March 2, 2013: My wife wanted a steak for supper, and I'm not one to contradict a good steak. I'm usually not a picky eater or critic of restaurants...I have friends who I almost don't want to spend an evening eating out with because all they do is pick apart restaurants, the servers, and the food, etc. I once was with a friend who sent back his lasagna 3 times because it had a cool spot in the middle of the dish. My thought was "just eat the stupid thing and get over your misery." However, I do like to read reviews, and occasionally like to share my experience to "pay it forward" if I can for others. But, generally speaking, I'm not a picky eater and I just tell it the way I see it without unjustly blowing my experience(s) out of proportion.
I had read the reviews for Cowboy Jacks in Bloomington earlier in the day (we live a mere mile away but had never been there in the few years since it opened). I had to chuckle because the comments about not being able to read the menu are true...neither my wife or I could hardly read the menu...a lot to do more with the font style I think, but it was black print on brown glossy fold-open menu in a low-lit environment. We even noted one table over, 2 ladys were using a small flashlight to read their menu.
Appetizer wings were good...had the chili garlic wings...approximately a dozen wings which is a fair price at $9 price and I'd order them again. I didn't understand the "mile high" thing as explained on the menu...the wings were simply laid out on a plate with celery and a small dish of blue-cheese.
We both ordered a RIBEYE steak...and while I don't know the weight of the ribeye (wasn't on menu, or I couldn't read it if it was), we both had the baked potato and the vegetables. Potato's were average, but only came with 1 small butter packet (no sour cream). The plate came with a mixed-veggie combo of cauliflower, carrots, green beans and asparagus. They were about half-cooked so you could still enjoy some of the crunchy texture which is how I like my veggies, but some may not.
STEAK: Our ribeyes were bigger than I expected (but as a $22 plate, I shouldn't have been surprised either) and included the rib bone. Taste: Overall they were OK. What kept me from saying "this is a wonderful steak" was the fact that if you've ever grilled a steak and had a big flare up on your grill, you know what it can do to your steak. You know...when you get that resulting coating of flare-up suet on your meat. Our steaks both kind of had that "flare up residue-y" flavor. It kind of takes away from the primary meat flavor. I noticed my wifes' steak was about half-covered by that dark black residue-type appearance you might get from a flare up. I also had to chuckle because I was cutting my meat with their big steak knife and noticed it wasn't the sharpest knife I've used to cut a steak. Then, part way through her steak, my wife commented that she thought the knife could be a little sharper.
Would I order a steak again? Well, at $22 for a steak, I guess I'd expect a little more quality. Other than the slight taste distraction, it wasn't bad. There was no pre-meal bread or salad or anything like other restaurants might provide. I will comment that it was a slightly larger than average quantity of veggies that you might expect on a steak plate so I give them that.
Perhaps next trip I'll just go for more wings, and maybe a good burger. Not sure that I'd go for another steak...unless the price drops a little, or they can add a salad and some sour cream for the potato. Without the flare-up flavor on the steak, I think then the price would be more warranted for what you get.
Environment: Yep, all open large (almost auditorium) atmosphere and noise to go with it. If you're out for a good time, some drinks, and some chow, go for it. If you want a quieter atmosphere, still enjoy an average steak and a beer, then your local Applebees' (or similar) is still a good option.
Oh, tried to get a drink at the bar just before happy hour ended when we first arrived, but there's no convenient way to step up to the bar without pushing aside others seated at the bar, and I think a few more bartenders would have helped too. I ended up getting frustrated after trying to get at the bar at a few locations while trying to make it obvious I was interested in ordering, and simply wasn't able to get a a beer in time for happy hour ending.
SERVER: Abbey, and she was great. Always had a nice smile, attentive, and very pleasant. I'd recommend her if you go for sure. read more