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Category: Steakhouses [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Rittenhouse Square, Penn Center, Avenue of the Arts SouthDon't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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Hubby and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this past week, and decided to celebrate at Del Frisco's. When we arrived, we were amazed at the cavernous feel of the place, the high ceilings, the stone columns and the huge red-draped windows. It is an absolutely amazing restaurant space,......that is, unless you want to attempt to carry on a conversation without having to shout to the person(s) you're dining with. We were seated at a table & sat next to each other, and still had to repeat to one another almost every word uttered through the dining experience. The tables are also very close so that you're also competing with the people seated next to you. Something needs to be done to muffle the sound, because you really can't talk without shouting. It was also difficult to hear and communicate with our very efficient and eager-to-please waiter, Jake. He did a really terrific job of describing menu items, specials and the like in a story-telling manner that actually kept me wanting Jake to tell me more!
We shared the shrimp cocktail appetizer with a trio of sauces recommended by Jake (the old standard red cocktail sauce was by far our favorite!) and their signature crabcake in a spicy lobster sauce which was one of the best crabcakes I have ever tasted. The bread is also delish and they encourage you......no, they force you to break the break with your hands, which felt awkward in such a fine restaurant. Jake recommended and Hubby went for the bone-in filet and I did the lobster and we again shared so that we have the quissential "surf and turf" experience. The lobster tail was a full 14 oz cold water lobster and it was sweet succulent, especially with drawn butter. The filet was, hubby proclaimed, the best he ever had. It was flavorful (yes, the bone does indeed impart that additional flavor to a cut that is sometimes flavorless) and you could actually cut it with your fork. We shared sides of yummy garlicy green beans and these huge onion rings, which were just OK. Dessert was their 6-layer lemon creme cake, which Jake made sound more delicious than it actually was.
They have a tremendous wine line and lots of very nice selections by the glass. Jake made a nice recommendation of white wine for me, as I don't care for red. The coffee is also wonderful, one of the best we've had in a restaurant in a long time. While many of the hostesses in the restaurant wore skirts they clearly poured themselves into and could barely walk as a result (those 5" heels don't work too well either!), they were nonetheless pleasant and accommodating. They did, however, really pour on the appeal when a group of men would enter and be seated. They swayed their way into the dining area to put on a show for their charges until seated. Overhearing one of the conversations from a table full of said men, they actually thought they had a chance with these cute young women. Oh well, I guess that's all part of the Del Frisco's show, cause this ain't a cheap date by any stretch and if you were left paying these hefty prices for the food alone, well golly gosh you'd feel ripped off! This is definitely just a special occasion place for us.....when we're not talking to one another!
3.5 Stars
Went there last night for restaurant week.
The decor of this place is incredible maybe the best looking restaurant I've been to. An old bank turned into a restaurant, whoever thought of the idea is a genius because it is the strongest sell of the place.
I got the Asparagus Bisque for first course, it was very good but way salty (I don't mind as much but I can see how people say this place is over seasoned). For my second course I got the Filet with Chateau Potatoes done medium (should have gone mid rare with the quality of meat served), but again potato's were over seasoned, spicy from all the pepper used. My date's Salmon was delicious! but the Asparagus served with it was eh (I can cook it better). Dessert was good we each got one: Banana Bread Pudding (I'd give it a B) and Chocolate Mousse (A+ and I'm not even a big fan but this one was great)
All in all a beautiful place with good service incredible wine list (bottles up to $5k). But the food could be better with the price tag.
Will I be back - doubt it
Do I regret going - not even for a second
My organization had our holiday party here last night. $55 per person for appetizers and a cash bar. Shocking lack of food. I was there over two hours and have had only nine appetizer pieces. My friend only had two. That works out to over $5.50 per cherry tomato on a stick. However, when I complained to the manager, he quickly brought me and my friend a crab cake (which was delicious). I may come back for the food but I would never hold an event here.
This is an update to my original DelFrisco's review. Our server sent us a personalized, hand-written thank you card. Nice touch. I then booked a table for 10 for the following Saturday. It was amazing and all 9 of my guests thought the meal and service was terrific.
