Disappointing Dining at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner
 

A friend of ours hosted a nice party in the private dining room at Mestro last night (Saturday). We decided to use that as an excuse for a little weekend getaway, and stayed at the RC all weekend. The room was great, the hotel staff was generally fantasic, the breakfast buffet was wonderful, and even a room service lunch was delicious. But our two dinner experiences were underwhelming.

Friday night we ate at The Steak House. I must say that the "team" service worked great here--we were well attended through the entire meal. The French onion soup and the lobster macaroni & cheese appetizer were quite good. My wife had the horseradish-crusted seabass quich was actually quite tasty, but the side items were dry and bland. I had the crab cakes which were passable. Not much crab, but the Hawaiian sweet potatoes were great. Dessert was weak--she had panna cotta and I had vodka-soaked berries. The panna cotta was the consistency of wall spackle and about as tasty. The berries were actually dry and not very fresh. I guess we left feeling underwhelmed because things went downhill from the start of the meal to the end, and because we expect so much from a Ritz-Carlton restaurant. I also learned a lesson I joked about before the meal began: when you're eating in a place called "The Steak House," it's probably a good idea to order steak. ;)

The even bigger disappointment was Maestro. Again, our expectations were high as this is a AAA 5-diamond restaurant that is often reviewed as one of if not the best restaurant in the mid-Atlantic region. We had a five-course dinner with two or three choices for each course, plus wines. There were 14 people in the private room, which is the maximum. I won't review the food specifically, but will just say that there was a lot of discussion about how uninteresting it was. My overall impression was that the chef has put all his effort into presentation but has forgotten about taste.

But it was the service that really shocked me. One problem was that only one waiter was assigned to the room of 14 guests. Others did help with serving each course, but the one waiter was incapable of keeping wine and water glasses full. He also had a huffy attitude, and acted as if requests were a total imposition on him. As an example, one woman asked if there was any kind of bread available other than the sourdough. He said no, but luckily a manager stopped in at one point to ask how everything was going. This woman said that it would have been nice to have more varieties of bread available, to which the manager replied that there were 7 or 8 different kinds--which would you like? (That's the kind of response the waiter should have given.) I asked for a slice of lime for my sparkling water, and he finally dropped off a dried-out piece about 30 minutes later. And to top it off, all evening long people kept having the wrong items delivered to them. With only two or three choices per course, this was inexcusable.

Were my expectations too high? Probably. If I recalibrate my thinking to consider the Ritz-Carlton simply a high-end Marriott then most of my complaints wither away as insignificant. But I won't be able to think of Maestro as anything but an overrated, overpriced restaurant.

While its a little unfair to equate the Ritzs with high-end Marriott's across the board, it probably is true for the second tier Ritzs that are in suburban locations like Tyson's Coner (and probably Pentagon City too even though they have an outstanding brunch)

Sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience at Maestro.

The RC Tysons Corner is certainly a second-tier Ritz, though incrementally better than Pentagon City.

Sounds like your meal at The Steakhouse was about what I'd expect. But that the Maestro problems began with having only one waiter assigned to your party. That's a huge blunder even if the waiter was especially talented, 14 people is simply too many for a single person to serve. And no doubt the service blunders colored the perception of everything else about the evening.

I'm a bit surprised to hear the chef's food there described as unflavorful, you may be the first person I've ever heard have that comment, but I don't know what you ate or what your particular tastes run like. Could have been of course that your dishes were coming off the station of a new member of the kitchen staff and for some (inexcusable) reason they weren't properly supervised. Hard for me to believe, but conceivable I suppose. Full disclosure: mrs. gleff used to cook there, but if anything that should bias me against the place (since how could they possibly prepare a good meal without my wife there? :D ;) )

According to Zagat, Maestro is the most expensive restaurant in the DC area with a per person cost of $98, beating out Citrionelle by $18. I do not consider that a second tier restaurant.

I have stayed in about 10 RC's. I have yet have the good fortune to stay in one that is first tier. I find them big boxes full of corporate award groups, with food, service and attitude to match.

I have had 3 or 4 excellent meals at the TC RC, but all before the advent of Maestro. I do not know if Maestro is a RC restaurant, or a privately held lease out.

Sorry to hear about the food at Maestro being uninteresting. I thought the food was quite good last time I was there, back in 2004. The service, however, was quite slow.

