The Mystery is Solved--Longhorn Steakhouse

Never been to a longhorn, but have always heard good things.   It can't be any worse than O'Charleys.   I have always disliked it.    

We ate at the Decatur Longhorn this weekend and while there I ask the Manager about the location here and he indicated that the Florence Longhorn is due to open sometime in August 2013.

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Buffalo Wild Wings has several different varieties of wings, as does the Wing Shack. Both are good. Why drive all the way to H'ville for wings when you can get good ones here at home?  Oh wait, you said "wangs", never mind. Must be something different. Sorry!

Longhorn is just another chain restaurant. The quality is about the same as tx roadhouse.

I had the pleasure of attending the "Friends and Family Lunch" event at our new Longhorn Steakhouse. I enjoyed it so much more than Texas Roadhouse and Logan's. I ordered the Texas Tonion appetizer and was so pleased to find that the onion shavings are very lightly battered and not greasy. The dipping sauce was a traditional horseradish-based sauce, but different in a way that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

 

As I saw many guests ordering steak, and guessed that someone would be reviewing those, I ordered the Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich with a Caesar-style side salad as an entree. The salad was much larger than what I am used to being served at other local restaurants. Also, one thing that I really liked was that the Parmesan was shaved rather than shredded, which is actually how I serve it when I prepare that type of salad at home. I just feel it looks prettier and mixes into the salad better than the shredded style.

 

My sandwich was, in my opinion, amazing. Served on a sub roll, this sandwich features generous chunks of braised beef with a sprinkling of french-fried onions. What I found so amazing about this sandwich was that even though I could taste a nice sauce, it was not dripping with it and I could taste the flavors of the beef itself. The sandwich was served with a nice-sized sweet potato,  which was baked until it was fluffy inside and almost melted in my mouth. 

 

The staff was very kind and made every effort to make sure that we wanted for nothing. I attended this event with a Vegan and it is always very difficult for us to find places that can serve people with this dietary taste. Without batting an eye, our server, Frankie was able to point out alternatives and even went back to the kitchen to find answers to any questions he was unable to answer. 

 

The interior of the restaurant is very nice and I liked that I could walk through without bumping into other patrons, servers, booths and tables. I didn't worry about slipping on peanut shells and the music can be heard, but I was able to have a quiet conversation with my husband instead of shouting over music and hooting or hollering.

 

My own personal grade for Longhorn Steakhouse in Florence, AL is A+.

Welcome to the forum, Mr./Mrs. Longhorn GM.

Welcome to the forum, Mr./Mrs. Longhorn GM.

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Yep.

I have posted on the forums before. I am not new, nor am I a restaurant employee. Actually, I am a lowly Grad student who enjoys cooking for her family and friends at home. I thought I would post about my experience, as I've seen others do in the past. Now I am a little sorry that I bothered.

May I ask why one would think I am the GM of any restaurant?

You joined the forum on June 8. Most people here are a bit skeptical of "rave reviews" from new posters who's joining the forum happens to coincide with the opening of the reviewed restaurant. 

 

However, I saw in one of your previous posts that you have a son that is a line cook at Longhorn so I hope that goes well for him.

I suppose I can understand people being suspicious. I forget that I haven't been a registered member for long, as I have followed these forums without posting for years. In fact, I purposely posted in this folder because I saw the little squabble over posting on the same subject in too many folders when reading about the re-opening of Dale's.

 

Yes, my son is a line cook at Longhorn -- thank you for the kind wishes. His employment there had no bearing on what I had to say about the restaurant, though. Two of my daughters work at Buffalo Wild Wings and if the food/service is not good, I let them and their GM know. I will always do the same at Longhorn, as I am picky and expect great service and food everywhere I dine.

They are suffering A- holes shalom.

Shalom, here's hoping you are Jewish.

Well, thanks. I just thought it might be easier. My brother teases me about being a person who "gets along, in order to get along". 

 

Yes, I am Jewish but while I practice traditions here at home, I have yet to visit our local synagogue even though I have resided in the Shoals for over 20 years. There are reasons and things that I am trying to overcome which have nothing to do with anyone or anything in particular. I plan to visit very soon, though. I've met a lot of nice people on campus, so perhaps I will feel more comfortable about it. 

 

Thanks again for the welcome

Well I can tell you the synagogue was a treat this Saturday past for the Handy Fest. The rabbi is a young female and can sing like a bird as can her family. Her husband is not Jewish and that made me feel more at ease as I’m not Jewish. I have Jewish friends that I adore and again , glad you are here.

