Outback Steakhouse — Restaurant in Vancouver

We eat here a lot and usually have a decent to good experience however this time the only good part was our waitress Danielle.

I initially called in to get put on the wait list and was met with a host with a really bad attitude. She told me it would be 9:00 p.m. the soonest that she could see us and I was calling at 8:00 p.m.. I then let her know that in the last year when I call and asked to be put on the wait list I've Been Told it's 15 minutes then it's 30 minutes then it's 45 then they don't do it anymore and then all of a sudden it's an hour. So the information is not consistent. I was kind when I shared the information. I was then met with silence on her end. I asked my boyfriend if he still wanted to go and he said sure so I told her that we would go ahead and put her name on the list. She didn't say anything for a full 45 seconds at least, so I said would you like my information? She very rudely told me to just wait a minute. In this time there was no conversation from her such as "give me just a second" or anything, just silence. So I waited and then she asked me for my name and number which I gave her.

When we got to the mall we still had about 50 minutes left to wait and of course the mall was closed so we went into the restaurant. Instead of giving her my name and number that I had given for the waitlist, I gave her my boyfriend's name and number and then all of a sudden it was a 25 to 30 minute wait. We sat down and about 5 minutes later another girl came and seated us.

While we were sitting there an elderly couple came in and mind you at this point in time at least half of the booths and tables are empty. They were told also that it would be at least a 30 minute wait.

I can tell you that I almost went somewhere else and I wouldn't be surprised if the couple that came in after us who were told the same went somewhere else.

Regarding the food which is normally good I ordered a Cobb salad which said it had mixed greens. When I received it it was literally just iceberg lettuce with some grated cheese some bacon bits that look like they came out of a bag and chicken strips that have been cut into pieces and placed on top. I've had much better Cobb salads elsewhere. And also I only ordered it because it said it was mixed greens if the menu had said it was just iceberg lettuce I wouldn't have ordered it because iceberg lettuce doesn't sit well in my system. Also the person that was delivering food delivered her food to the wrong table or part of our food to the wrong table.

At the beginning I shared with Danielle when she came to talk to us about ordering, my experience I had when I called just letting her know and she was very kind about it she asked if I would like to talk to Sergio who was the acting manager there that night and I said sure.

Sergio never bothered to come talk to me the whole time we were there although he did walk by his twice to deliver food to a table. Needless to say if this experience was less than desirable. Normally we love to go to the Outback but at this point it might be a while before...

It’s not often I leave reviews however after our experience at this Outback Steakhouse today, I believe I have no choice other than to share our appreciation.

Today I convinced my SO to go to Outback Steakhouse instead of Chic-Fil-A which is no easy task but she had a legitimate reason to prefer there because I am currently in a wheelchair with a full leg extension after a near-fatal motorcycle accident and we were concerned we would be in the way but she agreed to give it a shot.

Immediately after entering, we realized we couldn’t fit at a table, so the front desk man asked a man for guidance and this gentleman (Barry) provided the absolute most amazing service; truthfully, I believe this may be the best service we have ever received at a restaurant, anywhere.

Barry read our body language and saw we were uncomfortable so he took us to a secluded area where we didn’t have to worry about being looked at funny or in the way because my wheelchair is about 5 feet long with my leg extension.

As we began to get me into position (extended leg over the booth and wheelchair in the center of the table), Barry saw we were struggling and went out of his way to help lift my leg extension to help my SO with situating me just right… absolutely not his responsibility but he did it out of kindness and empathy for another human, a trait we don’t see often.

After this, Barry provided phenomenal service and exemplified what it means to provide quality customer service. He was patient, kind, informative and took time to have meaningful, real conversation with us that left us feeling like we just left a family reunion luncheon, not a restaurant filled with strangers.

Our drinks were never empty, we never waited for anything we asked for other than the exact trip to grab it and come back which rarely happens due to the hectic nature of the food industry. Not only was Barry phenomenal, he handed us over to Skylar who reciprocated Barry’s aura, assistance and personality which was much appreciated because we had built up such a fondness for Barry, but Skylar didn’t skip a beat and was a solid fill in while Barry provided quality service to others in the restaurant.

We ordered a cocktail, (2) sirloin steaks, ribs and shrimp, all of which was cooked to perfection and was delivered to us hot and fresh.

After everything was said and done, Barry learned we were celebrating the good news of me surviving my motorcycle accident and being promoted at work (given the circumstances), so Barry gifted us a dessert that he paid for out of pocket just to make sure we had the cherry on top of our dining experience.

We are thankful, humbled, and honored to have met Barry, and look forward to visiting again soon; hopefully this time once I am able to maneuver without my chair.

Thank you Barry, thank you Skylar, and thank you to the young man who works the front desk and opened the door for us; we wish you positivity and nothing but good...

After many years of not eating here, I decided to give it another try.... came with a friend a couple times and on my own, and the service and food were pretty decent. The only comment I'll make is that the onions are looking a little sad and not as flavorful these days. The Bloomin' Chicken is a nice menu addition, especially if you are craving the coating and sauce without all the fried onions (and the things that could happen afterwards from that... but I digress).

And then came my experience this past Sunday (two days ago), which leads me to NEVER want to come back again - a promise I will be sure to keep.

I was in the mood for prime rib. According to the menu, it is served ALL DAY on weekends. Being that this was Sunday, I thought I was in luck.

I got to the bar area, which was relatively empty. I waited a decent amount of time to be acknowledged, but whatever. It wasn't terrible. I had this particular server before, but she seemed really cold this time. Not sure what was up with that.

I proceeded to order, at which time I said I would like the prime rib. She quickly fired back "They aren't ready yet, but I can check". I responded that I would really need to think about what to get since I was really looking forward to that.

About 10 minutes passed, when she brought my bread (but no drink), and she asked me if I "figured it out". I asked about the prime rib again, and she again fired back "they aren't ready yet". I pointed out on the menu where it stated it is available all day on weekends, and she still gave me some attitude about it - no apology or suggestions. If she hadn't already brought me things, I would have left right there... and I think I should have. So I ordered my meal and that was that. Mediocre food at best this time.

Now - if some explanation had been provided or if she would have apologized, this could have been an entirely different experience.... but there were so many missed opportunities here. She was very short with me (and I dropped a decent amount of cash on my order that day since I also got a dessert to go). She could have made suggestions on the menu in addition to apologizing about the unavailability of the menu items.

I also tend to be a 30% tipper.... but Sunday was not that kind of day. I don't deduct for kitchen mishaps.... but I do deduct for poor service, and there was plenty of that with an endless side of attitude.

So, this is the thumbtack in the coffin (it's not worthy of a nail)... I will NEVER come back to this restaurant again. I would sooner drive to Beaverton or Hillsboro (and I live in Vancouver).

I honestly also think that Vancouver would do better by closing this restaurant and placing a Cheesecake factory...