
2] Not everyone has access to a good butcher, and even at a butcher shop you cant always get exactly what you want.
Side benefit: when your steaks arrive, you also get a chunk of dry ice to play with! Put it in the sink, run water over it, and turn your kitchen into a spooky movie set!
I’ve never had one, but I’ve never heard a bad word about 'em!
My brother and his wife used to get them for my folks for XMas. They stopped this practice a year or so ago and my folks really miss them. I purchace 6 steaks for them this XMas.
They’re quite good.
My only complaint is that they start to come off as junky with the multiple mailings and “free with purchase!” offers. I mean, these are classy meats, but they market like Fingerhut, and it’s off-putting.
When my friend’s dad died, one of our mutual friends who couldn’t attend the funeral sent Omaha Steaks, in the tradition of “everybody brings food when someone dies.” His family thought that was the coolest funeral contribution EVER.
Essence of Heaven, condensed in the form of cow.
(and no, I don’t work for them, just a long time customer)
Haven’t had one yet, but bought a package for my parents this Xmas. Ordered online on Thursday, arrived at their doorstep Monday. Seemed to be a very good type of gift for the parents that have everything, they still have to eat!
It is great steaks. One of the better steaks I have had in my life.
I was sent a pack of steaks last Xmas, and it was thoroughly impressive.
It depends on how good the steaks at your local grocery store are. Even here in Omaha the steaks at the grocery store are usually of poor quality and priced way above what they are worth. Omaha Steaks, however, are generally as close to pure beef perfection as you can get in a shrinkwrapped package.
I’d agree with the people who say if you can go to a butcher yourself you can probably get better and cheaper, but I don’t think I’ve ever in my life found better steaks or better valued steaks “at the local grocery store.”
Besides, we in Omaha would love you to partake of our goods and products, especially during this consumer holiday season! Better yet, hop in your car, drive here, eat at some of our fine local steak establishments, stay in one of our many hospitable hotels, and buy them in person! Boost our economy! Tell your friends!
I just finished preparing the marinade for and slicing up some Omaha Steaks. I let the steak strips soak in the marinade for a day or so and then make some quite good fajas.
I received an Omaha Beef certificate for being a groomsman in his wedding. The steaks are absolutely fantastic.
Now, why anyone would pay $50 for six 6-ounce sirloins is way beyond me. But, I didn’t have to pay for them, so they’re fantastic.
(Plus, they throw in some freebies, and no one pays full price, from what I can tell. There’s always a special of some sort. Still expensive, though.)
I have never had them, but a friend of mine loves them. The only problem he has had is that he wasn’t there to receive a shipment on a friday afternoon, and his steaks sat in a non-refridgerated warehouse for the entire weekend. He did get it straighted out, but it took some time.
I just think the idea of getting parishable food by mail is a little odd.
I’m going to copy Realhoops and pimp out Omaha to the SDMB. Come visit us and get your steaks even FRESHER!!! You can even kill the cow if you know the right people. Just last year a dozen or so escaped from the stock yards and were shot by the Omaha PD (a cop got hurt the last time they tried to get cows out of somebodys back yard).
Seriously though, don’t buy our steaks, they make us eat what doesn’t sell.
We just got a huge thing of Omaha steaks for an Xmas gift. The stuff is darn good.
I agree with Cranky about the cheesy direct marketing approach they take, but some of the offers are darned good.
The quality of the meat is definitely better than I can get in my supermarket, and comparable to the good Italian butcher down the street. However I really like the convenience of mail-order, and have never had a problem with the perishable aspect. The mail carrier leaves them on my front porch packed in dry ice, and they’re always still frozen when I get them.
I even like the individual packaging (a little wasteful, I know) but really convenient and keeps the meat perfectly freezer-burn free.
Best steak I ever had that wasn’t in a restaurant was an Omaha steak. My mom got them and I thought she was NUTS until I tasted it. Yummy!
Expensive, so not something we do often–usually once a year for New Year’s.
The really call a lot with “specials” and we get lots of mail from the also. They are good steaks, we’ve tried several different cuts, but I’ve found them to be a little pricey, even with the discounts. I guess we’re lucky that the local grocery store has excellent steaks for usually a better, or certainly comparable, price.
What I would highly recommend, however, is the gourmet burgers. They are unbelievable. I don’t know what the difference is but they absolutely ROCK. Make sure they are the GOURMET, not the regular kind. And if you don’t like them, you didn’t cook them right. 
So this is the state of our society today, when a butcher down the street isn’t convenient enough for ya? Hell, where I grew up a butcher was something you only heard about in nursery rhymes! 