It pains me to have to write this review, especially given that my husband and I have been dining…read moreat Prime Steakhouse for many years. We live in Key West, and Prime has long been a restaurant we looked forward to visiting. Unfortunately, our experience last night, on the final evening of the locals' special offering half-price appetizers and bottles of wine, was deeply disappointing.
We visited to celebrate my husband's birthday, hoping for the dining experience we have come to expect from a restaurant of this caliber and reputation. Sadly, that was not what we received.
My husband ordered his favorite dish, the Delmonico steak, accompanied by his favorite steak fries. I ordered the wedge salad to share, the escargot appetizer, and a side of truffled macaroni with smoked Gouda. When my husband's steak and fries arrived, we were genuinely taken aback. The Delmonico was approximately half the thickness we have come to expect, and the fries (see photo) were not steak fries at all. Instead, they were cold, hard, and crusty. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the steak itself.
How can a restaurant call itself a steakhouse and serve fries of this quality alongside a premium steak? Prime presents itself as an upscale dining establishment, and its prices certainly reflect that positioning. As customers, we expect the quality of the food, presentation, and overall experience to justify those prices. Last night, that expectation was not met.
I also ordered a glass of Rodney Strong wine and am unsure whether I was charged correctly. I will include a copy of the bill for management to review.
What made the evening particularly disappointing was that, in our 14 years of marriage, I have never once heard my husband complain to a restaurant about a meal. Last night was the first time. He specifically asked our waiter to inform the manager that we were unhappy with the noticeably smaller steak and the unacceptable fries. For him to speak up speaks volumes about just how disappointing the experience was.
When I reviewed the bill, I also noticed that our local discount had not been applied to my appetizer. Our waiter, who initially greeted us warmly and with the familiarity of someone who recognized us as regular local customers, had overlooked it. I had to point out the omission myself, and he apologized. To be fair, we were not charged for the fries, which I acknowledge. However, that gesture does not change the fact that the quality of our meal fell well below expectations.
The overall experience was mediocre at best and certainly not worth the price. A birthday dinner at a restaurant like Prime should feel special, not leave customers questioning the quality of the food, the value for their money, and whether the standards they have come to expect are still being upheld.
Living in Key West, we have very limited options when it comes to elevated steakhouses. The pickings are slim, which makes it all the more frustrating when an establishment we have supported for years delivers such a disappointing experience. Being a longtime local customer should mean something, and consistency in quality should be a given, not an exception.
I am writing this review with genuine disappointment, not out of a desire to criticize unfairly, but because I believe management should be aware of what happened. I would appreciate a response from the establishment addressing these concerns and explaining what has changed. After years of patronage, I had hoped for much better, especially on a special occasion such as my husband's birthday.