Texas Roadhouse Sides Ranked Worst To Best

Ordering side dishes can sometimes be a cumbersome task, especially if you aren't quite sure what to expect. And while it might not be possible to score a cheat sheet for every side dish menu, we're pleased to say that we've gone to great lengths to give you the truth about how Texas Roadhouse side dishes stack up against each other, starting with the worst down to the best.

With offerings that come from deliciously southern-inspired roots to a few that were just plain boring, we're ready to spill the tea on which side dishes to sample and which to avoid come your next Texas Roadhouse outing. We're being brutally honest this go-round, so excuse us if we come off a bit strong. Still, this information could save you money and disgruntled feelings, so get your fork and knife ready because it's time to dig in.

Oh, and don't worry; this time, the tab's on us!

Mashed potatoes are another one of those sides that feels so right when served next to a steak. We're sure that's what Texas Roadhouse had in mind when they considered offering these thick and fluffy mashers for the public to enjoy. Sadly, we were underwhelmed by these potatoes, but not for the reasons you might think.

Before we dive into it, let us first acknowledge that these mashers can get ordered in various ways. We chose to sample the potatoes with beef gravy on top because it seemed like the most obvious choice when paired with a good steak. Whether that was a good choice is a different question entirely.

The beef gravy just wasn't good. It was overly savory, almost artificially so, with a weird aftertaste we just couldn't put our finger on. On the plus side, we can say that after scraping off the unappetizing gravy, we were grateful that the mashed potatoes were actually very good. They were creamy, fluffy, and featured chunks of thick potato skin streaks throughout, giving them a rustic flavor and texture. So, if you go for the potatoes, we'd say just skip the beef gravy. They're still a solid pick, and there are other, much better ways to dress them up if you don't want to eat them plain.

Well, at least Texas Roadhouse was honest with this one, so we can't be mad. No, the "mac and cheese" sold at Texas Roadhouse is not the homemade kind stuffed with all kinds of yummy cheeses and creams, but instead, it's the blue box kind you'd find in Walmart for a buck or two. Yipee.

Still, if you're a blue box macaroni fan, you likely won't be disappointed with this rendition of the nostalgic childhood favorite. Not only does it come deliciously creamy and velvety in texture, but it also comes without the bells and whistles of extra seasoning. Why is this important? It makes it easier for kids to stomach while also setting the stage for the cheese to shine. It really doesn't need anything extra, not even salt or pepper. We're not sure how Texas Roadhouse achieved it, but this Kraft Mac and Cheese is fairly well done. Kudos!

Do you know what's strange? When you take a bite of something, and you're like, "Mmm, yum..." and also like, "Ew, what's that?" at the same time. It's a total flavor rollercoaster. Oddly, that's the experience we had when sampling Texas Roadhouse's mushrooms, and it was certainly an experience we won't soon forget.

At this point, you're likely wondering what could cause us to have such a split reaction. Let's start with the pros, and that's surely the texture. This was our first time biting into a mushroom so firm and meaty, with the perfect amount of tender juiciness.

Despite their near-perfect texture, Texas Roadhouse gets it wrong with that darn umami flavor again. It comes off too strong, along with a mix of very potent black pepper, making it taste like a beef bouillon and peppercorn explosion happened in the kitchen, and not in a good way. This makes us unsure whether to recommend the mushrooms. For this one, we'd say give it a go and see what you think. You might have a different opinion!

Sautéed onions as a side dish? Yep, Texas Roadhouse offers them, and no doubt, they're meant to be paired with mushrooms and a beefy slab of steak. Still, we were grateful to be given the chance to taste these on their own to see how fresh they were, and honestly, they weren't too bad.

Unlike the mushrooms, we weren't getting any weird flavor vibes on this one. The onions were perfectly cooked — not too firm but also not completely mushy. They seem to be tossed in soy or beef broth, though it's impossible to tell which. They also seem to feature black pepper and a bit of flavoring to up the ante. Overall, this was an enjoyable bite that we'd imagine to be a show-stopping topper when added to a juicy steak. Order a side of these onions and give it a go. We definitely give them two thumbs up.

Steamed broccoli is yet another one of those seemingly meh sides when you go out to eat, but it definitely serves its purpose, especially if your goal is to eat light. We went into this one thinking we'd get some plain hum-drum florets, maybe tossed lightly in butter and sprinkled with a bit of salt, but instead, we got something far different. Though the presentation wasn't much, we're happy to report that there were some nuanced flavors exhibited here that surprised our palates.

Rather than biting into a floppy, bland broccoli floret, we found ourselves chewing nicely formed broccoli pieces with an interesting flavor combination hitting our tongues. The website indicates a lemon pepper butter on the broccoli, which we'd have to assume is the flavoring we're tasting here. Just know that it doesn't exactly have a citrusy taste, but rather something more like soy, lemon, and garlic if you ask us. Still, the broccoli is a winner and may not be as drab as expected.

We don't know about you, but there's something about Caesar salads that seem so unimpressive and mundane. Not sure if it's the lack of toppings or the lackluster dressing they usually come with, but Caesar salads typically don't make our "A" list for the most impressive salad choice out there.

With that said, you may be wondering why on earth Texas Roadhouse's Caesar salad ranks so high on our ranked side dishes list. The answer? This Caesar salad is done remarkably well.

No, seriously. Everything from the crispy and flavorful croutons right down to the dreamily thick and creamy dressing left us salivating and gulping down each bite, possibly without even taking a single breath of air. Yes, it's that good, and no, we aren't kidding. This seems to be the trend with Texas Roadhouse salads, and we're not at all mad. Try the Caesar salad for yourself and see what we mean; you won't regret it, especially if you're already a Caesar salad fan.

There isn't usually a lot to say about rice. In most cases, rice is just rice, and it sometimes takes a lot to make rice taste like something special, even when dining out.

Interestingly enough, Texas Roadhouse's seasoned rice really did a number on our taste buds, and we mean that in the best way. We didn't go in with high hopes because, after all, it's just rice. But a quick taste of the stuff and our minds suddenly changed. Not sure what kind of magic was performed here, but the flavor stood out. It seemed like it was doused in all the deliciousness you'd associate with a seasoned roasted chicken, with flavors like butter, parsley, chicken broth, and garlic all dancing merrily on the tongue.

Like many of the other side dishes, Texas Roadhouse, unfortunately, does not give us much insight into the ingredients used here as there is no in-depth description to match the side dish at the moment. Still, we give this rice a hefty thumbs up for its outstanding flavor. It's a win!

We've finally made it to the most delicious, show-stopping side dish available on the Texas Roadhouse menu: the loaded baked potato. To be honest, we never saw this one ranking as number one, although the toppings did sound darn delicious. Many of us have had loaded baked potatoes before, and though good, they usually don't seem to scream "best side dish out there" upon the first bite.

Oh, but this loaded potato... wow! To start, everything comes served on top of a fluffy and perfectly cooked warm potato. This already impressive foundation is then stacked with butter, sour cream, cheddar, and bacon. The cheddar cheese shreds were thick and noticeable, almost as if they had been shredded fresh using a hand grater. The flavor of the cheese was undeniably sharp, leaving a burst of intense cheesiness that enveloped our tastebuds and lingered in our mouths with its powerfully delectable presence.

Next comes the best part about the potato, and that's the bacon. The bacon is amazing! Its flavor is dynamically smoky, and its texture is spot on. It was thick and chewy in the perfect way, and honestly, we finished most of this potato before sampling any of the other sides. It was really that good.