#3 Outback - Burbank

Rating: 3.75 cows

Everyone has heard the commercials. "No rules, just right!" Yes, they're annoying and give us flashbacks of Paul Hogan brandishing a Bowie knife. But there's some truth in that statement. Outback isn't trying to outclass the competition ("no rules"); they're just trying to make a great steak ("just right"). But while much maligned among serious steak connoisseurs, we found that Outback is very deserving of their place on the list of great restaurants.

We know what you're thinking, and trust us when we tell you this was one of the best experiences we've had. We arrived on a Sunday to find it was all-day happy hour, not a bad way to start things off. Outback is casual. Really casual. The notion of a dress code probably extends only as far as the "no shirt, no shoes, no service" rule will take you, and even then we're not sure it would be enforced too strictly.

Of course we loaded up with beer and appetizers to get things going, and when a giant deep-fried and sliced onion is staring you in the face, you know you're in for tasty treat. The service was brisk and friendly, pretty much what you'd expect at a joint like this. Also as you'd expect from a casual steakhouse, the steaks all come with sides, and the prices are very reasonable. None of the steaks on the menu was over $30.

The steaks themselves were prepared quite well, with a nice dry rub to enhance the natural flavor of the meat. The cuts were well-sized and were of good, if not excellent quality. Everyone enjoyed his steak, the taste was better than any of us really expected. One thing that was lacking was the cooking however. If there's one element to steak that seems to vary the most, it's the cooking. Outback's steaks were all more or less medium, they didn't seem to differentiate between the nuances of the medium-rare. And I'd hate to take a chance on what a 'rare' steak might come out looking like.

That said, the experience was overwhelmingly positive for everyone. Perhaps it was our low expectations, perhaps it was the Happy Hour beers, but we all left satisfied and for much less than at either of our previous stakeouts. It was truly a pleasant surprise, and without question the best value we could have hoped for. If you're in the market for a budget steakhouse, Outback is currently our choice. We haven't been to Black Angus yet, but for us Outback really was just right.

Outback Photos