11 Best Menu Items At LongHorn Steakhouse That Aren't Steak

Steakhouses are like a great pair of jeans that you can dress up or dress down. You can go fancy, celebrate a birthday, or perhaps treat yourself to a nice long lunch with friends or coworkers. However, a lot of steakhouses get overlooked during these times because they are not seen as a versatile option.

Places like LongHorn Steakhouse, which doesn't take reservations or require a tie, can get pigeonholed because of its name. Eating a steak is rarely done on a whim or commonly thrown out as a group suggestion. But the best thing about a truly good steakhouse — it generally offers so much more than just a Grade A cut of beef.

I've worked at some of these "good" steakhouses, and I know you can generally expect a menu packed with hearty soups, big salads, seafood options, great appetizers, and tempting desserts. No matter the size of the group or the size of the appetite, a good steakhouse should be able to satisfy everyone on any occasion. And I'd like to say, I was pretty impressed with how LongHorn Steakhouse upholds the true meaning of the name. There is really something for everyone to enjoy.

You may not know this, but a steakhouse is an excellent place to get a piece of salmon. And in great steakhouse fashion, you will find LongHorn's salmon is marinated (for 4 hours, I was told) in bourbon (I heard is Ten High) in what is touted as a secret recipe that was shared with the founder on a fishing trip in the '80s. And after trying it, I can say it's a secret worth sharing.

There is something sweet in the marinade that caramelizes on the top of the salmon while it's on the grill, creating a sweet, slight crisp to every bite. You can taste the bourbon, some smoke, and a sweetness that carries through, but none are overwhelming or strong. It was cooked perfectly, flaky and juicy. This may be because LongHorn makes a separate marinade that is sauced over the fish while it's cooked. And then it's served up on a bed of rice pilaf that is both fluffy and flavorful, bursting with the sweet and sharp taste of peppers.

It comes in two different sizes and is even available in a combo or as a salad. But anyway you get it served, if you enjoy a good salmon dish, you will be so satisfied.

Another seafood item you can get at any steakhouse worth its salt is shrimp. And it was nice to see LongHorn step out on its own on this one. Something I had never encountered before in my restaurant career is tomato butter, which is what LongHorn brushes over the shrimp while on the grill. And I was surprised at how amazing it tasted.

I would not normally pair shrimp with tomatoes, but the tomato butter creates a rich, subtle coating that is both sweet and smokey. It was a very unique taste that I could not get enough of. While tasting the other menu items, I kept getting pulled back to have just one more of these delectable treats.

The shrimp are fat and juicy. They were cooked perfectly. And again, served on the tasty rice pilaf we've already talked about. You can choose from an 8 or 12 count, enjoy them as part of a combo meal, or add them on the side of your steak for a great pairing.

Longhorn is proud of its parmesan crust. You will find it on many of the menu items, and it's even available to add to anything not already crusted. And while I'm a big fan of a crust, I am not so much a fan of a creamy chicken. But for those folks that are fans and enjoy dishes like fettuccini alfredo, I would suggest trying this out.

The "crust" is a robust flavor of parmesan, cream, and salt, with a nice texture of toasted panko. It holds the same heaviness you would expect from a bechamel or hollandaise sauce. However, the chicken holds its own as a dense, succulent, simply seasoned cutlet. Paired together, this is both a flavorful and filling option.

LongHorn's ribs are exactly what you hope for when you order ribs at a steakhouse. The secret seasoning rub and housemade BBQ sauce is well done, but nothing flashy. It's thick and sticky with all the right levels of maple sweetness and strong enough to hold onto the meat. But it's not what makes these ribs the excellent choice they are.

The ribs themselves made me want to ask for the supplier. They are thick, meaty, moist, and tender. There were no off-putting bites of fat. None! Which is usually the biggest issue I run into. And size of the bite between ribs is a generous mouthful, the other big issue that seems to arise in restaurant ribs.

These ribs were so satisfying. Crispy on top and fall of the bone frailty on the bottom. Forget about the other BBQ-specific joints. LongHorn may just be my new go-to place for ribs.

LongHorn keeps it simple with it's pork chops. Again, we're not looking at anything flashy here, no sauce or crust, or really even a visible seasoning mix. They look and taste like they had been tossed in a nice salt and pepper, flour mix like one might do at home. But that's not to discount this dish. Although simply seasoned, these pork chops deliver in a delicious fashion.

They are thick and cooked to perfection, which is something not many of us can accomplish at home. So, this is when a nice steakhouse really comes in handy: the execution.

Trimmed of fat and cooked just to temp, pork chop fans are going to love this dish. I would suggest pairing them with the mashed potatoes, because the juice in these chops needs something to sop it up. And you are not going to want to waste this flavor. This is comfort food at its best.

The LH Burger is a definitive steakhouse burger. It's substantial in size and well-seasoned. Dressed in the general burger finery of lettuce, tomato, and pickles, it comes topped with a few thick cuts of applewood smoked bacon. And you can choose between American, Swiss, provolone, or blue cheese.

If you're in the mood for a burger when you go to LongHorn, this is absolutely going to satisfy. It has a fun secret burger sauce that is sweet and tangy, which I would suggest getting a side of, so you will have extra to dip your fries. It's not a burger I would go out of the way for, but it meets its mark.

