Texas Roadhouse Appetizers Ranked Worst To Best
There are few cuisines that hit the intense level of rich and savory notes quite like barbecue. If you've been lucky enough to indulge in one of these carnivorous extravaganzas, then you're well aware of how incredible the run-down-your-chin juices and thick cuts of fall-off-the-bone meat that leave you feeling. And, one state that certainly is synonymous with barbecue is Texas. But, unless you live in the state or real close by, it may not be so easy to get yourself there to enjoy those authentic juicy ribeye steaks, sauce-slathered pork ribs, and tender seasoned chicken. That's why people head to Texas Roadhouse, instead. There, they can feel like they're eating like a Texan without having to actually spend the time and money traveling to the Lone Star State.
Texas Roadhouse has been slingin' up delicious southern cuisine for years, which is why people return time after time when that craving for meat hits. Texas Roadhouse has plenty of dinner options to choose from, but before you even start thinking about entrees, peruse their starter options first. Barbecue is all about indulgence, so play your cards right and begin your meal with a few appetizers. But, pay close attention to this list, because we're ranking the appetizers from worst to first. When it comes to barbecue, the last thing you want to make is a mis-steak.
9. Tater Skins
Baked potatoes are a staple at any barbecue feast, especially when they're loaded up with melted cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, and any other kind of accoutrements your hungry little heart can think of. But if you don't want to take down an entire nugget of starch before you hit the meat, many places, including Texas Roadhouse, offer the hollowed-out skin of the potato, complete with the fixings, as an appetizer. Roadhouse's Tater Skins are pretty standard, with the potato skins topped in melted cheddar and bacon bits with a side of sour cream. However, you're going to want to steer clear of this starter altogether.
The problem with this dish is the potato skins. They might feel soft and crispy for the first seconds they come out of the oven, but in the few minutes they take to hit your table, they've cooled off considerably, leaving them tough. This makes the melted cheese start to harden as well, which leaves a very unappetizing sensation in your mouth with every bite. Head in the opposite direction of these. See ya later, tater.
8. Texas Red Chili
Chili is essentially a barbecue meal that's eaten with a spoon. It's got seasoned ground meat and beans, and it's usually topped with cheese that melts into the mixture, making the texture even more rich and creamy. Obviously, Texas Roadhouse just wouldn't feel authentic without at least one chili option on their menu, and that's why they have Texas Red Chili for those craving a hot bowl of rich flavors. The big problem with this item, however, is that while the bowl is certainly hot, the whole "rich flavors" part is nowhere to be found.
For a place that serves up some amazing cuts of flavorful meat, the ground beef in the chili is super bland. The red beans floating among the meat are also lacking in flavor, which means the two main components of the chili itself totally miss the mark. The main flavors you do taste are the shredded cheddar and red onions on top, but that's not the reason anyone orders the chili.
7. Cheese Fries
When all else fails, order a platter of French fries for the table. Nearly everyone loves nibbling on those crispy potato strips before a meal. You can dip them in almost anything, and they don't tend to fill you up too much before the main courses arrive. Texas Roadhouse offers customers Cheese Fries, a platter of thick-cut steak fries covered in melted cheddar cheese and sprinkled with bacon bits. As enticing as that might sound, you're better off straying away from this dish and choosing something else instead.
The temperature of the dish is the issue here, and the problems quickly occur once the fries begin to cool down, which is fast. Sure, the plate hits the table and everyone's transfixed at the glistening melted cheese on top, but within minutes that cheese begins to harden, which makes the fries underneath cool down as well. Everything quickly becomes quite undesirable and leaves you wishing you had spent money on something different.
6. Cactus Blossom
The presentation of the Cactus Blossom at Texas Roadhouse looks awesome, which makes it one of those items you feel like you need to order to try for yourself when you're there. A huge onion is carefully cut into thin strips, left attached at the base, and then fried until golden brown. Then, a big cup of zesty Cajun sauce is placed in the middle for a nice kick of creamy heat. How could you go wrong, right? Well, unfortunately, as awesome as this starter looks and sounds, there's one big reason why the whole thing just doesn't really work in the end.
The entire design of the dish is what makes this something to skip. The fact that all the fried strips of onion are still attached to the onion's base means when that you try to pull a piece off, 9 times out of 10 (and often all 10 times), the onion stays attached while you slide off just the fried part. In order to actually eat this thing, you need to attack it with a knife and try to meticulously cut out the pieces yourself. It's a huge pain the neck, and although the Cajun sauce does add an awesome flavor to the fried onions, the exertion needed to actually enjoy this isn't worth the frustration.
