Sayler's Country Kitchen has been around since 1946. They've enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) a good reputation as a high-quality steakhouse. Everyone who's lived in Portland for long has heard of or eaten at Sayler's.

We got there at 5 PM, before the place got too busy. Parking was a bear. There were no parking spaces. We found a spot on the road just west of the restaurant. I'm not sure where folks parked once it got busy (which it did a short time later).

The wait was minimal. Reservations are not allowed. My first impression was, "Dang, this place is huge." It reminded me of a huge Denny's. No knock there; I love Denny's. It seemed like a somewhat dated monstrous diner. There's a bar with a few televisions and comfy chairs. There's a room that reminded me of a conference room. There is another smaller room on the west side of the restaurant. A party room? There are bathrooms on the east and west sides. The waiting room is spacious with plenty of seating.

The first things I noticed (after being seated) were the steak-shaped menus and the prices therein. Holy smokes! I eat out plenty but I guess I'm not rich enough to eat at places like Sayler's. The average price (I'd say) was about $30 per plate. Prices ranged from $11.50 (for a gardenburger) to $70 (for a 72 ounce sirloin).

After seeing the prices, and knowing Sayler's Country Kitchen's reputation, I knew I was in for a treat. I ordered a medium-well 12 oz. New York Steak for $32. My wife ordered the country fried steak for $18. I asked for a couple samples of beer and very generous samples were provided. So far so good. A few minutes later some yummy bread was brought out. Tasty. Then a veggie tray with carrots, celery, olives, baby corn . . . Not bad!

After a short wait, the main dishes arrived. I cut into my 12 oz. New York steak expecting the most succulent meat I'd ever tasted. However, as I sawed through the steak, I started thinking, "It feels like I'm sawing through a plank of wood." I dismissed the thought as utter foolishness, knowing that I was at Sayler's, the best steakhouse in Portland! After cutting it open, I noticed that the middle was red -- VERY red. I touched it and it seemed sort of raw. I thought, "Well, my server did say that they cook on the rare side here." So I decided to take a bite. I bit, chewed . . . and chewed . . . and chewed! After getting the first bite down, I quietly waved down our extremely patient and kind server and asked for a new steak. "This steak is really chewy," I told her. "And I don't think it's cooked medium well." She took one look at it and said, "That steak is rare. I'm sorry." She recommended the rib-eye, saying that it had more marbling but should be more tender. I took her recommendation and waited.

My new meal arrived about 10 minutes later. The steak was cooked perfectly. I took one bite and it was very tender and juicy. I cut into it again and yanked out a huge chunk of fat. "Marbling," I thought. "It's OK. Rib-eyes are supposed to have a little more marbling." My next bite contained a lot more marbling. And my next bite was all marbling. When I finished my steak, I filled up an entire 8 oz. paper cup with marbling for the dog. So I got about 8 oz. of marbling and about 4 oz. of edible meat. Wow.

My wife told me that she went on a chicken fried steak binge a few years back. She said that chicken fried steak always comes with white sauce. But this chicken fried steak came with no gravy at all. And it tasted like it was made with ground beef. At least her mashed potatoes had brown gravy. She would have sent the meal back but was too embarrassed because we had already sent back two meals.

The only reason I'm giving Sayler's Country Kitchen two stars is because of our wonderful and amazing server. She treated us well. She was patient with us. She was kind. She was attentive. I'm glad Sayler's hired her or else I'd be giving them one star.

My conclusion? Sayler's Country Kitchen is a massive, glorified diner with exorbitant prices. It's perfect for rich folks who like to say, "I eat at Sayler's."