Ocean Prime Detroit — Restaurant in Troy

It hurts me to write this review because I love this establishment. I am rating 4 stars overall, it’s more like 3.5, but the dip in the rating is solely because the kitchen has recently fallen flat. Up until a few months ago it was 5 stars in every category. I have been a regular at the bar since the day this location opened and have told so many people that this restaurant is truly the definition of consistency, however this is no longer the case. I had never had a bad meal in the 15+ years I’ve been dining here until a few months ago, and it’s been consistently a problem since then; I dine in the bar every week. I have no idea what’s going on, but if Chris isn’t in the kitchen, there are issues. I now have to ask if he’s there to determine what I order, which is honestly a problem, especially for a fine dining establishment. If he isn’t there several dishes will not be made properly so I can’t order them. And I can say that because I’ve had every dish on the menu so many times I know how they’re prepared. They were truly the same every time, always. And now they are not. It’s just very different. It isn’t awful by any means, but just not the same. So it is clear and doesn’t seem biased, I don’t even know Chris and have never met him. I’ve noticed a pattern that if the Executive Chef isn’t there then the food is not the same or as good as it usually is. Furthermore, some dishes can’t even be consumed. For example, the jalapeño au gratin is honestly the best side dish on the menu and frankly one of the best side dishes out of all steakhouses in the entire USA - yes I’m rating it that high because it’s that good. I have noticed that if Chris is there the dish has finely chopped jalapeños in the au gratin, as it has for 15 years. If he’s not there, it’s just potatoes and they’re super milky without any flavor. I couldn’t eat it. The point of the dish is the extra flavor of the jalapeño; it isn’t overwhelming, it just adds a zing. It isn’t spicy so if guests are complaining of spice than they shouldn’t order jalapeño. It’s in the title of the dish so it should be clear. To have to send it back to have jalapeño added on top is frustrating for guests and also for the staff. This restaurant has always been amazing so it’s disappointing to experience this. I should also add it was even more amazing before the menu changed, which is another story. The old sea bass, snapper and crab cakes were light years better than the current recipe in comparison. But, that is a story for another day, the more serious matter is addressing whatever is going on with the inconsistency in the kitchen as of late. I’m sure Chris can’t be there 24/7 so someone else needs to get it together! I still dine here and do recommend the restaurant and bar because I absolutely love the service and the food is fabulous when it’s on point, but I sure hope this current situation doesn’t get to the point that it impacts...

I will start by saying that our food was excellent, cooked perfectly, and tasted great. Our waiter was also great. Unfortunately I don't think we will be back, though, and here's why I'm knocking off 3 stars. I made a reservation here for my mother's birthday for a small party of 3. As soon as we entered the restaurant, there was a line outside the door, and the reception area was packed with people. First red flag. I went and gave hostess my name and told her I had a reservation for 6:00. She confirmed and then told me it would be a few minutes. We waited over 20 minutes before my mother went up to complain to the hostess. The hostess told us that the only tables that were available would be in the private dining room which they did NOT have ready for over 10 groups of people that had reservations by 6pm. Every person in the restaurant that was waiting for their table had reservations. What is the purpose of making a reservation if you have to wait? Never ever have we been to an expensive high end restaurant where we have had to wait for our reservation table. We asked several different employees if this was normal for the restaurant and they confirmed it is indeed typical on weekends. Whoever manages this place needs to be FIRED. It isn't the hostesses fault, it is 100% poor management and poor preparation. It also appeared that there were people who walked in after us that they gave seniority to (regulars who spend lots of $$ maybe?) as they walked right past everyone and got their table right away while nobody else was seated until 30 minutes AFTER our reservation times. Your "ravioli" on the menu is also misleading and completely wrong. They are tortellini made with Asian wonton dough. They are NOT ravioli, not even close. They also did not bring anything out for my mother's birthday, even though they knew we were there for that occasion. No ice cream, no candles, no cake, nothing. Not even a happy...

2nd time visiting this location and it was just as amazing as I remembered. For me the prices are for special occasion meals - we brought my MIL as a thanks for all she does.

We started off with a round of specialty drinks (cucumber gimlet, hot and dirty martini, old fashioned) and appetizers (east coast oysters and ocean roll); And sushi is good but outstanding enough to justify the price. For an entree I ordered the surf & turf app which was perfectly seared scallops and a bit of braised short rib on top of puréed mash blend. It was incredibly tender and flavorful. My only note is personal preference to not have the sauce on top because texture wise, I don’t like whole mustard seeds. MIL ordered the ahi tuna and a caesar salad to start; husband ordered 10oz filet med rare with side zip sauce; also ordered truffle fries and Brussel sprouts to share. Best choices were the roasted sprouts, surf & turf app, and the salad. Everything is dressed well, served to temp, presented well and most importantly appropriately seasoned.

At this point we said let’s indulge and get one more round of drinks (old-fashioned + Tito’s lemon drop) and desserts. Went with the crème brûlée and chocolate peanut butter mousse. I don’t eat chocolate, but that dessert was so decadent and delicious - perfectly creamy tasting like a Reese cup as a mousse. Crème brûlée was solid she said it was underrated and she was correct that fresh tart fruit with a little bit of creamy vanilla, crunchy caramelized sugar bits ugh so delicious. Nothing was too heavy or rich. amazing meal. I left satisfied but not overstuffed.

Service was top notch - they were attentive but not on top of you and it still felt relaxed though a bit more upscale. Drinks were solid too. I’d love to visit for happy hour to try...