Actually had a pretty good meal at Morton’s last year in AC. It was a holiday weekend and the places I wanted to go were booked and that was the fallback. It exceeded my expectations.
I forget which, but one of the sides was extremely good. The steaks were very good, not like best ever but very good.
I’d go back there again in similar circumstances.
Yeah, I was thinking that well, but my steak credentials are far below average for this group.
Thoughts on the cut of meat itself? There is something about it that seems low quality to me, but I can’t put my finger on it.
I’m vegan so I’m coming from a meat-eating noob perspective and so this might be a silly question but what makes a certain steakhouse unique in terms of the actual food prep?
The level of nerdery surrounding steak never ceases to amaze me.
If anyone is allowed to take a victory lap every single time Pete does something likeable it’s for sure skydiver.
Not that much, which is why dragging Morton’s hard to do in this context.
they’re all the same, honestly I doubt anyone could tell the difference in blind taste tests. But like I said, a homogenized product is a huge piece of the value prop
I meant that I wouldn’t pick a steakhouse, especially a chain, as they’re all so generic. Something local, usually ethnic, that’s unlike something they’d be able to find in their own town is more fun and memorable than the same steak you can get anywhere.
Gonna go out on a limb and guess my son and daughter are responsible for ~5000 online reservations here.
My dude you’re entertaining boring older white people on an expense account. To make money by getting them to buy something usually. Mortons is perfect for that specifically.
Ahhhh sorry thought you specifically refered to a steakhouse.
High-end steakhouses are more likely to have extensive whiskey/bourbon/scotch menus. I’m more likely to go to a steakhouse if I intend to do some serious drinking with a meal.
even if you want the same steak you can get anywhere there’s a local place that will be just as good
the problem is, when you’re from out of town you just want to book something you know is going to be acceptable for clients and not roll the dice on something that might be good but also might be rat-infested.
in the era of eater, trip advisor, etc this is less valuable but there are still plenty of boomers who don’t want to waste time looking at websites
Chain steakhouses are the best option with clients.
The meal gets fucked up? Well, that’s Del Frisco’s fault. Nothing anybody could have done about it.
But if I suggest a cool, interesting place and someone doesn’t like their meal? Or the parking, or the tattooed server, or lack of xyz whisky? That’s on me. Not worth the upside of eating a better meal and at best impressing the client.
This is a reasonable perspective. Also, bland faux fancy steakhouse places tend to be relatively quiet, and actually nice “hot” new restaurants tend to be a bit loud and boisterous. It can be a bit awkward to yell at clients.
Yeah this. It’s DC. I’m confident there are better “not a chain” steakhouses that are comparably priced. It’s like going to NYC and eating at Sbarro’s. The real pizza in NYC isn’t even as expensive as Sbarro’s!
Have eaten at least two meals at each
Flemings>>Ruth and Morton’s in terms of the meat.
I personally think the steak quality is better but not $40+ better per head than Texas roadhouse (plus sides are not included). Still end up going about 1/year as we invariably get gift cards that subsidize the cost. The atmosphere is worth something.
That said I recently paid $30 for a dry aged ribeye at the butcher counter as a treat. Right now the normal ribeye at the nice grocer would have cost me about $17.
It’s still the difference between really good and really really good.
I’ve been disappointed at Morton’s and Ruth’s at least once each in that I though the steak was less good than what I make at home. Never a problem at Flemings. I generally match the roadhouse.
I thought Jeff Ruby’s in Cinci and the place in the Venetian (carne vino?) we’re exceptional.
I don’t know if it’s too small to count, but of the chain steakhouses The Palm was my favorite.
