Thank you to you and @corvette_johnny. I think the city trip would be fun. I’m not as concerned about the cost but overall experience.
The Butchers Block is a cool / hip place to have a good (non-steak lol) meal with friends. Example: I couldn’t business entertain there, regardless of byob. It’s a very casual place. Which leaves me further shocked at the price! Lol I don’t mean to beat them up I just think they are riding high on a buzz that cant be maintained going into leaner months. Time will tell I’ve been wrong before!
2 Likes
That.
If that’s your goal then you should include BB in your list of choices. As @NotJrvedivici mentioned, the place has a cool vibe. The owner is welcoming and eager to make sure you enjoy yourself. It’s a byob, so you can bring your own drinks, and the food is good.
3 Likes
What were the prices like on the other steaks? Do you remember?
Thanks! I’m sure we will make it at some point after labor day.
They aren’t marked and they don’t tell you. Lol You just pick a steak they weigh it, take it to the chef and you never are told a price.
1 Like
Fantastic char on that steak! Is it just me or does the marbling look a little weak for a prime Porter?
I can’t attest to the grade of the steaks waiting to be cooked, they might not be prime.
1 Like
Hey pal, you owe me 8 cents and I’m flying up from Houston to collect, first class of course.
1 Like
A place that sells something without listed prices in long branch. Bold.
2 Likes
After reading your review and later comments, I’m having a really hard time understanding why you would even give this place another try. Maybe it’s because I don’t like being ripped off and could care less about cool vibes.
3 Likes
I was going to comment that from your picture of the stacked up steaks, the marbling definitely doesn’t scream “prime” to me…
Ok, so the esteemed @seal coerced me into going back for lunch, so he could “show me how it’s supposed to be done”. We showed up for lunch on Friday around 2pm for a late lunch and once again while not packed, there was a healthy crowd. Following in @seal 's direction after being seated we led ourselves into the butchers room to pick out our steaks. (according to seal they are supposed to measure / weigh in front of you, quote you the price, then you agree and they take to be cooked). We picked a prime-bone in rib eye which was marked at approximately $ 25lbs. It was roughly 24oz. We picked some sausage links as an app and we ordered fries from the waiter as a side. (I also ordered the sprouts to bring home). It should also be noted they had nothing labeled “aged” in the meat case., and to my knowledge they did NOT quote us a price up front.
Long story short, it became a 2 hour debacle of a lunch. The service was horrible, the owners while both there (father and son) nobody ever came to check on us, and we were waiting a looooooong time for the food. The steak was excellent, much better than the “prime aged strip on the bone” I had a few weeks earlier but the service was bad, really bad.
Although Seal said on at least 3 occasions to just bring it out when it’s done, no way the sausage should take as long as the steak, they did course our meal. The first being the sausage, which was delicious but I wish they had hot sausage but they only had sweet. It took 45 mins to get the sausage, then a half hour after that to receive our steak, then 20+ minutes after our steak came our fries. Yes, we were literally done eating when the fries came. We requested the fries at least 3 x’s and each time we were told they were “coming right out”. The fries were also not seasoned with salt or the truffle oil they were supposed to come with.
When we received the fries, I reminded the server to fire our to-go order to which he responded: “i’ll fire them in a few it only takes a couple of minutes”. You guessed it, 20+ mins later we received the sprouts. It was rather discouraging siting in one of the side rooms having the father and son walk back and forth, back and forth and not once stick their head in to see how things were going.
I will let seal speak for himself, but honestly I’m just about over this spot. The steak was fine, good, very good, but I think this is more a vanity project than any sincere dining establishment. There is far better to be had out there for same or better value. Honestly my back is still sore from 2+ hours on the non-movable table and wooden bench we sat on.
Anywho…buyers be ware!!!
10 Likes
Yikes and how much was the final tab?
Honestly the esteemed @seal took me out to lunch for my participation in this failed experiment, so I can say with any certainty, he will have to confirm that himself. I do believe it was fairly reasonable, but I’m not 100% sure.
1 Like
So disappointed in hearing this. Between this and Gabriella’s I was excited for a new era of high end steak in our area only to be let down. I don’t think the BB team knows how to handle the results if the early buzz they got on any manner.
1 Like
The steak really did just cost the same as what their butcher charges. Total tab for steak, sausage, and fries was only $59. The to-go sprouts were their usual $10.
2 Likes
To address @NotJrvedivici s criticisms. It is all true. I was very disappointed in the wait, the chaos that left us frie-less as we ate our steak, and a few other things.
The sad part is that I still like this place. I like most of the food, I like the vibe, and I like the owner. I could have this place humming in no time with a few simple changes, starting with a sausage sandwich on the menu all the time! Those things are awesome.
7 Likes
So do you think I should make the trip from Astoria, NYC?..even though I visit my Sister in law in Toms River?
I suspect there are many better places… like Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Semolina, Aarzu, or…or…others that are worth your time/money right now! (My $.02.)
2 Likes
