They finally opened back up after Covid/Staffing issues and I am so glad they did! The inside of Mertens is beautiful! It brings you back to a time when men would only wear suits at a restaurant like this. Don't worry, casual attire is welcome here. It started as a hotel back in 1914 and a lot of character and charm still comes through! We have had a hankering for Shrimp Beignets for a while now. This is a MUST order item. (As long as you don't have a shellfish allergy. ) They are served warm and have a lovely flavor of fresh shrimp inside. They're coated with a "Powdered Sugar" dusting that is both sweet and spicy in one. Our bartender, Sam, makes delicious cocktails and is a pleasure to chat with. I highly recommend having a drink at the bar while getting to know some of the other patrons. One of my favorite things in life is a Philly Cheesesteak. I didn't see one on the menu, but they do have a Philly Poutine so I had to try it. The ribeye was flavored to perfection! The house whiz was rich and creamy and the fries were the perfect crispness! I could have made a meal out of this and want to ask them if they'll make a Cheesesteak for me next time. Finally, we shared a Beef Stroganoff that is escalated, as it's made with Filet Mignon. It was quite delicious. The only thing I would have done differently is put more sauce on it. I like my Stroganoff with a lot of mushroom cream sauce! The pasta is house made and you can really tell the difference from store bought pasta! Mertens was named one of the top restaurants in Grand Rapids in 2020 and I'd have to agree. Get yourself there soon for some amazing food and an elegant dining experience! read more

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So Mertens Has been open since 2017, they do have good drinks. Yes they have had me wait for 15 minutes, I'm not interested in that, what I'm interested in is the fact that this place is still for sale. You'd think for 450,000 dollars and Liabilities they'd be shut down, but have managed to keep the rooftop open and consistently bringing people in though it needs to bigger so can they can have more people's, but they work with what they Got, something tells me the actual own doesn't care for it anymore as much as they wanna keep it open, it seems to me they are trying to make changes which could potentially be good for this place, I just hope they know what they are doing. I was talking to one of the staff there the other day ,( They didn't look happy nor passionate as much as they tried to portray it.) it just seems like some of them don't get their Due. I really hope whoever is in charge does something better or invest a lot into this place. read more

The Chicken and waffles was excellent . the hostess was friendly and the bar tender was excellent and knowledgeable and the history of the building is astonishin. read more

Had a reservation for a birthday, 6 people. We started on the rooftop. Waitress was not attentive. We all ordered one drink and she never came back around. We waited about 20 minutes and finally asked for our bill. She rudely told us we could go to a door and ask for the bill ourselves. Then we went downstairs, and the restaurant was pretty empty. We waited about 15 minutes before someone even came and acknowledged us. Then they said they were getting our table ready and it would be a few more minutes. After another 20 minutes we just left. Drinks were okay but pricey. Service was terrible. And no idea about the food because we didn't even get to try any. read more

Service was great! Food was ok but not equal to the prices. Bone marrow bones were whole and standing on the plate. Never seen it done that way, they are usually cut lengthwise. Mine was yellow so I did not finish. My wife's was more of a normal color. Main dishes were ok she had the pork chop which was lightly seasoned. I had the cassoulet with osso bucco which was ok but the pork was not overly flavorful. Decor was confusing, including cloth napkins but no tablecloths. read more

We came here to celebrate an anniversary and upon arriving we should have known better because the place was empty on a Friday night. Our escargot was nothing special and the bread it came with was hard and over toasted. The croquettes were bland and the sauces didn't help Our steaks came over cooked. My fries were the same kind you can get at a Coney Island. I would expect a different level of sophistication and care for meals that cost over $45 each I will not be back read more

Severely unimpressed with our entire experience for a place that is supposed to be a nice steak house. Staff are very nice but service was terrible. It took over 2 hours to receive any food. When we received our food, we were disappointed to find that every single course was either bland, overcooked, or both. They also didn't seem to know what we ordered because they screwed it up multiple times. Bathrooms were also falling apart with 2/3 of them having no soap dispenser or had one that had been detached from the walls and nobody seemed to care. This place seriously has gone downhill compared to when I went here 6-7 months ago. The owner and chef should be embarrassed for serving food that most people can make better at home. read more

