Szabo's Steakhouse and Seafood — Restaurant in Newport

I want to preface this with it was a $14 steak, so I already wasn't expecting much, but I went in for their tuesday special last week since they seemed to be pretty decent on their reviews. I'm not one to complain, or really ever send my food back because I have severe social anxiety and struggle with merely leaving the house, let alone eating in a restaurant, but when I say my steak was the saltiest steak I've ever had, I mean it was the saltiest steak I've ever had (and I routinely eat at Denny's since I mostly live on the road). They could not have given me a duller knife to cut my steak with, so I was already struggling to get a decent bite in, and while I tried to bear down and eat even half of my steak since I had not eaten all day and was starting to feel the affects of hunger set in, I could not get five bites in because it was just too salty. I very politely let the waitress know, and I even apologized for complaining, so she said she'd get me a new steak out shortly after confirming I wanted it medium rare. I waited patiently, and what she brought out was a blue steak with absolutely no seasoning on it whatsoever, which I could tell by the smell. I understand rushing the steak due to the amount of customers at the time and wanting to get my food out to me quickly, but I specifically mentioned I was in no hurry to get my steak and they could've taken as long as they needed to serve me my steak properly cooked, let alone properly seasoned. I merely wanted less salt on a steak that would've taken less then 5 minutes to cook medium rare considering how thin the steak was to begin with, and while I do love a blue steak, I simply don't trust any establishment to follow proper health and safety protocol to serve me seared, cold, raw meat-- and certainly not this establishment as it was already lacking in cleanliness so I could not imagine their kitchen. The moment I cut into it after sawing and hacking at it with their incredibly dull steak knife (I mean a butter knife would've done a better job at cutting a steak) and realized that it was almost completely raw and cold in the middle, as well as severely lacking any seasoning, I just gave up. I wasn't about to send my steak back another time, since I'd probably spit in my food had I been in the line cook's position (and the unseasoned, blue steak already felt like a big F.U.), so I asked for a box, paid my bill, even tipped, and left. I definitely won't be returning nor recommending this place to anybody, even if it was just an off night since the reviews seemed promising, and I really do want to emphasize the importance of properly maintained knives as a dull knife is far more likely to cause bodily injury than a properly sharpened...

This is my second visit and my second less than 1 star review. I gave them a second shot after many years in between visits.

Appetizer: Oysters on a half shell. Tolerable.

Second Course: Clam Chowder came to us in small styrofoam to go containers (we were dining in). The server prepared this out of a container sitting in the dining room. I’d seen an employee drop a new pot into the service area just prior to our service. My cup was less than half full and consisted almost only of broth. I’m guessing the inexperienced server was not trained on this. I had enough soup to tell you the Chowder was less than desirable. My boyfriend took a few bites and pushed it to the side. It not only lacked seasoning and flavors, it was also had a slight curdled taste. Worst Chowder ever behind Campbell’s Soup. Side Note: I ordered garlic bread and the server never offered to bring that with the soup.

Main Course:

Captain’s Platter after my boyfriends first choice (crab legs) wasn’t available. Everything was heavily coated in a tasteless batter. My boyfriend said the fish was bland and he thought the salmon may not even be real. His crab cakes and oysters were soggy beyond belief.

Halibut Fish and Chips: came out looking like giant chicken nuggets and was coated with thick gunky tasteless beer batter. My fish was tough like rubber. Even the steak fries were terrible. They were obviously freezer burnt and prepared way before my food was delivered.

My garlic bread order was missing altogether. So I mentioned to the waitress that I didn’t want it now. She insisted on bringing it anyways. A few minutes later it came to me. The bread was so soggy it seemed like they’d brought it in from the rain outside. So gross looking I poked at it with my fingers. I refused to even take a bite and I told the server I would not be paying for that. She removed it from the bill. How can garlic bread be screwed up.

Overall: I hate seeing a restaurant fail to this extreme. I’m not sure what’s happening at this restaurant but I see Kitchen Impossible filming here. I can only imagine that the people at the very top have either given up or have no business running a restaurant. Sorry for such a hard and difficult review. If the restaurant gets overhauled invite me back and I’ll pull this. Until then I’ll take...

Awful, just awful. My wife and I went here during our weekend getaway, we even made reservations for some of the other reviewers had recommended. Jonna was our server and she was not very good at all. she kept forgetting thing and we had to ask her multiple times for basic items (pepper, water, napkins). The beer was semi coldish, and they don't carry everything they advertise.

Appetizers - Steamed clams - they were not soaked long enough and had a lot of sand in them, broth was just mediocre. They forgot to put in our order for jalapeños, when they cam they were nothing special.

Main Course - I had the captains plate and my wife the ribs.

She got a salad as her one side, (yes you only get one side) which is nothing more than bagged salad mix with a couple croutons, no tomato, no onion, no cucumber, no cheese, nothing but lettuce and croutons.

Her ribs were not fall apart by any means, the sauce tasted like ketchup with some vinegar in it. Very disappointing.

My captains plate which is advertised as Captains Plate $24.95 sautéed or deep-fried prawns, oysters(fried), halibut, salmon & a crab cake!

this is copied from the website and it is EXACTLY what it say on the plastic and paper menus. IT DOES NOT COME WITH OYSTERS. They said it used to but not for a couple months, which was not explained to me until after I inquired about where they were. This is enough time to change a menu or update a website. By sautéed, they mean poached in the same broth as the clams come in.

Service was terrible, food is SO not worth it. Will make sure everyone I know does not waste their money here.

GO anywhere else in Newport than this place, would have been better off at...