Not worth the money! We met friends here in hopes of splurging a bit for a nice dinner. Â I'll give them that the calamari was excellent and the service was solid as well. Â From there it got progressively worse. My wife had their signature salad on which they forgot to put dressing. Â Besides that there was barely anything in it other than greens. Â It basically looked like they opened a salad in a bag. Â Not a big deal normally, but at $14 for a side salad you at least expect it not to be terrible. Â The worst part was the steaks. Â Three of us had the filet and walking out all three of us mentioned a weird almost "rancid" flavor. Â I'm sure they use quality products, but it sure didn't taste it. Â The dessert and sides were all decent, but not nearly enough to save a $100+ per person meal where the steak made you wonder if it was going to make you ill. Â Very disappointing.
Review Source:Came here for a business presentation and Wow!
We had a set menu that started with the New Salad: Wedge salad with bacon, carmelized onions, sunflower seeds, blue cheese dressing and slice of blue cheese. I am not a fan of blue cheese, but I wish I did b/c it looked aaaaamazing. I asked for the lemon balsamic vinaigrette, which was pretty good.
Our dinner options were filet mignon or salmon with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. I asked for my filet to be cooked medium and it was cooked to perfection-a warm pink center Mmmmm. The mashed potatoes were some of the best I've ever had. The green beans crunchy and tasty. Â
For dessert we had the carrot cake and it was the BEST I've ever had (shhh don't tell my future mother-in-law). It was very rich, but super delicious.
Luckily I came for a business presentation so dinner was on them, but honestly it was delicious.
We were extremely disappointed with the service at Flemings. Â We went in for drinks and an appetizer at the bar. Â The bar was very nice. Â We were immediately waited on and served our wine. Â We ordered a brie app. Â If finally arrived, but it was cold. Â We sent it back and we overheard the waiter/waitress (I forget) tell the manager "they thought it was cold" as if we made it up. Â So we waited and waited, to the point we were ready to leave...at least 15 minutes had gone by. Our wine glasses were empty for a period of time. Â No one asked if we wanted another glass of wine nor informed us when we would receive the appetizer. Â It was not due to the bar being busy, but more due to the bartenders socializing with each other. Â We requested our bill, and requested the appetizer be removed, the waitress at that point tells us it takes 10-12 minutes to prepare....well it was much longer than that. Â Sure enough a minute later, the appetizer arrives. Â We tell the waiter, we no longer want it. Â The waitress brings us our check, we try to pay, but once again service is not there, because the bartenders are socializing with each other. Â We found enough cash rather than waiting to charge it.
Review Source:I have to admit, the first time I walked into Flemings for a spontaneous happy hour I walked right out.  It is so dark in there that I was convinced I was walking into a pretentious old boy's club.  A couple weeks ago I received a gift card and took advantage of it last night.  I was wrong to walk out last year!  The dining room while dark, is well appointed and not too crowded.  During our visit we were greeted or served by no less than 6 different people; service is very good but not too intrusive.  The wine menu is extensive and even a little overwhelming for even a sophisticated wine drinker.  Our server talked to us about a couple selections and recommended a very good bottle that was fairly priced.  So not only are they attentive but our waiter immediately had credibility.  The menu has a good selection of steakhouse fare.  We started with calamari which was perfectly cooked - perfectly.  This is not standard calamari, it's got the lightest tempura breading and is flash fried and then sauced with sweet garlic chili.  Do yourself a favor and order this.  We ordered a small plate portion of the short rib, the Newport filet, and sautéed spinach.  Portions were perfect, both were perfectly cooked, and we were happy.  I'll be back for a wine dinner or happy hour in the near future.
Review Source:Hi,
I would like to share the bad experience we had at the restaurant. We went there to celebrate our wedding anniversary, we picked this restaurant for the fine cuisine but nobody ever told us how bad the service was. Our server was Stephanie a very rude woman.
