Plano, TX · Willow Bend
Our Story
Independently Owned · Texas Born · Steakhouse Driven
A privately owned, chef-driven steakhouse — not a chain, not a group.
One restaurant, at The District at Willow Bend, run by the people who cook and serve in it. That's the whole point: aging measured in months, butchery done by hand, and a kitchen free to make as much as it can from scratch.
Independent & Owner-Operated
A Modern Texas Steakhouse
Knife is an independent, owner-operated steakhouse at The District at Willow Bend in Plano — not a chain. It is Chef John Tesar's modern take on the American steakhouse, built on craft: aging measured in months, butchery done by hand, and a kitchen that makes as much as it can from scratch.
Beef is sourced from Texas ranches, dry-aged in our own aging room, and cut in our butcher room. The menu reaches past the grill, too — fresh seafood, homemade pastas, and specialty cuts — with a 300+ label wine list and a sommelier on the floor nightly.
The Chef
John Tesar
Knife Plano is the work of Chef John Tesar — a Michelin Star–awarded, James Beard–nominated chef, a two-time contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef," and host of Food Network's "House of Knives."
That philosophy runs through everything here at Willow Bend: dry-aging measured in months, butchery done by hand, and a kitchen that makes as much as it can from scratch — a modern Texas steakhouse built on craft rather than convention.
The Aging Program
Dry-Aged In House
Time is the first ingredient. Every steak is dry-aged in our own aging room for a minimum of 45 days — and, for certain cuts, all the way up to 240 — concentrating flavor and building the tenderness only real aging can.
Steaks are then broken down and cut by hand in our butcher room, so specialty cuts can change with the program. It's a slower way to run a steakhouse — and the reason the beef tastes the way it does.
Sourcing
From Texas Ranches
Our beef comes from Texas ranches — locally sourced and chosen for quality, then aged and butchered here. Sourcing close to home is part of the point: it's Texas beef, served in a Texas steakhouse.
Beyond the grill, the kitchen makes what it can in house — fresh seafood, homemade pastas, and seasonal plates — with a 300+ label wine list, a sommelier on the floor nightly, a full bar, and specialty cocktails to round out the table.
Corporate Dinners · Full Buyouts
Host Your Event
at Knife
A private room for up to 50 (60 standing) and full-restaurant buyouts — with complimentary A/V and valet, a dedicated chef and service team, and chef-driven steakhouse menus. Built for client dinners, team celebrations, and sponsored programs.