Outback Steakhouse — Restaurant in Sevierville

Genuinely humiliating and unpleasant experience. I'm a local. I came in on a Wednesday night with three other friends and we made up a four top. All of us work in the sevierville area in the restaurant business and what should have been a forty-five minute dine turned into a two hour dance with a server who couldn't be bothered. James, said server, made it apparent from the beginning that he wasnt event remotely interested in us being there with short, interuptive statements. I felt like just sitting in his section was a problem for him. I've never met someone who can make the term "sir" sound derogatory or insulting. I have a shellfish allergy and an intolerance to onions. I made sure i let the server know about my allergies when I first arrived. My fiance and our friend both ordered the three course aussie special and when ordering their food James made them both feel stupid by telling them how "confusing" they were for simply reading the menue. The manager was decent. He made several appearances to the table but I felt like James deemed us problematic and suddenly he bacame awal for most of the time we were there. A table came in near us and sat there for nearly ten minutes without being greeted. I work in the restaurant industry, i serve, i host, i bust tables. Usually when a guest has any allergy the manager makes an appearence or the server is well versed in what is and isn't safe. I was made to feel like i was doing something wrong by simply reminding my server when he forgot and the wrong stuff came out to me and when all my friends had finished eating I was finally able to receive my unseasoned chicken breast and i still had to wait on some asparagus for an extra fifteen minutes. It took us an extra ten minutes to try to get our checks sorted and we just ended up rearranging our payments ourselves just to get out of there. Taking a few extra seconds to listen to your guests and let them know youre there makes for a lasting and memorable experience. I love the people that visit sevier county and take the time to visit my restaurant because the moments and experiences i get to create for them I am also making for myself. We are human beings. Not just another table number. I chose to spend my money here, to bring my friends here, to end a really wonderful evening here and I was rewarded with the stares of other guests who thought i was problematice and time lost for im pulling fifty hour work weeks and my one day off in who knows how long Im left sitting in this feeling that I, and my friends, are somehow less human for things that are out of our control. Next time I'll grab something from food city and...

For a reduced capacity restaurant with not so many people in it, the food came out slow. We were there 30 minutes before we got silverware after the salads got to the table and my wife started eating it with her fingers because she was that hungry.

The silver lining, the kids food was spot on.

My steak was a little rare but considering it wasn't unacceptably rare I ate it. My wife's steak took the cake however, it was medium rare at the table, she sent it back & requested it be cooked longer specifically requested it not be charred. When the manager brought it back to the table it was blackened and tasted of charcoal. Yes she ordered it well but not blackened and just as stated too.

This was our 1st time ever at any Outback restaurant and overall we weren't impressed. In the end the wife ate the kids leftover chicken tenders and ate her old baked potato and the 2 salads to get her fill of food here.

The bottom line, I do NOT recommend spending your money here. Slow service, unattentive hostesses, average to below par food.

Since the family was debating coming back next month, I'm pretty sure we will not be visiting this restaurant again.[

Update 7-15-20: I was invited to come back by the restaurant, today things were completely different.

Yes, we ate on their dime today.

We ordered basically the same meal from the last visit.

My steak was correct, my wifes steak was correct too.

The server was one of their most experienced servers and she was good at her job but still seemed like she felt like she wasn't going to get a decent tip since the manager was comping our meal.

The manager was really nice and the kids food was good too.

I would be happy with trying another outback close to home.

The appetizer, cheesesteak dip was...

When we go out to dinner, there are so many premier steakhouses in the area to choose from, and they all are good choices. One place that offers deliciously cooked meals, a variety of menu choices and a bunch of folks that work hard to make your dining experience the best, is the local Outback. In my opinion the way they prepare their filet mignon is as tasty as anywhere and their bloomin' shrimp appetizer is spectacularly tasty. Outback is known for their Aussie-tizers®, soups, big bowl salads, Steak 'n Mate combos, potatoes & sides, sammies & burgers, down-under faves, shrimp, lobster, salmon, and yummy deserts. You'll be able to order some coldies on tap, mixed drinks, wine, and booze-free bevvies. But you know what I like the most... it's the attentive and committed staff! They are alway willing to go above and beyond. Always smiling and taking a minute to converse with me and make me feel special. Our host Hannah made sure we had a perfect spot. Our server Ken was johnny-on-the-spot through out. (He's single too, girls.) Our server's-assistant was Brooke, a hard working college student who impressed us so much we wanted to take her home. (she's gonna be a Physician's Assistant some day) Manager Dinah Haney and Managing Partner Logan Barnett stopped by to let us know they cared about our dining experience and if we needed anything to let them know. Now that's the special ingredient that makes Outback just a bit better and makes your evening a success. Like their slogan says, "no rules,...