The last time we ate at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant was on July 2 & 3, 2020 near Washington, DC.
It was during the COVID “pandemic” restrictions. We decided to take a defiant one-month road trip. We planned stops at Graceland in Memphis, Pigeon Forge, Ashville, and DC. We included The Ark Encounter in Kentucky and Branson in Missouri. The Oklahoma City bombing site was also on our itinerary before heading back home to Texas.
We stayed two nights near DC. We were able to see President Donald Trump take off in the Marine One helicopter from the White House. He was on his way to celebrate Independence Day at Mount Rushmore.
Just across the parking lot from our hotel was a Texas Roadhouse. The food was so good, we went back for dinner the next day too.
Last Tuesday we traveled over an hour towards San Antonio to eat a late lunch at another Texas Roadhouse. It was our first time since our 2020 trip.
The restaurant was offering 10% of their sales to our local Medina Community Library. We decided to take our son Brady (who we picked up in Boerne) for a late lunch.
Our meals and the service were awesome. Brady gave his steak and shrimp meal a 9.3 rating (on a 1 to 10 scale). This was his highest rating in over 20 years of judging.
I agreed with Dodie on her review of a 9.1. We both enjoyed a 6 oz. sirloin steak, with broccoli/carrots medley and awesome green beans for sides.
Later, at home I did some research and discovered Texas Roadhouse is thriving. The global chain’s sales were up 15% in 2025, beating out other popular spots like Olive Garden and Chili’s.
We especially loved our experience not only because the food was good, it’s made from scratch, and it’s affordable.
Despite the state of the economy from “Biden Economics,” the chain managed to keep prices lower than inflation.
I learned that Texas Roadhouse is an international steakhouse chain with over 650 restaurants worldwide. The first restaurant opened in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana and is now based out of Louisville, Kentucky.
Our servers and other employees were friendly and welcoming. At first, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I am not impressed with loud music. Multiple screens tend to overload the ambience. Dodie asked our waitress if they could turn the volume down. They did and other diners near us were happy as well.
Just as Olive Garden has breadsticks and Red Lobster has Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Texas Roadhouse has its fresh-baked rolls. They were brought out with delicious honey cinnamon butter as she took our drink order. We were hungry because, at 3 pm, this was a very late lunch.
Although tempted, we didn’t order appetizers even though the menu listed popular options such as the Cactus Blossom. This is their version of a blooming onion made famous by Outback Steakhouse.
Other selections included fried pickles and rattlesnake bites (balls of jack cheese and diced jalapeños) all served with Cajun sauce for dipping.
Baked potato skins and steak fries are both available, topped with plenty of melted cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
The menu features boneless buffalo wings with a choice of mild or hot sauce. It also includes a basket of award-winning ribs. Additionally, a hearty Texas red chili is made with a from-scratch recipe.
The chain hand-cuts nearly all its steaks in-house, providing the freshest flavor possible. Leaner options include the sirloin and New York strip. The more tender choices are the Fort Worth ribeye and the Dallas filet.
For bone-in, the restaurant offers bone-in ribeye and a Porterhouse T-bone. There are also options, like the Road Kill. This is a chopped steak smothered with sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, and jack cheese. Another option is the filet medallions, which are three tender filets served with your choice of sauce and over seasoned rice. Most dishes allow guests to choose two sides, like some type of potato, veggies, or mac and cheese.
Ribs are another favorite at the chain. They are available in full or half racks. The ribs are smothered in the chain’s special blend of seasonings and signature barbecue sauce.
If seafood is more your style, a grilled Norwegian fillet salmon is available. It comes with a lemon pepper butter sauce. A fried, breaded catfish dish is also available.
You’ll also find half a dozen chicken dishes. The options range from fried and grilled ones smothered in gravy or cheese. Some are seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices. There are also basic chicken tenders and barbecue chicken.
Multiple cheeseburgers, plus chicken and pulled pork sandwiches, are also available. Other main dish options include grilled pork chops, country-fried sirloin, and beef tips.
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Like you, it has been a while since I have been to the Texas Road House. Thankfully, they have a loyal following. I look back fondly at the peanuts before dinner, the steak supper, and the service.
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Thank you. We noticed they had a bag for peanuts on a pail at the table. Appears that since the pandemic they switched to keep their restaurants “cleaner.”
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Like Mark, I enjoy the peanuts in a bucket! We have always enjoyed the meals we have had at various Texas Roadhouses. When we lived in Fresno, CA, we ate at one fairly often (3 or 4 times a year). We have eaten at one here in Lubbock a few times. It is just a few blocks from our home. But they are SOO busy, like, ALL THE TIME. There is always a crowd and a wait. So, unfortunately, we tend to opt for other places. Nevertheless, Texas Roadhouse is always on our list of ‘go-to’ restaurants.
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Our meal was at 3 pm, so that may be why it wasn’t too busy. We were seated immediately, but can imagine how crowded they could be. Thanks again.
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Your enthusiastic review of the service, atmosphere, and meals offered at The Texas Roadhouse has convinced me to try the one near us. It’s parking lot is always cram packed and now I understand why. 🙂
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We had good luck arriving at 3pm, but were pleasantly surprised . Thank you.
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