15 Best Sides & Appetizers at LongHorn Steakhouse Ranked (2026 Prices & Calories)
Even the finest medium-rare Outlaw Ribeye or Flo's Filet is only half of a great steakhouse dinner. What truly separates the longhorn steakhouse menu from ordinary chain restaurants is the scratch-inspired quality of its starters, potatoes, and vegetable sides. Unlike upscale steakhouses that charge $15 for a bare potato, every dinner entrée on the menu of longhorn steakhouse includes both a fresh side salad and a hot side dish in the base price.
Whether you are deciding which included side to pair with your steak or looking for the best shareable starter on the longhorn menu, our culinary team tasted, weighed, and ranked the 15 best sides and appetizers at LongHorn Steakhouse for 2026—complete with à la carte prices, upgrade costs, and calorie counts.
1. Complete 2026 LongHorn Sides Menu with Prices & Calories
LongHorn divides its sides into Standard Sides (100% free with any dinner entrée, or $3.49–$4.29 à la carte) and Signature Side Upgrades (+$1.99–$2.99 upgrade with a steak, or $5.49–$6.49 à la carte):
| Rank & Side Dish | Side Tier | Upgrade / À La Carte | Calories | Why Diners Love It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1. Steakhouse Mac & Cheese | Signature Side | +$2.99 ($6.29 solo) | 610 cal | Cavatappi pasta in 4-cheese cream sauce, smoked bacon & panko crust |
| #2. Loaded Idaho Baked Potato | Standard (Included) | FREE ($3.99 solo) | 460 cal | Salt-crusted skin, bacon, aged cheddar, sour cream & whipped butter |
| #3. Crispy Brussels Sprouts | Signature Side | +$2.49 ($5.79 solo) | 320 cal | Flash-fried charred leaves tossed in smoky honey-chili bacon butter |
| #4. Loaded Sweet Potato | Standard (Included) | FREE ($3.99 solo) | 490 cal | Whipped cinnamon-sugar butter & caramelized brown sugar crust |
| #5. Fresh Steamed Asparagus | Signature Side | +$2.49 ($5.49 solo) | 80 cal | Tender spears finished with lemon butter (#1 keto & low-carb pick) |
| #6. Homestyle Mashed Potatoes | Standard (Included) | FREE ($3.49 solo) | 240 cal | Whipped daily with real cream and butter (ask to make them 'Loaded') |
| #7. Seasoned Steakhouse Fries | Standard (Included) | FREE ($3.49 solo) | 370 cal | Dusted with signature Prairie Dust spice blend |
| #8. Fresh Steamed Broccoli | Standard (Included) | FREE ($3.49 solo) | 90 cal | Crisp florets steamed to order and tossed in savory garlic butter |
2. Best LongHorn Appetizers Ranked (2026 Price & Calorie Guide)
Starting your meal at the bar during LongHorn Happy Hour or sharing a starter at your booth? Here is how the top appetizers on the menu at longhorn steakhouse rank from #1 to #7:
| Rank & Appetizer | 2026 Price | Calories | Tasting Notes & Best Pairing |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1. Wild West Shrimp® | $12.79 | 900 cal | Hand-battered shrimp tossed in garlic butter & hot cherry peppers + ranch |
| #2. White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms | $10.79 | 690 cal | Roasted mushroom caps overflowing with herb-garlic cheese & four-cheese sauce |
| #3. Texas Tonion® | $9.49 | 1,050 cal | Crispy Prairie-Dusted sweet onion petals with smoky Cajun-horseradish dip |
| #4. Parmesan Crusted Spinach Dip | $10.49 | 1,180 cal | Four-cheese spinach bake under crispy panko crust with warm flatbread chips |
| #5. Firecracker Chicken Wraps | $10.49 | 830 cal | Crispy flour tortillas stuffed with spicy chicken, corn & pepper-jack + avocado-lime dip |
| #6. Seasoned Steakhouse Wings | $11.99 | 760 cal | Crispy dry-rubbed wings tossed in signature char seasoning with blue cheese dip |
| #7. Sweet Chili Spicy Chicken Bites | $9.99 | 670 cal | Hand-breaded chicken tenders tossed in sweet chili-ginger glaze |
3. What Makes the Steakhouse Mac & Cheese Worth the $2.99 Upgrade?
Unlike standard restaurant mac and cheese made from a single cheddar roux, LongHorn's Steakhouse Mac & Cheese is baked to order in an individual porcelain casserole dish. The kitchen tosses ridged cavatappi corkscrew pasta in a velvety blend of four domestic and imported cheeses, folds in diced applewood-smoked bacon, and crowns the dish with the same garlic-buttered Parmesan panko crust used on the Parmesan Crusted Chicken. At just $2.99 as a steak side upgrade, it easily feeds two people.
4. How to Get a Free Appetizer & Plan Your Side Macros
Before ordering from the longhorn restaurant menu or the menu longhorn steakhouse restaurant guide, use these three insider strategies:
- Claim a Free Appetizer Voucher: New eClub members receive a voucher for a free appetizer (including Wild West Shrimp or Texas Tonion—up to $12.79 value) with any adult entrée purchase. Grab the signup link on our LongHorn Coupons & Promo Codes page.
- Pair Soup & Salad at Lunch for $9.99: Love LongHorn's Loaded Potato Soup, French Onion Soup, and House Salads? Order the $9.99 Soup & Salad Combo on the Lunch Menu Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- Calculate Your Total Plate Calories: Mixing a ribeye with Mac & Cheese and Stuffed Mushrooms can add up quickly—use our interactive LongHorn Nutrition & Calorie Calculator to balance your meal, and check local hours via our Store Locator and Online Waitlist Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Author: Chef Marcus Vance & The LongHorn Dining Team
Chef Marcus Vance & The LongHorn Dining Team is a dedicated restaurant analyst specializing in casual dining and American steakhouse operations. All menu prices, nutrition data, and culinary notes are rigorously audited against point-of-sale receipts and official disclosures. Read our 4-Stage Editorial Methodology.
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