re: Your're going to a chain steak house. Your choices: Longhorn, Outback, or TX Roadhouse

Texas roadhouse and get a medium rare cheeseburger, they were pretty good 10 years ago.

If you want a good steak for the boy, find a good butcher, buy a couple filet, sear them rare in a cast iron skillet and cook for maybe 3-4 minutes at 400 in your oven. Will be better than most restaurants, certainly better than any of the chains.

Also could try this grill-chimney method from Alton Brown. My dad and I do this every summer a few times, would be a fun father-son activity for yall.
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/3473-for-the-ultimate-char-sear-your-steaks-over-your-chimney-starter



But bottom line there are a lot of ways for you to get your son a killer filet without going to a crappy chain. That's part of a father's wisdom - "no steak at all is better than a mediocre chain restaurant steak".

I do think Longhorn is the best quality of the three, but I also really like Texas Roadhouse and go there way more often. They probably have the best value meal of all chain restaurants

ETA: apparently it varies significantly

Our Outback is terrible

Usually just rotate

I'm partial to Longhorn. Their ribeyes are better than the other 2.

Longhorn
TR
Outback

Texas Roadhouse in Lafayette La. By far.
NY or KC strip -black and blue.

Outback was, is, and always will be, garbage. Period.

Although I did enjoy one of those onion things about 20 or so years ago.

quote:

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Your're going to a chain steak house. Your choices: Longhorn, Outback, or TX Roadhouse

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For his first Filet Mignon??...stop being a cheap arse and take him to a place he'll get the best possible option or go buy the best you can get and make it yourself and teach him how.

You are essentially asking which street corner in the worst part of town you should take him to for his first time.

And hope he doesn't like it overdone cause then it's a waste all around.