Our family of 3 joined some friends for dinner Sunday evening (9/6/2015) It has been several months since our last meal here. Once our food arrived we experienced the following: a.) My daughter ordered the 'No Rules Parmesan Pasta' - the description in the menu states "Fettuccine noodles tossed in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. " Her dish was noodles tossed in oil, served warm (not piping hot as it should be.) We asked the waitress for lots of Parmesan cheese and more sauce (the waitress did not even offer to replace the dish with a properly made one.) After almost 7 minutes of waiting the waitress arrived with a bowl of sauce and a small sauce cup containing about 1 Tbsp of shredded cheese. This was a poor "fix" for a dish that had turned ice cold waiting for the "fix." b.) My wife and I ordered the 'Flat Iron' steaks. I ordered mine medium rare - it arrived rare. (I did not even feel like telling the waitress, based on her lack of desire to fix the issue with the pasta dish.) The taste was OK, but it had a segment of gristle going through it that I had to dig/slice around, and I ended up not being able to eat at least an ounce or more of the steak due to this. My sweet potato was extremely small and had a hard black/green section at the end that the waitress confirmed was normal. Did I mention the steak was small? Very small. c.) My wife did not have the gristle in her flat iron steak, but it was small as well as her potato. d.) The waitress overall did a good job of keeping up with our requests (though some were slow, see a. above) but she was not the friendliest person we have ever encountered. e.) We were never visited by the manager (every time we have been here in the past the manager would come by and ask each table how everything was.) In summary, even with a 10% off coupon the meal for 3 people ended up being nearly $50.00 with tip (and we all had water to drink.) For this kind of money there are plenty of locally owned restaurants we could have chosen. Most of these local folks are concerned with ensuring their food and service are better than the best - they want you to come back. Based on my experience on 9/6/2015 I have no desire to return to Outback Steakhouse - I felt like I had been ripped off as I walked out the door - and I am surprised Outback in Roanoke has slipped to this level. (I have noticed their portions getting and smaller over several years' time.)
(2)
VJ R.
Avoid the blooming onions because they contain 1900 plus calories and 160 grams of Saturated Fat and 4000 mg of sodium. Yikes! They need post the calories on menu to warn people. Since we avoided the onion, we did enjoy our meals. The mahi, filet mignon, snow crab legs were good. The crab legs were decent at best. We finished with carrot and cheese cakes. Both were very good. They need to dim the lights. I guess that's a technique to get people to leave in hurry to help get more people in and out of the door. Overall, Outback is one of the better chain restaurants.
(3)
Laura G.
Great experience! Went for lunch today and was greeted and seated immediately! It wasn't busy at all around 11:30 when me and a friend of mine arrived! We sat in the bar area and our waitress was excellent and totally on top of things and super nice! My water glass was never empty (that's saying something because I drink a lot of water) I ordered the 6oz outback special with mixed vegetables and a side salad with their tangy tomato dressing. The steak was awesome and cooked perfect for me! The vegetables which were squash carrots and broccoli were seasoned great and cooked perfectly as well! The tangy tomato dressing on the salad was lower in calories and in fat which is why I got it (I'm normally a ranch girl) but it was great and I will definitely be ordering it again! My friend got the firecracker salmon with mixed vegetables and the side salad as well and she was also very pleased with her meal. A great experience with excellent food and great service!
(5)
Kara M.
Very disappointed yet again with curbside service food. My well done steak was OVER done & very tough. My husband's medium steak was well done. Garlic mashed potatoes were very salty. Cheese fries were missing the bacon & we didn't receive our requested extra spicy ranch. I've decided when i want a good steak I'm going to Longhorn.
(2)
Debbie J.
waitress announced half the ribs fell on the floor, only to be corrected by the mgr. that they hadn't hit the floor. my friend was missing his shrimp and scallop skewer, and after they checked the table looking for an 'empty skewer, did they show finally show up. loaded baked potato was naked. correction..again, the ribs didn't hit the floor, they set the plate down too hard beside the trash can. YIKES! compensated with free dessert and iced teas. NEVER AGAIN!!!!
(1)
John H.
Burger was good. Service was horrible though, first off they didn't bring silverware till we asked. Then they got a little frustrated at me and my girlfriend because we asked for napkins, may I also note that we were eating very greasy food that needed lots of napkins. Also they didn't even come back to check on us on us or even refill our drinks. Come ready to have very greasy hands and a parched mouth. I recall the manager having to keep coming over to various tables because they were giving other people bad service.
(1)
Mike W.
