11/05/09

A Symphony of Errors

by MealSchpeal com

Dinner was a symphony of errors. Not for want of service or flavor but management.

If a restaurant chooses to datestamp its menu like an entry in a server log, it should take care to make the date current. My menu stated that it was December 23rd or some such thing giving the impression that the ingredients have been patiently sitting on the counter hoping someone would order them for a month. Yes, intelligent diners will understand that a restaurant does not reprint a menu every day but there is no reason to boldly proclaim the menu’s age unless it’s flattering.

I have, with advancing age and wisdom, begun informing the wait staff of my steak’s preferred temperature rather than giving a blanket term that everyone seems to define at their convenience. The preference is cool red center. Having advised the waiter of this, my steak was still overcooked throughout its majority but there was definitely a portion of the center that managed to evade heat at all. As I relished this morsel I wondered what natural phenomenon could have made this possible.

Inflation happens. Costs increase and having no alternative, people accept it. However, when one charges US$39 for a fine cut of slightly overcooked beef, and has an extensive wine list with bottles in the thousands of dollars, charging US$18 for a martini is beyond explanation. It is simply an assault on alcoholic decency. Mastro’s is a restaurant, not a resort. Even Sunset Tower charges US$15 and one could argue that it is both. Completely unacceptable.

And finally, when one wants to be taken seriously in any field that requires communications such as from the kitchen to the customer by way of the menu, one learns to spell properly. Ask a random sample of people on the street for the spelling of Johnnie Walker’s family of scotches, and one is likely to hear the same mistake 8 out of 10 times. Fix the damn thing before someone does a special titled: Celebrity Restaurants: They’re just like us! They can’t spell either.

• Pros: Good steak, when cooked properly.
• Cons: Mostly.

10/09/09

Mastro's is where its at!!!

by TyraLikeBanks

I went into mastro's not knowing what to expect. I'm a big fan of steakhouse's & everyone rants and raves about this place so I finally decided to check it out last night. Anywho, I completely adore Ruth Chris's but let me say that Ruth Chris can not compare to Mastro's! We were seated upstairs and apparently thats where all the magic happens! The atmosphere was extrodinary not to mention the bone-in filet was perfect! I mean PERFECT! There's beautiful people everywhere along with some prostitutes sprinkled in between but hey had 2 get a free laugh somewhere. All in all, this place is a must try!!! Check it out, you won't be disappointed

• Pros: Best Filet Ever...CEO Martini & cheesecake
• Cons: Extremely loud

05/25/09

Update on our experience on May 23

by KathleenK

Here's an update to our experience at Mastro's on May 23. I finally received a call from the manager of Mastro’s, Beverly Hills, albeit 3 days after I initially spoke with someone about our issue, and after I sent the corporate office a scathing email about our experience. It seems he did not get the message from the person who initially answered my call, but he did receive my email. I had a good conversation with him about the incident, and received his sincerest apologies, both for the seating fiasco, and for no one contacting us in a prompt manner. He said it’s not their normal way of doing business. He noted that Mastro's is all about the people who dine there…if not, they wouldn’t be around long. I do feel that Mastro’s made it right with us, and we will visit them again. I really do want to visit them again, because no doubt about it, their food and service is terrific!

• Pros: Excellent steaks

05/06/09

Overpriced Steakhouse

by kelsu7

So my husband and I were going to Spago's for his birthday, but he did not like the atmosphere and wanted something a bit more fun. We walked down the street and found Mastro's. They had a live band and my husband loves red meat so we stayed. The service was excellent, everyone was very friendly to us even though we are just normal valley folk and not celebrities. Or prostitutes. Yeah, the other reviewer was right, they were there.

About the food, my husband is the connoisseur as I am more into nice sauces and interesting flavors, and he said he has had better steak. We both agreed that it was very salty, but his filet was extremely tender. We had mashed potatoes and asparagus for our sides and started with crab stuffed mushrooms. All tasted decent, but nothing exciting. I certainly never came close to exclaiming over the flavors.

By the end of the evening, the really poor selection of songs played by the cover band was really starting to get on my nerves. The music was blaring so loud that I gave up on trying to converse about halfway through the meal and left with a headache. My husband became sick that night but I felt OK so not sure if it was something he ate or not.

Overall, I'd say it is not worth the money, there are surely other places with the same food for less than the $250 we spent on dinner for two.

• Pros: Food was not too bad if you like big slabs of salty meat.
• Cons: Way overpriced for the quality.

