3 Mount Vernon Steakhouse Restaurants for Meat Lovers

Prime grilling season may be over for the year, but there’s no timeframe for enjoying a tender, juicy cut of meat. If you’re overcome with a carnivorous craving, you don’t have to travel far to satisfy your fix. Let’s head just a little north of Marion, Illinois, to salivate over these three Mt. Vernon restaurants for meat lovers.

Rare Chop House

Image used with permission via Unsplash by Clark Douglas

With a name like Rare Chop House, this Mt. Vernon favorite just about promises a mouth-watering meaty dining experience. Since its opening in 2013, Rare Chop House has been wowing diners with its delectable dishes and awesome atmosphere. Within just 10 months of its opening, the restaurant became the recipient of the Enjoy Illinois Delicious Destination Award as well as the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Today, it upholds its reputation as one of the premier eateries in the area.

Myriad meaty options suffuse the menu at Rare Chop House. Standouts include the fried pork belly bites with jalapeno slaw and sriracha cream, the Beast Burger (made of a blend of boar, bison, elk, and wagyu), and the coffee-crusted prime pork chop with pan sauce. Oh, and there are steaks. The entrees section of the menu features an 8 oz filet mignon with red wine butter, a wet-aged 12 oz rib-eye, and a 10 oz New York strip with jalapeno lime butter. Try to choose just one.

Perhaps an even tougher choice is the wine with which to pair your meal. The wine list at Rare Chop House exceeds 1,000 options, so don’t be shy about asking for recommendations.

Address: 224 S. 10th St., Mt. Vernon, IL 62864

Hours of Operation: Rare Chop House operates six days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, from 4 to 9 p.m.

Contact: You can make reservations by calling the restaurant at 618-244-7273 or booking online through Open Table.

Showdown Steakhouse & Saloon

Showdown Steakhouse & Saloon is a recent addition to the Mt. Vernon dining scene and has quickly become one of the top contenders among local meat lovers. Glancing at the menu, you quickly realize that meat is the primary focus of the establishment. The steak offerings number five options, all hand-cut premium Angus. The most modest of these is the sirloin, followed by the filet mignon, both available in either 6 or 8-oz. For larger appetites, there are the rib-eye (10 or 14 oz), the 12 oz New York strip, and the sirloin/chicken combination.

If you’re not in the mood for beef, Showdown’s got you covered. In the dinners section of the menu, you have nine options to satisfy your quest for meaty goodness. Grilled pork chops, grilled chicken, breaded chicken tenders, and smoked baby back ribs are all excellent non-bovine alternatives. Want seafood instead? Try the bourbon salmon, grilled shrimp, or breaded catfish.

We’ve only covered a fraction of the offerings so far. Elsewhere on the menu are nine meaty sandwich options as well, which include:

• The Showdown (half-pound cheeseburger)
• The Maddog Maxwell (half-pound burger with cheddar, bacon, and barbecue sauce)
• The Double Downen (two half-pound beef patties with cheese)
• Mushroom and Swiss burger
• Breaded catfish fillet sandwich
• Barbecue pulled pork sandwich
• Steak sandwich
• Grilled chicken sandwich

If that weren’t enough, even the appetizers section boasts three dishes appropriate for the meat enthusiast — wings, catfish bites, and barbecue nachos — and the restaurant regularly offers off-menu specials, such as prime rib sandwiches and T-bone steaks.

Address: 333 Potomac Blvd., Mt. Vernon, IL 62864

Hours of Operation: Showdown Steakhouse & Saloon is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Contact: If you have any questions, call the restaurant at 618-316-7006 or send a direct message via social media.

The Frosty Mug Bar & Grill

The Frosty Mug Bar & Grill is the longest-running establishment on this list. Since 1989, this Mt. Vernon establishment has been one of the go-to spots for barbecue and booze. The menu here is extensive, and meaty options are available throughout.

Among the appetizers, a couple of the standout items are the homemade pork rinds and the BBQ nachos, the latter item featuring tortilla chips topped with barbecue pork, cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and tomato. In the entrees section, meat dominates — hickory-smoked pork loin, marinated smoked chicken, marinated smothered chicken, slow-smoked brisket, baby back ribs, fried catfish, and macaroni and cheese topped with pulled pork or brisket.

The sandwiches make up some of the highlights of the menu. In addition to barbecue sandwich standards like pulled pork and brisket, you have lip-smacking offerings like Italian beef, fried cod, and a half-pound pub burger. If you wanted, though, you could ditch the bread entirely and just select from Frosty Mug’s selection of takeaway smoked meats. Come holidays, hams and turkeys join the melange of barbecue brisket, pork, chicken, and ribs.

Address: 1113 Salem Road, Mount Vernon, IL 62864

Hours of Operation: The Frosty Mug Bar & Grill is open seven days a week. Monday–Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Weekend hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Contact: The Frosty Mug Bar & Grill is reachable by phone. You can call the main line at 618-242-3372 or text the mobile number at 618-237-6789. The restaurant also accepts direct messages via social media.

So, if you’re a meat-loving sort of person looking for a satisfying meal, those are the restaurants we’d recommend. And if you’re interested in a new set of wheels to get you to your dinner, we’d be glad to make additional recommendations just for you. Check out our inventory of new Volkswagen models and used vehicles online. Then get in touch with us through our contact page to schedule a test drive today.

When you’re ready to stop by, find our dealership at 4403 W DeYoung St. in Marion, Illinois. We’re open six days a week, Monday through Saturday. A good steak can be rare, but great auto deals don’t have to be. Let us prove it to you here at Volkswagen of Marion.