Arby’s always has some hair-brained scheme up its sleeve, innovating in ways that we both need and definitely don’t. The most recent addition to the fast-food chains’ already genre-defying lineup? Arby’s steak nuggets. As one of Cheapism’s fast-food writers for the last three years, I had to get over there and try them. Here are my thoughts.
What the Heck Is a Steak Nugget?
What is a steak nugget? That question has been rattling around in my brain since I took my first bite. According to Arby’s, they are bite-sized pieces of sirloin steak, seasoned and smoked with barbecue flavors like pepper and garlic.
I found them to be a lot like a combination of burnt ends and short rib, with stringier pieces on the inside of the charred exterior.
What New Steak Nugget Items Are Available?
Arby’s is slinging its newest creation in three ways (prices and availability are subject to change):
- A la carte Steak Nuggets, in 5-piece ($5.29) or 9-piece ($9.29) form
- A Steak Nugget Sandwich ($9.29) with Havarti cheese, crispy onions, pickles, and mayo
- A Steak Nugget Bowl ($8.99) with white cheddar mac & cheese and crispy onions
Here are my thoughts on all three:
Arby’s Steak Nuggets à la Carte
If eating a bunch of shish kabob-sized pieces of fast-food steak sounds like something you want for lunch, a la carte is the least intense way to do it. You’ll get some dipping sauce, which is a category Arby’s excels in, and that really helps.
Arby’s Steak Nugget Sandwich
This is arguably the best form the new steak nuggets take, and I can tell you exactly why. Though mayo and cheese help round out some flavor, the unabashed star of the show is our friend, the pickle. Pickles and smoke are a wonderful combination, one that nearly every corner of the world has come to discover in some form or another, and it makes the sandwich the only item here that feels like a complete dish.
Arby’s Steak Nugget Bowl
I feel like there aren’t that many “No” men at Arby’s. Sometimes you really need a “No” man. Because when you’re surrounded by “Yes” men, you might find yourself selling a bowl of heavy beef chunks on top of some extremely thick mac and cheese and crispy onions. This needs acid so very badly. What happened to the pickles? If the intention is to do anything besides lie on the ground and moan for the next hour, this isn’t the meal for you.
By the way, this comes with a sticker that advises you to mix everything together before eating. I’m not sure I agree with that, because that’s only going to soften up those crispy onions faster.
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More Fast-Food Taste Tests From Cheapism
- 10 Best Fast-Food Chicken Nuggets, Ranked — When the chicken nugget craving hits, where are you going? See where your favorite landed in our taste test.
- I Tried All 26 Buffalo Wild Wings Flavors (and Survived to Rank Them) — We saved you the trouble of trying them all so you can go straight for the best sauces and rubs at B-Dubs.
- 10 Popular Fast-Food Chicken Sandwiches, Ranked — From Popeye’s to Chick-fil-A and every place in between, here’s how they stack up.