First, she asked us if we wanted something to drink. Â After asking for 3 drinks and not having any I finally found one that was available but our server rudely questioned my choice making a sarcastic comment of the wine I picked, I think this was extremely disrespectful because I wasn't asking for her opinion, it was not my fault that they didn't had any of the other wines I wanted. Then, when my husband ordered a ribeye, again she made another uncomfortable comment about my husband's choice. By this point we wanted to leave, she was ruining our anniversary. But the worst was by the end when it was time to order desserts. When she was telling us the day specials she talked about the chocolate lava cake and I said that sounded pretty good. After our entree, she came and asked my husband if he was getting a dessert and I said "yes, we will get one" and she said exactly this " I know you are getting that, it is already in its way, but what about him?" My husband said we will share one, her comment was "yeah! I guess you can share. "
Terrible experience!! The last thing, we don't understand why they even asked us over the phone if we were celebrating anything because other than the host saying happy anniversary it was never mentioned by any of the staff again. Â What was the point of asking if we were celebrating something special if you don't do anything for it? Â
The food is okay, maybe the server just ruined our night so we couldn't  really appreciate the food.
Dined at Flemings for my birthday....I'm a real steakhouse buff so I wanted to try this restaurant in West Hartford. Â I have eaten at other Flemings in the US and have been very satisfied. Â The steaks at Flemings is as good as it gets they use high quality cuts and cooked to perfection. Â The baked brie appitizer was amazing and the Fleming chopped salad was fresh and just enough flavorful dressing. Â I highly recommend the strip steak...thick and juicy. Â For a desert I had the NY Cheesecake also very good. Â THey have a nice selection of wines but ordering by the glass can get expensive, $15-18 glass and that's good wine at best. Â
I highly recommend this steak house just bring your wallet and a 2nd if you have one as you will need them both.
I would give this place 4 stars but because I was staring at my beautiful wife all night it warrants 5 stars.
Cheers,
Four of us headed to Flemings Steakhouse and Wine Bar on a Saturday night. Â The restaurant was very busy but our reservation had a table waiting right when we arrived. Â
The ambiance is very nice, sort of a cozy but a cool feeling to it. Â Once seated they ask whether you would prefer a black napkin or white to match/not leave fuzz on your pants. There was some eye-rolling at our table over this.
The wine menu is not only written out on the menu, but also available on a tablet with more in depth information about the wines. Â No one at our table is that knowledgeable about wines so it was helpful when guessing what to order (with the waiters help, we did well).
The food was delicious. Â I started out with the French Onion soup as did someone else at our table. Â The other two people had the Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad. Â
Although it is a steak house my main course was the New Bedford Scallops. Â It was wonderful, light and sweet. Â My husband had the petite Filet Mignon, and it was also delicious, we shared our meals. Â Another diner at our table really enjoyed the Salmon and the fourth the Porcini Rubbed Filet Mignon. Â We shared sides of the mushrooms as well as Whipped Potatoes. Â Everyone loved the food. Â For dessert we decided to get one Walnut Turtle Pie. Â We all loved it but agreed it was very rich and sharing it was the way to go.
The biggest drawback to Flemings is that it is located in West Hartford with New York Steakhouse prices. Â I Â knew it was going to be pricey when the menu on line did not show the prices for the food. Â We were all a little shocked at the prices. Â
We will definitely be back to Flemings but will remember that when we leave while our stomachs will be full, our wallets will be empty.
I have been informed that the desserts are all made from scratch...if they are I stand corrected but they seem very big and overly sweet...so it's alomost worse now...they may be made from scratch but they seemed like frozen...while I will comit to changing my review...the desserts were my only down side of the day...they still get four stars
.
Caesar salad was great
Steaks were terrific...very tasty...seasoned and cooked perfectly
Wines...2 bottles...Duckhorn Migration and a non descript Cab...great
Sure the prices are over the top...dessert for four is over $50 ...my only real complaint...for scratch I will pay $10 but not frozen...
Service ...very professional and the waiter did'nt over fill the wine glasses and then immediately ask..."Another bottle?" (But decanting a bottle of wine that wholesales for less than $20 is a bit pretentious.)
Suggestions...way too many menus, electronic tablets, extras listing specials, drinks etc etc ..simplify and the experience will be much more elegant...you guys try too hard and it comes off as silly...not to mention confusing...the menu isn;t that complicated... there was more crap on the table than at home after the Sunday paper gets read.
To that point....
