Where to Eat the Best Steakhouse in Sacramento.

Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse at 1400 Eureka Road in Roseville is built around the rodizio, where servers carry skewers of meat to the table and carve what a guest wants. Diners point to the golden steak, the filet, the ribeye and the beef ribs, with bacon-wrapped chicken and grilled shrimp for those who want something lighter.

The salad bar deserves its own mention. Diners describe charcuterie-style ingredients, fresh salads, sides, cheese with honey and warm caramelized pineapple, and one guest who does not eat red meat left impressed after the kitchen made custom dishes. Cheese rolls arrive at the table and pair with nearly everything.

The room draws birthday and anniversary parties, with live piano music, a patio and a dressy but relaxed feel. The bar area runs louder than the dining room. A few diners feel quality has slipped since opening, so ask for temperatures to be checked on each cut.

Fogão Gaúcho Brazilian Steakhouse on Elk Grove Boulevard serves a full rodizio, and the picanha is the cut diners write about most. Beef ribs, filet mignon and ribeye follow, with sausages, lamb and several kinds of chicken in the rotation. Pão de queijo starts the table, and the Brazilian lemonade is a popular pairing.

The salad and sides bar is substantial, with hot dishes, cheese, salami, fruit and seafood. Diners can choose the full experience or only the cold bar, which several guests describe as a complete meal for seafood and vegetarian eaters. The sides, soup and cheesecake also get kind words.

Servers are a bright spot. Guests describe staff who explain how the meal works, adjust for diners who skip beef or pork, and accommodate large parties, including a table with a scooter user. Reservations are easy to make. A few diners found the salad bar thin late in the day, so an earlier seating is the safer choice.

The Butterscotch Den at 3406 Broadway in Oak Park pairs a lounge-style bar with a do-it-yourself steakhouse. Steaks, burger patties and even garlic bread arrive wrapped at the table, and guests cook them on a grill beside the booth. Diners name the ribeye and New York as the main steak choices, and the burger is a popular alternative.

The room does the rest of the work. Amber lighting and retro decor give it a seventies lounge feel, the cocktails are well made and the staff is described as warm. Many diners call it a good date night, and some use the bar for drinks first while a table opens.

Steak is a smaller part of the story here than at a traditional steakhouse, so expect the experience to be as much about the evening as the cut. Waits are common, and a few diners felt rushed or overlooked at the bar. Put a name down on arrival and settle in.

Sutter Street Steakhouse at 604 Sutter Street in Folsom's historic district is where many diners take birthdays and anniversaries. Steak carries the menu, with the filet, the ribeye and the mole ribeye named most often, plus prime rib for the traditionalist. Lobster and oysters give the table a seafood side, and the banana cheesecake finishes many meals.

The atmosphere draws steady praise: low lighting, an intimate dining room and a romantic mood, with servers who remember the occasion and wish guests a happy birthday. Out of state friends and visiting couples describe it as a good place to take someone to dinner.

Reservations are strongly recommended, and booking online works even at short notice. Parking in the historic district can be tight, but a lot under the building helps. A few diners report slow service or a cramped table near the wine room on busy nights, so mention a seating preference when booking.

Butcher and Barrel at 723 K Street downtown runs a steakhouse menu with the filet, New York steak, wagyu and a tomahawk, plus braised short ribs and a burger for those who want something different. Diners praise the cooking when it lands, and several describe a second visit that turned around a rough first one.

The starters are worth ordering. Goat cheese croquettes and Reuben egg rolls earn strong marks, and the caesar salad appears often. The cocktail list includes a smoked old fashioned, and the kitchen has been known to send out a small gift on a holiday.

Service is the most consistent compliment, with servers described as attentive without hovering and aware of birthdays and anniversaries. The room runs loud, and busy evenings bring a wait at the host stand, so a reservation helps. Lunch and brunch are also on offer for guests who prefer a quieter hour downtown.

Echo & Rig at 500 J Street downtown puts a butcher-style menu in front of a large dining room. The Spencer steak, ribeye, skirt steak and bavette all appear in diner reviews, along with salmon, a burger and mac and cheese as sides. The fried spinach salad is the starter mentioned most, and the bread is a quiet highlight.

The servers are what many guests remember. Diners name individual staff and managers who handled large parties, a group of sixteen among them, and who recommended dishes that the table later praised. Birthdays and date nights are common reasons to come, and lunch and brunch are available too.

A few diners felt service was rushed or uneven, and some had a poor oyster experience, so the safer order is the steak and the fried spinach salad. Parking near J Street takes planning, and the room can be loud. Reserve ahead for evenings.

Dawson's Steakhouse at 1209 L Street downtown is the polished option for anniversaries and visiting guests. Diners praise the filet with black garlic butter, the house salad, crab, prime rib and lobster, and the wine service gets credit for being knowledgeable.

Service defines the room. Guests name servers and hosts who took coats, kept a pace that fit a show later in the evening and never rushed the table. Anniversary dinners recur in the reviews, and some guests say they return every year. One diner called the food solid and above average for a hotel restaurant, which sets realistic expectations.

The check runs high, and a few diners feel portions and seafood do not match the price. Parking is mentioned, so allow extra time downtown. Mention any occasion when booking, and order the filet and house salad, which draw the most agreement among happy diners.

C Knight's Steakhouse at 2085 Vine Street in El Dorado Hills sits in a shopping center next to casual neighbors, and diners say the dining room inside is a pleasant surprise. The ribeye, filet and tomahawk lead the praise, and the porterhouse, salmon and crab round out the menu.

Seafood starters get attention too. Shrimp ceviche and oysters open many dinners, and sides such as mac and cheese and an arugula salad support the steak. A diner who calls himself a steak person says the kitchen keeps its focus on the quality of the beef, and the chocolate ganache cheesecake closes the meal.

Service is a steady compliment, including a family that brought a toddler twice and felt welcome. Happy hour draws a bar crowd, and lunch is quiet. Holiday set menus drew a complaint about feeling rushed, so a regular night is the better choice.

Land Ocean Restaurant Folsom at 2720 East Bidwell Street is a broad menu where steak is one section among many. Diners order the filet with lobster for surf and turf, and the ribeye and New York steak appear in reviews too. A family that seeks out surf and turf on the road called it their favorite, and praised the twice baked potato.

The rest of the menu earns its share of attention. Beef Wellington as an appetizer, shrimp, blackened salmon and macadamia crusted sea bass with jasmine coconut rice and broccolini all come up. Fish and chips, burgers and salads cover the lighter side, and brunch and lunch visits appear often.

The patio is a draw, with portable heaters for cool evenings. A few diners report slow service or a cold greeting at the host stand, mostly at busy times. Reserve ahead for groups, and treat the steak as one good choice rather than the only reason to visit.