Worst food I've had in a while

[Pigsticker]

Went on a nice date with my wife this past weekend without the kids and I have to say I was really really disappointed in the food at the new Minot Country Club. A place that is trying to impress and exude swankiness, it sure was awful. Both the food and the service.

I ordered a drink and asked for Jameson, waitress told me that her boss said that if people want to drink Irish whiskey to go to Ebeneezers. "Ok...I'll have a Pendleton, you have that right?"

Ordered a salad with dressing. Wrong dressing shows up and is spilled all over the salad so I mention it and they bring me a new dressing but left the salad covered in the dressing I didn't order. I finally had to say something about it and they brought me a fresh salad.

Got my rib-eye and it was literally the thickness of a cowboy boot insert. I almost ordered it rare because I know how almost everybody loves to overcook steaks. Waitress informed me they nail their steaks everytime so I ordered medium rare. What shows up? Well done shoe leather, thin shoe leather to be exact with a half rotten sprig of rosemary on top. I've had thicker steaks at 4bears buffet room. I also asked for a side of horseradish, when it didn't show I asked one of the servers again for it and they brought me ranch. By this time it was almost comical but then I remembered how much I was gonna have to pay for the meal.

When the server asked how my meal was I told her that the steak was completely overdone. She came back out and said "the cook says sorry" and walked away. Now, I don't take freebies too often and usually chalk up experiences like this as occasional misfortunes but they didn't even offer to give a dessert, $10 off the meal or anything.

In the end I paid $34 for a steak that should have been $14 at Montana Mikes. The salads were another $6 and the drinks were expensive. In the end with tip, (and I always tip just because its rude not to and I'm not that kinda guy) it was $120 for the most lousy meal I've had in a long time. To be fair my wife had the scallops and they were okay but not par for the price. Appetizers seemed to be moderate as well. If you live here in Minot and want a good classy meal, this is not the place to go. Better to stick with 10 N Main where if your steak isn't done right (which never happens) they'll make it right.

On a side note, I had a great time with my wife and it was nice to have a dinner with just her and I, despite the depressing dining experience.

 

[Rut2much]

Sounds a lot like my past 4 experiences at texas road house and longhorn both, have not went back to neither in almost 2 years and there's a definite reason for that.. Nothing but absolute sh!t-ass thin, stringy,fatty steaks last times each time and im done. (Gave each both the benefit of the doubt.) One left me soo sick in the middle of the night missing work the next day (which is a tough task) and although i cant confirm it, its enough to remind me of how bad my steak was and looked. Even gave the salty a$$ catfish a shot because i couldnt bare receiving another piece of meat like that after 2 times and no thank you.. Will eat the crap out of the cinnamon butter bread, peanuts and beer but "steakhouse??" Forget about it...

I will say our first 2 experiences at longhorn (WHEN THEY WERE NEW IN TOWN) were nothing short of spectacular. Perfectly done medium-rare prime rib with horseradish the first visit and damn near perfect medium ribeye the second, nice and thick piece of meat both times! Both meals topped off with perfectly presented key-lime pie with cranberry drizzled sauce which we shared, fiance and i left both times happy as hell.. I then Confidently took her family there when they were in town for the weekend and out came that piece of $h!t, thin; flank-steak sooo damn fatty and thin as my shoe-soul, it reminded me of the night i got sick after the roadhouse.. Didnt say a word, paid the $150 tab, but sure let the poor ole lady hear about how $hitty it was on the way home and for the next hour in bed..

I am now bitter, but immediately came to the conclusion when a "new" steakhouse comes to town, they will serve amazing pieces of meat to try and hook their customers for the first how many months and then bend them over once they believe they have them tricked and fooled and serve absolute garbage. Not this guy though and i could be wrong about it (call me a conspiracy theorist), but after perfecting my own steaks on the grill, its not that damn hard and unless they're trying to save pennies it all makes sense to me in the corporate/business world.. Cannot figure out for the life of me why texas roadhouse is that damn busy alllll the time, but just maybe its time to pony up and give it one last whirl once grilling season cools off because unfortunately it is on tops of the ladys fav place to eat oddly enough..

