Texas Roadhouse rice is Seasoned Rice, a savory buttered long-grain side listed with the free sides. It costs nothing when chosen as one of your two included sides with a steak or entrée, and runs roughly $3 to $4 ordered on its own.
What Texas Roadhouse rice actually is
Texas Roadhouse rice appears on the menu as Seasoned Rice: long-grain white rice cooked in a savory broth-style base with butter and a house seasoning blend, finished with visible flecks of herb and pepper. It is a soft, loose pilaf, not sticky rice and not a Spanish or Mexican-style red rice.
People searching “rice from Texas Roadhouse” usually expect a pilaf, and that is the closest comparison. It tastes buttery and lightly salty with a faint onion and garlic background. No cheese, no cream sauce, no beans, no vegetables mixed through. It arrives as a scoop in a small side bowl.
Item spec
| Menu name | Seasoned Rice |
|---|---|
| Category | Sides (part of the free-sides list) |
| What it is | Long-grain white rice cooked in a seasoned savory base with butter and herb seasoning |
| Serving format | Single scoop in a side bowl; typical restaurant side portion is roughly 4-6 oz |
| Price | $0 as one of your two included sides; about $3-$4 ordered à la carte (varies by location) |
| Calories | Printed on the in-store and online menu; expect a mid-range side, not a low-calorie one, because of the butter |
| What’s included | Comes with any entrée that includes two sides, plus the complimentary bread rolls and cinnamon butter |
| Served | Hot, all day, lunch and dinner |
| Vegetarian? | Not guaranteed — the seasoning base may contain meat stock; ask your server |
Price and how the free-side rule works
Seasoned Rice sits on the free-sides list, so if you order a steak, ribs, chicken or a combo that includes two sides, rice costs you nothing extra. Ordered by itself as an add-on side, it lands in the same band as the other standard sides, generally around $3 to $4 depending on the market.
The thing most people get wrong: the two free sides are per entrée, not per person. Split one steak between two people and you get two sides, not four. A few à la carte plates include no sides at all, which is when rice becomes a paid add-on.
| How you order it | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| As one of two included sides with an entrée | $0 | Most common way people get it |
| Extra side ordered on its own | ~$3-$4 | Standard side pricing band; confirm locally |
| Substituted for a premium side | $0 | Rice is a standard side, so no upcharge going toward it |
| Inside a kids meal | Included in kids price | Side availability for kids varies by location |
Airport, resort and high-cost-metro locations run above the national average. Pull up your specific restaurant on the official site or app before you budget.
Calories and nutrition
Calorie counts for Seasoned Rice are printed on the in-store menu and published in the official nutrition guide, and we do not have a verified figure to reprint here. Treat it as a moderate-calorie starch side: buttered white rice, not a light vegetable option.
What you can reason about honestly:
- Sodium is the real number to watch. A seasoned, broth-cooked rice is salt-forward by design. If you are managing sodium, this is not the side to pick over steamed vegetables with no butter.
- Fat comes from butter, not oil-heavy frying. It is lower in fat than fries or a loaded baked potato, higher than plain steamed veggies.
- It is not gluten-free by assumption. Seasoning blends and broth bases are a common gluten source, and shared kitchen handling applies. Ask for allergen documentation rather than guessing.
For exact figures, ask for the printed nutrition sheet at your table or check the official nutrition PDF. Third-party calorie apps often list stale user-submitted numbers for this item.
How to order it well
Rice is the low-drama side, and that is its strength. Order it when your entrée brings a heavy sauce, because plain buttered rice absorbs steak juice and ribs sauce better than mashed potatoes with gravy competing on the same plate.
Practical moves that work:
- Pair one starch with one vegetable. Rice plus green beans, or rice plus a house salad, beats rice plus fries plus rolls unless you genuinely want that much starch.
- Ask for it plain or light on butter if you want a cleaner taste. Kitchens can usually accommodate a light-butter request, though the seasoning is already mixed into the base.
