4 Steakhouse Chain Sweet Potato Sides To Order And 3 To Skip

Side dishes have the power to make or break a meal — even at a steakhouse where the main draw is undeniably the thick and juicy cuts of beef. Even when posed next to a sizzling ribeye, an uninspired and bland lump of mashed potatoes is enough to make anyone lose their appetite. On the flip side, a creamy and rich helping of macaroni and cheese can elevate the entire plate, making you wish you had more room in your stomach so you could enjoy it over and over again.

When it comes to sweet potatoes, you'll find side dishes on both ends of the spectrum. The sweet spuds have become a mainstay at numerous chain steakhouses. They're often baked, cut into fries, or even served in casserole form. Some delight with their creamy textures and indulgent toppings that range from cinnamon sugar and butter to caramelized pecans and mini marshmallows. Others lack quality, leaving a bad taste in diners' mouths.

Today, we're taking a closer look at which sweet potatoes fall to which side. We pulled seven sweet potato side dishes from prominent steakhouse chains, ranging from big names like Ruth's Chris and Texas Roadhouse to smaller-scale operations such as Sirloin Stockade. We dug into online reviews to see what customers really have to say. Based on their feedback, we've assembled a list of the sweet potato sides that are must-orders, and alternatively, which ones you're better off skipping.

Ruth's Chris doesn't take steak serving lightly. It turns it into a full-blown production where its sizable cuts of USDA prime custom-aged beef arrive at the table sizzling in a generous pat of butter on a 500-degree cast-iron plate. Now, imagine going to all this trouble, just for the customer's eyes to dart right to the sweet potato casserole side dish instead.

This is one of those rare steakhouse sides that actually manages to rival the steak itself – a truly impressive feat. The signature side includes a base of mashed sweet potatoes that's topped with a buttery pecan crust, for a mix of smooth and crunchy textures and a gush of sugary sweetness. To prove to you just how good it is, we actually ranked it the best side available at the chain. Its caramelized top and wonderfully creamy sweet potatoes won us over, and we're not the only ones. Customers call it a must-try for sweet potato lovers and hands-down the best side dish they've ever ordered. One diner additionally recalled a time when the manager brought a scoop of vanilla ice cream to try with the dish, creating an unexpectedly divine dessert.

The only downside we can see is that it comes in a shareable portion when we know all you're going to want to do is save the entire helping for yourself. We'd recommend ordering at least two for the table, just to be safe.

In its more casual Western-themed environment, LongHorn Steakhouse keeps things boots on the ground with a humble baked sweet potato. It comes freshly baked, and you can order it as is or gussy it up with a healthy slather of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. It sounds like a dream, but the reality isn't always as picture-perfect as the menu portrays.

On Reddit, one diner shared a photo of an unsightly sweet potato they received at the chain. They noted it came out "looking like a science experiment," and given the sprouts jutting out from all sides, we would have to agree with that statement. In the comments, people noted that the skin still looked dirty and ventured to guess that they were old sweet potatoes that likely never should have made it to the customer's table in the first place. Another reviewer sent out a warning to avoid the restaurant's sweet potatoes for a different issue. They said that their side dish arrived so buried in brown sugar that it was nearly inedible. We guess not all problems can be fixed with butter and sugar — especially a gross overload of sugar.

All things considered, it's probably best to preserve your taste buds and skip this side dish altogether. Luckily, LongHorn offers plenty of other, more palatable items to pick from, like its steakhouse macaroni and cheese, crispy Brussels sprouts, or even cups of cheese-smothered French onion soup.

At Saltgrass Steakhouse, the sweet potato fries are worth their salt. With just under 100 locations — sequestered mostly in the Southern states –it's actually one of the few national steakhouse chains that offer sweet potato fries at all (I checked a lot of menus and failed to turn up any other options).

These aren't just a must-pick because of their rarity, though. They really do hit that sweet spot, especially when paired with one of the restaurant's certified Angus beef steaks, peppered with its signature bold Seven steak spice. Cut razor-thin like shoestring fries, customers say they're sweet like dessert and quite addictive. Others adore that their skinny stature makes them extra crispy, just like they like them.

Many locations offer full-sized baked sweet potatoes as well–although they don't always fare as favorably. Despite their giant size, diners have recalled the cinnamon butter not melting properly, on top of issues like stringiness and an overall lack of flavor. Sounds like you should just stick with fries as the safe side bet, especially considering the fact that the baked sweet potato is listed as an "upgraded" side (aka a more expensive one).

Saltgrass is the kind of place where salt-of-the-earth folks usher you through saloon-style doors and serve up hearty Texas fare without all the pomp and circumstance. Order a ribeye, strip, or T-bone, and it'll arrive slathered with a slick of garlicky butter. If you're lucky, some of it may dribble off, finding its way to your side of fries for an even tastier, finger-lickin' kind of experience.

