The Best Things To Order At Texas Roadhouse That Aren't Steak, According To Customers

Although the bone-in ribeye is our favorite steak from Texas Roadhouse, there are plenty of other options to order at the chain restaurant besides steak. Sure, it's certainly what the brand is known for and focuses on, but we wanted to find out what kind of items people really enjoyed aside from the aforementioned meat dish. To identify the top non-steak items, we scoured the web to locate only the most glowing opinions to put this list together. 

We were surprised by the sheer range of positive mentions on anything from seafood to sides (and then something to wash it all down with), which allows you to get a better scope of the restaurant's offerings. You can feel confident in anything on this list, as every item has multiple happy customers who say it's worth your dollars and the space in your belly. We hope you're not too hungry because you'll be ravenous after finishing up this article. Oh, and if you're looking to score some of the notorious Texas Roadhouse peanuts while you're there, simply ask your server.

A bowl of chili is comforting and filling, and Texas Roadhouse's version is well-loved by its community. Called the Texas Red Chili, you can order this dish as a stand-alone side or as a side to your main course. Either way, you'll be satisfied with this soup, which comes with cheddar cheese, diced red onion, and saltine crackers, although you can remove any if you wish. As one Redditor says, "Their chili is over the top good. I was not expecting all that magic in [my] mouth." Others love it so much that they said they drove 30 miles just to snag a couple of bowls to take home. Yes, for a slight upcharge you can get a bowl rather than a cup of soup.

Like the rest of the menu, the chili is made from scratch in-house, which gives it that warming, homemade touch that a can from the store can't offer. The secret to Texas Roadhouse's chili is that the restaurant utilizes steak trimmings to give it that hearty flavor and texture. So, if you're narrowing down your side options, then the chili is a must-try.

How good can the salmon really be at a place known for its selection of meat? Well, it's pretty excellent according to reviewers. The fish dish is recommended by multiple people and even deemed the best thing on the menu by one person. Reviewers say that it's juicy, buttery, and seasoned to perfection, all of which are highly important factors for salmon — nobody wants a dry, bland piece of fish. You can find this under the Dockside Favorites section of the menu, along with shrimp and catfish. 

The grilled Norwegian salmon is available as a 5- or 8-ounce fillet and comes with salmon seasoning, lemon pepper butter, fresh parsley, lemon wedge, and tartar sauce, any of which can be removed as you prefer. You get to pick two sides — and if you need help narrowing it down, you can opt for any of the side options we mention here — but the loaded baked potato is a suggested option. Overall, the grilled salmon steak is a highly praised dish that people come back to over and over again.

If you're in the mood for a different type of meat, get yourself some pork rather than beef during your jaunt at Texas Roadhouse. The pork chops are loved by customers for their juicy, tender nature. You might have missed them, but they are under the Country Dinners area of the menu, right next to the pulled pork dinner and beef tips. People say the chops are excellent and thoroughly scrumptious, and they are frequently recommended by reviewers. These are grilled to perfection and served with a buttery, savory, and multi-dimensional peppercorn sauce thanks to the blend of cracked pepper, butter, red wine, and gravy. 

Get the single or double chop depending on your hunger level or if you're sharing. You can customize it with add-ons like sautéed mushrooms and onions or bleu cheese crumbles, or leave it as it comes with the peppercorn sauce and steak seasoning. Pick your two sides, then just wait for your mouth-watering meal to arrive at the table. There are countless copycat recipes online, but your best bet is just to order it directly from the source.

Green beans may seem plain by name alone, but not the ones at Texas Roadhouse. This isn't your grandparents' steamed, unseasoned beans. These are rich with bits of bacon to add a salty bite and a hint of added texture. They're cut into smaller pieces, rather than full beans, to allow bite-sized morsels that are easy to devour and perfectly cooked. It has a touch of sweetness from brown sugar, too, which gives it a well-rounded flavor to balance the salinity of the bacon; this little touch is the reason why Texas Roadhouse's beans taste so good. The veggie side dish is so delicious that people even seek out the recipe, trying to replicate it at home on those nights when a trip to a restaurant isn't feasible. 

One Facebooker claims that the green veg is the best thing on the menu. "I won't entertain any tedious arguments saying otherwise," they go on to say. Plenty of reviews back up this sentiment, and we agree, they are incredible. Because the side comes in at 100 calories, people say that they opt for it instead of a heavier side like the loaded sweet potato.

