Things You Should And Shouldn't Order At Outback Steakhouse

Welcome to the restaurant down under. It's the place where you can harness your inner Aussie and enjoy all the flavors of the Lucky Country and leave with a big smile on your face and a satisfied feeling in your stomach. No, we're not talking about some unique Australian-themed bistro where it's impossible to get reservations. We're talking about Outback Steakhouse, of course — the chain that's popular for its iconic Bloomin' Onion and a whole slew of amazing cuts of meat. Outback Steakhouse has the whole Australia thing figured out pretty well, so gather some friends, reserve yourself a table, and enjoy an evening of great food and relaxing drinks.

Anyone who's been to Outback Steakhouse knows just how awesome many of the dishes are. It offers customers a variety of tasty starters, sandwiches, salads, and above all, steak. However, don't just sprint through the front doors ready to order up just anything on the menu. There are definitely a handful of plates that you should avoid having on your table. We're here to help you navigate the menu so the only items you spend your money on are ones more than worth your hard-earned moolah. This is what you should and shouldn't order up when Outback Steakhouse comes calling.

Prime rib is one of the greatest cuts of steak. It has the word "prime" in its name so you know what you're walking into when you order that bad boy up. When cooked right, it's so tender that it melts onto your palate, dissolves in an array of its own rich juices, and travels down your throat singing to your stomach the whole way down. At Outback, customers who know a thing or two about prime rib have the option to get the prime rib sandwich, and there's no good reason on planet Earth not to.

This is a meal that packs in so many amazing flavors that your head starts to spin when you take that first bite and doesn't stop until long after you finish the last one. Slices of slow-roasted prime rib line a toasted baguette and are topped with grilled onions and mushrooms, provolone cheese, and Outback's signature bloom sauce. The sandwich comes with French onion au jus and creamy horseradish sauce on the side for some more-than-epic dunking action. The meat alone makes this sandwich worthy of your money, but the onions and mushrooms taste sweet and earthy, the provolone cheese adds a nutty saltiness, and the bloom sauce is a creamy, spicy condiment that marries all those already-wonderful flavors under one baguette. A dip in the au jus gives you an umami-drenched sensation that soaks into every ingredient, and the horseradish bites through the richness with its tanginess.

If you know anything about Outback Steakhouse, then you're already familiar with the fact it serves up a whole lotta Bloomin' Onions. This is a super popular appetizer, and for great reason. The bloomed fried onion and the spicy, creamy bloom sauce you slather onto each crispy tendril pair amazingly together. But, did you know you can also get Bloomin' Fried Shrimp? Yea, put your love of the Bloomin' Onion high up on a shelf for one night and absolutely have a platter of bloomin' shrimp delivered to the table immediately.

The shrimp here are prepared exactly like the onion in the Bloomin' Onion, except they are shrimp, and that should get you far more excited to plunge those juicy little crustaceans into your mouth. The shrimp are hand-breaded in those famous Bloomin' Onion spices and dropped into the deep fryer until the texture on the outside is immaculately crunchy and the shrimp on the inside are eagerly awaiting your mouth so they can explode with oceanic flavor. The golden morsels are served with the iconic bloom sauce, a spicy mayo-esque condiment that's so tasty you'd eat a shoe if it were coated in the stuff. The sauce lends a creaminess to the golden breading and an overall kick of heat to the whole dish. This appetizer is a grand-slam option.

As soon as you walk into Outback Steakhouse and start salivating over all the cuts of steak and rich flavors you know are about to hit your stomach hard, your waistline isn't exactly thrilled with you. It knows what it's in for, and it's not always prepared for the stress you're about to put on it. So, to make your belly feel a bit less guilty about your future caloric intake, ordering up a salad to kick off your meal is a great idea. Outback offers a variety of greens, but the one that should definitely land a spot in your order is the strawberry salad.

