99 Restaurants — Restaurant in Lowell

I shouldn't have to give a review on this place because I go here all the time and the reason I go here all the time because the place is the bomb. I love going here to get the king tips because the king steak tips is always awesome. I don't know what they use for the marinade but I was told they used just Italian seasoning like salad dressing. I find it hard to believe that that is all they use but when they are cooked the way I want them they're absolutely delicious. That's all I really usually get when I go there but I have had other things but I've usually how the ever then even somewhat disappointed as the prices are reasonable and the food is always delicious and the wait staff is usually very attentive to your requests and needs and check on you with regularity that is usually fitting & suiting to your needs and requests as they're not always coming to your table too much and they don't disappear where you are wondering where they are so that's a good thing also they come by right when you would expect them to come by the ask you of everything is OK or if you need a drink or anything. The wait staff is usually right on target with their visits to the table. Any special requests regarding your order are always met and if not there right there to fix it or if not they make adjustments to your bill and will give you things for free or a discount to compensate you for any type of inconvenience. They take any special no problem at all for example I did not want seasoning on my French fries and one of them on a separate plate as I asked them to be crispy and to put them on the same plate with the steak tips would have got them soggy so they totally understood and accommodated my request without issue or question. Little things like that mean a lot. Food was great as always the staff was great as expected the price was as expected this is why I go there. When I go there I get what I expect to get and that's why you go to places frequently because once you found some place that you're happy with that's why you go back because you know what to expect a you know that you'll be happy when you leave with a full stomach a smile on your face and not feeling like you spent too much or a leaving dissatisfied with what you were served as far as how the meal was prepared or the portion size for what you paid for. . Everything is pretty much right on cue and just as you would like and expect. This goes for any of the 99 restaurants that I have been to for the most part. There was 1 exception 1 time where they did not tell me that the crackers they were giving us were not free and we wound up having to pay because they did not disclose from the very beginning that the crackers they were giving us had a price tag attached to them. I found that to be rather dis satisfying and a little bit deceptive especially when they sat there and asked us if we wanted more.. Of course we wanted more they were delicious. But we wound up having to pay but again that was 1 occasion at a different restaurant and I can't hold it against the establishment or the restaurant chain because overall if that's the only 1 time out of many many times going to the 99 then over all I have to give them an A for a grade over all still bordering on in A+ because the food is great the staff is usually matching that and even the bar I don't usually drink and I only have 1 mixed drink and I requested to be made a certain way. Made the way I want very enjoyable after all I'm only having one with my meal so even if it is a little strong I'm not walking out of there unable to be driving under the influence but yes a very good drink. Over all again another A+ for the 99 Restaurant and I will continue to patronize any of their establishments because I know going in that more than likely I'll be giving them a report card with a grade A for service food and price all...

I love the 99 in Londonderry but had a real bad experience in the Lowell 99 on Chelmsford St. I went there with three other adults and two children.

The place was busy but not overly busy. We were going to go to Good Thymes but the young boy with us wanted the haddock at the 99. We had come from St. Patricks cemetery paying our respects to a loved one. It was hot and we were all tired and “hangree” (hungry and angry) since there was a wait at the door for a good 45 minutes. So okay, we’re seated now so relax. Right away we knew it was going to be a bad experience because the server was having a bad day listening to and retaining our drink order. It came out all wrong. I could tell that she was nervous and maybe hadn’t been on the job that long. So calm down everyone, cut her some slack!

Our order was placed and finally, after close to an hour and fifteen minutes our meals came, piecemeal! Three, not one, three of the meals came out wrong. By now everyone was very hungry and irritated. The server wasn’t apologetic she seemed to be in a trance, going from one table to another trying to keep her head above water.

My meal looked similar to what was on the menu but it was far from being what ordered. Rice not potatoes. Small salad on the side of the plate, lettuce only. The meat, yes the mystery meat, was scary! Not chicken, not beef, not pork, mystery meat!! When I finally got the poor servers attention she seemed bewildered as to what was wrong with our food. Not only was my meal not a meal, but my good natured son-in-laws meal was not what he ordered. I watched him attempt to eat his mystery meat, that was of the same color and texture as mine. It was sad because he was trying to make everything right as to not upset our little group of diners any more than they already were. (As a side note, the young child’s haddock was as good as he remembered. He just sat there eating oblivious to what was happening around him.)

So, over two hours later, with no visit from the manager, the shameless bills came. Ugh! What a huge price to pay for what was without any doubt, the worst meal and service I had ever experienced.

I hope the manager of this 99 reads this review and understands that just because a customer pays without asking for a credit, it doesn’t mean that they will come back, ever!

Happier meals are...

The last few times we have been here I felt like I wasted my money. This location used to be great, but it's gone downhill fast. About a month ago we went just the husband and I to get a few drinks and some appetizers. I ordered a sangarita margarita, which I have had there before, I was given pink lemonade with tequila. I brought it up to my server and he looked very perplexed. I even showed him a picture on Google as to what I was supposed to receive and he just stared at me. So, knowing that I was going to have to pay for that drink anyways, I drank it. We weren't even there a half an hour and he came over and put our receipt in a to-go container and put it on the table. We weren't done eating, didn't ask for the check and there were a million tables open! No reason at all to rush us out of there! We are usually very generous tippers, not that time. Then my family went this past weekend. We walked in to an absolutely disgustingly dirty restaurant. There was stuff on the walls, food and trash on tables and all over the floor. Then they sat us next to a family that was playing loud Spanish music. Um, no. I don't want to hear anyone's personal music when I'm out at a restaurant, someone should have said something. My children's food and my food was very good, however my husband who ordered a steak as always and always requests and stresses that it's well done because he has a phobia with pink meat, received a literally still bleeding RED steak. He spoke up politely, they were wonderful, immediately took his plate replaced it with a new steak and didn't charge us for the plate. The problem is, the new steak was also undercooked! I don't know if the chefs are no longer using thermometers or what the deal is. It was the final thing for us. We won't be back for a while.

UPDATE: we walked back in at the beginning of October and immediately walked out. If the dining area is that disgusting I honestly can't imagine how gross...