Poor Service, Good Filet: Firebird's

We are trying to live a lower carb lifestyle so we decided to hit a steakhouse for dinner Friday night. We wanted a little nicer experience and vibe than the average Texas Roadhouse or Outback Steakhouse, but didn't want to break the bank at Hondo's or Morton's. So we settled on Firebird's as a mid-range establishment. We went to the one on the South side.

Nice Outdoor Patio with Fire-pit

The bar at Firebird's is very impressive with their Wall-o-Booze. The beer selection, however, is pretty sad with the standard chain restaurant choices of Bud Light and Coors Light. The wine selection is pretty extensive, and their house Red Blend is very tasty but will cost you about $11 for an 8 oz pour. The lighting was dark and romantic and the decor comfortable but not quirky.  The music did not fit with the ambiance and it was played way too loud for dinner conversation. The place was packed and it took about 10 minutes to be seated, which isn't a big deal on a Friday night.

Wall-O-Booze

So when you drop about $30 on a steak, you expect to be paying for an experience. Unfortunately our server didn't get the memo. He greeted us and asked for our drink order. We told him we were going to order a glass of wine but wanted water first. He eventually returned with the water but before we could give our drink order he fled. We sat there for about 15 minutes before he returned to even ask for our wine order.  All night long the service was spotty and slow and definitely did not live up to the expectation of what we should have at a restaurant at that price point. 

Bacon Wrapped Loveliness with a Side of Blood

I ordered the bacon-wrapped filet and asked for a Caesar salad as a substitute for the potato it came with--that was a $1 upgrade which doesn't make much sense but I went with it. My husband ordered the Sirloin. Our salads came out before our steaks, although we thought when we substituted it for the potato that it would come out with our entree. The filet cost $25 and was very buttery and tender cooked to medium; it was wonderful. My husband's sirloin at $20 was fairly tough and chewy. It was definitely worth spending the $5 extra to have a piece of meat that you didn't get a jaw cramp from eating. 

Hunk of Meat on a Plate

With a different server this would have been a much better experience. And take it from me, upgrade on the cut of meat as it is a huge difference. All-in-all the location and the steaks were fine, but the presentation of the meals and the service were lacking.