Chef T's Garden Grill — Restaurant in Lakeland

I give this review in the hopes of improvement because I believe there is potential. First, I loved the atmosphere. The homelike setting was fantastic. However, upon entering, there was no one at the front counter for several minutes. We stood around and finally gave a loud cough before someone finally came up and sat us. We were seated in a tight corner. Service was fantastic and the waitress was very attentive. Atmosphere and Service: 9/10

Let's get to the food. The menu looked and sounded amazing. Food presentation was also great. But that was about the extent of it. We tried several items and I'll give my reviews for each.

1st picture: Cheese Tortellini 4/10 : included ham chunks and peas with a sprig of rosemary. Overall a decent flavor and enough to share around. The rosemary left a lasting taste though after each bite. Also disappointing is that they do not make the tortellini themselves. Could grab a bag of the same at Walmart and make my own with ham and peas.

2nd picture: Escargot 2/10: we were very excited to have this appetizer. When it came out, it looked more like a bowl of mushroom soup with a stack of mushrooms piled high above. You couldn't even see the escargot. Menu says it includes chorizo, white wine and garlic. The sauce was not seasoned and there was absolutely NO taste of garlic, which always adds a big boost to the flavor of escargot. I could not taste any chorizo and the white wine was the main flavor of the sauce. No taste of any butter either and overall was very bland. Very disappointed.

3rd picture: French Onion Soup 9/10 This was the absolute highlight of the night. The soup was amazing! Very flavorful and onions done perfectly! If you decide to come here, this is a must have.

4th picture: Filet with Marsala sauce: 1/10 (also pictured was a leg of lamb which I'll give a 6/10): When the dish came out, the filet was completely buried under the stack of mushrooms. Moving them aside and cutting into the filet, it was cooked a perfect medium rare. I took the first bite and was shocked to taste that there was absolutely NO seasoning on the steak whatsoever. The marsala was also bland with no seasoning. When I brought it up to the waitress, she said that the chef leaves it up to the people to season it themselves out of fear of over seasoning it himself. For a $48, 8 oz filet, I had to use basic table salt and table pepper to add my own seasoning. This should have had a course kosher salt or sea-salt added prior to cooking. Never in my life have I had to season a steak myself and with table salt. That didn't do anything and I have to say that this was the worst and most bland filet I have ever eaten out at. Very disappointing to say the least. Don't even begin to think that the marsala sauce will add flavor because it's not seasoned either. I have to say that I enjoyed the mashed potatoes. The leg of lamb was cooked well and had a decent flavor.

I was actually hoping to try one of their veal dishes, but they were out of veal. Our reservation was set at 6:30p and they open at 5p. They are also only open 4 days a week, so there really should be no reason of being out of one of their most advertised proteins on the menu.

Beverages: Everything is bottled or canned, except the water. If you want an iced tea, expect it to be a bottled one you get at a convenience store. Same for sodas. For what is to be an upscale place, this is not acceptable.

Overall, my experience was as if we were starring in an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. We weren't greeted at the entrance and no one was around for several minutes. After being seated, the service was great. The menu sounded amazing but the food failed to deliver. For that alone, I would not return here. What was supposed to be the hope of having a fancy restaurant with great food turned out to be lackluster and dull. I seriously hope this review is read and taken to heart by the chef. I hope that steps are taken for improvement. Patrons were 65+ years old.. no...

My bf and I came here to try something new and this hidden gem is literally some of the best food I’ve had in a while! Our server was personable, knowledgeable about everything on the menu & recommendations, and a lovely personality! Do not let the outside of the establishment deter you because the inside is intimate & charming. We had the Escargot, Chicken San Petronio, and Cod (on specials). The Chicken San Petronio had the most amazing cream sauce that was to die for! The chicken was so soft & the side of mashed potatoes were so light & fluffy. My bf had the Cod & ate everything on his plate in literally 5 minutes. We had the lemoncillo dessert which was incredibly soft moist cake with a lemony mousse (the selection of desserts is amazing)! I thought the pricing was appropriate & deserving with the quality/taste of food AND service. (I’m not sure why there are reviews that say ‘pricey’..because it really isn’t compared to other upscale places). For 2 glasses of wine, appetizer, 2 entrees, & dessert - $101, that’s a great deal). I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for something different & not a franchise. We will be back...

My husband and I had the great pleasure to dine at Chef T last Friday night . We had been meaning to go for sometime. I can’t believe it took us so long because this establishment is AMAZING!!!! It is set in a 100 year old house located about 5 minutes from down downtown Lakeland. The ambiance is romantic and intimate and exudes a feeling of fine dining from a bygone era. The tables have white tablecloths and napkins , mid century jazz is playing in the background , the wait staff are dressed in black and white and wear bow ties , and the rooms are dimly lit for quiet conversation and intimacy . The overall presentation is: elegant . We have dined all over Lakeland but the food and dining experience we had at Chef T was the best we’ve had. Chef T is really a well kept secret. Most patrons seemed to be regulars, and now we will be regulars too. The food, service, and ambiance are unsurpassed in Lakeland. After our experience, we have been telling all of our friends about this gem of a restaurant. Do yourself a favor and take your loved on a truly romantic date night that they won’t...