Saltgrass Steak House — Restaurant in Shenandoah

To make a looong story short. My father just went through open heart surgery a few weeks ago due to a heart attack. We were so lucky he survived it. A couple of weeks ago we called this restaurant, Saltgrass Steakhouse Shenandoah and “reserved” a private room. The male employee confirmed the room for this day and did NOT mention anything about a fee. We even went to visit the Saltgrass Steakhouse Shenandoah Restaurant and an employee showed us our room that we had reserved. He said “this room is for 20 people, but your room is this one, which fits 30 people, while pointing at the private room.

Fast forward to this past Saturday (4/29/2023) we all gathered at this Saltgrass Steakhouse Shenandoah. We had family from all over the country and even some from out of the country fly in and meet us at this Saltgrass Steakhouse Shenandoah to celebrate another year of having my dad.

As soon as we got there they sat us in some random table in the middle of the room… I told one of the servers we reserved a private room for our family due to my dad still recovering from his surgery. A female supervisor/manager then came over to our table and in a loud, rude tone said “one of my waiters told me you said you reserved a private room, WELL THE MINIMUM PRICE TO RESERVE THE ROOM IS $2,000 SO…”

The way she said it was as if we were some poor peasants that could not afford the fee… it was degrading, insulting and extremely unprofessional. She said it with such a LOUD and PROUD voice, in front of my parents, our guests and all the other customers around. I kindly asked her if we could step away from the table and my family, to speak about the price she “assumed I could not afford.”

After going back and forth with her and two other managers, we could not find a solution. They had double booked us and gave the other party our private room we reserved two weeks prior. They had nothing available for us.

Their solution was to scatter us all over the restaurant. About 18 of our guests were seated in one long table. The rest were scattered all over the restaurant, even children were seated by themselves in a corner, since they had no room for us. It was a terrible mess and horrible experience.

We ended up leaving and could no longer celebrate my fathers birthday at Saltgrass Steakhouse Shenandoah…

What I learned from this experience was that racism is real, it’s alive and thriving… our skin tone was simply a bit darker than what Saltgrass Steakhouse Shenandoah employees were used to. So they assumed we were poor and could not afford their “fee” which was NEVER mentioned to us. We were treated subhuman. My father’s birthday was ruined.

I understand that mistakes happen, even though a mistake this HUGE could have been avoided, I understand they happen. It was the way the Caucasian female supervisor/manager decided to “confront” the issue, the aggressive and degrading way she spoke to me in front of all my family and other guests that did it… after all, we were just there to give them our business, to give them our money, out of hundreds of other restaurants in the area… considering this financial crisis our country is heading to, she...

Date: 7/16/19. I don't review a lot of restaurants due to the fact often, they're hit and miss on service, even if the food is always good. I have always enjoyed my meals here at Saltgrass, the food has yet to disappoint me.. yet before now I never felt so compelled to leave a review. We eat here about every 3 months or so.

Imagine a young woman coming in with her two physically disabled parents, a small baby in a carrier as well as a young kid. It's a lot to handle sometimes, especially times like this.. when my dad's sugar dropped and he felt so weak that I had to put the kids and mom at the table and push my dad on his rolling walker to the table, making multiple trips, move chairs around, etc. The female front of house manager this day helped me with all of that while I went back for my dad, then she helped me put his walker away, etc. The meal came and was good as always, the service as well was top notch as expected. What really really set this visit apart is the downpour of rain that had begun after we were done with our meal. Knowing all of the people I had to bring outside and load in the van, I was trying to figure out a plan. I stepped outside to see if there was an awning I could pull up to (nope) when I noticed they were working on cleaning up the front foyer because the rain was so hard that it was wet. There were buckets and such in the way and staff standing around to make sure nobody would be injured due to the wet floor.. no way could I push my dad on the walker through, much less then returning for the kids and my mom. I asked the waiter if there was another door we could use because I couldn't get my dad's walker through. The management and our waiter (I am so deeply sorry for not remembering your names) not only helped me through a different door where the ramp was but they walked us to our van, two groups of us at a time, holding umbrellas over us so we could stay as dry and as safe as possible. I can't even begin to express how wonderful it is that people are so helpful and selfless and go so far above and beyond for strangers. I hope they have many blessings returned to them for such a kind gesture for a mom/daughter in a sometimes tough spot. It's beautiful to see kindness in this world. I hope corporate can see this, contact the manager and ask her the waiter's name, too.. and give them the biggest of applause and gratitude again on my family's behalf. Absolutely above and beyond service. I am so grateful for this experience and...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Shea is the reason this place has a soul.

From the moment we walked in, everything about the place just screamed generic chain restaurant. Bland atmosphere, lifeless decor, music that felt like it came from a corporate-approved playlist—nothing memorable, nothing personal. It felt like a place designed by a spreadsheet, not a human.

The food? Clearly made from the cheapest ingredients management could get away with. But the kitchen staff did their best to work a miracle—and somehow, they kind of did. Technique and care showed through, even if the materials were working against them.

And then there was Shea.

She was a total standout. Friendly, confident, and polished without being fake. Her knowledge of the menu was spot-on, and the way she talked about each dish made it sound like she cooked it herself. She wasn’t pushing anything—just genuinely connecting and making the whole experience feel personalized.

What really impressed us was how she handled a packed section of tables—each group with completely different vibes—and still gave everyone genuine, individual attention. No one was overlooked. No one felt like “just another table.” She moved with calm, practiced energy, like someone who’s been doing this for years, not months.

On top of that, her bold makeup and fun jewelry gave the place a spark of personality it desperately needed. My friend immediately noticed and appreciated how she brought a little flair to the table—literally and figuratively.

We chatted briefly and learned she’s a recent graduate from Sam Houston State, studying broadcasting and sports media. If you ask me, it’s only a matter of time before we see her doing play-by-play for the Astros. She’s got that it factor.

Bottom line? This place may feel like every other cut-and-paste chain, but Shea made it feel like we were somewhere worth being. Management would be smart to build around that kind of talent—because without her, it’s just another forgettable...