Spencer's for Steaks and Chops

We have been going to Spencer's for years. Over the past 3 years there has been a definite decline in the quality of the food. On some visits it's really good. On others- not so much.

There was a time when Spencer's was the place to go. Our company held many business dinners there on a regular basis; often dining in private. However, because of what has become their 'consistently inconsistent' food preparation, my employer will no longer allow me to book client dinners at Spencer's.

Upon the last visit in July 2009, the food was overcooked, dry and the vegetable sides looked bad. The baked potatoes that were once creamy and delicious, were very obviously overcooked and the bottoms were very brown. We were compensated with a 3% discount on a $1812.00 bill.

However, in April of 2009, the story was just the opposite and it truly was like being at the original Spencer's. I really hope to be able to book more events there in the future as well as do some personal dining.

Pros: Wait staff, location, nice place for a quiet dinner

Cons: Over-priced, food is not consistent

Posted 11/05/09

I dined here a while back ago, took my nephew for his graduation. I have to tell you that I have eaten at several steakhouses in New York City (where I reside) and this outdid ALL of them!!! Definitely one of the juiciest steaks I've had and my nephew REALLY appreciated the Alaskan king crab legs. Next time I'm in SJ, I'll be taking my nephew again!

Pros: Great food

Cons: Maybe a little more knowledge on service

Posted 06/24/09

We had just spent 8 days in Yosemite and were stopping off at the Double Tree San Jose before heading out on a plane the next morning. The last thing we wanted to do was get dressed and go out for dinner. Spencer's provided room service, but with the 22% service fee, the $5 room service fee and the $3-5 tack on per item we decided just to go downstairs and dine there. I called ahead because we were in flip flops and shorts and made sure we would not offend anyone. The hostess on the phone said, "Sure no problem" so we headed down. When we got downstairs the dinning room only had (4-5) tables occupied, but we asked to be tucked away in the bar because of our appearance. The bartender, Scott, greeted us and promptly took our drink order. I ordered the lamb chops, rare and my traveling companion ordered the prime rib. A decent salad accompanied our order, but veggies were $7-$9 a la carte...but big enough to share. We ordered hashbrowns au gratin. The timing between the courses was perfect, not too long and not too short. Everything was spot on and delicious. We made it out of there for $140 with tip. That was (2) cocktails each, salad and entrees, no dessert.

Pros: Accomodating staff and great food

Cons: Overpriced and everything was a la carte

Posted 06/14/09

I eat at Spencer's about twice a month. I've eaten at Mortons and the Grill on the alley, but this place is the best! The service is amazing and they go out of their way to make sure you have a great time. I start out every dinner with a specialty cocktail. They have some really fun martinis and they seem to change featured drinks. The Spencertini, their award winning martini, is my favorite. I think it has pear and strawberries; regardless, it's so good! One to try also is the Cucumber martini. It sounds odd, a martini with cucumber in it , but it really is to die for. They also have three different mojitos. The Maltese Mojito (it's ingredients are a mystery to me) is innovative and awefully good. I'm getting thirsty!

Everything on their menu is fantastic, but my favorite is the Bone-in ribeye with the Hash Browns au gratin (bacon and cheddar cheese melted inside, soooo goood!). The sides are huge so order only what you can handle. If you're ever in at lunch, try the peppered steak sandwich. It has sliced ribeye with melted cheese on top. I'm hungry just thinking about it. The service staff is extremely knowledgable and very accommodating. I do business lunches and dinner there all the time and it's great place to bring clients.

This place is just Rocks!

Posted 08/28/07

The dining experience left me feeling hollow and regretful of having spent my time and money there. It was a classy con-job they pulled over on me and my wife. The decor was impressive upon entering and the staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered our fillet mignon with sauces that were suggested by our server. The order was paired with a simple side salad. When the salad arrived, it was bland and uninteresting with only romaine lettuce and flavorless croutons. When the steaks arrived they appeared delicious and were cooked properly, but the quality of meat was well below that of what you would find at a chain restaurant like Outback lacking any buttery tenderness that this cut of meat should possess. The flavor of the meat wasn't pleasing and there was also a fair amount of sinew as well. The paired sauces were decent, but lacked an appetizing appearance. No sides come with the meal (besides the salad) and are all sold a la cart at inflated prices. When the check arrived we discovered they charged an additional $6 per sauce! The server was not shy to ask us what sauce we wanted paired with the meat and there was no indication that this wasn't included in the price. This cost was not disclosed on either the menu or by the server. The total bill for two steaks was $101 (included a $14 glass of wine) not including the tip. Unless you are only interested in impressing a date that has no appreciation for good food with an expensive meal I would avoid this restaurant and favor far less expensive alternatives to please the pallet.

Pros: Service was friendly

Cons: Food was overpriced and of poor quality. More hidden fees than my phone bill.

Posted 07/13/07

Early Saturday dinner with a reservation. Get seated promptly. Orders are taken. Restauraunt less than half full. Multiple servers. Good so far. Waiter brings salads and vanishes. Free magic show!! He reappears 30m later with entrees and departs- possibly falling into a cravice. Somehow we get the check- $135.00 w/o tip and we depart.
Meats was well cooked/portioned. Side dishes were a big disappointment. Read San Jose Mercury Food critic rave about the baked potatoes and all the toppings for the potato. Potato was on the small side
and only half the toppings were offered(and the toppings were not fresh).
SPEND YOUR MONEY ELSEWHERE!!!