What I will say is this: From a former food service industry worker, please don't undercook your burger. Go mid-well, at the very least. You can go lower temps on a steak because there are only two points of contact with a blade: the sides. And those are cooked high enough to kill bacteria. A meatgrinder, on the underhand, touches almost everything. It's not worth the risk.

If you don't think you can achieve this heat level of safety without sacrificing the taste of your burger, go see the cooks at LongHorn. They will hook you up!

I cannot say enough good things about LongHorn's strawberry salad. First of all, I had this salad in the dead of winter. It was snowing outside. And this salad was cut fresh that morning. All of the salads are prepped fresh every day. But I was stunned at the flavor of that freshness. The mandarin oranges were plump and pulpy. The strawberries tasted like they had come straight from the garden. They were peak summertime sweet. Even the grapes tasted freshly picked. The field greens were crisp and expertly chopped into mouth-sized pieces without being shredded.

It was so easy to get a bite of all of the flavors at once. It immediately transported me from the grey, wet, cold winter back to warm weather and sun on my face. Then there is more! There are candied pecans that are such a treat to the pallet. Feta chunks add a nice richness, balancing the sweetness well. And the raspberry vinaigrette adds another berry to your bowl of summer. You can get this as an entrée salad with grilled chicken, which I imagine is excellent. Or you can add this to your side salad, like I did. And I was delighted at that choice.

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, there are two very distinct camps: solid or soupy. I like to lean towards creamy over dense, and LongHorn is thankfully on my side about this. The macaroni and cheese, which is made with cavatappi pasta, is a creamy, saucy, cheesy decadence.

The parmesan is strong, but the dish is topped with crusty parmesan breadcrumbs. However, there are levels of richness that come through from the other cheeses. The applewood bacon, while tasty and pleasing, overwhelmed the lobster. I actually couldn't really taste the lobster, not for lack of trying, but I can't say I missed it.

The macaroni and cheese is good on its own. It gets bonus points for the bacon. But as far as getting it topped with lobster, I wouldn't bother going that far.

Like many other steakhouses, LongHorn's has a loaded potato soup. I was also pleased to see it offers French onion soup. However, it was the chowder that enticed me. Chowder is not too often seen in my neck of the woods. Going in, I couldn't even say that I knew if I was a chowder fan or not. And I still don't know.

The chowder was interesting. It was creamy and not too rich. I enjoyed the bites of corn, shrimp, and lobster. I feel like I tasted hints of paprika, something smokey with a touch of heat. But I feel like the full experience of chowder may have been lost on me.

I think for those who know if they like a good chowder, this is something that would make them happy. It offers a very comforting taste, like one you get from a hearty stew. It certainly paired well with the cold weather. I don't know if I will get it again, but I would recommend it.

I love stuffed mushrooms and had to try these. I've found that it can be hard to get a hearty stuffed mushroom without a meat or seafood integration. And I can say I was more than impressed with how well LongHorn did it with cheese alone.

To read the description it actually sounds almost overwhelmingly cheesy — stuffed with white cheddar, topped with parm, served in a four-cheese sauce. But I'm happy to report it's anything but.

The ample meat of the mushrooms serves up an earthy taste that grounds the cheese in a way that allows you to enjoy all of the different tastes and textures. Creamy, sharp, salty, and overly satisfying. Paired with the fresh bread brought to the table or a side salad, you could easily make a small yet delectable meal with this app.

I appreciate and cannot pass up a strawberry shortcake-type dessert. It's my absolute favorite, but I can be quite picky about my shortcake and have high expectations of how this dessert is served. And I'm more than happy to say LongHorn delivered to the very end.

The sponge is spot on. Not cakey, but not so dense, your spoon bounces away. It's pillowy and soft and soaks up just enough of the strawberry glaze to be moist and still solid, making it easy to get a bite of all flavors along with a slice of fresh strawberry.

The cream is smooth and isn't overly sweet. Dense but delicate, it blends seamlessly with the fruit and vanilla aspects. It was a large portion, enough to share but not so heavy I wasn't able to enjoy some dessert after dinner. While I'm usually one to pass on the dessert, this is something that will be an exception to that rule.

I went to LongHorn during their downtime after lunch, but before the happy hour and dinner crowd began. The staff and kitchen were more than accommodating about me tasting so many of the menu items. They were able to allow me to photograph the items and, over the course of a few hours, taste fresh ones, so I had the same experience as a regular customer.

Knowing my way around a steakhouse came in handy. I know what to expect from a good steakhouse — flavor, correct temperatures, texture. But I also know the basic taste profiles of each item, so I was able to start with the lighter flavors and move to the more complex, as not to unbalance my palette. The bread also came in handy during this process.

I took at least three bites of each item to ensure I was giving them all a fair shake. Was it juicy? Salty? Too much or too little? And I did go back for extras on the shrimp, salmon and ribs at the end. I even tried the menu items in the photos that weren't discussed. All of the meals should be good, am I right? And the only thing I would change about those items is to get my Caesar dressing on the side. A little goes a long way in salad dressing.

I kept money in consideration for all things and judged based on the cost as well. Could I have just as easily made this at home and cheaper? And I have a long history in the kitchen, so my bar is kind of high on this one. But it never took me the full three tasting bites to decide these dishes were worth it. All of them. I will be going back to LongHorn. I already know what I will order (the salmon) and what I will be taking to go (all the strawberry items) for later.