Funny observation...the woman who sat us is holding white and black napkins...so she says "white or black?"...we all sort of look at her ...and I go "what?"...she says.."Some people don't like the lint from the napkins so we offer two colors"...seriously? You're kidding right?
Guys...someone at headquarters is thinking way too hard...put the money into some scratch desserts...
When: Thursday evening
Food: Good salads, liked their fresh mozzarella and sweet tomatoes. Wife got their filet mignon - a good fist size and it was reeeeaaal good. I instantly regretted my pork chop though it tasted fine, the texture was horrible. Recommended cooked as medium (it's pork) this piece of meat came out so dry it was hard to eat. Don't get the pork chop. Why wouldn't I get steak? I went to Texas Roadhouse the night before.
Service: Excellent service, polite and attentive.
Other thoughts: Try to get a booth. Their chairs are pretty upright so you have to sit with near perfect posture. Was told to wear kahkis so I did. Coulda gotten away with jeans and button down. Enter through the door with an F on it, not the one to the right. - that's the place next door.
Wish I could give this place a higher rating but i can't. i might even be rounding up from 2.5 stars. went on a sunday night with my wife and son for their prime rib special. restaurant is very attractive. deep dark wood colors...physically..its a beautiful spot. our waiter appeared new and nervous...his service during the evening was sporadic. appetizer plates not cleared before the main entree  appeared....wife had a glass of pinot ..very small. i ordered their version of a manhattan...color was different than I'm used to...tasted OK but not very potent. The prime rib $37.95 deal would be great IF the entree was any good. salads started fine...chopped salad and the wedge were flavorful. evening faltered badly when the prime rib came out. It didn't have the "look" of a fancy steakhouse piece of meat. tasted a little better than it looked but was bland. they give you three sauces with each piece of meat.....probably to give the entree some flavor. the creamed spinach side might be the worst i've ever tasted. very watery...disappointing.the mashed potatoes as well as the onion rings were quite good. desserts were very good....cheesecake and fruit platter were fresh and were big portions. but the main event was just so "ordinary". ruths chris would have never served a piece of meat like we all got this time around. BTW..parking here is tough with no valet. you can never find a spot on the street so you have to park in a garage in back and its a decent walk to the restaurant. Sure its better than their company owned outback steakhouse...but based on our experience..it can't shine  ruths chris shoes from a culinary and professional point of view.
Review Source:The service is excellent and the staff is very friendly.
We spent some time trying to decide on a bottle of wine and the Wine Pad was interesting. Our server Josh was very patient and helpful in helping us select a bottle.
The steaks we ordered were mediocre. I had the prime rib and my wife had the lite filet mignon. The steaks were not bad but they weren't amazing for the price. I'm used to a nice sear/crust on my steak and these steaks were somewhat "soggy".
For sides my wife had the baked potato and I had onion rings and shoestring fries which were delicious.
For desert we had the molten lava cake which was very good.
Total bill for two steaks, two sides, a bottle of wine and desert was ~ $185. Fairly expensive and would have been worth it if the steaks were enjoyable. I'd come back for drinks/appetizers. But would not come back for steaks.
Overall experience was excellent, but a few points. It was a little too dark with the lighting. Lack of interesting side vegetable dishes is odd, even if consistent with 'classic' steakhouse mentality. Our waiter did an excellent job of pairing wine with our courses.
Most importantly is that while the steak was excellent, many restaurants nowadays do steak very well - without me having to pay $45 just for the steak. I am happy we went and do feel its a good restaurant, but I won't feel the need to go back there just to have superb steak that has nothing to really compliment in on the plate. For about half that price I can have steak that is just as superbly cooked, and comes with seasonal and sublimely prepared vegetables and starch.
Thanks to all the staff who were pleasant during our entire stay, and even gave me a gift box of truffles as a birthday gift as we leftM
I was really impressed by the decorations inside and the atmosphere the place provided. It didn't feel like WH Center once you stepped inside! Very fancy and comfortable.
2 Words: Wine Pad. WHAT? The wine list they give you is an IPAD! You can have them choose wines for you based on what you order, you can ask for favorites, you can browse the entire list, and there's SO much more. It's SO cool. You can even send your wine selection to your friends through email right from the Wine Pad. SO cool. Never seen anything like it.
