Carvers Steak & Seafood — Restaurant in Sandy

With close to 900 restaurants in its chain, Carvers has managed to maintain its reputation as a nice place to go if you're willing to pop down a Franklin for a couple of good meals with a nice glass of wine. There were six of us on this night, each of us being a different type of eater and each of us being a different type of drinker as well; and I must add that the list of wines, beers and spirits is quite extensive and reasonable for such a chain. So you pay $12-14 for a glass of wine (many are just $9) but it's a glass of wine you enjoy and something you'd treat yourself to when at home...same with their list of scotches and such (my friend ordered a Moscow Mule but as with most places, it's probably best to not try the restaurant "specialties," at least those from the bar). When it came time for ordering food, my wife split the Tournedos Oscar ($44) with her friend and was a tiny bit disappointed in its chewiness; we had all arrived partially because the three ladies in our group had feasted on a delicious lunch here the week before, ordering the same dish, and couldn't stop talking about how the meat just melted in your mouth (needless to say, their expectations were high). One of the pieces of my seared ahi was admittedly too tough to even cut with a steak knife, and was quickly replaced with two beautiful but cold ahi filets, seared for a second or two but actually still quite chilly in the center. My other friends both had the special of the night, a complete trio of steak, coconut shrimp and halibut and were absolutely delighted. So okay, some of us were thrilled and others less so; but none of it mattered because we were being served by Dustin who wanted to ensure that everyone was happy (he was adamant at replacing my ahi immediately, explaining that often with tuna steaks it's difficult to know when one turns out to be fibrous...but then this IS a place known for steaks and not for seafood). Dustin's service was impeccable and reason enough to return, he proving as professional as he was personable. A question about a wine, he knew it (my friend tried unsuccessfully to test him on his knowledge). A question about a beer, he knew that as well (if I recall, he's one of 9 siblings so perhaps he did have some prior background in all of this). And of course, his knowledge of the food was superfluous, his descriptions far better than the menu itself. All in all, we chalked it up as a grand evening, even with the prom party of 20 behind us, their nervousness and laughter bringing us back to our own early days of youth when going to such a restaurant was a true night on the town. Our meal was never hurried, the conversations lively and Dustin smiling throughout it all. We'd go back, perhaps not on a Saturday night...but maybe we would if...

While I will never complain about the price I pay, I will bring to light unethical wastes of money. With that being said here’s my review:

Service:

The hostess at the front was very rude despite it being less than an hour into opening. Our waiter was kind enough, but lacked the honesty I hoped to see. They knew something was wrong due to the abundance of food left on the plate and failed to acknowledge they knew they were serving room temperature, heat-lamped garbage.

Silverware was dull and inconsistent. Steak knives to dull to cut “tender” meat.

Food:

Never have I experienced such dull, tasteless cuisine such as Carver’s.

The idea of add-ons for steak is appealing only until you realize it’s $15 “gravy” with the consistency of cold tomato bisque.

Steak should not feel microwaveable or like a bowl of cereal but the ribeye managed to feel like both. The “Oscar” was more of a fun name to have for bland 2% with garlic salt and fish oil. Although boneless, I almost chipped a tooth on a variety of bone fragments in my meat. Asked for medium rare and it was nearly impossible to cut.

The filet was undercooked (blue instead of medium), the “chive mashed potatoes” lacked chives and had the consistency (and taste) of newspaper and spackle.

We got in at opening and all the food, aside from the fries, were served cold. Appetizers, entree’s and everything in between. While adding rich flavors sounds great in theory, it would be better if the chef or owner had taste and put thought into the dishes aside from “meat” and “rich”. Creaminess does not cancel out poorly seasoned meat and please use more than onions to add “spice” amd “flavor”.

Pros were the cabernet (cheap “top-shelf” selection) and it helped wash the taste of the food out of my mouth.

Conclusion:

It surely tastes like steak you would find right off the interstate and you do not get what you pay for. Total for 2 wasn’t bad but definitely not worth.

Tagline should be “home of the milk-steak” and should not be mistaken for “good”, “luxurious” and dare I say; “good food”.

Hope to see improvement in the future and sadly won’t be here to see...

I went to Carver's for the first time with my wife's coworkers for a company Christmas dinner. We had a reservation for a party of 12, and got a nice little private room just the right size. We were seated a little early. And Taylor was our server.

Appetizers - the medium rare lambchops were actually the best tasting lamb I have ever had! The brie was very good. And I can't eat shrimp, but everyone at the table raved about the coconut shrimp. We had to order extras.

The table bread was not great. And they serve it not sliced all the way through which makes it difficult to serve yourself without touching the bread that everyone else has to share.

Entrees - Most of the party and I ordered filets. One guy got the ribs and was very impressed. But my best advice is, when at a steakhouse, order a steak. I ordered the Carver cut (11oz. Filet) and asked for medium. The extra large cut had a "tail" piece that was a little thinner so it was slightly over done. Next time I will get the smaller 8oz cut as it is easier to cook more evenly, and order it medium rare. The quality of the beef was excellent, and the seasoning was perfect! I recommend the spinach salad. It has a peppery mustardy dressing that I wanted more of. It was unique and pleasant.

Desserts - my wife and I tried the creme Brulee and the cheesecake. The cheesecake was just decent with a berry sauce that was better than expected. The creme Brulee is usually my go to and for good reason. It was delicious, with just the right textures.

Service- Taylor was a joy and a great server! He kept us happy and entertained.

Atmosphere - Carver's was a comfortable and enjoyable place to sit and visit with friends. It is not too loud. This is no obnoxious Texas Roadhouse-ish steakhouse. It's a nice family place with a warm rustic feel. And the staff were all very personable and professional.

I'll be going back to Carver's with my family. We will order the lambchops, the filet, and the creme brulee, and we will be requesting that...