Longhorn Steakhouse has been a mainstay of Brainerd Road for the past 15-plus years. The Hixson location has been open since 2006. I’ve been to both, though neither frequently, simply because there are so many other chain-type steakhouses in town. At the suggestion of a reader who called, praising it over and over again, I paid the Highway 153 store another visit. And I’m really glad I gave it another go.
THE MENU
There are a couple of chicken and seafood dishes, but the mainstay of the menu is beef — chopped, stuffed with seafood, topped with a cheese crust, wrapped in bacon.
The order for two: Shrimp and Lobster Dip, house salad, Caesar salad, 8-ounce Renegade top sirloins, Chocolate Stampede.
I only got halfway through this gargantuan feast. The shrimp and lobster dip caught me by surprise. I thought it would be a ground-up mixture topped with breadcrumbs. Instead, it came in an oval gratin dish with whole shrimp and small bits of lobster in a seasoned cheese sauce. All of this was baked, then served with black and gold tortilla chips. The presentation was colorful, and the flavor and texture were very good — though if I had to quibble, I’d say the flavor of the lobster was a bit overpowered. On a fluke, we found the dip to be an excellent topping for our steaks.
I’ve always found top sirloin to be a rather tough cut, but somehow Longhorn makes it very tender. The Renegade seasoning they use adds a kick of flavor. Steaks are not inexpensive at Longhorn. The least-expensive is the 6-ounce Renegade at $11.99. It’s a small steak, but, with baked potato and salad, it’s all you need. The 8-ounce proved too big for me.
Salads are very fresh. Even though the house salad was made with iceberg lettuce, it was well-chilled and excellent.
Dessert is served Texas style — huge. Chocoholics will love the Chocolate Stampede. Get ready for a serious chocolate rush calmed somewhat by a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. It’s priced at $6.99 but plenty big enough for two.
IF YOU GO* Where: Longhorn Steakhouse, 5583 Highway 153 and 5771 Brainerd Road.* Phone: 870-2722 (Hixson), 490-0573 (Brainerd).* Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Sunday.* Price range: $4.49 (house-made chips and dip)-$25.99 (Flo’s Filet and Lobster Tail).* Alcohol: Full bar.
Best bets: Prime rib ($18.49-$20.99), Flo’s Filet ($17.99-$19.99), Longhorn salmon ($14.79-$16.29), Grilled Chicken and Stuffed Portobello ($11.99).
THE SERVICE
As expected, the servers are well-trained, so we had no problems.
THE SPACE
You’ll feel like you’ve taken a trip to the wild West when you enter. Cowboy decor abounds. The huge Longhorn steer head mounted above the bar is very impressive, though kind of scary. The restaurant is divided down the middle — bar on one side, dining room on the other. The bar has high tables and stools, along with several booths. The dining area is a combination of booths and tables.
THE VERDICT
Longhorn sets itself apart from other casual chain restaurants specializing in burgers and steaks. I’m glad I gave it a second shot. It’s now on my radar when a good steak is on my mind, though I’ll have to save my pennies.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6285.