Originally Posted by cyberdad
Been a while since I've had a good meal at one of these. A visit to the one in Santa Clara this spring was pretty dismal....right down to the torn and frayed upholstery on the booths! I recall them as being pretty decent in the 70s and 80s, however.
Another chain I don't think has been mentioned as generally being good is J.Alexander's Steak Houses. I think there are about a dozen or two around the Midwest and South. Mrs. Cyberdad and I have yet to be disappointed. Also on the subject of steakhouses....I'd agree with Texas Roadhouse belonging on the list of good places. DSM, indeed has a good one...as does MEM and JAN. I'd also include their similar competitor, Logan's, as a good chain.
I regularly eat at a J. Alexanders in Cleveland and agree that it's pretty good. I've never had a steak there, but the seafood I've ordered has been well prepared.
I have no complaints with the food at Logan's, but the atmosphere gives me heartburn: too bright, too noisy, too many servers running willy-nilly, too focused on table turnover, I hate them having a server go table to table selling gift cards all December-long.