This place is gluttonous. It's huge for a city restaurant. The wine tower is an amazing sight.… Read more »
Great service, Great Food.... best steak I have ever had. The Porterhouse rules.....
Before the Double Eagle opened, we were very excited to hear that this highly-acclaimed steakhouse chain was opening a location in town. We made a reservation a few weeks after its opening, fasted for the entire day of our meal, and arrived at the restaurant with our taste buds watering. And our dinner was truly unforgettable - for both its high points and its lowest points. Upon entering the restaurant, we were immediately struck by the interior and the decor. With soaring ceilings, marble columns, and ornate carvings throughout the restaurant, the space is impressive and massive, to say the least. We checked our coats, and were directed to the bar to wait for our table and meet our friends. At that point, we were struck by yet another thing - what appeared to be a brothel operating in tandem with the bar. That's a first. After pinching myself to make sure that I was standing in a steakhouse, I made my way through the clear heels and ordered a round of drinks for the group. Cha-Ching - $60+ for two cocktails and two glasses of wine. The price tag seemed a bit high, but the drinks were satisfying, so I sucked it up. A few minutes later, we were led upstairs to our table by the hostess. We peered down over the railing and counted hundreds of people. We decided that the food and experience must be excellent because that many people couldn't be wrong, right? Wrong. Let's talk about the service. Our server was friendly, but he he was a bit overbearing for the first part of the meal. Talk about overselling - the guy must have mentioned the Alaskan king crab legs a half dozen times. Yes, I know they pair well with steaks; we heard you the first five times. No, we don't want to order another bottle of wine just yet - we haven't even finished half of the first bottle. Surprisingly, the waiter went from overbearing to MIA, and we didn't see him much after our entrees arrived at the table. We ordered a few appetizers and dug in. I had the turtle soup, which was rich and had the right amount of sherry flavor. Thoroughly enjoyable and a great start to the meal. Others at the table were pleased with their appetizers as well, which included the wedge salad and crab cakes. Now, to the heart of the meal - the steaks. The meat arrived sizzling on gigantic plates carried by an arsenal of servers. I didn't think we were so important that it required six people to bring our food to the table! We were then asked to cut into our steaks to make sure they were cooked to our liking, at which time one of our friends declared, "Are you serious?" I thought the presentation was a bit over the top, too. We should be able to skip the song and dance and rely on the kitchen to do the steak right. I guess that is a trait that distinguishes the place from other steakhouses. All steaks were cooked as requested, but were otherwise mediocre. My strip tasted like the chef spilled the salt shaker on it. The rest of the table had filets and found the meat far too salty as well. The sauteed mushrooms and potatoes au gratin were fine, but they could not make up for the steak deficiencies. We skipped dessert, paid a hefty check, and picked up our coats. It was at that time that I looked to my left and saw the profile of what appeared to be the one and only Christopher Walken. I tactfully repositioned myself to get a better look, but sadly, I realized that it was just some guy who had a ton of work done in an effort to look like the great Walken. This event symbolized our evening - high hopes, big disappointment.
Let me first state that if I go back to Del Frisco's it will only be for drinks while I'm suited up like Barny Stinson. The broads in this place are absolutely stunning and looking for someone to get them out of their studio apartment in the gayborhood. 6.75 for a bottle of Amstel is very pricey even in our great city, and there isn't a glass of red wine to be had for less than a Hamilton. The space is incredible and well suited for a top notch steak house but that can only take you so far. Huge columns with ornate stonework throughout the ceiling and a three story wine cellar with a spiral staircase in it oh my. Overpriced, overseasoned, oversalted, and ostentatious. Our waiter recommended a C-note lobster appetizer and the sommelier started with 200 dollar bottles. Thanks but no thanks.
The decor inside is great. I think it was an old bank they converted. The wine cellar downstairs is the old vault. The food is good. It is your standard high end steak place. Unfortunately, so are the prices.
I ate here with some colleagues after a brief happy hour and I was almost brought to tears with each bite. We each ordered an entree and split four sides. I got the fillet and my buddy got the Australian lobster tail. I can't really remember what the other two got but I remember them raving about it. The king crab gnocchi was good enough to be the whole meal. In fact the next time I go it will be. The fillet cut like butter and was cooked perfectly. Everything they do there has been precisely calculated to ensure a complete dining experience. It's not an every day place but if you feel like treating yourself and can afford it, Del's is the place to be.
