Brent Gaynor

Review of NICK & SAM STEAK HOUSE

I am not one to write reviews unless I find someth...

I am not one to write reviews unless I find something over the top incredible or subpar. On Saturday night I was provided with one of those subpar dining experiences. Went to Nick & Sams Grill and found an incredibly packed restaurant. We had reservations and were seated promptly. Fair enough. For starters we went with wine by the glass. Everyone wanted something different. I lean towards Malbec or Pinot and found their top of the line offerings to be horrible. I am not overly picky but these were quite wattery, with little character. One was served from a twist off bottle that was $16/gl. Pretty bad. Wound up drinking a Cabernet from Krug that was decent. Pretty clear they want you to get a bottle of wine per person. The by the glass wine selection was not my issue, but the food. It was subpar and quite disappointing. I don't know who is giving it top ratings, but 2 years ago it was much better IMO. Their Mac & Cheese used to be spectacular. We raved to the couple we went with how good it was. When we finally got it, it was luck warm. The other couple asked for a warmer serving and we were provided with a steaming hot (like from a microwave) serving that would never be kept at that temperature. The Mac & cheese was watery and broken down and not to mention incredibly bland. Nothing like the Mac & cheese of past, that had rich cheesy taste & consistency. I was pretty embarrassed for getting two orders of this. One other side worth noting was the asparagus. Tasted fine, but was said to be a serving for "2 to 4" people. Guess how many asparagus that included? Three!! I eat asparagus regularly and eat 6 stalks myself! Don't recall the price, but had to be $8 or more. The steak.. Well apparently it is from Allen Brothers in Chicago. Whatever, tasted like a cut from Omaha. 10 oz filet was cooked ok enough at medium rare, but wasn't searing and there was a serious lack of any seasoning on the steak. Another person at the table got their filet medium and it was butterflied. WTH! That is definitely not needed for a 10oz filet at medium. Medium Well, possibly... Many other options in Dallas to choose from. This place is obviously suffering from cutting corners to help the dallas social scene and similar ilk get some standard fare. IMO, go to Al Bernaits or somewhere else, if seeking good food. I would never take a client here from Chicago / New York / etc. that was looking for a good steak. YMMV, but probably by not a lot.