When someone mentions Amarillo to someone outside the city, three things will be said, 1. Amarillo by Morning, 2. Isn't that where those cars are buried, 3. The Big Texas, "Have you ever eaten that steak."   Those are the main things that have made Amarillo famous.

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Many famous people travel through Amarillo and stop at Cadillac Ranch, and many stop at the Big Texan.  Heck, some have even tried the Big Texan Steak Challenge.

Read More: [PHOTOS] Will Ferrell Makes Surprise Appearance In Amarillo |

The Big Texan and its famous 72oz steak is a must-stop for a tourist, and thousands stop each month to see this restaurant and its mammoth steak.

72 oz steak at the Big Texan
Lori Crofford
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Back in 2020 during the pandemic, a reality TV show on Netflix took over the TVs of many people trapped inside their homes.  That show was Tiger King.  This was a documentary on the life of Joe Exotic and his exotic ways of life as a big cat and exotic zoo owner.   It also documented his feud with Carole Baskins.

Tiger King was an Insane Documentary.

However long before Joe Exotic ran for office or became Netflix famous, he was just a big cat owner traveling with his big cat.

Did Joe Exotic Visit The Big Texan in Amarillo?

In a video posted by The Big Texan, Big Texan owners Bobby Lee and Danny Lee talk about how someone with a Bengal tiger visited Amarillo in February 1998.  The video eluded that it was Joe Exotic the Tiger King.

I have something in my truck that wants to eat your 72oz steak and it can eat it the fastest it has ever been eaten.

Danny talks about how the tiger was brought into the restaurant on a leash.  He said they warmed a 72 oz steak up to body temperature and threw it at the tiger.  He said that the tiger ate it in about 1 minute.

Was it Joe Exotic who visited The Big Texan back in the '90s with a tiger? If you look closely at the end of the video you'll see a picture of an Amarillo Globe-News article that says it was a man by the name of Benjamin Heiple who was traveling to California and stopped in with his tiger to try the 72oz steak challenge.

Hey even though it wasn't Joe Exotic, it was still a pretty cool story.

Big Texan

The Big Texan is a sight to see, especially during the holidays. They know how to decorate. Even the bear that greets you at the front door likes to get into the holiday spirit.

Photos: How Tiger King's Cats Now Live in Colorado

The wildly-popular Netflix show 'Tiger King' bred a lot of questions: namely, where are Joe Exotic's tigers now? Apparently, many of them reside right here in Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Kelsey Nistel

Check Out the Brand New Cabins at The Big Texan in Amarillo

Did you know just up the road from the famous Big Texan Steakhouse with the free 72 oz steak, they have a RV Park? They just upgraded their cabins and here is what they look like.

Gallery Credit: Stryker

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