Back Room Steakhouse

Back Room Steakhouse sits on Rock Springs Road north of downtown Apopka, in a stretch of the corridor that mixes older single-family neighborhoods with newer rooftops built out toward Kelly Park and the Wekiva area. Unlike a lot of the fast casual and counter service restaurants that dominate Apopka’s main commercial strips, Back Room Steakhouse operates as a dinner-only, full-service steakhouse, opening in the late afternoon and running through the evening rather than serving lunch.

The name gives away the concept, a steakhouse built around cooked-to-order beef, typically paired with the classic steakhouse sides, baked potatoes, sauteed vegetables, house salads, and dinner rolls. That kind of format, a hand-cut steak cooked over live heat rather than portioned and pressed by a corporate supply chain, is one of the clearest markers of an independent steakhouse versus a national chain, and it is part of what has kept a loyal following coming back for special occasions and regular date nights alike.

Because it is independently owned, Back Room Steakhouse can lean into a more personal, neighborhood steakhouse feel rather than the standardized layout and menu of a chain steakhouse near the interstate. The dining room tends to run on the smaller, more intimate side, which fits the dinner-only hours and the kind of slower paced, occasion-driven meal that steak dinners typically call for. A full bar or beer and wine service usually rounds out the evening, giving diners the option of a cocktail or a glass of wine alongside their meal.

Rock Springs Road residents have used Back Room Steakhouse as a go-to option for birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations that call for something a step above a casual chain restaurant, without needing to drive all the way into Orlando or Winter Garden for a steak dinner. The restaurant’s evening-only schedule also means it draws a different crowd than the lunch-heavy diners and delis found elsewhere in Apopka, skewing toward couples and small groups planning an evening out rather than a quick meal on a break.

For anyone looking for an independently owned alternative to the chain steakhouses clustered along the bigger commercial corridors in Central Florida, Back Room Steakhouse offers a genuinely local option on Rock Springs Road. Reservations are worth considering for weekend evenings given the smaller dining room and the restaurant’s reputation among locals. As with most independent restaurants operating limited hours, it is worth calling ahead to confirm the kitchen is open before making the drive, particularly earlier in the week when hours can run shorter than on Friday and Saturday nights.