Our Favorite Chain Restaurant Mozzarella Sticks Come From A Steakhouse

When you're ordering appetizers for the group, mozzarella sticks are one of those must-haves that always hit the spot, even if they're mediocre. You can't really mess up deep-fried cheese and marinara sauce. So, we set out to find the best chain restaurant mozzarella sticks, and only one hit it out of the park in every aspect, from the seasoning on the breading and the sauce's dippability. While we didn't love the ones from Buffalo Wild Wings or Red Robin, the Mozzarella Bloomerangs from Outback Steakhouse were "flawless" according to our taste tester.

We wouldn't expect any less from the chain that has such a stellar appetizer lineup and arguably one of the best appetizers from any chain restaurant: the Bloomin' Onion. In fact, the same spice blend used in the Bloomin' Onion is used in the cheese's breading, which was one of the main reasons this appetizer took the number one spot. We noticed hints of cayenne pepper, paprika, and garlic. Not only was the breading flavorful, but the thickness was spot-on, unlike others that were too thick or barely there at all.

"The cheese in the boomerangs was the meltiest of every option," stated our taste tester, who appreciated how the marinara tasted fresh and flavorful. But not everyone's a fan. "They were so nasty I wanted to cry," stated one commenter on TikTok. "The mozzarella was so low quality," added another, with many arguing that Chili's does it best. While the Bloomerangs may not be adored by all, there's enough praise to make these worth ordering to see if they live up to the hype.

The fried mozzarella boomerangs are good enough as they come with marinara to dip them in, but many fans recommend also getting sides of ranch or the bloomin' sauce. And since Outback's motto is "no rules, just right," you could probably get them tossed in any of their house sauces, including the BBQ sauce, sweet caramel and creole mustard glaze, or creole marmalade.

If you're rounding out your appetizer order, some of the best pairings for the Bloomerangs include the classic Bloomin' Onion or the Sydney Shrooms, which both come with the same seasoning blend. For a heartier pairing, some other stellar options include the Queensland Chicken & Shrimp Pasta or the Victoria's Filet Mignon & Lobster, which took second place in our ranking of 21 popular Outback Steakhouse menu items. These indulgent options have a rich, savory flavor that complements the seasoned breading and melted cheese.

So, what if you're craving these fried mozzarella boomerangs, but can't make it out to an Outback Steakhouse? You can easily recreate this recipe at home, although the hardest part might be getting that signature boomerang bend without breaking the cheese stick. Otherwise, you can use our gooey stringy mozzarella sticks recipe and just use one of the many bloomin' spice blend copycat recipes found online to get that signature kick.