We have been to many Steakhouses (Perry's, Kirby's Prime, and even Ruth Chris') and at all have had wonderful drinks, dinner, and service. Therefore, my husband was excited to try Mertens Prime due to the reviews, reported quality, and ambiance for my birthday dinner. We arrived and were seated promptly, but because it was so loud in the restaurant we were unable to hear anything the hostess was saying to us. The restaurant was not terribly busy, there were several empty tables on a Saturday evening. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. A good 10 minutes, before our server approached our table. The server was pleasant and took our drink orders. They attempted to sell us up on our vodka selection for the drinks, and we told them Tito's was fine for mixed drinks. A bread plate was brought while we were waiting for our drinks. Three slices of bread with butter in a separate compote. I'm glad I looked at the butter before I placed some on my bread, because it appeared to be a scoop of butter with a large amount of table salt (not sea salt, not kosher salt) on the top of it. I was able to remove about half of it and then mixed the rest of the salt into the butter. One bite of the bread and I was done with the bread. It was cold and it was stale. Meijer makes a better loaf of bread in their bakery, and it's not very good bread at all. Our drinks came about 10 minutes after we ordered them. My drink was not done the way I requested and at that point I told my husband I wanted to leave. I didn't feel like taking any more chances with Mertens Prime, because of the obvious lack of attention to the details on what should have been easy things. Why take a chance on a meal and just end up disappointed in the end? We asked for our check to be closed and when our check was brought to us my husband noticed that the server upcharged his vodka in his drink, but the vodka in my drink was not similarly upcharged. We wanted it to be good, but it simply wasn't. read more

I'm not sure what happened to this place - what was once a great French Brasserie has really gone down hill with it's focus on steak - not something we're really lacking in GR or the midwest in general. We've been here a number of times, the most recent on Mother's Day for "Brunch" - which was just their normal dinner menu, just served at 11AM. I'm a bit salty about that, but they didn't post an alternative menu so that one was on me. Given that it was their normal dinner menu I don't feel bad about basing this review on it. We had the always excellent cheese cart (rotating variety of cheeses and breads is always a winner in my book) and then moved on to the mainsdishes. My wife had Duck a l'Orange, but the risotto was over cooked and looked like rice - should didn't even finish it and we've had this dish here at least 3 times and it was always great. I had Pasta aux Jambon et Truffe which I liked okay - nothing amazing and the truffles were very powerful in the dish, but I was really looking for something lighter. Reading the above, it's all very negative for 3 stars, but I want to make sure I'm not punishing them for what they used to be. Bottom line - it's a fine restaurant, I just won't be dining here any longer as I lament what it used to be. I love the drink menu and I love the decor and cheese cart, but that's just not enough. read more

Reservations can be made for up to 8 people. For 10 people they charge $310 as it becomes a party. For a group of people they limit the menu and take off half of the items, including the duck because they said it takes to long. This is not a place to go if you are in a hurry. It took us over three hours for dinner. Three people got chicken dinners and we got our food 15mins after everyone else. They competed a round of drinks for everyone that got chicken so that was nice, however instead of comping my alcohol like they did everyone else they competed my $2 coke. The desserts: the bananas foster and Cherry jubilee they make in front of you. Once again I had to wait 10min beyond everyone else for my dessert. I told the guy nevermind but he basically wouldn't let me and said it's coming now... it was still another 2mins. The cheesecake was really creamy and probably the best thing I ate. That I would order again. But not go back for just that. The food was mediocre. There was nothing that was wow. Brussel sprouts were good but nothing to write home about. The magic dust that was $1 extra was just a lawry's seasoning. The mayonnaise eggs were boiled eggs cut in half with a homemade mayonnaise so they were decent but once again not wow for the price. The bacon was good but it was thick cut bacon with garlic. Save your bread and soak up the juices. The chicken dinner... mine was juicy in the legs, dry in the breast and a soggy skin. The other people at the table had all dry chicken. The Salmon crust was good but the fish tasted like metallic. The steaks were baked in an oven as they came out and let us know they couldn't get a medium well-ish. Basically the girl didn't want red just pink. She enjoyed her steak. The drinks were way over priced on the roof and cost $3 more than downstairs. Which were already costly. We won't be back. But that's because nothing wowed us. It was a forgettable meal. Also as the night goes on it gets really really dark in there as there is not much lighting but the candles. The rooftop is cool the drinks are expensive. There is one my one fire top. The chairs and furniture are neat and the ambience has good vibes. Nice spot for multiple groups, just bring a sweater it gets chilly. read more