Pros: MEAT

Cons: SERVICE AND SIDE DISHES

Posted 07/10/07

Service was good, but my 12 oz. filet, which I requested Medium well, was slightly overcooked, much tougher than I expect in an expensive filet, and had kind of an off taste to it. There were no sauces offerred to accompany the steak, which would have been ok, except that this one kinda needed it.

The Hash browns Au Gratin were so greasy that I didn't even come close to finishing them, and I'm not that finicky when it comes to cheese and potatoes.

I've had steaks of equal or better quality at run of the mill chains like Outback, and much better ones at steak houses of similar quality (and price) to Spencer's.

I paid $70 for a $30 meal.

Pros: Nice atmosphere, decent service, good wine list

Cons: Substandard food for the money.

Posted 05/23/07

Friends and I dine at Alexander's all the time and wanted to try something different to see how the other local steakhouses stack up to Alexander's. Once again we were sorely disappointed at other "Highly Recommended" steakhouse.

We made a reservation and seated promptly but after 25 minutes of waiting for at least bread, water or maybe a casual "Hello" or head nod we asked the manager to please send a waiter. We both ordered the filet minion, one came out just right and the other was underdone. We sent it back and the instructions were, "Can you please throw this back on for just a minute". It came back charbroiled and was horrible.

The steak that arrived correctly was good, but definitely not great. Maybe I'm just a steak snob and am used to such a high caliber like Alexander's but it was not worth the price tag. The bearnaise was probably the worst I have ever had. It had a pungent after taste that made your face twitch.

There was a saving grace however. The chocolate cake with ice cream was to die for. If you like chocolate fudge you will fall in love with the cake. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Pros: Chocolate cake

Cons: Service, we had an invisible bubble, steak overdone

Posted 01/24/07

Steaks are great done to perfection. Best thing about Spencer's is there wine by the glass selection and great pours!. Allows for a great wine tasking experience.

Pros: Easy to get into

Cons: Hotel resturant

Posted 09/07/06

Per the restaurant reviews in Industry magazine, Spencer's was highly rated along with Alexander's and Forbes Mill. However, our experience would not put this restaurant in the same league with the other two. The decor and atmosphere were exceptional as was our appetizer (Oysters Rockefeller). The salads were mediocre as both were not fresh and overdone with the dressing. We both ordered the Spencer steak (ribeye) and were given options on sauces, which I thought was a bit out of the ordinary. I asked for pepper only because our waiter "suggested" a peppercorn seasoning. We also both decided on the demi glaze as a sauce. Our steaks were cooked perfectly per our request, but unfortunately both were extremely overseasoned with peppercorns and swimming in the demi glaze sauce. I should have insisted on ground pepper only and passed on any sauces. Our dessert per our waiter's suggestion was very good.

Posted 08/12/06

This place was very surprising, especially for a restaurant in a hotel! I went there with my girlfriend for a special occasion and it was nearly perfect. The place seems pretty intimate, and the service was excellent. I ordered the prime rib and my gf ordered the spencer - the steaks were both excellent. For the dessert, we had the vanilla/chocolate cheesecake, and it was one of the best desserts I've had in a while. While it is a bit pricey, it isn't any more than other premium steak shops. I highly recommend it!

Pros: Great food, Romantic atmosphere

Cons: In a hotel?

Posted 02/15/06

We ate a Spencers on Friday night because we were staying at the hotel. We made our meal of appetizers and salad with no entree. The grilled artichoke was excellent. We each ordered a soinach salad with the spiced pecans and danish blue and found it excellent although we should have shared it. We each ate the dungeness crab cakes as our entree and the two crab cakes were as good as the rest. Again we could have shared. The crusty bread was crisp and not tough and soft on the inside.

The next night we returned for steaks and salad because the aroma had sold us the night before. We each ordered the Spencer steak (14 oz). The steak was cooked perfectly and the waiter asked us to check it before leaving the table. It is one of the best steaks ever and ties with a national chain (RC).

Pros: Great Food, Great Service, Reasonably priced

Posted 10/06/05

Went to Spencer's about a month ago, and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their steaks. The three of us enjoyed the different cuts of meat we ordered (prime rib, filet mignon and New York strip). In fact, we were debating various steakhouse options, and the variety of cuts and sizes Spencer's had was a major factor in its favor. The salad was well done as well - not too heavy on the dressing. Service and ambience are both great. The disappointment for me was the dessert menu - a bit weak, with nothing distinctive about it. Then again, a lot of people will say a steakhouse shouldn't spend so much time and effort on dessert. Prices are high, but not higher than other steakhouses in the area, so if you are gonna splurge, I would feel comfortable recommending this place.

Pros: Food, Ambience, Service

Cons: Weak dessert options

Posted 09/21/05

Be surprised by the ambience while dining on delicious food, and choices from an extensive wine list, including port, impeccably served in a hotel restaurant. No steak knife is needed. The spencer steak is very good. Desserts are elegant. Free parking, too.

Pros: Quality selections, attentive waitstaff, ambiance

Posted 06/10/04

Wow, Double Tree underwent a remodel and now I just visited Spencer's. What an awesome place! So much better than what was there before. Plus, Club Max is right next door so we spent an entire evening there, dancing after a big juicy steak. It can't get any better. Thanks Double Tree and Spencers.

Pros: romantic, big portions, dancing right next do

Posted 02/01/04

I dined here with a large business group for lunch. The atmosphere was perfect. We had a private dining room. The decor is lovely. The service was outstanding. My only words of caution would be to order carefully. The food was not impressive. I had the Mahi Mahi and was very disappointed. The Halibut looked better.

Pros: Quiet conversation, Good parking, Great Service

Cons: So/so food

Posted 04/03/03