The Palm - San Antonio — Restaurant in San Antonio

We recently visited The Palm, a 5-star restaurant, with my husband and 12-year-old son on St. Patrick's holiday. Unfortunately, our experience could have been more satisfactory. A group of individual men entered the restaurant and were extremely loud and disruptive, using profanity that was not suitable for a family-friendly environment and sitting directly behind us. As we were trying to enjoy our meal, we found it difficult to hear each other due to the commotion caused by the group of men. I raised my concern with our waiter, hoping that something could be done to make our dining experience more comfortable. However, to my surprise, the waiter offered for us "to shimmy over to another table" as our food arrived, as if the disruption was our fault and we were expected to accommodate the noisy guests. This response upset me, and I informed him that we weren't planning on moving to another table and inconveniencing ourselves. I also informed our waiter Brandon that other guests seemed very upset with the dynamic and this situation. Brandon continued by telling me this is the norm for downtown San Antonio. We typically chose The Palm for its classy ambiance and reputation, and it was unacceptable to have our dining experience ruined by the behavior of other guests. Despite the delicious food, the entire experience was ruined by the lack of attention to the needs of their customers and the lack of respect for the restaurant's ambiance. When we left, I called the restaurant and spoke to the manager named Malcolm. However, I felt he needed to be more responsive to my concerns and offered a generic solution for a future visit, even though I had indicated that we would not return due to our negative experience. It's unacceptable for guests to be exposed to foul language and disruptive behavior from other diners, especially in a high-end restaurant where one expects a refined dining experience. Additionally, being unable to hear each other due to the noise level is also not conducive to an enjoyable dining experience. The restaurant should have a better grip on its standards and be more understanding towards the concerns of its guests. In a service-oriented industry, customer satisfaction should be the top priority, and swift action should be taken to address any issues that arise during a guest's visit. Unfortunately, we spent nearly $500 plus a $100 tip on a not-enjoyable night for my family. Overall, I was highly disappointed with our experience at The Palm, and I cannot recommend it to anyone looking for a sophisticated dining experience. It was an unfortunate experience that ruined what should have been a special evening out...

It was our first time visiting this restaurant, and unfortunately, the experience started off on the wrong foot.

When we arrived, the valet attendants were busy chatting and didn’t acknowledge us at all. We were left blocking the street with no one coming to take the car, which was frustrating.

Once we parked ourselves and walked in, the host greeted us promptly. We had a reservation and were seated in a booth. The table was beautifully set, and there’s no doubt the room exudes elegance, at least at eye level.

However, once you look around beyond the table setup, the atmosphere starts to fall apart. The upper decor feels cluttered, the dull ochre-colored walls appear dirty and outdated, and the face sketches of celebrities are mostly of people who have passed away. While this may have once appealed to a wealthier, older crowd, it now just feels dated, dirty and unorganized.

Interestingly, dress code enforcement seems to be a thing of the past. We were the only table dressed up, with jackets on, while everyone else was dressed very casually.

On the positive side, we loved the candlelit ambiance, music and service. For starters, we ordered the red bean soup and the wedge salad. Unfortunately, the soup was overly salty, and the wedge salad strayed far from tradition: topped with candied pecans and fried onions, it was more of a dessert-salad hybrid than a classic dish.

For the main course, we had the 8oz center-cut filet, which was cooked to perfection. Sadly, the sides, broccolini and potatoes au gratin, were hit or miss. The broccolini was, again, too salty, but the potatoes were the standout dish of the night.

We ended with coffee and a slice of carrot cake. The portion was absurdly large; easily enough for four people, and even two of us couldn’t finish it. While the flavor was good, it wasn’t extraordinary enough to warrant the size or price.

Overall, the restaurant feels like it’s stuck in time. If they want to appeal to a younger or more diverse clientele, they’ll need to modernize, both in flavor and atmosphere. Right now, Perry’s Steakhouse, Texas de Brazil, Fogo De Chao and Chama Gaucha offer better value, updated decor, and superior food.

This place still holds potential, especially given its prime location, but unless it evolves, its future could be in question.

Not coming back anytime soon....

My Husband and I went to The Palms for dinner the evening of 10/03/25. We had a reservaion at 6:PM. We were greeted and seated promptly upon arriving. After a few minutes our waitress came by with menus and asked if we'd like some water to which we replied yes. She brought our water back and we placed our food order. I ordered the 8 oz Center Cut Filet and told the waitress they could butterfly it as I requested it to be prepared medium well. She commented "Oh that won't be necessary". I also selected Cowboy Butter on my steak and some Bernaise on the side. My Husband ordered the same steak but requested it be prepared medium rare and also added Cowboy Butter to top his steak. We selected mashed potatoes as a side to share. She left to place our order and then returned to us with a basket of bread. She never asked if we wanted anything else to drink. When she brought our entrees to the table she stated she would be back to check on how our steaks were prepared. My Husband's steak was medium rare (but tough). My steak was more medium rare than my Husband's and had not been butterflied as I had suggested. We waited quite a while but our waitress never returned to our table. Eventually, a lady walked by, that I assume was a manager and asked how things were and I told her my steak was undercooked for me and had not been butterflied. She said she would take it and have it fixed. When she came back my steak had been cooked more, there was no cowboy butter on it and it was very tough. The potatoes were good. A gentlemen came by and asked how we were doing. We had to ask for more water and asked for to go boxes for our food. He offered to pack it up for us and took our plates to do so. Brought them back as well as our bill. We paid and left.

Our waitress NEVER came back to our table. The restaurant was not that busy. The service was poor and the food was awful considering how much it cost. Our bill was 161.29 before the $30.00 tip I left (That I should not have!). Mashed Potatoes $16.00 16.00 Center Cut Filet 8oz 57.00 x 2 = 114.00 Cowboy Butter 7.00 x 2 = 14.00 Bernaise Topping 5.00 ...