Actually, Shalom, don't mind Kenny or Best. We're glad for the review.

 

And, yes, I wanted you to know grbrk is a nice person because some start second--or fifth--topics because...hummm, OB says they are too lazy to look for the one(s) already started. I think it may be because Dale's was misspelled in gbrk's...no, wait, it was misspelled in Semi's, so that couldn't have been it.

 

I thought your review was excellent and didn't want it overlooked.

BACK TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND, that being Longhorn...............we ate there last night for the first time.  Our server was new, very new, perhaps her first day. She was very friendly and was trying so very hard to do a good job that we were pleased with her attitude.  She will be a good one when she gets a little experience behind her. Other team members took up the slack and, overall, we were pleased with our experience. I dearly love french onion soup so I gave it a try. I have had the soup at Outback, George's and Dale's. But the soup I had last night was way above and beyond any I have ever had. Looking forward to our next visit. Pricey so we won't be going often but quality was good and portions were generous. Very busy and noisier than I expected but glad we went.

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Bet she wasn't, bet she was the one that was always getting her face pushed into the dirt. LOL!!

 

Since there seems to be a question as to the reason for the topic I will offer this.  I did look or attempt to look/scan the topics, all be it briefly and at an early hour in the morning, and I didn't catch the other topic or I would have chosen to chose the most recent topic.  There was no attempt, on my part, to rob/steal/hijack a topic by starting a new one when an existing one was up and recent.  Could be I just missed it and have no way to verify that other than just to say take my word for it.

 

I will also offer this one comment as to our experience at the Florence Longhorn.  We chose, at lunch, to order off the dinner menu so as to have a salad included with our steak.  The steak (12 oz ribeye) was cooked as we requested and tasted very good.  Yes the waitress was very new and it was noticeable that this was probably her first job as a waitress but we understood that and it was expected to happen on opening day.

 

What wasn't expected was that their (Longhorn's) computer overcharged us $1.50 for our steak.  On the menu it was priced at $18.99 and on our ticket/check it was charged, by the computer, at $19.49.  I commented to one of the trainers or Managers (don't know which she was) and she said she would make sure to notify them but there was no offer, to us, to adjust for our overcharge.  Our feelings was that if a trainer they should have known to at least notify a manager and make an adjustment but that was not the case so i thanked her and left and filed a comment at the Longhorn website.  I have yet to receive an answer from them but kept the receipt and a copy of the menu so as to let them know the next time I come in.  Mistakes can be expected but an overcharge, from the posted menu price, is not as much to be expected and certainly it wasn't expected that they would not atone for the overcharge but it was opening day.

 

Humbly acknowledged.  Don't know what I was thinking but thanks for the correction.  Longhorn also apologized that it wasn't corrected and that they would make up the difference the next visit.  

 

They also noted that the menu price was incorrect and that new menus would be on their way to the restaurant.  The computer price was the correct price. 

I am so glad to hear that Longhorn is willing to acknowledge and eager to correct a hiccup in the system. I can't wait to return.

 

 

Exactly how is telling Shalom that gbrk is a nice guy who didn't mean to take anything away from her original review "trying to run the forum?"

Wife and I dined at Longhorn tonight and are so glad that Longhorn is now among us.  We had the Outlaw Ribeye (bone-in) medium, and it was exquisite if anything.  So good, tender and tasty that there was no need for any sauce or helper afterwards.   

 

Additionally we ordered a side of grilled shrimp to go with it and it also was great.  One additional note, if  you ever order the French Onion soup they have some house-made chips that come along (with the soup) that have melted cheese on them and they are great.  I only wish they were available as a side or appetizer by themselves.  I've eaten now at most of the local Steakhouses in the area over the last month (not including the 360 Grille, new Dales, or Georges) and based on the Outlaw Ribeye we had tonight nowhere else comes close.  

Thanks gbrk for your review.  My parents ate their and told me not to waste my time.  Their steaks were tough but they did say out of the whole dinner, the salad was good.  I tried eating there but they have a only seat 40 people within a half hour rule.  We went in and I counted 25 booths/tables empty and was told it was a 25 min wait.  I asked why and was told it was to make sure the customer got the best service.  I thought it was because they wouldn't hire enough wait staff. 

Our family had a disappointing experience at Longhorn last weekend. We were told that our party of 8 could not be seated. I explained that we were willing to wait and was informed that Corporate would not allow them to seat that large of a party. I told the manager on duty that I'd never been told anything like this anywhere else and that I was very disappointed. She apologized and told me that there was nothing she could do about it. 

