Sundance The Steakhouse

This place was great. My fiancee and I dined at this restaurant this past Saturday night for our engagement dinner. The atmosphere was great with the dim lite booths, great friendly service and delicious food. The prime rib was some of the softest I had ever had, and mud pie was a crowd pleaser. We made reservations and were seated as soon as we arrived. Prompt service.

Pros: Atmosphere, service

Posted 04/15/08

Went here last night for an anniversary dinner. To start off, the waiter didn't visit for the first 10 minutes, my girlfriend couldn't decide what size filet to order so we said come back in 1 minute... literally 15 minutes later, after servicing every single other table, he finally took our order. I think we were ignored because we didn't order any wine, while the other tables had...

anyhow... my soup came (lobster bisque), which was very good... my gf's salad came after I finished my soup... when she finished her salad, then my scallops came (not up to par with other fancy restaurants)... so basically, we never ate at the same time... not normal for a restaurant like this...

then 40 minutes later our meals FINALLY came, oh wait... a prime rib and a small filet... hmmm, no one ordered a prime rib... bus boy takes it back... waiter returns with the prime rib.... I heard you say "house cut"... really I said that???, bc what I actually said was filet, 12 oz. he actually starts to argue, as if I forgot what I ordered... well he says he can take it back and if I want to wait 25 more mins (already been 1.5 hrs) I can get my 12 oz filet I ordered... well I said I?ll just take this prime rib... and he said desert is on us...

well the prime rib was pretty bad, actually, I?ve had way better prime rib on cruises... it was thick and chewy with no flavor and cold au jus. my gf's filet wasn't much better, for a USDA prime piece of meat.

for desert the apple pie tasted like it was made with nutrasweet...

I never thought I?d end up writing a review, but the terrible service and marginal food brought me out of hiding. I?m new to this area but don't plan on visiting sundance ever again. I?d rather drive up to san fran and go to a reliable ruth's chris with some quality control in place.

Pros: easy to get reservations

Cons: bad service, bad food, i see why reservations were easy for a sat night

Posted 01/06/07

Romantic, good food, good customer service....overall experience was excellent. definitely go back again.

Pros: everything

Cons: none

Posted 01/04/07

Good food, great service, ambiance have class.

waiter was good, though made two mistakes on dishes and perhaps a little too much talking.

Overall great.

If you are in the area, check this place out. If you are working for the night in santa clara area and need to eat. Don't go to Nicolino's Garden Cafe as recommended by the hotels in that area. Just drive 15 minutes out to Sundance and get some decent food and service.

Pros: food is good

Cons: a little too busy and service is average

Posted 10/09/06

I had inquisitively gone there to try out the place. From the outside, the heavy wood paneling were redolent with promises of delightful and luscious steaks waiting just within. I arrived early for my reservation and was led through a well darkened oak-paneled room by a smartly-dressed and comely hostess. The booth I landed at was sparsely lit by a meager spotlight. The seemingly unupholstered bench seats were overly firm for such a steakhouse. Usually, I prefer to melt into a booth, reluctant to be removed from it.

The lobster bisque was the daily special and it was nicely done, a rather rare treat at that. I ordered the 14 ounce Shareholder's Cut prime rib medium, hoping that their largest cut would be satisfying. Then, we waited for over 20 minutes for the steak, which I thought was odd considering that a prime rib steak usually only necessitated a gentle persuasion from the main roast with a sharp knife and maybe a quick trip to the oven.

My steak arrived disappointingly small since it was $33 and the largest cut, but I suppose I'd been used to Ruth's Chris' 20 ounce cuts. Not withstanding its paltry size, the prime rib was overdone and rather too sinewy. I had expected something that would melt pleasingly in my mouth, not a piece of slightly livery and uninteresting steak. That said, it was still comparable with your average steakhouses like the House of Prime Rib. But, I was underwhelmed by the experience and for $70 a person, that's becoming annoyingly commonplace in the Bay Area.

Pros: Ambience, Service

Posted 10/01/06

I'd driven by this place thousands of times. I figured it for some kind of upscale Rustlers or Red Robbin. I couldn't have been more wrong. After a hard day laying wire under the crawlspace, I suggested Sundance for a steak - and I couldn't have been happier. Sure, it's a bit snooty, but the wood inside is real, the sports posters of Stanford glory are actual antiques, and the steak is good. Very, very good. And, importantly, they shake a fine Martini. Expect to pay $35 just for the entree, though.

I'd put Sundance up against Harris Ranch any day of the week, let alone The House Of Prime Rib.

