Outback Steakhouse

Outback has always been a sure bet for a great steak place to dine and this location lives up to that reputation. The steaks are always cooked as requested and to perfection… Never had to send one back. Try the blue cheese pecan chopped salad, wood-​fired smoked ribs, and the amazing French Onion Soup! I would go back just for the soup alone! The «call ahead seating» is a great idea and saves you a long wait.

Unfortunately the food and service here has it’s up’s and downs. We had a birthday dinner here when the food and especially the service were beyond par. We gave the young man a $ 38 tip on a $ 62 check. Yesterday was not one of their finer times.
I am in the hospital and wanted something special. Now when you think of Outback Steakhouse what is the first food that comes to mind? The frigging blooming onion. How many do you think they serve each day or week?
My wife gets me one and drives over 20 miles to visit me. As many onions as they serve how the hell can they give her a mostly raw blooming onion? The manager said no problem just bring it back and he will make sure that it is done right. Yeah, drive 20 miles there and 20 miles back over a $ 9 onion. We spend several hundred dollars a year there and they just lost it over a damn onion.

In the last few years have started to lose my taste for Outbacks. However, i was staying next door to this Outback at the Holiday Inn Express and figured I would give them another try out of convenience. I was very impressed. Great service, quality of food was great and the atmosphere seams upgraded from the tired 80s ambiance of old. Good job.

We took an elderly group to Outback to celebrate Birthday. While OB is NOT on my usual list of Asheville Feedtroughs, I was pretty impressed. The ambiance was quiet, server was VERY good. The Blooming Onion (obligatory @ TOB) was, what can I say… a blooming onion. We ordered carefully as to size steak & sides & meal was served quick. All in all a nice birthday meal for $ 48.00 w/​tip (I had a beer). Ron

Tonight was my worse ever experience at the outback on tunnel road. Our waitress was Gabriella and she was extremely slow at bringing drinks. The floor was very dirty and hadn’t even been cleaned before they sat us. I ordered a medium well steak and it was practically rare. The blooming onion wasn’t even fully cooked and the breading tasted like dough. The only thing I found that was good was the baked potato. Upon leaving I went to the rest room and someone had puked all over the place. This was an unbelievable horrible experience and I’m not returning !

We attended the local Outback Steakhouse on mothers day which was a nice treat for my spouse and mother-​in-​law. They were greeted at the door on this special day with a rose for each of them (NICE touch for the holiday!)
We had call ahead seating and had to wait about 5 minutes. I suggest using call ahead seating, which you can do online, before attending this restaurant on a busy holiday or weekend!
The parking is plentiful at this restaurant and appears to be very clean inside and out.
The wait staff was superb! Big props to Trey who did a excellent job and was there multiple times throughout the meal to make sure we had what we needed. We also had a visit from the manager on duty which turned into a 15 – 20 wonderful conversation about the restaurant and plenty of other topics that we rambled on about. She made us feel right at home!
Food:
My steak was cooked to order, medium, and was full of flavor and so tender (outback special). I chose the grilled asparagus which was grilled and had a little crunch to it so delicious! My salad was spot on not too much dressing but just enough. I couldn’t be happier with the meal we were served. To top it off the salted caramel baked dessert was out of this world… should be illegal it was so good!
Great job Outback representing very well here in AVL!

We figured we’d give Outback a try since they have a new lunch menu. LOOK at the lunch menu ad and compare. They consider a $ 9 ribeye sandwich being Half. Not happy. A whole sandwich (which they assured me is NOT $ 18 when we called) would be pushing it’s worth at $ 9.

Steak was great, salad and service was excellent. Although for some reason at every time I get sweet potato they have been over cooked, still good. The lobster was good, just was difficult to get out of shell. Not sure if this is something the restaurant can control, or maybe a way it’s cooked? Overall, Outback is a safe bet

I am celiac and outback was one of the first to offer gluten free back in the day but THIS outback is UNRELIABLE! I ate there, ordered off the gluten free menu and told the waiter THREE (3) times to be sure that the cook knows I ordered off the gluten free menu.
But, I was sick within the hour after leaving the restaurant and sick all night.
WILL NEVER EAT AGAIN AT ASHEVILLE OUTBACK!

For a chain restaurant, Outback is one of my top choices. However, with all of the great local restaurant choices in Asheville I highly recommend trying out one of those before Outback. They have great steak and some good seafood options, but nothing special. The location of this particular Outback is also rather strange and can be hard to find so be sure to look for their signs.

Outback is a great chain restaurant. Always a great option on the road. We love this location. Service is usually good. We have had issues with call ahead seating. The coupon for a free bloomin onion was a nice touch. Management at this location is awesome! They are always engaged and helping the service staff. Close to home and a great experience.

Really enjoyed my most recent visit, I tried the steak and all you can eat shrimp and it was very good. Our waiter was on top of drinks and ordering more of the all you can eat shrimp. Overall a very good experience. If I had one complaint it would be that we were brought unsweet tea on accident but it was quickly resolved. I just have to say, keep up the good work.

the manager «Matt» went above and beyond a request that I had made. He handled my situation with integrity and class. Highly recommend this location. The manager «Matt» is a true asset to this company and location.