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Waited 2.5 hours No food Was told mgr. would come over Never did We were told there's 3 6 tops ahead of you (after 2 hours) We had no service and zero service to help. So bummed had guests in from out of town. read more

Bland, everything! Sent the onion soup back- salmon too smooth, not any flavor- leeks were yummy. Cherries jubilee was lacking something- more ice cream would definitely help. Is the bartender really a sommelier??? $$$$$ money wasted and an 8% service fee? Wow! read more

Pretty decent meal. May have been a little lacking in spice/flavor. I had salmon. Others in our party had issues with "bland" flavors in the French onion soup or duck. Was hoping for a "wow" experience considering the prices. Atmosphere is kind of neat/historic. Probably won't return. Also, they charge a weird "service fee" on everything. Kinda strange. ???? read more

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We had a five star dining experience at Mertens Prime last night. I think I might have a new favorite restaurant in downtown GR. We began our evening hearing an exquisite description of the revised menu from the dining captain, Billy. He described everything in great detail, making our mouths water and prompting me to tell my husband "I want to come back and try everything on this menu." Our server, Andrea, worked in conjunction with Billy, to provide truly exceptional service the whole evening. We enjoyed the bone marrow appetizer and a variety of different cocktails throughout the night. Our party of four enjoyed all of our entrees. I ordered, per Billy's recommendation, the duck leg cassoulet. It was delicious and rich comfort food...perfectly appointed for a winter menu. In terms of cocktails, my favorite one was the Hotel Merten Fizz. It was like a subtle and sophisticated creamsicle drink. Delicious! I cannot wait to go back and try more of this new menu. The turtle soup and beet salad piqued my interest, and I'd still love to try selections from their cheese cart and dessert menu. Lastly, the pricing is on the mid to high end for downtown Grand Rapids, but the cocktails were quite reasonable and we felt the exceptional service was in line with the entree pricing. read more

Sad to write this-running a premium restaurant is hard-but after many times at Mertens-enjoying the beautiful environment and the premium steaks and sides it is sad to see how far they have slid-I believe new management-clearly they have switched out their meat providers-I used to have the ribeye which was not inexpensive-now it is like something from an Outback-the lovely Belgian style fries now are "steak fries" that I swear are out of a Gordon's food bag. No problems with my lovely server or the on site manager but wow-same prices and I was annoyed I didn't just to to Bowdies, or the Chop House-same prices (and they are high-this is a treat) or the Scholar. Also-called to politely express concern and you get an AI generated robot-really? Next time you want to spend a few hundred (first world problem yes, but the recession is elsewhere) I would suggest you have other better options-too bad. Boo hoo-but for what I paid I am annoyed. read more

I was very much looking forward to dining here as they offered coquilles St. Jacques which is one of my favorite meals. While the scallops were mostly tender and flavorful, the sauce was dominated by minced mushrooms that hid any flavor nuances that should have been there. The dish was topped by cheese made tough by too long under the broiler. Any whipped potatoes were lost, if they were ever included. My husband's lamb tangine was very good and would rate 3.5 stars. He said the couscous was done to a perfect consistency. I was also looking forward to the pot de crème which had a good flavor but the consistency was strangely grainy. The service was sub-par. Our water and wine refills were forgotten and there was an unfortunate incident with the water bottle falling into the slushy ice water bowl meant to keep it chilled. Our waitress had at least 4 tables to serve and servers had to make flambé desserts which took a lot of time away from other tables. What's the easier for you anyways Karen 3392 today read more

