Outback Steakhouse is generally a solid place to grab a decent steak without taking out a second mortgage. But not every item on the menu is worthy of your hard-earned dollars.
While the chain has built a loyal following with steaks, oversized portions, and apps that contain your entire recommended daily calorie intake, some dishes simply aren’t worth the money — and may leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Sydney Shrooms
If you’re craving something battered and deep-fried, stick with the Bloomin’ Onion and skip the Sydney Shrooms, which might leave you wondering why you paid for a basket of oily mushrooms.
At around $9 to $12, the dish features battered and fried mushrooms served with house-made ranch. According to reviewers, what you actually get is mushrooms buried under a heavy coating of batter that kills the flavor.
“The only item I won’t touch [at Outback] is the Sydney Shrooms,” one Redditor said.
“The texture is absolutely off,” another added.
Aussie Cobb Salad
A Cobb salad should be one of the safest bets on any restaurant menu, but many diners say Outback’s version misses some of the ingredients that make the classic so appealing. Like… most of them.
A traditional Cobb comes loaded with staples like chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, and blue cheese, while Outback’s version — which can climb as high as $21, depending on the protein—has been criticized for serving mostly greens, a few tomatoes, stale croutons, and shredded cheese.
Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie
This might be one of the most hated seafood items on Outback’s menu, and we can only assume a small part of that is due to its obnoxious name. Australians don’t actually say “shrimp on the barbie,” but that’s far from the appetizer’s biggest problem.
For around $16, you get eight shrimp and a slice of garlic toast, and that’s about it. Reviewers describe the shrimp as bland, while some say the dish lacks the char from the said “barbie” and smokiness the name seems to promise.
Kingsland Pasta
Pasta on a steakhouse menu is already a bit of an overkill, but what’s even worse is that this is overwhelmingly underwhelming pasta. Outback’s Kingsland Pasta combines surf, turf, and Alfredo sauce into a giant comfort-food platter that tries very hard to justify its $26 to $35 price tag. According to many, however, it ends up being a jack of all trades and a master of none.
Fettuccine Alfredo topped with steak and shrimp sounds like a winner, but this one isn’t it. Customers complain about overcooked steak bites, bland Alfredo sauce, and a dish that somehow manages to be both heavy and lacking in flavor.
Tasmanian Chili
The steakhouse advertises its Tasmanian Chili as “all steak, no beans,” which sounds great if you’re the type of person who thinks beans are just filler. The problem is that reviewers say the dish often feels more like a watery stew than a hearty bowl of chili.
Customers have criticized it for being thin, overly spicy, and surprisingly light on the rich, meaty flavor you’d expect from a steakhouse. Some reviewers say the spice overwhelms everything else, while others complain that the chunks of beef can be fatty and inconsistent.
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Twin Lobster Tails
Outback’s Twin Lobster Tails sound like a splurge-worthy treat, but many reviewers say the dish suffers from a classic case of overpromising and underdelivering. To be fair, the flavor of the lobster is fine, described as sweet, tender, and perfectly suited for a dunk in drawn butter. The problem is the size.
At roughly $30 or more depending on location, reviewers argue that the portion simply doesn’t justify the price tag.
Bone-in Ribeye
Bone-in Ribeye lands on so many “skip it” lists despite sounding like one of the safest orders on the menu.
At approximately $35 to $40 depending on location, you’d expect the rich marbling and melt-in-your-mouth texture that made ribeye famous in the first place. Instead, some reviewers say the steak looks far better than it tastes, with the cut being surprisingly tough and chewy.
Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp
At around $16 for roughly eight shrimp, the Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp sounds like a tropical crowd-pleaser. Instead, customers frequently complain that the dish is so sweet it starts to taste more like dessert than an appetizer.
While coconut shrimp naturally carries a touch of sweetness, reviewers say Outback’s version cranks it up so far that the shrimp flavor gets completely lost in the process.
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