6 Restaurant Chains That Serve The Best Meatloaf, According To Reviews

Sure, your mom makes the best meatloaf around, but there are restaurant chains that rival and, dare we say, even surpass home cooking. You needn't take our word for it. When looking at chains that offer the comfort classic, quite a few stood out in forums and reviews worthy of more than a passing mention. After all, there are two types of experiences that are bound to prompt diners to speak up. Focusing on the good, instead of the bad, these stood out above the pack.

Meatloaf became America's favorite dinner after traditions leading up to the Great Depression were leaned on to get through scarce times. While some of the chains hit precisely the right notes of nostalgia utilizing a ketchup coating or something similar, others stray from tomato-based toppings earning as much approval. Whether the meatloaf has an extra sear to level up the crust game, or comes with a hearty helping of proprietary beer braised onions, each meatloaf from these chains has something unique about it that leaves fans raving.

Once limited to the Sunshine State, Florida's own Metro Diner has steadily spread out since the '90s, thanks in part to its Iron City Meatloaf. In fact, the fan-favorite served up with French-style green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy has a unique finishing touch that even garnered the attention of Guy Fieri.

Beef, pork, and turkey, combined with carrots, celery, mushrooms, and onions are ground and mixed together with spices, bread crumbs, and some egg. The egg is much needed for binding, despite Fieri's own refusal to eat the super common breakfast food. After the mixture is shaped into logs and baked, slices are brought to the griddle, where a crust is formed to seal both sides. Not only do customers rave about the flavors of the meatloaf, they also revel in the portion sizes. Sharing an image on Facebook, one customer talked up Metro Diner's Meatloaf Dinner for 4 delivered in a tray that nearly spanned an entire stovetop.

A California original, the Black Bear Diner and its homemade meatloaf have been making their way across the country since 1995. But even though the chain has spread, people aren't waiting for a location to open near them, saying the meatloaf is worth crossing state lines for, by one review.

Topped with your choice of beef gravy, country gravy, or turkey gravy, along with crispy onion straws, Black Bear Diner's meatloaf, like its other entrées, allows for an array of side dish combinations. The choice of two from options like house-made coleslaw, white cheddar mac & cheese, and onion rings comes in addition to a soup or salad selection.

People love this meatloaf — even just to snag some as takeout. Facing stiff competition for the best menu item alongside Black Bear Diner's slow-cooked pot roast, it remains a dish that calls up memories of home for many.

Despite fans raging against Cracker Barrel's new modern decor, the love for its classic meatloaf endures. Humbly placing itself after mom's home cooking, the old country store makes its comfort food favorite by blending ground beef with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. No meatloaf would be complete without a sauce, and Cracker Barrel dresses up the traditional ketchup coating with added brown sugar, spices, and Worcestershire sauce. It's extremely popular, to the point that some see it as the best entrée on the menu. Plus, there are dozens of copycat recipes that litter the internet, proving its popularity.

On top of diners having their choice of either buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins to accompany the meatloaf, Cracker Barrel offers a truly American side option. Instead of merely the standard two sides, a minor up-charge allows for a third side from a list with more than 25 options and variations like bacon macaroni & cheese, loaded mashed potatoes, and fried okra. Much like the signage and interior design of the chain, customers agree if isn't broke, don't fix it, and they very much want the classic meatloaf served up the way they remember it.

First time visitors to The Cheesecake Factory may find themselves at a crossroads between excitement and overwhelm. This is due to the extent of the ridiculously long menu. Even with so many items to choose from, the Famous Factory Meatloaf remains a reliable go-to, garnering considerable attention. Served up akin to a smothered steak, the meatloaf comes topped with mushroom gravy and grilled onions, alongside a heaping helping of mashed potatoes and buttered corn. Among the prevailing opinions of the entrée is just how generous the chain is with its portion size.

Each meal is served with three large slices of the meatloaf, made from a blend of beef and pork. Unquestionably hearty, another admirable aspect is how The Cheesecake Factory opts for a mushroom gravy rather than a tomato-based topping. Even without the popular condiment, the comfort classic is often described as landing on the sweet side of savory. In addition to the size of the meal and the flavor, reviewers also comment positively on the texture, which can sometimes prove a stumbling block for meatloaf detractors.

Amid bankruptcy woes and ownership changes, Logan's Roadhouse has managed to maintain consistent fanfare for its grilled meatloaf. What sets the Kentucky-born, Texas-based chain's comfort classic apart from other restaurant meatloaf iterations is the trademark Brewski Onions.

This tantalizing topping is comprised of onions braised in beer, and they are joined by sautéed mushrooms and brown gravy to coat the charred slices of meat. All of that is set upon a bed of mashed potatoes. The only secret flavor boost the dish is (maybe) missing is some bacon or bacon jam.

Just like how you can pick and choose your sides, Logan's Roadhouse also allows you to opt out of the extra toppings. Plus, you can select from an array of combo options to add shrimp, crab cakes, chicken, ribs, or more to your entrée. Considered the top choice for many at the steak-centric roadhouse, many even place it above grilled salmon, chopped steak, and the 6-ounce sirloin. Fans rave that it is a must-try guaranteed to satisfy both your tastebuds and your appetite. It's even worth making the trip out if you're dining alone.

There are some things you simply don't say out loud unless you want to get banished from the dinner table in your own house. In the case of Golden Corral's meatloaf, one social media user thinks it's worth the risk to declare the superiority of the dish to versions they're served at home — just keep it between us, and the internet. They're hardly alone in raving about the mix of ground beef and ground pork, dubbed "Grandma's recipe," at the all-you-can-eat buffet chain.

Everyone knows not to get between a pregnant person and a food craving. Unfortunately for one Redditor, the North Carolina-based restaurant chain hasn't expanded to the Great White North. So the Canadian, whose hankering for the meatloaf they'd experienced while pregnant lingered on, was left settling for trying to replicate the recipe. Of those who voice negative experiences with this Golden Corral menu option, it seems as though they may have run into isolated issues with the service at particular locations. There aren't any mistakes overall with this meatloaf.

More than simply examine which chain restaurants offer meatloaf, assembling this list required the array of businesses be whittled down to those diners actually talk about. Utilizing forums and various review sites like Reddit, Yelp, Facebook, and more, detailing experiences eating at the chains, the list was further narrowed to locations with a broad consensus of positive opinions about each meatloaf. Negative reviews were given less consideration where they appeared to be limited to individual occasions that fail to represent the typical taste and preparation of each meatloaf.