AG Steakhouse — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

What could have been a disastrous Valentine’s Day dinner was ultimately saved by the incredible Sales Manager, Natalia Cotto.

We made our reservations through OpenTable and were warmly greeted upon arrival. Natalia welcomed us with a smile, quickly checked us in, and handed my spouse a rose in honor of the occasion—a thoughtful touch that set the tone for the evening. Once seated, our server efficiently explained the restaurant’s setup, including the salad bar and drink menu, making sure we felt comfortable before we got started.

The salad bar was well-stocked with a good variety of options, and despite the restaurant being packed for the holiday, service was impressively quick. Our drinks arrived promptly—I ordered the Sakherina (which was a perfect 10/10), while my spouse enjoyed a refreshing mocktail. The meats followed shortly after, and everything was going smoothly—until we were served the pork sausage.

The issue arose when I bit into a hard piece of bone or cartilage, something that could have easily cracked a tooth. Concerned, I immediately flagged down a server and requested to speak with a manager. When the manager arrived, I calmly explained the situation and showed him the piece I had bitten into. His response? A dismissive, “There is no bone in a pork sausage.”

Excuse me? Was he implying I had imagined it? The evidence was right there on my plate. While he did apologize and offer to clean it up, his tone and reaction left a bad taste in my mouth—both literally and figuratively. At that moment, I was ready to leave a scathing review and never return.

Thankfully, Natalia soon stepped in. Having been made aware of the issue, she approached our table with genuine concern and professionalism. After listening to my experience, she didn’t make excuses or question what had happened. Instead, she immediately apologized and took action, offering to comp one of our meals as a gesture of goodwill. That simple act of understanding and accountability completely turned the night around.

Natalia not only handled the situation with grace, but she also demonstrated an awareness of how a negative experience like this could impact the restaurant’s reputation. She turned a frustrating moment into a reason for us to return.

Thanks to her, we left feeling valued as customers rather than dismissed. I truly hope the other managers take notes from Natalia—because she exemplifies what great customer service should look like.

Would I come back? Absolutely. And it’s all because of her.

Great...

To properly rank AG Steakhouse, I think it's important to visit an excellent Brazilian steakhouse (Chima, a 5 star in Charlotte NC) and a terrible Brazilian steakhouse (FOGO, a 1 star on the island, home of the overcooked and flavorless meat). We'll start with the Caipirinha, the official cocktail of Brasil, which was made by someone who admittedly had never made one before. They didn't use superfine sugar. They didn't use a quality cachaca (they used one that gets a terrible rating) and it was difficult to finish. The ratio of cachaca, sugar, ice and muddled lime was off. Chima was off the charts. This is one of my two favorite drinks, and I didn't want another from AG. The salad bar was excellent. No complaints. I've been to AG twice. The rodizio the first night was fantastic. Good rotation of meats. The flavor was very good. I asked for medium rare on the beef dishes and I got it. They didn't over-rotate the sirloin or get skimpy with their filet and rib eye trips. I received a good sampling of all. The grilled cinammon pineapple was excellent. This was MUCH better than FOGO. Not as good as Chima in terms of flavor, and they don't give you accompanying sauces for your lamb, beef, etc. That would've been a nice touch. The second trip was disappointing. The meat was still cooked nicely and the flavor was good, but the servers kept coming back with sirloin, chicken, and sausage. It was few and far between to get the best cuts of meat, the filet, the rib eye and the lamb. The service in both cases was very friendly. The second trip knocked AG out of my Long Island top 10 (the first trip put it at #3), and for the price you can't give this restaurant too many chances. But I will try again soon and provide...

They absolutely transformed this place to an elegant and beautiful steakhouse. The tables are not on top of each other, like many other rodizio places are. It makes for a really enjoyable experience. This truly has been the best service i have had in a really long time in long island. Blown away with how good the service was. You are literally never without. There are so many people attending to your table, before you even think to ask, someone is there asking and or already doing. Absolutely fantastic staff! They always make sure you are fulfilled and satisfied, asking if you would like any particular cuts, so you're not waiting too long for your favorites. The floor manager was very attentive too. Whoever did the hiring, did a stellar job with all the staff. The food was just as fantastic. The marketplace alone is a full on meal in itself. I loved the potato salad and pasta salad. I kept going back for me. I could have just had the marketplace and been completely satisfied. The rice was incredible. The Brazilian vinaigrette is a must! They kept the marketplace always refreshed and pristine. But the rodizio on top of it all....chef kiss . The garlic steak was my favorite! They even have grilled pineapple and garlic bread, don't skip out of either of those!! Their bread is so good. From the garlic bread to the one located in their marketplace buffet, it was absolutely delicious. $68 for the level of service, elegant atmosphere, and the quality of food is worth the splurge! And they have a really good selection of desserts too. The passion fruit mousse was such a perfect ending...