12 Outback Steakhouse Dishes You Should Skip

With more than 600 locations across the United States and restaurants everywhere from Hong Kong to Saudi Arabia, it's no secret that Outback Steakhouse is one of the most well-known casual dining chains out there. But, despite all the boomerangs, Bloomin' Onions, and menu names borrowed from the Outback, Outback Steakhouse is about as authentically Australian as a backyard barbecue in Tampa, Florida, where it was actually founded.

It's not just inauthenticity causing some side eye when it comes to Outback, either. After struggling with declining sales and a wave of restaurant closures, it's clear the chain has some explaining to do — especially when it comes to the number of dishes that customers and even employees say just aren't worth your money (or your health) anymore. From frozen ingredients and shrinking portions to recipes that many believe have gotten worse over the years, these are the Outback Steakhouse dishes we'd skip if we were you.

For a dish packing a whopping 2,060 milligrams of sodium, you'd expect the Queensland Chicken & Shrimp Pasta at Outback Steakhouse to at least be a little flavorful. Somehow, it isn't. One of the biggest complaints from customers is that the dish manages to taste shockingly bland.

Former employees aren't exactly helping its reputation, with one spilling the tea that the dish earned the nickname "The Paste" among kitchen staff because of how the gloopy sauce congeals into a thick sludge when left under the heat lamp (via Ever After In The Woods). It's not like the sauce is doing the noodles any favors, either, since they always seem to be too dry. Allegedly, the noodles are also microwaved and the minuscule shrimp are often unpleasantly rubbery in texture. One reviewer on TikTok said the shrimp also tasted like freezer burn, suggesting quality may be another issue altogether.

Once upon a time, Outback's mac & cheese was revered. In fact, it left such an impact that nostalgic customers still daydream about the old recipe, with some saying they'd pay top dollar for it today. Sadly, many believe the current one at Outback just doesn't hit the same way it used to, prompting fans to scour the internet for the OG recipe rather than accept the new version. The culprit? Switching ingredients in an effort to knock down the calorie count, according to a former employee on Reddit. Good for the waistline, sure, but not for flavor and texture.

According to one employee, the mac & cheese is often prepared without enough cheese and then left to sit in the window, so by the time it reaches the table, the noodles are dry from being under the heat lamps. Another employee points to a possible cause, saying they started noticing the issue with dryness when the restaurant switched from making sauces in-house to using pre-made bagged sauces.

While Outback is trying its best to win back fans with its new bacon mac & cheese with creamy Alfredo, customers are less than impressed, calling it an inferior dish with less seasoning and cheap bacon bits.  "I just ordered it and it's the worst thing Outback could've done," one unhappy Reddit user complained. "I will never be back."

Deep-fried mushrooms might sound like a slam dunk, but Outback's Sydney Shrooms seem to miss the mark for many who order them. Instead of biting into a perfectly crispy crust with a meaty mushroom center, customers complain about rubbery and slimy mushrooms that are practically suffocating under a thick layer of overcooked breading.

A big problem is that the mushrooms soak up too much oil during frying, which produces an uncomfortably heavy appetizer that doesn't deliver much on flavor. The mushrooms are often described as watery, while weird textures is another common complaint. Others declare Sydney Shrooms the one thing on the menu they refuse to touch. Even those who stand by the Sydney Shrooms admit that it struggles with consistency issues — sometimes the mushrooms are fried to perfection, while other times they're a greasy mess.

Another problem is the lack of bang for the buck. According to a former employee, she didn't think the Sydney Shrooms were worth ordering. "The problem was that they were served in a dish way too large, so it seemed like you were paying $15 for three mushrooms," she told Business Insider.

While ordering a salad at a steakhouse may feel like the responsible move, Outback's salads leave much to be desired when it comes to the protein-to-greens ratio. For example, one customer complained about ordering a steak salad for $25 and only receiving four small pieces of meat and three cherry tomatoes. The grilled chicken salads don't seem any better, with one customer complaining on Facebook, "I asked for a chicken salad, not a bowl full of grass and cucumbers." It's not just their imagination, either — one employee even admitted on Reddit that the restaurant is intentionally stingy with chicken and steak portions on its salads.