People travel Down Under for a mouthful of meat — in other words, that would be the signature steaks, rubbed down with Outback's proprietary seasoning blend and seared to your liking. They are certainly enticing, especially queen cuts like the Victoria's Filet Mignon. But what would a steak be without a few knockout accompaniments? For that, there's Aussie-Tizers like the Sweet BBQ Kookaburra Wings, Bloomin' Onions, and Fried Mozzarella Boomerangs. On the side, you can choose from freshly-made Aussie fries, steakhouse mac and cheese, or asparagus. It's hard to go wrong, unless, of course, you select the baked sweet potato.

The potato doesn't have the best reputation at the chain steakhouse. One diner once found it to be so overdone that it practically shriveled up into the skin. Another shared a photo of their own questionable-looking to-go sweet potato on the side of an even more questionable-looking filet of salmon. They noted that it was only about as large as their finger, to which a commenter replied that it looked as though someone had let the air out of it. Plus, covered in honey and brown sugar, others have called out the steakhouse's sweet potatoes for being overly sweet.

With chatter swirling about Outback's quality slipping, this side may just be another casualty. But whatever the root of the issue may be, you may want to avoid this one.

Sirloin Stockade does steakhouses differently. You won't find white jacketed waiters prancing around the restaurant announcing the soup du jour or discussing sommelier-level wine pairings. What you will find is a huge plastic cow out front, and then when you walk inside, a come-as-you-are atmosphere where you can fill up on as much homestyle food as your heart desires.

Foods from ribs and fried fish to soups and salads are served buffet-style. But customers also say servers give you a choice of a baked potato or a baked sweet potato that's brought right to your table as well. Many people find this to be a nice touch, and apparently, the sweet potato is a favorite amongst patrons. One diner noted that "the cinnamon butter made the sweet potato sing." Another said it was baked beautifully and appreciated the sizable dollop of butter plopped on top.

The tastiness and consistency don't seem to stop with the sweet potatoes either. Reviewers say that the Sirloin Stockade experience is always reliably good as a whole. It's beaming with that Southern hospitality, and many people agree that the food comes out fresh and hot. Meanwhile, the buffet lines are kept surprisingly clean. Folks in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kentucky should give it a try. And don't forget to say hi to Stocky the Big Cowon your way in and out.

Just when we thought nothing could rival the Texas Roadhouse fresh-baked rolls and honey cinnamon butter, we're introduced to the chain's baked sweet potato side. It hasn't quite reached cult following status as the rolls have–we haven't seen it featured on apparel or merchandise yet, but it's getting close.

After ordering the sweet potato with everything, you could say that one customer was more than pleased with the decision. "The sensation of joy and pure bliss that covered my body was emotional," they wrote on Facebook following the meal. They then urged others to do themselves a favor and try the sweet potato as well. The "everything" being referred to was, of course, the load of honey cinnamon butter, caramel sauce, and toasted mini marshmallows piled on top, which inevitably brings up the cost but skyrockets the flavor. It also makes the dish more well-suited for the dessert menu than the dinner menu, but patrons don't seem to mind one bit. They like balancing their salty and savory meal with that helping of sweetness and appreciate that the potatoes are consistently warm, large, and filling. In addition, the surge of online recipes out there attempting to recreate it tells you everything you know about its popularity.

If you are a bit wary of the sugar overload, you could always dial it back with just the inclusion of butter and cinnamon, or just enjoy the potato plain. Whatever route you choose, you won't be disappointed.

The baked sweet potato from Logan's Roadhouse is plagued by inconsistency and subpar quality. You will find some people out there who have left the steakhouse satisfied with the taste experience. Others, not so much, and oftentimes it comes down to the toppings of choice.

Logan's offers a loaded sweet potato option that comes piled with caramel sauce and mini marshmallows — similar to the scrumptious Texas Roadhouse side. Many customers eat this version up. They say it's their favorite and even good enough to make them skip their main dish. However, take away these sweet additions, and it loses a great deal of its luster. 

When one customer failed to get any toppings with their to-go order, they were not impressed with their sweet spud whatsoever. In fact, it was one of many reasons for their scathing one-star review. Another diner ordered the alternative sweet potato rendition that trades out marshmallows and caramel for cinnamon sugar and butter, and regretted it. They noted that the restaurant piled on too much sugar (adding pictures for proof) and that they ended up having to scrape a great deal of it off. But those disappointing encounters are nothing compared to one patron who claimed the sweet potato served to them was moldy.

That sweet sauce and mound of marshmallows may be concealing a larger problem. We would recommend being wary of this side dish. It feels like a gamble that's not worth taking.

Sweet potatoes aren't quite as popular at steakhouses as classic potatoes. But they pop up on a fair amount of restaurant menus. I rounded up as many as I could find, winding up with seven total side dishes to analyze from a range of national and more regional steakhouse chains.

I took a look at how they are prepared and what toppings come with them. Then, I began scouring the internet to find out how well they are received by customers. I looked at reviews on sites like Tripadvisor and Yelp as well as posts on social media sites like Meta and Reddit, to find out what people are saying about the sweet potatoes' tastes, textures, portion sizes, quality, and accompaniments. I also took into account how various side dishes ranked in our own Tasting Table taste tests. Based on these first-hand experiences, I was able to piece together which sweet potato side dishes are praised for their tastiness and which ones fall short.