03/18/09

The best Steak House

by Peanut

The steaks are the best, hands down. Some cuts are better than others, i.e, the filet mignon is better than the prime rib. I recommend the lobster mashed potatoes and creamed corn. And don't leave until you order the butter cake for dessert. This is a loud, crowded Beverly Hills crowd, complete with celebrities and prostitutes. I find this amusing, but I go when I'm definitely up for it! You can have fun here, but be in a party mood. Don't come looking for quiet intimacy or you will be disappointed.

• Pros: Great steaks, sides & the butter cake!!
• Cons: Very crowded, has prostitutes

01/18/09

a decent meal

by hankscott1234

In hard times I find myself thinking is this worth the check at the end of the meal. A very recent thought process. Before this I cared more about who I was sharing the meal with and was that enjoyable or productive( as I eat out for business often).. Food, attentive service, attitude (in BH attitude is an ingredient like slt and pepper) all were back seat. No more.

Mastro's is expensive. With a full bar the drinks added up fast at a Saturday night business dinner.

We went there to eat steak and steak we had. It was good. Portions are large at this steak house.

What stuck out most was nothing stuck out. I got to the end of the evening and had a full stomach and a full mind.

The check came and it was high I have to say, but for an every once in a while place this is a good one.

I have to try the other two steak houses here in BH Then go on a diet.

.

• Pros: decent steak
• Cons: expensive

01/17/09

Loud, overpriced, may cause bodily harm

by steveshlong

So here's the deal. I went here with my girlfriend for our 2 year anniversary.

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The Service-- The service was adequate at first, but we didnt order any drinks and i feel that since there was no alcohol ordered, our waiter felt our tiny bill wouldnt result in a large tip, therefore decided to forgo doing his job.

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The Food--- I started with a caesar salad, like I always do. It doesn't make my list of top 10 caesar salads. She had the caprese salad. She said it was good but the pesto glaze they put on it made it taste weird. We also ordered the garlic mashed potatoes...if it was fresh, it didnt taste that way. I could have bought a box of instant potatoes from the store and it would have been comparable. She got the petite fillet and enjoyed it. I got the 16 oz new york strip and it was the first time I have gotten that steak anywhere and ate the whole thing, meaning I didnt have to cut out that extra chunk of fat that seems to always be on that cut of meat. We decided against desert after the meal.

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The Atmosphere-- Loud. Really loud. Loud enough that I had to yell 2 feet across the table to try to talk to my girlfriend.

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The Bill-- After tip, we got out of there for $150. Wow. Way too much for the experience.

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The After Effects-- On an anniversary, its common to want to, uh, get close to each other, as it were. However, I've been in and out of the bathroom for the last two hours with no signs of slowing down.

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My final thought-- In the spirit of trying something new, I should I have stuck with my original plan of going to The Palm. I would have saved about $40, gotten a meal i know I would have enjoyed immensely and would have gotten "lucky" afterwards instead of hanging out with Johnny.

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I can't imagine what the guy that ordered the 48 oz porterhouse at the table next to us is going through right now.

• Pros: Great steak....at first
• Cons: price, atmosphere

09/10/08

Dropping off fast

by SteakloverLA

I have been going to Mastro's for years. The food was always good and the staff was friendly. Given that the prices have always been a bit high. Recently, Mastro's was purchased by the RARE Group. Masto's has taken a big step down. The new management at the restaurant is very corporate...very uptight. The quality of the steaks has dropped badly. Even worse, the clientele on the weekends look like a tour bus pulled up front and spilled. There are far better steak options in LA....BLT, STK or Wolfgang's.

• Pros: Active atmosphere
• Cons: Cheesy crowd, corporate, declining food quality, cramped

08/12/08

Beverly Hills when its best or worst

by primrose

Well you certainly can not say the food is not well made in this place . They serve some great steaks here .

Its old school Beverly Hills , its the place Robert Evans probably calls home away from home ( not confirmed...) . Plenty of wealthy men with their young(er) partners - its cocktail lounge with piano player , its Polo Lounge just bigger and with great steaks . Its nice - its good food - its HEAVY food - big steaks , big lobsters , mashed potatoes - its all very AMERICAN . Do not plan on going out after this meal - you would want to go to sleep .

Its a great experience - maybe not my kind of place but you have to appreciate it .

07/09/08

A little over priced and not very good

by Kado99

It's good, don't get me wrong. But good lord! do you seriously need to charge $12 dollars for mashed potatoes? It was violating. We went for a bachelor party so it was a fairly large group. The service wasn't spectacular either. And I thought a thank you from management would have been nice since we did drop almost two large. The wheels just seemed to come off at some point in the night. I give it an average rating because I would probably have liked it much more on a slower night. Plus the 300 pound dude literally rubbing against the back of my chair from his, was a little unappetizing.

• Pros: valet
• Cons: inside