The Butcher Shop — Restaurant in San Diego

We went for a celebration meal with 4 people in our party. We were seated within minutes of our reservation. Service was good, attentive and friendly. Cocktails were crafted to order and were very good. Appetizers were tasty and adequate for sharing between 2 people per plate. Seared ahi bites were exquisite. Steaks and sides were tasty and cooked to expectations, though 2 of the cuts were a little gristley/fatty for the type of cut but still delicious. Wine list is adequate and our waitperson made an excellent reccomendation that complemented our meal perfectly. Dessert was off the hook wonderful if you have room for it.

Ambiance was cozy; could be romantic if you are taking a dinner date. We were seated in one of the padded leather booths. Cloth tablecloth and napkins, real candle and fresh floral buds decorated the table. Walls are panelled and the ceilings have fancy mouldings. Lightning is low with candlelight, so if your eyesight isn't what it used to be, you might have difficulty reading the menu. It can get loud, but it is a whole lot quiter than the newer aesthetic in restaurants that have nothing but hard, echoey surfaces and a open cafeteria dining area; the rugs, padded seating, framed artwork and "rooms" help dampen the volume.

We dressed for dinner; nothing fancy, but I was disappointed that some diners in another party were way too casual, wearing baggy cargo shorts, sloppy t-shirts and flip-flops. We were seated next to a young family with a baby and kids. There were a few cries (they are kids and that can be anticipated), but the parents did a great job of keeping them in check and I was happy to see them expose their little one to fine dining and acting appropriately. The too-casual adults I mentioned earlier detracted from the experience more than the kids. It's a nicer restaurant, maybe consider a collared shirt and closed toe shoes at a minimum? I don't expect to see everyone in suit/tie and cocktail dresses (although there were plenty of nicely dressed patrons wearing them), but at this venue, a little sense of decorum would be appreciated; we all become part of the scenery that make up the experience.

Family, autism and wheelchair friendly. At least two parties had folks in wheelchairs when we went. Valet parking available. This place is more $$$, not the $$ posted. Our experience leaned towards $300...

Upon our arrival at 5:30PM, we found the parking lot completely full. There's at least 60 parking spots there, but they were all taken. When we walked in, I noticed there were only 5 people in the bar, and one other couple eating in the dining room. So who do all the other 50+ cars in the parking lot belong to, the employees?? If that's the case, that really sucks, because I had to park down the street about 2 blocks away. Like some others have said, I too noticed some pesky gnats buzzing around our table all evening. It got annoying. Can't you guys fix this?? In regards to the food, I'll say that it all tasted very good, so kudos to the kitchen staff for that. However, it was VERY expensive. Everything is ala carte here, including the steak condiments (creamy horseradish, etc) which all cost an additional $3. For the 3 of us who ate there, our total bill was $220 without the tip, and two of the people in our party shared an entree. We also only had 1 drink each too. Also, we had to ask for our glasses of water to get topped off twice, which isn't acceptable for a restaurant that's supposed to be so elegant and quite expensive. But I'll point out that's more of a bus person's job, not necessarily the waitress' job. Our waitress by the way this evening was, "Trinity" who actually otherwise did a very good job. Speaking of the waitresses, one of the things I first noticed after I walked in this evening was that there's no longer the significantly older women waitresses here anymore. Now there's a much younger attractive group of female waitresses that are now wearing very short red mini skirts. And that's much more appealing then the older group of grumpy women who used to work there. So kudos...

I've been dining at The Butcher Shop for almost 20 years, though my recent visit was the first in about 2 years, with the new ownership...

Not Changed: -Same upscale vintage, Americana decor, with red leather booths, white linen table clothes, and elegant decor. -Same great food overall -Friendly service all around from the hostess to the waitress and bussers. -The Garlic Bread is still amazing, and FREE! The Garlic Spread is YUM!

Changed: -Prices have skyrocketed, as everywhere, but I knew that before hand cause I'm a OCD about looking at menus in advance(see my 2009 review!) -Soup or Salad is no longer included with the steaks...it's $8 extra now. -Choice of side no longer included with the steaks -But other entrees such as the Prime Rib, Salmon, Porkchops, and Lambchops do come with sides. -The new female waitstaff uniforms are "interesting". If your female partner is the "jealous" type, you may want to another dining establishment.

$16 Chargrilled Caesar Salad...lovely! Deconstructed and nicely charred, the fresh crouton slices were great too. Big enough for 2 people.

$95 Porterhouse 28oz...perfectly cooked to Medium, with a nice sear and char taste...tender, juicy, beefy, and delicious! The wife and I planned on taking some home...but we ended up devouring the entire thing. Better while it's fresh? We also paid $3 for a 3 sauce sampler...

$12 Grilled Asparagus...Good! $12 Loaded Baked Potato...Good! $10 House Red Wine Glass...Good enough for unclassy guy like me! $FREE Cheesecake slice dessert...cause it was my birthday!

Despite the much higher prices, I'd still rather go here than one of the corporate chains like Flemings, Lou & Mickey's, or Morton's. I'll be back here eventually on another...