15 Lakes Prime Steak House — Restaurant in Antioch

Maybe we went on an off night? My husband and I visited 15 Lakes for the first time last weekend. We were excited to try it, given the great reviews it had so far, plus we are always excited when a new restaurant opens in the area, as we enjoy eating out and like to support local businesses. We really wanted to love this place!!! Unfortunately, our experience at 15 Lakes wasn't that great, and it definitely was not worth the price point. The restaurant is small but has a good location on Main St. They have furnished it with mostly high-top tables, and just a few regular height tables. Overall, the furnishings and decor felt sparce and utilitarian. When I think of a steakhouse, I think of plush booths with candles and a romantic, cozy vibe that this restaurant does not have. That said, the minimalist decor is more modern and may appeal to a younger crowd. We had an earlier reservation and were only 1 of 2 tables seated in the whole place. We were sat at a very small table near the door. (I thought it odd we hadn't been sat at a better table and instead at what seemed like the worst one when the place was empty?) The host was also functioning as the bartender, and he made our cocktails poorly. I ordered my favorite cocktail (cosmo) and it was very disappointing, especially for $16, and was served dripping without a napkin. My husband ordered a Jack Daniels and ginger ale, and we watched the host make it with just sprite. Usually, a restaurant will tell him if they don't have ginger ale and then he will then order a Jack and coke, but the bartender (host) just made it with sprite and didn't say anything. Our waitress never informed us of the specials or the soup of the day, even though I heard a different waitress tell her table. My husband had the oysters for an appetizer, and he said they were excellent. For our meal, my husband ordered the petite filet (4 oz, $26) medium rare, and I ordered the halibut ($37). Both of our meals were very overcooked. My husband's steak was cooked medium-well with hardly a small touch of pink left in the very center. My halibut was completely dried out. I will say the mashed potatoes and green beans were excellent and the best part of the meal. Here's the thing - a restaurant that calls themselves a "steakhouse" should be cooking the steaks perfectly. Also, for the amount of money they are charging, the food should be really, really good and perfectly cooked. Maybe it was just an off night. We'll give them a year to work out the kinks and if they're still there maybe we'll give it...

The care that went into the creation of this restaurant is stemmed from an obvious love to please customers. We were welcomed at the door by Steve, one of the owners. He was pleasant and attentive, even with a full house. I personally knew we were in for a treat just based off of the smells and brief sights of other plated dinners at tables as we were escorted to ours. I am Dan and Dan I am was our server, he greeted up warmly and with a desire to make our experience pleasant. Looking over the menus, I was impressed by how well they were crafted. The drink menu was absolutely made by a mixologist, whether with alcohol or not, the choices that Tony made in it's creation were well thought out, original and fun. I ordered the Smoked Old Fashion, paired with the cherry, it was to die for. Onto the food menu. Also, well crafted. My only complaint is how hard it was to pick something, since all the choices sounded amazing. Nearly every item on the menu that Duane created, was impressive in that the ingredients chosen to build each dish was inventive and tempting. We had the grilled goat cheese as a starter, my wife the fliet and I the meatloaf. All incredible. I honestly believe, this whole experience is deserving of a Michelin Star. Well...

What an absolutely amazing experience. The atmosphere is boisterous but quaint, which was awesome for date night. Also, and extra thumbs up because I got to try a new NA IPA from revolution brewing that I hadn't tried and loved it. But everything about this dinner was exceptional. The food, the service, and the overall atmosphere. Even down to an impromptu date night and my husband called last minute and they got us in. I didn't catch our servers name, but she was top notch and I loved that we didn't feel rushed even as we were kind of closing the place down. The steaks were to die for and melt in your mouth. We got the platter and you will not be disappointed with any of the toppings but I think the blue cheese was my favorite. The creamy horseradish sauce was perfectly done and not overpowering and the chimmichuri was perfection. The chicken tortilla soup was also an excellent starter to the meal. The atmosphere almost felt like an old school speakeasy with steaks. Highly recommend if you're looking for an awesome date...