Round the Bend Steakhouse isn’t your normal steakhouse. It sits atop a hill outside Ashland, Neb., surrounded by scenic views while sporting a hard-to-miss sign advertising its annual “Testicle Festival.”
Yes, this is the place many Omahans and Nebraskans know as the home of Rocky Mountain oysters, beef fries or whatever else you want to call them. Before this review, I had never tried one. As I like to say, I’ll try just about anything once. More on this later.
RTB Bar seating
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Round the Bend’s modern-day story starts in 1995, when Ron Olson bought the restaurant without telling his wife, Vickie. It was an impulse purchase by a serial entrepreneur. Once Vickie cooled off, the steakhouse became a family affair.
The original Round the Bend was down the hill in South Bend before Ron opened the current hilltop location in 2003, turning the steakhouse into the destination it is today.
Ron’s son, TJ, now owns Round the Bend with his wife, Tifini, after the two purchased the restaurant from his parents in 2012. TJ was the youngest of four, and everyone in the family worked there at one point or another.
RTB Dining area
Photo by Jennifer Corey
TJ grew up in the business. He began by washing dishes, then moved into hosting, bartending, serving and eventually cooking. He describes himself as the proverbial “jack of all trades, master of none.” That’s the kind of training that makes for a good restaurant owner—someone who’s been on the front lines and knows how to lead from experience.
TJ didn’t seek to overhaul the restaurant, but rather take what was working and improve upon it. Central to that is his junior high school sweetheart, now wife, Tifini. TJ says she’s “the brake to his gas pedal and the whoa to his go.” They both worked hard to purchase the restaurant, keeping the family business going for a second generation.
The menu philosophy is simple. They’re not trying to reinvent the steakhouse – just good people with good beef and delicious sides at a good value.
RTB Certified Angus brand
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The steak program is serious business. Round the Bend uses Certified Angus Beef, aged at least 40 days before it arrives. The steaks are hand-cut in house, including my top sirloin. TJ said it had been cut that morning.
The story here doesn’t end with steaks. The cocktail program is noteworthy. TJ credits general manager David Hotovy with elevating the drink menu. Hotovy has made the cocktail menu a team effort, involving the entire staff in the process of making and selecting drinks. The result is a cocktail menu that, by itself, is worth the drive.
We can’t get into the menu without discussing the Testicle Festival and the year-round presence of Rocky Mountain oysters on the menu. When we moved to Nebraska nine years ago, I knew trying beef fries was in my future. It wasn’t until this review that I’d finally try them.
Home of the Testicle Festival
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The festival began in 1993, before the Olson family took ownership. Local ranchers and farmers would bring in cattle testicles, and the former owner would cut, bread, fry and serve them at the old bar. It started as a small local gathering with T-shirts, bumper stickers and a few laughs.
When Ron bought the place in 1995, he saw the potential for a bigger event. Today, TJ has helped grow the festival to close to 4,000 people annually. Live bands play music while about 2,000 pounds of Rocky Mountain oysters are served, along with corn fritters, beer, soda and other food items.
RTB Swag
Photo by Jennifer Corey
This year, they’ve partnered with Juke’s Ale Works in Elkhorn for an official festival beer: the Low Hanging Log. I’ll let your imagination run wild with the beer’s label.
With that said, let’s get into our sampling of the menu, starting with cocktails.
Spicy pineapple
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Spicy pineapple is a pineapple margarita with jalapeños. It’s tropical heat in a glass, in the best way. The pineapple is prominent and refreshing, while the jalapeño brings just enough bite to keep it from turning too sweet. The tequila lingers pleasantly in this spicy, juicy and refreshing concoction.
Bourbon bloom
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Bourbon bloom is a cherry bourbon lemonade with Cooper’s Chase bourbon. The only thing missing from this boozy lemonade is the front porch and sunset. The lemon citrus is vibrant, while the prominence of cherry takes it to another level. The bourbon gives it just enough backbone to keep it from drinking like straight lemonade.
Hickory smoked old fashioned
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The hickory smoked old fashioned is made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, simple syrup, bitters and Luxardo cherry. This old fashioned strikes a perfect balance of sweet and bitter, while the hickory smoke leaves behind a delightful campfire note. For $12, this old fashioned holds its own against those at double the price.