1 star because I have to give at least one. My family and I eat at Outback quite a lot, but never again at this location. Very poor service and one food order not cooked as requested. Slow drinks, food came with empty glasses and without one order. This order was not eaten as it cold by the time drinks were served and other meals were eaten. Not busy at the time, bit waitress seemed to be busy. Bar staff with an attitude. Did not even see the manager.
(1)
Barry L.
Restaurant chains are only as good as their local representatives is about as accurate as it can be put...I have dined at OBs all over the country and many times at this one in Roanoke it has always exceeded expectations....not anymore...new management in the last year has taken its toll...and the roll out of a new inferior OB special sirloin is part of the problem...when we arrived no one cared to greet us...we should have left....we sat at a booth at the bar....our server took the drink order over 10 mins later we got our drinks...we ordered appitizers which were excellent..we ordered our meal it took forever....I ordered my OB special rare this steak looked like a pork chop....sent it back the mgr brought it out she waited while I cut it but I couldn't cut it....I asked for a bigger knife she advised me that OB had down graded their quality of their steaks wow now you tell be....I have some OB gift cards if anyone wants them I don't need them anymore...and my stock in Bloomin Brands well at the first chance I will have my broker sell it...it took over two hours for us to eat ,,it was a very very bad experience ...Stay of 581 till you get to Valley View mall exit go to Logans Road House there you will get great service great steak and your moneys worth... Barry Leslie former OB fan
(1)
Keith Z.
4 stars for the service, 2 stars for the food. Had the Ahi Tuna app which was ok, wasn't the freshest Ahi I've ever had, but I am in the middle of Virginia, so understandable. Also ordered the 9oz Victoria Filet with blue cheese crumbles. Not impressed with the filet at all, looked like a sirloin when it came out, tasted somewhere between a sirloin and filet, so wasn't a great cut of meat. Wanted to give Outback another chance before I wrote off going back to any more Outback establishments, but the food quality at all that I've gone to has been subpar in quality for the price I've spent at all of them. I will say the service was very friendly and accommodating, but I'm not coming in to make friends, my main goal is carne consumption.
(3)
Rebekah J.
Upon entering because I was alone I was immediately seated in the bar, at this time I was left . After waiting quite some time I inquired about who my server was, a few minutes later a server comes over and in a very rude tone of voice and facial expression states that she was busy tending to another guest, I'm completely aware that these situations happen but the rudeness was uncalled for as I was very pleasant to her during the entire enter action.
(2)
Greg A.
It has been a while since our last visit and will be a lot longer before our next. Took forever to get our meal and when it finally came my steak was overdone. The manager made it right but he was spotted apologizing at 2 other tables around us. Stay on 581 to the mall and get a good meal at Logan's steak house.
(2)
L B.
Had an almost inedible meal here. Prime rib dip sandwich. Dipping sauce was terribly salty, as were the mashed potatoes. Service was bad, and manager did not seem to care. Won't go back.
(1)
Marty H.
I was reminded recently that chains are only as good as their local representatives when we stopped into this Outback restaurant Saturday night. It was prom night and the place was packed. Call ahead seating was a perfect way to deal with the wait and the service once seated was top notch -- among the best we have ever had in any restaurant -- kudos to management! But let's not stop there -- the food also exceeded our expectations for quality and variety. Yes, new items on the Outback menu that were very creative and well done like the avocado and crab appetizer - wow! Not every Outback is in this league but the Roanoke Outback Steakhouse should be on your list to try -- you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Bob H.
The food is not the issue, it was decent. However, with a coupon for LUNCH two tiny 6 oz steaks sweet potato and $6 extra for a very reduced sized Caesar salad and the bill was $34! WOW. Had I not used a coupon it would have been over $40 for tiny, tiny steaks that were really so so, nothing to write home about. Outback has always been a favorite of mine especially the Roanoke store, but we wont be returning with the new price strategy/smaller portion strategy. Remember when the Caesar salads were delicious and huge!?
(2)
Wayne H.
Visiting the area and always looking for the gluten free favorites. Server and food were great. Almost had a cross contamination issue with the salad, but manager stepped in to make everything right!
(4)
Ed B.
I was traveling late last night (12/12/12) with my son back from college and wanted to get something good to eat besides the usual "traveling" fast food fare. We decided on the Outback in Roanoke and arrived at the front door at 10:01 PM. We were met at the door by the hostess and after checking the time we assumed that we were too late. She was very nice and said "let me check." After a minute or two she came back and seated us just as the last customer for the night was leaving (besides us). The entire staff from that point forward went out of their way to provide us with one of the best meal experiences I've ever had. The service was friendly and polite, the chef and the owner came out to check on our meal and make sure everything was ok, which it was, everything was delicious. We were treated like we were the most important customer of the day. I would like to thank again, the staff from the Outback in Roanoke.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Matt C.
