Anyone disappointed in Outback lately?

[Kit'smommy]

We have an Outback less than 5 minutes from our house. It is really wonderful. However, we went through about a year long period a while back when they were off our list after 2 awful meals in a row. I'm glad we gave them another chance. For the last 18 months or so we have gone 2-4 times a monthe and have had excellent meals.

DH, DS and I ate there last night. I had the crab cakes and they were outstanding. Honestly, I don't I have ever had a good steak in any Outback, but I usually have very good luck with the seafood.

They do really vary from location to location.

 

[Squirlz]

They're mediocre at best, and their prices keep going up. There are several outstanding non-chain restaurants around to pick from.

I grill a better steak on my Weber than anything you can find in a restaurant! We got a Choice whole tenderloin for 5.99 a pound the other day.

 

[agnes!]

Like above poster, we gave up on them about 5 years ago. Their steaks are nasty, plain and simple. Go to Super Target and pick up one of their Sutton and Dodge brand steaks. They are about $6 a pound on sale. Throw them on your own barbie, and save $$. Yum.

We got a filet mignon roast fairly recently at Costco. I can't remember the price right now (cheaper than Safeway anyway) and the meat was "only" Choice Grade, but OMG was it *good*. No, not just good, it was GREAT.

Probably some of the best beef I have had for a decent price in I don't know how long.

It was so good that the next time we went in we got 2 roasts. I cut them into individual servings, we'll freeze what we don't eat. Yummmmmmmm.

agnes!

 

[SydneyBristow]

About 1 1/2 ago we got take out from Outback, I got cheese fries as my dinner and there was a wad of hair in them, the hair was melted into the cheese. It was so disgusting. We returned them and the manager apologized like crazy and refunded our money. We've never been back though, it was just too nasty.

 

[merekc]

My biggest complaint is that they take the good stuff off the menu. Please don't change your menu to serve the same stuff I can get in 15 other restaurants. Keep the unique items so I will come back.

Favorites that are now gone... Creamy Onion Soup (supposedly this is on the menu occassionally, but all they have on the days I'm there are French Onion or Baked Potato which I can get anywhere) and Tilapia covered in sundried tomatoes, artichokes and some cream sauce replaced with Tilapia with lump crab in some sort of almost gravy sauce NASTY.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

Well, I'm hoping someone from Outback Corporate will hear about this thread (not likely). Evidently this isn't an isolated problem.

 

[bicker]

I doubt it relates to Outback more than any other restaurant, national chain or local, despite protestations to the contrary.

 

[mhsjax]

My biggest complaint is that they take the good stuff off the menu. Please don't change your menu to serve the same stuff I can get in 15 other restaurants. Keep the unique items so I will come back.

Favorites that are now gone... Creamy Onion Soup (supposedly this is on the menu occassionally, but all they have on the days I'm there are French Onion or Baked Potato which I can get anywhere) and Tilapia covered in sundried tomatoes, artichokes and some cream sauce replaced with Tilapia with lump crab in some sort of almost gravy sauce NASTY.

They took the regular French Onion soup off of the menu here, and it was one of the kids favorites. Also the shrimp which was my youngest sons fav. He can't have dairy so the mac and cheese is out and he can get chicken fingers anywhere. I was so ticked off, we stayed for that dinner but we won't be back.

 

[hellokitty86]

We usually get Outback to go and lately they are always getting the order wrong and taking forever to get the food ready. We don't eat there nearly as much as we used to. Service has gone way, way down.

 

[dahirsh]

Charging for tap water? Seriously?

 

[mrsdon]

For those of you that visit WDW there is a super yummy steak house about 18 miles from there
It is off I-4 at exit 55 going south on 27
it is called Mannys
OMgosh the steak is AWESOME
On Wed they have buy 1 get one free fajatias
The house salad is sooooooo good.

 

[Piecey]

We won't be going back after our last experience. We went for a quick lunch between my grandmother's visitations and DH and decided to share because they were on dinner already. Everyone else got their own meals.

We ordered our steak well-done (pregnant, no pink for me!) and it came out BLEEDING all over the plate. It took 4 trips back to the kitchen and kept coming out pink and by the last time we got it, it was burnt to death on the outside. I just wasn't going to eat and DH took one bite and couldn't stomache it.

