Juniper Steakhouse — Restaurant in New Mexico

If I could I'd give them 0 stars.... Last night was supposed to be a memorable mother-daughter evening at a nice steakhouse in New Mexico. I'm here for a nonprofit storytelling conference, and my mom and I were excited to travel together. We've been having a great time, and she wanted to treat me to a nice dinner before I attended an evening conference event the casino.

I booked a 7 PM reservation online and told her we'd have to head out by 8:30 for the event. We arrived at the restaurant a bit early, around 6:40 PM, and checked in with the host. We waited patiently as the lobby filled with people. I noticed the host seating several parties who had arrived after us, but I assumed they must have had earlier reservations. By 7:10, I decided to check in again. The host asked for my name, and after a moment of confusion, said she couldn't find us on the list. I reminded her we had checked in 30 minutes ago, and she suddenly remembered. She apologized and said she would seat us right away.

Finally, we were shown to our table at 7:15. Since we were already running behind, I tried to order right then with the host, but she informed us that only our server could take our order. We waited again, and by 7:30, our waiter finally arrived. We placed our order immediately.

As the clock ticked on, our drinks arrived at 7:50 and they were terrible--so bad that we left them untouched. By 8 we realized we were cutting it close for the event. I flagged down the waiter, explained our time constraint and asked if the food would be out soon. He apologized profusely, explaining that he was the only server that night because three others had called out so it wasn't possible. He kindly offered to cancel our food and comp the undrunk drinks, telling us, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

We headed over to the event. Just as we were settling in, at around 8:45, a security guard approached us. In a loud, accusatory tone, he said, "You need to come with us. You ran out on your bill and need to come pay."

The entire room turned to look at us. My face flushed with embarrassment. We were mortified as we followed security back to the restaurant. Once there, we were confronted by a woman claiming to be the manager. She immediately started berating us, accusing us of running out on our tab. Just as I began to explain, our waiter rushed over, clearly distressed. He told her we hadn't run out on the bill--he had canceled our food and waived the drink charge because we didn't consume them.

The manager looked stunned, realizing the mistake. They all stood there, looking foolish, as I explained how humiliating it was to be accused publicly in front of my peers at a private event. I asked for the contact information for the district manager, but the so-called manager only handed me a business card with the restaurant's contact info. When I asked her to write down the district manager's email or phone number, she reluctantly scribbled down his first name and told me it was his name & the restaurant domain.

I later emailed him, only to have the email bounce back. It was the cherry on top of a truly...

Getting inside the Casino was a strange experience...I like the idea that you swipe with your ID, I like how official- almost like a tsa check-in the temperature check was. I DON'T ENJOY BEING TREATED LIKE A- I'm not sure what to call it? -- felt like I was being accused of identity fraud or something. The security guard asked for my ID, took it and didn't say anything about what was happening...causing fear and anxiety over what seems to be nothing. I wasn't the only one panicked. He was strange and making other customers uncomfortable too. . So, I am now in a fowl disposition doing a review for Juniper. We are here for lunch -- PSA they do not serve steak at lunch.

I got the 505 -- which I am assuming is the burger (doesn't quite say, just asks if you want ground beef or ground bison)...I asked for no bun and extra lettuce, so we will see. I ordered it medium/got the ground bison. I also ordered margarita encantada? It is part of their signature cocktails, intriguing as it boasts of exotic flavors such as blood orange syrup. Kinda wish the ice was crushed a little more for more of a margarita flare...doesn't have a salt rim either -- could have been nice with a sugar rim - especially with a bit of orange essence or infused with the sugar... It tastes nice...just needed a little oomph with the syrup or a sugar rim or something. Presentation. Burger...too much char...feel like I'm licking a grill...chile is a nice subtle heat that gives flavor to the cremated burger. The steak fries are bomb. Thick and surprisingly crispy. After to trying to eat the burger...I can't do it and my fiancé agrees that it is indeed un-eatable. Waiting for service is a bit like waiting to be called in a doctor's office, they know you are here and see you -- but?? Trying to see if I can get another patty...I'm Gluten-Free right now and so literally I just have a cremated patty with lettuce...at least the fries are good. Finally tracked the server down after 10 minutes (even though he has walked back and forth not even looking at us, several tiems)...he is putting in the order for the patty. . I am so very happy that they brought out a whole new plate with the new patty, fresh cheese and chile and bacon and even adding a new side of lettuce and tomato...no onion -- but I consider myself lucky enough to not be burned again with just a patty. The new patty is better than the last, but still just as char burned. It is now apparent to me that perhaps the grill needs to be cleaned...I have trouble believing that the patties are just left to burn the way they have been on their own, without an underlying reason - such as a unclean grill?

So, all in all. I was not happy with the food or the service. My fiancé was more upset than I was...if we do come back...hopefully dinner will...

My wife and I recently dined at Juniper Steakhouse to celebrate our anniversary, hoping for a special experience. Upon arrival, it was apparent that the restaurant was sparsely occupied. Despite having a reservation, we were seated near the waiter station, where we inadvertently overheard discussions between staff members concerning their tips and dissatisfaction.

Our initial impressions were dampened when it took our waiter an unexpectedly long time to approach us for our drink order—just water and lemonade. A subsequent delay ensued as we waited another 15 to 20 minutes before he returned to take our orders. Surprisingly, there were only a handful of couples present in the restaurant and numerous vacant tables.

Regrettably, the service differential was palpable. Guests without reservations seemed to receive their drinks promptly, as well as their meals in a more expedient manner. Meanwhile, we were still awaiting our meals and received bread only after another 15 to 20 minutes. The bread, touted as a croissant muffin with garlic powder, didn't quite meet our expectations.

Our entrées, New York steaks, were satisfactory, though they arrived with an additional delay of around 30 minutes. After we had completed our meals, our waiter only checked on us after an extended interval of 15 to 20 minutes. We noted that the drink portions were smaller, necessitating multiple requests for refills.

Even basic requests, like providing water for my husband, took considerable time. When we requested our check and inquired about our receipt, our waiter assured us he would return with it. Unfortunately, this process was protracted as he attended to other tables before finally bringing us the bill.

At this point, I spoke with the manager, who asked about our dining experience. I conveyed that while the food was acceptable, the service fell short of our expectations. The manager mentioned that they were short-staffed due to unexpected call-ins, but our experience should not have been compromised by these circumstances.

Given the reliance of the service staff on gratuity, we understand their challenges, but considering the prices charged at Juniper Steakhouse, we had hoped for an exceptional culinary and service encounter, which unfortunately, was not realized on...