Golden Steer Steak 'n Seafood — Restaurant in Kent

TLDR/ Atmosphere: Cozy, Service: Exemplary, Cleanliness: Clean as whistle, Food: Delicious, Verdict: A Must Go!

Seriously, disregard what you thought you knew about this place any get on down here now!

After avoiding this place like the plague for years, I heard they changed ownership. My husband and I decided to give the new owners a chance to win back our patronage where the old owners failed. Suffice to say, the have succeeded, what once was a dilapidated institution to the past has been transformed into the nostalgic local institution that it always should have been.

The staff we encountered on our Sunday afternoon date was courteous, efficient, and knowledgeable. Jesús, our server, was willing to accommodate our dietary restrictions and substitutions and knew the menu well. Gabi, took our drink orders and stopped by a few times to check in on us and refill our beverages. Even the busy boy, German, was courteous and made sure our needs were met as he passed. I don’t know what the management did to create such an awesome team culture, but you can tell everyone from the host in front to the folks running food from the back care about the customer experience and each other. It makes my heart happy to be able to say that after years of avoiding a business on the decline, Golden Steer has rallied and os making me hungry for more.

While the salad bar is gone, I cannot blame the new owners, as Covid restrictions made it almost impossible to keep. The walls, decor, booths and tables seem cleaner, as if they did a deep clean with the ownership change. The stale cigarette smell that once permeated the entire establishment has been replaced by a clean homey scent, reminiscent of family Sunday dinners growing up.

As for dinner, we ordered prime rib and rib eye steak. Both were cooked correctly to order and my husband chose to get his buttered, seasoned and blackened, a great choice, as the seasoning made meat that was already tender and flavorful, even more so. We both chose salads with what can only be home made blue cheese dressing. I cannot say enough about how good the dressing was. I have tried blue cheese dressings from all price point and levels of cuisine and this, might be my favorite. Even after finishing my salad, I found myself wishing for a few more bites (which for a seasoned carnivore is a feat in and of itself). I chose a loaded baked potato as my side, and my hubby elected to upgrade to seasonal vegetables. I know what you are think, seasoned veggies, an upgrade, but no seriously, the vegetable medley filled with peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower was a splendid accompaniment to his steak and was steamed exquisitely well. As an aside, I ordered the largest option for prime rib, as I planned to have leftovers, but then I read that you can upgrade to as large of a cut as you want for a set price per ounce. This intrigues me greatly and will factor into my order when I return. We ordered carrot cake for dessert, and the rustic and homemade delicacy was a splendid finish to a satisfying and relaxed afternoon visit.

I cannot stress enough how floored I am by the change in atmosphere, culture, and customer service that I have experienced today. I wish that every time I went to a restaurant, it could conclude with a feeling like this. I left feeling satisfied but more than that, I left feeling valued. I am going to return, I am going to bring my family and friends, and I am going to keep coming back. Golden Steer, you have won me over, a normally harsh critic, and made me, not just a customer, but an acolyte. This is my steakhouse, and it should be yours too. Do yourself a favor, try on a pair of cowboy boots, saddle up your horse, or hop in the car, and Skedaddle on down, you’ll be glad you did. The cake is delectable.

Also note, I posted this same review on Yelp. I try to write separate reviews on both Google and Yelp, but...

1st impression from the outside: Front door had wood instead of glass- could be from vandalism. We couldn’t tell if it was open due to lack of vehicles in the parking lot. Neon sign said open so we chanced it. Passed by a needle on the way in… maybe do a pressure wash of the premise, would be more enticing. Inside was clean, spacious with pop classics playing in the background. There are different areas of the restaurant bar/dining. You can easily host a meeting or party here. 1 restroom was out of order. I never use public bathroom because that is one of my phobias but you can tell a lot from a restaurant if the lavatory is disgusting. So in I went. This place is clean ✅.

