Dillingers 1903 Steak and Brew — Restaurant in Makati

Disappointing Decline Post-Renovation

Dillinger’s used to be a gem—unique, vibrant, and inviting. It had the charm of an old-timey bar, and though it was bustling, you could comfortably sit at the bar and wait for a table. Sadly, the recent renovations have led to a massive decline in quality, turning the once-beloved establishment into an overpriced and unremarkable eatery.

Ambiance Gone Wrong The new interior has stripped Dillinger’s of its original theme, making it look like every other generic restaurant. Worse, the atmosphere is unbearable. The music is absurdly loud, forcing diners to shout over their meals, creating an environment more fitting for a nightclub than a restaurant. It’s chaotic and gives mixed signals about what Dillinger’s wants to be.

Booking Just to Sit at the Bar? One of the most absurd changes is requiring reservations just to sit at the bar. Gone are the days of casually stopping by for a drink and a meal. Now, the place is suffering from its own success—it’s impossible to get in without planning far ahead.

Food Quality: A Toss-Up The food is inconsistent at best. Half the menu is decent, the other half is a disaster. The margarita pizza, in particular, is an insult to pizza lovers—whoever approved it needs to rethink their career. Steaks are decent, wings are good, but the nachos scream “cheap” in the worst way possible. Even when you order the better items, you’re gambling on the kitchen’s mood that day. Sometimes you get a great dish, other times it’s lackluster.

Service: Chaotic and Unreliable While the bar service remains efficient, the table service is abysmal. There’s no shortage of staff, but they are unorganized and inattentive. During one visit, I requested hot sauce to go with my pizza, and despite timing the request to see how long it would take, it never arrived. The staff appear to be running around aimlessly, and getting any attention after food is served is a struggle. Ironically, the only time they’re quick is when it’s time to hand over the bill.

Management Issues The worst part? The management. The manager, a short man with balding hair with glasses, greets you with a smile but can’t handle any form of criticism. Offering feedback is met with hostility, as if it’s a personal attack. This attitude is unacceptable, especially in a hospitality-driven industry.

Final Thoughts As someone who has spent upwards of ₱250,000 here over the years and brought countless friends and family, I am deeply disappointed. Dillinger’s used to be a go-to spot, but now I find myself debating whether it’s worth returning at all. The place has lost its charm, its quality, and its reliability. Unless major improvements are made, I cannot...

My wife and I make it a point that we dine out every Sunday. For this particular day, we opted to visit Dillinger Steak House to try their talked-about steaks. Upon arrival, the place was quite full and the server offered us a high table and chairs and will transfer us to a regular table when there is one available.

We checked the menu and ordered the ribeye steak a truffle pasta and a bottle of wine. The bottle of wine arrived within a few minutes. After finishing a glass of wine, we inquired with one of the male servers if the was already an available table in the main dining and he replied he found out but never got back to us for an update. After about 15-20 minutes the guests near our table billed out and we asked the waiter if we could transfer and said yes we could. It was nearing an hour of waiting for our food and when we inquired how long do we still need to wait, the server could only say pasensya na po kasi puno po kami. This was when we decided to just pay for the wine and left.

Let me to enumerate and share the service flaws of this restaurant. Upon taking our order, they repeated our orders for reconfirmation but failed to mention how long it would take for the food to be cooked. The other waiter whom we inquired about the available table in the main dining never got back to us. We even have to ask if we can transfer to the vacated table. Not even once that one of the staff tell us that our food will be delayed. Other than the glass of service water, we were not even offered bread and butter while waiting for our food.

Here is my assessment on how this restaurant is being managed: The manager is not efficient in overseeing the operations and is very poor in customer service. No adequate training for the service staff. Back to basics, f&b service training is highly recommended. “Pasensya na po kasi puno kami” should be a no no no speil. Service standards are not regularly reviewed. Whatever happened to the bread and butter offering while waiting...

The ambiance exudes classic elegance, making it a charming spot for a relaxing yet refined dining experience. The music complements the mood of the crowd well—neither too loud nor out of place—which enhances the overall vibe. While the lighting was a bit too dim for my preference, it does seem to align with the restaurant's theme of understated sophistication.

The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating, which made our visit even more enjoyable. The restroom was well-maintained, and the presence of a bidet was a welcome bonus.

As for the food, our experience was a mix of highs and a few small letdowns. The wait time for food was over 30 minutes, but considering how packed the place was, it's somewhat understandable.

We started with the nachos, which were underwhelming—there were significantly more chips than toppings, making it not worth the price in my opinion.

For mains, we ordered three pasta dishes: carbonara, pesto, and truffle cheese. The carbonara was the standout—crispy bacon and a lusciously creamy sauce made it the highlight of the trio. The truffle cheese pasta, while flavorful, was a bit too rich and heavy for my taste. Surprisingly, the pesto impressed me. I'm not usually a fan, but the flavor was bold, and the chicken was especially delicious.

Among the sides, the steak rice was a hit—it was so flavorful it could easily stand on its own as a meal. The mashed potatoes were velvety smooth and practically melted in my mouth; ask for the gravy, it's worth it.

The true star of the night was the steak. Although it was served medium instead of our requested medium-well, it was still tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. The red wine sauce brought everything together beautifully.

Despite a few small setbacks, the overall experience was impressive. I’d rate this restaurant a solid 9/10 and would absolutely recommend it. I’m already looking forward to...