Texas Roadhouse in Duluth, Mn

This was our first time going here, so we weren't sure what to expect. We did go on a Saturday night, and it was Duluth's UMD graduation. They do not accept reservations, but they do call ahead seating. Now, as a tip, call ahead seating does not mean that you are seated at the time you called ahead for. It is not a reservation, which it seemed liked on the phone. It just may cut your wait time, but, in the end, it is worth the call ahead. A family arrived shortly after us and did not call ahead, and they were seated 45 minutes after us.

When you call ahead, they suggest to call ahead an hour before coming to the restaurant, but to arrive 15 minutes  before the time you given. The call ahead system starts out automated, where there are different options to choose from. Then, when you get to a live person, you may have to give more details for what you need. Then, you give them the time you want to eat, and they will give you a confirmation number. When you go in at the time you said and give them that confirmation number, they give you a pager that will vibrate when they have your seat ready. It was nice that the staff came out and gave a sample of their Deep Fried Pickles while we waited outside.
 

The outside waiting area could have been  better. It was cold and rainy, and there was no shelter. A lot of families with young children and babies had to wait outside as well, it was too packed inside to wait. 

As for handicapped accessibility, parking was good, and the doors have a pole in the middle. A standard wheelchair would fit through. Once inside, let's just say it's the customers that you have to worry about, some of them would not move out of the way to let me through. The table they sat us at was way in the back. On the phone, they made it sound that the tables for wheelchairs were right inside the restaurant. Luckily, Texas Roadhouse has an awesome staff that were very helpful to stop traffic and help navigate to our table. 

It is very loud in the restaurant, with loud country music playing and people talking. At times, it was hard to hear our family talk, and even hearing our waitress talk about the different cuts of steak and menu items was difficult. Our waitress was very helpful, knowledgable on the menu items, and answered any questions we had. She checked on us often and brought refills when our drinks were low. 

Now, the food, through all the wait, plowing through customers, the navigation to the table, and the loud noise: Texas Roadhouse is the place to go for steaks! They give you a basket of bread with a cinnamon flavored butter that they bake fresh every five minutes, and they will bring more. And, I can't forget to mention the bucket of peanuts on the table, where you can throw the shells onto the floor. 

Jodi had a 10oz Sirloin that was done medium well, mashed potatoes, and corn. She liked all that she ate. Nothing really negative about the food, but she would like to see the little individual bowls be gone. The little bowls made it feel that you were getting small portions on your plate for the money you were paying. We would have rather seen a better presentation or the sides portioned out on a platter.
 

Sirloin Tips

KayMarie had Sirloin Tips that were done medium well with mushrooms, onions, and brown gravy, over mashed potatoes. She also had a cup of chili with shredded cheese and sour cream. She liked everything she ate and had no negative things to say about the food. 

Kids Meal Hot Dog

Christopher had a hot dog, because he thought Texas Roadhouse might offer different hot dogs than other places. He also had a bowl of applesauce that came with the kids meal, but I think he took more advantage of the peanuts and bread. 

Jonathan had a chili cheese dog, and a bowl of applesauce off the kids menu, as well. He liked everything he ate and left really full. His favorite part was putting the peanut shells on the floor.
 


Ribeye with Fixings

Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs

I had the 16oz Ribeye cooked medium rare, a house salad, broccoli and carrots. I also added a half order of ribs for $6.99 to my meal. The ribeye was done perfectly how I like my steak. It had a nice char on the outside and pink on the inside, it was very tender and just melted in your mouth. The ribs were cooked very well, with a nice char on the outside, but the meat was so tender it fell off the bone. Jodi tried the ribs and liked them as well, but she thought the BBQ sauce was too sweet. The sauce was on the sweeter side, but I thought it tasted good and would order them again.
 

So, don't let the wait, the crowds, or even the noise keep you from enjoying a great steak and the other tasty menu items they provide. Our family gives Texas Roadhouse in Duluth an A- with the couple of issues the food. But, the service was outstanding.

Check out their website: http://www.texasroadhouse.com/