Del Frisco's what can I say? Simply stated, this place is ridiculous! I had dinner at Sanson Street Oyster House, which was awesome (review to follow). We decided to check out the scene at Del Frisco's for a change of scenery. We walked into this huge room, with insanely high ceilings. The dining room was the size of a gymnasium, with gaudy blood red table clothes. I felt like I was walking through some type of amusement park that was poking fun at corporate America. The bartender was pleasant however he looked like he was 15. I would think an older distinguished gentleman would have fit as a better barkeep. The food looked very good including the fillet mignon and the potatoes, however, the atmosphere has been convinced that we will stick with Capital Grille and leave Double Eagle to the other Philleberities.
This place is very fancy. PLUS the hostess wear the shortest skirt I've ever seen for a fancy restaurant...My guess is that this joint turns into some type of burlesque show after midnight or what not OR Chris Rock was wrong and there is "sex in the champagne" room.
I came here for a business dinner (as you may or may not know, I rarely would go to a steakhouse on my own accord) 2-3wks ago.
Someone told me this building use to be a bank...is that so? Well I really like the decor inside. I was downstairs (imagine going down the steps of those big banks)...I really didn't get a good view of the main floor but it looked dimmed...the ideal spot for shady politicians to make shady deals and have silly affairs with hostesses/waitstaff in short short black shorts that they have no business wearing in the dead of winter BUT I digress.
So I made my way downstairs...first of all the girl who was escorting me there was blond and in decent shape, cute in the face too..there was another chick there who looked just like her...i can def see someone putting a "two for one" bid on them two.....ahem..so downstairs i was led into the VAULT...
Aw ma gawd, whose idea was this? I loved it. I felt soo "exclusive". maybe it's because my broke has never owned anything that belonged in a vault hence had no reason to ever been in or see a real life bank vault...the door was gigantic..i loved it.
When I grow up, I'm going myself bedroom a gigantic vault.
The bread I was served was awwwwesome, but I was starving and shoelaces would have tasted equally good.
We had limited selection from the menu but I went with the filet Mignon and it's funny because I wanted it well done and somehow it came out BURNT. I mean BURNT..like crispy...like wesley snipes after spending 4hrs in the hot sun BURNT...there were pieces I couldn't eat cause it was charred and tasted burnt. I was upset...more at myself for not going with the salmon.
Sides were broccoli and mashed potatoes.
There must a potato famine in philly because they placed a huge tub of broccoli in the center of the table and left it there for self-serve BUT they walked around with the mashed potatoes serving it on each individual's plate and walking away with the bowl. Like "helllooo...why are you walking away with the rest?" They were lucky I'm a HUGE fan of broccoli.
Dessert was delicious...sweet bread pudding...with delicious syrup. I was soo stuffed it was ridiculous, plus I had like 3 glasses of wine.
Best part was that my experience was freeeeeeeeee :)
Will I go back? not sure. I still prefer capital grille actually.
But if any shady politician is reading this and wants to take my ass to dinner...holla at me playa playahhh!
Went to Del Frisco's for the first time. The only reservation we could get was for a table downstairs in the vault. While it was pretty "removed" from the rest of the restaurant, it was pretty cool and much quieter than upstairs where it was quite noisy.
The food was very good. We had awesome Beef Carpaccio! The 6oz filet was the perfect size for me and was cooked perfectly. We ordered a side dish of onion rings. They were the best onion rings we ever had. Beware!! It is a huge order and perfect for an entire table to share.
Overall, it was a very good experience and I would definetly go back again.
What a disappointment. Honestly... The grandeur of the place belies the mediocre food. It is beautiful inside (in manly way.) it is like eating in the movie 300. Drapes of red on hard stone and dark wood with a tower of wine.
The Palm, Barklay Prime, Capital Grill, my own grill...the names of a few places I'd rather go for a steak.
I got their signature steak and was not impressed. The phrase "Double Eagle" is all sound and fury signifying nothing. It is sad, because I'd much rather eat here than The Palm, if I were to go by ambience.
