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The Alpine Steakhouse and Karl Ehmers Quality Meats
Categories: Food Specialty Food Meat Shops Restaurants Delis Meat Shops, Delis [Edit]
4520 S Tamiami TrlSarasota, FL 34231
(941) 922-3797
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for The Alpine Steakhouse and Karl Ehmers Quality Meats
15 reviews in English
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Review from Ricardo M.
Hialeah, FL
1/27/2012
Started with the Onion rings. They were good nothing special unlike the potato chips. Those were amazing. The prime rib was one of the specials and I am really glad I had it. One of the best prime ribs I have ever had. This was up there with prime ribs that cost three times as much. It was cooked perfectly and was tender and flavorful. Finished it off with the Mississippi Mud Pie which was a perfect ending. I would do this whole meal all over again.
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Review from Ed H.
Ben Lomond, CA
11/17/2011
Turducken was pretty good. Service was great and price makes this diner a good value for a low key lunch.
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Review from Christian L.
11/6/2011
I learned about this place via the Food Network featuring it during their "dives, drive-ins and diners". It wasn't good, perhaps it was good at one time, but Turducken was dry and so over cook...will not go back.
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Review from Jason P.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
4/5/2011
I had to try the turducken, just to see how it was.
It was OK but I should give a disclaimer that I'm not a big turkey and mashed potato fan so it's probably not a fair review.
Doubt I'd be back... -
Review from Dale Z.
Algonquin, IL
3/13/2011
I was a little shocked at how good this place was.
We found it by driving up and down the road, and referencing Yelp before deciding... glad we went here.
The Turducken is just like Guy Feiri says, off da hook ( this place was on tri[ple D )! I was unsure, and not sure if I wanted to take the chance for $20 .. but I tried it.. it was AWESOME! You have to try this. It is a little piece of specialness. I dont typically like duck, but the duck is almost undetectable.. the stuffing used is amazing and it is all put together really nicely.
The wife had the fillet and was pretty impressed.
This is a meat market / diner.... it looks kinda scary when you walk in,, its like stepping back into the 70's and might frighten those who arent used to scary places.. i dig places like this... the atmosphere was cool, the service was cool, and the food was amazing...
Drink the sweet tea... it is incredible. -
Review from Matthew L.
Charleston, SC
11/16/2008
I learned about this place the night previous to my visit via the Food Network featuring it during their "dives, drive-ins and diners" (I probably screwed up the order of those, but you know what I mean). What caught my eye was their famed turducken.
This is not John Madden's Turducken, which looks like Frankenstein's take on a Thanksgiving classic. This is a true masterpiece blending turkey, duck, and chicken to meld the flavors with a variety of stuffings and greens - delicious vibe to it!
Menu looked fabulous online, and anticipated slurping down a few of their Oysters Rockefeller which appeared to have a generous amount of Pernod, which is a "lost art" with this dish.
They even had an online ordering method for takeout.
So why only 2 stars?
Really, I'm giving it 2 stars because I believe the other reviewers. Otherwise I'd go one. If you read my reviews, I have a good balance and you really have to earn a bad review from me. I've even said outright a steak restaurant will not get less than a 3 star review from me based solely on their willingness to promote meat.
Started when we tried calling to place an order but they were directing all calls to the website for takeout via voicemail. Thought that was a little odd but figured the TV publicity might have overwhelmed and if it was a "dive", then they probably had the voicemail set up to cover busy signals. I've worked in small restaurants and while your local crapplebees has a 2 ring policy, many local joints don't even answer the phone. So, we placed our order online and proceeded to make the 45-60 minute drive to Sarasota from my folks house.
We arrive to an empty parking lot.... middle of the day on a Saturday (not a holiday). Guy walking back from the front door says they're closed for a wedding.
nice... no message on the website, no message on their voicemail, and they're accepting orders for a day they're not open.
In less than 5 minutes in their parking lot at 3pm (not a rush time for most restaurants), 3 customers came and went. I can only guess how many other customers who watched that Food network episode the previous evening who were either local or not local (like me) suffered the same experience.
I'm not saying they should have been open, because that's the cool thing about owning your own restaurant - you don't have to be a slave to the machine. A wedding is more important than my family get-together's lunch, but c'mon. Let customers know so they don't waste a good chunk of their afternoon schleping around the gulf coast for a closed restaurant. How long does it take to record a voice mail, leave a blurb on a web page, or turn off the shopping cart? Unless this was an emergency elopement, then this wasn't a surprise for them - just either poor planning or just not caring.
