7 Worst Texas Roadhouse Dishes to Order
The popularity of Texas Roadhouse is undeniable. Known for its good value, welcoming family-friendly vibe and delicious food, the restaurant is one of the top chains in the U.S. It’s a great spot for an affordable steak dinner done right and while many of the menu items are made from scratch and have generous portions for the money, there are a few items that customers recommend skipping. According to diner reviews, here are seven dishes that should be avoided.
Cactus Bloom
Who doesn’t love crispy battered fried onions and dipping sauce? Texas Roadhouse offers the Cactus Bloom, which diners often compare it to Outback Steakhouse’s The Original: Bloomin’ Onion. On Reddit, one diner wrote, “I enjoy Texas Roadhouse more than Outback….but if you want a bloomin onion…you don’t go to Texas Roadhouse.” Another shared, “There’s only one place with a proper Bloomin Onion… and that’s the ole Outback.” And on Yelp, one reviewer wrote, “Cactus bloom tasted ok, not as crispy as I thought it would be. The sauce made up for it though.”
Country Fried Chicken
Country fried chicken is a crunchy, satisfying dish, but not all customers approve of the savory meal at Texas Roadhouse. A Yelp reviewer recently wrote, “It was on the salty side, I don’t know if it was just so happen to be just our dish or that is how it is supposed to be. I don’t think we will order that again.” Another diner shared, “I ordered a country fried chicken and ended up getting a country fried steak and I did not enjoy it . My daughter ordered the country fried chicken she liked it but I did not it was to thick and not tender at all . So basically I did not enjoy my food it ruined my appetite.”
BBQ Chicken
When prepared properly, BBQ chicken is tender, moist and just the right amount of tangy BBQ, but a few customers have complaints about the dish at Texas Roadhouse. A diner wrote on Yelp, “I would not recommend the bbq chicken. Very disappointed in how this was prepared. Taste was more like a cooked chicken breast with bbq sauce on top.” Another shared, “the barbecue chicken came out cold. I wasn’t really a fan of that. A third wrote, “Worst food ever. Go to Cracker Barrel. Bbq chicken tasted like tv dinner but less taste.”
The Gravy
While Texas Roadhouse makes its gravy fresh daily, one diner swears it tastes “fake.” The person wrote on Yelp, “I’m a southern cook, I know southern food and they’re taking short cuts with gravy and sides, they’re using some package fake mix stuff and I hated that.” A second also confirmed the gravy isn’t great and wrote, “the brown gravy for the mashed potatoes was nasty and had a weird taste.”
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a classic side and go perfectly with steak or chicken, but some are not impressed with how Texas Roadhouse serves their version. One customer on Yelp wrote, “I’ve also had the loaded mashed potatoes here, but I didn’t really like the mashed potatoes. Very bland tasting, even with cheese and bacon on top.” Another Yelper rated the mashed potatoes 2.3 out of 5 and wrote, “Under seasoned potatoes and gravy.”
Prime Rib
Prime rib has long been a staple at Texas Roadhouse, but people have been vocal about the poor quality. One Yelp reviewer rated the prime rib 1.5 out of 5 and wrote, “Chewy, and very very fatty. Got the 16 oz but I swear half of it was just fat. Underseasoned. Wouldn’t get again.” Another shared, “I love Texas Roadhouse!! But I also love prime rib and it has to be medium rare and Texas Roadhouse just doesn’t have medium rare prime rib.” A third confirmed it wasn’t great and wrote, “I wasn’t too impressed with the prime rib that I had.”
Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a go-to side for many, but for some Texas Roadhouse doesn’t deliver on the popular comfort food. One customer rated the mac and cheese 1.2 out of 5 on Yelp and compared it to Craft. Another Yelp reviewer wrote, “The mac & cheese was not good at all.” A second diner agreed and shared, “I did not care for the Mac and cheese. It was worse than the cheap box Mac and cheese.”
