7 Texas Roadhouse Salads, Ranked

Salads are such a great, satisfying meal that often don't get enough credit. They are usually colorful and refreshing, with a variety of elements to keep you satisfied. You can keep it extremely simple or add plenty of toppings for color and textural contrast. Now, when you think of a salad, though, do you think of Texas Roadhouse? If you're anything like me, you're probably well aware of the signature Caesar or its House Salad, but there's actually a full salad menu with protein options like chicken, beef, and salmon.

I went to the restaurant to try a selection of the offerings, and I ate everything on the menu except for the Salmon Caesar Salad, which is effectively the same as a couple of other salads I tried — I'll explain that as it comes up. Additionally, my Southern California location also has a California Chicken Salad, but because that is not a standard global menu item, I forwent it. I didn't have any bad experiences with the salads, so honestly, just get whatever sounds good to you. 

However, for this taste test, I am ranking them according to the intrigue of flavors, the variety and quality of the ingredients, and textural contrast. If you've been eyeing the salad menu, I encourage you to try one out. There is a range of delicious salad dressings, too, so you can create the most enticing pairing. Ready to learn about all things Texas Roadhouse salad? Lettuce begin!

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I know what you're thinking: There's no way the Caesar Salad ranks last. Believe me, it's hard for me to place it here. This has always been my go-to salad, and until this taste test, I honestly hadn't tried anything else; I really enjoy the Caesar that much. It's fully dressed, crisp, and refreshing. It's minimal, yes, but still thoroughly flavorful. 

The homemade dressing uses anchovies, which add immense salty goodness. There's Parmesan, which only heightens the saltiness while bringing a touch of nuttiness to the mix. And the house-made croutons are delicious as well, adding a vital touch of crunch that pairs well with the crisp romaine lettuce. However, it simply doesn't compete with some of the other options on this list that have more going for them, whether that's added protein or other add-ins for texture. 

Remember, every salad is good, so this is just a list based on my reasoning. I will continue to get the Caesar, particularly because of the value. One Texas Roadhouse hack to consider is asking for a side of bacon bits to further enrich the salad — it comes with a generous portion. However, if I want something a little more interesting and filling, there are other options.

The darling House Salad is made with lettuce, cheddar cheese, diced tomato, eggs, and croutons. It, too, is a classic. While it may be overlooked as a side, customers still adore it. It only ranks low because there are some more interesting flavors happening in the other salads. I'd only ever gotten the Caesar, as I mentioned, but I am glad I tried the House because it offers more colors, textures, and flavors that make it really interesting. 

The egg is incredibly creamy, which I found very interesting. The cheddar adds a creamy touch to every bite. The great thing is you can pick any dressing, so it can truly transform the salad, whether you want a sweet-and-tangy honey mustard or the earthy creaminess of a blue cheese dressing. That can elevate the dish even further. You can also get bacon bits or blue cheese crumbles for an added fee. As it stands, though, other options are more complex, so this stays at the bottom of the pack. 

It is worth mentioning that the classic Caesar and the House Salad are the most affordable options, which makes it very enticing on its own. However, I'm not factoring price into this particular ranking — otherwise, that would definitely work in their favor. 

Next up, we have the Grilled Chicken Salad. This is quite a colorful and captivating salad made with iceberg and romaine lettuce, bacon, pieces of egg, tomato, red onions, and croutons. It also has jack cheese and 8 ounces of grilled and marinated chicken. Chicken is incredibly flavorful, ensuring that every piece has some added intrigue. With all the add-ins, it's like every bite is slightly different. Sometimes I get a piece of egg; sometimes there's a crunchy crouton. It transforms with every forkful. 

The key player, as you can imagine, is the grilled chicken, which is perfectly seasoned and thoughtfully fanned out over the salad. The red onion rings act as both a focal point and a zingy salad ingredient. I encourage you to eat them because they bring a lot of flavor. Of course, you might need to brush your teeth afterward, but that's okay. This ranks above the House Salad because it has many of the same ingredients, but it's considerably more interesting, as it also includes new players: grilled chicken, house-made bacon bits, and red onion. All of which add more flavor and texture to elevate it.

If you're in the mood for seafood, then I encourage you to try Grilled Salmon Salad. It is effectively the same as the previous salad, except we swap in salmon in place of the chicken. It has the same lettuce greens blend, jack cheese, egg, juicy tomato, bacon bits, fragrant and potent red onions, and those incredible croutons. The grilled salmon, though, is a star. It is served warm so it retains a lot of juiciness and acts as a contrast to the cold salad and chilled plate — all the salads come on chilled plates, by the way. 

