Comparing Texas Roadhouse Restaurants: Yakima Vs. Tri-Cities
My wife and I finally visited the new location of Texas Roadhouse in Union Gap, Washington.
It is one of our favorite restaurants, and every time we made the trek to Kennewick, it was our dinner location.
Even though the latest location in the restaurant chain opened its doors in late July, we waited to eat there.
While we waited for them to get all the kinks worked out and all systems running smoothly, we enjoyed other favorite restaurants.
Favorites like Yakima Steak Company, Outback Steakhouse, Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que, and Jean’s Cottage Inn, to name a few.
But we figured 2 and a half months, let’s see how they’re doing, and we couldn’t help it, but compare them to the Tri-Cities location.
Let me say, everything that you’re about to read could just be due to the staff on hand or the night of the week. It might be different on your next night out.
That being said, there is no mistaking that it is a Texas Roadhouse.
Same style atmosphere, same friendly and attentive staff, and honestly, if it wasn’t that the greeting counter was on the opposite side, and a giant Yakima Valley painting on a wall, you would not be able to tell one from the other.
For someone who loves that place so much, that’s a great thing.
The two major differences I noticed where the Union Gap location is better than the Kennewick one (and this could just go back to being the day or staff on duty) were the music and wait time.
The music level was high, but it didn’t overpower the conversation at the Yakima location, as it usually is during our Tri-Cities visits.
The other aspect is the wait time. We were able to walk right in and get a table. In the Lower Valley location, there is usually a wait.
After we were done with our meal, we hopped online and compared wait times for the 2 locations, and even on a Wednesday night, Kennewick still had a wait time. (Higher population, so no-brainer).
Comparing The Food At Texas Roadhouse
The part you guys care the most about… the food! How does the food compare?
My wife and I always order the same thing when we go to Texas Roadhouse: the Country Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes with crème gravy and different sides, and sometimes the combo appetizer.
We order the same thing because, when you’re driving an hour and a half, and sometimes waiting an hour and a half, you don’t want to try a new thing and be disappointed (that’s our mentality).
Now that we have a location closer to home, we will take full advantage of their menu.
But comparing what we’ve enjoyed so many times, there is no comparison; they both taste great, and the chefs have been well-trained to the Texas Roadhouse standards!
If I had to give one a leg up on the other, it’d be Yakima. Our Potato Skins had more bacon than normal, so Yakima’s location would win on bacon alone.
Complaints Against Texas Roadhouse
My only real beef with the restaurant is one that’s not any particular location’s problem but one I feel that other restaurants are better at, and it’s a first-world problem, I know.
Booths Vs. Tables.
Texas Roadhouse has way more booths than tables, and for bigger fellas like myself or people in wheelchairs, that can be limiting. Since that’s my only complaint, I’d say that’s not too bad.
What are your thoughts? Tap the Station App and share your views on the new Texas Roadhouse.
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