All that aside (pun intended of course) the sides were delicious. It is definite worth going to, but it is not at the top of my list.
Being a wanna-be vegetarian doesn't mean I can't review a steak house, right? Right. So here I go. I sat downstairs in the vault, which is a lovely place I'd like to return to. If it weren't part of Del Frisco's.
I came here as part of a group event, so we had a limited menu and I opted for the salmon. I was not asked how I'd like the fish to be cooked, so I assumed it would be done well. It ended up being much closer to raw. The bread is definitely delightful, but... they should have cooked my fish instead of pretending to. Dessert was a banana bread pudding with vanilla bean sauce, or something like that. Gorging on it at the time felt good, but afterward I felt like a brick had congealed in my stomach.
The vault was virtually full at the time, and the acoustics seem to amplify sound. If you are noise sensitive, stay out of here at high traffic times. There is also a very unfortunate dress code for the women servers. They all wear noticeably short dresses/skirts with stockings, and I cringed every time one of them turned around or bent over to deliver or take a plate. Not only was it very age-inappropriate for most of them, it's downright demeaning. Why should women doing such laborious work (or any type of work) have to be exposed in such a way? I don't think I'll return to this place ever.
Del Frisco's is all bark and no bite.
The steaks are not remotely on par with other steakhouses in the city (outside of price) and the wine for the most part is on a 300+% premium, which is significantly more than most restaurants in the city.
If you look forward to a poorly designed 24,000 sq ft space where your table is almost touching your neighbor, come here. If you enjoy sending your steak back because it's OK for a new steakhouse to "work on their kitchen" even though you paid at minimum $36 a steak, DF is the best place to do so. They will probably comp the whole check!
With so many steakhouses in the city, there is little point in spending your money here unless you're dead set on impressing your friends with the enormity of the space.
Fellow Yelpers, how often do you trust a restaurant where most good reviews were written by someone with 2 or fewer reviews who has not written since their review of DF? The picture posted by a "reviewer" here on Yelp isn't even from the same location! Don't let the marketing machine here fool you. (reference their TripAdvisor review as well)
btw...their "signature" cocktail is a lesser (Smirnoff) version of the Stoli Doli at Capital Grille which has had the same cocktail (with less pineapple juice) longer than DF has even been in existence.
Beautiful building, I'll give it that.
Food wasn't bad either.
But me and my boyfriend were quickly turned off. First they sat us at one of the bar tables when there were obviously open regular tables. Because of this we got passed between about 5 different waitresses, were cramped, and had to endure being right next to the large group of old business men, standing around the bar and trying to pick up chicks. it was horrid.
When they brought my boyfriends steak the like, 3 people that all brought it, stood around until he cut it to make sure it was cooked right. While I'm sure some people would think this is uber cool and fancy, it thoroughly freaked out my boyfriend lol.
Basically we refer to it now as the cities hang out for old men looking to pick up middle aged ladies.
I would definitely never go back.
The restaurant is relatively new and I will try to be kind. The staff was overbearing and lacking knowledge on their food and wine. The restaurant is ridiculously overpriced and the stunning room does not come close to compensating the deficiencies.
I find it hard to believe that a restaurant can not produce a steak that is edible but, they did two bites and the meal was over. The sides and apps were terrible, the wine was sub par at best. It is sad that such a magnificent space houses such a terrible restaurant.
Reservations are i name only. We had a 9 PM and we were not seated until 10:20. This is inexcusable for a 650 seat restaurant. I could have driven to Peter Luger's in that time and enjoyed a truly classic and wonderful steak dinner.
I so badly wanted to write a review debunking all previous reviews that said the service and space were this restaurant's main assets. But...
I was definitely impressed by the ambiance of this restaurant. We were seated on the second floor, so while some thought the space was too big to be intimate, we found it to be perfect. Right next to a railing, we had a great view of the hubbub going on below us, as well as the two-story floor to ceiling wine tower, yet we were away from most of the traffic and noise.
Right away, we noticed that Del Frisco's was well-staffed. There was a sommelier who appeared to only be working on our floor, our waiter definitely knew the food, and our table always stayed clear of extra plates and crumbs, our glasses stayed full wine (the server or sommelier would come around and refill wine glasses as soon as they were looking low-- I never had to touch the bottle), and when dinner was served, enough waiters came out so that all of our entrees were set down on the table at the same time. Impressive!
