The Drake — Restaurant in Burlington

First, I must acknowledge that our waitress was exceptional. She was attentive throughout our visit, consistently ensuring our drinks were topped off and promptly clearing empty plates. Her service was truly commendable.

However, the overall dining experience was far from satisfactory. We had a reservation for 6:45 PM and arrived early, being seated promptly at 6:40 PM. After placing our order, we endured an unacceptably long wait—55 minutes—before receiving our first appetizer. The second appetizer arrived 10 minutes later. Following that, another 20 minutes passed before we received our soups and salads. At that point, we were informed that the soup we had originally ordered was unavailable, and instead, we were offered a subpar chili as a replacement.

The delays continued, and we waited an additional 20 minutes before our entrees arrived. Unfortunately, the quality of the food did not justify the long wait. The special of the day was heavily over-seasoned, rendering it inedible, while other items were served cold and chewy, falling far short of expectations. Our waitress appeared visibly distressed by the situation, given the food delays and substandard quality.

To make matters worse, the owner/manager was more focused on socializing and celebrating a birthday than overseeing the operations of his restaurant. Rather than managing the kitchen's struggles or engaging with patrons, he was found at the bar, drinking and playing loud TikToks, further adding to the disappointing atmosphere. It is perplexing that such a level of service and attention to detail is considered acceptable at this establishment.

Overall, this experience was far below expectations, and I cannot recommend this restaurant based...

Late Saturday dinner. The server was friendly, but seemed to be new. Ordered the classic martini with a lemon twist. It came out without the lemon, and asked to have it added. First mistake. The lemon "twist" had more white pith than I've ever seen in a martini. Ordered the 16 oz ribeye medium-rare with broccoli and a salad. The salad was wilted, doused it in dressing. When the steak came out, I cut into and it was done to a very acceptable medium-rare. As I started to cut into it, noticed it was rather tough with lots of gristle and inedible fat. The broccoli was okay, but a bit overcooked and soft. I ate about half the steak, but was not willing to finish it as it did not get better in the thicker part of the steak. Server asked if I wanted to take it home. Declined and voiced my concerns to her. She offered to have it cooked more (?) which would not have improved it. She left for a few minutes, and came back to ask again, and I said I did not want to take it. She did offer an apology that it was not to my liking, but nothing else. That definitely was not a $36+ piece of meat. As a side note; the cloth napkin felt greasy and heavy. It seems The Drake has been declining over the...

I've visited the Drake twice. I gave it a second chance because I was let down the first time and I didn't want to leave a bad review. They left me no choice.

The first time I ordered carry out for my family. The BBQ Sampler $38. Brisket, ribs, burnt ends and shrimp plus onion rings for $11. The service was good and it didn't take long to receive my food. The battered onion rings were great but not any better than anyone elses. The portion was small for the price. The sampler had plenty of wonderfully cooked meat. Unfortunately it appeared to be more of a stew considering how much sauce it was drowning in.

Today I decided to eat there. I went in to the bar at 11:20 and was greeted by a bartender with a smile. I ordered the 8 oz. burger with American cheese and bacon and Drake fries. I said medium when the bartender asked how I wanted my burger done. It was well and then some. Also unseasoned. Who doesn't salt and pepper their burgers in this day and age besides fast food. The bacon was yesterday's left over crumbles. The Drake fries were great. Pre tip check was $17 and change. Burger King, Hardee's, Arbys, McDonald's, Wendy's, Sonic are all better...