Outback Steakhouse

Inconsistent service.  Some visits the service is very quick, and other days they don't seem to know how to run a restaurant.  45 minute wait (we were told) turned out to be over an hour.  Finally got main course almost two hours in.  Very bland steak.  Overly greasy bloomin onion.  Salads looked like they were from the bottom of the salad barrel.

Waiter Ryan H.

I'm getting older so it doesn't take as much to fill me up anymore.  The small sirloin is just about right.  I also had the Caesar Salad and baked sweet potato.  We did call ahead seating, so essentially no wait at all.

Our waiter was Ryan H.  He was Johnny-on-the-spot for us tonight.  Very attentive and kept the drinks full and the bread never empty.  Even made us some tartar sauce when my son ordered the Tilapia/crab special.  (I know, I know--ordering fish in a steak house!  You try to raise them right, and still things like this happen)

First off, yes this a chain- get over it. If you are reading this then you are also in Muncie, so you know it's slim pickens when it comes to restaurant choices.
Outback is a regular spot for me and the hubster. We go about every 2 weeks to get our steak on. The Ahi Tuna appetizer is great. It is a little pricy but nothing you wouldn't pay at a sushi place. It is sashimi grade tuna with a light sear and is spice encrusted around the edges. It is served on a spear of romaine with 2 yummy sauces. A wasabi vinaigrette and a ginger soy. Both sauces are phenomenal. This is my favorite appetizer, and actually if you get the full order you could eat it as your meal (if you aren't too hungry, even the full order may leave you wanting)
The best deal is their Outback Special. You get a 6 oz sirloin with 2 sides and unlimited bread for $9.99?! Um hello, that's better than a crap factory like Sirloin Stockade... seriously. I order my sirloin Medium Rare as I have found anything cooked more well than that comes out too well for my liking. Also, ask for extra seasoning. This will give your taste buds a spicy kick in the mouth. Next up, sides. I love their broccoli, the French Onion soup, baked potato, blue cheese pecan chop salad, green beans... well, I could go on. I haven't had a side I didn't like. Everything is fresh and if you ever get anything you aren't happy, then let your server know and they will fix it ASAP. I have had, on occasion during mid-week visits, not received my steak cooked to my liking. The server was always, without questions or resistance, able to remedy the situation by getting me another steak. Oddly enough, I have found that their best cook works on the weekends, so whenever Mark W. is working our food comes out as if cooked by a steak god. When I have had overcooked steaks from Outback, it's because Mark W. wasn't working the grill.
This Outback makes their salad dressings fresh, they make their sauces fresh- it is not a packet of dried powder added to water, not here. And you can verify for yourself by asking your server or when a manager stops by to make sure things are OK. (Managers stop by 80% of the time we have found).
This place can get busy on the weekends since it is the only place to get a quality steakhouse experience for so little money in Muncie. Service can be hit or miss (these are mostly Ball State students working their way through college) so I generally set my expectations a little lower because I know most of them are doing the best they can. No place you can get a steak dinner for $9.99 is going to hit it out of the ballpark every time, but we have been consistently pleased with the food, service and ambiance of Outback Steakhouse in Muncie.

Tip: They do call ahead seating! Save yourself a grumbling tummy by calling ahead and getting your name on the weekend wait list. Everyone will be jealous when you walk in and get seated right away  ;-P