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We had dinner at Mertens last night before the Dave Matthews Concert and to celebrate our wedding anniversary with friends. I'll start with the good. The service was friendly, if a bit unsure at times. You can tell the staff is still relatively new, which was understandable. That said, the staff was attentive and able to explain the menu in detail. The ambiance was delightful and we all agreed that we loved what they were trying to do with the property and history. Some of the food was excellent. The cocktails were all exquisite. The highlight of the night was the fried brussels sprouts tossed in honey and vinegar. Just excellent. The rolling cheese cart was fun and two 3 oz servings was an excellent amount for the four of us. The eggs mayonnaise were a clever and older version of deviled eggs. The french onion soup that our friend had looked fantastic and she ate every bit of it. The wine list was well thought out and with a good range of wines in a variety of price points. Unfortunately, this is marketed as a steak house and that is where things really went downhill. The manager talked up the Chateaubriand for $169 and I was ready to shared it with one of my friends. Then he told us they were all out (we were a 5pm reservation, so that means they didn't have any for a Saturday evening service, which is pretty bizarre). My friend and I both had the filet mignon as well, cooked medium rare. The steaks were both significantly over cooked, somewhere in between medium and medium well. I had ordered one of the sauces (poivre) to go with it on the side, even though I normally just enjoy the filet by itself at other restaurants... but I wanted to hedge my bet. I was glad that I had sauce to dip it in, because at that level of cook, it was pretty dry. My friend's steak was equally overcooked. Normally, I would have sent a steak back at that level of overcooked, but we had a concert to get to and so did not have the time to do a recook and I didn't want the management to think I was gaming for getting anything free. Since both steaks were over, it also led me to think that sending it back didn't guarantee I'd get anything better. For the sides we did the aforementioned brussels sprouts, along with their pomme fries and the mushrooms & pearl onions. The fries were just fundamentally not good, with an odd aftertaste. After we all tried it, my friend who is a GM at a store (and myself, who has managed in restaurants before) agreed that they were frostbit... which also means they are not handout. The mushrooms and pearl onions were cooked well, but they were not pearl onions (which are small, generally no larger than the size of a quarter), but were instead slices of small onions. In the end, the meal was $400, plus the tip. We tipped to the full, since the servers were working hard. However, for a meal like this, I would expect the caliber of the food to be significantly more... and I would certainly expect for the steaks at a high end steakhouse to be cooked to order precisely. If your cook staff is not yet able to do that on feel, then use a meat thermometer. It's much better than serving overcooked $59 filet mignon. We wish the restaurant well and respect what they are trying to do in the area and with the property. However, we probably won't be back. We love going out to a nice dinner like this, but the issues with the quality of the food were too many to want to give it a shot again anytime in the near future. read more

We attended Mertens Prime for my dad's birthday over the weekend. Everything was stellar and top notch. Our waitress, Andrea, was so patient and kind. She had perfect recommendations for our group. Billy, the maître d', was incredibly helpful too! He gave us an elaborate rundown of the history of the building which we all loved tremendously! And of course the food...it was delicious!!! I don't typically order chicken at restaurants because it's typically nothing special. But I chose to order/share the chicken and I was blown away. Truly fall off the bone, the most tasteful, meaty chicken I've ever had. The French onion soup came out piping hot and full of flavor. The Boise poutine was the most perfectly loaded baked potato but French fry style. Highly recommend a trip to Mertens Prime and ask for Andrea-you won't be disappointed!!! read more

Mertens Prime - French Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Food was ok for a Saturday. Service just wanted to show off their new watch and serve drinks. I underoreered any fool would have known we were getting the whole check taken care of by management but I would have tipped this loser $1000 if I had it... instead I got trapped by a car that fell off the fng roof and pinnned me to the st below... sounds like a weird night but that's drunk driving for you... Sorry if you or someone you know died from a drunk driving incident Only you can prevent Forrest fires... read more

We've been wanting to try this restaurant since we moved to MI a few years ago. It didn't disappoint! Asher was our fabulous server for the night. She really took good care of us. Salmon was cooked perfectly, red pepper entree was very filling and delicious! Ended the night with some excellent bananas foster. We will be back! read more

We've always wanted to try this place and we finally did. We were so disappointed, We asked to sit on the rooftop and on a Saturday night 7 pm there was one other couple. The menu listed 3 beers and we asked if they had others . " no. We aren't a brewery ". That was our first interaction besides the host. Snarky. We just asked a question. Eight dollars for a 12 ounce beer with a rude waitress . No. I don't see them being in business through the end of the year. read more