Listen, we get that you might initially scratch your head a bit when you see the word "strawberry" in the salad section of the menu. But, this dish works in every way. The greens of the salad are made up of wild arugula and romaine lettuce, and they're tossed with freshly sliced strawberries, cinnamon pecans, and goat cheese crumbles in a raspberry vinaigrette. Together, they create a sweet, tangy, and spicy trio of absurdly delightful flavors. Plus, you get the option of either grilled or crispy chicken. The richness of the protein pairs perfectly with the sweet dressing as well as every other ingredient. Even though it's a strawberry salad, it's the goat cheese here that steals the show and lifts up the taste of everything with tiny explosions of tangy flavor that cling to all the ingredients.

If you wanna get a group of people enjoying themselves at a restaurant stoked even more about the night, you go ahead and drop a couple bowls of dip on the table. Watch those faces instantly start yearning for a bite and clawing at the nearest plate of chips so they can take the culinary plunge into the sizzling dish of gooey goodness. So, if dip is your thing -– and it definitely should be -– go ahead and order up Outback's three cheese steak dip. Actually, order up two of them to avoid the inevitable sadness that occurs when the first one is finished.

The three cheeses that combine forces here are Gouda, Parmesan, and Jack, and with their powers combined, you have one heck of a flavor bomb. If you were given just a bowl of those three cheeses melted down into a creamy, mind-blowing nectar, you'd be more than satisfied. But, Outback takes this dip to the next level by including chunks of steak as well. The rich juices from the steak seep into the cheese, and the flavor of the cheese soaks into the steak. This makes for little rich cubes of protein that bob around like delicious buoys. The steak is super tender, the cheeses are melted to perfection, and the crunchy tortilla chips you send on their flavor mission give each bite the contrasting crunch to round out this appetizer in the best way imaginable.

While devouring a pound of juicy steak always makes for a memorably delicious time, after you're done filling your belly to its brim with all that protein, your body craves something that isn't overly rich and fatty. This is where dessert swoops in to rescue your appetite. Something jam-packed with sugar helps balance out the meaty sensation left in your mouth. So, after you plow through all your savory courses at Outback, set your sights on one post-dinner treat in particular: the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under.

Look out dentists, here comes a dessert sure to have your clients scheduling an appointment the day after they take one of these down. The dessert comes with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream covered in a rich chocolate drizzle, chocolate shavings, and whipped cream. If that's not good enough for you, the ice cream sits perched on a huge pecan brownie. This thing is a well-oiled machine ready to smack that sweet tooth across its metaphorical face. The pecan brownie is super rich and has a great textural crunch thanks to the nuts. The ice cream balances out the chocolate flavor, and the whipped cream is the light and fluffy cherry on top. This is the proper way to wrap up a meal.

If you love steak, it might seem ridiculous to go to a steakhouse and not order up a thick, juicy slab of glistening meat. Every cut stares back at you from the menu calling your name. But, just because you want to order a steak doesn't always mean you always should. Especially when there are other great options available to get your kick of protein. At Outback, one of these options is the Bloomin' Burger, and it slaps just as nicely as a big steak does. Take a night off of steak and check this thing out for sure.

The burger comes with a big juicy patty of beef topped with Bloomin' Onion petals, American cheese, spicy house-made pickles, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and bloom sauce. This item is great because not only do you get the great flavor of a burger, but you also get to enjoy the Bloomin' Onion as well. It's a delicious twofer that really gets the palate stoked. The petals are super crispy and add a great texture to the soft beef, and the bloom sauce gathers all the ingredients together in one creamy, zesty sensation that makes you totally forget steak is even on the menu.

Even though Outback Steakhouse is a solid spot to snag yourself a big juicy steak, there are other protein options available if you're not in the mood to tackle a slab of red meat. If you're looking for something much leaner, chicken is a great option. Outback has several chicken dishes available. One of these dishes is the Alice Springs Chicken, and when you look at the list of ingredients, you immediately think you've found a winner. But, the sad truth is, this will make you feel exactly the opposite.

