Connected — Restaurant in Peoria

We have been to Connected many, many times. We love to go here to celebrate special occasions. My Husband's Birthday was the reason for celebrating here this time. Just like any other time our service and food was absolutely 💯 phenomenal. We both got the petite cut Delmonico Ribeye Steak which has been aged for 2 weeks. They season it with some salt, pepper, and little butter. The steak is so tender, juicy and flavorful that it melts in your mouth. It slices right off even with a butter knife, and ours was well done. Cooked to perfection. The best steak. It makes you not even like how you make your own at home (lol). Our sides were the augratin potatoes and a house salad. I am not one who always eats potatoes, but these are an absolute favorite of mine hands down. The potatoes are so tender with this light, creamy cheese sauce on them. Our food came out to use hot every time. The salad which started it all off had mixed greens, raspberries, french feta cheese, nuts (walnuts, pistachios, and cashews), and a light raspberry vinaigrette. Love the salad even. They bring you out bread with their special spread for it. As you first walk in the door, it is so beautiful with all the ponds and lighting. Just a romantic feel. They will greet you, and take your coat. Plus, give you a number for coat check. Since COVID is here everyone is wearing a mask. We certainly were also. Until we were seated at our table. They have so many options for cocktails, and give you an available light up tablet which you can select something to drink from if you wish to do that. They let us know we could bring in our own bottle of wine if we wanted to do that one time, and we did that. They charge for a corking fee if you do not drink it all. After you are seated, they place a napkin on your lap. Your Waiters/Waitresses introduce themselves and know the menus quite well. They describe the food selection so perfectly. The workers are dressed in black suits. When you look around, you will see a beautiful waterfall along this brick wall. It gives you a feeling that you are sitting somewhere in France under the stars. At your table they have a hand sanitizer spray bottle which is small for you to use. If you want your leftovers, they will pack it up for you and put it in a sack so you can easily transport it home. They offer you a dessert after your meal. If it is a special occasion, they put a beautiful message on the plate written in chocolate by your dessert. After sitting it on your table, they light a sparkler which is on the plate also. We got a baby cannoli this time. I was really, really full. After all of that, we got a Lemoncello in a shot glass. I will not ruin some other beautiful things they do. Everything that we've eaten there has been cooked perfectly and always served hot or at the right temperature. We have excellent service, and everyone is absolutely wonderful there to you. We even got to meet Troy Ummel one night when we ate there for my Birthday. It was truly an honor. When someone asks us for the best place for steak, for a special occasion, are favorite, or anything we tell them Connected. Hands down you are truly the best of the best. My rating is 100 plus out...

I had high expectations for this place because of all the great reviews and especially because of the big city menu prices.

I grew up in Chicago, and good restaurants were not very hard to find. This restaurant was not anywhere near a 5-star experience. Maybe they used to be, but it was definitely not the case tonight. I've never had an issue where a restaurant will not swap a sauce for an entree. Especially when the substitute is cheaper. I don't eat red meat, and I almost always order Sea Bass when I see it on a menu. I did not want the lobster sauce that was listed on the menu. The waitress pointed out a lemon sauce that she thought would go well with it and said she would ask but then said, "It will probably be a no" before she walked away. Why? It's a $40 entree. Put your pride aside, no one is trying to offend your pairings, "chef". I got the calamari, which was dry and overcooked. I also got the salad with wild mushrooms, and it was pretty average and a very small portion for the price.

My husband got the filet, he asked for medium and got medium rare. He got it without the sauce because he has an aversion to mushrooms. So the "chef" undercooks this streak and puts ZERO seasoning on it. No salt, no pepper. Absolutely zero flavor. We actually got to taste the low quality of the meat used. The potatoes that came with it were pretty good. We ordered a side of asparagus, and it was good, but most pieces were tough. It was described differently by the waitress than what we received. We finished with dessert. I got the creme brulee, and my husband got the key lime pie. We were asked if there was something we were celebrating, and we were, so they made a show out of it with a sparker. They flambe the creme brulee at the table, which is cool. But an entire shot of alcohol was overkill. Not only did I never get a crunchy charred top layer, but there was alcohol drowing the dessert. It was soggy and weird. My husband said the pie was ok. The bread and spread that was brought out in the beginning was really good. I would say that was my favorite part of the entire meal, and it was free. Ha!

Would never go back for any reason. Total...

It's a long review but it's well deserved! Everything from start to finish was just wonderful! The service was excellent! The ambiance was classic and elegant but not so overwhelming that you can't feel comfortable. The food is amazing. The entire experience sets the standard that other restaurants in the area would have a difficult time trying to contend with.

The menu was simple, but ample enough of a selection to have a difficult time trying to choose from the variety of options. The wine and cocktail list was impressive. I chose the old fashioned and it was terrific!

The crab cake and calamari were perfect! You could taste the freshness in the seafood. Anyone who loves seafood knows that the freshness makes all the difference! The crab was tender, flaky and sweet and the calamari was tender, well-seasoned, and fried to the right amount of crisp.

My lamb chops were... What's that word again??? PERFECT! The seasonings were just right and did not overpower the natural flavor of the food. And the au gratin potatoes were the perfect compliment.

The meal was served in beautifully presented courses, which added a layer of enjoyment to our dining experience. In addition to that, the service staff was knowledgeable, friendly, polite and engaging throughout.

I was highly impressed by this dining experience, and my husband and I both agree that Connected is in our top 5 favorite fine dining experiences. We will be back soon! Everything about our experience just wowed us and the price point was really not an issue for what we received in exchange.

Overall, I'm glad we finally got around to trying this little hideen gem. I'm mad that I have lived here a year and didn't try it sooner! I'm glad we're finally connected to Connected... It is a...