The bread that was placed on our table was amazing, if you're a bread person. It was warm, crusty outside, chewy inside, and covered in sesame seeds. The butter was the perfect temperature for spreading.
Our appetizer was a shrimp platter. This normally comes with 5 colossal shrimp and 3 sauces for one person, but the waiter asked if we'd like a big enough plate for the table-- 5 shrimp per person. My boyfriend's dad asked if we could do 3 per person, and that was no problem. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and all three sauces (a remoulade, something vinegary with capers, and a regular cocktail) were delish.
All of the other diners at my table ordered steaks as a main course. Most got the filet mignon (either 8 oz. or 12), and a couple others were chosen, but I forget the cuts. Everyone seemed pleased, though my boyfriend said the filet was just okay, and that the one he had at Bobby Flay Steak last week was better. I ordered the swordfish special. I don't remember the exact description, other than "served over browned butter." It certainly was-- although the fish was cooked perfectly and was mostly delicious, the pool of butter on the plate was a little overwhelming to the flavor of the fish.
We got a slew of sides: The onion rings were perhaps my favorite-- I'd go back for just them. They were piled high, cut thick, and had a super crispy, seasoned batter crust on them. We also got the mashed potatoes, which were a favorite of everyone else at the table. Some marinated mushrooms were ordered, but I didn't try them, and there was asparagus with almonds, which tasted... you know... like asparagus (nothing special). All sides were served family style, and we definitely didn't need to order 4 for the six of us.
A side note about the alcohol selection: We drank wine throughout the entire meal, but although the wine list was an extensive leather-bound monstrosity, we had a difficult time finding any bottles under $100. When my boyfriend's dad said we'd be ordering several bottles and thus wanted to stay within the $50-60 range, the sommelier pointed him to the back few pages where they had "by the glass" selections. BF's Dad rolled his eyes and chose a couple bottles himself. We were in luck! We were served the wrong wine, and though we thought it was delicious, no one noticed until about half way through the bottle. Because it was the restaurant's mistake, we were able to get that bottle and repeat bottles of the same wine for the lower price of the one we ordered. Jackpot!
Affable staff. I did not meet the sommelier but the wine list is hefty and rightly so. I regret coming during Restaurant Week- the dish I had may not be an appropriate sample of what they usually serve as it had been cooked appropriately but seasoned too much. May be worth a try on a regular day but why bother if more venerable steakhouses at the same price point are just a few blocks away?
Well folks, I'm sticking to my guns! I meant every word of my first review & to the "gentleman" who was so Hell bent on thinking my boyfriend & I were "Del Frisco's marketing insiders" doing acts of restaurant review sabotage because of our positive comments... I laugh. Te. he. he.
Sir, it's called a degree, lots of kids & hep cats out here these days are getting them. Don't be afraid of the education bug... embrace it. If you need to start small, that's fine. (I'm not here to judge you, only the businesses.) I suggest Scrabble or old episodes of Reading Rainbow as a jumping point. (Beware though, that theme song is catchy as all get out!)
Don't forget folks, sometimes if you give off snooty & ignorant vibes others will reflect the same energy. I've gotten plenty of upgrades, free stuff, & awesome service just because I was nice! (A simple & forgotten concept, but that's why people are so appreciative when they are in the presence of someone who is indeed a nice person.) Get your aura right & give it another go or stay at home, learn to cook (or have your chef teach you how), & quit whining!
Vaya con dios!
Good day!
I am no official "foodie," critic, nor a Rachel Ray replica... I'm a South Jersey girl who…
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The one star is for the decor - Del Frisco's is in a beautiful open space with a stately ambiance. Unfortunately, that is just about all that is redeeming about this place. The food was okay - we ordered steaks and a few sides. It was somewhat tasty, but a bit over-seasoned and definitely not worth the price.
