Epic Chophouse Raleigh — Restaurant in Raleigh

Whew, there is so much to unpack. I found this restaurant on instagram. I thought it would be nice for me and my husband to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary there. We recently had a baby girl and rarely get time alone. I made reservations and we arrived and were seated promptly . I was a little sad that we didn’t get the cuddle cozy couch chair but meh we had a seat none the less . Our server was nice we ordered waters no ice and 2 drinks . My lemon drop was watered down and missing the sugar rim . My husbands drink was nice . We did not receive our waters . We orders the tomahawk steak and the waitress reverified if that’s what we wanted because people would order the tomahawk pork chop in error and it would be something she would have to pay for if it was a mistake . I thought that was crazy that a server would have to pay for food taken back she agreed . That only placed more anxiety on us but empathized with her. The steak was taking a while to cook in which we really didn’t mind because we were just enjoying one another’s company and the steak was 42oz in which I didn’t realize that but my husband and I frequently order tomahawks from Capital Grille or Flemmings like our last anniversary dinner. Only because the server thought we might complain regarding the wait did the owner come over to check in. I told him it was our anniversary and we understood the wait . They said he heard it was our anniversary wished us a good one and gave us small talk . We ordered the steak medium well and after waiting about 40-45 mins maybe longer on which we really didn’t mind the steak was rare. The side dishes Mac and cheese was cold and not very good and the baked potato was stale and cold . Another manager came over and we showed him the steak and he said he will have it cooked again . No not a new one put the same one back on the grill. The steak came back not too different from the first time and it was unseasoned and tough. The bone wasn’t even cut down so it looked like we were eating a dinosaur . I just felt that our night was ruined. They gave us another baked potato for our wait and that one was better quality but we already ate the stale one because we were hungry at this point . I literally wanted to cry we paid this restaurant that was 40mins away for a terrible meal and experience. I eventually asked for water and we received them . We asked for the bone to be wrapped up for our dogs . I’m still thinking they would cut the bone . They did not they wrapped it in foil and gave it to us . I had to ask for a bag at least so I’m not leaving the restaurant looking like Fred flintstone and baby bam bam with the dinosaur fossil. We do not have any plans on returning . We visited...

Disappointing Birthday Experience – Would Not Recommend for Special Occasions

I had high hopes for this restaurant and chose it to host a birthday dinner for a group of nine. I made the reservation well in advance, confirmed the party size multiple times, and even left detailed notes through their reservation platform. Despite that, the day of the event, I was told the reservation was only for eight people. When I corrected it, the response I received was aggressive, ,cold, dismissive, and unprofessional. Instead of offering a solution, I was told we’d need to come 30 minutes earlier—just a few hours before the dinner—which wasn’t feasible with guests coming from out of town.

The tone and treatment from staff—especially management—were disappointing from the start. I was spoken to with condescension, blamed for their error, and offered no sincere apology. What made it worse when we arrived is that other parties were being seated with walk-in reservations, which contradicted what we were told about the restaurant being “at capacity.”

To add insult to injury, my mother was so upset by the treatment that she opted out of attending. What was meant to be a celebratory night turned into a stressful, frustrating experience—and I had to go through it without my mom on my birthday. The manager never checked in with our table once, despite walking around and engaging warmly with others. We experienced slow, inattentive service and multiple oversights. Our server was kind but clearly overwhelmed and unprepared for a large party.

We were seated in the farthest back section, and many of us observed that we received significantly less attention than other tables. It created an uncomfortable and disheartening atmosphere.

Despite spending a considerable amount of money, we left feeling unvalued and dismissed. For a place that markets itself as an upscale dining experience, the service did not match the price point or the expectations.

If you're planning a celebration, especially with a group, I strongly urge you to reconsider. This was one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences I’ve had, and I will not be returning. I’ve also emailed the Director of Operations and the Operating Partner to let them know of...

I recently visited Epic Chophouse after seeing it all over Instagram, and I was excited to finally try it out. The ambiance was absolutely beautiful—the scenery and atmosphere were exactly what I expected. Unfortunately, that was the highlight of the experience.

I started off by ordering a blueberry lemon drop, which came out with a fruit fly in it. I sent it back immediately. While the replacement drink was okay, it wasn't anything special. The color was dull—not the vibrant blue you'd expect from real blueberry juice or syrup—so I suspect it was made with artificial flavoring rather than fresh ingredients. The blueberry lemon drop was nothing to rave about.

Unfortunately we were seated at a table where flies and gnats were constantly flying around. The staff brought it to the manager’s attention, and his response was that they just opened and they are still working out the kinks. The manager moved us to a new table. But unfortunately even at the new table, the fly problem persisted and a fly even landed on me.

For my entrée, I ordered the ribeye steak medium well. What I received was very rare with a bright pink center and undercooked. I sent it back, asking for it to be cooked more thoroughly. It came back still quite pink. It wasn’t until the third attempt that they finally got it right. The manager came out to explain that their version of “medium well” differs from the standard definition of medium well and stated that the waiter should have explained that to me. Sadly, the steak itself was underwhelming—bland and lacking seasoning. I would compare the quality to a less flavorful version of a steak from Texas Roadhouse.

On a positive note, the wedge salad was actually really good—fresh, crisp, and well-balanced in flavor. It was the one item that stood out in a good way. The maple bacon Brussel sprouts were delicious as well!

Despite the issues with the bug in my drink, the flies, and the bland steak, no compensation or sincere effort was made to improve our experience. I really wanted to love Epic Chophouse, but I left disappointed. I’ll be sticking to my go to places like Capital Grille or Perry’s for a reliably good steak and a more professional...