Food:
+ Appetizers: crab cake- good slightly salty. Mozzarella and tomatoe salad is delicious and light and the balsamic is so refreshingly flavorful.
+ Entrees: Filet minion is the tenderest and the best steak choice, hands down. (They come in 11 oz, 9 oz, or 6 oz). I say the bigger the better! Creamed corn went very well as a side. Slightly spicy because it has jalapenos in it. Peppercorn Steak, lots of peppers on top. Good, not great. We got a Lobster tail on the side (a whopping $25 extra) was great and delicious. They even shell the lobster tail for you-so fancy.
+ Dessert: Chocolate lava cake was the best. It came with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream & homemade chantille cream. Cake was a decent sized single serving cake. It takes 20 mins to prep so they ask you before hand if you want it for dessert.
Service was very nice. We asked a lot of questions and our server was very patient and nice to us.
Overall the experience was really great. It's definitely one of the pricey-er places in WH but I say it was worth the experience. =)
The food here was delicious and although it wasn't "incredible" the service and ambiance makes up for the price. Our waiter was very attentive, he also gave us his card for our next visit. He made recommendations on dishes we would like based on our preferences, and he even offered to give us the happy hour specials at our table. The decoration was also very modern and luxurious. I had the filet but the table next to me ordered a ribeye and it smelled much more flavorful. My date had the chicken and he rated it his go-to dish at Fleming's. I just had to try the creme brulee and it was good (I still think Burton's is hands down the best). This restaurant comes a close second to Ruth Chris.
Review Source:This review is for the Happy Hour Only:
At some point in time each week I get a text from my husband at about 4:30pm asking "want to do happy hour?"
Most times if we're not heading back to Mtown to walk to someplace on Main Street, we're headed to Flemings for their 5 for $6 until 7pm Happy Hour specials.
We always play the same game: he orders the 2 for $6 beer (they mix up their selections) and I get a cocktail or a glass of wine (they mix up the wine selections too). Two Burgers (with cheese, bacon & two giant onion rings), a bowl of their chips for the table, and perhaps another drink before the burgers come.
The burgers. OH the burgers. When I don't feel like waiting around at Plan B, this is where we go. They are ALWAYS cooked perfectly, the bun is the perfect combination of crispy crust but warm delicious center, and the bacon is always crisp.
We also love the Mushroom Ravioli when we're not in a burger mood. And their cocktail list is very creative, my most recent fav is their 100 calorie Tickled Pink martini.
Skip the calamari (it's just ok) and the Apple Brie is like a savory McDonalds Apple Pie..but if that's your thing, it's cool.
*Happy Hour specials are also available on the front deck for your people watching pleasure.
*Ben & Jerry's or Pinkberry within walking distance for some dessert.
The guy and I had a pretty good time here. Â The waiter was magnificent with that nifty little crumb snatcher gadget. Â The greeters whisked us right in and the waiter was attentive (and quite charasmatic) all throughout the night. Â
The food though was not "incredible." Â And I wanted INCREDIBLE for the price. Â
Appetizers: Sweet Chile Calamari and Wicked Cajun Barbeque Shrimp.
The calamari was perfectly golden brown and was seasoned right, flavorful even w/o the sauce. Â The sauce though was more sweet than spicy, good stuff, complimented the calamari nicely. Â The shrimp was cooked perfectly, I just thought they could've been more generous on the size of the shrimp and the barbeque sauce was ok, standard even.. Â
Entrees: Main Filet Mignon (guy) and Petit Filet Mignon (moi). Â I ordered medium well and it was a bit overcooked which is fine but the flavor was too subtle. Â I wanted more a more juicy and savory, melt in your mouth steak. Â I've had better steak in a couple other places beside this, the guy agreed. Â I can admit, we were not adventurous with our menu selections and I figure next time we can be, but I really wanted to taste the basics, I feel if the most basic items are great then the possibilities are endless. Â We ordered the parmesan peppercon mash potatoes and asparagus, again just ok. Â I'm known to do a really good mashed potato so my standards are high, especially at Fleming's price point.