Pros: Steak, Martini

Cons: Price

Posted 08/01/06

A friend and I were craving a delicious steak dinner. Me, being the 'internet savvy' one, decided to do some research. After reviewing the online menu at SUNDANCE, we decided to head over and try it out. The location was easy to find which was a definite PLUS. On entry, we were both pleased with the ambiance.. Dim enough to set the mood and to provide privacy, light enough to view the menu and see one another. We started off with the shrimp cocktail. It was heavenly! Plump, sweet... We decided to order a bottle of wine. Sundace has an extensive wine list which is sure to please every palate. For our entree, I went with the petite cut and my friend decided on the steak and lobster. The dishes were moderately priced and the food was abundant! For desert, we went with the mud pie. It was to DIE for! Overall, I had to give SUNDANCE a 10. Food, service, atmosphere.. the whole package! We're going back there TONIGHT!!!

Pros: The food was delicious, service was fantastic... easy to find location

Cons: The wine is expensive

Posted 06/22/06

Great place for steaks and seafood. We had a juicy and tender New York and Lobster Tail combo that was to die for. Served with a jumbo baked potato and seasoned vegetables. So much food for the money. The artichoke appetizer and the oysters were very good too. Our waiter was professional and attentive. This is simply a must for Silicon Valley Dining. Great Wine List as well.

Pros: Steak, Atmosphere, Wine List

Cons: Parking Lot is Small

Posted 01/11/06

I was there a while back and my steak, which is supposedly their specialty, was served cold. I sent it back and 15 minutes later it came back cold again. That's totally unacceptable. I think they try to serve you slowly so that you order more drinks. It's way over-priced and over-rated. They took the price of the steak off our bill, but that experience turned me off from Sundance for good.

Cons: cold food, slow service, expensive

Posted 01/03/06

Good food, but I could do as well at home... This is an institution, but I just don't get why. The food is good, drinks are great, but you pay through the nose. You can get as good, if not better food at a better price just about anywhere in the valley. We had reservations and still had to wait 30 minutes, and were then treated like kids playing dress up by our server. Being sili-boomers, we regularly frequent $$$$ restaurants and smile when we pay the check. We normally leave 20% or more. We left our server 12% because it was that bad.

Pros: good food, great drinks, great wine list

Cons: , a little loud, service not all that

Posted 12/28/04

Sundance is what most restaurant try to achieve but always fall short - being an institution. I have been a Sundance patron for several years and their secret to success is the total package. Location, Food, Wine, Service and Atmosphere. There is no other restaurant south of San Francisco that achieves this night after night. Sundance delivers the goods - PERIOD.

Pros: Great Food, Nice Wine List, Pro Service

Posted 10/29/04

While entertaining 3 clients at Sundance I must say that my experience was exceptional. Service was polished and friendly, the management was knowledgeable on wine selections and my food was of the highest quailty. The caesar salad was the best I have ever had and the New York Strip was tender and extremely flavorful. It was cooked rare, just the way I like it. The wine which was recommended by one of the owners was a Plumpjack Caberenet which was so good we got two of them. Anyways, just had to share this great restaurant with any future or current customer.

Pros: Great Service, Stellar Wine List, High Quality Food

Posted 06/08/04

We live in Palo Alto and have been to Sundance many times over the years. Their staff has always been chalked full of attitude, but in recent years their quality of food has drasticly declined!!! The last time we were there we recieved an enormous baked potato, a tinny tiny lobster, and a dried up steak that you might expect to get from Sizzler but not a restaurant with Sundance's prices!!!

Pros: Can't think of any!!

Cons: , Prices, Dry steak

Posted 03/11/04

Just a simple note to say that Sundance The Steakhouse lives up to all the hype. From the jumbo icy martinis to the incredible wine list to the professional service, Sundance is all that. Great location coupled with sizzlin' steaks, juicy prime rib and succulent lobster. No wonder they have been cranking out dinners since 1974. The atmoshere is unbelievable as well. Dark wood and candles everywhere makes you feel miles away from Silicon Valley. On the Peninsula there really is no competition.

Pros: Atmosphere, Wine List , Rare Prime Rib

Cons: Almost too busy, Parking

Posted 11/04/03

We went to Sundance right when it opened and so crowds weren't an issue. After a drink in the bar we sat down to a wonderful dinner. The service was impeccable and cheerful and the food fantastic! I'd go again in a heartbeat.

Posted 01/19/03

I loved the ambiance, very intimate. The food was wanderful and presented very artistically. A dinner reservation one night had us waiting but it was worth it to see a celebrity from Stanford.

Pros: mod expensive

Posted 12/18/02

We dined at Sundance for a birthday celebration and found it to be very disappointing. Service was bad and the food was horrible. the meats were not anything to what they should have been and the waiter was very rude. This was about 3 months ago.

