LongHorn Steakhouse — Restaurant in Norman

This is one of my 2 top go-to steak places for any night out with a national chain. If your budget is tight, this is a respectable choice for a special night out. I don't live close enough for this to be a take out or delivery option. If I did, that could be dangerous to my budget.

I was introduced to this place through a gift card and have continued coming back. I won't comment on how disappointing the other places the card was used at given my particular food intolerances, but this place makes a night out super easy and very tasty.

With a printed allergin menu, I can leisurely peruse my options without squinting at a pdf downloaded on my cellphone or bugging the staff endlessly with my laundry list of issues.

The staff was super helpful and made sure other hidden allergins (i.e., chicken broth and cucmbers) were not in my selections.

Ultimately, I almost always get my usual, the strawberry pecan salad without strawberries and order a steak with a normal side option of a sweet potato. I risk the extra sugar and butter for decadant a side and desert in one.

Steaks are cooked to preference, and seasoning is present but not overpowering the flavor of the meat. Never had a bad cut here, good balance of meat and fat.

My meal companions have always been satisfied with their selections from burlgers and fries to chicken dishes and shrimp.

It might sound like the food is the same as anywhere decent, but that is just not the case. Somehow, they have kept the quality in an era when everyone else is cutting back even though prices have also gone up. Many others have more fat showing up in their cuts, the shrimp have gone to a higher count, and the bacon has gotten razor thin. I haven't noticed this type of shrinkflation here. Here, they have maintained the quality.

Service has always been super polite and helpful. I have been in for both lunch and dinner and always make it in and out within my budgeted time. The staff supports each other and helps deliver ready dishes to each other's tables. This suppprt shows good leadership and training as well as hiring good staff in the first place. These folks work hard to keep the floor moving well.

One caveat: Watch your deliveries carefully, especially if it isn't your server. For example, sometimes, a regular strawberry pecan salad gets delivered despite ordering one without strawberries (which is still very yummy and very craveable). This is a general rule of thumb anyplace, but double if you have allergies/intolerances.

The atmosphere is very Texas/rancher/cattle country, and the lower lighting also gives the place an old, timey lounge like feel and works well to soothe a headache from a day in over bright lights.

Do consider taking a closer look at the decor. Some of what they have on display are decent replicas of some famous museum level pieces. This isn't just abandoned junk dug out of someone's garage decor.

The sound level is also more manageable. There is industrial carpeting across the main floor, so this keeps the ambient noise down. I don't recall overhearing nearby table's conversations. It's definitely a soundscape that is a step above any other national chans at the same price point.

At this location, I have seen various construction crews during lunch, and you know these hard workers have solid appetities, so you know the portions are respectable.

Overall, this is a better quality experience than any other major national chain. The lounge like feel that makes me nostalgic for my grandfather's wood paneled living room and saloon coaster set keeps me coming back for a meal that is a step above...

Came here last night for my nieces 21st birthday. We had a party of 11 so I expected a bit of a wait due to them not taking reservations. After 45 minutes we were seated. The restaurant itself was nice. The smell of seafood punches you in the face as you walk in. This place is pretty dark so if you have difficulty seeing, you'll probably have an issues reading anything. We were greated by 2 servers. The took our drink order, I ordered a water, my wife ordered sweet it. The table got there drink and one of the servers informed my wife that they were making a "fresh" batch of tea and it would be out shortly. 20 minutes haf passed when the table got appetizers and salads. Wife still has nothing to drink. I asked the older server that my wife had a sweet tea that she never got. She apologized and left the table. The salads were good. I got the strawberry salad and my wife got a Cesar salad. Unfortunately, her tea showed up 20 minutes later and it was unsweetened. My wife didn't ask them to fix it because of how long it took. For the tables appetizers, everything was insanely salty and not edible in my opinion but the table was starving so they ate what that could. One side of the table got there main course. 20 minutes later the rest of the tables go there food. My wife and I both ordered the parmesan custed chicken. First bite, nothing but salt. I thought maybe it was the cheese, so I took the cheese off and took another bite, all salt. My wife's was the same. But she didn't complain as she was starving. When the younger server came by to ask how everything was. I told her that everyone's food was over salted. She said "I know." I was asked if I wanted something else or them to remaking I declined politely and was asked if I wanted a free dessert. I asked for it to go. When the manager came by to bring food, I explained to him that everything was over salted and my wife and said her fries were too salty. The manager apologized, asked me if I wanted them to remake the food. I declined and explains it took them 45 minutes to get our food, by the time I would have gotten the remade meal, we would be leaving. He did bring my wife a fresh batch of fries. The manager told use that the seasoning was getting how and all of the salt must of settled to the bottom. I ate some of my wife's fries. Some where good, other too much salt.

We left close to 9 as it took a while for the servers to get the checks to everyone and make sure people where charged for the correct items. My nieces aunt complained about her tongue hurting and my wife explained it was due to eating too much salt.

My over all experience was not great. I appreciate the manager comping my meal. My advice is towhomever runs the kitchen needs to make sure food is good out delicious, not over seasoned. Also the company should look into taking reservations for large groups to make sure they are staffed...

My employer takes us out to eat twice a year for an “appreciation” dinner. The last three opportunities we’ve had, a number of us have chosen Longhorn. Each experience we’ve had has been very different. I’ve never been there outside of the trips we’ve taken for work, but I love the food.

The first time we went, October of 2018, the food and the service were PERFECT. We had a very large group... over 20 people. Everything was just on point... The appetizers were fantastic, salads were great, and the steaks phenomenal! The side of broccoli I received there was no comparison to anywhere I had ever eaten. The service? WOW!

The second time we went was sometime in March or April, 2019... The service was fast and great, just like the first time! The prime rib I ordered was so tasty! The sides though, had taken a dive. Expecting the same broccoli I’d ordered six months prior, I was disappointed... What I got were tiny pieces of broccoli that were on par with cheap, store bought, microwave broccoli. Some of us were a little disappointed, but not so much that we wouldn’t go back again... So today, we did it again.

We had a smaller group than we had before, those of us that showed up early were immediately seated and were served drinks! We were off to a good start, which is what we expected! Then things took a turn... at first a drink mixup... which was easily remedied, but then things got a little confusing. One of our appetizers seemed to have gotten lost, so we had to ask about it, more than once... When we got it... quite a bit later than our other appetizers, it was fresh and hot! What they lost in service they made up for in a super appetizer!

Then came the salads and entrees. This is where things got messy... Maybe it was because of the size of our group( smaller than the last two visits) but the servers had no idea what food went where... it was really kind of awkward. Food roulette almost. Once they managed to sort it out the food was just as good as before... including the broccoli! It wasn’t the same portion size or quality of the broccoli we had last October, there was less of it but it was a definite improvement. The problem was... the service was very slow... and they knew in advance we were coming.

The best person we dealt with was the bartender! She made some awesome drinks, and we got them fairly quickly, which is more than I can say for ANY other restaurants. She did an awesome job!

I know it’s a long review, but it covers three visits, spaced six months apart each. It was awesome (5 star), It slipped a little on quality (4 star), and then today the service was confused and slow (3 star). I know we’ll be in the market for a good steakhouse in Norman six months from now... I just don’t know if we’ll hit this place up a fourth time. The steaks are amazing for the price! The appetizers are fantastic, but they just didn’t execute like...