LUXX The Restaurant — Restaurant in Sterling

It was a bit dark for my liking. I also didn't like sitting at a table smack dab in the middle of a threshold. They were busy later and put a table in the doorway to help out with fitting more people. I went solo, so I definitely got a vibe this as more of a romantic place to take your significant other. I felt like my server dropped the ball on me.

I got there at 4:08 on Friday the 21st. He read me the specials and everything was going well until it wasn't. He repeated how I wanted my salad, and it came out wrong. He apologized, saying he didn't hear me, but that doesn't mean much when I'm sitting in the dark picking out sliced peppers. I also saw a lot of white from the bottom of the head of romaine. So my salad was bitter tasting. The house dressing is very good. My bread came out late because the oven wasn't heated to temp by the time I arrived. I ordered the special salmon over orzo. I got bread a few mins before my meal. And I was still eating my salad. When I finished my salad, I set the plate to the side. I had taken 1 bit, and my server asked how it was. Really good! I'm not sure if I got there early and the kitchen was quick or if the food comes out that quick all the time. Bread was slow to come out, yet my salad and my meal were there in no time. My server checked on me again. I was good, yet my salad plate was still there. I say about 4:30-4:40 is when it started to get busy. There were 4 servers from what I could tell. I never saw my server. After sitting there not eating for 10 min, I asked the hostess if I paid her. She said no, I'll send your server over. After a couple more mins, I got the bill, and I'm sorry we got slammed. Now, there were many open tables and other servers. So I'm not sure what slammed was because I was facing the piano.

A young gentleman all dressed up comes up and asks if I would like dessert and asked if he could take my salad plate. I said no, thank you to the dessert. I'm just ready to go. He asks if everything is alright. I told him about the salad. He asked if the server took the salad off. I said no, and I have been in this line of business, and it happens, so I just dealt with it. He introduced himself and was the owner. He said, "I don't want you just dealing with it." You aren't going to pay for a salad you didn't like. So he took the salad plate and took my bill. I paid, and then Sonnny offered me dessert. I was too full, and he said you could take it home. He told me the options and when he said his mom makes the tiramisu. I had to go with that. He said to let him know how it was the next time I came in.

Now I don't want to throw the server under the bus, so I won't say his name. Maybe it was an off night. Maybe because I was solo, I was treated differently, which seems to often be the case. I would have given a low review and paid my meal, not saying anything more. I told the server the issue, and he said, "I'm sorry." I was already almost done so whatever. I was feeling uncomfortable and forgotten and wanted to go. After having someone I didn't know, ask how everything was and seemed concerned that food didn't come out right it made me think differently about the place. I didn't need anything free. I just want to feel like I matter. This is how I tried to make my customers feel when I did that job. I never worked at a high-end restaurant like this, but you still have to care. Sonny also boxed up my leftover food and brought my dessert in a bag out. This is the service I would have expected of my server. I still only put 4 because my server should have stepped up. But I will be back. Maybe even for bday in a month. I loved the flowers on the meal. Sonny even gave me a flower on my tiramisu. I loved it! I'll make sure not to dress like many of the locals in some casual clothes and dress up next time. Thank you for making my stomach full and going to heaven...

So first off, this place is so dark. You can't see; the menu, the path to walk, much of anything. I was told the owner likes it that way. The owner is going for the ambience. Ok fine, but people still need to see their menu, food, ect. The restaurant was hot so hot. I was also told they were adjusting the ac. It was hot all day outside, adjustments should have been made when they opened the restaurant. I think they may need to check their venalation, because when I walked in it smelled very fishy like bad fish. When I mentioned that they said it was probably because they were cooking alot of fish, however it was early and there weren't alot of people in there. I asked to speak with the owner about the lighting as I had to use a flashlight to see menu. So what I thought was the owner, and when I asked are you the owner he said yes, I pointed out how hot and dark it was. He said he checked the lights and they are turned up all the way. He also said some people complain it's to bright in there. He blamed the lighting on the way the light reflects. I told him he should check into that, because it's kinda a hazard for people walking. Then he said they are going for the ambience. I said oh so it's not a lighting issue. He just smiled and said this is a fine dinning restaurant. Then I understood the smile he had and the excuses that didn't make sense. I told him i understood, and I can afford a fine dinning restaurant. I was probably not dressed properly for this restaurant. I did ask when I walked in if I was dressed ok. I could have totally come back dressed better. I had a t-shirt and not sweats but comfortable pants. It was my first day off from working 12hr shifts 6 days a week for the last 3 weeks, so I wanted to be comfortable. I have been wanting to try this place because of the reviews, so my 10 year old daughter and I went anyway. I won't be back. My steak was good and they nailed the cook on it. Garlic mash potatoes were weriod, they had no butter that i could taste and were very salty with almost a generic garlic taste. My 10 year old had the Speghetti and she didn't think it was great, which I agreed after I tasted it. I brought my left overs home for my husband who was working, and he had the meatballs from the Speghetti my daughter wouldn't eat, said they were not good watery tasting. Bread was good but hard after it sat for a minute. Another patron must of said something to the "owner" about the lighting or the heat in the restaurant because the gentleman I spoke to pointed at me and said he was speaking to me. I found out that was not the owner but a relative. Anyway, steak was good but apparently they don't want to make this place comfortable for...

My husband and I were very excited to try The LUXX. We arrived a little early for our reservation and we're directed to the bar. There wasn't any seating there and it took awhile for us to get drinks. We were surprised and pleased to learn that we would be accommodated with a booth, as we had agreed to sit at the bar. The hostess advised us that our table was ready but insisted that we settle our tab at the bar before we could be seated and insisted that we could not transfer our bar tab to the table. Additionally, service was slow. Not wanting to walk through the crowded dining room alone, I stood there with my husband while he waited for a bartender to help him settle the tab for 2 drinks. The hostess was rude in advising that if one of us didn't accompany her to our table that it would be given to other guests. I followed the hostess to the booth. The dining room was crowded and noisy, as there was a very large party that included several young children seated at the front of the dining area.

Our server was wonderful and prompt in bringing bread and water. The odor of the Sharpie that she used to write her name on the paper that covered the linen tablecloth was sort of off-putting but she was friendly and prompt in bringing appetizers and keeping the drinks coming. Sadly, there was no creme brulee that night but the tiramisu was delicious! The piano music was a lovely touch.

The bill was reasonable. The service, though lacking at the beginning was decent. The food was delicious. The dining room was crowded and loud and I wouldn't consider this a "high-end dining experience". However, we are looking forward to going back in a couple of weeks to revisit and see if the minor issues have...