9 Best Texas Roadhouse Items To Order For Takeout

Texas Roadhouse's menu has a ton of variety. Some dishes are extremely popular, while others are hidden gems that are definitely worth a try. What about when you're craving Texas Roadhouse but you're not in the mood for an entire sit-down meal at a restaurant? Great news for you: Texas Roadhouse offers takeout, and I'm here to tell you the best items to order with that exact purpose in mind.

I have worked as a crew member onboard cruise ships on and off for over a decade, and when I would be in rehearsals dancing up to eight hours a day, I was exhausted and hungry. The last thing I wanted to do was to sit down at a restaurant. I wanted to lay in front of the TV on the couch, eat a full meal, and relax. That's when takeout from Texas Roadhouse became a staple in my life.

During this time, I would order it at least once a week for takeout, and I have figured out exactly which meals are great for takeaway and which should be left for eating at the restaurant. Most dishes I included on this list come with two sides, which I will cover as their own items. So, grab your fork and knife, and let's get eating.

The most commonly ordered dishes at Texas Roadhouse are the steaks. There are around 10 different steak choices on the menu. One in particular, however, is my favorite for takeout: the hand-cut sirloin. The reason it does so well as a takeout dish is because this steak cut doesn't have a lot of fat. It stays nice and tender even if you wait awhile before eating it. In my experience, it's also easy to reheat in the microwave. I didn't feel that the quality of the steak was different from when I ate it in the restaurant.

The sirloin can be ordered in either a 6-ounce, 8-ounce, 11-ounce, or 16-ounce serving. You can also customize it, which does cost extra. One customization that I think is worth it, especially for takeout, is the sautéed mushrooms and onions. They give it a little more moisture and really liven up the dish.

If you want a light, fresh-tasting protein with a few sides, order the grilled shrimp. You can choose between a 9-piece or 12-piece serving. The shrimp are fairly large and are covered with a generous amount of seasoning and garlic lemon pepper sauce. These are a solid takeout seafood choice for one main reason: They don't get soggy. Some fish (like salmon) can get a little soggy, especially if you reheat it. The same can happen if you order breaded seafood. With grilled shrimp, though, that's not really a problem. They can easily be heated up, but they are also enjoyable when they're slightly warm or even at room temperature.

This dish also comes with seasoned rice. I personally think that rice is always a safe option when it comes to takeout. It's a simple item that doesn't really change in quality over time. It's easy to reheat, can be refrigerated easily as well, and is very dependable. You'll also get two sides with this meal.

I am a huge fan of ribs, and am likely to order them at any steakhouse that I visit. I was happy to discover that the slab of ribs at Texas Roadhouse was just as good when eaten as takeaway as it was in-restaurant. The ribs are well-seasoned and have a slight kick to them. They're not necessarily spicy, but the excitement is definitely there. Then, they are slathered in barbecue sauce.

When I order the ribs for takeaway, I always get extra barbecue sauce. This helps to keep the ribs nice and moist, and when you reheat them at home (I love to eat my ribs piping hot) the extra sauce makes them taste fresh. Plus, having the ribs dripping in sauce is ideal for that messy, fall-off-the-bone eating experience.

You truly can't go wrong with a simple grilled chicken breast — specifically, the herb-crusted chicken from Texas Roadhouse. The boneless chicken breast is marinated well in a blend of herbs and spices before being flame-grilled and topped with caramelized lemon. I love that the chicken's crust makes each bite crispy. That's exactly what is achieved here with the herb-crusted chicken. It's juicy on the inside, but the outside crust is extremely satisfying in both texture and flavor.

I've had this dish both at the actual restaurant and for takeaway, and the quality stayed exactly the same. Since it's such a simple item, there's really not much that can go wrong. To reheat it, you can simply pop it in the microwave, and the crust on the exterior of the chicken stays nice and crispy. Now, just ordering a piece of chicken for takeout from a restaurant may sound boring, so don't forget that you still get two sides with this order as well.

