If there's one thing in North Carolina that's more plentiful that BBQ joints, it's Steakhouses. There are a million here, and as you might imagine, they are all packed on the weekends. At any of these you can expect to wait an average of one hour. Me, I hate them, generally. I find the food unimaginative and certainly the atmosphere is always lacking. But then, that's the snob in me. If you are really wanting to just get some good "stick-to-the-ribs" grub, then the Lone Star Steakhouse is as good as any.

The Lone Star Steakhouse we frequent with our carnivore friends is in Charlotte, North Carolina. When you first walk inside you will see a very tiny waiting area for maybe 3 families. Beyond that you will spy the smoky bar. Ours has a large buffalo head looking out over the dining room. The floors, walls and ceilings are made of wood. You almost feel as if you are in the Old West! Other western motif items grace the walls, as well.

During our wait we all ordered a few mixed drinks from the bar. I was not expecting much, but they were actually good! The two that I sampled were the Margarita and the Pina Colada. When your beeper finally does go off, you are ravenous and just about anything would taste good, I believe. We are seated at a booth, and I am happy to report that it was large enough so that we didn't feel cramped. The tables were also spaced nicely so you didn't feel your neighbors could hear your conversations.

The menu had a nice variety of offerings, if you like hearty food! The appetizers include Amarillo Cheese fries, which are a plate full of French fries topped with melted cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses, and bacon, and served with a side of Ranch dressing. Maybe it was just me, but these things were delicious, if not incredibly heavy! They also have hot wings, jalapeno poppers, mesquite grilled shrimp, Texas Rose (think bloomin' onion!), and ribs!

If you are really feeling hungry, the Lone Star Steakhouse offers combo platters with enough food for two people! If you are interested in eating on the light side (why would you come here?) then you may like a salad. They offer a green salad and a chicken Caesar salad, and the green salad is actually wonderful because they make their own salad dressings!

If you visit for lunch and just feel like a sandwich, they offer Mesquite grilled burgers with various toppings. The Lone Star Burger comes plain. The Texas Burger has mushrooms and sour cream. The Bubba Burger has cheddar cheese barbecue sauce and bacon. The Mexi-Burger has Chili and Cheddar cheese on it. The Willie Burger has Monterey Jack cheese and bacon on it. You may also get a Mesquite Grilled Chicken sandwich plain, or topped like the burgers.

What does everyone come to Lone Star for? The steaks, of course! Their steaks are all Mesquite grilled and come in a variety of cuts. They have all that you'd expect, such as Porterhouse and rib-eyes, but my favorite, of course, is the Filet. It comes wrapped in bacon and is cooked to your specification.

This restaurant is loud and boisterous, so it is a great place to take the kids. They have a pretty great selection for the kiddies to choose from, too: macaroni and cheese, hot-dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, and even a kid's steak! All kid's meals come with fries, a drink and ice cream!

If you can believe this, I've never had the pleasure of using the bathrooms in this restaurant, but the rest of the restaurant was pleasingly clean.

If you enjoy steak, and like crowds, definitely stop by for a visit to Lone Star. But you better bring your appetite!

Recommended: Yes