Steak & Ale

If a steak is halfway good I'm not picky - I'll go to a Longhorn's at a moment's notice; it's a safe choice for relatives that are leery of tonier high-end places.

How does Steak & Ale rate among the steak franchises? I thought they were history, but there's one that's been tucked away in the Northlake neighborhood (Atlanta) forever. I like to think it's frozen in some 1970s Ron Burgundy mode - is it worth my while to find out?

The last time I ate at the Northlake location (97ish). I wasn't impressed at all. I had what I thought was going to be a nice NY strip but the meat was very bland. It tasted just like it was fresh from the grocery store, i.e. not aged at all. The Long Horn just up the road in Tucker (Hugh Howell Blvd.) is much better, IMO.

The one I have been to has a great salad bar! I love green olives on my sallad and most bars only have black, S&A has green and everything at the bar is always good. Not that kinda bar! Oh, their beer is always cold. Not a bad chain IMHO.

I get the prime rib and it's passable. My friends get the ??? it's their signiture steak. What is that called? Anyway, my friends like it.
Joe

I like Steak & Ale. There's one in Westminster, CO. Since we don't drink, my boyfriend and I can get away for about $55 for a honkin' big ribeye for me and prime rib for him. We love the salad bar. I don't know if they're all decorated the same, but I love the fake English manor look. We always pull out the old books and look at them, when we can. Some are glued on the shelves.

There used to be one in Lexington, KY, and I was never very impressed with it. It seemed overpriced for what you got. I could get just as good at York Steak House, which is sadly gone.
For a good steak in Lexington, Columbia's is very good, and reasonable.

Andrea

There is a Steak & Ale just outside of Baltimore in Timonium. I have eaten there a number of times. Sometimes it's very good, other times, it's been not so great. But we have always had good service there, gotten more than enough to eat, and I didn't think we overpaid.

S&A has ben around a long time, must be doing a few things right. This is weird but a friend turned me on to a stuffed flounder there. Sounds strange at a steak place but they were great! I bet I had 20 or more of em back in the late 80s. No, not all at once! They must not have sold so well, no longer on the menu.
Joe

haven't been to one in years, but i liked them alot;
mainly because it wasn't such a family kinda place.
i can't remember once seeing a high chair there.

Your right Xannie, kinda dark romantic atmosphier. Kids don't like that much!
Verrry relaxing sometimes for us adults!
Joe

All of the Steak & Ales in my city have closed......there was also a chain called Jolly Ox, which I think was related to them.
Many happy memories from eating there as a kid.

they've still got some oddball locations around the country, not really very congruent...
IMO they are missing the "glue" that holds them together..

that's in comparison to the Claim Jumper restaurant chain who really have their act together and are very consistent...

I think there was a Steak & Ale in Augusta, GA.  I was stationed at Fort Gordon.  I left there in 1979.
It was on Washington Blvd..... across from Augusta National.  I ate there a few times in the year I was there, don't remember it being "special".

S&A Restaurant Corp. went Chapter 7 in July, 2008. At that time, all Steak and Ale restaurants and all corporate-owned Bennigans closed due to the bankruptcy of S&A. There was discussion here on Roadfood at that time.

I worked at the location in Westminister Co back in 87.  I have to say that I truly hated working there and only lasted a week.  Back then it was owned by Pepsi products.  I had never seen so many nit picking rules.  One reason that I used for quitting was tha I refused to wear work boots.  That was the requirement.  A black steel toed boot!  I have foot problems and requires a certain type of shoe or I couldnt last on my feet for more than a couple hours!
The menu was very weak for even a family rest.  I will say that they put a lot of effeort in certain items.  The potatoes were kept in a system of several draweres.  Each hour a drawer was 86'd.  That way the spuds were never held for more than 2 hours.  They also put a ton of emphasis on the salad bar.