WSW Steakhouse Restaurant | Whiskey Steak Wine — Restaurant in Hawaii

Bear with me...I have a lot of venting to do. I work at a steakhouse on Oahu so maybe I'm a bit harsh but this was one of the worst experiences I've ever had at a restaurant, we were honestly laughing the entire time at how ridiculous it was. We went last Friday night for an anniversary dinner after arriving at the hotel to get a good meal and were highly disappointed with our $200 meal. The server knew absolutely nothing about the menu including the whiskey selections, the wine, and the food. She said she only works twice a week...but I've worked in the restaurant industry for 8 years and ANY frequency you work at a high quality restaurant you should be able to make recommendations in all aspects of the menu and answer a guests questions, which she definitely could not do. She stated that she doesn't drink whiskey so she couldn't tell us about any of their options or answer a simple question of "how strong is the cayenne flavor in this pour" and didn't ask anyone else to be able to help us. Before ordering a bottle of wine I asked about the dryness of a couple of bottles and she said she absolutely didn't not know. Moving on to the food....I have NEVER been to a steakhouse that did not serve any bread and butter or something for the table to start...even Outback has that like come on. I was deciding between the NY strip and the prime rib and asked the server if the prime rib had good seasoning on it so it had flavor and she replied "honestly I don't like prime rib so I haven't tried it".....what???? WHY ARE YOU WORKING HERE. AND HOW??? even if you don't like something on the menu...you should know how to describe it!! When the food came out it was INCREDIBLY underwhelming. It was bland and boring. It's like they didn't even try to make it look good. No parsley, no au jus...for the price that you're charging you need to have SOME kind of garnish. The server offered sauces for extra flavor including truffle butter which I ordered. When it came out I was confused because it was JUST BUTTER...not melted, definitely not a sauce, and very overpowering truffle flavor. We also ordered the lobster macaroni and cheese and it was completely missing, the server forgot to ring it in. The manager stopped by our table to ask how things were going while we were eating and I replied "it's alright" and he SMILED AND SAID GLAD TO HEAR IT AND WALKED AWAY....WHAT?? At this point we just burst into laughter because we realized this experience was simply not going to be good. Anyway to top it off, our server gave us the dessert options and even though she KNEW it was our anniversary, did not tell us they had a celebratory dessert, I had to ask. If you've made it this far I hope I've convinced you not to waste your time or money on this joke of an establishment, but the only reason I could see for them still being open and operating is that there's no other steakhouse in Hilo so if you're desperate all I can say is...

I can’t speak for the food.. My party made reservation, and wanted a tablescape done for the birthday girl. We were told to call the next day at 2:30 to ask for permission. No one answered, so we tried the front desk and were informed to call at 5. We were then informed we could come at 5 pm to set up (reservation was for 5:15). Seemed strange because I know as well as anyone else, the staff will be prepping for opening and there really isn’t any reason why someone couldn’t come earlier.

Next day we arrived to set up and was unexpectedly early. We went to check and see where WSW was and possibly the table location. It was approx 4:40 pm. We opened the doors as there were two people at the hostess stand and I figured I would ask where the table was, so I could prepare for my very short window to dress the table.

I was rudely told by the women “we told them 5 pm”… and expressed that I was aware, but wanted to know where it was before bringing up all the decor. The women was rude and grumbled. The man was very friendly and saw no reason why we couldn’t start setting up. We had a cake and he offered to take it and put it in the fridge. He was lovely! 5 stars for him!

For this place being “high end”.. I would expect more friendly service. The group was approx 8 people, which is a large ticket at the end of the night. Seems weird to be so abrasive and not accommodating for a birthday.

Having worked as a GM for multiple venues in my past, varying range and styles… birthdays are special to people. Typically spending more money than the average customer. Seeming annoyed by people.. isn’t exactly the right vibe to give off. Besides the fact it is just rude. I get that customers can be and will be annoying. Trust me, I have the experience. But that’s why we have our fake smile and tone.

The women in question appeared to be in charge in some capacity. If that is the person leading FOH, it does not surprise me that people have complaints. The impression was initially rude enough to make me feel like my money is better spent elsewhere. I do not believe I’ll be eating at this place, I definitely can spend money some place that doesn’t seem...

I have now eaten at WSW 5 times in the last 2 years, so believe that I have an objective and broad review. First the good. WSW has the potential to be an amazing restaurant and could be on par with Ruth Chris steakhouse if they put some effort in a few areas. The whiskey, steak, wine concept is fresh and could be a huge hit. The location is amazing with beautiful views of Hilo Bay and an architecture that speaks to high value high-end restaurant. The front of the house staff, meaning the hostess, waitresses, and bussers, were all respectful, cheerful, and attentive. Unfortunately where WSW falls short, is in the behind the scenes back of the house kitchen. I have eaten the ribeye, the slow roast prime rib, the porterhouse, as well as the vast majority of what is available on the appetizer list. First the steaks. The cut of meat is wonderful and generously over the advertised size. The problem is in how it is cooked. The last time we ate there, July 15th 2023, three of us ordered the prime rib and my medium was overdone and dried out, as well as my wife's medium rare order, and my youngest son's medium order. My oldest son's ribeye was ordered as a medium and came back as a rare. The restaurant was half full, but our orders were put in just after 7:00 p.m. and didn't get to us until 8:23 p.m. When they arrived, they were barely hot, which tells me the slow roasted prime ribs were cut as soon as the order was put in, and then put under a heat lamp where they promptly dried out. So in my experience, timeliness was a low priority for the restaurant. Bottom line: they need to get rid of the chef and hire a new one and get a back of the house manager to whip everyone in gear. There is an ironic and unfortunate juxtaposition of the beautiful location with the terrible manner in which the food is being cooked. Try at...