My husband and I ate at Mertens Prime for my birthday. We had a 5pm reservation and when we arrived had to wait 15 minutes to be seated. The food was wonderful but the service was slow. Until almost 6:30pm we were the only people seated at a table. Only 2 people came in to the bar prior to that time as well. The biggest issue was the wait time for cocktails. Each time we ordered a drink it took 15-20 minutes for our drinks. The second time we ordered drinks and our waiter came to check on us after it had been 15 minutes past ordering, I asked about them. He checked and found out one was done but was told the bartender did not have the ingredients to make the other. So we had to order a different one and the bartender had not told anyone about the issue. With being the only people in the restaurant I do not feel that we should have had to wait that long for drinks. I watched the bartender wander away from the bar several times, sometimes in the middle of making drinks for a couple of minutes, once with what looked like her phone. Our waiter did not seem to follow through with making sure the drinks were made within a decent amount of time. He, as well as other staff, were often in back so this did not help with following through with the checking in on her performance. We ended up being at the restaurant for over 2 hours, a significant amount of that time sitting and waiting for our drinks. read more

We had a beautiful time, and Our server was helpful and knowledgeable, our cocktails was really good, Our Food came out in time and looked beautiful presentation, I had the Duck Tagine for the first time, it was delicious, my girlfriend had the 10 oz fillet, and I looked at hers and it was beautiful presentation with the rosemary. We ate every bit of our food especially her with eating that big steak, we had the desert, and the apple crumble was amazing, she had the cheesecake, and it was great. We can't wait to come back for a second time. read more

I made reservations for my anniversary dinner. I had checked the menu beforehand and had decided what I wanted and was very excited. We got there a bit before our reservation and sat at the bar. My dirty martini was great but my wife's cocktail was way too sweet. We sat down and we're handed menus and to my dismay the oysters that were on the online menu were not an option. I don't understand why you can't keep an updated menu online. We ordered eggs mayonnaise and we're served hard boiled eggs covered in a flavorless cream and dried chives. We had the mini Croque madam which was supposed to be served with a over easy egg. The yolk was very overdone. This was the best thing we had but was still subpar. For entrees I got the Benedict poutine because my first choice was sold out. The fries were underdone and the hollandaise had no flavor. My wife got the truffle pasta with jambon and it too was very bland and flavorless. I feel like they ran out of salt back in the kitchen. All in all, extremely disappointing for a special night and for the price I paid. read more

Mertens had a really good combination of fantastic service and fairly priced food. We started off with the cheese and our waiter helped us explain what each cheese tasted like and we were overall very happy with our choice. I personally had the ratatouille and I thought it was a perfect summer meal. It was really good with the wine recommendations that I received and I would definitely come here again. read more

By far the worst "fine" dining experience that I have ever had. Bad service, horrible food

Love the atmosphere at Merten's Prime, it brings me back in time with all the old art work and decorations. I also love the cheese cart and alcohol cart they use to present when ordering, definitely something you don't see at many places. On this trip we ordered the rib-eye, mac & cheese, French onion soup and sprouts. Everything was delicious with the exception of the French onion soup, it had no flavor. It needed salt and some more depth of flavor. read more

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My review is strictly on poor customer service. Had a reservation there for 4:30pm for Mother's Day. Was promptly seated. Sat there over 12 mins. without one waiter or waitress saying a word to us not even hi I will be right with you. They served the couple tables around me and it was like we were invisible. After waiting over 12 mins. We went to the front desk and ask to speak to a manager. The lady who was seating people said she was manager, which is odd bc managers don't usually seat people. I told the lady what happened how we didn't receive any service. With a smirk on her face she said sorry we are busy, which at that time they really weren't in my opinion. She then asked would we like to be reseated. At that point, i was getting extremely annoyed and asked to speak to someone in charge. Same bs was coming out her mouth. We just left. Completely ruined my Mother's Day. I will never go there again! read more

First let me tell you this was my first time eating at this restaurant. I happen to be there for a wedding celebration. As a surprise wedding gift, I purchased a bottle of wine. Unfortunately, I believe I was overcharged by about $200. When contacting management, I requested a copy of my receipt several times. The operations manager essentially ghosted me. I cannot believe any establishment this day and age would not respond to a clients request. If you're thinking of eating at this restaurant, please beware and find a different restaurant to eat at. read more