You can simply get a forkful of the fish to eat with each bite, but I recommend breaking it into smaller flakes and mixing it into the salad. That way, you ensure you're getting a little smidge of salmon in every nibble. Does it still taste good if you get it to go? The answer is yes. However, in this case, the salmon becomes cold. 

I did not reheat it because I did not want to dry it out, but it was good served cold as well. The egg and cheese are wonderfully rich and creamy, and they make the salad feel somewhat denser and richer. I placed this above the chicken version of the salad just because the salmon is very good, and there are other chicken salads feel more interesting. Don't be afraid to get a salmon-based option at Texas Roadhouse. The grilled salmon is regarded as a top dish.

I totally get it. A Chicken Caesar Salad is nowhere near the most riveting, complex salad in the world. In fact, it's the opposite; it is so simple. But even so, it's easy to mess it up. The Texas Roadhouse version uses the grilled chicken, romaine, Parmesan cheese, crisp croutons, and Caesar dressing. It is simple on paper, but the steakhouse chain uses elevated methods and makes ingredients from scratch. 

The lettuce base, for example, is made and chopped in-house rather than relying on bagged salad blends. The croutons and dressings are crafted in-house, and I even saw the staff grilling chicken as I entered the restaurant. It doesn't need tons of add-ins when every element is well crafted and thoughtful. 

The chicken is immaculate, with a wonderfully marinated flavor and a hint of char from the grilling process. The chilled plates make it even more intentional. My server, Tatiana, said that her sister is somewhat of a chicken Caesar salad connoisseur and really loves Texas Roadhouse's version. This is simply a well-made, grown-up salad that could easily come from a gourmet steakhouse for twice the price. Though it is considerably simpler than the Grilled Salmon Salad, I love everything about it. As a note: You can get a Salmon Caesar Salad, which swaps in grilled salmon instead of chicken.

Texas Roadhouse's Chicken Critters are quite delicious and are considered a top-tier item by customers. They are wonderfully battered and remain juicy and tender on the inside. The Chicken Critter Salad brings some fun into the mix because, rather than grilled chicken, the breaded poultry adds some textural dimension. Not to mention the plating is incredibly eye-catching. It looks like a small hill on a plate rather than a salad. 

The chopped chicken pieces are thoughtfully placed (nay, piled) on top. Not to mention you get four pieces of Chicken Critters, so it's incredibly filling. The salad is comprised of hot, crispy chicken tenders loaded high on a bed of cold greens, along with jack and cheddar cheeses, bacon, egg, and tomato. I've made something similar at home, but it's not a concoction I see at many eateries. 

The standout is the Chicken Critter base. They tend to be somewhat thick, so I actually think that works even better in a salad form because they are chopped. You still get a nice piece of chicken, but there's that added breading for some texture. I love everything about the salad and would happily return to it. This would definitely make it onto the list of the best Texas Roadhouse meals under $20.

Now, if you're looking for the crème de la crème salad from Texas Roadhouse, you must order the Steakhouse Filet Salad. It's a steakhouse after all, so a filet-based salad just makes sense. We still see the same eye-catching plating with the strategically placed toppings and frigid plate. This salad, however, is a little different because it's already dressed with Italian dressing and comes with blue cheese crumbles and a side of the incredibly earthy, creamy blue cheese. We have 6 ounces of warm, buttery fillet that is beautifully cooked and so tender it basically melts in your mouth. 

Even my toothless baby — okay, now we're at two bottom teeth, but still — was able to eat the incredibly tiny pieces I ripped off the delicate meat. This menu item showcases everything Texas Roadhouse is about, including the handcrafted elements and a return to essentials like beef. It's rich in colors and textures that can appeal to even the salad haters out there. 

As with virtually any salad on the menu, you can always remove something you don't like. Not a fan of tomatoes? Ask for those to be omitted. If you happen to have leftovers, it still works — although the meat is not as soft, the salad has everything it needs to appeal to all your senses. It's visually interesting; there's a lot of nice textures happening, so nothing feels repetitive. If I had to recommend one salad to the masses, it would be this one.

To ensure freshness and the most accurate textures, I ate all the salads fresh in the restaurant. My server, Tatiana, brought them out one at a time so I could photograph each one, take notes, try it, and then move on to the next. I brought all the leftovers home and finished them over a couple of days to see how they fared when taken to-go. I don't mention dressings because you can pick any one you want, and this will definitely affect the overall flavor.

I have zero issues with any salad, so I had to get specific about how I ranked these. I ended up ranking them based on the overall diversity of ingredients, the range of textures, and how everything came together. That means that, ultimately, simpler options rank toward the bottom and more complex salads rank higher. That said, I have a feeling someone will only look at the ranking without this context and will email me about their grievances. Thank you for sticking with me and reading this until the end — you cannot go wrong with the Texas Roadhouse salads.