Diners say these seven chains serve the most irresistible, au jus–drenched French dips.
I love a good French Dip. There is something about the combination of a French roll, thinly sliced roast beef, a creamy, horseradish sauce, and meat juice (au jus!) that just hits the right flavor notes. Sometimes I crave a good French Dip, but it’s hard to satisfy the hunger strike, since most places don’t serve it. Luckily, there are a handful of sit-down restaurants and even fast-food joints that offer the iconic sandwich. Here are 7 chain restaurants with the best French Dip sandwich, according to diners.
Hillstone and Houston’s French Dip
Hillstone Restaurant Group/Facebook
Hillstone and Houston’s, which are basically the same restaurant, have been serving the most delicious French Dip for decades. With super tender meat served on a soft, warm bun with the most delicious horseradish sauce and au jus I’ve ever had, it is a must-order, even for a person like myself who rarely craves a steak sandwich. It is delicious with the chain’s trademark shoestring fries. According to a former employee, “this sandwich is cut to order from their prime rib on bread that is made in house each morning.” Others agree with my opinion. “Hillstones is the answer by a mile,” a diner writes.
BJ’s
BJ’s Brewhouse
Chris Shott, one of our reviewers, was a big fan of the BJ’s Classic Prime Rib Dip, featuring thinly sliced, slow-roasted beef on a toasted hoagie roll, with fries, coleslaw, and au jus for dipping. “Très authentique! The crusty, golden roll, piled with bona fide carved beef, looked like a sandwich you might find in a proper French bistro,” he explains. As for the taste? “Hearty and succulent. I could tell how juicy the beef was just from picking it up. The bottom of the roll had gone soft, but thankfully, it was not too soggy under the moistened meat. I appreciated the bare-bones approach to this sandwich—no cheese, no onions, no add-ons of any kind—allowing the beefy taste of the tender prime rib to stand on its own, enhanced only by dunks in that savory jus and punchy horseradish.”
Lawry’s Carvery
lawrystheprimeriblasvegas/Instagram
Lawry’s specializes in prime rib, so it’s no surprise that the high-end restaurant serves up carved beef with iconic flavor. Diners stand by the French Dip. “Lawry’s Prime Rib during lunch has great French dios, and don’t sleep on their house made chips,” one Redditor writes.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
Head to Fleming’s for a high-end French Dip that is deeply satisfying. The steakhouse’s version is made with thinly sliced filet mignon, caramelized onions, and Gruyère cheese, served on a toasted potato baguette with a rich French onion jus and fries. “I had a Filet Mignon sandwich served like a French Dip. I highly recommend it,” a TripAdvisor diner wrote.
Arby’s
Arby’s
If you want a fast food version of the French Dip, head to Arby’s. Shott maintains that the chain’s Classic French Dip & Swiss, served on a sub roll with a cup of au jus, is “surprisingly tantalizing,” in his review. “The sandwich looked freshly made and piping hot, oozing with melty white cheese and piled high with thinly sliced meat. The accompanying jus appeared rich and dark in its pearly white cup,” he says. And the taste? “Deliciously light. The razor-thin roast beef was meltingly tender, practically dissolving on the tongue with a consistently savory and not-too-salty flavor. The molten Swiss added some mild tang, and the robust jus only upped the richness factor, while the warm roll was virtually cloud-like in its softness.”
The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille’s Ribeye Steak Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Havarti, $36 on the lunch menu isn’t a true French Dip, but it hits the spot. “Prime ribeye cut daily by our in-house butcher, served on a French roll and topped with horseradish cream and 15-year aged balsamic,” reads the menu description.
Outback
Outback serves a French dip-style Prime Rib Sandwich that customers love. It is served on a toasted baguette, with sliced steak, onions, mushrooms, and provolone cheese, and is served with French onion au jus on the side. “Right away, I was struck by the juicy, medium-rare color of the beef. The baguette, meanwhile, looked beautifully golden brown and nicely toasted. Like the Arby’s Dipper, this one also seeped with melty white cheese. The accompanying cup of jus looked thick and chunky, a major departure from the watery dips of other chains,” writes Shott, adding that it is “Rich and crunchy.”
Leah Groth
Leah Groth is an experienced shopping editor and journalist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends, and deals each week. Read more about Leah
