LongHorn Steakhouse is finally riding into Texas City. The Darden Restaurants eatery is set to open at 3725 Gulf Freeway, near the Tanger Outlets, according to a recently filed permit.
The permit details that construction on the first LongHorn Steakhouse to come to the region is slated to start in August and wrap up by the end of February 2027.
What Now Houston spoke with Darden construction manager, Bob Fields, who confirmed the opening. What Now Houston also attempted to reach out to LongHorn Steakhouse President, Laura Williamson, but did not hear back by the time of this publication.
This would be the first LongHorn Steakhouse location to come to Texas City, but surely not the first in the state. There are nearly 50 LongHorn Steakhouse locations in Texas and about 600 across the country and select territories.
The first LongHorn Steak Restaurant & Saloon opened in 1981 in Atlanta. George McKerrow Jr. founded the brand and opened it that year in a former adult bookstore. It would be an unexpected snowstorm the very next year that would catapult the brand into fame.
“In 1982, a freak snowstorm hit Atlanta, shutting down interstate travel. Guests streamed into LongHorn for a night that got our legend started,” the website reads.
Word-of-mouth about the good steaks spread, and the rest is history. Well, until the owner of Olive Garden and Red Lobster, Darden Restaurants, acquired the brand in 2007, adopting the current ranch-style look just two years later, and expanding the brand across the East and Midwest.
While the look and feel of the beloved steakhouse may have evolved, the taste profile that LongHorn Steakhouse has become known for has stayed the same. The bedrock of the brand is the steaks, but LongHorn also offers chicken, burgers, and salads.
The new LongHorn Steakhouse set to debut in Texas City at 3725 Gulf Freeway, near the Tanger Outlets, is expected to open by early 2027.