- Do not forget the rolls. Every table gets complimentary yeast rolls with cinnamon butter. Two starchy sides plus rolls is a lot of bread and rice on one table.
- Ask about the base if you are vegetarian. Seasoned rice at steakhouses is often cooked in meat stock. Your server can check the ingredient sheet.
Is it worth picking over mashed potatoes?
Rice is worth it when you want a neutral, non-heavy starch that will not fill you up before the steak does. Mashed potatoes with brown gravy are richer and more filling; rice is lighter, plainer and less likely to dominate the plate. Neither costs extra.
Against the two sides it most often loses to:
- Versus mashed potatoes: potatoes win on comfort and on soaking up gravy. Rice wins if you are already eating a heavy entrée or want to leave room for a Legendary dessert.
- Versus the baked potato: the potato is a bigger portion and better value as a standalone side. Rice is the better plate partner when your entrée is the star.
- Versus buttered corn or green beans: rice is more filling; the vegetables are lighter and lower calorie.
Honest read: nobody drives to a steakhouse for the rice. It is a competent supporting side that does its job. If you want the side people actually talk about, that is the loaded sweet potato.
Does every location have rice?
Seasoned Rice is a standard side available at the large majority of locations, but side lineups are not identical everywhere. Some restaurants rotate or drop individual sides, so check before you plan around it.
Fastest confirmation: open your store page on the official site or app and look at the sides list attached to any entrée. That list is location-specific. Calling ahead takes thirty seconds.
Where this page can be wrong
This is an independent guide, not the restaurant. Locations are largely franchised and independently priced, so specifics move around.
- No verified price for this item. The $3-$4 à la carte figure is the realistic band for a standard side, not a confirmed number for your restaurant.
- No verified calorie count here. Use the in-store menu or the official nutrition guide.
- Portion sizes are estimates based on typical restaurant side servings and will vary by kitchen.
- Allergen and vegetarian status is not confirmed. Always ask staff directly if it matters medically.
FAQ
Does Texas Roadhouse have rice?
Yes. Texas Roadhouse serves Seasoned Rice as a standard side, and it appears on the free-sides list you choose from with most entrées. A few locations vary their side lineup, so check your store’s menu on the official site or app.
What kind of rice does Texas Roadhouse serve?
Long-grain white rice cooked in a savory seasoned base with butter and a house herb-and-pepper blend. It is closest to a rice pilaf in texture and taste. It is not sticky rice, not brown rice and not a Spanish or Mexican-style red rice.
Is Texas Roadhouse rice free?
It is free when you take it as one of the two included sides with an entrée. Ordered on its own as an extra side, expect roughly $3 to $4 depending on your location. There is no upcharge to choose rice over another standard side.
How many calories are in Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice?
We do not have a verified figure to publish. The count is printed on the in-store menu and in the official nutrition guide. Treat it as a moderate-calorie buttered starch side rather than a light option, and be aware that sodium is likely the more significant number.
Is Texas Roadhouse rice vegetarian or gluten-free?
Do not assume either. Seasoned rice at steakhouses is commonly cooked in a meat-based broth, and seasoning blends can contain gluten. Ask your server for the current allergen sheet before ordering if this matters to you.
What goes well with Texas Roadhouse rice?
Pair it with anything saucy or juicy, like ribs, grilled chicken or a marinated steak, so the rice absorbs the drippings. Balance the plate by picking a vegetable as your second side rather than a second starch, since the free rolls already cover bread.
Can I order rice as a side for a kids meal?
Usually yes. Rice is mild and easy for young kids, which makes it a common kids-meal pick. Kids-menu side options vary between locations, so confirm with your server when you order.
Does Texas Roadhouse rice hold up for takeout?
Better than fries. It stays warm in a sealed container on a short drive. To reheat, add a splash of water, cover, and microwave in 45-second bursts, stirring between rounds so the edges do not dry out.