The quality of the greens has also been a topic of discussion, with some reviewers saying they found rotten pieces of lettuce in salads that looked like they were several days old. Other common issues include the salads being drenched in so much dressing, they're nearly inedible, and topped with excessively fatty cuts of steak that look old and dry.

This cheesy, comfort-food appetizer used to be a fan favorite. But, nowadays, Aussie Cheese Fries seems to just be a shadow of their former selves. Allegedly, the downgrade comes from the restaurant switching from freshly shredded cheese to pre-shredded cheese, which just doesn't melt nearly as well. And, speaking of cheese, there's also much less of it now from Outback reportedly taking portion control more seriously in recent years.

It seems that corner cutting is the dish's biggest downfall. "The fries used to be cut fresh, but now they are all bagged frozen," one longtime employee told Reddit. "Sad truth." Allegedly, they fries are also finished inside a combi oven alongside other foods, so they absorb the flavor of whatever else happens to be cooking that day — and, yes, that includes a hint of burnt fries from those sitting at the bottom of the oven.

Okay, this one might be controversial, but, hear us out — just because something is iconic doesn't mean it's without flaws. If we're being real, the Bloomin' Onion can sometimes be so greasy it's almost inedible. Then there's the problem with how it's made. Since it's difficult to cook the onion through before the batter is fried, the onion is often nearly raw while the crust is overdone. Never mind the textural nightmare — because of this, the crust frequently slips off the onion, which basically defeats the entire purpose of the dish.

The appetizer also seems to be getting smaller and smaller, fueling shrinkflation accusations. Some diners have even shared photo evidence of recent Bloomin' Onions that look so small, you'd think the server forgot half your order. Once a dish that could easily feed four to five people, it now seems barely enough for two.

Of course, the Bloomin' Onion shrinking in size might not be the worst thing, considering it's an absolute nutritional monster, placing it among appetizers chefs advise you to steer clear of. Loaded with 1,920 calories, 152 grams of fat, and enough sodium to last you over three days according to the American Heart Association's recommended daily limit, this is one case where shrinkflation might be working in your favor. Even so, with a price tag of over $10, as one Redditor put it, "That's not a blooming onion, that's a blooming ripoff."

Grilled chicken on a steakhouse menu might seem like a healthier option at first. Sure, it's smothered with cheese, bacon, and honey mustard, but anything will seem diet friendly next to colossal calorie bombs, like the Loaded Bloomin' Onion. However, this dish is stuffed with 1,580 milligrams of sodium. In case you need some perspective, that's how much sodium you'd get if you ate nearly four large McDonald's fries.

Nutritional shock aside, former employees also say the chicken is frozen and thawed, honey mustard comes pre-made in plastic jugs, mushrooms are canned, and bacon is pre-cooked and reheated, so it's limp and crispless (via The Hidden Menu). Allegedly, the cheese is also pre-shredded, so it doesn't melt smoothly because of the anti-caking agents. What comes out of the kitchen is a a thin piece of rubbery and dry chicken buried under a glob of cheese.

Considering it's essentially a dish built around convenience ingredients, it's difficult to justify the price tag, especially when customers also report being repeatedly shorted on portions.

If you're hankering for some well-grilled shrimp, you might want to reconsider getting them from Outback. According to those who have tried them, Outback's shrimp are beyond disappointing. Some customers suspect the shrimp has been boiled or microwaved, while others complain that they were so overcooked, it was like chewing on rubber. 

Disgruntled diners aren't afraid to call out Outback on social media for posting unrealistic photos of the dish, saying the shrimp they received were minuscule in comparison to the ones posted online. Then there's the issue with the bread, which, according to former employees, is almost always served burnt and rarely does anyone actually eat it. What purpose does it serve, exactly? No one seems to know. In fact, some customers say it was so chewy and mushy, they didn't even know it was bread. In response to a photo of the burnt and smashed piece of bread, one Facebook user joked, "You know it's bad when it's hard to tell the difference between your steak, your bread, and your baked potato." Another user on the same post thread asked, "Is that the sole of a shoe?"

