It has been a more than a few boring days in the house, so I decided to get out and grab some dinner before the state fully opens. There are a few restaurants I “frequent” in town so it is only right that I start giving them official reviews. This review took me to Lytle Land & Cattle Company.
Lytle has been around at least since the early 2000s, my first time being stationed at Dyess. It is billed as one of the best steaks in Texas, something I find to be a mighty lofty statement. Lytle is located at 1150 E. So. 11th St in Abilene, Texas next door to MaxxAir.
The hostess stand was to the left after I entered the restaurant.
I was welcomed to the restaurant and given the option of sitting in the main dining room or the bar. The hostess then informed me of the open seating in the bar area. Open seating in the bar is available daily or at least when I visit Lytle. I was alone, so the bar was where I went. The available seating were the tables without brown paper. There were seven of these tables. It included a circular table in the corner closest to the entrance, three three-seat tables, and two high tops with seating for four, to the left of the bar.
The bar top was actually the only seating available.
The main seating area had tons of seating options available.
Lytle Land and Cattle, is a huge family oriented steakhouse, with a bar strategically placed in the corner. During prepandemic times, there was live music on the patio. The bar area is really dark and gloomy. If I wanted more lighting, tables were available near the windows in the main dining area. This has always been my experience when visiting.
The bartenders were busy so I only received a “hi”. A few minutes later, I was told that it “would be a few minutes”. My drink order was taken and I was provided a menu approximately eight minutes after arrival.
The menu was a bit bent due to the plastic covering so I used cups to hold down the edges as I tried to take pictures. There have been updates to some dishes due to the coronavirus pandemic. A few prices have increased, while some items have been discontinued. Click here for the old full menu.
Rant: this is the second restaurant in Abilene where the bartenders did not introduce themselves. I understand being busy, but at least introduce yourself, por favor.
I have been to Lytle numerous times with family, friends, but visit most of the time alone. The food at Lytle has been consistent. This allows me to go somewhere when I need a certain level of comfort. Today, was my first time not ordering something from the following list: filet salad ($16), jalapeño cheddar sausage ($13), cheeseburger ($12), catfish ($15) or my mom’s favorite, buffalo mac and cheese.
I came here on a mission for a steak so I went straight to that section. The biggest steak, known as the Abilenian ($40), is a HUGE ribeye. It is between 18 and 20 ounces. The smaller ribeye is known as Sharon’s Ribeye ($32). It starts at about 12 ounces so I went with it.
The bartender informed that the steaks are cut in house, which is a nice touch. The steak, potato and okra arrived 10 minutes.
Sharon’s Ribeye ($32). The steak was a perfect medium rare and seemed to be seasoned with only salt and pepper. After checking Lytle’s website, I found out that it was actually a seasoning made in house. The steak was so tender that the sides became an afterthought. While most of the steak was enjoyable, I did not enjoy the huge fat piece on one end. Rating: 4.4/5
I will definitely choose my steak from the cooler located between the bar and main dining area next time.
Final Word
I can honestly say that I have not had a bad visit to Lytle Land and Cattle Company. The “divey” feel in the bar, along with “fine family dining” vibes in the main area, make Lytle a unique place. The steak was one of the best ribeyes I have ever eaten. The two minor issues during my visit were the huge chunk fat attached to the steak and having a stale interaction with the bartender. Either way, I will be visiting Lytle Land and Cattle Company again.
Have you ever visited Lytle Land and Cattle Company?
