J Morgan's Steakhouse — Restaurant in Montpelier

So first off, I want to say, my husband and I have never been disappointed with the food here. The food really is delicious. But my most recent experience with the staff was not as nice, so unfortunately for that reason alone I am giving it 3 stars. I'd love to some how just let the general managers know of what happened, so this is the best way for me to inform them. So last night I ordered take out, Cajun Shrimp Entree and the Millionaires Baked Potato. The lady on the telephone said my Entree comes with a salad, she asked, would you like the House Salad, Ceasar Salad or the Cobb Salad. So I asked her what the last one was, so she started describing it and said it came with bacon, I immediately said yes because who doesn't like bacon on their salad?? So when I got to the restaurant to pick up my order, I left with a small take out bag. I thought it seemed small but just gave it the benefit of the doubt. I then dove all the way home (25 minutes) and realized when I got home that the Cobb salad I was supposed to get wasn't in the bag. Then I got my phone to call and realized the restaurant left a message. A manager named Trevor called and told me the "house salad" was at the restaurant still. He was very nice about it. So I called him back and he made sure I would be able to pick up a new one the next day. (At this point I didn't know there was a difference between the House salad and the Cobb salad, I thought he just meant the salad that came with my meal, the Cobb I was expecting). Anyways to make a long story short... I called around 3 today like I said I would, and asked for a manager. The lady that answered the phone (Emily) said she was a manager. So I explained the situation, that the girl the night before told me I would get a Cobb salad with my meal but it was never in the bag. So Trevor said I could get it tomorrow. No matter how much I tried to explain that the girl said I would get a Cobb salad, Emily refused to give me one, she said I was never charged for a Cobb salad and that they don't come with entrees, but I was supposed to just get a small House salad.... That is not the point, if you already mess up an order by not giving someone a salad when they are supposed to, don't give them the wrong salad even if they weren't charged for it! If that's what they ordered, then give it to them... And to top it off, she never even said "have a nice day" to me and just whisked me away when I came to pick up the house sale, which, looks pretty pitiful... I am pretty disappointed with how it was handled. Because I really wanted that Cobb salad I thought I was supposed to get! I'm sorry, I know it's just a salad, but it still...

A nice evening with a girlfriend long overdue. I have not been to this restaurant so was looking forward to it. We did not have a reservation and felt a little unsure how to react, while waiting, to the somewhat odd behavior of the staff member chewing gum while checking the computer. We asked for a table on the terrace which was fully booked but after a few moments we would be seated within 8 minutes, which ended being straight away when we sat down at the bar. Felt a little disorganized. Our waiter was friendly, very soft spoken which might just have been my own opinion/ hearing ;). We decided on drinks and appetizers first with our waiter returning to tell us about all (!!) the specials. We both ordered rare steaks with vegetable otd and I had rice as starch. The calamari appetizer was really delicious. Perfectly fried and not overdone. The Caesar salad was...different from how I know it to be done, but tasted ok as well. Both steaks were cooked as ordered. However au poivre was somewhat disappointing We both thought it more of a gravy than the classic sauce we know and love. The vegetable medley was a bit of a sad arrangement on my plate and actually serving "Near East Long Grain and Wild Rice" mix from a box really threw me off. A good big spoodle full of it. I did expect a whole lot more from this establishment than that. But like I said, I enjoyed my evening with my friend, so just shrugged it off. We decided not to have dessert and asked for espresso and cappucino instead. 10 minutes later we were informed that the machine has "issues". So we asked for the check. Another 15 minutes later we received the hot beverages. Oh boy..lol Upon being presented the bill of fare we were "informed" that "oh by the way, since covid we add 20% gratuity already on!" We both were taken aback by that. We both tip either 20% or over whenever we go out or have other services, but being told that it has been decided for us is neither appreciated nor wanted. I would much prefer the owners of these kinds of establishments pay a living wage to their staff instead of the customer. If it would not have been for that last part I would have just shrugged the night off as a...

Extremely Disappointed – A Far Cry from the J Morgan’s I Remember

We visited J Morgan’s this past Saturday for a 12:30 PM lunch reservation with a party of 10 to celebrate a birthday. Unfortunately, what should have been a special and joyful occasion turned into a frustrating and disappointing experience.

We arrived on time to an empty restaurant — not a single other table was seated — yet it took 40 minutes just to get drinks, and not even everyone had water in the meantime. After waiting patiently, I finally had to walk over to the bar to ask about our beverages, only to find no one there. I stood awkwardly for another 10 minutes before someone finally noticed me and I was able to explain the situation.

When our food eventually came out, half the orders were incorrect or incomplete. Items were missing, others were poorly executed. One guest’s burger came without cheese — which feels like the bare minimum of a cheeseburger. The mac and cheese with chicken was $30 and practically inedible: dry, flavorless, and visually unappetizing. The chicken was overcooked and tough, and there was no cheesy creaminess to the dish at all. Other meals ordered medium rare arrived well done. Across the board, presentation was lacking, and the food felt like a rushed afterthought.

To make matters worse, the check included items we never received. While the staff did fix the bill after we pointed it out, the final total was still over $300 for a meal that felt like a chore.

It’s honestly heartbreaking — this used to be one of Montpelier’s more upscale, classy spots, and I remember coming here years ago and having a great experience. What happened? The location inside the Capitol Plaza Hotel once added to its appeal, but now it feels like the quality, service, and attention to detail have all plummeted.

To be blunt, the bowling alley we went to afterward had better food.

We’re sharing this review not to be cruel, but in hopes that the restaurant takes the feedback to heart. J Morgan’s has the potential to be great again — but it needs serious attention to service, kitchen execution, and overall...