The loaded baked potato is certainly delicious (along with the sweet potato, in our opinion), but don't just take our word for it: plenty of customers and reviewers also think so. The spud comes as a side dish option at no added charge. However, getting it loaded up as reviewers recommend is an added cost, but it's well worth it to get some butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon. 

Reviewers consistently say that this is indeed a delicious and satisfying baked potato. Some love the spud so much that they get double, as in they opt for it for both sides with their meal. We can't blame them for that, since the saltiness makes it unique when compared to a dull one you might make at home. As a result of the salt crust, people say that the skin is just as tasty as the rest of the creamy and savory toppings. If you're in the mood for something salty and filling, then this is a top pick.

The grilled shrimp is consistently mentioned in glowing reviews from the public. In fact, it came in second in a taste test of popular Texas Roadhouse menu items on Tasting Table, just below the rolls, which is incredibly high praise. Shrimp can be easy to mess up, resulting in a gross, chewy texture, but Texas Roadhouse provides a succulent and perfectly cooked seafood dish that's nicely charred on the outside to offer layered flavors. People say that this dish is amazing and delightfully buttery. 

These large shrimp are covered in shrimp seasoning and grilled to give them a dynamic flavor. It comes with a marvelous lemon pepper butter, as well as parsley and a lemon wedge, all served over seasoned rice. Depending on how hungry you are, you can get the nine or 12-piece meal. No matter what, people say the sea creatures are seasoned perfectly to ensure each bite is delectable. There are plenty of copycat Texas Roadhouse grilled shrimp recipes, too, but you might as well order it if you're eating at the restaurant.

After gobbling up some good eats, you may seek a refresher to quench your thirst (aside from water). Texas Roadhouse's margaritas are much better than anything you'd get at Chili's, according to a Tasting Table head-to-head of the two chains. The best margarita at Texas Roadhouse is the Legend Margarita because of its balanced flavors, thanks to its three types of tequila, the margarita sour, and an alluring, black lava salt rim that gives it a standout appearance. The second-place marg is the sangria version, which is also a fan favorite, especially if you get it with an extra kicker. 

But it really depends on your preferred flavor profile; reviewers also seem to call out the mango because of its tropical notes and fruit bits, or the Hurricane (a blend of orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine). Customers note that the margaritas are big and pretty strong in alcohol content, so you can enjoy one with your meal and happily call it a day. 

If you're looking for a satisfying meal to order besides steak, then the ribs are something we consistently saw mentioned throughout reviews. Yes, people say the dish stands out even for a chain restaurant that is not particularly known for ribs. People rave about this item's marvelous flavor and texture, noting that the sauce is scrumptious with a hint of tang. There are a couple of options for these slow-cooked meats, being either the half or full rack of ribs, but both come with the Texas Roadhouse signature sauce and two sides. 

The ribs fall off the bone in the best way, without being overcooked. People say they are tender and juicy, which is what makes them so easy to devour. When we tried them alongside Chili's ribs, the Texas Roadhouse ones were infinitely better. Reviewers also mention that Texas Roadhouse is consistent with its food, so the ribs come out tasty every time. Don't believe us? One customer says they've had the chain's ribs about 100 times — clearly, they're dependably enticing.

We wanted to include the coveted Texas Roadhouse bread rolls because they are so notoriously good, but opted to list them at the end to give the rest of the dishes a fighting chance. Plus, the rolls are always served at the table, so you don't have to go out of your way to order them. And wow, these are pure deliciousness. Served warm and fresh, they are pillowy with a buttered exterior and served with a whipped honey cinnamon butter that makes them all the more enticing. Mildly sweet, creamy, and spiced buttery bread is the ideal balance to go with the salty, seasoned items like the steak or pork chops. 

People are huge fans of the bread and butter, saying that there's nothing that beats the duo; some even mention they don't typically like rolls, but the Texas Roadhouse ones are too incredible to pass up. Although you can potentially buy a premade version from places like HEB, people say there's no comparison. You won't even think about steak while you gobble up a couple of rolls.

Although the steak is a popular pick and, of course, the go-to item to get at a steakhouse, we compiled this list for those occasions when you want something a bit different. To put this list together, we sought out items that had multiple positive reviews and public opinions. We found these items as identified by high praise on Facebook, Reddit, Yelp, and TripAdvisor, and included a couple of additional thoughts from Tasting Table's previous reviews. We also sought out a range of items, so it wasn't just a list of meat. This blend of sides, including vegetables, meat, seafood, and even drinks, will give you enough variety to ensure you have the best-tasting Texas Roadhouse experience yet.