A typical steak ranges from about 170 to 240 calories per 3-ounce cooked serving, depending on the cut. That’s a palm-sized portion. Most restaurant steaks are two to five times that size, which puts a standard dinner steak somewhere between 400 and 1,150 calories before any sides or sauces.
Calories by Cut (3-Ounce Cooked Serving)
Not all steaks are created equal. Leaner cuts from the round (the cow’s hind leg) clock in at the low end, while fattier cuts from the rib section sit at the top. Here’s what a 3-ounce broiled serving looks like across common cuts, based on USDA data:
- Eye of round: 170 calories
- Top loin (New York strip): 170 calories
- Top round: 180 calories
- Sirloin: 200 calories
- Filet mignon (tenderloin): 220 calories
- Ribeye: 240 calories
The gap between the leanest and fattiest cut here is about 70 calories per serving, almost entirely from fat. A ribeye has roughly 18 to 20 grams of fat per 100 grams raw, while a sirloin has 11 to 14 grams.
Calories for Restaurant-Sized Steaks
Three ounces is the USDA’s standard reference serving, but it’s not what lands on your plate at a steakhouse. Restaurant portions typically start at 8 ounces and go up to 16 ounces or more. Using a ribeye as the example, since it’s the most popular steakhouse cut:
- 8-ounce ribeye: ~576 calories
- 12-ounce ribeye: ~864 calories
- 16-ounce ribeye: ~1,152 calories
A leaner cut at the same portion size will come in lower. An 8-ounce sirloin, for instance, runs closer to 400 to 450 calories. If you’re tracking calories, the cut matters almost as much as the size.
How USDA Grade Affects Calories
The grade on a steak label (Select, Choice, or Prime) reflects how much marbling, or intramuscular fat, runs through the meat. More marbling means more flavor, but also more calories. For a sirloin, the difference is significant: Select grade comes in at 189 calories per 100 grams raw, while Choice jumps to 214 calories. That’s a 13% increase just from the extra fat.
For ribeye, the gap is smaller because the cut is already well-marbled at every grade. Select ribeye runs about 246 calories per 100 grams, and Choice is 263. Prime, which has even more marbling than Choice, will push the count higher still. If you’re ordering a Prime ribeye at a high-end steakhouse, expect the calorie count to exceed the figures above by a noticeable margin.
Does Trimming the Fat Cap Help?
Many steaks come with a strip of external fat along the edge. You might assume that trimming it off before cooking saves you calories, but research from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada found otherwise. In their study, cooking ribeye steaks with the fat cap on did not increase the calorie content compared to cooking them with the cap removed. The external fat doesn’t absorb into the meat during cooking the way most people think it does.
Leaving the fat cap on during cooking did, however, improve juiciness, flavor, and texture. So if you prefer to trim the visible fat off your plate before eating, you can cook with it on and still get those benefits without adding calories.
What Drives Steak Calories Up
The steak itself is only part of the equation. A plain broiled sirloin is a relatively lean protein source, but preparation can change the picture quickly. Butter basting, a common steakhouse technique, adds roughly 100 calories per tablespoon. A creamy peppercorn or béarnaise sauce can add another 80 to 150 calories per serving. Even a generous pour of olive oil in a cast-iron pan contributes about 120 calories per tablespoon.
If you’re cooking at home and want to keep the calorie count predictable, broiling or grilling with minimal added fat gives you the most control. The calorie figures listed above assume no added fat or sauce during cooking.
Protein Content at a Glance
Steak is one of the most protein-dense foods available. A 3-ounce cooked serving delivers roughly 21 to 26 grams of protein regardless of the cut. Leaner cuts like eye of round and sirloin pack more protein per calorie because less of their weight comes from fat. If you’re eating steak primarily as a protein source, an 8-ounce sirloin gives you around 50 grams of protein for about 400 calories, a ratio that’s hard to beat with fattier cuts.