 

My son talked me into returning the next day and somehow, they were able to seat a party of 7 in a booth that would have seated 8-plus. We waited too long to be served-- the food  came out cold and two orders were incorrect. We contacted Corporate the next business day, and were told that there is no policy in place that would have prohibited us from being seated the day before, an apology for the disappointing experience the following day, and assurance that they will do whatever it takes to make this right. 

 

We will see.

and I almost went there just yesterday?

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If they want to survive in the Shoals, they better get their act together--and soon.  Diners here are just as likely as any others to write an eatin' place off if the first experience is a bummer.

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Corporate needs to fire that manager & find another one.

I totally agree.  With my experience, my parents and what I read on here, I will not visit them again.  There are many other places here that will kindly take your money and seat you.  When we left after our experience, we went to Cracker Barrel.  My wife told our waitress what had happened.  She told her manager who spoke with us.  He said that was the most stupid thing he had ever heard.  And he quoted what you said, that if they didn't get their act together they wouldn't be open for long. 

Sounds to me like a chosen manager or their chosen management has not been properly trained to know corporate policy for I know of no restaurant that won't even set 16 or more if they can clear the tables.  

 

I would be very interested to know if someone from Corporate or regional contacted the ones who contacted corporate and filed a complaint.   I know when I made a complaint I got a call from an executive in Atlanta and they totally were apologetic and made up for the error.  I fully believe that you have a person there that needs educated by some regional person.  Note also that Longhorn is owned and operated by the same corporation that owns and operates Red Lobster and Olive Garden in the Florence Area and those certainly don't have that type of policy.  

 

No doubt that any restaurant is going to have opening jitters and problems, some small and others profound.  To me what makes the difference and determines the real outcome is how they atone for it and how they address the complaints.   I hope their response will be made known to us.  I've had problems at other Longhorns, as we do eat out a lot, in various locations and I have yet to not have Longhorn to atone for whatever problems were encountered in ways to totally insure that the outcome was far better than what caused the problem.  I'd be very surprised if the same attempts to reconcile this occurrence wasn't addressed with the same intensity.

Before you bash the local management, there may be a simple explanation that the person at corporate is unaware of. Not all Long Horn Steak Houses are of the same floor plan. Some such as the Florence location are smaller in size than others. This is done to avoid certain fire and life safety code requirements. The another example of this is the Wendy’s in Muscle Shoals. The floor plan was reduced in size to avoid the requirement for installing an automatic fire sprinkler system. The correct policy at most restaurants is the seating of large groups are only allowed if the proper aisle space and emergency egress can be maintained. Having not visited the Florence location, I can’t comment on their seating configuration. My co-workers and I have met at the Long Horns in Prattville often and seated over 24 with one group, but it’s one of their larger restaurants,

I was contacted yesterday by the General Manager. She was very nice, and said that the seating issue was due to a misunderstanding and that there was no good excuse for the problem we had with the food itself. She asked how she could make this situation right, and I directed her to these forums. I told her that she needs to see what people anticipated and how they feel about the service and food now that Longhorn has arrived in the Shoals area. 

 

I'm willing to give the restaurant another try

My wife and I had dinner at Longhorn last night and had a great experience.  Good service, great food and atmosphere. The Longhorn seems much more spacious than either Logan's or Texas Roadhouse with wait staff not being overly familiar with customers and well groomed.  Best of all was the lack of the blaring music found at the other two places.

Started to go last night, however, people were lined up out the door and a large crowd in the parking lot.  Will try again soon.

Thank you for your updated information and keeping us informed on their response.  I've always felt that Longhorn was a notch above the other chain steakhouse restaurants and had excellent response to complaints, at least they have been consistently top notch in all interactions I've had with them.  I hope they continue to do good here.

Made a second trip to Longhorn Steakhouse.  The first was made at lunch and the food and service was good.  Went again in the evening hours to find many people waiting in the wait area and outside.  Was told the wait was 15-20 minutes. Noticed many tables open, and was told by another party in the wait area that they had counted 14 empty tables.  After we were finally seated, the service was good, the young man waiting on our table was very good and took his time taking orders and making sure they were right.  The food was good, but I cannot help but wonder the reasoning behind having a wait with this many tables open.  The hostess could have done a better job.  If this is the kind of attitude they have, I doubt they will be getting many repeat customers.  I personally thought the idea of a place like this was to seat as many people as possible in a given amount of time.  The waiters make more, and the establishment makes more.  Perhaps I missed something in my business classes.  I sincerely hope they change their current practices.