Our TX roadhouse went belly up, so we mosey on over to the Longhorn steakhouse now. I have found it to be clean, friendly staff and good food.

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
They have good warm bread.

I've been a few times - apparently a very popular place with the older folks. I'll wait a few more years and then I'll fit in with the crowd - and eat my dinner at 4:30.

I'm sure there's many where Longhorn or, TX Roadhouse is about as good as it gets, I understand, it is however a thematic national-chain (500+ locations ) and such places, place margin and promotion over quality.

Haven’t eaten there since I found an entire rubber glove at the bottom of my salad.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Personally, I've never found the steak at any of those steak houses to be any better than mediocre--at best.

Ate there a few months ago. Steak wasn’t bad at all. Salad was great.

Haven't been there in ten years, but I thought they were better than Outback.
Opened a new Texas Roadhouse near me I want to go to.
I would like to try Mortons or Ruth Chris, I just don't think I could
justify that much money for a steak I can make at home that is just as good.
Was at Costco a month or so ago, four Ribeyes triple the price they were a year ago.
No thanks

What I find interesting is that, at least with the Texas Roadhouse by me, the place is 100% full from the moment they open until they close, every.

That means that everyday, the franchisee or whoever, is making the most they will ever make. There's no way to expand, bring in more customers, grow the business, etc., other than to raise prices.

Cranky guy rant foilows:

When Longhorn was a regional chain in Atlanta, I loved 'em. I missed them when I moved and none were to be found.

Then Darden's bought them, turned them into a facsimile of basically every other Darden chain, and build a bunch of them nearby.

Went once. Haven't been back.

I haven't been to a Longhorn in years but I used to go 2-3 times a year for business lunches and the steaks were more than decent for the price.

quote:

Originally posted by Schmelby:
Haven't been there in ten years, but I thought they were better than Outback.
Opened a new Texas Roadhouse near me I want to go to.
I would like to try Mortons or Ruth Chris, I just don't think I could
justify that much money for a steak I can make at home that is just as good.
Was at Costco a month or so ago, four Ribeyes triple the price they were a year ago.
No thanks

Have your steak at home, then go to Ruth’s Chris for date night dessert. Get the Bananas Foster. You’re welcome……

I've been known to make a steak that will roll your eyes back in your head. I only go to chain steak places if I'm out with friends and they want to go. Once a year I go to Ruth's Chris with a guy I've known for 40 years. Our Ruth's makes a mean bone in ribeye.

Of the national steakhouse chains, the only one I've found to be worth it was Morton's...this was over 5-years ago. What you're getting at such a place is an elevated level of service and better quality, aged meat. Today, aging your meat at home has become popular and not so exclusive anymore, thus the only challenge is securing 'restaurant quality' meat and cuts, in which case find yourself a reputable butcher.

Eating out is just as much the experience as it is the food itself. Having somebody else doing the cooking, celebrating something special or, being able to go out and have an enjoyable meal is itself a nice luxury one should be able to experience once in awhile.

No Longhorn around me so no.
I'll cook, grill or sear my own steak preferably. One local mom and pop restaurant that I'll go to if I want someone to cook for me. Decent steak.

quote:

Originally posted by L90814:
"Coupon must be surrendered at time of use".

^^
Also see "Coupon may not be reproduced, sold, transferred, or traded"

It's the age-old story: "The Large Print Giveth, and the Small Print Taketh Away"

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
I been to worse and been to better.
Not my first choice but will go there on occasion.

This. It's a lot better than Outback, but not great. I buy Prime steaks and cook them on my Kamado Joe that rival some of the best steak houses. So would rather go out to eat to a great, local place that makes food I can't make at home.

Yeah, its our second choice. Not in the same league as Blinkers, the local winner of the best steak in this part of the state, 8 years running. Yes, they charge a bit more, and deliver for it. I also like my favored waitress. On my Bday, 2 weeks ago, I took my entire family. 10 of us, and it cost me big time. But I didn't care.

We used to go to Longhorn. They didn't do anything bad, just Blinkers, a non chain, serves better steak. OK, I also tipped my waitress $100. She's good to say the least. She doesn't hover, but cycles around the entire time. Too bad I'm married and she's half my age.

Longhorn does serve a decent small steak, and they even have a good salad. Better bread, too. But its 10 times as far.

As to the crack from above, yes we eat at 5:00. Fewer people. For the last 52 years its been supper time. Why change now?

This thread reminds me of a video I watched yesterday of a recent Cuban immigrant trying steak for his first time at a Texas Roadhouse.

My thought was, "It's probably not bad, but too bad he didn't get a real good steak."

It looks as if he maybe got a sirloin cooked to medium. I was pleased to see his reaction to the A1. Steak sauce is an insult to a good steak.

It's okay. For an inexpensive chain steakhouse, the food is edible and in the times i've been there, the service has been decent.

I generally don't eat at steakhouses. I can make a DAMN good steak... One that will beat or rival any of the med priced places, and while mine may be beat by the very high end places that charge 200 bucks a person, who the hell has 200 bucks a person to drop on one meal? Well, awesome if you do, but an honest cop doesn't.

But sweet coupon, I'll give it a shot next time the wife and I want to go out and don't want to cook. The Bloomin' onion is good there.

Longhorns definitely went downhill compared to the late 90's or early 2000's. Haven't been there in a while but we used to hit that place up at lunch all the time near Fort Jackson, SC up until a few years back. Burgers were always above average, steaks were a roll of the dice, unless you got a filet. Servers were always great.

We haven't been in a Longhorn or Outback since the Texas Roadhouse opened a few miles down the road from them about 5 years ago. I usually get prime rib though, because I like my steaks made on my grill, by me....at home.

Same goes for BBQ joints. There are a bunch of them around here that people rave about, but the pork or chicken off my own smoker is much better.

I guess we're kinda spoiled. There's a McDonalds and Subway 12 miles away, but the nearest chain restaurants, like Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, etc, are a good 30 miles away. We can make a better steak or burger at home, with alot less hassle.

If the last two years have taught me anything, it's that I can get along just fine without ever going into a Walmart, Lowes, or chain restaurant ever again.