2- Greeted promptly by a young man named German who proceeded to make small talk about the weather. He served us refreshments enthusiastically and let us mull over the selections. No pressure. ✅

3-Hubby ordered the 16oz prime rib, rare. You could choose a side, he vied for red potatoes, soup of the day was chicken noodle. I’m a cranberry sauce kinda girl and i believe Thanksgiving should be year round , so I ordered the turkey plate. Yes I will judge you so hard if you give me those fake slices instead of carving. But anyway, I got the salad. Both came with a roll and butter-it didn’t say so on the menu so I was happy for the added carb. 😂✅ so good so far.

4-Big portions. The prime rib came with a dipping sauce and horseradish. I like meat with a little fat on it so I give it a thumbs up. Maybe the restaurant could have added a little corner of broccoli so I wouldn’t feel bad about this choice for the hubby 😋 because look I still need him to be healthy lol. My turkey plate was mixed feelings. It was beautiful. Hidden stuffing under the protein a surprise and cranberry sauce- I asked for extra , i asked for my plate to drown in gravy.. Our server, German, understood the assaignment. Thumbs up. The taste.. hmmm..It was subtle, Not salty. But that is why condiment’s are readily available on the table. The veggies were cooked well. It wasn’t mushy nor previously frozen. ✅ I didn’t die from it and most likely will be back because It wasn’t sloppy nor briny.

5- The bill came. $75 for 2 people. But remember it came with soup of the day or the fresh salad and a roll. I’m from Hawaii so this is some date money. But it was Wednesday afternoon and they had prime rib sooo I’m not mad.

6- The star of the experience of dining here was the host/waiter, German. He offered us a nice conversation. He was attentive in refilling our drinks. He seemed sincere in asking if the food was passable and checked on us often. He took away finished sides. He offered us boxes to take home food and jokingly said there would be compensation if we finished all of it as if there was a game or prize at the establishment in doing so. He offered the dessert menu. This kid did everything right. Hopefully this establishment keeps him. Good job.

I would bring back my family to dine here because it was pleasant. I wouldn’t have to worry about the food being too much in sodium. Generous selections. Hidden Gem for sure. 💫🌟🌟🌟🌟check out...

I've been going to the Golden Steer since I was a child, so we are now looking at 20 years. Like most things in Kent, the nostalgia is gone. I didn't really appreciate the sabotage for the previous owners, so I want to give an honest review. I went during the true lunch hour, and it was dead. Customers all seemed kind of grumpy, so the atmosphere felt awkward based on the patrons. The wait staff was friendly, but I also think kind of awkward and not aware this was once a very chatty establishment.

Collectively at the table we were all a little surprised that there is no actual lunch menu. It made sese to me now why everyone had ordered the fish & chips. I really liked my fish, it was evenly fried and the fish was not dry at all. The batter was a little thick but it had great flavor. The fries are bland, but fries have always been bland at the Golden Steer. Two of us ordered the fish & chips, and one ordered the ribeye. He didn't get a ribeye though, just a general steak. The vegetables were freshly steamed but the baked potato was cold and so was the steak.There was also the grilled shrimp ordered for the table. I'm allergic to shellfish and pregnant so I did not taste it. Who I was with really enjoyed the shrimp and said it was very sweet. They were slightly off put by the heads and it looked like peeling was difficult, but this is common for a lot of mediterranean restaurants and even Asian restaurants.

Based on the menu, and just overall vibe I would not say this is the Golden Steer we all remember. This is a very different restaurant and trying to stay an old Kent classic of American dining might hurt them in the long run. The paintings we all love looking at just looks and feels really awkward. Even the classic furniture no longer fits. I miss the warm sandwiches during the lunch hour, and I'm personally not too thrilled about going to breakfast. Breakfast used to be served all day, but not anymore. I would still give them another try after they've been opened longer, but right now I can't eat half the menu. The wait staff can be a little more attentive as I did see some folks get forgotten about, but we were waited on heavily and got everything we asked for...