The highlight was the cocktail, the Moulin Rouge was amazingly perfect and I got quite the buzz from it, yay for that. Â When there are no children around, it's all about the buzz.
That brings me to the price. Â This all came to about $170, tip included. Â When I go out I like to spend that kind of money on food that I cannot top with my kick ass culinary skills (I kid I kid, but no really). Â So as the ambiance and the service were A+, the food left me wishing Fleming's were something more. Â
I will go back though. Â I have my eye on that porcini mignon w/ gorgonzola sauce.
I love Flemings!! The food is always delicious! Yes the prices are expensive but the steaks are worth it. The Mac and cheese is to die for! I mostly go for happy hour, the prices are very reasonable, and the food is awesome! The small plates, big
Pours are a way to get a sample of the menu without breaking the budget!
This review is for businesses that are planning on doing an event at Flemings. Â To be fair, the food every time I have gone there has been good along with the service. Â However, I have gone to about 6 business event lunches with at least 25 people at each event and whoever is the manager for these events has no idea how to run business lunches...just awful. Â Each time the events are scheduled for 90 minutes, and never, not once, have they ever been able to properly serve a simple 3 course meal. Â Whether it is that the entrees are cold, they come out too late, wrong food delivered to wrong tables, etc...and the worst part is that I have never gotten dessert at any of these events! Â They have always been served after the 90 minutes and I had to leave; which is too bad because their desserts are excellent. Â I mean come on; you can't serve a 3 course business lunch within 90 minutes...really?
Review Source:Overpriced and average at best. Both the local Morton's and Ruth's Chris are better for the money you'll be spending, though advantage to Fleming's in terms of location at the head of Blue Back Square in beautiful West Hartford center, the preferred downtown for the greater Hartford region.
Review Source:Very expensive and upscale restaurant. I wouldn't go here except I got invited by some pharm company so I went. I ordered lamb chops and creme brulee. Both were excellent. Service was good and staff was friendly. I guess the ambiance made it expensive. Would recommend this place for a special occasion but not for a simple casual dinner because it is very expensive
Review Source:The steak here is delicious. The happy hour selection at the bar is also amazing. If you're looking to spend a lot on dinner, and love steak, then this place is a great option. There are few places in the area to get a steak as good as Flemings. Grants, Max Downtown, Mortons and Ruths Chris are comparable. I believe their happy hour is 5 appetizers for $6 until 7PM which include seared ahi tuna, delicious burgers, carpaccio, and a few others I'm forgetting at the moment. They also have decent drink specials with I believe Absolut Vodka or beers which are priced well during Happy Hour.
Enjoy.
We decided to go here for my 13 yr wedding anniversary and were not disappointed. The service was A+, the food was excellent and the prices were ok. I got the bone in strip steak, it was excellent, cooked to a perfect medium rare. The bonus is their outside seating, which non of their competitors offer,,must be the California heritage
I much prefer this place over Morton's steak house and Ruth Chris
I've been to Fleming's Steakhouse several times. The reason I didn't give them 5 stars is because I feel like it's too expensive. However, there are two ways to get a great meal there and still come out not feeling ripped off.
1) HAPPY HOUR is excellent. We went there with a bunch of friends and ordered everything. Great wine specials too.
2) If you love Prime Rib, they have a great Sunday dinner that comes with a salad, side, prime rib, and dessert. Well worth the price.
If you join the Fleming's mailing list, they might send you $50 off your next visit.
Went to Fleming's on Wed. Â service was good. Â mashed potato was good. creamed spinach was good. Â Unfortunately, stead was bad. Â filet came out lukewarm and devoid of any flavor. Â How can this be called a steakhouse if they don't have a good steak. Â needless to say, will not be going back
Review Source:So I took my fiance here for his birthday because like all other men in this world, he loves a great steak. First of all a reservations are a must. I made reservations a couple days in advance and we were seated immediately (unlike other places where you make reservations and you still have to wait) and of course this was in the middle of a very irrate customer who apparently had been waiting for over a hour...so I felt a little bad. They apparently never fill the restaurant to capacity in the dining area as there were always empty tables and I must say I like it because it made the dining area much quieter and easier to have conversation...although the upset customer may not have liked it since he;s standing there staring at empty tables!
