Meat Market Steakhouse Palm Beach — Restaurant in Palm Beach

Having dined in palm beach for over 30 years , and having experienced memorable dining in all price points in several countries , my dinner companion and I will certainly remember our dinner at meat market ...., for all the wrong reasons! Expecting a high energy atmosphere , we enjoyed the decor and the concept , however the other dinner guests were so unruly that bordered on rudeness and which seemed to be the norm ; our neighboring table guests were so exuberant in their greeting almost every diner in the place, that their constant movement in and out of their seats and conducting load animated conversations literally on top of us required us to hold on to our wine glasses as though we were experiencing turbulence in flight ; despite all of this in direct sight of the wait staff ( more on that later) and the manager( much more on that later) nothing was done to gently suggest to the patrons to encourage a milder approach by gently assisting in the separation of tables etc. Our waiter was however constantly buzzing about our table , annoying with constant interruption, including downright insistence that we consider ordering a side veg ( which we had declined over and over) and then forgot the simplest requests for lemon, bread, etc. The meal was good, not great, and pricey but that’s not the complaint. Also surprisingly , the negroni was mediocre at best, despite the fact that the bar and mixology is supposed to be a main feature. Finally after our meal and bill was paid in excess of 250 with a generous tip ( notwithtanding above described service) , and barely having finished our coffee and desert, the manager approached. Instead of a gracious “thank you please come back again, “we were asked to move !!! Due to another party being seated and the need for our table to accommodate and those guests were now getting anxious, he explained , without apology or chagrin! As we were stunned and began our humiliating “ perp walk” out the door, I heard a faint offer of a glass of champagne at the bar!!!! Seriously !!!! I remain stunned at this unique closure to a dining experience!!! Our reservations were for 7 pm and it was barely 9 when we were ousted! Having just returned from Rome , and a meeting with executives in the global luxury travel industry, I was asked to send back my list of “ palm beach gems” for their client recommendations. Not only will Meat Market not be included on the list of gems , it will be at the top of the “ stay away” list! Sorry Meat Market , that...

Attention to detail, creativity and imagination come to mind when visiting the Meat Market Steakhouse (MM). This was a first visit for us and the impressions left with us have been seared in like their Tomahawk steak.

Let’s start with the atmosphere. It’s sophisticated but not over stated. Inviting in a way you feel comfortable, but special. Art Deco lighting with nice touches of wood slates placed strategically around the room. There is a great bar to pass the time with locals as well.

The service was top notch. The staff was very knowledgeable of not only the menu, but of how the chef incorporates various cultures into his cooking. Our main waiter Carlos was as personable as they come. if there was a question about specials, recommendation or even how it might taste on the pallet he provided spot on detail. Let’s face it most waiters need to read from a cheat sheet to remember what specials the chef is offering. Not here, this guy even knew the ingredients. Come on . . . His support, Edward, was also top notch. Alway attentive but not overly so.

Now the food. First kudos need to go to the kitchen and in particular the chef. There are chefs and there are artists in the kitchen. Preparation, presentation, and imagination just start to describe what comes out of the kitchen. Dishes come out perfectly prepared and pleasing to the eye. One bite in and you know you’ve found a special place.

The food was amazing. From the warm Peruvian corn as a causal house offering, seasoned with a little cyan and salt, to the sourdough bread, to the salads to the entrees there was no question we found nirvana.

My wife had the Sea Bass. It was prepared to perfection and the chef was very accommodating with the replacement of potatoes with asparagus. But here’s the kicker, he incorporated it into the dish as if it was meant to be there. Not a side but part of the dish.

I had the MM Caesar salad. I’m not a Kale fan, but they convinced me otherwise after starting with this creation. A hint of smokiness, bacon and pickled onions. OMG! Next I had the MM steak. It was cooked to perfection, just the right amount of marbling and served on a warm piece of slate to keep it warm. To this I added the Brussel spouts with bacon as a side. Oh my, the taste buds were doing a tap dance.

When visiting West Palm Beach the Meat Market should, no . . . must be on your list for a great experience your pallet...

My wife and I picked Meat Market to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. When we arrived, the valet was not at his post. We waited over 5 minutes outside for him to come back. When he emerged, it wasn't from dropping off another car, it was from the inside of the restaurant.

We were shown to our seat very quickly by the friendly hostess. Our server team was excellent. They were very attentive.

The cocktails, appetizer, and salads were brought out quickly and were all very good. The mark up on the wine was about 110%, which in my opinion is a bit high. They also do not allow you to bring in high quality wine and pay a cork fee. Many high end restaurants in the area allow it, including most on Palm Beach.

The Chef's creation grilled peach salad was awesome. The tuna tar tar was very fresh and had a beautiful presentation.

For the main course we ordered a 16 oz ribeye, a 6 oz fillet, a loaded baked potato, broccoletti, and Brussel's sprouts. My wife's fillet was cooked perfectly. She said it was a little over salted, but that is always subjective. My ribeye (ordered medium rare) came out well done. Our wait staff was clearly mortified, and immediately apologized. They quickly brought me a plate so that I could at least have some sides while I waited. The Brussel's sprouts were the star of the show. The salted loaded potato had cooked way too long, and the bacon topping was beyond burnt. The broccoletti was average at best.

When the server returned with a replacement ribeye, it had some color on the outside, little to no seasoning, and was raw on the inside. I'm pretty sure I saw it twitch when I cut into it. Because I was over it at this point, I politely smiled and ate what I could. I left the rest.

I can't say enough times how great our server team was. They felt horrible for the issue with the steak, and provided a complementary dessert for us to enjoy.

Overall, I will say I was pretty disappointed in the experience. for the same price point I would far rather do New York Prime, Echo, or Buccan. Okeechobee Steakhouse has a better steak and is far less pretentious.

For a meal that far surpasses this one in every way, for a much lower price, one only need to look as far as Kaluz...