The Capital Grille — Restaurant in San Antonio

My spouse made reservations for my birthday this past week. What an exceptional experience. They even had a birthday card on the table. And after dinner we received 2 glasses of champaign and a dessert platter. Very thoughtful. We’ve been to other locations, but first time at the new San Antonio location. The place was very busy and had a great subtle vibe even at 5:30.

I cannot say enough about the service and personal attention we received throughout our dinner. Two different managers stopped by to check on us. Seemed like somone on the staff was always near, refilling our drinks, checking on us, etc.

Our server Kurt was incredible!!! Strong menu knowledge from drinks to desert. He was able to answer our questions, make recommendations, etc. And just very pleasant to talk with.

So we had:

-Lobster bisque - so very good, and plenty of lobster. -Split a Caesar - crisp and great dressing -Cold shrimp cocktail - holy cow the shrimp were huge, and perfectly prepared. -Au gratin potatoes - ok so Flemings potatoes were our favorite in town, not any longer. -Asparagus with lemon seasoning - absolutely stellar. just enough lemon, but grilled asparagus flavor shines. -Steaks - note we are both a bit picky at doneness/temp. We always ask for Medium Rare +. It’s a bit tricky to do, but they nailed both! Had the Filet and the bone in aged NY strip. I’d topped the strip off Oscar style. Both steaks just melted in our mouths, and super tender - tons of deep steak flavor, with minimal seasoning.

Great experience. We will be back, and we talked about an all seafood menu on our next trip - they have some great selections on the menu. Very curious about the Grand Plateau plate:)

Couple of pics - should have taken them before diving...

From the moment I walked through the doors of The Capital Grille, I knew this experience would stand out.

First Impressions – Hostess Naya Naya set the tone immediately. She greeted me with an excellent presentation, warm smile, and genuine conversation that made me feel welcome right away. That level of professionalism and pleasantness is rare, and she nailed it.

Service – Waiter Hamilton Hamilton was nothing short of outstanding. He ensured our orders were spot on, gave excellent recommendations on both food and drinks, and made sure our group was comfortable the entire time. This was a great first impression, and he will absolutely be the first person I request on my next visit.

Drinks – Bartender Layla Layla is a true mixologist. Her kindness and skill shined through every drink she crafted. Each cocktail was balanced and perfectly made, elevating the entire dining experience.

Hospitality – Bar Manager John John personally introduced himself, which added an extra layer of hospitality. He was approachable, professional, and made it clear that I could reach out to him directly if anything came up. That’s the type of leadership that makes guests feel valued.

Overall This team worked seamlessly to deliver a top-tier dining experience. The combination of hospitality, service, and skill made this visit exceptional. I recommend The Capital Grille 100% and will be back, this time asking for the same incredible team that made this...

Ordinarily I would not post this in public but since no one acknowledged the following email to the Managing Partner and I could find no appropriate email address at Darden, here it is. Nice place and I hope local management gets the ship righted.

The Missus and I came in during lunch and I would like to pass on some observations.

The lunch time salmon was smallish and rather thin, so, almost predictably, it was a little over-done. Probably more on the well side of medium, but still tasty, no biggie.

Another more egregious situation was the four gents at the end of the bar who were very loud and were frequently dropping f-bombs. This is simply not acceptable in a "fine dining" establishment. A bartender or manager should have taken measures to correct this situation. It was so noticeable that Benjamin took the initiative and offered to move us to another location but we had already settled in and stayed put. Kudos to Benjamin.

Lastly, the men's restroom had no hand towels at the sinks nor toilet paper in one stall. I actually used a toilet seat liner to dry my hands. Overall, the entire area needed to be tidied up. Again, not acceptable for higher end dining establishments. Add someone from Buc ee's to your team.

I realize you and your team are probably not quite settled in and I hope this helps.

Martin...