Avoid if you can. Stopped in for dinner and honestly the only good thing was the service from the main server we had. Steak was served raw. I told them and said it's fine I just won't finish it because I never send food back. Manager came over and asked how the food was I explained and his answer was, " that's our medium and smirked"honestly they are overpriced and the manager doesn't like feedback. I didn't even ask for money off just answered a question. Vibe and design is nice though. Will not return read more

My fiancé and I went here for a late valentines celebration and were expecting an amazing dinner, however it was very unimpressive. We have had better steaks at texas roadhouse. We asked for a medium rare steak and it came out basically raw and super under-seasoned. Our poutine was extremely soggy and cold when it came out, and there was not a single side we ordered that tasted like the price we paid for them. We will never be back...should've gone to Ruth's Chris as we usually do. read more

We've been to Mertens numerous times, for family gatherings, birthdays, and anniversary dinners. The ambience, people, service and food have never been anything but top notch. Thank you. read more

Ver good meal. Went for our anniversary and loved every part of the meal. The drinks were great too. Excellent service staff was very attentive read more

Food is very mediocre, service is average. There are several better choices in Grand Rapids. We would not go back.

AVOID!!! The food had potential, but it was all cold. From the escargot, to the steak, to the coffee...literally everything was room temp at best. My cassoulet came out still partially frozen. The manager said "maybe too much food was under the warmer" and that "maybe the packet didn't thaw out completely." I'm sorry, but for this price, the food should be fresh and not just thawed out. It was extremely slow service as well, took 3.5 hours to eat. Will NEVER be back. They claim a staffing shortage, but maybe they should just close if they can't keep up. read more

Great experience! It was a lot fancier than we expected. They had an excellent wait staff and great presentation. Highly recommend read more

Mertens Prime - Chicken was huge! Brussel sprouts were delicious! - French Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I haven't been to Mertens prime since they shifted to more of a beef centric concept. The atmosphere and overall aesthetic is still really fun. Ties to historical Grand Rapids an added bonus. It adds to the experience of dining at Burtons prime which I think is the point. Some of their offerings are made at the table. I thought that the experience of cutting the cheese, no pun intended, is kind of fun. If you're looking for something different, with an experience that is well thought out, Mertens prime is for you. The French influence is a unique difference in Grand Rapids. You can get a steak at a lot of restaurants but the added experience and the thought that went into it is worth giving Mertens a try. Unique flavors, historical reference, French influence, and all tied up in a great package. read more

This company has failed to refund my girlfriend $370 since July for a double charge. I understand there is a third party company running the refund system, but there is so much more that could be done. At this point, I would have hoped they would refund her and work with the company without making us wait. Every time she calls, she is given the same "we are reaching out to the proper parties" response from the new manager, Mario. I also understand there was a manager before Mario who was working with the third-party company for a refund who was supposedly "let go" due to his lack of comprehension of tasks on the job, but I'm starting to think this is not the previous manager's fault. This is pathetic, this restaurant should get this together for the quality of service their customer base expects. I will consider updating/removing this review if something is finally done, but after almost 6 months I have no hope for this horribly managed restaurant. read more

I haven't been since it was revamped post pandemic and was excited to go back. The menu is unique but I still think easy for everyone to find something. My steak was cooked exactly right. Banana foster for desert was made table side which was a nice touch. There is also a bar cart that was brought around and provided a sample of the liqueur from the rooftop. Of course being able to go up to the roof for a drink after dinner is a highlight. Fairly priced for the quality and the atmosphere and you'll want to budget the time to enjoy dinner plus go to the roof after . read more

We went for our first visit for a special anniversary dinner. The look and feel of the space is very nice however very dark and hard to read the menu. We were unfortunately seated next to a very loud table of 12. Nobody's fault but we were thrilled when they left. Our server was very nice but seemed to lack the training and 'finish' for a restaurant of this caliber. We both ordered the petite filet medium rare and 2 sides to share along with a 1/2 carafe of their house wine which was quite good. The steak arrived and both were at least medium which to my liking almost ruins a quality steak. We decided not to send them back which I realize is totally on us. Steaks came with 2 garlic cloves on each plate but they didn't seem cooked so maybe were for appearance only? We were stumped. The brussel sprout and mushroom sides were good. We never received any bread which seemed odd but until I read some reviews that mentioned bread I figured it just wasn't a thing here. Overall pretty disappointing when you spend $ 100+ per person I expect something pretty special. read more