I spent $93 on dinner for 2 people at Applebee's and was impressed by the large portions and tasty entrées

Erin McDowellJan 13, 2024, 16:49 IST

I went to Applebee's with my sibling and thought the entrées were good, but the appetizers left a little to be desired.Erin McDowell/Insider

I ate at Applebee's, a chain restaurant specializing in burgers and steaks.
Dinner for two including cocktails, two appetizers, two entrées, and a dessert was $93.

On a recent trip to see my family in Connecticut, I decided to eat out at the local Applebee's to see if it still impressed me as a full-time food reporter.

My brother and I ventured out on a bustling Thursday night to survey the menu, which has changed significantly since I went there years ago, and taste as much as we could.

We ordered a three-course meal at Applebee's and walked away impressed by our entrées, drinks, and dessert, all for around $90.

The first Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar opened in 1986 in Kansas City.

The outside of the Applebee's restaurant.Erin McDowell/Insider

On a busy Thursday night, my brother and I stopped by our local Applebee's Bar and Grill.

The inside of the Applebee's restaurant.Erin McDowell/Insider

After we were seated, we perused the menu, which included everything from burgers and salads to pasta and steaks.

The Applebee's menus.Erin McDowell/Insider

A stand-up menu on the table advertised the chain's drink specials.

A menu advertising the chain's drink specials.Erin McDowell/Insider

We both ordered the "perfect margarita" in the classic flavor.

The Perfect Margarita.Erin McDowell/Insider

The margaritas were perfectly sour and the salt rim added just the right touch of flavor.

The Perfect Margarita.Erin McDowell/Insider

We wanted to try as many appetizers as possible, so we started with the classic combo appetizer platter.

The Applebee's appetizer sampler.Erin McDowell/Insider

The mozzarella sticks were perfectly fried and warm when the platter arrived.

The mozzarella stick.Erin McDowell/Insider

The chicken quesadillas impressed us.

The chicken quesadilla.Erin McDowell/Insider

Our favorite of the five appetizers included in the platter was the boneless Buffalo wings.

The boneless Buffalo wings.Erin McDowell/Insider

Neither of us was a fan of the spinach and artichoke dip.

The spinach and artichoke dip.Erin McDowell/Insider

We also decided to try the chain's chips and white queso — and were ultimately disappointed.

The chips and queso.Erin McDowell/Insider

For my entrée, I ordered the half-rack of baby-back ribs and a side of the four-cheese macaroni and cheese.

The half-rack of ribs with a side of four-cheese macaroni and cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

The ribs were hot to the touch and coated in the sticky barbecue sauce.

The half-rack of ribs.Erin McDowell/Insider

I thought the ribs were nicely sauced and tasted great.

One of the baby-back ribs.Erin McDowell/Insider

I also loved my side of four-cheese macaroni and cheese with bacon.

The four-cheese macaroni and cheese with bacon.Erin McDowell/Insider

My brother ordered the neighborhood burger, which comes with cheese and garlic mayonnaise.

The Neighborhood burger with fries.Erin McDowell/Insider

For dessert, we opted to try one of the chain's signature dishes: The Chocolate Meltdown lava cake.

The Chocolate Meltdown lava cake.Erin McDowell/Insider

The cake was everything a chocolate lava dessert should be.