Chuck's Roadhouse Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Welland

Where do I even start with this adventure of culinary confusion? If it weren't for Pat, the hero manager, this review would be down in the one-star gutter with Jenny's customer service skills (we'll call her Jenny , as we didn't know her real name).

So, we show up for a 13-person birthday celebration. I’ll admit, this wasn't my choice (my previous visit already set the bar in the basement for Chuck's). We let our server, Jenny, know we’d like to split the bill across four groups, and she tells us, “That’s a later problem.” Alright, Jenny. I love the optimism!

Fast forward, and "later" is a problem all right. Jenny’s strategy of yelling orders from one end of the table like it’s an auction doesn’t exactly work out. People were hollering orders like it’s the stock market, and just when you think she’s got it down, she darts off—mid-order—leaving the person in the middle totally forgotten.

The appetizers arrive, leaving our table looking like a battlefield with empty plates and glasses...which just stayed there, forever. I thought surely someone would clear the debris before 13 entrees showed up. Nope. Instead, we had to start stacking empty plates like it’s Jenga just to make room for the next round.

Jenny has four helpers to bring out entrees, and it’s a free-for-all. They’re all just yelling orders and slapping plates down wherever they fit. Jenny finally appears and tells her team, “Just put the plates anywhere, it’s not that hard.” Jenny, there are people in costumes here – Johnny Zuko, Olivia Newton-John ,Stevie Nicks, Vanilla Ice, Tupac, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, Micheal Jackson, Freddie, Mercury etc.,– it shouldn't have been hard had you have identified your customers.

Johnny Zuko’s steak was charred like it went through a meteor shower, but Jenny assures him, “It is what it is.” Then she asks if he’s taken a bite yet—are you gonna pass that around to someone else? Stevie Nicks finally gets her rock hard filet mignon, but by then, her appetite had walked out the door with the first round of misdelivered orders. It took 13 minutes of hide and go seek and show and tell to deliver the entrees.

Shoutout to Pat, though. He swooped in, took care of Vanilla Ice’s ribeye on the bill, and tried to salvage Stevie’s meal. Class act! But Jenny? She couldn’t give Pat a break either, treating him like he’s the one who left the table a disaster. Pat deserves a raise just for dealing with her.

Chuck’s, I understand you’re not the Ritz, but this was giving Golden Corral vibes, and not in a good way. The fries were as stale as a senior prom corsage, and every bread item was so overcooked, it practically disintegrated. How did Vanilla Ice’s meal come out perfect? If you can do it for one, you can do it for 13. Maybe get a few more kitchen staff to pull it off?

Two stars: one for Pat and one for our Halloween costumes that added some fun to this trainwreck. Jenny, I left my tip for you here in this review—hopefully, it helps more than my...

Answer that Steak Craving with a visit to Chuck’s Roadhouse.

I have been craving steak lately and have been eating out some. So I went to the Chuck's Roadhouse in Welland. A friend had suggested we go to the St. Catharines' location of this cooperate steakhouse, circa 1995. But after he made his recommendation, he took a rain check and I was left to fend for myself.

The bright and efficient staff that greeted me at the Welland Location desk worked together and seated this lonely diner. I was given a booth in the middle of the action. Not shunted off to a corner. They asked what I wanted and I chose the sports side.

It was a good crowd for a 2020 covid, stage 2 Friday night. Everybody was having a good time and being careful and considerate. Gayle was my server. She brought my Rickard’s Red draft beer straight away and my Mozzarella Sticks. The beer was cold and cheap ($5) and the cheese was warm and gooey. ($10). Before I tucked in I was brought my cutlery and napkins. The dip was wet and it all shmecked gut.

I had the presence of mind to wait until I was finished my app to order my steak. Gayle, clearly a model of efficiency and care, would most certainly have ordered up and expedited my entree lickety-split. So if I wanted any time to myself to enjoy the app and beer before my NY Strip ($17) and my Shiraz ($10), I would have to halve my order in two.

My dinner presented well. The char on the steak and the corn (the only vegetable option available) promised some succulence to come. The AAA steak was a good cut and the potion was bigger than I expected. The smattering of fries was a little tired, but they were warm and not the main event anyway.

I used to love Wildfire in St. Catharines. And I still love the Keg. Mostly it’s the service that counts. Friendly and competent help can be found in good restaurants and I found friendly, competent help at Chucks Roadhouse in Welland.

Their signature steak is a Porterhouse and I am going to go back to have one, one day. Today, I can tell you the Strip was decent , the corn was succulent and I finished every last bite of them both.

When I told Gayle that I was enjoying my dinner (even though it was cooked medium, instead of my medium rare) she looked me straight in the eye and said, "Can I replace it? I want you to be happy with your steak".

So, Service 5 Food 4 Ambiance 4.5 Value 4.5

I'll take my pal to the St. Catharines location and check that out one day also. Ontario Street. The old Wildfire Building has a different vibe.

Next time...

Went the evening of November 2nd. My niece and I were seated at 10:53pm and our server didn’t come by the table until 11:09pm. We got our drink orders in while we waited for our friend to come join us. The server came back at 11:15pm when we then had our food order taken along with our friend ordering herself a drink. We ordered Steak & lobster, appetizer of nachos, wings & flatbread. Another 20 minutes to by before the food had even come out. Everything was served minus the flatbread, no napkins, cutlery or condiments were given to us until another 8 minutes before the server came back. I had asked if the flatbread was coming out to which I was told “yes”. Another 10, minutes go by when I finally received it. It was hard as a rock! Waited for the server to come back to our table to notify her and ask for a new one to be made. It was taken back and re-made to which you could hear the kitchen bell being slammed aggressively. The server brought the flatbread and notified my table that the kitchen was “annoyed”. I apologized. My friend didn’t even want to tell our server that her nachos were overdone. It just had chicken and cheese on them but again you took a bite and it felt like your tooth was going to rip out.

Upon receiving my “fresh” new flatbread, it was still hard as a rock! I didn’t even bother trying to ask for yet another one to be made because the server already explained the kitchen was already “annoyed” and our server was sitting in the booth behind us on her phone and chatting with another coworker!

I love this restaurant so much as their apps are my all time favourite, however tonight’s service and food quality was extremely disappointing. I’m sad I spent almost $80 with tip for such poor service and not fresh food.

Didn’t even get to keep the receipt with our servers name on it as the bill was paid she had taken all receipts. She had faded dyed hair in a messy pony tail is the only description we have 😞

Guess I’ll be making the 25 minute trip to the Niagara Falls location from now...