While I absolutely love eating steak by itself, I'm also a huge fan of dishes that incorporate beef into a larger meal. The beef tips at Texas Roadhouse feature a base of seasoned rice or mashed potatoes with sauteed mushrooms and onion, steak pieces, brown gravy, and sour cream. This dish is the ultimate comfort meal to me. The steak pieces aren't tough and melt in your mouth nicely. Matched with the gravy and rice, it all just kind of oozes together in a gooey mixture.

One major tip I have for ordering this dish for takeout is to omit the sour cream or ask if they can put it on the side instead. If your dish comes with the sour cream on top, it won't reheat well. You can easily throw all the components sans sour cream into a large bowl and put it in the microwave, mixing it every so often so it reheats evenly. 

Sometimes all you're craving is a solid steakhouse salad. Out of all of the salads at Texas Roadhouse, the steakhouse filet salad is my favorite. The base is made of a mixture of salad greens, and then there are bleu cheese crumbles, red onions, tomatoes, bits of bacon, croutons, and of course, filet strips. The filet strips in this dish are usually void of fat, which makes them incredibly easy to eat. You can simply shake the salad up in the to-go container and enjoy. What I particularly enjoy about this salad are the bleu cheese and bacon bits. They add exciting pops of flavor to each bite and make what could be a boring salad much more exciting.

This is a safe takeout option that keeps well over time. A big tip is to ask the restaurant to put the Italian dressing that usually comes with the salad on the side. Whenever dressing sits too long on a salad, it can make the croutons and lettuce mushy, which is less than ideal.

The Texas red chili is a high-value item that you truly can't go wrong with. Whether I have it in the restaurant or for takeout, it is always a major home run. The mixture is slightly spicy, warm, gooey, and bursts with flavor. It's a great pairing for a simpler entrée, like the herb-crusted chicken or hand-cut sirloin. 

The chili does come with three toppings: cheddar cheese, diced red onion, and Saltine crackers. I recommend leaving a note on your order that you would like these on the side; that way you can easily dump the chili into a bowl at home and reheat it in the microwave. Alternatively, you can put it in a pot and reheat it on the stove. Once it reaches your desired temperature, you can place the toppings on. This will ensure that the side tastes nice and fresh, like it does when you eat it in the restaurant.

Truly, what is a meal from a steakhouse without a baked potato on the side? The baked potato at Texas Roadhouse is a true classic, and the best part is that it can be customized in a ton of different ways. You can always keep it simple and order it with buttery spread, or you can spice it up with more options. Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, Texas red chili, and sour cream are some of the options that you can add.

This is my favorite side to get with the grilled shrimp. When I order it, I get it buttered and ask for the cheddar cheese and sour cream on the side. I always give it just a quick 20 seconds in the microwave to get it nice and hot when I'm ready to eat it, and then I top it with the accoutrements so it's just as enjoyable as eating it in a restaurant.

I couldn't speak more fondly about the steak fries. They're fairly thick and large, which is why I think they're particularly good for takeout. Other restaurants have thinner fries, which get soggy by the time you get them home. That's not the case with Texas Roadhouse's fries. They stay sturdy even after they cool down and feel very substantial since there is a large amount of actual potato filling in each bite.

This may sound odd to some, but I actually love these fries when they are room temperature or even cold. There is just something about their thickness, slightly crispy golden exterior, and the light seasoning on top that makes them enjoyable even if they aren't hot. You can, of course, reheat them if that's what you prefer, but I recommend trying them cooled down first, too!

I have eaten at Texas Roadhouse locations and done takeout there over a dozen times. I used my experiences to inform my decision about which of the casual chain's dishes are worth ordering for takeout. The best takeout dishes are the ones that maintain their texture rather than becoming soggy, are easy to transport home, and can be easily reheated if needed. I covered both entrées and sides from the chain to create this list.