Ted's Montana Grill — Restaurant in North Carolina

The Kitchen needs help fast or you will continue to lose your customer base.

My mother who is turning 75, was visiting me from out of state. I had eaten at Ted's before and received great service and I thought I would make this night special for my mother who has never had Bison before. I always beleive in complementing when I can as I did on my first visit but this will not be a favorable review. With that said, my second visit was nothing like the first. It was an embarrassment to have spent $152 and receive the service that we experienced with the mixed orders and poor attention to detail.

I made reservations for 8PM on 8/3/2018. We arrived and were seated promptly. I had ordered the shrimp apatizer in the past and couldn't wait to have my mom try this dish. We placed are drink order, 3 waters, 2 mixed drinks, and the shrimp. I asked if my mom could get a Bison sample as well. Here is where it all went down hill for the rest of the night.

One mixed drink came to the table, 5 minutes later the second drink came followed by the water. Still not having the Bison sampler after 15 minutes, we place our order. 2 salads, one soup, 2 New York strips, and one fillet. Still no Bison Sampler and when I asked, I was informed the people next to me were still waiting for there's also. Information I didnt need to hear.

Now when you are spending money on dinner at $35 for a main course I expect a certiain level of service. The two salads arrived and the waiter, who was not the original waiter, had to ask where to place them. When asked about the soup, I was told he would check with the kitchen. 5 minutes later the soup came out. Still no Bison sampler. The shrimp came shortly after.

I asked our waitress if the kitchen was having problems because it appeared there was a problem with getting the food to the table. She stated the kitchen was having issues and appologized. Minutes before the main course arrived, the Bison sampler arrived. Fingers crossed that mom would like it since we had already ordered.

So two wait staff brought the main course to the table. The waiter didn't know where the plates went once again and had to make a game of the delivery. "Ok lets see who gets what. Your eyeballing the green beans so this must be for you. Let me see, ummm, did you get the fillet? Yea I bet you did and you must get the last new York strip". Very poor delivery.

My moms steak was supposed to be medium rare, mine medium, and my friends medium. This was not the case. The kitchen had put my steak on my moms plate and mine on hers. At this point I was more than bothered by the staff and kitchen. The waitress offered to fix the issue but we all know this would have taken more time and we would all not be able to eat together. I was just embarrassed for my mom and we swapped steak in lue of waiting more time. The waitress saw I was not happy and sent the manager over to the table.

The manager appologized and admitted they were having problems in the kitchen. I told the manager that the first time I came the service was great but this time it was very sub-par. She commented on the staff being young and having issues all night. After 10 minutes we were able to eat our meal. Now the steak was tasty, but the parmasion brocolli was tough and had very little parm on it. The waitress was obviously trying to do battle damage but at this point nothing would make me leave a 20% tip.

At the end of the meal, I tipped $10 on a $152 bill. Not my normal as I usually tip above 20% but I beleive in giving what is earned. I will not be going back here for some time as the staff needs a lot of help. If an establishement wants to offer food at these prices then I expect a comparable service package to go along with it. Thank you for reading this and I am available for any comments...

I recently had the chance to experience Ted’s Montana Grill in Waverly as a hosted guest, and this scratch-made kitchen delivers on flavor. Ted’s is a smaller national chain with about 38 locations, but they focus on quality ingredients and an elevated take on American comfort food. Bison is the star of the show.

I started with a tasting of several appetizers and complementary house pickles. While Ted’s isn’t a seafood spot, they still served up a solid St. Phillip’s Island Crab Cake. It had minimal filler, which I appreciated, but I prefer a lumpier texture and a bigger portion. That said, this is a meat restaurant, so let them shine with their strengths. The Bison Nachos were dangerously good. They are gluten-free and absolutely smothered in cheese and bison meat. I had to pace myself because I knew more food was coming, but these could easily be a meal on their own. The Grilled Shrimp on Ciabatta was another great starter. The shrimp were plump and juicy, seasoned with Ted’s proprietary blend, and served on garlic-toasted ciabatta with lemon compound butter. I normally do not like cauliflower, but the Cauliflower Fritters completely won me over. These cheesy, crispy bites were incredibly addicting. I kept going back for more. This dish is a chef’s special, so it is not always on the menu, but if you see it, order it.

Ted’s is known for its bison burgers, so I had to try a couple. The Smash Burger is a limited-time chef’s special available until March 16, 2025. It comes with American cheese, spicy pickles, and a scratch-made ranch onion dip. The flavor was spot on, but I prefer a little more caramelization and crispy edges on my smash burgers. I would still order it again.

The Canyon Creek Burger takes things up a notch with cheddar cheese, bacon, jalapeño, blackberry jam, and a fried egg. The combination of smoky, sweet, and spicy flavors worked well together. The onion rings that came with it were some of the best I have had.

Ted’s excels in bison dishes, and the Bison Short Ribs were a standout. The bones slid out clean, and the meat was incredibly tender. It came with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and a house roll for the perfect comfort meal.

The Bison Filet was another highlight. I ordered it medium rare, and it was cooked perfectly. Bison has a richer, slightly sweeter taste than beef, and this filet was exceptionally tender. I paired it with carrots and asparagus, which balanced the richness nicely. I always save room for dessert, the Kahlua Fudge Brownie which was served hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream. I could have eaten five of these. No notes, just perfection.

I was also told to try the Apple Pecan Crisp which was full of warm spiced fall flavors, with a buttery oat and pecan topping over tart Granny Smith apples. If you love cozy desserts, get this before it rotates off the menu for strawberry season.

Ted’s Montana Grill has something for everyone. They are great at accommodating allergies, so let your server know and they will work directly with the chef. They also offer mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages, which is a nice touch.

Next time you are in Waverly, you will probably find...

Last night February 4, my family took me out to Ted’s for a birthday dinner. We had a reservation at 5:15. We arrived to our reservation and was seated at the “signature” table. That table had no tablecloth like the others and was dusty with crumbs. After asking to be seated at another table we received no confirmation that our request was going to be met. We were still seated at the signature table waiting for some indication that we would be moved.

After about 10 minutes of waiting for some sign from the staff we were going to be moved, my Dad and I walked to the hostess podium to inquire about our request. One hostess walked by us and went to the guests who just came in and started to assist them. After seeing another employee walk by, I asked her about our request and she said, “Oh yes we are getting a new table for you now.”

We received the new table and I have to say, our waitress Abby was great. She seemed as if she was appreciative that we were guest. She was very attentive to our order and our requests. Especially about the allergies one of my kids have. Kudos to her.

Dinner went smoothly. Abby was great and we just ignored what happened previously and enjoyed family time since my parents came in from Virginia to see me on my birthday, until the manager came out to speak to the table next to us. The manager came out to that table and said, “You all ordered steaks and that is great. I want to take care of you all. If there is anything you need, please ask for me.”

That was upsetting because as a customer who took the time to make a reservation and to just be put at a dusty table was appalling. Especially since it felt no one except Abby wanted us there. There was no sense of emergency to make sure we were good but since a table ordered steaks, they were treated like royalty.

I have been to Ted’s plenty of times previously and never felt this way, but this is definitely the last time I will go. My money is just as good as anyone else’s.

I am only giving two stars because Abby definitely saved the experience. If I could have found another place to have dinner in a short time I would have but I was pretty much between a rock and...