The Rack House Steak & Spirits — Restaurant in Gulfport

Awful. Absolutely horrible food a year ago and today. We used to frequent this place quite often in recent years for date night and celebration's. We stopped going after repeated bad experiences with the food. One instance was paying almost $30 for a single king crab leg add on that was the size and width of a pencil, another when they did all you can eat royal reds and they stopped seasoning them because so many older people complained so they just brought out a ramekin of seasoning. Maybe if I complain enough this time they will get a whole knew kitchen staff and kitchen manager because this is utterly disappointing and shows the absolute lack of care and commitment. After over a year of staying away we returned for date night. Drinks were fine, charcuterie board appetizer was good and then our entrees came and we were so let down and it was quite frankly depressing. Every item was over cooked. My medium filet,that was not a choice cut and looked to be butterflied even though I did not order it that way, was well done, to the point of being crumbly, with zero char on the outside. I paid extra to have the filet rack house style plus $11 for crabmeat. There was one bite of crabmeat and the risotto on the bottom was glue. My husband's special of the night, swordfish, was overcooked as well, very dry, and his risotto was the same glue slop. Our side of mac n cheese was so overcooked and dry that it stuck to your teeth and the asparagus was close to mush. There is obviously no pride in that kitchen. No one temps or checks the consistency of anything. No chef, manager, expo, or cook saw an entire tables meal go out completely different from what was rung in or what their standards should be and stopped it from going out. Maybe they need better healthcare plans for their employees so they can get routine eye exams back there. The service was fine and Nancy the manager was wonderful, we had her take care of us when she was still a server. She comped our food, gave us a gift certificate, and we just paid for our drinks and app and dessert togo. But even that doesn't make up for the repeat food failures. The year between visits that we gave time for them to get their act together was ultimately futile. Overall our date night out was $70 because even though the food was comped, when it came time to pay, the 18% gratuity section was $27 dollars for the $43 bill. They have you tipping on the total before the comp. My husband and I tipped the $27 because we are former service industry people, both of us busboys up to managers at different establishments on the coast and beyond for 16+ years, and know it's not the servers fault but I'm sure there are people out there that would not appreciate that. Maybe just go for drinks on happy hour, their drinks have never failed us, but don't have high hopes for the food. It was a toss up between here and Ruth Chris tonight, save yourself the back and forth and don't choose this place. Spend the extra dollars to ensure you're going to have a great date night. Now we are trying to figure out somewhere else that we can actually eat at and not leave feeling disappointed twice...

Last night was our 2nd trip to The Rack House. I wish I had taken pics to go along with my review but didn’t. So, let me start with saying, I might be a little more particular because I grill steaks so well myself at home and often better than some restaurants. I had the same meal both trips which was the filet and lobster special and my husband had the delmonico choice ribeye (I told him to get prime) and this time he had the steak and mushrooms. Our first trip, my filet was still raw and purple inside (I ordered med rare). I rather my steak be undercooked rather than overcooked so I didn’t say anything. My husband’s ribeye didn’t even have a hint of pink in it and was ordered medium. It was dry and hard to eat but he ate it anyway. This time, my filet was like my husband’s first ribeye. It barely had a small hint of pink and was so dry and hard to eat. My husband’s steak was cooked perfect for him this time. I was so disappointed and struggling to eat my steak that he did say something this time. I was just going to take it home to the dog. Our waitress happily fixed it and brought me a VERY rare replacement which I happily ate. It was much easier to eat and tender even undercooked. Both my husband and I feel like if you are going to be known as a steakhouse and charge higher end prices then your chef better have your steaks on point without having to refire them. My whole party had to wait last night to get my meal fixed and wait for me to eat. Oh, also our friend was with us last night and his steak was also overcooked but not as bad as mine so his was edible. Last time I had Parmesan orzo and this time I had creamed spinach. Both sides were absolutely delicious and I wish I had remembered the Parmesan orzo last night as well but still loved the spinach. The lobster was cooked perfectly both times. The bread is also absolutely delicious with your choice of regular, honey, or herb butter. You also need to ask for the jelly old fashioned (not on the menu) which is a smoked old fashioned and one of the best drinks I’ve ever had. I’m sure we will be back at some point and I just hope the chef gets it together before then. I will say I am a little more hesitant to return now though. (I’m editing and adding a photo of my leftover filet after I just reheated it in the microwave. So, if this is what it looks like after the microwave, you can imagine what it looked like before. Remember, I ordered med rare. This is the steak that was retired because the first one was so overcooked. I guess they figured they would go to the...

The Rackhouse

Well, we were looking for a nice steak dinner for my birthday on the coast, and boy did we find it. Wowza!! The Rackhouse in Gulfport is phenomenal. If you love Bourbon and Steak, this is your place. It’s been over a week since I’ve eaten there and I still sometimes find myself drifting off during the day, thinking about that meal…ahh, okay, back to the review.

We ordered the scallops with Parmesan risotto for the appetizer, along with a flight of Buffalo Trace Bourbon which featured a taste of Blanton’s Bourbon Both fantastic. I would like to tell you I can taste the subtle differences with each Bourbon, but I mostly just like the smooth taste with a kick and the way whiskey makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Got the filet for my main course and it was cooked to perfection and seasoned well. A lot of steak houses just don’t season their meat as generously as I like, but the Rackhouse does it right.

Sides were also on point, especially the asparagus drizzled with Hollandaise sauce and the crème brulet sweet potatoes. The baked potatoe is served in a large plate with creamy butter and a salt-brined skin. Superb.

(Opps, there’s that feeling again. Excuse me while I daze off into the horizon, picturing the steak and potato on my plate).

Okay, hello reality. Maddie our server was excellent. Very attentive with a warming, sweet smile. We loved her and thought to ourselves, “that Maddie really loves her job.” Or perhaps it was the Bourbon. At any rate, she even brought out a piece of the best little blueberry cheesecake for my birthday—on the house.

Lighting was a little dark, but gave off an intimate vibe. The booths made you feel like you were the only one in the restaurant, which I liked. Upstairs views may be even better. I’ll have to request that next time.

Almost forgot, you can create your own Old Fashioned from all the varieties of whiskies and bitters and sweeteners. That’s pretty cool.

The experience was a 10 out of 10 and so was the food. Can’t wait to go back. Rackhouse...