Our family of 3 joined some friends for dinner Sunday evening (9/6/2015) It has been several months since our last meal here. Once our food arrived we experienced the following: a.) My daughter ordered the 'No Rules Parmesan Pasta' - the description in the menu states "Fettuccine noodles tossed in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. " Her dish was noodles tossed in oil, served warm (not piping hot as it should be.) We asked the waitress for lots of Parmesan cheese and more sauce (the waitress did not even offer to replace the dish with a properly made one.) After almost 7 minutes of waiting the waitress arrived with a bowl of sauce and a small sauce cup containing about 1 Tbsp of shredded cheese. This was a poor "fix" for a dish that had turned ice cold waiting for the "fix." b.) My wife and I ordered the 'Flat Iron' steaks. I ordered mine medium rare - it arrived rare. (I did not even feel like telling the waitress, based on her lack of desire to fix the issue with the pasta dish.) The taste was OK, but it had a segment of gristle going through it that I had to dig/slice around, and I ended up not being able to eat at least an ounce or more of the steak due to this. My sweet potato was extremely small and had a hard black/green section at the end that the waitress confirmed was normal. Did I mention the steak was small? Very small. c.) My wife did not have the gristle in her flat iron steak, but it was small as well as her potato. d.) The waitress overall did a good job of keeping up with our requests (though some were slow, see a. above) but she was not the friendliest person we have ever encountered. e.) We were never visited by the manager (every time we have been here in the past the manager would come by and ask each table how everything was.) In summary, even with a 10% off coupon the meal for 3 people ended up being nearly $50.00 with tip (and we all had water to drink.) For this kind of money there are plenty of locally owned restaurants we could have chosen. Most of these local folks are concerned with ensuring their food and service are better than the best - they want you to come back. Based on my experience on 9/6/2015 I have no desire to return to Outback Steakhouse - I felt like I had been ripped off as I walked out the door - and I am surprised Outback in Roanoke has slipped to this level. (I have noticed their portions getting and smaller over several years' time.)
(2)VJ R.
Avoid the blooming onions because they contain 1900 plus calories and 160 grams of Saturated Fat and 4000 mg of sodium. Yikes! They need post the calories on menu to warn people. Since we avoided the onion, we did enjoy our meals. The mahi, filet mignon, snow crab legs were good. The crab legs were decent at best. We finished with carrot and cheese cakes. Both were very good. They need to dim the lights. I guess that's a technique to get people to leave in hurry to help get more people in and out of the door. Overall, Outback is one of the better chain restaurants.
(3)Laura G.
Great experience! Went for lunch today and was greeted and seated immediately! It wasn't busy at all around 11:30 when me and a friend of mine arrived! We sat in the bar area and our waitress was excellent and totally on top of things and super nice! My water glass was never empty (that's saying something because I drink a lot of water) I ordered the 6oz outback special with mixed vegetables and a side salad with their tangy tomato dressing. The steak was awesome and cooked perfect for me! The vegetables which were squash carrots and broccoli were seasoned great and cooked perfectly as well! The tangy tomato dressing on the salad was lower in calories and in fat which is why I got it (I'm normally a ranch girl) but it was great and I will definitely be ordering it again! My friend got the firecracker salmon with mixed vegetables and the side salad as well and she was also very pleased with her meal. A great experience with excellent food and great service!
(5)Kara M.
Very disappointed yet again with curbside service food. My well done steak was OVER done & very tough. My husband's medium steak was well done. Garlic mashed potatoes were very salty. Cheese fries were missing the bacon & we didn't receive our requested extra spicy ranch. I've decided when i want a good steak I'm going to Longhorn.
(2)Debbie J.
waitress announced half the ribs fell on the floor, only to be corrected by the mgr. that they hadn't hit the floor. my friend was missing his shrimp and scallop skewer, and after they checked the table looking for an 'empty skewer, did they show finally show up. loaded baked potato was naked. correction..again, the ribs didn't hit the floor, they set the plate down too hard beside the trash can. YIKES! compensated with free dessert and iced teas. NEVER AGAIN!!!!
(1)John H.
Burger was good. Service was horrible though, first off they didn't bring silverware till we asked. Then they got a little frustrated at me and my girlfriend because we asked for napkins, may I also note that we were eating very greasy food that needed lots of napkins. Also they didn't even come back to check on us on us or even refill our drinks. Come ready to have very greasy hands and a parched mouth. I recall the manager having to keep coming over to various tables because they were giving other people bad service.
(1)Mike W.
