Chart House — Restaurant in Melbourne

We've been coming to Chart House in Melbourne FL for over 10 years now on Christmas day.  We make reservations in August of each year and always put in our reservation request for a table by the window.  I believe once in 10 years this request was granted for a window table. We received a call about a week before Christmas from a woman stating that due to covid they were doing a 3 course prefix meals for $55 each person.  That was fine as there was a nice selection of soup/salad starters, main courses and desserts.  We showed up at our reservation time of 11:45 am for lunch and waited only a couple of minutes for our table (not next to a window).  From there it was all downhill.  We've been to many different Chart Houses around the USA and service and food is always top notch.  On this particular Christmas day neither the food or service met our expectations.  We ordered our entrees,  asked a few questions in regards to the sea bass and our server couldn't provide any information that wasn't available on the menu. My wife asked what vegetables came with the prime rib and the waiter began describing the ingredients in their house salad.  Once my wife was able to get the server focused on the vegetables she decided on the asparagus spears. After our soup and salad and an extremely long wait we asked for another bread basket.  Our wish was granted with the provision from our server that we "promise to finish the second basket".  Really? I think he may have been trying to be funny.  Guess what, he wasn't  funny. Things got worse. I actually asked for and pointed out on the menu for the sea bass with vegetable hash as did another of our guests.  When the sea bass with gnocchi finally arrived (uh, not what we ordered) and we questioned the order the server made it seem like that was the order we placed.  He reluctantly suggested he could take back the fish but couldn't predict when we might see the new plates.  By now, even after 2 bread baskets which we consumed per request we reluctantly agreed to stick with what we were served when the server suggested he would bring us some vegetable hash on the side.  When my wife's prime rib was delivered to the table (by a different waiter) this waiter announced that the asparagus spears were the ones "ordered for the table" Again, what???  This $7 upcharge was removed from the bill upon our request.  Finally, after another incredible long wait desserts were delivered to the table.  This time the server slid my Drunken Cheesecake in front of me and quired "does this look the same"? I have no idea what that meant or if again,  this was his attempt at humor.  The lava cake ordered by 2 guests was missing anything at all that might have resembled lava.  Instead these lumpy chunks of chocolate were more akin to molten lava that had cooled and dried to a crisp.  At no point during our meal were we asked how we were doing or offered a refill on our beverages (including waters) until service was concluded.  We understand it was Christmas day,  we understand they were busy, we understand this does not fall on the kitchen staff and we understand this falls squarely on the front of house staff.  This is the first time we can recall on any visit to any Chart House that there was no one resembling management roaming the floor and checking on the patrons.  Probably a good thing as we were fit to be tied by the time we paid the bill, tipped the valets and exited the parking lot...

I hate leaving bad reviews. I never judge an establishment off of one bad apple. But this place is different, from the wait staff to the management is a lesson on what is all wrong. My 3rd visit there during a scheduled dinner with 29 family members, many of which who flew in from as far as Las Vegas, was a simple disaster. The apetizers were great, the main course was at best inedible trash. The wait staff was not just rude and condescending, but actually yelled at some of our family members. The ceiling was actually leaking onto a table section, seriously leaking dirty water onto our table and the answer was hey its Florida we get a lot of rain. We were stuffed into a back room where we barely fit as a group, that was thier excuse to verbally bludgen anyone who was in thier way. What's even worse is the staff acted as we were the issue. The main courses, especially the fish plates were inedible, the shocking amount of salt could not have been a mistake. All the fish plates were sent back after a manager addressed the complaints and claimed the cook "Was Heavy Handed With The Salt" NO, this was deliberate, The strip steaks were all Well Done Tire Rubber regardless of what was requested and the Chicken Marsala plates tasted like vinegar. Anyone who requested for a replacement (as the manager offered) then had to wait up to 2 hours to have it exchanged. Many of us walked out. The Chart House completely ruined a family gathering (Celebration of my grand nieces Christening) that was not just pre-planned but pre-paid. Fancy names and fancy menu offerings dont make a business if the end result is what we were subjected to today. Like I said before, this was my 3rd visit here and not by my choice, but once for business and twice for family gatherings. Each visit became progressively worse, but what happened that day was beyond reproach. Save your money and run thru any fast food drive through, the service and food won't disappoint like this place does. I'll surmise with this. My nephew in the greatness of his heart and generosity surprised us all by not only arranging this gathering for the love of his newly born niece, "But Also Paid For It All", he didnt deserve this, none of us did. The Chart House will remain in my mind as a simple pass in life, a bad memory not worth our concern which will never foreshadow the point of the day, the Christening of the beutiful and newset addition to our wonderful family. This is where I would close with a Vulgarity, but I wont because this is all falling on deaf...

What has happened to the Chart House of old? Went there on a Monday night thinking there would not be a problem with service because it is not usually a busy night. Wrong. It took the server several minutes to even let us know she would "be right with us." When she did come to the table, it was to inquire if we wanted water. We said yes and a cocktail. Seemingly surprised, she whipped out her order pad. I ordered a Grey Goose lychee martini. She said that was not something they would know and started toward the bar to find out. I stopped her hoping to expedite our drink order and asked for a straight up Grey Goose martini. My fellow diners placed their drink orders and we waited for quite some time for the drinks to hit our table. In the past, bread and water would have been served, helping to bridge the gap between seating and receiving a cocktail. That did not happen. Three fourths of our foursome got water, and finally our cocktails arrived along with the last glass of water-- no ice. Still no bread but she did ask if we wanted an appetizer. Yes, we wanted a shrimp cocktail, and bread. Out came the shrimp cocktail, sans le pain. Our order was taken-- the menu is not even close to what it was in the past. No seasonal favorites, what a shame. After we gave our order and after the server had left, we realized, we had not put in our lava cake order. We were all a little taken aback because that is a signature dessert and, in the past, is ALWAYS asked if there will be an order for one or more when a dinner order is taken, since it takes a little longer to prepare.We managed to grab her attention to put in a lava cake order and she gave us thanks for reminding her. Our entrees were served WITH the bread we had ordered. Is there a bread shortage in Brevard County? We observed several other tables were without bread also. When I was served my entree, I asked for a second cocktail. I was able to eat half of my entree and go to the ladies room before I received it. I made sure to tell the server that three of us wanted coffee with our lava cake after we had finished our meal. Coffee was served a good 10 minutes before our lava cake. How disappointing. Overall, the food is fine, cocktails are ok but the service, other than THE VALET guys is not something that will get me back any time soon. Oh, and p.s., the manager has usually come by our table to see how things are-- no more. We have been Chart House patrons for over...