LongHorn Steakhouse is an American casual dining steakhouse restaurant chain with locations throughout the United States and other parts of the world. The steakhouse has expanded throughout the years and has earned a reputation of providing its guests with great steak. The establishment strives to be the best steakhouse through both its food and its service. Providing bold, delicious flavors, Longhorn aims to please. The steaks are hand cut, hand seasoned and grilled to its customers’ specifications. The service is excellent and guests are provided with a great steakhouse dining experience.

The chain prides itself with providing expertly grilled steaks and juicy burgers. The steaks, seafood, and chicken are served fresh and never frozen. The chain also provides a full service bar, which serves beer, wine, liquor and cocktails. The chain displays a Texas-style Western theme and a warm friendly ambiance, where guests and relax and enjoy their meal. The establishment indeed captures the flavor and fun in its restaurants. The establishment serves high quality food along with offering warm Western hospitality.

History

LongHorn Steakhouse was established in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia. This first restaurant was initially named LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon and was located on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. Its founder, George McKerrow Jr., was inspired to open the restaurant by his passion for perfect steak.  At first, the establishment was not very successful and did not have many customers. However, in 1982, a snowstorm hit Atlanta and caused numerous motorists to be stranded in the area. As a result, the stranded motorists were drawn to the restaurant as one of the few places to shelter and get food. The word soon spread about the excellently grilled steaks and business finally took off.

The chain had expanded throughout the East, Midwest and Southwest of the United States and also in Puerto Rico by 1990. The establishment eventually changed its name to LongHorn Steakhouse. The establishment was owned and operated by RARE Hospitality International, Inc. On August 28, 2004, the original LongHorn location on Peachtree Street was closed down. A new restaurant was opened in Atlanta in the Lindbergh City Center Development at the intersection of Piedmont Road and Lindbergh Drive. In 2007, LongHorn was purchased by Darden Restaurants, Inc. Today, the chain still owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, Inc., and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

LongHorn has over 400 locations. The chain has several restaurant locations in various states, such as Georgia, Florida, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Recently opened locations include Garner, North Carolina and Watertown, New York. Another restaurant is scheduled to be opened in Bismarck, North Dakota on November 23, 2015.  The chain also has locations at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan and the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. International locations include: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador, and Malaysia.

LongHorn is very much involved in the community. The establishment donates a portion of proceeds from pre-opening training events of new restaurant openings to help local organizations in need. The chain also participates in giving to charity. Instead of throwing their own holiday celebration, the establishment hosts a holiday meal for families in the community who are less fortunate. The establishment also donates toys, clothing, and household items to families in need. The chain is also in partnership with Food Donation Connection. The establishment helps to feed the hungry by contributing high-quality food items on a weekly basis to community food banks and other non-profit organizations. As a member of the Darden Restaurant group, LongHorn is a member of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, through which it donates meals to help feed families who became victims to natural disasters.

Review

Longhorn is open seven days a week. Its hours of operation are generally 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, although the times may vary according to location. The establishment opens for lunch at 11:00 a.m. and begins serving dinner at 4:00 p.m. Longhorn considers family time to be very important and is therefore closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The restaurant closes at 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and is open on normal business hours on all other holidays. The chain does not accept reservations. However, it offers “Call-Ahead waiting”, where guests can call the restaurant ahead of time to add their name to a wait list to reduce their wait time at the restaurant.

The menu provides lunch and dinner. Both the lunch and dinner menu offer appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, sides, deserts, beverages and of course, steak. The appetizers are made up of the Bold Bites, which are priced between $3 and $7, and the Shareable Starters, which are priced between $6 and $11. The Bold Bites consist of Spicy Chicken Bites, Chili Chees Fries, Crispy Jalapeno Shooters, Sweet Corn Fritters, and Housemade Kettle Chips. The Shareable Starters include Wild West Shrimp, Sweet Chili Calamari, and the Texas Tonion, along with other choices.

The restaurant provides an assortment of “Legendary Steaks”, such as the Outlaw Ribeye, Fire-Grilled T-bone, New York strip, Prime Rib, Flat Iron Steak and the Longhorn Porterhouse. The steaks are priced between $12 and $30, depending on the choice. There are also options for guests who prefer something other than steak, such as the pork chops, salmon, chicken, ribs and shrimp. These “Specialties Beyond Steak” are priced between $12 and $18. The sides and soups are generally priced between $5 and $6. The Steakhouse Salads are between $13 and $15. The burgers are between $10 and $15. The deserts are priced between $5 and $10. The restaurant also provides specials, such as the Renegade Sirloin and Baby Back Ribs priced between $18 and $19.

Customers really like the food. The steak of course is a favorite. The ribeye is highly recommended. Other recommended menu choices include the salmon, the pork chops, and the ribs, as well as the Texas Tonion, baked sweet potato, Wild West shrimp and the spicy chicken bites. The portions are large and the food is great. The staff is attentive to its customers and provide good service. The restaurants are also clean. Longhorn tends to be crowded on weekends and since they do not accept reservations, there may be a bit of a wait on those days. However, the establishment does its best to accommodate its guests. Longhorn provides a fun and relaxed ambiance with its Texas-styled / Western theme. The establishment has a great family-friendly atmosphere and is a great place for guests to sit back and enjoy delicious steaks.