In our ranking of 13 popular U.S. steakhouse chains, Outback outranked cost-effective competitors Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse, and we included Outback's baked potato soup in our roundup of 14 chain restaurant soups that are actually worth ordering. Also, in our ranking of 21 popular Outback Steakhouse menu items, the loaded mashed potatoes (upon which the soup is based) neared the top of the ranks.
Aussies know good steak. When you take a trip down under to Outback Steakhouse, you can be assured that every cut on the menu is going to be handled with care. A fact you should know about the restaurant is that it seasons all its steaks in its proprietary spice blend for all-over flavor before either searing or chargrilling them to the customer's temperature preference. Knowing this, it's hard to go wrong with any pick at the restaurant.
During our writer's visit to Outback Steakhouse, the restaurant's Seared Pepper Ahi was served cooked to perfection and was wonderfully flavored with garlic pepper seasoning. A dish of creamy soy sauce dressing and a slab of wasabi completed the presentation to provide a fresh and flavorful order. This appetizer is the kind of dish that can easily complement a larger order to satisfy hungry bellies or appeal to those with lighter appetites with an additional side.
It sounds deceptively simple, maybe even plain, but if you haven't had Outback Steakhouse's chocolate sauce, you need to give it a try. It's typically reserved for desserts like the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under, or served atop a free birthday scoop. But Outback's house-made chocolate sauce is head and shoulders above most restaurants and store brands, and is well worth indulging in.
Outback Steakhouse offers a 13-ounce boneless ribeye and an 18-ounce bone-in ribeye, neither of which have impressed steak eaters, myself included. Though many customers stated Outback is a reliable source for grabbing a steak when dining out, others felt it was a disappointing experience. Those who enjoyed their ribeye described it as melt-in-the-mouth delicious and the best steak they've ever had.