However, the service is what really led me to write a poor review: There were swarms, literally swarms, of staff everywhere, who more than periodically descended upon our table and interrupted our conversation. At one point, the hostess, or whoever she was, noticed my friend putting some of the side of potatoes on his plate. She literally swooped in, grabbed the spoon from him, and said, "let me do that." There was a bit left, and she says in a patronizing voice, "there's just a little bit left. do you want to finish it off?" in the meantime, we all sat there, looking and feeling very uncomfortable as my friend was treated like he was a five year old. It was bizarre, to say the least.
I'm pretty sure you won't have to look hard to find a more pleasant dining experience for the price.
A really neat place in the heart of downtown Philly, located in an old bank building. We had a business lunch with 5 of us total (all male), we fit in very nicely in suit and tie, and really enjoyed the experience. It was the customers choice.
Please see my blog for more details and reviews.
The wait staff (let me see how to say this PC) was stunning, fish net stockings and very beautiful....in addition, they were friendly and service was excellent. Drinks were served in small glasses, but were always full, salads/apps were right out, and presentation was great.
Has a great, friendly, warm atmosphere. Very conductive to a business meeting/presentation. Easy to hear each other, other tables were near by (but on top of us), we could have a conversation but not feel like everyone else could.
When served our entrees a VERY FUNNY thing happened to my partner - he took a bit of his burger and it "exploded" and juice shot onto his white dress shirt. Everyone at the table laughed and the server was right on it, she brought over club soda and one of those bleach sticks immediately. When the manager realized what had happened, he came right over and insisted on paying for the dry cleaning, when my buddy resisted, he said he insisted because "that's what we do". What GREAT SERVICE, with all the travel I do it is the best insistence of going above and beyond to ensure satisfaction. Well done.
We had to leave earlier than our customers due to another appointment, we were probably there for an hour, but it didn't seem like it.
How about the food? Unbelievable sesame bread served first, so good we ate 4 loafs, customer next to me devoured the crab cakes as an app (he would have licked the plate for sure if he could get away with it), and the entrees were great. Squirting burger looked excellent, i had the steak sand and it was pretty plain (without onions or peppers) but steak was great, customer had steak salad and an entire piece of steak was on top, and other two had medallions which looked awesome.
Expensive, but well worth it. Did I mention how great the wait staff looks????/
3 ice tea 8.95
1 diet coke 2.95
1 crab cake 16.95
1 prime burger 12.95
1 clam chowder cup lunch 8.95
1 filet medallions 24.95
1 L. seafood feature #2 25.95
1 steak salad 17.95
1 filet steak sand 17.95
Total - 147.08 (inc taxes).
Go here for a bidness lunch!
What a place!! Decor and food and staff are outstanding. Dont think I have ever said that before. The staff is super friendly AND knows their stuff. The steaks and sides are great and the decor and ambiance are unbelievable for Philly.
i was taken here for a business lunch, and when you're not paying it's hard to find anything to complain about... and yet here i am.
i know this place is relatively new, and it has yet to get it's act together. some of our party was waiting for us when we arrived, and as soon as we were seated with them the waiter came over and asked us if we were ready to order. i hadn't even settled into my seat at this point. of course then he was mia for way too long than is really acceptable during weekday lunch. after we ordered they brought bread, which as other have mentioned was yummy and warm, although some people found it awkward ripping the huge loafs and passing it to others with their hands as we had really only just met. i didn't mind it so much. then someone came over, perhaps the manager, and asked us how everything was which was particularly amusing since we didn't even have our drinks yet and were just picking at bread.
finally lunch arrives. i had steak the night before for dinner, so i ordered the salad with lobster. the lobster was tough and the salad was bland and it had two chunks of grapefruit stuck in it. someone else ordered the filet medallions though and gave me a taste... they were delicious, although they ordered medium rare and got one that was med rare, and two that were well done.
the space of course is impressive if not overwhelming, but in a city not lacking for a nice steak, this place has a lot of growing to do.
A good steakhouse. The usual exhorbitant prices, but at least the food is pretty good. Not great but pretty good. The soups are quite nice and are hardy/flavorfull. The steaks are B to B+, the sides decent. Order a Coke and you get your own bottle. A 6 oz bottle, It's smaller than the Steak Knife. Service was very good but I didn't like the over attention. Waitstaff kept picking up plates and pouring water to the point of distraction from a good conversation. Less is more.
go for luch. there are much better places for steak without crossing a street.
