Dakotas Steaks - Seafood - Chops — Restaurant in Tyler

We took a girls trip and were looking for a nice place to have dinner and found Dakotas online. We went with high expectations and sadly they were no where near met. The ambiance was ok, waters were already on the table but it took a while for the server to come to our table. He wasn't very personable and did not make any recommendations at all. We ordered some fried calamari, some stuffed mushrooms and 2 caeser salads to start. After about 15 min we were brought some bread which I will say was absolutely delicious. Then it seemed like forever before we got anything else or even saw anyone. Our calamari was brought out and it was good, then another few minutes went by and our mushrooms were brought out and they were good and yet another 5-10 min went by before we got our salads which were also good. We placed our food order and asked for any recommendations and the server said he didn't really know. We asked his opinion between the flounder and the chicken and he said "well they are two different things so what is your question" we asked how the scalloped potatoes are and he said "I don't know I have never had them I have always thought they looked weird", no wine recommendations so we chose not to order any. We ordered our meals, 3 stuffed flounders and 2 almond crusted chickens. The scalloped potatoes were very bland, the mashed potatoes tasted like instant potatoes and the glazed carrots were not glazed. We were all out of water and hadn't seen the server in a while to fill up our water. In the meantime a waitress was complaining to the manager about some customers that were unhappy and having a discussion right in front of two full tables of other customers. The server finally came back by and filled our waters. The flounder itself was good, the chickens were great however we did receive the wrong side with one of the dishes. The server was like oh I wonder why I did that?? We finished our food and advised of how to split the checks 2 ways. Again no suggestion of dessert so none was ordered. It took a while to get the checks and when we did they were wrong so had to wait again for them to get corrected and finally got it corrected. The server was not personable, the service was terrible and the food was average at best but below average for the price. Just expect a lot more from a nicer restaurant but we could have gone somewhere else got better service, just as good if not better food and paid a third of the price. Would not recommend and was very disappointed that this was supposed to be our nice...

My family enjoyed eating dakotas mostly at the old location over 10 years ago. The owner and his wife were super cool to me and my family treating my kids to free deserts and ice cream etc. They used to love that guy. We would eat there 2 or 3 times a month for quite a while. Since it's moved to the new location the vibe really sux. All my kids are older now. We've stopped going. The last 2 years I've tried to do something nice for my oldest son and bought him a 100.00 gift card from here to put in his stocking. He used it to take his gf out to a nice meal and complained to me about things I already know. He was made to feel like he and his girlfriend didnt belong in there. He said maybe because they are only 20? Why doea that matter? The staff and regular snobs that frequent the joint look down their nose at us when we eat there and we don't feel welcome at all, mostly by staff. There is one waiter in particular that is snippy that's worked for the establishment for over 15 years. Not sure if hes still there, but we cant stand the guy. I have got that in the past when I go into the place just to buy the gift cards from the bartender. This year the jerk acted like it was an inconvenience to sell it to me, as well as didn't want to give me a recipt. He was all put out that I made him print one. No offense, but i ALWAYS get a recipt when buying a gift card anywhere. Especially paying cash. We felt unappreciated in the past at this new location when I would bring my kids in there to eat. (It used to be their favorite place) staff always seemed put out they had to take all the wine glasses off the table...etc to accommodate us. In any case, we always follow the dress code (which is splattered in several places now in the front and inside the building) but we don't wear suits and ties, or go for a romantic dinner. We just used to like to go eat the great food this place has to offer, but we no longer will put up with this treatment. Just warning others. Our money is just as green as the snots that come in there pretending to be better than everyone. I have started getting the same food down at Fresh and cooking it myself. Better for everyone. Won't be buying any gift cards from you in the future however. Don't appreciate you treating my son that way and making him feel like he doesn't belong. Maybe yall should just have a private members elitist restaurant not open to the public, for members only, if your going to treat the general...

Service was great. My friend and I were in town from Dallas to move some furniture of mine from a nearby storage unit. In exchange for his help, I offered to buy him the best steak he's ever had. My hype was not an exaggeration.

However, he and I got a lot of looks when we came and when we went. We were two young guys dressed in a manner befitting some dudes moving some furniture, though far from trashy. We were asked if we had a reservation. We didn't. The first and only time I had been there before, I was with my obviously well-to-do family, and all dressed up, and there was no inquiry of reservations. We didn't have a reservation then, but we were immediately seated.

My friend and I were told that there was "pretty nice" seating at the bar. I'm a bartender at a high volume joint in Dallas, and I couldn't mistake her expression for any other ever made. She had a certain expectation of the two of us. I don't know if all the tables were full on a Monday night, but I know that look.

We went to the bar and received prompt and cordial service. We were only there for the steak, so we both ordered the Waygu Ribeye. $59/plate, but I remembered the last steak I'd had there, and it seemed well worth it. It was indeed worth it. Huge choice cut, cooked perfectly to order and seasoned/treated beautifully.

Leaving, the fella at the host stand gave us one of the saltiest looks I've ever seen from a service industry person. I wasn't really having that, so I announced, just loud enough for him to hear, that I was getting some serious stank-face for having just tipped 30% on a $130 meal. I just hope that person in particular doesn't get tipped out from my check.

5 stars because the actual service was quite good. Writing a review because there's some serious stank-face pointed at service industry people who don't look...