Granite City

I know we've discussed this place before, but...

We finally made it there last week and let's just say I'm not rushing back this week. I will probably visit down the road, but I wasn't that impressed at all (at least with the service). It appears there out to make themselves out to something they're not. Our food was good, but geez, a few more bucks and we've could've ate at Cork 'n Cleaver.

I understand that they probably had all this 'extensive' training before they opened, but I didn't appreciate our waitress one bit. It appeared to me she was either inexperienced or inept or both. I asked for the check and a box for my wife, took about 5 full minutes to bring one back, when she arrived, the carton was broken. Off again, this time taking about 5 more minutes, still no check. Took another 10 minutes to exit. Was the place full, not hardly. I counted 8 empty booths in our immediate viewing area. Taking approximately 20 minutes to get a 'to-go' box and pay in a half-full restaurant in about 15 too many for me.

We went right before the Home Show for lunch, and had an excellent waiter. Our to-go box was returned with minutes. Sounds you got the "red-headed stepchild" waitress.

We had GC catered in the other day via a drug rep.

I wasn't impressed with the food AT ALL. Of course, what they brought wasn't anything that I would order if I were to actually go there myself, so I'll definitely give it another shot one of these days.

Aggie Transplant wrote:We went right before the Home Show for lunch, and had an excellent waiter. Our to-go box was returned with minutes. Sounds you got the "red-headed stepchild" waitress.

Probably....it appeared she was more consumed with pushing drinks and desserts than just being a server. I will not let the initial visit stop me from going back. I've got a few extra bucks to give the next server.

We had a good expereince at GC at the begining of April. They were pretty attentive to our needs and made sure our drinks were always kept fresh. Of course, since about half of us were drinking something other than pop, they had an extra incentive to keep the drinks flowing. Despite a mix up on the well doneness of my steak (it was practically moo'ing when it came out) the food was good. The price seemed a bit high but for a once in a blue moon thing, it was enjoyable. I really like the crab rangoon things with the honey mustard. I'd take a plate of those now

Doesn't KitchenSlave work here?

cardinal5150 wrote:Doesn't KitchenSlave work here?

Yes, you are correct. Unless he has changed places since he last posted, but he seemed very fond of GC.

The food was pretty good, but you really need to LOVE beer to stomach some of their microbeers IMO

Think I might be going there Sunday for their brunch after church with a friend. I have only been there once and it pretty good. My filet was excellent ... my father had the meatloaf and did not care for it.

Kitchen Slave DID work there. They brought in a lead Kitchen Manager about a month after opening and lets say we don't see eye-to-eye. Foods pretty good although I agree about the price, not your every day eatery unless you're from Aboite. Now that I'm back as Exec Chef of the Clarion I still have to deal with the ass at Granite City as we usually have our deliveries on Thursday from the same vendor on the same truck. He takes 2 hours to unload the truck and causes it to be late for me. Sysco has even called his corporate bosses to complain about his attitude towards the driver. The three other managers under him are looking to move on; one's going to open a location in South Bend this summer which he previously turned down, ones heading back to Indy, and the other is fed up and was about to come work for me as a breakfast cook.

I'm heading here tomorrow for a work lunch...

I'll stick to Mad Anthonys and skip the corporate beer.

Had lunch here today with a client.. just a burger. It was undercooked.. or else Medium to them means half of it cooked the other half somewhat raw.. it was like they had a burner on half but not the other... very odd.

It was still decent. The person I was with got a wrap which fell apart after about 2 bites, so she turned it into a salad, don't think she was real impressed.

cardinal5150 wrote:...don't think she was real impressed.

Have heard that many that were.

cardinal5150 wrote:Had lunch here today with a client.. just a burger. It was undercooked.. or else Medium to them means half of it cooked the other half somewhat raw.. it was like they had a burner on half but not the other... very odd.

It was still decent. The person I was with got a wrap which fell apart after about 2 bites, so she turned it into a salad, don't think she was real impressed.

When we went in April, my steak was near moo'ing even though I ordered it medium well(waitress entered doneness wrong). Thankfully, they cooked me a new steak and took if off the bill (didn't even ask for that, just asked if they could get me a new steak) and the manager came out and appologized. I didn't see any evidence of misdeeds with the new steak, so I left pleased.

But then, I was also liquored up so I couldn't not be in a good mood

I hear the Sunday brunch is EXCELLENT. Kind of steep for breakfast but damn good I hear.