Bullseye
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The bullseye is a mix of amaretto, Angel’s Envy whiskey, St. Germain, Fresh Victor’s lemon juice and a Luxardo cherry garnish. It drinks like boozy fruit punch, a little reminiscent of a New Orleans hurricane. The St. Germain adds an adult herbaceousness and the amaretto lends almond and cherry notes. It tastes tropical with just the right level of sweetness. It’s dangerously easy to forget there’s alcohol in the glass.
Now to the part of the menu that draws a bit of hesitation from the uninitiated.
Rocky Mountain oysters
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Rocky Mountain oysters reminded me a bit of an extremely tenderized fried veal cutlet, with just a touch of gaminess. The breading is flavorful and lightly fried—surprisingly not greasy. The barbecue sauce is sweet, tangy and great for dipping. The beef fries are pretty good on their own, if maybe just a little bland. As such, the barbecue sauce is an excellent pairing.
I’ve always heard, “don’t knock it ‘til you try it” growing up. The menu itself says “Don’t let your head beat your stomach out of something good,” by Ron Olson, credited as “The Godfather of RTB.”
I agree, and I wouldn’t hesitate to try them again.
Steak street tacos
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The steak street tacos come with steak, cabbage, house-made pico de gallo and cilantro-lime sauce. The cilantro-lime sauce is creamy and savory with a hint of citrus, tying everything together without burying the tender, well-seasoned beef. The cabbage and pico de gallo add vibrant and invigorating elements. These could be an appetizer, but they’re also a meal unto themselves.
The onion ring dip is made with cottage cheese, sour cream, mayo, Lipton’s French onion soup mix, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, white pepper and Worcestershire sauce. The sauce is creamy with lovely notes of onion and other seasonings. It’s the kick of cayenne at the end that elevates this. It’s a gentle heat, but it sticks around just long enough.
The onion rings are thick, well-breaded and fried just right. The onion inside was perfectly tender. They’re exactly what you want next to a steak.
Hash browns
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The hash browns are crispy and soft in the middle. They arrived a touch underseasoned and a tad too greasy for my taste, but the crunchy exterior and soft potato center were right where they needed to be.
22-ounce top sirloin with onion rings
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The top sirloin is a 22-ounce cut, which I ordered medium rare. It was seasoned very well with salt and pepper. As prepared, it was tender and juicy, completely mouthwatering. I ordered it with horseradish sauce and sautéed mushrooms. The combination of all three is damned near unbeatable.
The Brussels sprouts were beautifully roasted, with a crispy exterior and soft, delicious middle. They were seasoned exceptionally well. The roasting pulled back the bitterness and brought out the sprouts’ natural sweetness. The sprouts are a great accompaniment to steak and seafood.
Like the Brussels sprouts, the asparagus was beautifully roasted and seasoned nicely. They were cooked right to the point where the inside was tender but the spears still had some life.
The Dorothy Lynch slaw is a collaboration between Round the Bend and Dorothy Lynch. The slaw itself is fresh and lively, and the Dorothy Lynch dressing adds a creamy, tangy punch. It’s a fantastic slaw.
Blackened salmon
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The blackened salmon was one of the best-executed dishes on the table. The blackened seasoning leaned smoky without losing its peppery edge. The fish itself was tender, juicy and flaky.
Round the Bend Steakhouse is truly a place where good people are ready to serve you good food. It feels like good ol’ down-home cooking, with enough comfort to fill your stomach and your soul.
Round the Bend Steakhouse front porch
Photo by Jennifer Corey
“It’s taken us 14 years, but we’ve got a hell of a crew here now,” TJ said. “And I’d be real honest and tell you, I could probably walk out the doors for two months and nobody’d even know it, because they’re so damn good at their job.”
That sentiment sums up our experience exactly. TJ wasn’t there for our visit, but his presence and the process he and Tifini have put together ran like a well-oiled machine. Beef fries might not be on your bucket list, but I urge you to try them at least once. You don’t have to tell anyone you did.
Round the Bend Steakhouse’s annual Testicle Festival is Saturday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the restaurant outside Ashland. The festival features live music, beer gardens, collector T-shirts and more than 2,000 pounds of Rocky Mountain oysters, with more details available on Round the Bend’s festival page.
