The Palm - Atlantic City — Restaurant in Atlantic City

My visit it the Palms at the Tropicana in July 2021 was the worst dining experience of my life and turned me off ever returning to Atlantic City after more than 20 years of visiting. Despite having a winning night at the casino on my birthday, my only memory of the night will be the awful time at the Palms. For a place that bills itself as an upper-end steakhouse, it had the ambiance of a Taco Bell after midnight and it’s management should be ashamed. It used to be a nice restaurant but has clearly degenerated into a low brow dump. During our visit, we experienced the following:

A table of four men in their 50s loudly harassed two women at a separate table with lewd comments that would be inappropriate anywhere. Management ignored it, even after several separate tables complained and continued to serve them more alcohol. It was not until my party decided to pay for what we had eaten/drank and leave mid-meal that management actually called security. I guess they cared once people started actually leaving instead of just complaining.

The men coaxed a staff member into joining the fun, sending one of their used forks to the women’s table, which the staff member actually delivered. I complained to the manager who said she “can’t control the behavior of customers.” I guess that applies to staff as well.

After multiple complaints, the women asked to be moved, which management only arranged after they threatened to leave. Until that point, there were “no tables available.”

Any half decent burger joint would have tossed these clowns and called the cops, which the restaurant eventually did after after more than an hour minutes of atrocious behavior. Until that point, the restaurant just enabled and encouraged it by continuing to serve visibly drunk men more alcohol. The casino floor wasn’t having any of that though, because I saw security ejecting one of the men about an hour later. How bad is a restaurant when even a casino floor puts up with less?

Throughout the evening, teenagers at a private party in a separate room walked through the restaurant shouting. This didn’t really bother me since they were kids, but the table of obnoxious men shouted back, then the teens replied. It went on for more than a minute - just shouting gibberish - and happened more than once. Again, nothing from management.

A man who appeared to be the actual manager eventually appeared and spoke to the table, who they laughed off as “the chef.” I complained to this manager on my way out the door after asking for the check for the appetizers and cocktails (no way I was going to voluntarily continue sitting in this environment or patronize a place that ignored blatant harassment. He said “thank you for that feedback,” but obviously didn’t really care that his restaurant ruined our visit to Atlantic City. His tone struck me as condescending, but it’s possible I was angry about my dinner being ruined. I think he was more annoyed about customers leaving the restaurant mid-meal in disgust than he was about what actually transpired over the course of more than an hour. To be clear, this was the first time in my life I left a restaurant mid-meal.

I have never seen anything like this in my life and hope to never experience it again. Good luck Tropicana, I will not...

Update! July 2023 If you read my review below from about 4 years prior, we had an AWFUL experience and the manager did eventually respond. He was kind enough to mail me a $150 gift card.

I had gone back to the Palm a handful of times from the time i got the gift card but always forgot to bring it down the shore. I had enjoyable times. Then the pandemic hit. Finally, this summer, I remembered to bring my gift card down the shore.

Before going to the restaurant, I called the number on the back to ask if the full value was still on the card. They told me they couldn't tell the value, but that had never been used. The very nice corporate person told me that they would message ahead of my visit to tell the front desk how to use my card in the system. We got there and showed them my card and they told me they could not accept it because there was "no way to verify the value".

Meanwhile, i had the ORIGINAL email (stating that it was $150) from the manager (who, believe it or not, was STILL the SAME manager) and he would not do anything about it. Did I mention that i even responded to that email during the day that we were planning on coming that evening to use the card.)

I didn't feel that was right, so i went back to him mid-meal and had another conversation. He wasn't budging so i said the least you could do was comp my drinks. He said ok. But, wouldn't you know it, when the bill came, he comped our first cocktail, but not my glass of wine. Note: we spent about $150pp so we spared no expense)

That was a great example of how NOT to treat a customer. I went from a $150 gift card to 2 cocktails.

Needless to say, I won't be going back. I really miss the old Palm when they had great service and cared about their customer. August 2019 We were seated in a back area that didn't feel like the Palm. Felt like an overflow banquet room. Would not sit there again. No ambiance whatsoever.

I shared a lobster dinner with someone at my table. It was 4 pounds. I think I got 1 pound and she got 3 pounds. It was embarrassing. She felt bad and kept offering me some of hers. I politely declined and I went home hungry. (Also, mine was overcooked since it was such a small half. Dried out.) Brussel sprouts had no flavor other than loads of salt. They were boring. I make better at home. Oh, and they weren't really hot when they came out.

Service was good, not really any complaints there except at the end they brought a cake with a candle and it was not our birthday. We told them and they said to eat it anyway, but it was a little awkward with work acquaintances.

Tried several times to reach the restaurant to discuss the issues we had and no one seems to want to get back to me. Tried messenger, open table, Facebook Twitter, email, etc. They seem not to care anymore. I'm taking my steakhouse money elsewhere. Plenty of other...

They are a mini chain but chain restaurant is the wrong words to describe the incredible food. Let’s just say that they have the ability to make such great steak that they could open multiple locations that are successful for long restaurant. I am not positive how many restaurants they have. I think maybe 4 or 5 . The one in NYC is great. They used to have 2 in NYC but I think they originally had 2 owners literally 100 years ago when when they started out and unfortunately the ( don’t quote me on the exact details) steakhouse was co-owned and their grandchildren sued each other once they were dead and I hope it’s not the death of my favorite restaurant. My wife and I were in Florida when we were first dating and we stayed in the hard rock hotel in Orlando and as we approached the hotel for our First time staying there and my girlfriend & now Wife turned to me and said the steakhouse they have inside the hotel is incredible and you are going to go crazy for it. And being that at that point, she knew how crazy I was for steak she was correct. But the thing was that we were at the steakhouse in Florida in the summer, and the vegetables were so good where I’m not a big vegetable fan they almost tasted better than the steak, which is practically an impossible thing to achieve with how good that steak taste. I guess, growing vegetables in the Florida sun makes those vegetables taste like $1 million. So The vegetables, I’ve had no matter summer or fall at the other palm. Restaurants are good. Some are great, but not nearly as incredible as that one Florida location. But if you’ve been making steak for 100 years in New York City and they just recently closed the second restaurant because of family issues that’s longevity and that says great food. it’s not bargain hunting but it’s definitely hard not to get the larger flame mignon which is much bigger but it’s six dollars more. So you’ll even have leftovers. I go there with my wife for every wedding anniversary practical in either New York City or Atlantic City because we live in New Jersey. And I’ve been to some other of these other supposedly great steakhouses and none of them are half equal. If you’re within dining distance of this restaurant, make a reservation unless you want to eat at 10 o’clock at night and thank me by mailing me a $20 bill if you want to. It’s priceless information so 20 bucks ain’t asking too much. Help a man out will you. Just kidding go to the restaurant. I have no connection besides just loving the food. Or let’s not tell my wife but loving the bartender that works at the Orlando location. He’s very masculine and cute. I’m just joking. They call her red because she has red hair. But that’s not her name. Her name is why not me. Oh wait no that’s what I say. In my mind when I see her. Her real name is well you will...