In a sea of steakhouses, can Manila have room for one more? Well, certainly, especially with the entry of this Texas-themed meat haven that fills the gap between high-end steakhouses and fast-food steak joints scattered all over the metro.

LongHorn Steakhouse is a well-known dining establishment of US-based Darden Franchising and the latest brand brought to the Philippines by the Bistro Group. It opened its first branch on April 11 at Shang Mall's newly opened dining row, Streetscape. 

The full bar at LongHorn Steakhouse | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

Casual, easy, with good-for-sharing servings and a range of refreshing beverages, wines, and cocktails, LongHorn Steakhouse is poised to be a favorite meet-up space for friends who want to enjoy happy hour and dinner without having to move to another spot. Or, as a bonding place for meat-loving families hankering for a satisfying steak meal.

Founded in 1981, its first location was in Atlanta, Georgia and it now has more than 590 branched worldwide. its name and logo was inspired from the Texas Longhorn, a breed of cattle that's also an iconic symbol of the American West. 

An array of steaks | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

Steak, as you like it

“Malasa”—“flavorful “ in Filipino, or what umami is to the Japanese—is how the meats at LongHorn Steakhouse came across this writer during the restaurant's soft opening. 

Boldly flavored with special seasonings and tender to the bite, the steaks here—as its menu describes it—are indeed “legendary.” The natural savory taste of beef, the evil but necessary fat marbling in its meat, paired with "the works" or side dishes, make the LongHorn dining experience notable. 

Farm-Fresh Filled Greens with 7-Pepper Sirloin Salad or Salmon | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse

And yes. they have rice—plain or garlic, come and get it—but only in the Philippines. LongHorn Streakhouses all over the world always have special dishes using local ingredients wherever they have set shop. Besides rice, the Philippine menu also offers refreshing mango margaritas, Mango Magic shake, and Sparkling Calamansi Tea.

All steaks are cooked to order by a team of LongHorn Grill Masters who add the rubs and grill the meats either through flat top grilling for cuts like filet mignon. Or, open-flame grilling for bone-in steaks. So, if you prefer your LongHorn steak to have less of the zesty flavor and you'd rather have more of that beefy taste, you can simply request your waiter for lighter seasoning. 

Steakhouse Mac and Cheese | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

The Legendary Steaks cater to each meat lover’s preference. If one likes tasting the fat in well-marbled and juicy beef, then one must have the bone-in Outlaw Ribeye (20 oz., Php4:850). For basic but super tender grilled steak, have Flo’s Filet (6oz., Php2,750: 9 oz. Php3,750). In particular, the juice coming out from the pinkish red meat makes the meat even more delicious. For something heftier, must-enjoy would be the classic New York Strip (12 oz., Php2,980). For bigger-sized steak, the Fire-grilled T-bone (18 oz., Php3,950) is satisfaction guaranteed.  The biggest steak here is the porterhouse, aptly called The LongHorn (22 oz., Php4,450).

Flo's Fillet | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse

The Outlaw Ribeye | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

Diverse selections

Though the steaks are the stars here, the LongHorn menu has other crowd-pleasers that go beyond beef.

To kickstart the steak bonanza, Longhorn has other Western cuisine-inspired options starting with shareable appetizers Seasoned Steakhouse Wings (Php725), which are chicken wings with house-made blue cheese dressing and buffalo sauce; Texas Tonion (Php345): which is crispy seasoned onion petals served with a zesty dip: White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms (Php795); Firecracker Chicken Wraps (Php675), which are spicy grilled chicken and cheese tortillas served with avocado-lie dip, and Wild West Shrimp (Php695) that consists of crispy fried shrimps tossed with spicy cherry peppers and served with ranch dip. 

Strawberry and Pecan Salad | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

Red Rock Grilled Shrimp | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

If you’ve got a cowboy’s appetite, go ahead and select LongHorn's Beyond Steak entrees like the fall-off-the bone Baby Back Ribs with a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce (Php985 for a half rack and Php1,950 for a full rack), Parmesan-crusted Chicken (9 oz, Php780; 12 oz.Php975), Bourbon-marinated Grilled Salmon (7 oz., Php1, 1195; 10 oz., Php1,645), and the three-piece, large and boneless Cowboy Porkchops (Php980). 

Longhorn Salmon | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

Save room for LongHorn's desserts, especially its over-the-top Chocolate Stampede, which is a big slice of chocolate cake with six kinds of chocolates served with vanilla bean ice cream (1 piece, Php695; 2 pieces, Php1,195). Other sweet showstoppers are The Cheesecake, topped with honey, caramel, and candied pecans (1 slice, Php595); Molten Lava Cake with vanilla ice cream (1 slice, Php595); and the Strawberries and Cream Shortcake topped with fresh strawberries (1 slice, Php595). 

The desserts | Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse 

Yee-haw! More LongHorn restos coming!

The Bistro Group has other steakhouses catering to different markets. Award-winning Morton's, for instance, is for the upscale market. Texas Roadhouse, which carries a country-style, more casual atmosphere, offers more affordable fare. Meanwhile, LongHorn's refined menu is positioned as the mid-market option between the two Bistro Group establishments.

LongHorn's entry in the Philippines is proof of the long and solid relationship that Darden Franchising has maintained with the Bistro Group. Darden Franchising president Brad Smith, who flew in for the restaurant's opening, said, "We are thrilled to expand our relationship with the Bistro Group through the opening of LongHorn Steakhouse here in the Philippines."

He added, "Ive been coming to the Philippines for almost 20 years now and I've seen how the economy has grown. It's a good place to launch our brands in this part of Asia. And the Bistro Group are good people to partner with as well."

LongHorn Steakhouse ribbon cutting (from left): RC Tiongson, Chief Operating Officer, The Bistro Group;  Brad  Smith, President of Darden International and Franchising; Max Collins, actress, celebrity, model; Jean Paul Manuud, President, The Bistro Group;  Andrew den Oudsten, Executive Vice President of Operations, Shang Properties Inc. | Photo: LongHorn Restaurant

For steak lovers looking for well-prepared USDA prime steaks bold and flavorful seasonings—and for those who enjoy sharing hearty spreads with family and friends—then LongHorn Steakhouse is the place for you.

Smith summarizes what makes LongHorn stand out, "USDA choice beef. Our proprietary seasoning blends, and our grill masters who cook the steak. That sets it all apart."

Now that LongHorn has placed its proverbial stake on Philipine grounds, Smith also announced that in the next months or  so, Darden Franchising and the Bistro Group are set to open 20 LongHorn Steakhouses across the country. 

 LongHorn Steakhouse is now serving up expertly grilled steaks, signature sides, and Southern hospitality at Streetscape at Shangrila Plaza | Instagram: @longhornphilippines | Facebook: @longhornphilippines | You can also book a table here.