Eating meatloaf really anywhere but your grandma's kitchen table is already a bit of a gamble. And, according to plenty of customers, Outback doesn't exactly improve the odds. Commenters online aren't shy about absolutely dragging the meatloaf's appearance, with replies flooding a TikTok video of the dish comparing it to a TV dinner and saying they wouldn't even feel comfortable feeding it to their dogs. 

While meatloaf isn't exactly known for looking appetizing, that doesn't always mean it isn't delicious. Except at Outback, where customers say the meatloaf is bland despite its spicy name. Of course, the way it's made might have something to do with the lack of flavor. According to former employees, the meatloaf is shipped to the restaurant in shrink wrap, reheated, and served with bagged sauce. Taking all this into consideration, you'd probably just be better off making this comfort meal at home and avoiding chain restaurant meatloafs altogether.

We all know the age-old rule by now of not ordering fish at a steakhouse or steak at a seafood restaurant. But, we actually think that seafood at a steakhouse can absolutely be worth ordering ... with some caveats. There's one menu item that's a pretty strong indicator of steakhouse seafood quality, and that's how good the lobster is. Outback's lobster? Well, it doesn't exactly pass this test.

One of the biggest complaints is value. Diners frequently describe receiving a lobster tail the size of a jumbo shrimp. While the restaurant promises a 4- to 6-ounce tail, the reality seems more like two ounces. Size isn't the only issue, either. Some reviews mention a chemical flavor, while others describe a rubbery texture or the meat simply looking ... off.

Then there's the possibility of Outback microwaving that lobster you're splurging on, a rumor that began circulating after an employee posted a video on TikTok of them doing just that. While some employees insist the lobster at their store location is steamed on the grill, others confirm what's shown on the video, saying that their store microwaves the lobster unless requested to be steamed.

If there's one thing a steakhouse should be able to nail every single time, it's a steak. Surprisingly, though, it seems a lot of chain steakhouses missed this memo, and Outback is one of them. Unhappy customers say that, as far as steakhouses go, steak from Outback is at the very bottom of the barrel, describing it as overcooked, rubbery, and unseasoned meat that tastes like it has been frozen. Others complain that their steak is all fat and no flavor.

Employees claim Outback has moved away from many of the scratch-made techniques that once helped define the chain, including replacing real butter with butter-flavored hydrogenated soybean oil and outsourcing more food preparation. The restaurant also apparently now uses clamshell grills, which don't always produce the same crust customers expect from a traditional steakhouse. An employee on Reddit also warns that ordering a steak medium-well or well-done increases your chances of ending up with a tough piece of meat, with the best-looking steaks reserved for rare orders.

Ah, French onion soup. It's rich, deeply savory, and loaded with sweet caramelized onion flavor. What's not to love? Unless you order one at Outback, that is. According to one customer on Reddit, it's more of a dishwater-looking onion soup with melted cheese than a true French onion soup. The bread has also drawn its own criticism for being too soft and spongy rather than the crusty baguette French onion soup is best known for.

Adding to the disappointment, both former and current employees say the soup arrives frozen in bags before being reheated and served. In addition to tasting bland despite being way too salty, the soup also struggles with inconsistent texture. Some bowls come out unusually thick and almost gravy-like, while others are so watery, you'd be better off opening a can of Campbell's. This soup certainly wouldn't be worthy of Julia Child's final meal, and it shouldn't be on your menu either. 

To track down the Outback Steakhouse dishes that consistently disappoint diners, I didn't just pay attention to the occasional one-star review. Instead, I took a fine-tooth comb to Reddit, Yelp, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and other online platforms to flag all the repeat offenders that came up again and again. I also spent a ridiculous amount of time reading through former employee gossip threads to uncover as many behind-the-scenes problems with these dishes as I could. Studying nutrition information was also helpful, although I'm pretty sure I got second-hand hypertension from doing so.

Whether it was rubbery shrimp, shrinking portions, frozen shortcuts, or recipes customers swear used to be better, I focused only on the menu items that repeatedly landed in the hot seat across multiple sources. If nothing else, this deep dive made one thing abundantly clear: Not every Outback classic has aged gracefully.