Turn ʼn Tender Steakhouse Illovo — Restaurant in Gauteng

I took my girlfriend here for our two year anniversary and as expected, they did not disappoint.

First off the cuts of meat. One's waiter brings you their signature cuts along with the basting rubs and sauces they use and gives a detailed explanation of what to expect from each one. This way every diner, even those new to steakhouses, know what they get when they order. Great way to bring out anticipation in clientele and increase culinary knowledge at the same time.

Now for the mains, I had an Argentinian style fillet with chimichurri. Oh my word what flavor! I like my steak medium to well, and it was perfectly done. One's knife practically glides through the meat its so well cooked. And the chimichurri has just enough bite to give it a flavorful tang without being too spicy as well. In addition I had a side of fries. Turn n Tender's chips don't try to be clever, they're just exactly what one wants out of a chip; it just has to be good. The outer shell is crispy and golden whilst the inside is soft and fluffy, the perfect way to make a chip.

My girlfriend had the point rump, blue style. In many restaurants in the city blue is hard to do right, I'm happy to say that Turn n Tender's chefs executed it perfectly. Not cooked enough that its rare yet it isn't raw either. Perfectly balanced. Her side was mashed potatoes, I had some and my word they were well done. Light, fluffy, no clumps and the helping size was more than generous.

Dessert was a crème brûlée, I had never had one before and Turn n Tender have set the bar high. A perfectly crunchy sugar crust with soft vanilla custard inside, a perfect end to a perfect meal.

Finally, a shoutout to our waiter; Nicholas. Not only does he go above and beyond for his tables but he was also the same waiter we had when last we were here! I can see why he has been at this place for so long; he epitomizes professionalism. I hope management sees this so they know exactly...

We decided to go to Turn ‘n Tender Illovo on Monday, 28 December for dinner and a nice steak and as it is very conveniently situated close to where we live. This was our third “attempt” at this establishment. Our dining experience turned out to be a very disappointing one. We ordered the “ signature rump steak” with extra fat. When the food arrived the waiter only brought one of the meals (not knowing what steak was brought over to the table as we ordered one basted and one dry peppered) and also unsure as to what other side was included for the second steak still to make its arrival to our table. After waiting for another few minutes the second meal arrived. The steaks weren’t close to the 300g that we ordered and there was no fat rind as per the signature steak on the menu. After our mains we waited a good 15 minutes to get a waiter’s attention as no one had come to clear the table or offer drinks or desserts. We ordered a Bar One baked cheesecake each for dessert and was extremely disappointed at what we received for R80 a piece. The portion size was measly. We are regular diners and can assure you that this is a complete rip-off compared to what one can get at, say, Just Teddy in Hyde Park for half the price. Unfortunately, TnT will not be seeing us...

Generally a pretty average steak house with great beef ribs. However, just after the food arrived, the waitress spilt a glass of wine, a can of coke, a glass of ice and a glass of water on my shoulder, all over me, into my lap and over a friend's beautiful jacket hanging behind my chair. I was completely drenched. The waitress tried patting me dry but I really was soaked and uncomfortable. These things happen. I requested that the offending waitress be moved away from our table and had to insist a few times before this actually happened. BUT MY REAL ISSUE WAS THAT THE OWNER WALKED PASSED THE TABLE A FEW TIMES AND SHAMELESSLY AVOIDED THE WHOLE SITUATION. One of the sub-managers fussed around a bit with generous apologies but to watch one of the founders and owners avoid the situation completely was astonishing. NO OFFERS TO CLEAN OR DRY-CLEAN. NO GESTURES OF CAN MAKE IT UP TO YOU. At least they did not charge for the replacement glass of wine. They never did replace the Coke. WELL DONE T'nT. You have managed to achieve the pathetic level of service usually reserved for civil servants. An achievement which is not easily accomplished. With your experience in the USA one would think you might have learned something. Thoroughly...