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Ted’s Montana Grill is the creation of Ted Turner, media mogul turned bison meister. The Manhattan location, which gets business types and Radio City sightseers, is the flagship of his rapidly expanding chain. As you might have guessed, the décor is Old West, with ample wood paneling, plank flooring, and opaque pendant lamps. Great Plains landscape paintings enliven the walls, as does a massive, mounted bison head. The menu is chock-a-block with serviceable American comfort foods like roast chicken, pot roast, and meatloaf, and sides of garlic mashed potatoes or Parmesan creamed spinach. Free-range bison meat—mostly from Ted’s own herds—is used in many of the dishes and is served as classic-cut steaks as well as burgers. This beef alternative, which lacks any overt gaminess, is slightly tangier than beef and also lower in fat and cholesterol than its bovine cousin. While Ted’s makes a decent case for the meat, it probably won’t create a stampede anytime soon. — Michael Anstendig

Bison burger with cheese, $12.39; Delmonico ribeye of bison, $31.99

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