Morton’s The Steakhouse

My buddies and myself had a late night, pre Father’s Day celebration dinner and was welcomed the second we walked in and enjoyed it. The staff allowed us to finish our outstanding food and beverages well beyond closing time well beyond an hour. I highly recommend Morton’s to anybody that wants well rounded, professional customer service.

Atrocious service! Very sad for a high end steakhouse. It took 10 minutes to get menus after we were seated. Waiter kept disappearing for long periods of time. Took another 10 minutes to get our drink order and drinks. Ordered un-​sweat tea, was served the tea but no artificial sweetener and was not even asked if I wanted said sweetener. Waiter again disappeared for over 15 minutes never to return. We finally just got up and left. Even for the short time we had the waiter he was quite a creepy guy. Definitely will not be returning. Mother’s Day plans ruined. Stay clear.

Went there for my anniversary and had a great time. Dinner was excellent though pricey.
The staff was friendly and the nice hostess even gave us a complementary photo and folio celebrating our anniversary. Menus with our names printed on them and heart-​shaped confetti on the table were a nice touch.
I enjoyed a succulent dish of Chilean Sea Bass. Out of this world! The wife said she enjoyed her Filet Mignon w/​Large shrimp. We shared a crab cake which was a perfect complement to both meals.
I tasted one of her shrimp. It was delicious but her steak, which she ordered well done, looked to me to be a bit overcooked. She enjoyed it though and that’s all that matters.
Our anniversary was a milestone one. So I thought that they could have offered us a free drink or dessert. Also, the wife noted that she expected a little more from the décor for a restaurant that is touted as high end.
Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience, but would need to go again before giving five stars.

No complaints! Staff was great. Ask for Greg. The food was excellent! I’m not a critic, but I know when something is good. Best bread I’ve ever tasted. The shrimp cocktail was awesome. The Filet was cooked to a perfect medium as ordered and seasoned so well that no sauce was needed. Being my wife and my first time there, we were offered a commemorative picture to keep and a free desert. We chose the chocolate lava cake sundae. A wonderful desert to compliment a fantastic meal!

Living off it’s deservedly great reputation in cities like Chicago or SF. Expensive, disappointing and definitely the ugly stepchild of a great brand.

Meh. Food was only OK. I requested a steak medium well, it arrived rare. Sent it back, and then it was well done… Like leather. Service was ok, not great. Years ago we dressed up to go to Mortons because it used to be classy and a treat, but when I saw people walking in with scroungey jeans and work boots… That was last straw! I can spend my $ 250 somewhere else with better food better service and a more upscale atmosphere.

I’ll make it short and sweet. It sucked… go to Ruth’s Chris, Buckheads or just about any other option the RVA has to offer. The steak was bland at best. The twice baked potatoes were good but the asparagus was under cooked and tasteless. The ambience is lacking to say the least. Not impressed… for an upscale steak house this is the worst choice in Richmond.

A group of 15 went here for our Christmas dinner. It was awful. ²⁄₁₅ were content with their meal. The steaks weren’t seared, they appeared to be broiled and that was it. My wife ordered medium and her steak was clearly well done. When cleaning the table prior to the food arriving they came and pushed bread crumbs into everyones laps. I couldn’t believe it. Another guest had blood from her plate pour off the plate onto her white shirt while being served.
The salads were good. The water was good too! Aside from that, this was probably the worst experience for all of the guest. $ 2,000 right down the drain. Texas Roadhouse is far more superior, if you don’t mind putting your pinky down.
I should also mention that we were sat at 720 and bread arrived at 8, after orders were taken. Salads arrived at 830, meals at 930. And no, it wasn’t a full house either.

Came here for my parents 40 year anniversary. They provided us with a personalized menu, nice touch! Mortons is a bit expensive, but we didn’t leave hungry so we can overlook that. Service was friendly, salads were fresh, sides were all very tasty. I ordered the bone in rib eye. My first few bites were good, but than it started having a funny taste. I told my server and they replaced it with a much better rib eye along with another side of potatoes and I was not charged for the steak either. Management handled the situation very professionally. I will return even with an off experience.

This is a legendary (and not exactly inexpensive) chain of steakhouses, and now I know why. Went three times, having three different steaks, each an experience to treasure. They definitely know how to treat a piece of beef right, and the drinks, service, and side dishes are just as exemplary. Highlights include the complimentary huge Onion Bread loaves, the extremely fresh, delightfully crispy Wedge Salad, and of course the steaks themselves. I truly believe this is a place you can count on to deliver both dining satisfaction and lasting culinary memories.

