Outback Steakhouse: Restaurant Review

These days anyone looking for a casual family-style restaurant has lots of choices. Outback Restaurant is a fine example of the concept. The restaurants have a rustic Australian decor, decorated with Aboriginal art, boomerangs, and other objects d’art reminding you of Australia. Founded in 1988, the chain has made a name for itself among the "steak houses."

We visited the Outback located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, adjacent to the Hampton Inn, at the junction of Pa. Route 22 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Nestled in a heavily traveled area, the restaurant is usually crowded, and was crowed on the night we visited. A group of six, we had an opportunity to sample a wide variety of entrées and appetizers.

Specializing in cuts of beef, the restaurant also provides pasta, fish, chicken, ribs, lamb, pork chops, shrimp, and crab leg dishes. Appetizers include the usual soups and salads, and chicken wings. Other appetizers are Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp ($7.79) and what they call the "Bloomin’ Onion," ($6.29) which they claim is an original but has been in other restaurants for years. The Darling Point Crab Cakes ($8.99) and the Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie ($7.79) were our favorites.

Most of the steaks can be ordered in sizes from 7 ounces to 12, 14 or 16 ounces. They are cooked to order, and seasoned with a secret" 17 spice blend. The largest cut, the "Melbourne" is a 20 ounce porterhouse. ($23.69). The Victoria "Crowned" Filet is a 7 or 9 ounce tenderloin topped with either a bleu cheese crumb crust or a horseradish crumb crust. ($18.49/$20.49). We found the "crowned" filet to have too much topping that overpowered the steak. The Prime Minister’s Prime Rib is oven roasted and comes in cuts of 8 ($15.49), 12 ($17.49) or 16 ounces ($19.49). The steaks are served with your choice of three different side salads or Walkabout soup, and sweet potato, garlic mashed potatoes, Jacket potato, Aussie chips, or steamed vegetables. The steamed broccoli is especially good.

The Outback Rack ($19.99) is a 14 ounce rack of lamb serve with its own sauce and a choice of salad, and can be served as chops if you prefer. We thought this dish was very good if lamb is to your liking. We tried a couple of the combination platters, the Drover’s Platter ($16.49) comes with ribs and chicken and cinnamon apples. The Queensland Chicken ‘N Shrimp ($12.99) is grilled chicken and shrimp over fettuccini Alfredo with a lemon sauce.

Overall, the experience at Outback was very enjoyable and pleasing. For a casual night out with family or friends, the atmosphere is pleasant and comfortable, and the food is good and wholesome. You should not be disappointed.