Now my dad has to go through the additional hassle of making sure they don't charge the card he used. Counting the extra time at Cracker Barrel grabbing some chow so we didn't come back to my mom and pregnant wife with no food, we blew 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon + the CC issue. Boo. -
Review from Kent K.
Miami, FL
8/22/2007
I'm so thrilled to find this sensible review for the Alpine Steak House. It is a landmark that needs so much more support. This place should be packed every night.
Last week I went in there and their dinner specials included turducken (soon to be made famous on the Food Network) and NY Strip dinners. The NY Strip dinner was 9.95. Did you see that 9.95!!!!! And these are very good cuts of beef prepared by a kitchen that knows beef as good as anyone in the country.
Granted the Alpine Steak House is not the place to go to pop the question or impress a big client, but it is a place to have the best steaks in town without worrying about a la carte sides, 15 dollar glasses of wine and a menu that forces you to choose between $30plus entrees.
Sarasota has a true treasure in this place. I found one other very much like it in Oklahoma City once, strategically placed next to one of America's largest slaughterhouses. But I'm not inclined to make that trip too often for a great, well priced steak and red wine. I'll be back soon! -
Review from Jessica W.
Woodbury, MN
12/28/2009
We stopped in at about 6:00 on a Saturday night. Imagine my surprise when there was only a whopping 6 cars in the parking lot...I find that a full lot indicates great food and 6 cars does not make for a full lot...
The Alpine Steakhouse was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives for their TurDucKen. I was tempted to try this semi-famous dish until I saw the prices on the menu - which by the way, was a paper placemat/menu combination, but they did have cloth napkins. The turducken meal was $20, which I might be willing to pay if I wasn't sitting in a restaurant that reminded me of an old IHop.
The Alpine was over priced by at least 20%. For example, a basket of homemade chips was $5, French Onion Soup (a cup) was $6. I ordered the $9 philly cheesesteak sandwich and sweet potato fries. I have to admit, the fries were mighty tasty, but I've yet to figure out why they made it on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.... -
Review from Coty S.
Bradenton, FL
3/7/2009 7 photos
We cruised here on a Saturday night around 7:30. All of the other restaurants in the area, even the crappy ones were packed. But, this steakhouse did not have a wait and the parking lot was half empty. I read the reviews and decided to give it a try, since my husband was in desperate need of American food. The dining area resembled that of an old Sizzler buffet from the 1970's, so I was shocked when I looked down on the cheap paper placemat menus covered in pricy items.
The waitress acted deeply saddened that we did not want to order any appetizers, like we were making a terrible mistake. All of the tables around us were ordering the basket of homemade Potato Chips ($5.00), but I was not ready to make a greasy mistake that would haunt me. I would have to disagree, since I could only finish one third of my entrée. There was a selection of German items as well as the usual steak fare.
The garlic bread was soggy and had more paprika than garlic, we only ate a couple of bites. The gorgonzola salad was tasty and came with my meal. The Manhattan Style Conch Chowder had some sand grit in it, but other than that tasted well and came with the other meal.
The Delmonico 14 oz ($22.00) was 20% bone and about 1/2 inch thick and juicy, brushed with butter and grilled to perfection. I am happy that I ordered medium well, because the inside was very pink. The Twice Baked Potato ($2.00 additional) tasted decent but had a margarine flavor rather than butter or sour cream. The Chopped Sirloin 10 oz ($14.00) was a little dry, as most sirloins are, but the butter covering made it a little more juicy than usual. The flavor was great, but it would have been nice with some of those $5.00 grilled onions that we could not bring ourselves to spend $5.00 on. It is just an onion! I have never paid $14.00 for a hamburger patty before, but I guess the butter on top doubles the price. If I made it at home, I could at least afford to put some cooked onions on top for under $5.00. The Fries were really tasty twice fried wedges with a little seasoning, which was perfect.
We wanted to order dessert because the Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce sounded amazing, but we were way too full at that point to eat anything else. $55.00 later we left with a tummy ache and slightly greased out. I was surprised to see that the restaurant was featured on Food Network, and maybe they have raised the prices since then. A little overrated.Listed in: Florida- Barbeque and Steaks
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Review from SaraSoda S.