5. Boneless Buffalo Wings
There are some people who love to gnaw meat off bones, and there are others who don't want their teeth anywhere near the things. This is what makes boneless wings so great. Bone-fearing folk can still enjoy bite-sized nuggets of chicken without having to pick the meat off any kind of skeletal structure. Texas Roadhouse offers guests Boneless Buffalo Wings, and while they can act as a great option for people looking for that kind of appetizer, in truth, they're nothing to write home about.
It's not that the nuggets of breaded white-meat chicken taste bad, it's just that there's nothing that impresses you about them. When you're out to eat, you want to order something that'll leave you impressed, and these just don't scratch that itch. They're tossed in a standard mild or hot sauce, and then served with your standard ranch or bleu cheese dipping sauces. Not terrible. Not great. Just kinda boring.
4. Killer Ribs
When it comes time to bury your face in a plate of ribs, you don't want ordinary run-of-the-mill ribs. No, you want some killer-tasting ribs. The kind that tosses you right into a heavenly food coma once you finish up. The kind that nestles in your palate's memory for days afterward. Well, Texas Roadhouse swoops in with their Killer Ribs appetizer, a basket with a small slab of ribs resting on a pile of steak fries, to prep your taste buds for the kinds of flavors that'll smack you in the mouth over the course of your dining experience. And, it's not bad preparation at all.
The meat on the ribs slides right off the bone, which is always what you want to see when you eat them. A zesty barbecue sauce is also slathered on the top, which enhances the flavor of the meat spectacularly. Before you know it, you'll find the basket containing nothing but bones, which is always a bummer. But, just know another order of these messy-but-delicious handheld meat sticks is only a server-ask away.
3. Grilled Shrimp
When you go to Texas Roadhouse, you're likely going to indulge in some serious turf, since that's what barbecue is. But, why not add a little surf to your experience as well? Luckily, you can if you start your meal with an order of the Grilled Shrimp. The shrimp is seasoned and drizzled in a rich garlic-lemon pepper-butter sauce and served on fluffy pieces of freshly baked buttery bread. It also comes with an extra side of the sauce in case you want those crustaceans dripping with flavor. This is some surf that's more than worth your time.
The shrimp themselves are super succulent, and each bite has that oceanic burst of flavor that makes seafood such a perfect option. The sauce they're drizzled in is so delicious you'll want a cup of it just to drink (but don't ask for one). It might seem odd at first that the shrimp is served with toasted bread, but the crunchiness of the bread slices paired with the tenderness of the shrimp works wonders inside your mouth. Drizzle some of the sauce on the bread, too, for maximum enjoyment.
2. Fried Pickles
Pairing opposite flavor profiles is one of the best ways to ensure a meal you'll enjoy. The differences complement each other in a way that play perfectly on your palate, and it creates that coveted umami sensation that presses your salivary glands' pedal to metal. This is exactly what makes Texas Roadhouse's Fried Pickles a perfect item to share with the table. The basket of golden-fried pickle chips comes with your choice of ranch or Cajun dipping sauces to make the already flavor-packed experience even better.
Pickles already have that vinegary bite to them that screams at your taste buds, "I've arrived!" Now, pair that zesty bite with the fatty richness of the fried breading, and you have a yin-and-yang situation of decadence throwing a fiesta in your mouth. The addition of the creamy sauce adds a mouthwatering third level to this basket. If you're a fan of pickles at all, you'd be making an enormous mistake leaving these off your bill.
1. Rattlesnake Bites
There are two kinds of rattlesnake bites in the world. One of them you definitely do not want; you'll end up in a hospital on life support. The other kind, however, will send you into a dizzying daze of deliciousness. The Rattlesnake Bites that Texas Roadhouse serves up are bite-sized morsels of golden-fried cheesy goodness, and you owe it to yourself to try them. Don't let the intimidating name send you packing in the opposite direction. This is one path you definitely want to venture down.
Not only do the tiny fried bites contain Monterey Jack cheese, but they also have diced jalapenos, so you get a little kick of heat inside each one. The cheese is gooey, the pepper flavor is never overwhelming, and the sauces they serve them with (ranch or Cajun) lend a creamy texture that your mouth welcomes alongside crunchy exterior of each piece. There's no Texas without rattlesnakes, and there's no Texas Roadhouse without Rattlesnake Bites.