Outback Steakhouse North Strathfield — Restaurant in Sydney

Had great expectations going into this.

However, I was not prepared for the 3 hours of misery, torture and agony that was to be unfolded.

Upon entry into the venue, there was an empty queue awaiting to be fulfilled. Me and my band of 4 other forsaken brethren were to be volunteered for tribute.

After being told that a 20 minute wait was to be expected, although the venue was 3/4 filled we went to a merry round of pool next door to tease our growing appetites for the feast about to be devoured.

30 minutes had passed in our merry enjoyment of the billiard game before our rumbling stomachs reminded us of the quest to be undertaken.

We returned to the venue where we saw the door host who upon seeing us apologised for not contacting us when a table opened up.

We had an inkling of doubt from here, the seed was planted - was this journey to be a tragic tale of our family of 5?!

After ordering from our waiter, we bonded as a group of individuals who shared the love of the Outback, we bonded as family.

However fate had a different idea.

We received our Bloomin' Onion 15 minutes in - to which loud raucous applause was given.

In honesty, I thoroughly enjoyed it. However this is where the rabbit hole ends.

Beware: the next few paragraphs will be similar to taking the red pill. Reality will be shattered, filled with the harsh cold realisation that the Outback Steakhouse is actually... An Outback Nightmare.

The next hour was a journey that travelled through pain, hope, anguish, loss but ultimately ending in regret.

We were given table water upon request, to which we did not realise that glasses for the water were upon request as well. Drinks ordered at the start to soothe parched dry throats from the gloriously salty Bloomin' Onion were nowhere to be seen. After experiencing near starvation we finally received our food after an HOUR.

The disappointment grew.

The steak and ribs have been clearly sitting on the counter, waiting for us to devour them whilst staff were walking past and ignoring their pleas of salvation. The were lukewarm and edible. The mash potato was great excluding the pink PLASTIC included inside the mash (a surprise garnish for us), we were not pleasantly surprised.

Halfway through our meal, our drinks were finally delivered. Too little too late.

As we sat there stewing in our woes and $180 dollar bill. We realised. We've just gotten the WORST dining experience of our lives.

And so, our tale ends - the adventure of 5 people joined by blood and time experiencing the customer service and experience of Outback Steakhouse.

TL;dr - 5 of us were going for dinner due to 2 of them being overseas visitors. We waited for an hour for food with problems littered throughout our experience. For the price you're paying, don't ever come here.

However, they did give us $20 off due to the plastic in the mash.. So it was ONLY a $160 bill AND 5 free vouchers for a Bloomin' Onion but it did not nearly offset any of our experiences here..

Also our America friend, (one of the 5) said he had the same experience in America. So maybe it's a part of the...

Arrived 7.45pm. Server took our drink order. He said he would bring out some complimentary bread while we wait for our friends. Friends arrive 8pm, server still haven't returned to table. Still no bread. 8.15pm, our server finally sees us looking around and comes to take our order. 8.30pm, still no drinks, bread or entree. I complain to manager who assures me he will get our food out (restaurant was only 1/4 full too). 8.35pm our drinks come out with the bread. 8.45pm our entree finally comes out (wings). We quickly finish entree in 5mins. 9pm mains still haven't come out. We see another table that ordered after us get their food. Manager comes by and apologies for the delays and assures us the food will be our shortly. 9.10pm, steaks finally come out. Wrong steak for one order, and my sauces is given to someone else. Other person is missing their sauce. I tell server about the wrong sauce and steak He tells me to just take the sauce off the other person's plate and he will bring out the missing sauce. He then says he will need to get the manager to talk to us about the wrong steak. Manager arrives, asks about the steak. We tell the manager that we were given the wrong steak. He checks what we ordered and confirms that it was entered into the POS as something else. He asks to take the sweet potato off the plate and he will get the correct steak out to us in 6 mins... 15 mins later, the correct steak arrives, but by this time the test of our table was nearly finished. New steak was just that... Only a steak, the side (sweet potato) want even replaced. Server didn't even flow up to check if everything was ok. He simply came by to say the manager has taken the steak off the bill. (fair enough... But doesn't excuse the fact that our entire night was ruined!). No service after that... Our server disappears for the rest of the night before finally coming out to collect or empty plates. We ask him for the check but he doesn't come back, so we start walking towards the Cashier and ask the manager for the check to pay. Manager simply asks me to check the bill and payment type. No further apologies or explanation as to what happened or why service was so terrible. I paid and left. My friends said they will never return, and I have no choice other than to agree with them.

Oh and did I mention I had rotten lettuce in my garden salad?!

A week earlier I ate at the Pacific Fair (Gold Coast) outback steakhouse restaurant and it blows North Strathfield out of the ball park. Not just in terms of speed, but service...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Suchi on top

The kind of service that makes you believe in humanity again.

I don’t usually write long reviews, but I genuinely felt compelled to share this experience because it was that good.

From the moment I walked into the restaurant, I was greeted not just with the usual politeness, but with a warmth and attentiveness that felt rare in today’s fast-paced world. Our server—let me just say, if there were a Hall of Fame for hospitality, she deserves her own gold-plated plaque. She didn’t just do her job. She elevated it into an art form.

She was attentive without hovering, friendly without being fake, and somehow knew exactly what we needed before we even asked. Water glass looking a little low? Refilled instantly. Finished a plate of sushi? It vanished with a polite smile and a quiet “Would you like to try something else?” Everything about her timing, energy, and professionalism was on point.

But it wasn’t just efficiency—it was the genuine care she brought to her work. You could tell she truly enjoys making people feel welcome. She explained the dishes with enthusiasm, gave amazing recommendations (which we followed, and every single one was a hit), and handled everything with this calm, joyful grace that made the whole dining experience feel like a special occasion.

At one point, I even caught myself smiling just watching how beautifully she interacted with every table. She brought life into the room. And in a place where the sushi is already outstanding—which it absolutely is—her presence turned a great dinner into a memorable experience.

To management: please recognize her. Staff like this don’t come around often, and they are the reason people come back. Not just for the food, but for the feeling.

To her, if you’re reading this: thank you. You made our night. You reminded us that great service isn’t just about being efficient—it’s about making people feel seen, respected, and appreciated. And you nailed every bit of that.

I’ll be back. And I’ll be bringing friends. Because service like that deserves...