# Omaha Steaks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2013, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205 "2013-05-24T09:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/1 "2013-05-24T09:21:22Z")
There’s an Omaha Steaks store near me, but I’ve never been there. I got a flier in the mail, and am tempted to use it. Here’s what you get (the smallest combo they sell): 2 (5 oz.) Filet Mignons 2 (5 oz.) Top Sirloins 4 Boneless Chicken breasts (1 lb. pkg.) 4 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers 4 (3 oz.) Gourmet Jumbo Franks 4 Stuffed Baked Potatoes All of this sells for $39.99 (regularly $154.00, supposedly). Obviously the portions are minuscule, but we’ve been cutting back on beef anyway. And I’ll freeze most of it and use it gradually. Have any of you guys bought from them? Did the quality live up to the scrumptious photos? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/2 "2013-05-24T09:40:35Z")
We’ve been given a few gift boxes before. You’ll still pay 10.00 a pound for that. Better to go to a local butcher. The meat is fine but not at the prices they charge. The potatoes were disappointing. The cooler the stuff ships in is worth the price of the contents. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/3 "2013-05-24T12:13:46Z")
A pound and a half of steak, a pound of chicken and hamburger and 3/4 pound of hot dogs for $40? Ouch, they’re getting worse. We received a few boxes of steaks as a rebate for buying a range a while back. The meat is good, and the customer service is excellent, but it’s not worth $15 a pound, unless you’re out in the middle of nowhere without any butchers or even decent grocery stores. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/4 "2013-05-24T12:30:59Z")
May I suggest an alternative (besides the local butcher)? [Wild Idea Buffalo](http://wildideabuffalo.com) About as pricy as Omaha Steaks, but the meat is much healthier, and it’s delivered right to your door. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/5 "2013-05-24T13:50:24Z")
I’ve received them a few times as gifts. I never thought the meat was anything special. The baked potatoes are quite good, though. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/6 "2013-05-24T13:59:57Z")
Received as a gift - we weren’t impressed. Overpriced, and not worth the hype was our opinion - we can get better steaks at the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/7 "2013-05-24T15:17:35Z")
We bought them once. As others said, the steaks were OK but nothing special. We’ve never felt like buying from them again. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/8 "2013-05-24T17:06:59Z")
Moving to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/9 "2013-05-24T17:18:52Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > Received as a gift - we weren’t impressed. Overpriced, and not worth the hype was our opinion - we can get better steaks at the grocery store. So true. Generally, Omaha is at the bottom of any mail-order steak taste tests, even below supermarket (the good supermarkets which care about quality). They do ship in nice, disposable coolers though. Can get a good dozen uses out of one for keeping fresh fish when I go fishing. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/10 "2013-05-24T18:48:25Z")
Another vote for “Better steaks are available at the grocery store.” Omaha Steaks clearly makes their money from people who buy their stuff as gifts. Perfect for the people you don’t know very well but have to give _something_. Who’s going to be an ingrate about receiving a box of steaks? And by the time you get around to cooking them and realize they are only “meh,” you’re surely not going to say anything to the gift giver. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/11 "2013-05-24T18:56:39Z")
I’ve had some Omaha steaks and they were pretty good. Much better than you get a grocery stores around here, but not as good as I can get at the butcher shop, and it’s always looked more expensive to me. We have one of their retail outlets not too far away (if it’s still there) but I’ve seen no reason to go there. But apparently some people love them. Perhaps just the convenience, or they are just convincing themselves that they like them because they spent the money on them. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/12 "2013-05-24T19:58:09Z")
As with many things, caveat emptor: [http://omaha-steaks-reviews.measuredup.com/2341](http://omaha-steaks-reviews.measuredup.com/2341) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/13 "2013-05-24T20:31:48Z")
I agree that their steaks are adequate and make nice gifts. That’s about all I can say for them. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/14 "2013-05-24T20:32:03Z")
