Best Steak Restaurants in Kelowna

Derrick's Steakhouse | 1560 Water St | $$$$
Derrick's is the most traditional steakhouse in town, with a tableside Caesar salad, uniformed waitstaff and a renovated former restaurant space on Water Street. The showpiece is a 36 oz bone-in bistecca carved tableside, and the cuts are excellent across the board. Start with the steak tartare; the Old Fashioned is a strong order. Book ahead for Friday nights.
The catch: price. Expect about $300 for two before tip. The music is sometimes upbeat club tracks, which doesn't suit a room built for something closer to Sinatra. Open daily 5 PM to 9:30 PM.

Erica Jane | 1187 Sunset Dr | $$$$$
Erica Jane is the most expensive steakhouse in the city, set at the base of the One Water Street towers in the North End. The room is Vegas-style, with giant chandeliers, and the menu centres on big cuts like a porterhouse, plus Beef Wellington. The filet mignon is the standout. It suits client dinners.
The catch: it costs more than Derrick's, and part of that pays for the decor. Skip the seafood tower; it photographs well for Instagram but lacks flavour. Open 11 AM to 11 PM daily.

The Modest Butcher | 829 Douglas Rd | $$$
The Modest Butcher is the restaurant inside Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery in West Kelowna, best for a ribeye with a view over the vines. The menu is written with a sarcastic sense of humour, but the cooking is serious. Order the classic ribeye and pair it with Okanagan wine from the estate's own vineyard; the staff's pairings are reliable.
The catch: the bridge. Traffic from Kelowna at 5 PM in July often stops entirely. Book for 7:30 PM to avoid the rush. Open daily; check its website for current hours.

The Keg | 1825 Underhill St | $$$
The Underhill St Keg is a chain location, but it's a local institution: large, consistent and busy with regulars. It's the place for a baseball top sirloin with a loaded baked potato, or the prime rib, which sells out early on weekends. Order it before 8 PM. The lounge happy hour is good value, and free parking is plentiful, which is rare in Kelowna.
The catch: it sits right off Highway 97. The patio is covered and heated year-round but faces a parking lot and highway noise. Open 4 PM to 10 PM Monday to Thursday, 2 PM to 11 PM Friday and Saturday, and 2 PM to 10 PM Sunday.

Bouchons Bistro | 1180 Sunset Dr | $$$$
Bouchons is a traditional French fine dining room in the downtown cultural district, across from Prospera Place, best for steak frites. The filet mignon comes with a rich peppercorn sauce, and the escargot is the starter to order. Service is polished, the staff speak French, and the wine list is worth reading.
The catch: the crowd is mostly older and the decor dates from around 2005. It's a quiet room, not a night out. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 5 PM to 10 PM.

Waterfront Wines | 104-1180 Sunset Dr | $$$$
Waterfront Wines, next door to Bouchons, isn't a steakhouse, but it's our pick for the best restaurant in Kelowna. Chef Mark Filatow always has a beef dish on the menu, usually a locally sourced tenderloin or striploin, and it's prepared precisely. Order the duck fat fries on the side. Filatow is also a certified sommelier, so ask him for a local red.
The catch: the room is small, so book weeks ahead. The menu follows what local farms have, so a specific cut isn't guaranteed. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 5 PM.

Bernie's Supper Club | 353 Bernard Ave | $$$
Bernie's is a dark supper club on Bernard with a movie theatre upstairs, best for dinner and a film in one evening. The steak frites is solid, the flank steak is a good order and the cocktails are strong. Have a drink at the bar, eat, then catch a movie upstairs.
The catch: noise. Friday nights are loud and you're paying partly for the scene. Choose somewhere else for a quiet conversation. Open 4 PM to late.

Home Block | 5445 Lakeshore Rd | $$$$
Home Block is CedarCreek's restaurant in the Upper Mission, known for cooking almost everything over a wood-fired grill. The char on the steaks is the reason to go. Order the wood-fired strip-loin, which comes with a view down the lake, and pair it with the platinum pinot noir.
The catch: distance. Lakeshore Road is a long drive from Glenmore or Rutland. The area is very quiet from November to April, and hours shift with the season, so check before you go.

19 Okanagan | 3509 Carrington Rd | $$$
19 Okanagan, a West Kelowna restaurant overlooking Two Eagles golf course, is best for large portions without fuss. The steaks are heavily seasoned, well cooked and served hot, with meat and potatoes rather than fine-dining plating. Soups are made from scratch, and the patio is excellent.
The catch: it feels like a country club dining room and lacks the modern style of the downtown spots. Open 11 AM to 9 PM.

Cactus Club Yacht Club | 1-1370 Water St | $$$
The Yacht Club Cactus Club sits on the water downtown, and locals eat here as well as visitors. The peppercorn sirloin is consistent every time, a safe choice when you don't want to risk $60 on an unfamiliar steak. In July, order a frosé and watch the boats come into the marina. It's loud and busy.
The catch: summer waits, when the lineup can wrap around the building. Choose this location over the Banks Road one for the view. Open 11 AM to midnight (1 AM Fridays and Saturdays).

Kelly O'Bryan's | 262 Bernard Ave | $$
Kelly O'Bryan's is a pub on Bernard with a rooftop patio, best for an inexpensive steak and prawns. It's also known for Pachos, its waffle fries. The rooftop overlooks the street, and service is usually fast.
The catch: it's basic pub food. The steak can be chewy and the garlic toast is heavily buttered. It works for a late, cheap meal. Open 11 AM to 11 PM Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight Friday and Saturday.