Pros: ambiance

Cons: food, service

Posted 12/18/02

We had dinner at Sundance last night & let me tell you, the food and service were wonderful. The attention to detail of every aspect of our dining experience made a lasting impression. From the beautiful decor to the succulent prime rib and steaks you cannot ask for anything more. But still there is the professional service, enormous well choosen wine list and the great desserts too. Try the white chocolate creme brulee or the cheesecake!! Simply the Best around.

Pros: location, ambiance, variety

Cons: nothing

Posted 12/16/02

I was not impressed by taste. Steaks are refrigerated to long and tast was bland. Fresh steaks is not here

Cons: portion to small, no refills on soda, it's not relaxing

Posted 12/03/02

The service was excellent: accommodating over the phone, server was friendly & efficient, & they seem to work in a team, helping each other out. We ordered a bowl of chowder for my daughter but got a cup instead. She offered to bring another cup to equal a bowl or if my daughter didn't want more later, she would just charge us for the cup. Wow, choice! The prime rib melted in our mouths & came as ordered. Linguini was a little salty, and I wished it had more noodles than prawns. When my husband called, he told them it was my birthday and that I wanted the creme brulee warmed up. When we signaled our server for dessert, she acknowledged the creme brulee, but it was served cold. Because it's a hit or miss item warmed up, we decided not to ask about it (plus it was free).

Pros: efficient service, excellent food, can be kid friendly

Cons: a little pricey, can get noisy, dessert "mix up"

Posted 10/01/02

We are local residents of an upscale town in the Silicon Valley and have eaten here before, but the last two times we attempted to eat at The Sundance (Sundowner) they were very unaccommidating. The hostess was busy chatting up the owners wife, and could have cared less if we were on fire. The other time we went in the owner ( a young man I assume from his airy attitude that he is the owner or relative of the owner) was just plain short and rude when he told us us it would be a 2 hour wait. Hey "guy" it's not necessarily what you say but your presentation! These people need to take some lessons from Birk's Restaurant, now there is a classy place, even if the wait is long you are told with a SMILE (imagine that!). I will never return to the The Sundance (Sundowner) again!

Pros: convenience, good lobser

Cons: rudeness, dark, rudness!

Posted 09/19/02

Well its not fair to rate Sundance when I have not been to all the others recently. However, I lived in the Bay Area for 12 years and this is one of the best steak houses in the area.

I see Outback is on the list. Its an ok chain, but not even in the same class as Sundance. Like comparing McDonalds to Auga.

Posted 09/13/02

This is a good restaurant with good food and good service. You can dine here for business, for a romantic date, or the whole family. The only thing about this place is that the lighting makes it a bit dark.

Pros: food, service

Cons: lighting

Posted 09/05/02

Excellent Salmon and Chicken Marsala too. Very romantic restaurant with excellent service and food, but make a reservation for Friday and Saturday night.

Posted 09/01/02

Great bar scene for pre-dinner cocktails! They have nice Sony TV's so you can catch a little sports as you pound your shaken martini.(not too many places have a separate bar like Sundance). The prime rib melts in your mouth, and the seafood specials are a treat as well. My girlfriend had the crab leg and filet mignon, awesome! For appetizers, the calamari is a classic and the filet mignon spring rolls are also delicious. Save room for the "Mile High" Mud Pie or fresh berries!

Posted 08/24/02

I brought my grandparents to Sundance for a pre-college goodbye dinner. We all had such an incredible time that night. The comforting atmosphere allowed us to really enjoy each other's company while dining on the most wonderful dishes. My Japanese grandparents were blown away with the great service and the wide appeal of the menu! This serves as a great restaurant to make any night memorable for a lifetime.

Posted 08/24/02

my grandaughter took our family here before she went away for college. we had a wonderful time and felt really comfortable from our entrance. it was like being back in japan when the ahi sashimi arrived at the table. my and my husband have never had american food so good. a new family favorite to celebrate big occasions, even the little ones love going!!

Pros: comfortable

Posted 08/24/02

I've lived on the peninsula most of my life and always knew Sundance had great steaks. But I ignored it for almost a decade in search of other, more adverturous fare... until recently. I couldn't believe that my warmest memories of the best and most satisfying steaks in low-light had blossomed into something even better. If you haven't been there in the last few years, I'd highly recommend it if you're feeling carnivorous, and if you want to feel like a V.I.P.

Pros: steaks

Cons: parking

Posted 08/04/02

I ate here after work one night with some friends and we had a great meal and the drinks were perfect. The service was very enjoyable and the atmosphere is very relaxing.

Posted 07/08/02

The food and service are great. I went for a birthday celebration and the staff was very helpful. The food is spaced out so your not getting everything at once. Even with reservations we had to wait for 20 minutes to be seated. The place is a bit dark for a romantic atmosphere. It's definately a place to check out

Posted 06/30/02