I left a comment online about our experience and the manager actually called me to tell me that he didn't understand what they'd done wrong, what did I expect?

NEVER will I go back there. Ever.

 

[Liann]

We've been to Outback once way back when it opened. Big ol steaks all around. They were mealy. I dunno how else to describe the texture. When we asked we were told it was Australian beef and that's just how it is. Okay but they tasted icky too. I don't even remember the service so it must've been okay. Didn't matter cuz the food sucked.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

We've been to Outback once way back when it opened. Big ol steaks all around. They were mealy. I dunno how else to describe the texture. When we asked we were told it was Australian beef and that's just how it is. Okay but they tasted icky too. I don't even remember the service so it must've been okay. Didn't matter cuz the food sucked.

That's what you get when you stick out your tongue at the waiter...

 

[Liann]

That's what you get when you stick out your tongue at the waiter...

LOL! What can I say? I don't hide my feelings well.

 

[izzy]

I hadn't been to the Outback in a few years, and just went to one the other week. I didn't like their new menu at all. My mom and I used to order the Drover's platter (chicken and ribs) and would split it. No more Drover's Platter on the menu. The cheesecake we got was about 1/3 the size it used to be. At least they did lower the price on it. Seems to me that I also used to get a salad with my meal and now they charge extra for it.

Outback management, if you are listening, please go back to your original menu! It was so much better!

 

[Muushka]

We got a filet mignon roast fairly recently at Costco. I can't remember the price right now (cheaper than Safeway anyway) and the meat was "only" Choice Grade, but OMG was it *good*. No, not just good, it was GREAT.

Probably some of the best beef I have had for a decent price in I don't know how long.

It was so good that the next time we went in we got 2 roasts. I cut them into individual servings, we'll freeze what we don't eat. Yummmmmmmm.

agnes!

Only choice? Choice is great! For those who don't know, worst cut is select (which is what BJ's sells for their fillet), then choice (Sam's and Costco sell it) and Prime (I have yet to find that in a store but I read on slickdeals that Costco had it a while back).

I doubt it relates to Outback more than any other restaurant, national chain or local, despite protestations to the contrary.

I am certain an argument will follow, but I believe it relates to Outback's lowering their standards. I would not have eaten there these past few years except we kept getting gift cards from the in-laws as gifts. I happen to love Macaroni Grill and I think you mentioned that as a place that has been disappointing whereas I have found it consistently delicious. I know many people who will no longer eat at Outback.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

We went last week around 4:30pm. Hardly anyone was in there. We sat for about 10 minutes with no one coming around to take our drink order or anything. We left and the manager was standing at the hostess station so I told her what had happened. She said she would serve us but really that is too little too late. I work hard for my money and in this economical climate, I will spend it somewhere that appreciates it's customers.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Yes, seriously. I was charged for tap water at the Outback's in Clermont, FL.

I had dinner in a Macaroni Grill in SC several months ago. I couldn't wait to get home to take my wife out for the same meal. We have a new Macaroni Grill very near us. It was terrible.

We spoke with the GM who was a very nice man, but who did absolutely nothing to correct the situation. We actually had to go to another restaurant that night for dinner!

We won't be returning.

I think service is failing in many restaurants and prices are creeping up. Quality is sliding. It's not just Outback to be sure, and it's not the economy for that particular chain. They were sliding badly over a year ago.

What really surprised me was the quality of food at our local (again new) Mimi's. We had company over the weekend who had a young child with them. We went to Mimi's on the way home from Sea World because we were all a little tired and we felt the child would be ok in that setting. The food was surprisingly well prepared. The service was good, too. We may go back!

 

[DMickey28]

Charging for tap water??? Has anyone asked about that? I was shocked last time we went out to see soda for $2.75 now. That's crazy ...

Our Outback is slacking big time over the last few months. Never noticed it before that. In January we had a horrible experience and got a few meal out of it. We just had that meal on Friday. We do takeout because it's easier with DS. It's just around the corner. The meal on Friday was fine, nothing to complain about really. They did change their wings which DH didn't like but was fine with me.