Non-flying family can eat with you here in Terminal 2
This Outback Steakhouse sits landside in Terminal 2 at GIG, so friends who aren’t flying can join you before you head to security. It runs at airport pricing level $$$, and locals use it as a pre-boarding meetup spot instead of the standard food court. Google and TripAdvisor reviews sit around a 4.1 rating, mainly on the strength of familiar Outback dishes and big portions.
Being landside means you need to pad your schedule by at least 60–90 minutes before an international departure from Terminal 2, including time to eat and then clear security and immigration. Service is described as friendly but slow, and several reviews mention long waits for a table when multiple long-haul flights leave in the same 1–2 hour window. If your boarding pass says a late-night bank like 22:00–01:00, expect the restaurant to be full of families seeing people off.
Menu and pricing roughly match city Outback locations, but reviews say mains and cocktails can run 20–30% higher than downtown Rio. Regulars handle that by sharing one of the large steaks or pastas and splitting the Bloomin’ Onion instead of ordering a full entrée each. Many comments point out that portions are generous enough for two people, which softens the sticker shock and keeps the bill under control when you add beers or a caipirinha.
Drinks draw mixed feedback: several reviewers like them as a pre-flight treat, but note cocktails feel expensive compared with bars in the city. The trade-off is comfort and table service a few meters from the Terminal 2 departure hall, rather than standing in a food-court line. Watch out for slow check-out; people report waiting 10–15 extra minutes just to pay when the dining room is full.
Practical tip: if you plan to eat here before a non-Schengen international flight, aim to sit down at least 2 hours before departure, then leave the restaurant 70–80 minutes before boarding time to clear security without stress.