The Massive 77-Ounce New York Strip At This Steakhouse Proves Everything Is Bigger In Texas

One upscale Dallas steakhouse has once again proved that no place does big steaks quite like Texas. Nick and Sam's, a fixture on the city's fine dining circuit, has a whopping 77-ounce New York strip with garlic butter that comes dolloped with a mushroom barolo sauce. Christened The Luka, the hefty slab, carved tableside by the restaurant staff, is a lavish sharing dish (8-oz to 12-oz of steak is often sufficient for most appetites). The menu doesn't specify the cost and simply says MP (Market Price). For perspective, another one of Nick and Sam's special for-the-table offerings, a 100-ounce cut of Kagoshima wagyu, costs about $1600.

While not as expensive a cut as wagyu, The Luka is made with 77-day dry-aged beef. Why the obsession with "77," you might ask? The signature menu item is named after Slovenian professional basketball player Luka Dončić who, until February 2025, sported jersey number 77 for the Dallas Mavericks. Dončić was a regular at the steakhouse and even had a celebratory dinner there when he first got signed by the Mavericks in 2019. While his surprise transfer to the Los Angeles Lakers left many Mavs fans unhappy, the eponymous steak endures on the Dallas eatery's menu. 

Chef Samir Dhurandhar, architect of The Luka, is a partner at Nick and Sam's and the main liaison between the restaurant and its frequent Dallas Mavericks clientele. In a farewell post, Dhurandhar said the restaurant would continue serving the special steak even after the player who inspired it moved away. Originally meant to be a one-off, The Luka is now a fixed menu item and comes on a basketball-inspired platter emblazoned with Dončić's signature and jersey number.

The bustling Dallas steakhouse and Pegasus City's NBA team go way back, which is evidenced by another Nick and Sam's menu item — The Dirk. The 41-oz 41-day dry-aged bone-in tenderloin chateaubriand served with a bone marrow gravy honors basketball hall-of-famer, Dirk Nowitzki, who played under number 41 for the Mavericks for 21 seasons. Nick and Sam's first opened its doors in 1999, the year after Nowitzki was drafted, and quickly became one of the basketball player's favorite places to eat. 

The steakhouse introduced The Dirk, which is served on a plate with the sportsman's silhouette, in 2017. As with The Luka, Chef Samir Dhurandhar conceptualized the Nowitzki-inspired dish as a tribute to the NBA player's contribution to the local community. The restaurant's owners also credit Nowitzki as being its first celebrity patron, which is significant considering the frequency and variety of famous people dining at Nick and Sam's. The steakhouse continues to be a regular dinner joint for the Mavericks, as it has been for at least 20 years, even keeping the kitchen open late to serve the team following home games. Current and former members of the Dallas Cowboys are also regulars.

While a starry-eyed dinner with high chances of rubbing elbows with celebrities may sound exciting to some, it's worth noting that Nick and Sam's follows measures that go beyond regular steakhouse rules and etiquette to stop diners from approaching its famous clientele. If the glitz doesn't impress you, there are other great Dallas steakhouses, like Stillwell's, which offers a seven-course tasting menu for just $125 and boasts a healthy range of premium cuts.