OK, I've read the local reviews of this establishment. There are a lot of choices in Philly for steaks, as there are in Dallas..where I reside. I think there may be a tad bit of loyalty to other establishments in the area....I respect that. When you enter, it is most definately....daunting. HUGE!. The ones in Dallas and Ft Worth are more quaint... have a cigar area..and all are noted for the wine selections. I was at this restaurant for the grand opening ..one week before they actually opened. SO...I have not sat...ordered...and been waited on as I would have been if it had been opened to the public. So my review may be a tad skewed. I just know that the people behind this "chain" do it right.... As they meld into the local scenery in Philly...I think the locals will grow to accept this place. When I was at the one in NYC...it was the same..they have found their niche in that town...the Vegas location is probably my least favorite..but one of the dearest people I've ever met manages this one. I think the HYPE of Vegas really deters the acceptance of this establishment there. I hope to fly to PHilly soon to meet up with my old school mate and take him back to this establishment for a proper sit down dinner.
As for what to order...here are my Del Frisco's fav's
Bone in Ribeye, usually NOT on menu..but ask for it..they usually reserve them in the back
Onion Rings... they are massive and breaded and cooked to perfection
Bone in Fillet.... again..usually NOT on menu..but a great steak..much more tender than the normal fillet
Shrimp appetizer. The remoulade is my favorite.They are huge shrimp
Peppercorn sauce...do this on the side. Dip your steak in this..great asset to the meal
Skillet potatoes...these are cut thin and cooked up like potato chips with onions infused. Good side dish if you are not into garlic mashed
potatoes
My wifes favorite. They have a "prime martini" which is basically cubed fillet sauteed and put on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and served in a martini glass. There is a light gravy poured over that. Great light meal
OHH...one last thing...their signature after dinner "thing" is called a "Del's Delight" It's basically a milk shake in a martini glass...with a twist...3 different liqueurs. Light...classy..and a nice top off to a good meal. You won't really taste the booze..but it's there~
I came here with a girlfriend expecting to be "wowed" after all of the hype, but instead was horrified by both the service and food. For a check of $300+ I expect utter perfection with my steak. Instead, I thought to myself, I enjoyed the Victoria's filet at Outback better than the $36 filet I ordered.
Don't even get me started about the lobster. Revolting is the only word that comes to mind. It was so tough, that I could not even make a small puncture wound with my steak knife.
I was also stressed and overwhelmed by the Staff, who were bombarding me every time I tried to relax and enjoy my food. If you want to impress others by spending a lot of $$ for no reason, then come here. Otherwise, choose one of the other amazing restaurants in Philly for your beef fix.
I went here for the first night of Restaurant Week this past weekend with 2 other buddies, and overall we enjoyed ourselves. I'll admit that aside from Fago de Chao I haven't been to any other steakhouse in the city, usually opting for BYO's. That being said, I don't have much to compare Del Frisco's to.
The thing that I will take away most is the sheer size of the place. I knew coming into the meal it was the largest of it's kind in the city, and still it was impressive. The huge wine tower with the spiral staircase was pretty cool to see. Down the stairs on your way to the bathroom, check out the Vault room, which I'm guessing is going to be used predominantly for private parties.
The food was pretty good. The 3 of us all went with the Rest. Week menu. The bread to start was 50/50. The first loaf we got was warm and soft, perfect. The second, not so much...too overdone. The first course I tried the Asparagus Bisque which was a pleasant surprise. One of us went with the salad choice that he said was "actually, really good". It's always nice to be impressed with a simple salad. We all got the 6oz filets for the entree. It came with the house mashed potatoes (chateau potatoes i think?), which if you like them chunkier like me, were good. The touch of cayenne was perfect. The filet started off great, but got a little fatty the last couple bites. We all split sides of Asparagus, Lobster Mac & Cheese, and Onion Rings, a little too much food for the 3 of us. The lobster mac was good, but the only must have of the 3 were the Rings, some of the biggest I've ever seen and served towered high. The Banana Bread Pudding dessert was a sweet ending.