I was there for three nights last week. Maestro is closed for dinner until after Labor Day. Ate at the Steakouse one night. Thought is was ok. We had bottled water at the table, and a busboy starts refilling everyone's water glasses with tap water. One of my tablemates went to the mens room during dinner and stated that it was "major" housekeeping issues.

Went down two nights later around 8 and the manager said "I am going to level with you, it will be at least an hour to get your dinner tonight". The whole thing seemed to be a second class operation.

We had the same experience with the private dining room earlier this year. Service was a bit slow, the food was over salted and we had a few mix-ups on what was ordered & what was served.

Maybe the main dining room is a better choice, but we won't be hosting private parties there again.

Cheers,
Jeff

Thanks for sharing your similar experience, Jeff.

I had forgotten all about this post, but seeing it bumped reminded me. A couple of months ago (which was a couple of months after the meal in question) I got a call out of the blue from the manager of Maestro. The whole thing was kind of strange, as he didn't identify himself right away (I had to pry out of him who he was and who he represented) and his English was very poor. He asked what was wrong with my meal and, although he listened politely, he pointed out that he hadn't gotten any complaints from any of the other guests at the private party, that he ran one of the top-rated restaurants in the area, etc., etc. It was a pretty poor apology, as I can't even recall if the word "sorry" was ever used. He also seemed surprised to find out that I was not the host of the event (you would think he would have had this information straight before calling me), because he had been planning to extend some financial recompense. I had the distinct impression he though the only reason I was complaining was to get money back. In any event, since he couldn't refund me money I hadn't spent, he said that he "made a note in my record" so that they could do something special for me the next time I dine there.

Based on the surreal nature of the whole call, I don't know whether to take that as a good thing or not!

I have not eaten in the RC since it became Mastero. However, my most dissappointing meals have come at Galelio, Kinkead, Taberna de Alabardero, ruth christ, & a couple other steak houses. I just don't understand all that hype about those places. Maybe they fire up the old skillet when the reviewer comes by.

I recall a particular event at the Jefferson hotel when we waited the wine dinner for over 45 minutes for the arrival of the "unknown" wash post reviewer. at that time, the chef there was the darling of the reviewer. He has since disappeared into oblivion.

I will agree wholeheartedly about Galileo, Kinkead's, any Ruth's Chris, and will add Citronelle, Colvin Run Tavern, and I Ricchi to the list of DC disappointments. I think that sometimes a restaurant gets a reputation for excellence, and then despite obvious drops in service and food quality everyone is afraid to say that the emperor has no clothes. But then one reviewer dares utter the truth, and suddenly everyone comes out of the woodwork to say what an awful place such-and-such has become.

I will use reviews and reputation to help me select new restaurants to try, but I then judge them by (as much as possible) impartial standards. And I'll generally give anyplace one bad meal, chalking it up to luck of the draw. Two bad meals, though, and it's all over. There are enough wonderful places out there that there's no need to keep patronizing proven losers.

Interesting. I generally am satisfied with Ruth's Chris. I'm there for the meat not the experience or the service, so I might be easier to please. I've had nothing but good experiences at i Ricchi. It is just down the street from my office and I have been there several times. Usually we are spending a good chunk of change, maybe that helps on the service side (although it should make no difference). You are more generous than I. 1 bad meal and I'm out. I'll go back with a group or if someone else wants to go there, but not if I'm choosing.

Hmmm...

That's a strange list of disappointments, with the strangest being Maestro IMO. Thanks for mentioning it though as it frames up the perspective in this thread very well.

As a usually anti-DC food person from NYC I have no qualms about telling my most snooty of fellow NYC foodies that Maestro is better than anything NYC has to offer at that price +25%. That is a big statement, but I believe in it 100%.

Had similar experience there earlier this year... then I made the mistake of look up the Maestro's health inspection report.... :( Link to Maestro's recent health inspection report

The next night we went to the Morton's(about 2 minutes away). Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think it was better than the Maestro. :eek:

http://www.healthspace.ca/Clients/VD...722&Count=1000

my god, to have to deal with .......s like this on a daily basis..

a lightbulb is out!!!

the handwashing facility was blocked!!!(a cart was probably in the way)

read these items. this is insane. if you think this is unclean, never never eat out.

Maestro employees are employees of Ritz-Carlton.