Southland Steakhouse — Restaurant in Zebulon

EDIT TO ADD: While our visit was not good I was in contact with the owner who was extremely apologetic regarding our experience. We are definitely going to give it another shot in the future.

Going out to eat is a rare treat for my family. We had my youngest daughters fourth birthday dinner at Southland. My family (7) plus inlaws and niece (3). It was a Monday evening, the restaurant was not busy.

We found Southland about a year ago, we had an awesome experience. This time not so much. When we arrived they were wonderful and quickly got our tables together and seated.

The service we had last night was not good. She was not friendly, I got the vibe that she didn't even want to serve us. The service was extremely slow and she was impossible to find. It was impossible to get the attention of any of the staff. Maybe it was because of where we were seated, I don't know. They brought our appetizers out, no plates to eat off. We waited for a while but there was no one around Our appetizers were gone for 10-15 min before she appeared with plates. Before the appetizer arrived drinks were empty and not filled until after she appeared with the plates.

It took a while after that to receive our soups and salads and then the food was out five minutes later. My son and I both received the wrong meal. It was nearly 25 minutes later we received our correct order of grilled shrimp. Everyone else in our party had completely finished their meals. I have long history of service industry and really thought it was still standard practice for a manager to come to a table after any issues, particularly two incorrect meals.

I brought a birthday cake with us, which again took so long to get someone's attention to get the cake out of the fridge for us. Our table was completely covered in empty cups and dishes. Overall it was just an awful experience. I am not one to leave a negative review but the fact its such a rare treat for my family and being my daughters birthday I was so...

This place was pretty good by Zebulon standards. It was a lot less upscale than I expected. No table cloth, throw away napkins, no centerpieces, no difference from salad fork to entree fork (same size), water isn't served without asking. Servers wearing t shirts, kitchen is open and all you hear is banging of pots and pans. Just really misses any upscale feel other than prices.

The good. Prime rib was perfectly cooked, a bit on the fatty side but I like it that way. It was tender, juicy, just excellent. The scallops were the same way, cooked perfectly lightly seasoned, delicious. The mushrooms were good. Service was friendly.

The not so good. The shrimp cocktail was 6 small shrimp for $10. They were the size you get a pound of for $6 at grocery store and tasted as fresh. The salads were what you get at any average restaurant, nothing to make them stand out, mostly lettuce very few tomatoes, onion etc. Biggest issue was our entrees came before our salads. So, entrees sat there on our table getting cold while we ate our salads. Not really acceptable when your spending over $100 for 2 people. Never saw a manager even with few people in the restaurant.

Ultimately, the biggest issue was probably a server mistake. However, it's a big one when your food is cold. The receipt showed on the fly typically meaning something was forgot to be put in the system. Likely the salads. I worry when on a Saturday the restaurant isn't even half full that many have had experiences similar to mine.

Edit: better the 2nd time around. We did cheaper menu options. Burger was awesome, Philly was pretty good. Service was much better, chef came out and asked how everything was, much happier with this experience. Ultimately this place could be amazing if they'd get away from the pricey options they...

If you're looking for a classic steakhouse that clearly understands the art of making a damn good steak, this is it.

"Old school" comes to mind when walking in the door, for some odd reason there is just something comforting about this place. I think it's a combination of the laid-back environment confidently telling you "We have nothing to prove" and the personable level of service you receive from the staff.

Clearly, they are equipped and used to accommodating groups of any size, although the parking lot may be an indication there is no room at the inn, I would be rest assured they will accommodate, so just go on in and get yourself a table.

I like the fact the menu is not the yellow pages and a good indication they know what the hell they are doing! Never hesitate to order an appetizer on your first visit, just do yourselves a favor and share with the table, otherwise you may be leaving with a doggy bag.

The filet was MORE than enough and cooked EXACTLY as I asked, the pesto risotto was very good and not overwhelming in flavor. Although they didn't have any Bearnaise, the steak spoke for itself. Yes, they have steak sauce, but this is not the outback steakhouse so let's not insult the chef by treating his steak like a plate of fries.

In my world dinner time is sacred, it is not something to be rushed! And yes, we like to be checked up on, but if I am still working on, my entree, do NOT ask me if I am ready for dessert, please! Yes, time is money, but a loyal customer base is always a better...