Sarasota, FL
2/20/2010 1 photo
This is a Sarasota gem, exactly what greasy, comfort, diner food ought to be. We came here not knowing it was featured on Food Network, whose attention sometimes opens restaurants to undeserved harsh criticism and unattainable expectations. I would normally not do this, but I'm giving this 4 star place 5 stars after reading the bitter sabotaging rants of a reviewer who did NOT even taste the food and of one that doesn't understand diner food. For those who think $20 is too much to pay for Turducken, factor in the labor, cost and time to roast a turkey, duck and chicken plus 3 types of stuffing, homemade cranberry relish, potatoes and gravy. I'll gladly fork over a 20 for a delicious heaping pile of smorgasbord on my plate. You're sure to be stuffed (maybe uncomfortably) after eating any of their meals, steak & cheese was a favorite too. If you feel guilty for consuming so much meat, potatoes and grease, pair it with a side of light creamy dill cucumber salad or tangy coleslaw - both are delicious.
One area Alpine can improve on is service or lack thereof. The pleasantries are nice and all, but I'd rather our server get us our condiments right away and not after we've finished our appetizers. Overall, this is a one of a kind diner in Sarasota that will be sure to please the hungry and not weight-conscious. -
Review from Julia S.
Sarasota, FL
1/31/2009 11 photos
Driving by they will get your taste buds dancing by the wood burning smokey grill out by the road. Known for the turduckin' that's what we had, & USDA choice prime beef em' It's a pretty cute little joint. It's not my type of food by choice, (too homey). I just don't understand why this place is not packed every night? Why go to a chain? I guess the atmosphere is somewhat 70's? nothing fancy, ice burg lettuce etc. The meat counter is impeccably clean and has wonderful things to chose from including wines & beers.
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Review from Tonia D.
Athens, GA
2/27/2011 1 photo
Some friends and I have started a tradition hitting up restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives when we travel for conferences. So, of course that brought us to Alpine. As tempting as the Turducken looked and sounded on the show, I'm a sucker for steak and shrimp, which was on special the night we visited. In our party of 4, we ordered 2 steak and shrimp, the goulash, and the Turducken. About the time a colleague thought to order the homemade potato chips, we remembered the Oysters Rockefeller. And thus...a mouthgasm was born. Seriously, Guy nailed it on these little delicious morsels They are nails. I was totally happy with my steak; it was perfectly medium rare. The cocktail sauce was wonderful, too. I took a bite of the Turducken and declared it "perfect comfort food." A bite of the red cabbage from the goulash made me wish I'd ordered that, too! It's a shame we didn't have room for dessert. It was tempting!
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Review from Brett B.
Sarasota, FL
12/14/2010
After watching their Turducken touted up by the TV show Diners Drive-ins and Dives, four of us from work went to Alpine Steak House for lunch. We all dropped $$$ on the Turducken and were very dissappointed in it's lack of flavor and how dry it was. None of our serviings had all three meats in the slice served. We then all ordered their $5.00 steak and cheese sanwiches which were wonderful. Personally, I've been a customer since 1981 when they were called Karl Ehmers Meat Market. Summary: Great food to be found here, just not the Turducken
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Review from Elena H.
Sarasota, FL
1/19/2010
As a restaurant: One Word: gross. We decided to get a take out dinner, tenderloin steak, potatoes and salad. The steaks tasted funky, it was the worst food we have ever had We got sick. I don't understand why so many people like the place.
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Review from Bob L.
Clearwater, FL
6/3/2008
This restaurant did not pass my number one criterion: Would I go back? No.
The Turducken was pretty good for a $12-$13 dish, but it cost $20 and all three in our party who ordered agreed that they wouldn't order it again. But there were service problems too and it's not air conditioned. Or at least the A/C wasn't working on Memorial Day weekend.
We ordered a bottle of sparkling wine, which was brought to the table, opened and served warm. Even as a child, I knew that was wrong. Then the bottle was placed in a container with a small block of ice that had no chance of cooling it and I had to ask for more ice to cool it down.
The same waiter then mistakenly wrote down an additional entre when taking our order. My wife was ordering an appetizer of Beef Tips for our young daughter as an entre and he brought both an entre and the appetizer portion for our 6-year-old... then charged us for both. We ended up paying for his mistake.
Also, there were no napkins or silverware at the table when we were seated and it stayed like that until our dinners were served and we had to ask for napkins and utensils.
Overall it was a very disappointing experience and I would not recommend Alpine to potential diners.