I’m giving Morton’s a 4 star. And I’m giving that because I really like the bar (great mules). The food I don’t rank the steaks as high as Ruth’s Chris… and being a chain I’m not comparing to local steak houses like Hondo’s or Buckheads.
But for downtown Richmond this is a great steakhouse to take clients. I mean its Morton’s your going to get what you expect — a great meal.
So steakhouse I rate it 3.5 stars — bar 4 ½ so I’m giving it the 4 average. I probably need to try the steaks again… I’ve just never been an over the top Morton’s fan. Although I’m leaning toward going more because I have the Landry’s reward card and you get some great perks for frequent dining (I think I have some $ credits already)…so if you don’t have it get the Landry’s card when you dine there (this is the only Richmond Landry’s location but there are of course hundreds others around the country — I got my card originally at Rain Forest Café Orlando).

Steak was okay, better than Ruth chris but it was over priced and I can grill better steak lol.

Where do I begin? I guess I should start by trusting Unilocal more. I talked myself into going here despite my better judgment and ignoring the 3.5 Unilocal rating. Unilocal gets it right 99% of the time and this time was no different. I should have trusted what Davis S. and Spencer H. wrote. However, sometimes you just need to see for yourself.
Let’s start with the good stuff; the staff. Far and away the most professional and courteous service I’ve had in a long time. Claire — if you’re reading this you were first class all the way. We felt completely taken care of. If I could only review this place based on service I would award 5 stars no questions asked. The other members of the staff took our photo, refilled our drinks, checked on us repeatedly, etc. It’s really not fair that all that world class service gets tarnished by mediocre steaks.
Let’s start with the appetizers. We had the baked escargot and it was about a ⁷⁄₁₀. It lacked a depth of flavor, needed much more garlic and butter, and seemed to lack overall seasoning.
Next up was the salad, far and away the biggest hit of the night. I had the center-​cut iceberg and it was pure heaven. Some might say it’s impossible to mess this up, but trust me it’s possible. Just hit up the Outback in Mechanicsville to see just how bad a human can destroy an iceberg wedge salad. Happily, mine was perfect. The other guests in my party each had the chopped spinach salad which was excellent.
Everything was going great and then the steaks came out. I took one look at mine and it took all the wind out of my sails. This was supposed to be the star of the show which ended up being a major disappointment. I had the Chicago «style» prime bone-​in ribeye and my lady had the center-​cut prime ribeye. Our friends had the five peppercorn rubbed prime strip steak and the center-​cut filet Mignon.
Before you jump to conclusions let’s clear the air. Nobody in our party ordered it well-​done (a major NO-​NO at a steak house) nobody even ordered it medium-​well. All of us have a modicum of class and we all ordered our steaks medium. This is perfectly acceptable in the steak house world and probably the longest you want to cook a quality steak.
What arrived was rare to medium-​rare in cooking temp. This would not have been an issue if Morton’s knew what the **** they were doing. If you’re going to act like a big shot and send me out a medium-​rare steak it had better be cooked to perfection. It should be SEARED golden on the outside for about 2 – 3 minutes each side, the inside temp should be about 135 °F (I’ve seen charts all over the map from 120 °F to 150 °F internal temp), about 50% red center, and the steak needs time to REST so all the juices stay locked in.
What I was served looked like it was seared for 1 minute a side and put in the oven to finish for about 5 minutes, not allowed to rest, and had a lousy color to it. Seared golden it was not. Poached with butter it was not. They claim it’s a USDA Prime grade beef. I have serious doubts about this claim.
USDA Prime is incredibly rare. Less than 3% of all beef in the U.S. even makes this grade. I know how a PRIME steak should taste. I’ve actually purchased USDA certified PRIME steak from Belmont Butchery here in Richmond. It explodes in your mouth with flavor. It has what people call a «gamey» flavor. It’s a flavor you don’t easily forget. My buddy even cooked it on a gas grill which is sacrilegious and it still tasted amazing. I was drinking that night and could still taste it through my buzz.
At MORTON’s I was drinking water, on purpose, so that my pallet could enjoy all the subtle flavor of a «prime» steak. When I saw the $ 58 price tag I knew to act serious, respect the steak, and honor the chef preparing it.
How dare you even call it a Chicago «style» cut? I’ve had a Chicago cut steak. I’ve had the W.C. Chicago cut at Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse in Chicago. The same Gibson’s that proudly serves USDA Gibson’s Prime Angus beef — the only restaurant group in the country to have its own USDA Certification. That steak was HOT to the touch and it still managed to be juicy and red in the middle. Would you believe me if I told you it was also CHEAPER than the one from Morton’s? It’s true. When I pay $ 58 bucks for a bone-​in ribeye I expect perfection not some Chef’s first day on the job performance.
There is no excuse for this. There wasn’t a crowd, this place was dead inside. There is a dress code, so there should also be some degree of excellence from the kitchen. Arnie Morton is rolling around in his grave right now. I’m not sure where the breakdown was. Is the restaurant chain to blame or the local staff? This town doesn’t have a clue about food. It’s been an eight year ordeal to find good food in this joke of a town. Maybe there are only twelve good chefs in the entire city and they’re all spoken for? Maybe seven of them are hiding in Short Pump, three in the fan, two in Jackson Ward, and the last one is laying low in downtown Richmond?

