Every Texas Roadhouse Appetizer, Ranked

Texas Roadhouse is known for its steaks, but I wanted to go beyond the meat, try its appetizers, and rank them from worst to best. It took everything in me to limit myself to one of Texas Roadhouse's scrumptious rolls so I could try all these options instead.

As of the time of writing, there are technically 11 appetizers if you count the Combo Platter. However, to save some precious dollars, I opted for a couple of Combo Platters instead of full appetizers for a few dishes, where applicable. I thought everything was decent (that's to say nothing was gross or something I'd totally avoid), but some just didn't hit as hard. I ranked these based on the depth of flavor, textural intrigue, which had me wanting to take more bites, and whether a table of people might like to share them. You'll want to save a bit of room to enjoy these menu items. Join me to discover which option I'd order again and which I'd just skip next time around.

If you're craving something heartier than plain fries, you may consider ordering the cheese fries. This appetizer pairs thick steak fries with loads of cheddar cheese and bacon bits. You can opt for chili to top it all off for an added fee. But before you add it to your order, just know that this appetizer is merely okay. I guess the first problem is that you have to like steak fries. I love potatoes of all forms, but admittedly, steak fries aren't my favorite. They're just so thick and not flavorful (unless you dunk them in ranch). 

The cheddar cheese starts to cool immediately, so what starts out with melty goodness quickly firms into soft cheese. The top layer has the most cheese and bacon, and then the bottom layer has little to none. This wasn't the most interesting option of the bunch, so it gets the lowest ranking. You get a fair amount of product, though, so I think this would be a great option to share with the table. I think it'd also be more interesting and worth getting the chili added on, but as it is, I had a fry or two and called it quits.

If you're craving a bit of poultry at Texas Roadhouse, the boneless Buffalo wings may be right up your alley. You can pick from four options: mild, hot, barbecue, and no sauce. Since I got a couple of Combo Platters, I ended up trying the hot and barbecue sauces. I'd assume the hot one is technically the Buffalo wings, but hey, the origin of the name is a bit hazy anyway. You can choose blue cheese or ranch for dipping, but I usually prefer the former with my wings for a rich, potent flavor. 

I know these are boneless, but the chicken just seems like bits of poultry. There's nothing wing-like about them, which detracts from the whole wing-eating experience. It felt like I was eating chicken chunks covered in sauce. That said, the sauces are pretty good. The Buffalo one has an orange-red hue and the spicy, buttery flavor you'd expect, while the barbecue is sweet with a hint of tang. Neither sauce particularly knocked my socks off, but they weren't bad either. The chicken's texture is quite pleasant, too. I'd pick these over the fries based on flavor dimension, but the wings aren't especially impressive either.

The round, fried Rattlesnake Bites are made with jalapeños and Jack cheese and served with Cajun horseradish sauce. Based on the description, I pictured something a bit different. I thought there'd be diced jalapeño pieces and perhaps grated cheese that melted during frying. However, the fried balls have a rich, creamy interior somewhat like jalapeño poppers. I really enjoyed the first one, but lost steam at the second Rattlesnake Bite. 

The exterior is a bit plain, and there's not enough heat from the jalapeño to make it enticing. My toddler didn't seem to notice during the first bite but wasn't interested in eating it after that. And my husband wasn't a big fan, either. I think I liked them the most out of my party, which says something given its placement toward the bottom of the ranking. I liked the crunchy fried exterior and how the gooeyness of the inside offered some textural intrigue. Overall, the spicy-creamy notes are more captivating than either of the wings I tried.

You can get the standard-sized fried pickle appetizer in a basket, but I got mine as part of the Combo Platter and was impressed by how many pickle slices it came with. It meshes tangy, briny pickles with a crunchy fried exterior. I was surprised by the texture, as they were firmer than I had pictured. I suppose I wasn't sure how something wet, like a pickle slice, would fare being fried. I'd reckon the pickles get patted dry before frying to remove as much moisture as possible. 

The batter is crisp and the pickles are thin, making for a terrific balance that's not especially crispy itself but not wet, soggy, or floppy either. The biggest caveat that kept these from moving up in the ranking is their extreme saltiness. To be fair, I expect briny saltiness from the pickles, but the batter is oversalted, too. I ate several of the pickles, and if they were 25% less salty, they'd shoot up in the ranking to second or third place. While they're flavorful and have a unique texture, which gave them seventh place over the Rattlesnake Bites, they weren't my favorite. 

To be honest, I wouldn't really come to Texas Roadhouse for shrimp, but the grilled shrimp app is a great way to get some seafood-based protein to start your meal. The appetizer comes with six pieces of shrimp, seasoned with garlic lemon pepper sauce, shrimp seasoning, and parsley for a bright lift, and is served on a piece of toast, per the website description. Now, based on the image, I thought it'd be a French bread — like French bread pizza. But it's actually the house roll that's sliced in half, toasted, and coated in the buttery sauce. 

Given how renowned the chain's bread is, it seems like an obvious choice to order. And truthfully, the bread is the best part of this appetizer, since it's covered in savory goodness — a big flavor difference from the cinnamon-y butter it's typically served with. The shrimp is ... shrimp. It's well-cooked and doesn't have the unpleasant chewiness that sometimes occurs with restaurant shrimp. It's nothing spectacular, but it doesn't have any oversalting issues either; therefore, it has a leg up on the pickles. I also like that the appetizer seems like lighter fare compared to the number of battered, fried foods on this list. You can also get this order to-go, and it holds up well.