Now on to the food, we got the calamari...is one word, delicious! The shrimp was eh ok, slightly overcooked,I do not like my shrimp on the rubbery side. My filet was perfect and so was my fiance's new york strip, but our side was not my favorite. We ordered the fleming's potatoes, which tasted like they had been reheated about 20 times. Dessert, the creme brulee, was the best I ever had. As other have mentioned of course the wine selection is fantastic, a little difficult to not go nuts ordering a bunch of different ones. The service was top notch, very attentive and knowledgeable staff.
Overall a great steak, great service, but some of the sides/appetizers can use some tweaking.
Went to Flemings on Monday night. Â The restaurant is a dark room which kind of typifies the steak house feel. Â I thought the layout was a little bit crowded and therefore made it a little bit louder then I appreciate.
The restaurant has an extensive wine list but I stuck with a beer. Â Started with the calamari appetizer. Â It was a decent size order and cooked perfectly with a sweet tangy chili sauce. Â My only complaint was I thought there was a little too much sauce. Â For my entree I ordered the bone in rib eye with creamed spinach and grilled asparagus as sides. Â The steak was cooked perfectly as should be but it wasn't the best steak I've ever had. Â That distinction belongs to Peter Lugers. Â It was still a good steak however. Â The creamed spinach was excellent (actually like it better then Lugers) and the asparagus was good but nothing special. Â Didn't really save room for dessert. Â Overall the food was good but nothing that said WOW especially for the price of the meal.
I thought service was extremely disappointing for a white table cloth restaurant. Â There was nothing blatantly horrendous but for the prices they charge they should have executed better. Â Our waiter seemed to be a rookie and disappeared for periods at a time. Â It took a while for a drink refill to be ordered. Â Actually it wasn't even the waiter that took that order, it appeared to be one of the managers. Â Pacing was also off. Â It wasn't an extremely busy Monday but it seemed to take forever between receiving appetizers to getting our steaks.
All in all it was an OK experience. Â I got a $50 gift card in the mail so that's why I tried Flemings. Â The food was fine but the service was substandard. Â I understand that Flemings is a chain restaurant but the dining experience doesn't live up to the prices that they charge. Â I probably won't return in the near future unless I get another gift card.
In a word...excellent. Â The wine menu is massive and kind of overwhelming to a wine novice like myself but the server was very knowledgeable and helpful in guiding us on what to choose. Â The filet was superb - perfectly cooked to my preference and incredibly juicy. Â The sides are big enough to share so just get one if it's two of you. Â The tuna was delicious and we were surprised at the size of the portion (2 big pieces!). Â We also tried the calamari - very different as it's in a sweet sauce, but tasty.
Great ambiance, great food, great service. Â Definitely worth it! Â Make reservations because without them you might not get in. Â AND you get free champagne when it's your birthday!
I went to Fleming's on Saturday July 3, 2010 with a friend for steaks.  I'll start with the positives.  The building and the décor are wonderful.  The woman who took my reservation was very friendly as were the 3 women who greeted us when we arrived.  One curious thing about our reservation was that I asked for a 7pm reservation and was told there were no more spots available but she had "one" at 6:45 and 7:30.  I chose 7:30.  I don't think the restaurant was more than one-quarter filled the entire night.
We started with fried calamari. Â It was in a sweet-tangy sauce that was fine; however the squid were swimming in it. Â It should have either been drizzled over the top, served on the side, or both.
Next came the Caesar salads. Â We were brought chilled salad forks. Â Nice touch. Â Sadly the cold fork was the highlight of the salad. Â A proper Caesar salad needs anchovies (particularly true for those served in a steakhouse). Â Some people prefer them on top of the salad as mini-filets, I prefer them coarsely chopped as part of the dressing. Â There were no little fishes present in any form.
Both my friend and I ordered the bone-in Rib-eye. Â It was a colossal disappointment. Â The only positive thing I can say about it was that they cooked in properly; my medium-rare stead was appropriately red in the middle. Â Both steaks were less than an inch thick. Â This most flavorful of cuts was devoid of any real flavor. Â My steak was surrounded by a thick layer of rubbery fat (not the good kind of fat that almost seems to melt when you cut it) that accounted for about a third of the total "meat". Â I don't see our steaks could have been the prime cuts described in the menu. Â I am happy to pay a premium for premium food, but after paying $45 for that piece of meat, I felt like one of those kids in the Ally Bank commercials; it just isn't fair. Â When we communicated our displeasure with our steaks to our waiter, he was surprised but not particularly apologetic.
