Disclaimer: This story contains a graphic description of food, which could distress readers. Discretion is advised.

Dining out is often a treat and a chance to enjoy a meal without the hassle of cooking and cleaning up.

It's an experience that should be filled with good food, laughter, and memories.

However, for one woman and her family, a recent dining experience turned into a nightmare that left them with a story they'd rather forget.


A family's outing to Lone Star Rib House in Penrith was supposed to be an enjoyable evening.

However, it quickly soured when the woman's order arrived with an unexpected addition.

The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted her ordeal and thought something was 'wrong' with her order.


'I zoomed in, looking at the piece of steak and thought, "That's really odd, there are things moving",' she said.

She shared her observation with her husband, who at first thought the movement might be due to seasoning.

Yet, the reality was far more stomach-churning.

Upon closer inspection, the steak was swarmed with maggots.

The presence of larvae on the meal raised questions about the restaurant's food safety and hygiene practices.


Upon alerting the restaurant about the disturbing find, the staff highlighted the restaurant's optimal food and health safety rating.

The staff member also pointed out that the maggots came from the salad and not from the steak.

'The maggots were having the time of their life on that piece of steak, and there was not one maggot on the salad,' the woman recalled.

'Either way, there should not have been maggots on the plate at all.'


The incident raised concerns about restaurant staff's vigilance when it comes to handling food.

'The way I see it, there are at least two, maybe three people in that restaurant handling the piece of steak. How did not one of those people notice the steak was moving?' the woman questioned.

While the restaurant offered a replacement meal, the woman declined after a ruined appetite.

Lone Star Rib House refrained from commenting further on the situation.

However, the restaurant confirmed that an independent environmental health officer conducted an inspection the following day, which reportedly revealed no areas of concern.


Penrith City Council, along with the NSW Food Authority, started an investigation towards the 'food safety incident'.

The investigation examined all aspects of the restaurant—from suppliers to the restaurant's food storage and preparation.

Days prior to the incident, a routine and unannounced inspection happened, which did not identify any concerns.

Despite a clean bill of health, the woman's distressing experience left her paranoid about cooking beef and turned her off from steaks altogether.

'We were out for a family meal, we were hungry, something really disgusting and inappropriate had happened, and no one owned up to that,' the woman lamented.

This story should be a reminder to stay vigilant when dining out.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, you may refuse a replacement meal or demand a refund.
Have you ever had a similar dining experience? Share your stories with us in the comments below. Let us all raise awareness and keep each other informed to keep our dining experiences safe and enjoyable.