It’s dark. It’s crowded. It smells absolutely wonderful. The walls are adorned with tribal artwork and scenic paintings.

Clearly, it’s the Australian-themed restaurant Outback Steakhouse. Sure, you won’t be surrounded by the accent of Down Under, but the indigenous décor and meaty menu offer an exclusive setting.

And it is extremely delicious.

I ordered the No Rules Parmesan Pasta with grilled shrimp for $14.99. Truly, it was very appealing. Whether it was the sauce or the spices on the shrimp, the dish was a bit hot.

Not only were the noodles soft and tasty, but the “shrimp on the barbie” was perfectly tender as well—juicy, plump, and scrumptious as can be. The serving size was great, too, since there were leftovers. All in all, the food was worth the money and the time.

My family agreed, too, having ordered the Joey Sirloin Medallions ($7.99), the Grass-Fed Burger with Aged Cheddar ($11.99), and the 6 oz. Outback Sirloin ($11.99). The food pleased everyone at the table with its succulence, unique flavors, and freshness.

Junior Raina Dano felt the same way about her experience at Outback when she tried the Grilled Chicken on the Barbie ($13.49). She said, “The chicken was grilled perfectly—just the way I wanted, and the seasoning made it even better. Also, I had leftovers since it was very filling.”

The fries, as she also commented, are delectable with any entre, too. Yet Dano did have something to say about the service. She said, “It was pretty slow, actually, so I didn’t like that.”

As you walk in, you may notice is how packed it is. Getting there early is a must due to the roughly thirty-minute wait to be seated. That number just keeps growing, too.

I arrived around six o’clock on a Saturday evening. The kind hostess handed over a pager and said, “That’ll be about twenty-five minutes.” That isn’t too bad, but as the minutes went on, more and more hungry customers strode in.

Listening to her as I waited, I heard the wait go up to an hour. Thus, I was lucky to have arrived quickly. Moral of the story is, it is a crowded, quite popular restaurant in Mentor.

After the wait and getting the table, I looked over the menu. Crikey, I must have read it four times. Furthermore, you should make sure you’re with some close mates so you have many things to talk about…while you wait for a table and for someone to offer drinks.

The waitress took her time getting to the table, asking what we’d like to drink, actually bringing the drinks, and then asking for orders. The food, though, was faster than her. After my family and I ordered, it did not take too long for the delicious food to be brought out.

A restaurant similar to Outback Steakhouse would be Longhorn Steakhouse. Clearly, both places serve various types of steaks, along with seafood. In addition, the two restaurants are decorated with paintings and photographs to support their themes.

Their themes, though, set them apart completely. Longhorn Steakhouse sports a homey Texan vibe, whereas Outback Steakhouse embodies wild Australia. The overall atmospheres are quite different for this reason.

So, if one ever feels the urge to experience the Outback, literally, it would be wise to give Outback Steakhouse a try. Due to its marvelous meals, I’m giving the Aussie-themed restaurant 4 out of 5 bloomin’ kangaroos.

About the Restaurant

Name: Outback Steakhouse

Location: 8595 Market St, Mentor, OH 44060

Website: https://www.outback.com/

Phone Number: (440) 205-9505

Price: Moderate

Type of food: Australian-themed

Rating: 4/5 bloomin’ kangaroos