This Outback is okay in the grand scheme of things.
We were told to expect about a 45 minute wait. We only waited about 20 — but we were kept entertained by a sports channel on the tv in the waiting area. Seating in the wait area was very inadequate, as some folks had to sit on the floor. As some parties gave up on waiting to be seated that meant we were getting bumped up ahead of the expected time — we saw at least 3 parties give up and leave the restaurant — better for us and thus the lesser wait time.
The food was as expected, cuts of steak cooked to temperature with the requested sides. My steamed veggies were a bit gritty, so I don’t know what that’s about.
The service wasn’t all that great — for example, I had to ask our server for water 3 times over the course of about ¾ of an hour before I finally received it. I thought I was going to be asking a 4^th time at about the time he did bring it.
While parking appears to be plentiful, the lot is sort of shared with a hotel and other businesses. I’m sure the overflow from one or the other ends up here. We ended up having to park at one of the furthest spots from the door. Either this location of Outback is that popular, or there were very few viable choices for places to eat on the evening of New Year’s day.
We never did see a Manager walking the floor or visiting tables which is something I’m accustomed to at other Outbacks.
My daughter was well taken care of as she told the server it wasn’t her birthday, but it was only a day removed from it (she told him the truth). The dessert choice was hers and it was on the house.

Was really good, but I ordered what the waitress eats before she goes on to her shift. Cheddar burger. my brother ordered a whole full rack of ribs and he only got eight ribs and I think they’re 14 ribs on a pig. the steaks were expertly done, the blooming onion was perfect. the service was excellent.

I usually not a big fan of chains — but this one is an exception.
The staff is always inviting, the food is always good, the menu «dependable». Not exactly my choice for «date night» because of the usual noise, but I think you get a fair value for your money at this Outback.

Had a great meal here while visiting from Orlando! We are Outback regulars at home, and enjoyed this location as much (or more?!) than home.
Terrific service, plenty of parking, central location for visitors — north end of South Tunnel Road — and all the ‘usual yummy menu items’ you find at home.

It is a low budget steak house. It was adequate. The service is what saves it. I was moderately pleased with the cut of the meat and the temperature of the preparation. I had a house salad which was standard. I was very disappointed with Avocado-​shrimp appetizer. The shrimp was inedible. I sent it back. The waiter was very diplomatic and understanding he took it off the bill (nice). Would I go back again? Yes,

I have to say that out of all the steakhouse chains Outback is by far the best in my opinion. Not only in atmosphere, but in taste, quality, service and value.
This location is one of the few with a patio. They actually have tables with umbrellas so that you can dine outside. Maybe because this location is kind of small. Its odd in that the bar area is so large compared to the dining area… I mean, I know that Asheville folks enjoy their beer, but come on! LOL
Service was good, nothing OVER the top but good. I asked for my bloomin’ onion to bell done and not so greasy. A task that most Outbacks can in fact manage. And for some reason it just didn’t happen. I was here for a VERY special occasion so I thought, «Why spoil things by complaining?»
Other than that i have no real complaint on this location.
Close to downtown on Tunnel Rd. Right near the tunnel actually and if you have eaten at Outback before you know what you are getting.

Decided I needed some steak. Looked at the choices (plus my wallet) and decided, Outback it is!
I’ve been to this Outback at least 4 times prior, service and food were very good (4 stars at least). Read on to find out why the waitress gets her own 2 star rating.
This review is for Friday, Oct 2^nd, 2009.
Went here with my sister and her husband. They weren’t too hungry, having already eaten dinner (why, I don’t know, I told them I was coming back by 7 pm)…so they said they would share an app and maybe have a drink, since I was driving. Cool.
So we get seated, the waitress comes over, takes the order (2 Sam Adams Octoberfests, and a Diet Coke for my brother-​in-​law). The waitress comes back with 2 bottles of Sam Adams Boston Lager. I’m from the Boston area, and I know that Outback does Sam Adams Seasonal beers… it’s a very nice thing knowing across the country, I can get my Boston beer fix. Anyways, we sent her back to get Octoberfest.
She comes back, with the same small mugs (as opposed to a real small beer glass, which are bigger) and serves the Octoberfest in them. Ok, whatever.
For the entrée. I go with my «usual» 12 oz Outback Special steak, with garlic mashed potatoes and a side caesar salad. We also ordered some «Bushman Shrooms».
Tip…the «Bushman Shrooms» aren’t on the menu anymore nationwide. But you can still order them, just tell them.
Ok, so back to the meal. It was the usual, very good. Things are going pretty well, the waitress has come back a couple times and also brought the check. I put my card in the little book and put it down on the table.
10 min goes by. No pickup of the check. Waitress zoomed by at least twice during this 10 min.
20 min goes by… no pickup of the check. Waitress zoomed by at least once during this 10 min.
At 25 min, I decided «ok, time to get this paid so we can leave». Went to the bartender and he couldn’t do it, because each server’s items are coded… ok, I get it. Get the manager, cause the waitress was no where to be found.
After another 10 min, the waitress finds me at the bar and tries to explain «I didn’t want to interrupt you»… hello? The bill was on the corner of the table, with credit card showing, you didn’t need to interrupt, just grab and go.
So her tip wasn’t what it should have been… especially with the pathetic attempt to explain why she didn’t take it. Hopefully she didn’t get fired… but learned a lesson. Don’t make the customers wait.
So if you’re in Asheville, NC and want a good steak at a reasonable price with a decent beer… go here. Just make sure Merriam isn’t your waitress. ;)