The Reserve Steakhouse — Restaurant in Brighton

We recently dined at The Reserve and left with mixed feelings but high hopes. There are so many things this establishment is getting right, but a few areas could use a bit more polish to truly deliver the upscale dining experience they're aiming for.

What They’re Doing Well:

First and foremost, the atmosphere of The Reserve is a strong starting point. The ambiance was carefully curated and really sets them apart from many other places in the city. It’s clear that the owners have put thought into creating a space that feels special. One suggestion would be to add a touch of very light background music to enhance the experience even further, though the current setting is already inviting and comfortable.

Service was another highlight. The staff was attentive and did a fantastic job explaining the menu, which is not something you typically see in nearby restaurants. This level of service definitely elevates the dining experience and is a strong asset for the restaurant.

When it comes to the food, there were a few dishes that were simply phenomenal. These standouts show that the kitchen has the potential to create truly memorable meals. The owner’s presence was also a positive aspect—welcoming and warm, adding a personal touch to the experience that we really appreciated.

Opportunities for Improvement:

While The Reserve has a lot of potential, there are a few areas where a bit more refinement could make all the difference. The food presentation, for instance, was average. In an upscale restaurant, the visual appeal of the dishes should make diners say, "Wow, that’s gorgeous!" Incorporating more artistic design elements, whether through the plating or the plates themselves, could significantly elevate the dining experience.

The filet mignon, a dish often expected to be a star of any menu, was good but lacked that special something to set it apart. We’re not sure if it was just our dish, but a bit more attention to detail in its preparation and presentation could go a long way.

Additionally, the bread service was unremarkable. In a setting aiming for upscale dining, even the bread should leave an impression. Perhaps offering a unique house-made butter or an interesting bread selection could add a touch of sophistication. They did have an edible candle that was something out of the ordinary. But the bread experience was still average.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, The Reserve is off to a great start. The atmosphere, service, and certain menu items already make it stand out. However, a few tweaks—especially in food presentation and the small details—could really take this restaurant from good to great. The Reserve has the potential to become the go-to upscale dining spot in the city. We’re rooting for their success and look forward to visiting again soon to see how they continue to evolve.

Yes, we recommend you to...

I wanted to love this place but we were underwhelmed. We arrived for reservation and were sat and were there for about 10 minutes before our drink order was taken, then another 27 minutes to actually get our drinks. I understand it was busy they need to add another bar tender during peak times as they looked like they only had two. Our two servers Nadine and Nick were lovely people but were not always available. Nick tried his best to make our visit pleasant. He was kind and attentive but both were spread way too thin and the managers don’t seem to help them. I didn’t see them go to any tables to check on customers either. The seating is very close together so you can really see and hear what’s going on in the restaurant. The isle way to the restrooms is tight and congested. They were apologetic about the kitchen but didn’t offer something to tide people over and couldn’t keep up with drinks quick enough. They have a bread plate as an appetizer for $7 but really should provide a couple pieces to help with keeping customers happy and not hangry. We had lots of questions with it being our first time and they didn’t have all the answers and had to go ask. We saw them ask a manager how many ounces the lobster tail was but he didn’t know either but were eventually told it was 7-8 ounces. The drinks were delicious. We tried the old fashion, a raspberry drink and mojito. The shrimp cocktail appetizer had nice large shrimp but they really skimped on the cocktail sauce. Some of the food was good but the execution compared to other restaurants in this category were lacking. The au gratin potatoes were under cooked and the portion was not as large as most competitors in the steakhouse area. I ordered the short rib dinner which was tasty but the three carrots that came with my meal were tiny and overcooked. My meal wouldn’t have been enough for my spouse. My husbands pork chop was ordered medium but it came out well done. The au pointe sauce was undercooked and tasteless, so we sent it back and asked for the zip sauce which was good. I saw only one person expediting food to customers tables and he always had a smile on his face. We planned on ordering dessert but after everything taking so long we gave up and ended the visit. Upon getting our bill we realized we were overcharged for the additional accruements, they corrected the bill and took off an additional $4. When our server came back, we did get a cookie to go. I was super excited about this place coming to Brighton and the reason I’m leaving a lengthy review is that I’d like to see this establishment succeed and hope they’ll fix the areas that need attention. I understand they’ve only been operating for 5 weeks so hopefully they will work on execution and delivery and should have the managers and servers taste and learn about all items...

Went here with my best friend we both got the filet mignon with some blue cheese crust. We also got the bread appetizer with the beef tallow, side table Caesar salad and got cheese cheesecake for dessert. Let’s start off with the table side salad, we were sitting outside, so I’m not sure if this affects anything, but it wasn’t tableside normally that means they make the Caesar in front of you and they did not do that. They just brought me out a $15 Caesar side salad that was kind of crazy. The filet mignon that we ate was perfectly prepared, which was surprisingly unexpected because in recent steakhouse trips that I’ve been to. They just can’t get it right. I’m not quite sure not understanding but this place definitely got their temperature right and I was very pleased. The blue cheese crushed on top definitely made it taste a little better. I can almost tell that maybe our steak was a grass fed cow I didn’t have a lot of flavor inside the meat. The bread appetizer was very pleasing with the beef tallow. I’ve had this appetizer at other places. The bread was a little harder than most other places, but the dipping butters n fat made up for it was very good. The dessert was phenomenal just a plain, not normal New York cheesecake. Better than cheesecake factory so good. I definitely will be back and probably be trying the chicken that my friend’s husband got it looked amazing. He also said it was very juicy and amazing. Lots of wine options as well, which is very satisfying to a wine drinker like me and I love to pair my food so that was a wonderful option as well and the wine prices weren’t too overpriced which I’ve seen done at many steakhouses. I’d say besides a couple minor things this place is doing way better than most steakhouse franchises like the chophouse or Ruth Chris. Good...