Outback Steakhouse — Restaurant in Westminster

My 14-year-old son loves their prime rib, otherwise this location gets a single star. And if you read my reviews, you'll quickly see that I take reviewing businesses very seriously. So I enter into this 2-star review heavy-hearted.

I have been to this restaurant repeatedly. No fewer than 4-6 times in the last 18 months. Again, I'd never go here if it weren't' for my child's affection for their prime rib. But my point is, I am qualified to review this place. And so, here goes...

The servers are dependably disinterested in serving me. They vanish, return long after they were required, never present a dish with the requisite condiments (ketchup, etc.), express sometimes an almost disdain for being troubled by my presence in their station and in general fairly routinely to make me feel like being there was a good way to spend an hour. And please resist the urge to consider this commentary hyperbole. they have been that bad, that often. Again, read my other reviews. I am always paying attention.

And while it appears to be policy to be greeted by the manager on duty, which I value and appreciate, I am so regularly disappointed that I've stopped confessing my unhappiness to them. Anymore I have instead opted to finish my meal, which is always tasty not-so-incidentally, as quickly as my son can suck down his prime rib and get out of their without much fuss.

The service, to be frank, is why this review is awful and probably painful for ownership to read.

The food is late, or fast, to the table, and follow-ups are scarce and always, at best, obligatory. I am rather certain that their server staff don't care at all about their customers. And I suppose that I would concede I'm making oversimplified general judgments. But, given how often this has been my experience, I am not inclined to remember the single moment when, for the briefest of moments, things may haven unfolded as they should.

There are not bad servers, only bad leaders. I blame leadership. The only good news for this restaurant is that its competitors suck in precisely the same ways, so I am a diner that is convinced that Fridays, Red Robin, Ruby Tuesdays, Outback and so on all care equally about their customers. But just know Outback owners that there are some people visiting your restaurant - how ever few we are - that know what's reasonable to expect from a visit and we are paying strict attention to how marginal in importance our priorities are to you. Let's figure this out. You can do it! Fire the staff wasting your time and reward those...

I took my mother to Outback for her birthday. I’ve been eating there for years and never had a bad meal until now. I had a coupon for a Bloomin’ Onion and I told the waitress I was a AARP member so I qualified for a 10% discount. My mother and I both ordered prime rib medium rare. When we got are meals the meat was bloody and very rare. It was also a very bad cut. After taking a bite we both realized it was inedible. Tasted like blood with no hint of the flavor prime rib should have. The waitress admitted that they looked very rare and took are plates to bring us new cuts. Much to our dismay all the kitchen did was throw the meat on the grill and bring it back. Now it was well done, seared on both sides and tasted so bad we could not eat it. Also the baked potatoes were horrible and dry. The manager offered to bring us something else but we came for prime rib and already went through two plates and frankly our appetites were ruined by the taste of the meat, so we politely declined. He asked if we wanted a desert which we declined. He apologized and left us and a hot fudge sundae was brought to us any way. Now come on!!! how can you ruin a sundae??? But they did. It was not real fudge and tasted like they melted some Whoppers or something. When I received the check, not only did I not get any kind of comp on the meal, I also did not get the 10% discount. The waitress had forgot. You would think after being so dissatisfied with the meal she would at least remember that! Not wanting to ruin the evening.any further, I mentioned the discount, which she applied and I paid for the meal. We walked out without having our meal. I ended up paying $70 for a “free” Bloomin’ Onion, two dinner salads and some ice water. I am so angry and I will never go there again. That manager has ruined a good restaurant!. Unbelievable!!! Looks like Black Angus...

It's become sort of fashionable these days to crack on Outback for being generic or mediocre or whatever. I saw someone on Twitter call Outback "the Olive Garden of steakhouses". I couldn't tell you why this has become "a thing," but I can tell you this: the joke is on them, because this place is spectacular.

The Outback on Bolsa Ave (Westminster Mall parking lot) is bright, airy, and clean. The food is fantastic. On my last trip, my girlfriend got the ribeye (medium well), and I got the prime rib (rare) -- both were delicious, and cooked to perfection. I cannot count the number of places I've been in my life, even so-called steakhouses, that could not plate a properly cooked steak. You ask for rare, you get medium rare, etc. Not here. At Outback, they have a picture right on the menu -- a scale of meat in various stages of doneness -- and they adhere to it with a conviction that borders on religious.

The sides are excellent as well. Another rarity in dining out is to find a place that can do a baked potato well, where it's cooked to the same consistency, all the way through, every single bite. No problem here.

The service is also superb. Our server was friendly, attentive, and got everything right. From what I saw of other sections, there were no other tables that went wanting for anything, either. Even the owner of the place was up and around, greeting and chatting with diners.

Bottom line: the clever set can look down their noses at Outback all they like. That just means they won't be ahead of me in the wait for a table, which is...