This Comforting Steakhouse Chain Soup Is Always Worth Ordering

"Oh boy, we're going to the steakhouse for dinner tonight! Can't wait to order...the soup?" said no one, ever. Actually, scratch that. A lot of foodies are saying this, apparently. Internet epicures are raving about Outback Steakhouse's baked potato soup.

Here at Tasting Table, we're longtime Outback fans. In our ranking of 13 popular U.S. steakhouse chains, Outback outranked cost-effective competitors Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse, and we included Outback's baked potato soup in our roundup of 14 chain restaurant soups that are actually worth ordering. Also, in our ranking of 21 popular Outback Steakhouse menu items, the loaded mashed potatoes (upon which the soup is based) neared the top of the ranks. As our taste-tester notes, "The green onions provide just the right amount of freshness, while the bacon offers a crispy addition to the otherwise ultra-creamy dish. This combo of ingredients is a pretty classic recipe, but we think Outback Steakhouse does it particularly well." Happily, the same praise applies to the chain's soupy spinoff of the classic steakhouse side dish.

Outback Steakhouse's baked potato soup totes an impressive average of 8.1 out of 10 on RateMyFood. Customer reviews applaud, "This is one of the Outback favorites. It's really good. One of the best potato soups you will find anywhere. I highly recommend it. It's like the soup form of a baked potato, very good."

Fans have taken to social media to sound off, too. After a TikTok was shared by a first-time Outback visitor, who tried the soup, commenters chimed in, "The potato soup is top tier," and "[Its] baked potato soup is so bomb." Elsewhere online, a Facebook post shared a photo of a tantalizing bowlful garnished with shredded cheese, green onions, and bacon crumbles, writing, "No clue how they are still open, but [one] thing Outback does right is [its] baked potato soup." Indeed, many Reddit foodies have been postulating that the quality of Outback's steaks has been going down. But the soup totally holds up.

At an Outback restaurant location in Illinois, a cup of the baked potato soup costs $4.99, and a bowl costs $6.99. But Outback's baked potato soup has inspired a trove of copycat recipes from fans craving a taste of the real deal at home. To nail the soup's signature velvety texture, some thicken it with flour. For a savory boost, others add leftover bacon drippings.

Our advice? Skip the steak and order a Bloomin' Onion and a bowlful of baked potato soup. To complete the order, as one Reddit thread suggests, "The blooming onion is a celestial treat, especially when paired with a refreshing cold Foster's." But Foster's isn't actually "Australian for beer," for the record.