 

[guywhofishes]

Galwhofishes and I have generally thrown in the towel on dining out - it's always such a wildcard. And the big $$$ disappointments seem to dominate over the good experiences.

We cook "whole food" meals 99% of the time. Old school I guess.

 

[Vollmer]

Drive to Palermo for a steak. Worth the drive.

 

[gst]

If you want a good steak, (many say the best they have ever eaten) come up to Antler the third Sat. in Sept. 6 - 8 oclock for the Antler Outlaw's weekend of fun.

Choice Ribeyes fresh cut (a lot thicker than an insert) just before being thrown on a wood fired grill, seared and seasoned lightly with nothing more than salt and pepper, cooked exactly to how you want. Mushrooms, green peppers and onions on the side. All the trimmings from Schepps Dakota Deli with some awesome homemade baked beans as well.

I think we set the price at $20 a plate.

Stick around for live music after.

 

[JMF]

In bisman, if I want a steak I go to Roby's, 40 steakhouse, peacock alley, the Bistro or cook it myself. At all of these places I know exactly what I want and get exactly what I want or they redo it. The rest of those chain restaurants I order a burger or pasta, been burned too many times with shitty steaks to risk ordering one. There are a bunch of good steaks to be had at little bars around the state too.

 

[Davy Crockett]

GST, Does Cobb and his gang show up for Antler Outlaw events or are they in hiding ?

 

[NDwalleyes]

I spent some time talking to a restaurant manager here in Bismarck a week or so ago. They are really hurting for staff. Staff is the reason that TGI Fridays closed. Mackenzie River cut back it's hours too. Honestly they just can't find kids to work, which is sad.

That being said, I'm not going to spend my money on average food and bad service either. We've had good luck with Bistro and Texas Roadhouse, both of which are staffed well. The buffet at the Radisson downtown is good for Sunday after church.

 

[Joe]

it is best to avoid steak and chicken at these restaurants. Hard to find a cook in German country that doesn't over cook a steak, and chicken breasts are usually precooked, then microwaved when ordered.

 

[Rowdie]

I'll never go to Bistro again huge waste of cash.

 

[Twitch]

I've had pretty good luck at Bar M steakhouse in Mandan... Been there numerous times and the prime rib has never disappointed yet.

 

[Fly Carpin]

Drive to Palermo for a steak. Worth the drive.

I've ordered the 14 (or maybe it's 16) oz prime rib in Palermo many times. I know for a fact they've never brought me a slab that weighed less than 2 lbs! Their scale is off in the best way possible

 

[Wild and Free]

The Mrs. and I frequent the "Walrus" in Bismarck the most, we try a lot of places but that is our favorite go to place, food never lets us down and service is always great.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

Seems like it is the same everytime we splurge on a restaurant- Watford City, Killdeer, Stanley, it does not matter. Poor service, mediocre food at best and prices that are charged based on nothing but location and because they can because there is no other place to go. I will gladly pay for good food food, service and a clean place.... very hard to find it seems.

 

[guywhofishes]

Also, we find a great place, it becomes our occasional "go to" for celebrations etc... And it closes or turns to ####.

 

[Davy Crockett]

For a good steak I like Home grill , The service is friendly and the chef/cook will customize your steak ahead of time with whatever you request for rubs and spices. When we eat out I usually have a bacon cheeseburger or patty melt.

 

[BDub]

I had a 12 ounce sirloin at Jack's in Bismarck last Saturday. It was great. Not the most or least expensive but overall a good bang for the buck.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Also, we find a great place, it becomes our occasional "go to" for celebrations etc... And it closes or turns to ####.

For a quick meal I would rather go to the golden corral than a burger joint because of the salad bar, When I drove past the fargo one a couple days ago and it looked like it was closed. If so, I'm In the hunt for someplace in that area that has a good salad bar.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

You can never go wrong with The Walrus in Bismarck and their selection of draft beers. Something out of the ordinary is Humpback Sally's two doors east of Peacock Alley. Inexpensive fun food. Small portions, small prices, try many different dishes.

 

[Big J]

I had lunch at the China Star in Minot. Oh mylanta is that place complete horseshit from the outside and in. Nasty. And I am not picky at all. Ever been there PS?