I’ve eaten here many times an it only gets better each time the atmosphere is very classy and is a prime example of find dining
I’ve made reservations before and the always honor it in the highest regards
I was on leave and wanted to make it a special occasion for my girl and myself along with another couple
They laced the table with patriotic glitter and even took a photo for us
I ordered the new york strip with a side of garlic potatoes and it was exquisite
The presentation is always phenomenal
Im glad to say this is most definitely a must eat place before you die

The food was good but extremely overpriced. My wife and I spent the week in this area and they were twice as pricey as even the upscale restaurants around them. They weren’t very busy (especially for a weekend) and I think the prices are the reason. The service was excellent. They were very friendly and very attentive. The cherries jubilee was scruptous. Steaks (filet mignon) was good but not the best we have ever had.

The happy hour menu for food is extensive and I definitely recommend the filet mignon sliders and the chips. The cheeseburgers are good too. My girls loved the cosmos and the fact that they have tvs. This is a hidden gem because it’s not as packed as other happy hours but the crowd is still nice.

It has been years since I’ve been to Morton’s. That was in Boston and Cincinnati. Having lived in Richmond since 1998, and having received a gift certificate for Morton’s, I thought it was time to visit the Morton’s in Richmond.
The appetizers, Oysters Rockefeller, were great. The Center-​Cut Iceberg reminded me that iceberg lettuce can actually be good, if chilled and prepared properly, so that each bite explodes with a spray of crispness. My Center-​Cut Prime Ribeye was seared perfectly to a medium rare, and yes, it was hot, not lukewarm. The Sauteed Brussels Sprouts were good and hot, being cooked to order (not all restaurants cook vegetables to order any more, even high end restaurants). As long as I was bingeing, I had chocolate Haagen-​Dazs Ice Cream for dessert.
Our server was perfect. She navigated my dining partner through the wine menu. She answered, with a smile, every question we posed. She was attentive.
You might be wondering why I’m so happy with everything turning out so well. In my experience, whether in Richmond or elsewhere, its rare for restaurants to achieve this anymore. The small, simple things count, and they add up to a memorable meal.
When I mentioned that this was my first time to this Morton’s, the server made my dessert complimentary!
Okay, there was one disappointment. I remember, at the Morton’s in Boston and Cincinnati, they would bring out a meat cart, and show you the different cuts of meat before you order. The server explained to me that ever since the Morton’s chain was sold to another company a few years ago, they’ve dispensed with the meat cart. But, she added, if you arrange for some «private dining,» you can ask for the meat cart and they will include it.

Went for a business dinner with my husband. Our server was very friendly. The food is good but under no circumstance should you ever go here if you’re paying for it yourself. It is absurdly over priced like double or triple what it should be. They brought out 3 shrimp, a small pile of lobster meat, a small pile of crab meat, and probably 10 oysters and it was $ 27 a person!!! That means we paid $ 189 for what I just described. The steak is good quality and a nice portion but all of ours came out overdone. It’s a steakhouse, how does that happen? $ 12 bottles of wine are $ 90 there. I don’t even want to know what the final bill was for a good but unmemorable meal.

I’m sad to report, but the day of the old school steak house may have run it’s course, well with me anyway. Morton’s was my first introduction to high end steakhouse dining. Don’t get me wrong, everything I remember about Morton’s is still present. Great service, great food with prices that match, however, the décor and atmosphere are also the same. What you saw in the 90’s is basically what you see now. Since the 90’s, I’ve experienced high end steakhouse dining but with a modern flair. Examples of this would be Del Friscos Double Eagle, Mastros City Hall, STK Steakhouse, and Bobby Flay Steakhouse. These steakhouses offer top notch steaks, delicious side items and excellent service like Morton’s but they also offer jazzy lounge/​bar areas with funky tunes playing in the background. The old school steakhouses like The Capital Grille, Palm, Ruth Chris and Morton’s will still attract their faithful patrons, but with a new generation of high end steak eaters out there, they may want to consider a new marketing plan in the very near future!

½/​14
Delicious!
We were in Richmond after just having helped our friend move across the country. we checked in to our hotel and walked down the street to a bar. as i was walking, i happened to see Morton’s! what a great way to end our trip.
i got the NY steak and was not disappointed.