Jennifer S.
Yelp
My husband and I wanted to love Council Oak so badly that we came with higher expectations than we probably should for a bustling casino restaurant.
We dine out often and we trade off between fine dining establishments and places some may consider to be hidden gems. When we decided to make reservations for my husbands birthday we chose Council Oak because he loves dry aged ribeye and we had not visited this particular restaurant yet. We were spending the evening at Hard Rock and figured it was a good choice.
We checked in prior to our 7 pm reservations and waited about 10 minutes or less to be escorted to our table. The restaurant was much larger than i anticipated and did not have a romantic ambience. Our table faced the boardwalk and I had a view of the Ferris wheel, which was nice.
We were promptly greeted and asked if we wanted bottled or tap. A short while later our server came to see if we wanted any specialty cocktails. We asked for a cocktail menu and he left to grab it along with food for another table. Once he brought the menu he gave us time to peruse. We both ordered a specialty cocktail and bread was brought to the table as well. The bread was reminiscent of a salty pretzel with dense dough and I wasn't mad at it. We ate several.
We started with the Maryland crab cake, which was a lump crab cake with little filler, over a Dijon mustard sauce. We both would give it a 7/10. It was pretty good. Not blow me away I must order this again good, but nice.
For our entrees I got the filet mignon with bernaise and my husband did the dry aged ribeye. We also did the lobster Mac and cheese and the bacon brussels sprouts special.
My steak was cooked perfectly. However, our Mac and cheese was room temp, and didn't have the flavor of lobster or any lobster visible. The flavor wasn't bad but it just could have been warmer if not hot. The Brussels would have been better roasted rather than steamed, and they were also not hot.
However, we did not bother telling our server as we only like to send things back when there is an actual major problem.
The server was very kind and did a great job. He tried getting my husband to order dessert since it was his birthday but he was too full. So our server brought out a complimentary bunt cake. I don't want to review it because I don't like to look a gift horse in the mouth or whatever the saying is
We decided to take our leftovers with us ( to see if the Mac would be better heated later) and they brought the containers to the table for us to package everything ourselves. This is probably a Covid protocol that stayed, but usually at diner dining establishments they do it for you. Again, no biggie. We aren't helpless.
I just was expecting a bit more as far as food and experience and was left feeling like it was all just okay.