Texas Roadhouse seems like a safe bet when you’re hungry and want a good steak without breaking the bank. The restaurant greets you with free peanuts, those amazing rolls with cinnamon butter, and a fun atmosphere complete with line dancing servers. But here’s something most people don’t realize: there are specific things you should check and do before ordering to avoid disappointment and actually get the best value for your money. Some menu items are complete duds, while certain ordering tricks can transform your meal from average to amazing.
Skipping the steak case at the entrance
Most people walk right past that big glass case near the front door without giving it a second thought. That’s a huge mistake because you can actually pick out your exact steak before ordering. When you choose your own cut, you get to see the marbling, the thickness, and the overall quality of what you’ll be eating. Each steak in the case is marked with its weight in ounces, so you know exactly what size you’re getting. This is especially useful if you’re particular about how much fat or marbling you like in your meat.
The best part about selecting from the case is that you can request an off-menu size and get it cut to order right then. While the kitchen prepares standard sizes ahead of time during their prep work, asking for a custom weight means they’ll cut it fresh specifically for you. A 7-ounce filet isn’t on the menu, but you can absolutely order one. Just be prepared to pay a small upcharge for the custom cut. The exception is the massive 23-ounce Porterhouse t-bone, which comes pre-cut and frozen according to former employees since the kitchen doesn’t have a bone saw.
Not ordering medallions instead of the Dallas filet
The Dallas filet costs up to $27.50 for just 6 or 8 ounces of meat. Meanwhile, the three-medallion option gives you 9 ounces of the same tender filet cut for only $23.50. That’s more meat for less money, and most people walk right past this deal without realizing it. The medallions are cut from the same tenderloin as the Dallas filet, so you’re getting identical quality and tenderness. The only difference is how they’re portioned on your plate.
Here’s where it gets even better: you can add an extra 3-ounce medallion to your order for a small upcharge, bringing your total to 12 ounces of premium filet. That’s still cheaper than ordering the larger Dallas filet sizes. You can also add these extra medallions to other dishes like chicken, ribs, or seafood to make them heartier. Some people even add them to kids’ meals to bulk them up. This is one of those ordering hacks that can save you money while getting more of what you actually want on your plate.
Ordering the Porterhouse t-bone without knowing the truth
The Porterhouse t-bone is the most expensive steak on the menu at 23 ounces, combining both strip and filet in one massive cut. It sounds impressive, but this particular steak has a dirty little secret. Unlike every other steak at Texas Roadhouse, which gets hand-cut in the restaurant, the Porterhouse arrives frozen and pre-cut. The kitchen doesn’t have the equipment to cut through the T-shaped bone, so these steaks come ready to cook straight from the supplier.
This matters because frozen steaks never quite match the quality of fresh, hand-cut ones. The Porterhouse is also incredibly difficult to cook evenly because of its size and bone structure. You often end up with overdone, dried-out edges while the meat near the bone stays nearly raw. Even when servers ask how you want it cooked, the sheer size makes consistent temperature almost impossible. Former staff members on social media have confirmed this is one of the weaker options despite the premium price tag. Save your money and pick a different cut that’s actually hand-cut fresh.
Forgetting to request the prime rib end cut
Prime rib gets cooked completely differently than other steaks. Instead of being seared on a hot grill, it’s slow-roasted in a large piece until it reaches medium-rare or medium throughout. This makes it incredibly tender, but it also means you miss out on that charred, crusty exterior that adds so much taste to a regular steak. The inside of a prime rib roast stays pink and soft, while the ends get more exposure to heat and develop a darker, more seasoned crust.
Most customers don’t know they can request an end cut, which comes from the outer edges of the roast. These pieces have more of that delicious char and seasoning on the outside while still maintaining the tender interior. The kitchen actually keeps these end cuts in a special spot for people who ask for them. There’s a catch though: each roast only has two ends, so availability depends on how busy the restaurant is and whether someone else already claimed them. If the ends are gone, you can still tell your server you prefer more of the seasoned exterior, and they’ll look for pieces from closer to the end with extra crust.
Getting the country fried sirloin
This dish sounds like it should be a comforting Southern classic, but it falls flat in almost every way. The problems start with the name itself since it’s actually more like chicken fried steak with its extra thick breading and white gravy. That confusion is just the beginning of the issues. The entire plate gets overwhelmed by an intense saltiness that hits you from multiple directions. The breading, which is the same batter used on the Cactus Blossom appetizer, is loaded with sodium.