1 star because I have to give at least one. My family and I eat at Outback quite a lot, but never again at this location. Very poor service and one food order not cooked as requested. Slow drinks, food came with empty glasses and without one order. This order was not eaten as it cold by the time drinks were served and other meals were eaten. Not busy at the time, bit waitress seemed to be busy. Bar staff with an attitude. Did not even see the manager.
(1)Barry L.
Restaurant chains are only as good as their local representatives is about as accurate as it can be put...I have dined at OBs all over the country and many times at this one in Roanoke it has always exceeded expectations....not anymore...new management in the last year has taken its toll...and the roll out of a new inferior OB special sirloin is part of the problem...when we arrived no one cared to greet us...we should have left....we sat at a booth at the bar....our server took the drink order over 10 mins later we got our drinks...we ordered appitizers which were excellent..we ordered our meal it took forever....I ordered my OB special rare this steak looked like a pork chop....sent it back the mgr brought it out she waited while I cut it but I couldn't cut it....I asked for a bigger knife she advised me that OB had down graded their quality of their steaks wow now you tell be....I have some OB gift cards if anyone wants them I don't need them anymore...and my stock in Bloomin Brands well at the first chance I will have my broker sell it...it took over two hours for us to eat ,,it was a very very bad experience ...Stay of 581 till you get to Valley View mall exit go to Logans Road House there you will get great service great steak and your moneys worth... Barry Leslie former OB fan
(1)Keith Z.
4 stars for the service, 2 stars for the food. Had the Ahi Tuna app which was ok, wasn't the freshest Ahi I've ever had, but I am in the middle of Virginia, so understandable. Also ordered the 9oz Victoria Filet with blue cheese crumbles. Not impressed with the filet at all, looked like a sirloin when it came out, tasted somewhere between a sirloin and filet, so wasn't a great cut of meat. Wanted to give Outback another chance before I wrote off going back to any more Outback establishments, but the food quality at all that I've gone to has been subpar in quality for the price I've spent at all of them. I will say the service was very friendly and accommodating, but I'm not coming in to make friends, my main goal is carne consumption.
(3)Rebekah J.
Upon entering because I was alone I was immediately seated in the bar, at this time I was left . After waiting quite some time I inquired about who my server was, a few minutes later a server comes over and in a very rude tone of voice and facial expression states that she was busy tending to another guest, I'm completely aware that these situations happen but the rudeness was uncalled for as I was very pleasant to her during the entire enter action.
(2)Greg A.
It has been a while since our last visit and will be a lot longer before our next. Took forever to get our meal and when it finally came my steak was overdone. The manager made it right but he was spotted apologizing at 2 other tables around us. Stay on 581 to the mall and get a good meal at Logan's steak house.
(2)L B.
Had an almost inedible meal here. Prime rib dip sandwich. Dipping sauce was terribly salty, as were the mashed potatoes. Service was bad, and manager did not seem to care. Won't go back.
(1)Marty H.
I was reminded recently that chains are only as good as their local representatives when we stopped into this Outback restaurant Saturday night. It was prom night and the place was packed. Call ahead seating was a perfect way to deal with the wait and the service once seated was top notch -- among the best we have ever had in any restaurant -- kudos to management! But let's not stop there -- the food also exceeded our expectations for quality and variety. Yes, new items on the Outback menu that were very creative and well done like the avocado and crab appetizer - wow! Not every Outback is in this league but the Roanoke Outback Steakhouse should be on your list to try -- you won't be disappointed.
(5)Bob H.
The food is not the issue, it was decent. However, with a coupon for LUNCH two tiny 6 oz steaks sweet potato and $6 extra for a very reduced sized Caesar salad and the bill was $34! WOW. Had I not used a coupon it would have been over $40 for tiny, tiny steaks that were really so so, nothing to write home about. Outback has always been a favorite of mine especially the Roanoke store, but we wont be returning with the new price strategy/smaller portion strategy. Remember when the Caesar salads were delicious and huge!?
(2)Wayne H.
Visiting the area and always looking for the gluten free favorites. Server and food were great. Almost had a cross contamination issue with the salad, but manager stepped in to make everything right!
(4)Ed B.
I was traveling late last night (12/12/12) with my son back from college and wanted to get something good to eat besides the usual "traveling" fast food fare. We decided on the Outback in Roanoke and arrived at the front door at 10:01 PM. We were met at the door by the hostess and after checking the time we assumed that we were too late. She was very nice and said "let me check." After a minute or two she came back and seated us just as the last customer for the night was leaving (besides us). The entire staff from that point forward went out of their way to provide us with one of the best meal experiences I've ever had. The service was friendly and polite, the chef and the owner came out to check on our meal and make sure everything was ok, which it was, everything was delicious. We were treated like we were the most important customer of the day. I would like to thank again, the staff from the Outback in Roanoke.
(5)