Outback Steakhouse — Restaurant in Arcadia

Well this location has been around for many years and I've not been here in quite some time but decided on the day after Thanksgiving to have a steak dinner with my mother.

First, the hostess seemed like she had just been told that her dog died. Not only was the customer service from her lackluster but instead of saving us in the restaurant portion she directed us to the bar area. Not a problem necessarily but this area hasn't been updated probably since the 1990s.

The cushions are all cracked and Warren and I would expect better from a national establishment. Then our waiter / waitress was the bartender and she too seemed to hate her own life. There was a few regulars who were sitting around the bar that she conversed with but as far as customer service goes it was lackluster at best.

The best part of the meal was the very warm bread. It was definitely delicious with very soft butter. It stayed warm and fresh long enough for us to enjoy 2 loaves.

Then when we got the steaks the stakes were actually cooked very very well almost to perfection. however when I ordered she didn't ask me about a big potato because again her attitude needs a serious adjustment and she couldn't be bothered to be a proper waitress. So when the order came I asked about the baked potato and she gave me a face and said I did not order one, even though the state comes with one.

Yeah realizing your life has gone horribly wrong and you are working a Friday night shift in a run-down bar in a even more run down outback restaurant is no reason to take it out on customers. Get some therapy on your time and come back with a better attitude.

We then had a different person come up and serve our table after about 40 minutes and he was attentive and friendly and smiled. Even more jarring considering the bartender's attitude, but welcome all the same.

Also on the plus side I opened up the ketchup and realize that the manufacturer's seal was still on. Not a problem in fact it was nice to know that they don't refill their bottles which has been a source of particular scrutiny over many restaurants for many years.

All in all, I would say that the steak was excellent and the bread even better. But don't expect good customer service or a seat cushion that didn't look like it had seen better days 20 years ago. If you want better seats, just go across the street to the Drinkers Hall...

This review is tough to write because our waitress was truly excellent, a shining star in an otherwise disappointing evening. She was attentive, friendly, and did everything she could to make our experience enjoyable. We even made sure to tip her generously, a testament to her outstanding service.

Unfortunately, her exceptional service couldn't overcome the significant drawbacks. The food, which is arguably the most important aspect of a restaurant, was shockingly bland and underwhelming. Every dish we tried lacked flavor and excitement, leaving us feeling completely unsatisfied. It was truly disappointing given what we had hoped for. Adding to our frustration, we later learned that a percentage of our tips goes to the cooks. This was particularly galling as the kitchen staff, who are presumably better-compensated, were a significant part of our disappointment this evening.

Beyond the food, the atmosphere was lacking. It was clear there were significant management issues, with a manager named Jaime creating a palpable sense of stress. We observed her being rude to the waitstaff, which made for an uncomfortable and unwelcoming environment. This kind of behavior not only affects the staff but also trickles down to the diners, making it hard to relax and enjoy the meal.

Finally, the cleanliness was tolerable at best, which only added to our overall dissatisfaction.

While our waitress deserves immense credit for her professionalism and hard work, the combination of subpar food, a hostile atmosphere, and questionable cleanliness makes it impossible to recommend this location. It's a shame, as the potential is there with such dedicated front-of-house staff, but fundamental issues need to be addressed before it can be a truly enjoyable...

The good: Service was great! Very nice blond older lady and the greeting girls were very courteous. Our waitress was very attentive without being obtrusive. She took the extra time to make sure the steak was prepared according to expectations. Mac and cheese was a good portion and had nice flavor. Portion size was pretty decent overall.

The bad: The food was mediocre. I needed to try the bloomin onion because of everything I'd heard about it but honestly it was just a huge tasteless battered thing that left us feeling bloated and gross. Between the two of us we struggled to eat a quarter of it before pushing it to the side and calling it quits. My Phillie cheese steak sandwich was also just a greasy tasteless mess. I took one bit and asked my boyfriend to try it because I wasn't sure if it was just my tastebuds acting up. He reported it was also tasteless and greasy. He got the lobster and steak with mack and cheese. The steak was cooked properly but it was just too fatty, couldn't finish it and ended up handing over the leftovers to the pup when we got home. After paying that much someone was going to finish it. Boyfriend reported that was the first and last time he would try lobster. It wasn't over or under cooked it's just for the price you expect more and lobster just seems like an overhyped symbol of luxury. I couldn't help but think of "Pinchy" from the Simpson's so I couldn't eat it. The shell provided minutes of entertainment for the cats before I discarded it.

Overall we wished we had just gone to another restaurant. Glad we tried outback but its LA and theirs tons of restaurants with better quality food at...