It may say something that there have been more positive comments about the Styrofoam shipping cooler than the actual food. Going on the high end of the my estimates, I could easily get the meat (that I know would be top notch) for under $30. That leaves $10 for two potatoes. If you can’t find two frozen stuffed potatoes for $10 in your area, then maybe you should go for it. If you can… maybe considering Googling “Butcher Shops” in your area (you are in Ohio… there should be plenty of good beef in your area). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/15 "2013-05-24T20:38:01Z")
I got the same deal you did several years ago (except I seem to recall it came with more sirloins and no potatoes) and it was just…okay. Nothing fancy. The most useful part of it was the cooler it was mailed in which I still sometimes use even years later. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/16 "2013-05-24T22:45:36Z")
Good grief, I think _everyone_ here says the meat is “meh - okay, nothing superlative but certainly tasty” and the styrofoam cooler is da bomb. How often does the SDMB reach consensus like this? 😃 I think the meat is sold already frozen, whether from the stores or from mail-order, but the cooler only comes if you mail-order (not buy at a brick & mortar store). Loved the little potato gratin balls, though . . . ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/17 "2013-05-25T10:26:43Z")
Well … you can get really spiffy heavy duty styrofoam shipping cooler boxes from German Deli dot com, and some really tasty German food products at the same time [and they generally toss in the little 5 or 6 piece gummi bear pack as well with each order :p] Last thing I got was 5 or 6 different maggi fix, some instant chicken broth, and a couple more of the little washcloths. Time before that was some good mustards, and some curry catsup for my roomie. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/18 "2013-05-25T13:26:55Z")
I got some through work a while ago. Meh for the steaks, but the cooler and the leftover dry ice were fun. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/19 "2013-05-25T13:54:02Z")
I had a very nice experience with Omaha Steaks. I came home to find a cooler full of filet mignon on my doorstep addressed to someone who wasn’t even in the phonebook. I split it with my neighbor. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205/20 "2013-05-25T15:54:22Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Good grief, I think _everyone_ here says the meat is “meh - okay, nothing superlative but certainly tasty” and the styrofoam cooler is da bomb. How often does the SDMB reach consensus like this? 😃 > [@aruvqan](#): > > Well … you can get really spiffy heavy duty styrofoam shipping cooler boxes from German Deli dot com, and some really tasty German food products at the same time [and they generally toss in the little 5 or 6 piece gummi bear pack as well with each order :p] Yeah, ‘Meh.’ Mind you, I haven’t had Omaha steaks since one time in the '80s when dad bought some; but they weren’t all that. I recall being disappointed. For high-quality, expensive meat, I can go to Don & Joe’s at Pike Place Market. There’s nothing like meat from an actual butcher’s shop. If I want high-quality meat at a reasonable price, I go to Costco. I’ve never been disappointed by their offerings. The corner market in my little village sells rib eye steaks. They get them from Costco, and they’re always the best ones locally available. (There are two supermarkets here, each about four miles from the house.) The corner market sells their rib eyes for a little more than the supermarkets, but their prices are reasonable (even a bargain) for the product. Based on my limited experience and things posted by others, I think Omaha Steaks are… well, not quite a ‘scam’; but their prices are way out of line for what they deliver. ANd I don’t need a styrofoam box. For German food, I can go to Bavarian Meats. But I usually want sausages, so I go to Uli’s Famous Sausage. Uli is a certified ‘Meister’ (Master Butcher) from Germany. I can get a variety of German sausages, as well as English and Irish bangers, merguez, Italian, French, and Louisiana sausages. My only complaint is that the merguez sausages are half as hot as they should be. Uli said he used to sell ones made to the proper recipe, but Seattleites are not known for their tolerance for spice foods so he cut the heat by half. He’ll make ‘full heat’ ones, but there’s a ten kilogram minimum for special orders. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omaha-steaks/659205.md?page=2)