A chophouse is a restaurant built around individually cut and grilled portions of meat, chops as well as steaks, so its menu reaches past beef to pork, lamb and game. A steakhouse centers on beef. Mercury Chophouse – Arlington shows the difference: a $59 Double-Bone Pork Chop, an $85 Espresso-Rubbed Elk and an $82 short rib beside the filets.
Last confirmed: September 2026
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The definitions
| Term | Origin | Centerpiece | What to expect on the menu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chophouse | The older term, from the English and early American taverns that served a chop cooked to order for one diner | Chops and cuts of any meat: pork, lamb, veal, game, and beef | Steaks plus at least one serious chop, often a braise or a game dish, classic sides, a bar with whiskey depth |
| Steakhouse | The narrower, largely American term that took over in the twentieth century | Beef steaks by cut and weight | Filet, ribeye, strip, porterhouse, a token chicken or fish, shareable sides |
Today the two words overlap and a good chophouse is also a good steakhouse. The difference is what the name promises. A chophouse tells you that the pork chop or the lamb was not an afterthought, and that someone who does not want beef will still eat well.
Why the name matters on the plate
A chop is a single portion cut across the bone, so it cooks like a steak, fast and over high heat, and it is served the same way, with a sauce or a compound butter and sides for the table. That is why chophouses grew up alongside steakhouses rather than apart from them: the grill, the timing and the service are the same, only the animal changes. The word also carries a sense of an older, clubbier room, which is why chophouses tend to have dark wood, leather, tablecloths and a bar you would sit at alone.
How it shows up on Mercury's menu
Mercury Chophouse is a chophouse in the full sense. The steaks are there, and next to them the menu carries the cuts a steakhouse usually skips.
| Dish | Price | Why it belongs in a chophouse |
|---|---|---|
| Double-Bone Pork Chop, thyme-onion-bacon jam | $59 | The defining chop: two ribs, cut thick, cooked like a steak |
| Espresso-Rubbed Elk, whipped potatoes, broccolini | $85 | Game on the grill, the tavern tradition |
| Braised Bone-In Beef Short Rib, natural jus | $82 | A bone-in braise beside the grilled cuts |
| Rack of Lamb | seasonal; ask about the current season | The classic lamb chop when it is offered |
| Center-Cut Filet Mignon, 6 oz / 8 oz | $62 / $74 | The steakhouse core, still here |
| Bone-In Ribeye, Dijon butter | $90 | |
| Dry-Aged 36 oz Porterhouse | $175 | The large-format cut, strip and filet on one bone |
| 27 oz Wagyu Long Bone Ribeye | $210 | The signature cut |
The double-cut pork chop page and the rack of lamb page go deeper on the two chops that make the name true.
The rest of the chophouse pattern
The other markers are all present. Starters lean on the grill and the fryer: Filet Mignon Cigars at $17, Chophouse Calamari at $17, Savory Meatballs at $18. Sides are shared and old-fashioned: Creamed Spinach $16, au Gratin Potatoes $16, Burgundy Mushrooms $15, a Baked Potato $14. The bar lists about 40 American whiskeys and 20 from the British Isles, and a Steakhouse Old-Fashioned made with tallow-washed bourbon at $19. The room is leather chairs, tufted booths, white tablecloths and a grand piano by the windows, nine floors above the Arlington Entertainment District.
Choosing between them
If everyone at the table wants beef, the distinction does not matter and the cut does; the what steak to order answer walks through filet versus ribeye versus porterhouse. If one guest wants pork, another wants game and a third wants sea bass, a chophouse is the safer booking, because those dishes are built with the same care as the steaks rather than added to cover a gap. The full list is on the menu page.
Book a Table
Reserve on the ninth floor at Mercury Chophouse – Arlington. Choose a date and time below, or call 817-381-1157.
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Open Monday to Thursday 11 AM to 9 PM, Friday 11 AM to 10 PM, Saturday 4 PM to 10 PM. Closed Sunday. 2221 E Lamar Blvd, Suite 910, Arlington, TX 76006.
Frequently asked questions
Does a chophouse serve steak?
Yes. A chophouse serves steaks alongside its chops; the name signals a wider range of meats, not the absence of beef. Mercury Chophouse lists six beef steaks from a $62 filet to a $210 Wagyu Long Bone Ribeye next to its pork chop, elk and short rib.
Is a chophouse fancier than a steakhouse?
Not by definition. The word suggests an older, club-style room, and many chophouses match that with tablecloths and leather, but plenty of steakhouses are equally formal. Mercury is business casual, with white tablecloths and a dress code that welcomes unripped jeans and does not require a jacket.
What makes a pork chop a double-bone chop?
A pork chop cut two ribs thick, so it is roughly twice the thickness of a standard chop and cooks more like a steak, with a seared crust and a juicy center. At Mercury Chophouse it is $59 and served with a thyme-onion-bacon jam. It is the dish that most clearly earns the chophouse name.
Does Mercury Chophouse have lamb chops?
Rack of lamb is a seasonal item at Mercury Chophouse and is not on the current July 2026 dinner menu. Availability changes with the season, and the price and preparation are set when it returns, so call 817-381-1157 to ask about the current season before you book around it.
Why is it called Mercury Chophouse and not Mercury Steakhouse?
The restaurant has not published the story behind the name. What the menu shows is a chophouse pattern: a double-bone pork chop, espresso-rubbed elk and a bone-in short rib built with the same care as the steaks, plus classic sides and a deep whiskey list. The name describes the menu accurately.