They should call it Don't Come Back
Written: Feb 05 '02 (Updated Feb 11 '02)
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Pros: The Coronas were good
Cons: but the steak!!
The Bottom Line: A great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to eat there.
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| jatooley's Full Review: Outback Steakhouse |
After hearing raves about The Outback Restaurant from my friends, a couple of business associates of mine and I visited the Outback in Oceanside.
General Appearance:
The theme at the Outback is Australian. There are Aussie references everywhere, such as on the menu where you can choose an Aussie Cheese Fries or Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp Appetizer.
The Service:
I was very pleased with the service at The Outback. The first time I went to The Outback, it was on a Saturday night, and the wait was over an hour so we went to Black Angus down the sidewalk. The second time, it was late Thursday afternoon, and we were able to sit down very quickly. The waitress was very friendly, and knew her menu very well.
The Appetizer:
We ordered the Aussie Cheese Fries. This was an order of French Fries topped with Monterey and Cheddar Cheese, and Bacon, topped with Ranch Dressing. Although this particular item would give a cardiovascular surgeon nightmares, it was very tasty and was delivered almost immediately after we ordered it. The cost was reasonable for $6.95 and there was more than enough for the three of us.
The Main Course:
I have to admit that I almost never complain about food that is served to me. I guess in the back of my mind, I don't want to be treated like the kid in Road Trip that asked if the powdered sugar could be removed from his french toast.
All three of us ordered the Ribeye Steak. Somewhere in this bloody pile of gristle and fat, I believe there was some USDA grade beef, but I never found it.
I know that a few of you that are reading this are screaming that I should have said something, but how could a place that specializes in steaks serve such an inferior piece of beef? Also, I could see that the other two examples on my table appeared to be as poor as mine.
The baked potato was better than the steak. The baked potato was very good, but the skin was drenched in salt.
The Price: Our meal consisted of 3 Ribeye Steaks at $19.95 a piece, 6 Coronas at $2.50 and the aforementioned Aussie Cheese Fries. The total bill came out to $102.57 with a $15.00 gratuity.
The Bottom Line:
There are plenty of moderate priced restaurants out there that actually serve a steak dinner worthy of twenty dollars. Stuart Anderson's, Red Lobster, and even Applebee's have always delivered a much better steak than the one I received at Outback that evening. Now don't get me wrong, none of these can compete with steaks from Donovan's, Ruth Chris or Fleming's (The best steak I have ever had in San Diego), but for the price, they are definitely more deserving of your dollars than Outback.
I guess some may make a case that I received a bad steak, and after reading many praises for the Outback, this may be the case, but in a highly competitive business, where word of mouth, and quality means everything, a business can not afford to serve up anything short of their best, especially to someone that is making a first visit.
Recommended:
No
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Although I had a terrible Ribeye, my friends tell me that there Filet is very good. After my first experience, I doubt that I will give them another chance.
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
jatooley
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Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 3 members
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