The Alice Springs Chicken comes with a grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed mushrooms, bacon, melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and honey mustard sauce. On paper it sounds impossible to find a problem. However, a big problem definitely looms tall here, and it's the chicken. The chicken is super dry, and every bite leaves your mouth feeling more and more parched. You'd think that the array of other ingredients, especially the honey mustard, would combat the dry meat, but it doesn't. The rest of the ingredients are tasty, but any enjoyment you'd find from them is canceled out thanks to the overly dry texture of the chicken.

Crustacean enthusiasts everywhere rejoice when they see lobster tails as one of the available options on a menu. And how could they not? Lobster is such a luscious food, offering a juicy, sweet, and ocean flavor that commands respect. So, it's perfectly natural to feel excitement ripple through your belly when you see that Outback offers twin lobster tails. You don't get just one succulent tail but two to gobble up. However, you're going to want to put a screeching halt in that excitement.

The issue here isn't with the flavor of the lobster. The meat is sweet and a little salty, and a plunge into that cup of drawn butter has your taste buds singing songs of joy. The problem here is the amount of lobster meat on each tail. You want those suckers looking plump, ready to erupt in great flavor. But these are so disappointing. They don't even come close to filling you up, and seeing as they're one of the most expensive options on the menu, you'd expect a lot more bang for your buck. Pump the brakes on the enthusiasm you'll inevitably feel when you see this on the menu and go with something that's actually worth your money.

Ribeye steaks are hailed for their intense marbling and super tender texture. If you're the kind of person who loves those beautiful striations of fat running through your steak, the ribeye is hands down the cut to choose. The flavor from the fat seeps into the protein as it cooks, making each melt-in-your-mouth bite something to remember. This is exactly why Outback's bone-in ribeye is such a bummer. It doesn't offer any of the great qualities you're looking for.

When this thing hits the table, it's impossible not to stare in awe at it. It looks intimidating, but in the best way possible. The juices seep out the sides and pool up on the top, and your nostrils are smacked with a great rich steak scent. Then you take your first bite, and you realize your eyes and nose teamed up to deceive you. The texture of the steak is terrible. It's so overly chewy that you feel like your jaw muscles just went through Navy SEAL training. You keep chewing until your mouth is exhausted, but the bite still isn't ready for the swallow. This unappealing texture is a huge red flag, so go with another cut of steak instead.

When your sweet tooth starts complaining to you about the lack of attention you're giving it, it's tough to pass up a slice of cheesecake to round out a meal. That rich, coat-your-mouth dessert has a fantastic texture and sweet cream cheese flavor that checks all the boxes. This is what makes the New York-style cheesecake such an appealing option at Outback. But, even if you're a diehard cheesecake lover, do yourself a favor and opt for another dessert instead.

The slice of cheesecake you get here is big. In fact, the menu states it's "Aussie-sized." So, in terms of quantity, you're definitely getting your money's worth. You can choose either chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce drizzled on top. Visually, this thing looks incredible. When it comes to the actual flavor, however, this looming tower of creaminess lets you down hard. After that first bite, one word screams out to you: "bland!" This slice doesn't pack any of the sweetness cheesecake should, and it feels like you're just eating a slice of creamy texture without any flavor. Give this dessert a hard pass.

Salmon, when cooked correctly, has a wonderfully flaky texture that's so delicate that it almost melts onto your palate. It can be a fickle fish to prepare, however. If you leave it in the oven for even a minute too long, you end up with a chewy piece of meat that lacks the flakiness salmon is known for. At Outback, you can order up a salmon dish called perfectly grilled salmon, and based on the name, this fish should come out tasting, well, perfect. But the truth is that perfection is far from the word you would use to describe this dish to someone.

The words you would throw into a description of this fish are ""dry" and "bland." It's a sad truth, but it's a truth nonetheless. The seasoning on the salmon isn't actually that bad, which makes the execution that much more frustrating. If the fish was cooked perfectly like the name implies, the seasoning would allow this flavor to take off like a culinary rocket ship toward the savory stratosphere. The tangy remoulade sauce the fish is served with does manage to add some moisture, but not in any way that would make this a dish worth exploring.