One more positive; the blue cheese mashed potatoes were very good.
We chose Fleming's because we wanted some atmosphere and were bitterly disappointed. Â We had far better steaks a few months back when we to Ruth's Chris on the decidedly less fashionable Berlin Turnpike. Â Â In mentioning our Fleming's experience to friends and co-workers we heard similar stories of less than stellar food.
I don't know how long they can continue to survive charging Sparks' prices for Chili's caliber food.
I've been a loyal, semi-regular customer of Fleming's in West Hartford Center for about a year and a half now. Â I just recently started dating someone who works there, and would like to voice that as a disclaimer but, nonetheless I had been coming here for about a year and a half before we got together, so I still think my opinion isn't too biased...
I went here for the first time to celebrate my birthday with my mom, just the two of us. Â We sat in the dining room and ordered champagne- it arrived in stemless flutes, which I thought were just lovely. Â We had a really nice meal (it was so long ago I forget what we ordered... and I think the menu has changed a bit since we went), and the service was excellent. Â (By the by, if they know you're celebrating a birthday, they give you a card to end your meal. Â Well, I just found out last night that now, not only do you get a card, you also get a little gift box of four truffles! Â And they were big and delicious!) Â However, the price tag was steep and so I thought of Flemings as a place reserved for special occasions only. Â
Well, shortly after I was there for my birthday, they began to have happy hour, which is awesome. Â It's offered in the bar area only- it's called 5 for 6 till 7: 5 different cocktails, 5 different appetizers, and 5 different wines by the glass which all cost $6 each from open (5 pm) until 7 pm. Â At 6:55pm you can order a delicious and fantastic beef carpaccio for $6. Â At 7:02 pm, that very same carpaccio- same portion, same ingredients, same presentation- will cost you something like $14.95; this happy hour is a serious deal.
As for the regular eats, they have a really great caesar salad, and they always have a seasonal prix fixe menu which is an appetizer, entree, and dessert for around forty bucks. Â If you know anything about the prices in the dining room, that's pretty much a steal. Â Also, always ask for the specials, they're definitely good. Â As for other menu items, I've had the pork chop (really delicious, and I rarely eat pork), scallops which are fantastic, the best burger in my life (literally), and a myriad of other choices. Â The boyfriend ordered a petite filet which was buttery, cooked perfectly, and just hit the spot. Â We also got spinach (ask for it sauteed with garlic) and a side of mushrooms which were divine. Â I've never had anything I didn't like. Â Desserts are good and all come with a side of chantilly cream, which is some pretty tasty whipped cream.
You can't go wrong at Flemings for service and for really great food. Â You're definitely going to pay for it (unless you do happy hour), but I believe it's absolutely worth it. Â FYI: happy hour fills up quickly so either get there right as they open, or come at 6:30 or so for your best shot at seats.
I consider myself a bit of a steakhouse connoissieur, and I was excited when I heard a Fleming's was opening in West Hartford. Â So far I've eaten there only once, but this was my experience:
Nice ambiance, friendly staff. Â Our waitress was a little too in-your-face for my liking, though she was nice. Â Too bad we didn't see much of her throughout the night. Â OK, fine, I'll be honest - she kind of sucked.
Onto the food. Â Diners are treated with homemade bread chips and various spreads prior to their meal -- delicious! Â The bread basket that accompanied dinner was delicious as well: whole grain, nice crunchy crust with a soft, warm center. Â Served as a loaf, so you have to "break your own bread." Â I ordered the filet, which was really quite good and cooked well. Â One thing that really bothers me about a lot of steakhouses is the chefs' constant urge to add various unnecessary sauces or spices to meat. Â I like to taste my filet, not copious amounts of butter (like Ruth's Chris) or pepper (various other restaurants). Â The sides our table ordered--spinach and mushrooms--were delicious. Â I really can't rave enough about the mushrooms! Â Earthy, garlicky, simply wonderful! Â Oh, and they have a GREAT wine selection, as well!
