LongHorn Steakhouse — Restaurant in Gulf Shores

(Also see update below)

We had an awesome meal at LongHorn Steakhouse. After a short wait we were seated by Dan, whom we assumed to be the restaurant manager. He apologized for our delay and made us feel welcome by offering an appetizer free of charge. After not seeing one of our favourite appetizer items on the menu, fried mushrooms, we asked if they might still be available. Dan told us they were not on the menu but that he would personally prepare some for us anyway!

Shannon arrived at our table immediately, received our drink orders, delivered them quickly and took our meal requests. Shortly thereafter, Dan brought out the best fried mushrooms we have ever eaten.

We both ordered filets, sauteed mushrooms with onions and a side dish. Our fillets were hot, perfectly prepared and tasted great! Our mushrooms with onions were very good and complimented our filets perfectly. In addition, our side dishes were hot, tasty and well prepared.

We were very impressed with Dan's efforts to make us feel welcomed and appreciated. We were also impressed with Shannon's professionalism and attention to detail. The table service she provided was exceptional.

We recommend this restaurant to anyone who appreciates excellent food, personal attention and professional service. We will return!

UPDATE: On July 7, 2020, we revisited Longhorn Steakhouse. We were very impressed with our first visit (described above) and we hoped for a similar outcome. We were not disappointed. Fresh bread was delivered to our table promptly and our drink and meal orders were taken. We ordered Wild West Shrimp as an appetizer and it was excellent. The shrimp was hot, freshly prepared and very tasty. For our entrees we ordered steaks and baked potatoes. Our steaks were perfectly prepared and our potatoes were hot and fresh. Our server, Tori, was awesome and made us feel relaxed and welcomed. She was friendly and personable and delivered everything we needed quickly and efficiently. Our dining experience was made even more enjoyable by her attention to detail and we appreciated and recognized her efforts. Again, we can wholeheartedly recommend Longhorn Steakhouse for an excellent...

In years past I've knocked Longhorn as a chain for having expensive but mediocre steaks. I still think that's true to some extent but after a recent dining experience I am thinking maybe they've improved a little bit. Still, by far the best food in my opinion there are the non-steak options like the Parmesan Crusted Chicken and the Firecracker Shrimp. The chicken's a super salty crusted piece of tender grilled chicken breast that just pops with flavor. The lamb chops are excellent as well, but unsurprisingly expensive. They're tender and the lamb flavor skinned though the light seasoning and the tomato sauce. They're also a limited time offer so most of the time they're not even on the menu.

One nice thing about this place is you can just about always sub out whatever side(s) come with an entree. They're usually an upcharge but it adds some flexibility to your meal. Their corkscrew mac and cheese is good as are the roasted Brussels sprouts, which are served in a sweet honey glaze.

Overall, I think the chain - and this location - have improved over the years . It's pricey but there's at least quality for the cost. While they shoot for an upscale-casual atmosphere inside, the noise levels and smell are huge detractors from the atmosphere. The last few times I've been here there's been a persistent smell of funk that doesn't go well with food, and a constant electronic bing-bong thing from who-knows-where that grates on the nerves after just a...

Our server, Leandra, was an absolute charm. She took great care of us. However, her manager and establishment let her down. First, the music was so loud it was almost a concert. To make it worse, the music was some unknown that sounded like a cow dying. Who know, maybe that's how they get their beef?? We asked to have the music volume reduced, but the manager said he wasn't even sure if he could. (Excuse number 1). Then, I requested to move to another table. Magically, the manager decided to "try" to reduce the volume. After a half-hearted attempt, (insert eye roll) we were asked if that was better. No. It wasn't even touched. I found a table that was out of the blasting speakers and told my server I wanted that table so we could at least have a conversation. She had to double check with the manager, again, and I began moving our stuff and was "approved" for the move. Thanks, Leandra, for working through that. Now, the food comes out. My $30 filet was rare and cold instead of medium. I ate it without complaint. The other steak was a bit well done instead of medium, but at least warm. The baked potato wad good, the salad had zero dressing and our appetizer was mediocre. The best part was Leandra. Sounds like this location needs a strong visit from regional and corporate. So much for that "Sterling" award they have placed their front...