Longhorn SteakhouseWith the changing of the seasons LongHorn Steakhouse re-vamps their menu.  They offer “Peak Season” and “Chef’s Showcase” menus that feature new menu items that are made using seasonal ingredients and show you how creative their chefs can be in the kitchen.  Last week I was invited to attend a “Fall into Flavor” blogger dinner where a small group of local bloggers was invited to dine at LongHorn Steakhouse and taste many of their delicious menu items, including some special fall features.  This was my first time going to a LongHorn Steakhouse, and as a meat & potatoes sort of lass I was very impressed!  In fact, I spent the night feeling guilty that I had gone with a friend instead of bringing my meat and potatoes husband along, because I think he would have loved this meal as well.   I will remedy the situation soon with either a date night or a family dinner at LongHorn!  I can’t wait to go back.

During the “Fall into Flavor” dinner we were served several different appetizers, bread & butter, salad, steak (of course!), a side dish and two different desserts.  I did my best to try a bite of every dish, and I really enjoyed everything I tasted.  The food really was delicious, and was presented in a way that would make you drool (see pictures below).  And the service was outstanding.  Granted, we were at a very special dinner, and had many employees waiting on us, but as we dined I watched other tables, and it seemed like everyone in the place was getting top-notch service.  The employees all seem very knowledgeable about the dishes they are serving and proud of what they do and the management team does a fantastic job running the show and making sure LongHorn isn’t perceived as just another chain restaurant.  It seems they want to stand apart of from others and really shine, and that they do.  We learned so much about steaks while we were at the dinner, and I’ve added some of the fun facts we learned about LongHorn and their menu items below along with pictures from our mouthwateringly delicious meal.

“Fall into Flavor” Dinner at LongHorn Steakhouse ::

Wild West Shrimp Appetizer

Wild West Shrimp Appetizer

Brew Pub Pretzel Sticks

Brew Pub Pretzel Sticks Appetizer

Spicy Chicken Bites Appetizer

Spicy Chicken Bites Appetizer

Sweet Corn Fritters Appetizer

Sweet Corn Fritters Appetizer

Longhorn Bleu Ridge Wedge Salad

Bleu Ridge Wedge Salad

I’m going to admit, I did not try the salad because I don’t like Blue Cheese, but another blogger told me that the Blue Cheese wasn’t too overwhelming, so maybe I would have liked it.  They have other salads, but I’m not going to lie…I was saving myself for dessert!

The Outlaw Ribeye with Fresh Steamed Asparagus

The Outlaw Ribeye with Fresh Steamed Asparagus

We had three different steaks to choose from at our dinner, the Outlaw Ribeye, the Renegade Sirloin and the Harvest Mushroom Filet.  These are just a few of the steak selections at LongHorn.  Everyone around the tables seemed to thoroughly enjoy their meal!  There were many side dishes to choose from as well, but asparagus is my favorite veg.  Others tried Loaded Idaho Baked Potato, Sweet Potato with Cinnamon Sugar & Butter, Steakhouse Mac and Cheese and Potato Leek Au Gratin.  I tried a bite of a few of the other sides and they were yummy too!  That’s the great thing about dining with friends, you can try different foods!

And then came the desserts…

Pumpkin Spice Lava Cake

Pumpkin Spice Lava Cake

OH. MY. WORD.  This pumpkin concoction was my favorite thing about the dinner.  It was AMAZING!  Of course the next dessert was mighty fine too…

The Chocolate Stampede

The Chocolate Stampede

Dinner is always better when enjoyed with friends…I was lucky enough to get to hang out with so many great local bloggers at this dinner, like Amy Q. from In A Galaxy Blog and Nedra, the Adventure Mom.

Longhorn BloggersThat’s right…bloggers don’t take a bite until we capture our meal with pictures!

Here’s a few Fun Facts from Longhorn Steakhouse ::

  • All of our steaks are fresh, never frozen, hand-seasoned with our secret seasoning blend, expertly grilled and finished with our signature lemon sauce.
  • Longhorn SteaksLongHorn Steakhouse restaurants have donated more than 11 million pounds of food to local food banks across the country over the past decade. 
  • Quality is important to us, so we go the extra mile to ensure our food is fresh. Here are some examples:

o   All of our proteins – chicken, steak and fish – are fresh, never frozen

o   Ribeyes are cut in-house

o   Prime Rib is slow-roasted for six hours with our secret rub

o   Ribs are slow-roasted for four hours until tender and then basted with our homemade BBQ sauce

o   Our salads are hand-chopped

o   Our Wild West Shrimp and Chicken Tenders are hand-battered to order

o   Our baked potatoes and honey-wheat bread are made fresh every 20 minutes

 Founded in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia, LongHorn Steakhouse began with one man’s passion for perfect steak but had very few guests to convince. Then a freak snowstorm hit Atlanta in 1982, stranding motorists and drawing them to one of the only hospitable places available – a restaurant then called LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon. Tales of expertly grilled steaks soon spread like wildfire, and the legend of LongHorn was born

The dinner we attended was at the Cincinnati location of LongHorn Steakhouse, but if you aren’t in the Cincy area there are many other locations, check out their website for locations, menus, directions, hours and more!

You can find #LongHornCinci online:

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 Have you been to LongHorn Steakhouse?  What’s your favorite menu item?

Disclaimer:  I was provided with a complimentary dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse and was given a gift certificate to go back and enjoy a meal with my family.  All opinions are 100% my own, as always.