Texas Roadhouse — Restaurant in Columbus

The new building seems to be about half the size of the old, they're always packed and with reservations wait times are still over an hour. 4 of us went out for dinner on a Thursday night. We watched two tables next to us get their food, finish and leave before we ever saw ours. We were seated around 10 minutes before the other folks. One table came in shortly after us, maybe 5 minutes. From the time they ordered to the time we got our check, they never saw their food. When our plates came, half of the food was cool to the touch, both steaks were under cooked, which thankfully the men didn't mind and ate anyway. One looked as if it had only been seared. The pork chop and salmon were cooked properly. Both baked potatoes were ordered with extra butter, neither had any butter on them. When some was requested, the waitress tried to argue by saying there was butter on them, you just couldn't see it. Both orders of cheese fries did indeed have shredded cheese, but it was not melted. The cups were FILTHY. I had taken a few sips of my tea through a straw before noticing there were lip marks on the edge of the cup. Not just one spot, all around the lip of the glass. Complete with finger smears all over. We checked the other cups and they weren't as bad but they certainly were not clean judging by the finger smears all over them. We had empty plates and bread baskets sat at the edge of the table during most of our wait for the main meals. Waiters walked by countless times, including our main waitress AND the manager, and they never got picked up. On the bright side, it's considerably more well lit in the new building, and although still very loud, not as deafening as before. When I requested a to-go box I was told (as my back was to the front) that the waitress had dropped the box and threw it away to get a new one. So that's good at least.

Overall, I did enjoy my salmon. I will not be paying 16 dollars for that small of a fillet ever again, but it did taste good. The others enjoyed their meats, not so much the sides. The jalapeno poppers were good and we recommend them. The rolls and butter are as delicious as they've always been.

I don't think we'll go back any time soon unless it's a slow day for the restauraunt.

Another visit on 08/24/24, 2 years after previous. Our server was a man named Brandon, looked possibly former military. He was wonderful. Very kind, relaxed, good sense of humour. We only stayed for maybe 20 minutes but the service we got from him earned him a $20 tip. A younger boy brought us bags for our food and he was very pleasant as well but I didn't catch his name. He looked kind of like Wyborn from Coraline.

The food wasn't the best but was by no means bad. My husband was not impressed with his first set of ribs, they were slightly above room temp, dry and had minimal BBQ sauce. My salmon tasted good but 8oz is really not worth $20. My bloomin onion (or cactus blossom) was good, I always liked them and other than being soaked in oil or burnt it's hard to mess up, the spicy sauce goes a long way and is great on the fries too. The rattlesnake bites are also good and not overly spicy. Our total came out to $94 and some cents excluding the tip.

As for the environment, it's still far too loud. You should never have to shout back and forth with your server in an effort to hear each other. The louder the music, the louder the people. I would suggest turning it half way down.

Overall, it's still disappointing in some ways. We'll go back in another year or so probably because places and people change. It's too pricy for us to come...

Okay, I asked for it. We went on Mother's Day but hoped that mid afternoon would be okay. We used the call in advance to put our name on the list, and it worked great. We were in in less than 10 minutes. I highly recommend using it as they don't take true reservations.

After we were seated, the server came and took our drink order, waters for both of us, and with the Mother's Day crush, we ordered salads and meals then. After 15 minutes or so, the salads came via food runner, but no water and no server. After another 10 minutes or so, I flagged someone and asked for the server. After another 5 minutes or so, I asked for a manager. He came immediately, and after letting him know how long we were waiting and asking for waters, he personally delivered them.

Then, after waiting another uncomfortable amount of time, came the food via food runner and the server who proceded to tell us one of the meals got lost and she just reordered it. Before allowing the food runner to place my meal, I told the server that we wanted to eat together. She offered to take mine to the back and keep it warm while my wife's steak was prepared, likely another 20-30 minutes. My answer, maybe a little terse, was that I expected a fresh, hot steak, and we wanted to eat together, at the same time.

Finally, the food came, and I was asked to cut the steak to see if it was cooked as ordered. It was raw. It's not just rare, it's oozing blood. I had asked for medium. They took it back, and the manager delivered it this time and asked for another cut check. It was medium, just right.

By this time, it is probably an hour after our arrival, we are finally eating our steaks. We've seen our server twice, and our waters were empty. We decided to just finish and leave without bothering anyone else, especially the manager who did everything he could to help. Finally, when we were done, the server came by to apologize for "everything." Not asking about dessert, more water, or anything, just sorry and gone.

So, this is a review that turned into a rant. We never got nasty, needy, or demanding. We were respectful at every turn. It was Mother's Day, and we knew it would take longer, but still expected decent service and great food. I didn't know why the server was not providing good service. She may have had a party of 10 dumped on her or may have been overwhelmed. She was nice, the limited times we saw her, and I'll just say the experience was not good. Was management just as overwhelmed? In the end, this is TRH and should be used to a packed house. My guess is they were pushing too hard to get as many diners through as possible. The result was that we, and from the complaints coming from other tables, and others were not enjoying the experience.

When we tried to pay, we were told the manager comped our meal. It was a nice jesture, but I would have preferred to have paid full price and be comfortable...

Texas Roadhouse in Columbus is less a restaurant and more an experience. The second you walk in, it smells like grilled perfection, peanuts crunch under your boots, and the energy screams, “You’re about to eat like a king.” Spoiler alert: I did.

Let’s start with Lindsey, my server. This woman is a superhero in denim and an apron. She didn’t just bring my food; she brought hope, joy, and a basket of those god-tier rolls. The second I sat down, Lindsey appeared like a cinnamon butter angel, asked me if I wanted a margarita the size of my head (duh), and practically read my mind when it came to steak choices. I ordered a medium-rare ribeye, but she winked and said, “I’ll make sure it’s perfect.” And damn it, it was.

Now, about those rolls. WHAT ARE THEY PUTTING IN THESE THINGS? They’re soft, warm, and so addictive that I started shoving them into my pockets for later. I don’t care if people were staring; those rolls are worth sacrificing dignity. And the butter? That cinnamon honey spread has to be laced with something illegal. I’d spread it on a flip-flop and still go back for seconds.

The steak? Perfection. It came out sizzling like it had a personal vendetta against every other piece of meat I’ve ever eaten. Lindsey even stood there, arms crossed, like a steak guardian, until I cut into it to confirm it was cooked perfectly. Spoiler: it was. She nodded, smirked, and said, “Told you.” Honestly, I’d trust her with my life.

Then came the line dancing. Oh, yes. Out of nowhere, Lindsey and the entire staff broke into synchronized choreography. It was like watching "Dancing with the Stars," but with cowboy hats and dinner plates. Lindsey was leading the charge, twirling like she was auditioning for Texas Ballet: Steakhouse Edition. I tried not to cry; it was beautiful.

By the end of the meal, I was so full I thought I’d need to be wheeled out. But no, Lindsey, ever the professional, handed me a to-go box and said, “You’re not leaving without dessert.” She wasn’t wrong. I ate that cheesecake in my car in the parking lot, and I have no regrets.

Texas Roadhouse in Columbus isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a lifestyle. The food? Incredible. The atmosphere? Chaotic in the best way. And Lindsey? A national treasure.

P.S. Lindsey, if you’re reading this, you’re the steakhouse GOAT. Keep slinging rolls and leading the line dances like the...