Noah Grant's

Noah Grant's is an intimate steakhouse and oyster/ sushi bar in an old home or storefront in Zionsville. It has a certain amount of charm, but the sushi bar part doesn't seem to "fit" with the oyster and steak offering.

We were seated immediately, which was nice, but our table for 5 was right next to the only bathroom, and across from the bar. It was certainly a popular area to walk by, and my chair was being bumped by servers and patrons alike all night. I couldn't really scootch in, either, because it was a high-top table and I couldn't touch the ground.

But, enough with the bad and on with the good. Plungerhead was a fantastic, fruity/smoky Zinfandel. Edamame was only lightly salted (or rather, unevenly salted) so a little disappointing, but enough to tide us over while we decided on the drunken naked clams, which were rich and buttery. Our dozen oysters (Blue Point, Cavendish, and Conaway) were slurped up quickly, each different type being proclaimed the favorite by various family members - always a great sign.

Main courses were perfect. The birthday girl (my mother) has the stomach capacity of a small child, so she ordered only the lobster bisque and said it was rich, creamy , and filling. My bourbon peppercorn filet was tender but maybe a touch more than medium rare (but perfectly paired with the sauce...not a drop went uneaten). I had food envy with the seafood risotto, and the sushi looked delicious too (but again, just a bit out of place). I wouldn't recommend the lobster mac and cheese, just because there were maybe two large pieces of lobster and the rest was pasta - which is ok, but not if you're taking the menu's advice and sharing between 5.

Desserts almost stole the show. The birthday treat was a butter cake that was phenomenal. Really. I want that again, right now. I also enjoyed my berry crisp a la mode...as evidenced by the fact that I ate the entire thing by myself (definitely not my mother's daughter).

Our server was friendly, patient, ready with recommendations, and quick to clear up a snafu with the bill. I'd highly recommend Noah Grant's if you are looking for a fancy night out, or just a nice intimate dinner.

My husband and I had reservations at Noah Grant's to celebrate my birthday.  Our whole experience made me think of the old Seinfeld episode.  It's not about taking the reservation, it's about keeping the reservation.  We arrived and were told that our table was not yet ready.  We were seated in the bar and then told the hostess would come and get us when our table was ready.  After two drinks (and mine was terrible) and thirty minutes, my husband went to follow up with the teenage hostess.  She said she thought we had made a reservation to sit in the bar.  She was clearly making excuses and our frustration level grew as we were seated at a table that had been open since we walked in the restaurant.  It was at that point we decided to leave.

My husband went to the bar to pay for our drinks and asked for a manager.  The bartender was apologetic, but said that they didn't have a manager.  She comped our drinks and offered us a $50 gift card, which was appreciated.

At that point, we walked down the street to Friendly Tavern and had great service and food.  I guess it goes to show that you shouldn't necessarily expect great service just because a restaurant is expensive.  Thanks Noah Grant's for spoiling my birthday dinner.

Shortly after my review, the owner sent me a message to apologize for our experience with the oysters and offered a gift card.  A couple of days later we received a gift card in the mail.  She is clearly focused on providing her customers a good experience and is sensitive to her social media image.  We'll give Noah Grant's another try.