With a bottle of wine and a couple drinks everything came to $90 a man. I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend $60 on a steak on a regular basis (i really just prefer to cook steaks myself at home), but I wouldn't be against coming back to sit at the bar, order an app or two and enjoy the atmosphere with a drink. Brian the bartender shook me up a damn good martini made with pineapple infused vodka. I'd return here for the architecture alone...but on a side note...from a guy's point of view...the place was LOADED with attractive female employees, and that sure didn't hurt!
I give it 3.5 stars. I have to say the space is fantastic. It's not a cozy place if you want to feel like having a private, quiet, romantic meal. Its a huge, soaring, wide open space (too big if you ask me) that kinda pulls away from the intimacy I prefer in a restaurant. The wine selection was very nice with an equally impressive wine (rack? - lol) area. Actually there is an elevator shaft at one end of the bar that allows the (wine picker?) bartender to access a 40 foot high wine storage shaft. I was having lunch so I started off with a turtle soup. Actually it was "fake turtle" soup since it was beef based that was OK (I've had much better). I also had a burger which was cooked perfectly (Med/rare) and was quite large. It came with a stack of house-made BBQ chips that were pretty tasty, although a little salty for me (but I'm not a salty food fan). For desert I had a very, very tasty cheesecake (and I'm not the biggest cheese cake fan) that was unbelievably good. It was light, creamy, fluffy and most importantly tasty. I would go just for the cheesecake. The service was pretty good and our waitress definitely had the menu/specials memorized to perfection. All things considered I think its a bit overrated and I'm not a fan of restaurants the size of small malls. I'm willing to give it another try but I'm not dying to go back.
I visited Del Frisco during Restaurant Week. Upon entering, you could see that the decor was grand but maybe too much so. It seemed cavernous but the tables were set very nicely. The food was good but not great. The filet was definitely not the best I have tasted.
First, I should preface that I am by no means a carnivore or expert in anything steak or steak-related. In fact, until Del Frisco's, I hadn't had steak in more than 10 years. I'm not a fan of the rubbery, over-cooked version my mom used to make me as a kid. That being said, my husband was hell-bent on checking out Del Frisco's for his birthday dinner. I was hoping there would be some non-steak/veal/pork options for myself, but sadly there were no chicken or pasta dishes and the lobster was like $100. To appease my husband, I decided to give steak a try again and ordered the beef tenderloin or beef medalions, which were like little cubes of steak. It was served with their special mashed potatoes. After that meal, I'm proud to say I'm back to eating steak. It was one of the best meals I ever had. The beef was so tender it practically melt in my mouth (I couldn't bear to ask for ketchup at a steak house and I'm glad I didn't!). The beef came with a warm brie sauce (which I strongly suggest you order on the side). I'm not a huge fan of brie, but the combination worked quite nicely as a dipping sauce. The mashed potatoes were to die for. However, the side of mushrooms were cold and forgettable. I also ordered a salad wedge which was cold, crisp and quite good. The bread didn't seem as special as everyone made it out to be -- but it was quite good. Soft and warm and definitely devoured. My husband got the seafood soup, which he loved. And the 12-ounce filet mignon, which was also good. He got a side of onion rings, which were so huge he only ate two or three, but they were good too. For dessert, I thought it was a nice touch that they gave us a $10 piece (or slab -- it was huge!) of butterscotch cheesecake on the house, when I mentioned it was my husband's birthday. It was SO GOOD. The butterscotch and what tasted like a Heath-bar type of crunch on the crust, was to die for. Now, for the service -- EXTREMELY attentive, almost overbearing, on the night we went (it was still fairly early evening on a Friday night and there weren't many tables). People were constantly checking on us and asking how our meal was and were we having a good time. We felt like VIPs or something. It did get a little annoying but I appreciated the attentiveness. My only complaint was that we were seated on the main floor, and it looked like there was no separation between the bar area and the dining area. As it was happy hour on a Friday, the place was booming with bar-goers who seemed to filter out into the dinner crowd...there was no buffer there, and it was quite loud. That is something they should definitely fix. But really I don't have any complaints, except the restaurant is very pricey. But for a special occasion or even just a nice dinner out when you've saved some cash, I highly recommend Del Frisco's. As I said, it was one of the better meals I've had and completely restored my faith in red meat!
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Market East
Category: Steakhouses
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