The desserts were very good too. Â Be warned, though, if you want the molten chocolate cake you have to order it early because it takes 20 minutes to prepare.
Overall, the place was decent. Â It was pretty empty for 6 p.m. on a Sunday night of a holiday weekend, which worries me. Â But with places like Morton's to compete against, who can really blame you? Â I'd go there again, however, I just hope I don't get the same airheaded waitress.
I was let down by Fleming's. Â The place has the steakhouse look and feel... lots of wood, lots of dark colors, and lots of wine bottles. Â Our waitress was very friendly and attentive without being annoying. Â I commented on the giant wine glasses and she told us a story about how they were made for the White House or something... of course that may just be corporate mandated small-talk that every employee receives in their training.
When the food arrived, I was glad to see my new york strip cooked as it was ordered, however the quality of the meat was just not there for me. Â It what somewhat stringy, which is not acceptable for an expensive steakhouse. Â Our sides, mash potatoes and mushrooms, were excellent. Â Since the steak is the main attraction, it couldn't save the meal. Â There's plenty of other choices for a good steak, and other local favorites like J. Gilbert's and Max's Downtown destroy this place.
Our steaks were overcooked and for what we paid that is just unacceptable.
The portobello mushroom steak fries were awesome. We also had the asparagus, parsnip plate, and the random shoe string fries which we never ordered. We suspect the waitress overheard us talking about them and decided to sell us more food by just bringing a serving over. The bread was fantastic and included great spreads, some tapenade of sorts and crisps.
Our server was good but, again, either she screwed up how we wanted our steaks cooked or the kitchen just overcooks everything.
I was very pleased with the wine list.
We are sticking with our j.Gilberts in the future.
I generally opt for a local choice over a chain, but curiosity and a craving for red meat (!) drew me to Fleming's. Â It was a nice experience and I'll give them another shot at more stars in the future.
The entry is classic steakhouse decor these days: dark, woody, clubby. Â We skipped the dining room and enjoyed what had to have been one of the summer's most perfect evenings at a table on the terrace facing Main Street.
Our very friendly waitress was quick to take our drink order, but service went downhill from there. Â She was friendly, but forgetful. Â We waited for VERY long intervals between drink order and drinks; between dinner order and salad service; and again between salad service and delivery of entrees. Â I don't know how many tables she had to cover, but this is an EXPENSIVE place, and I think the service should equal the food in quality. Â And the food was very good.
My Manhattan Cocktail (yum!) was well-made and generous in size. Â A starter that Fleming's offers to all diners was a pleasant and tasty surprise: a plate of thinly sliced, buttered toast pieces, accompanied by a champagne brie and a cabernet-infused olive tapenade. Â Delicious.
My friend and I both had Wedge Salads. Â They were an excellent representation of the species, with truly good blue cheese, crisp lettuce, sweet grape tomatoes and tasty red onion. Â The chilled salad fork is a nice touch. Â Not sure how vital, but I love when places make a fuss. :)
I ordered a New York Strip, rare; my friend a Rib Eye, medium. Â Both arrived sizzling on their fiery hot porcelain plates. Â We agreed that they were delicious. Â It was clearly quality beef and cooked by someone who knows how. Â We split an order of shoestring potatoes, which were perfect: match stick thin and dusted with pepper and salt. Â The portion could have fed everyone on the terrace and perhaps a few passers-by.
Unable to finish our dinners, we skipped desserts, but they sounded enticing, if limited. Â Again, your typical steakhouse choices - indulgent chocolate, a fruit (peach) cobbler/pie, creme brulee, et cetera.
So, two entrees, one side, one cocktail and one soda. Â Tab, with tip? Â $150. Â This won't be a regular Thursday dinner for me. Â I still think local favorite, Max Downtown, provides the overall most pleasant steakhouse experience for me without being solely a steakhouse. Â And it's a tad less expensive.
But if my service experience improves next time, this place will go on my list of swank-feeling places to indulge a meat craving, to feel like a powerful grown-up or to take someone you want to feel special.
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