Morton's The Steakhouse

My wife, my son, and I visited Morton's last week. The service was outstanding, but the steak was tough (medium rare) with good (not great) flavor. For the price, the steak quality should be fantastic. A $42 steak should be tasty, tender, and memorable. Morton's should strive to have their food quality match the service and price! I did not use valet service, but I did note that people that did had their cars parked illegally on the street.

My husband and I went to Morton's last night for a Christmas Eve dinner. We'd never been there and thought it would be a good treat for the holidays. Overall, the service was top-notch. The only downside was that we tried to use their valet parking service but gave up after waiting in line for awhile. We had a reservation and our table was ready and waiting when we arrived (this is a major pet peeve of mine so they win huge marks for this one). Our waiter (Joshua) was attentive and friendly (without being obnoxious) and provided good recommendations. The restaurant was crowded but the level of noise was comfortable. The staff members were all very professional and courteous.

We had the tuna tartare and oysters for appetizers, both delicious as were the salads. Initially we were both going to order the filet but I was swayed by the waiter to the NY strip. My husband ordered his filet rare and I ordered my strip medium-rare - both were cooked to temperature (although mine was a little over-cooked on the outside). I'll be sticking with the single-cut filet next time. The side dishes were large enough to share. For dessert we each had a bitter-chocolate cake (not the hot-in-the-center signature one). It was served with fresh cream and was the perfect ending to the meal. The timing of the courses was perfect - never waiting too long yet never rushed.

Overall, I think the food was very good albeit very expensive. My one complaint would likely be the price of the wine by the glass. I picked a low-to-moderate priced Renwood zinfandel and it was $15/glass.

I think Mortons is a good bet if you want to mark an occasion with dinner. If youre reticent to drop $200-$300 on dinner for two, you might want to go elsewhere. There are many high quality restaurants available in the city that would cost you half as much. But if you want to dine to impress, give Morton's a try.

The atmosphere was executive, yet comfortable with excellent service to help you enjoy your experience. The steak, which we had medium rare, was cooked to perfection and tasted delicious. This is a perfect way to celebrate a romantic occasion, or a promotion at work. The prices are high but most exclusive restaurants with this level of quality are. It's definitely worth trying at least once. Save it for a special occasion!

We recently ate at Morton's for our 10th wedding anniversary. We've been to many fine restaurants in Pittsburgh and in other cities, and felt that Morton's would be the perfect place to celebrate this milestone. We had been warned that it was pricey, but we don't mind paying extra for a special occasion and especially if the dining experience warrants it. The atmosphere was fine. The dining room was crowded, but we were seated at an intimate table. The wait-staff was very friendly and helpful--we never felt overwhelmed or underattended. For dinner, we started with lobster bisque, which was tasty, but not exceptional. I had oysters, which were very good. For the main course, my husband had the filet, which was "fine". He felt it was overly seared on the outside. I had the prime rib, which was described as a double-cut. It was actually a much smaller portion than I expected. I really thought I'd have plenty of left overs, but I was able to finish the entire thing--something I don't usually do with prime rib! It was delicious, although a bit salty. We were choosy when picking our a la carte vegetables, thinking that we'd have huge portions served, as is the case with Ruth's Chris. They were NOT large portions--only about 8-10 asparagus spears and the hashbrown potatoes were presented like a potato pancake, but overcooked and too crispy. Our dessert, the hot chocolate cake, was very good, but again, not exceptionally presented. These items, with 2 glasses of merlot and a soft drink, was over $180- not including the tip. It was a good dinner, but nothing stood out as truly exceptional, unique, or what I would describe as a culinary experience--as you would expect with these prices.

The steaks and the service are second to none. Friendly atmosphere.