Then the gravy adds another layer of salt along with a weird smoky taste that doesn’t quite work. Underneath all that fuss, the actual sirloin is thin, chewy, and doesn’t have much taste of its own. It almost comes as a relief from the salty assault, but that’s not exactly a compliment. The whole dish feels like an afterthought rather than a carefully crafted menu item. If you want Southern comfort food, you’d be better off making it at home where you can control the seasoning and actually taste the meat.
Ordering mac and cheese as your side
For a long time, Texas Roadhouse simply served Kraft mac and cheese straight from the box as a side dish. Customers were paying $4 for a small cup of the same orange noodles they could buy at the grocery store for just over a dollar. That’s pretty disappointing when you’re at a restaurant and expect something you can’t easily make at home. While many locations have switched to what they call homemade mac and cheese, the new version isn’t much better.
The homemade version has way too much gloopy cheese sauce compared to the amount of noodles, creating an unbalanced mess. The cheese itself is extremely mild cheddar with barely any seasoning, not even basic salt and pepper. There’s no crispy topping, no breadcrumbs, no herbs, nothing to add texture or interest. You can pay an extra $1.29 to add cheddar and bacon on top, but that seems like throwing good money after bad. Some locations still serve the Kraft version, so you might not even know which one you’re getting until it arrives. With 16 side options available, there are much better choices.
Thinking the All-American cheeseburger is a safe choice
At a steakhouse, you’d think the burgers would be pretty good since they work with quality beef all day. The All-American cheeseburger looks promising when it arrives, stacked tall with a thick patty, lettuce, tomato, and onion all held together with a toothpick. But the moment you remove that toothpick and take a bite, everything falls apart both literally and in terms of quality. The patty itself is often overcooked and chewy instead of juicy and tender.
What’s really shocking is the complete lack of condiments or seasoning. The burger arrives with no mayo, no ketchup, no mustard, nothing. You’re expected to add all the sauces yourself, which seems lazy for a restaurant. The meat has no seasoning either, making it bland and forgettable. This is the kind of burger you could make at home for half the price and probably do a better job. The other burger options like the bacon cheeseburger or Barbecue Smokehouse might be better since they have extra ingredients to add some taste. But the All-American version is anything but the American dream of a perfect burger.
Getting steak fries instead of other potato options
Steak fries should be a simple win, thick-cut potato strips that are crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. Texas Roadhouse somehow manages to mess up this basic side dish. The main problem is that these fries arrive frozen rather than being cut fresh from real potatoes. That’s disappointing enough, but the execution makes it worse. The thick rectangular fries somehow lack both warmth and crispness when they hit your table.
They’re lukewarm at best and often soggy instead of having that satisfying crunch you expect from restaurant fries. The seasoning is minimal, leaving them tasting pretty plain. For a restaurant that prides itself on hand-cutting steaks fresh, using frozen fries feels like a letdown. There are better potato options on the menu like the baked potato, sweet potato, or mashed potatoes that will give you more satisfaction. The loaded versions of these sides add cheese, bacon, and other toppings that actually deliver on taste. The plain steak fries just aren’t worth the stomach space when you have so many other choices available.
Choosing green beans as your vegetable side
Green beans show up on lots of restaurant menus as a standard vegetable option, and other chains manage to make them taste pretty good. Texas Roadhouse’s version ranks as the absolute worst side dish you can order from their entire lineup of 16 choices. The beans come with bacon bits and diced onions in an attempt to create a homestyle dish, but both of these additions seem undercooked and don’t add much. Meanwhile, the green beans themselves are cooked so long they practically disintegrate.
Everything sits in a watery yet somehow greasy liquid that’s more like soup than a vegetable side. You might actually need a spoon instead of a fork to eat them. The taste doesn’t make up for the texture problems either. There’s a slight smokiness mixed with an odd sweetness, but mostly it’s just bland mush. If you want something green on your plate, the side salads or steamed broccoli are much better options. The broccoli actually has some texture left and doesn’t come swimming in mystery liquid. It’s hard to understand how a restaurant can nail those famous rolls but completely miss the mark on something as simple as green beans.
Walking into Texas Roadhouse without knowing these tips means you might waste money on disappointing dishes or miss out on serious value. Check out that steak case, ask for medallions, request prime rib end cuts, and skip the menu items that consistently let people down. These small changes can turn an average meal into something worth coming back for, all while keeping more money in your wallet.
