True Blue Butcher and Table — Restaurant in Wilmington

I realize that some of my issues with True Blue may be non-issues to others. However with the cost of the meal, I believe the level of service should match. To summarize, we were disappointed and it will be a while, if ever, before we go back. We use to go to tru blue a couple of times a year, but the last two visit have been..... well now you can read my story if you want to know.

My wife and I had dinner reservations on valentines day 2/14/25. We arrived about an hour before our reservations to get drinks at the bar. Walking up to the hostesses, we let them know we were here and would be at the bar. The hostesses told us to come back to her closer to our reservation. I immediately thought "Dam, can you not come get us when our table is ready, we are just sitting at the bar." The bar service was excellent. Drinks came fast and the bartenders were all very friendly. Our reservation time arrived and we found our way back to the hostesses. We were seated and it only took a few moments for our waiter Eric to arrive. Eric took our drink orders and left. 1 minute later another waiter comes to the table and asks for our drink order. While this is not a big deal, it started to show how unorganized staff was. Eric come back with ours drinks as the new waiter is asking for our drink selection. They quick figured out who table it was and we moved on.

Next we ordered a sharable carb cake as an appetizer. It was OK, but nothing like what we had in the past. The kitchen also loaded the plate with greens. I mean a lot of greens. It was to the point I suspected they were just trying to get rid of it. It was heavy covered in dressing. 3/4 of the plate was greens, surrounding this little crab cake.

After finishing the shareable, we sat for roughly 2-3 mins and my wife got up to use the bathroom. 30 seconds after she got up, the staff though it was a great idea to bring our main courses out. This really surprised me. Normally you would wait for both customers to be at the table to serve. This was the third time I was thinking "wtf." I sat there watching oir food cool waiting for my wife to return. We both ordered a 6oz filet mignon, medium rare. OK, this is were either I became ridiculous or everything started to go down hill quick. The steak was over cooked. It was delivered standing in its side. It was standing on the side to cover, when cooking my 6 oz steak, they cooked a larger piece and just cut my portion off of it. We also order sides of Mac and cheese, asparagus, and Brussel sprouts. All three sides were banging.

So we finished our main course. Eric came and cleared the table. We asked for dessert first. His response was they are complete out of desserts. Being valentines day, I believed him. So next we asked for coffee. His response was they already cleaned the pot and could not make any more. This left me stunned. An expensive restaurant, that has taken pride in their food and service in the past, the level of service i received that night was truly disappointing. We paid our bill and started to leave. As we are walking out, we see a waitress delivering a dessert to a table and one of the bartenders making an espresso martini. Which is on the dessert menu. We paid over $250 for that experience.

It will be awhile, if ever, before we return. I miss the first couple of year of True Blue. As far as the atmosphere, it's the same as it has ever been. The main dinning room needs a deep clean. More than just mopping, buff that floor. Also they may have added some tables, maybe not. It felt the tables along the wall were on top...

I would love to give this place a five star review, being, I drove 3 hours to try it. I have a cousin that lives locally and told me make a reservation for Valentine’s Day. They told me I did not make a reservation at their location and my reservation was downtown. But the young lady at the front was nice enough to get us a table. Our waitress knew nothing about fine dining. We tried to make small talk with her. She blatantly told us I don’t really keep up with the times. No worries we were not there to make friends. The salad had a fish on top of it. I don’t know about you, but any Caesar salad I have ever eaten did not come with a whole gutted fish on top of it. My fiancé and I did not eat it and when she came to the table she said everything OK over here. We told her that we are not used to having salad served with a dead raw gutted fish on top of it. We ordered two fillets, both cooked medium. I ordered mine, Pittsburgh style. The steak to came to the table and looked pretty good there was a add looking plant on top of the steak. We asked another waitress what that was. Her reply was it a wild onion. As we cut into the steak you could see only the outside of the steak was cooked. The inside of the steak was raw. Pictures attached. When we told our waitress, she gave a less then appropriate response. I told her I would have to take the rest of the steak home and cook in the oven before I even attempted to eat it. She did not even offer to cook it longer. The asparagus was covered in grated Parmesan cheese. But tasted well. Next were the potatoes, which were the only thing that were perfect. Next we ordered the chocolate cake, what we got was not chocolate cake at all. It was a flourless chocolate substance that definitely needed a glass of milk or something to wash it down. We even asked the waitress again. What was this because we ordered chocolate cake we did not know that it was chocolate whatever they’re calling. It had no flour and wasn’t quite like a fudge. In all honesty, I feel as though I wasted hours of my life coming down to a restaurant to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The food was horrible, to say the least, the service was terrible, the female that was walking around with the face mask made me very very uncomfortable. Did she have Covid? Was she just sick or was she worried about getting sick. Either way I felt unsafe as did my fiancé. I completely understand. It is her liberal right to wear a mask if she feels necessary or maybe she has health problems. I just don’t think she should be working in a restaurant environment.

Finally, we saw the manager several times he never stopped at our table. Even though he walked past the table and saw that we moved our salads with the dead fish to the opposite side of the table. He still did not stop. Our waitress didn’t ask if she could get us something else in place of the sorry excuse of a cake. My bill was $208 and I promise we could have had a better meal at McDonalds from the dollar menu.

Truly...

I recently dined at True Blue Butcher and Table, a restaurant that had come highly recommended. I was compelled to share my experience, highlighting both the positives and the areas I felt were lacking.

First and foremost, the service was impeccable. Our waitress provided an exceptional dining experience, making us feel welcomed and well attended to throughout the evening. Additionally, the Beef Tartare was a standout, delighting us with its flavors and quality.

However, it’s with a heavy heart that I must share the less favorable aspects of our meal, which fell short of our expectations, especially considering the premium we were prepared to pay. The 36 oz Choice Bone-In Ribeye, which we anticipated to be the highlight of our dinner, was unfortunately tough, presenting a challenge even to cut. The Beef and Fried Brussels, rather than being the crispy delight we hoped for, turned out mushy and underwhelming. Similarly, the Beef Satay was overcooked, and the Roasted Mushrooms lacked the flavor and texture one would expect, reminiscent more of canned mushrooms than a dish from a high-end butcher and table restaurant.

Moreover, it’s pertinent to mention that the restaurant’s sanitation score stands at 92. While some might find this acceptable, it falls below my expectations, especially in a dining establishment where premium prices are indicative of a higher standard across all facets, including hygiene and cleanliness. This score, although not necessarily indicative of poor sanitation practices, suggests there is room for improvement to match the level of excellence in service and culinary aspirations the restaurant aims to achieve.

I believe in constructive feedback and understand that an off night can happen in any kitchen. My past experience in the restaurant industry has taught me to appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into every service. Therefore, this review comes from a place of constructive criticism rather than discontent.

While the selections from the butcher have always been excellent, reflecting the quality I know True Blue Butcher and Table can offer, my dining experience did not meet the same standard. This review is written in the hope that it can be used to elevate future dining experiences for all patrons, especially those who save diligently to enjoy a meal of this caliber. For a bill totaling $220 before tip, including a couple of glasses of wine and drinks, one’s expectations naturally align with excellence across the board.

To potential diners, I recommend True Blue Butcher and Table for their service and select menu items like the Beef Tartare. However, I also encourage the kitchen to revisit and refine the dishes that didn’t quite hit the mark, ensuring that every guest leaves with the high-quality experience they anticipate and deserve. Moreover, attention to enhancing their sanitation score would ensure that all aspects of the dining experience meet the high expectations set by the price point...