This appetizer is exactly what it sounds like: twisted mozzarella wands that are breaded and fried to create a whimsical-looking food. They're served with marinara sauce for your dipping pleasure, too. They have a tantalizing, crunchy breading with a milky, gooey interior. I pulled one apart and had to scoop up the mozzarella string from my plate. I especially love the mozzarella with the marinara, which is a common pairing. In a Tasting Table ranking of chain restaurant mozzarella sticks, all of them were served with marinara. So Texas Roadhouse knows not to mess with a good thing. 

Instead, the restaurant brings its own literal twist to the appetizer, which adds visual and textural dimension. My husband quite liked these and mentioned that the cheese pull was appealing. My toddler took a couple of bites, which is pretty good, too. I think they're fun and well-made, and the acidic sauce brings a welcome pop of flavor. I'd select them over the shrimp simply because they taste better. My only tip is to eat these twists immediately, as the cheese firms up after a few minutes.

The standard Tater Skin appetizer includes eight potato skins topped with cheddar cheese and bacon bits, but I got four with my Combo Platter order. Now that we've reached the end of the combo options, I'd certainly recommend it as a way to try some of the apps, since you can pick three from five app choices. The cheesy spuds get baked in the oven, so they're melty and warm. It comes with sour cream, which adds a creamy, mildly tangy note to the dish. 

The skins aren't just skins; they're more like scooped-out baked potatoes with a layer of the spud still attached to the skin. The cheese and bacon are the same as the cheese fries and have the same issue: They seize after a couple of minutes. The spud skin is a little hard to cut into, but other than that, I found this appetizer particularly enticing and easy to eat multiple bites of. The pieces are large and make the perfect sharing plate for your table. If I were picking an option for myself, my family, or my friends, I'd get this one above anything else so far.

Chili doesn't seem like much of an appetizer to me, and it seems hard to share with the table, but it's on the appetizer menu, so here we are. As it turns out, it's a tasty choice. The Texas red chili comes with beef bits, pieces of shredded cheese, and diced red onion. The onions are served on the side so you can sprinkle them on as desired. I like the peppery bite they provide, which rounds out the beef, cheese, and chili seasoning. 

The chili is a hearty and filling option, so I'd be more than pleased to get it again. You can even pick the cup or bowl size. It is well-seasoned, and every bite tastes fantastic. You get nice mouthfuls of beef, which makes it feel substantial. In fact, the beef trimmings make it a high-value item. Then, you have the cheese, which offers a bit of richness and creaminess. This is truly filling and delicious with every bite, making it much better than the Tater Skins.

Get your meat on with the basket of ribs appetizer, which comes with steak fries. Well, technically, the fries are a side, so you can substitute them for something else if desired, such as Caesar salad, sweet potato, green beans, or more. My server mentioned this to me since we were already getting the cheese fries. I opted for a Caesar salad just to have something a little fresher than all the fried foods I ordered. But the house salad is also beloved by customers. 

My mother-in-law makes ribs quite frequently, so it's hard to beat hers; however, this is a solid option. I particularly like the crust over the top layer of the ribs; this is one of my favorite parts of eating this type of dish. It adds a wonderful textural element, juxtaposing the soft, pull-apart meat. The barbecue sauce creates a fantastic crust, and I really like that texture profile. However, it is a little light on the sauce, so I would recommend asking for extra barbecue sauce to pour over yours. 

This could function as a meal, especially with the side, but it makes a fantastic appetizer that you can share with the table. It'll give your party a little something to eat but won't fill them up; this may vary based on how many people are eating it, though. I like the flavors and textures of the ribs slightly more than the chili; plus, I like that this option comes with a side.

We've made it to the top of the appetizer canyon, and my favorite is none other than the Cactus Blossom. This large fried onion comes with Cajun horseradish sauce. It's kind of similar to Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion. I kept it plain, but you could upgrade to a Fire Blossom, which comes with fire dust, jalapeños, and cheese sauce. Although it's fried, it's still like you're kind of eating a (fried) vegetable. I like that the pieces are all different sizes. Some are more individual onion pieces, and then some are several layers of onion stuck together. 

As you make your way into the center of the onion, the batter becomes thinner and not as heavily battered. Our server gave us a stellar tip since we had leftovers: Use the air fryer to reheat it, but put the onion upside down because that's where all the oil is, and it will come back to life. This Cactus Blossom has a fun and fantastic texture, but it's also an interactive option that the table would like to eat. People can pull off pieces, dunk them in the sauce, and enjoy. It isn't overly aromatic or potent like a raw onion is. This is the most captivating, interesting option that I ate.

I visited my local Texas Roadhouse to try all these appetizers. I dined in restaurant to ensure freshness, and I'm glad I did, as virtually every app started degrading in quality within a few minutes. If I'd ordered to-go, driven home, and plated it, it would have severely impacted the overall flavor and texture composition — that said, I'd suggest eating all of these options in restaurant. 

I judged these apps on the complexity of their flavors and textures, whether I felt compelled to eat more than a bite or two, and if I thought a table might enjoy sharing it. Apps with flavor or texture issues ranked toward the bottom, while flavorful delights made it to the top. I visited Texas Roadhouse with my husband and toddler, sharing their insights to provide context, but the ranking is ultimately based on my own opinions. I brought all the leftovers home to enjoy later, too.