Prime Steakhouse Review

Jason here. We took another trip to Redmond for a night out, and decided to try Prime Steakhouse.

Prime is a restaurant focusing on steaks, but also has a good collection of burgers and sandwiches. The best part is the menu itself lists gluten free options, which tends to entice me to try out a place.

The restaurant itself isn’t too large, or at least they section off various rooms so it feels more intimate then most places. I was able to hear the table conversation without too much trouble, but we had to speak up. 

Of course I can’t go to a steakhouse and not order a steak for the first time. I honestly not sure if I have tried a dry-aged steak before. At the very least I have never tried them side by side. With this in mind, I decided to order the top sirloin baseball cut 12oz dry age steak, with a side of baked potato.

The baked potato was well crispy on the outside, although I just scooped out and ate the fluffy potato inside. Pretty standard affair.

The steak was fabulous. I ordered medium and that’s what I got, pink with a little red. It was plenty marbled with fat, which just melted in my mouth like cotton candy. The most delicious sensation one can have when eating a steak. This is the quality of a high end steak. If it’s a low quality cut, the fat will turn chewy and stringy, and be tough to actually eat. Everything here just melted in my mouth, from the first to the last bite. I did not add one ounce of salt or pepper, and ate it exactly how it came out. Not wanting to waste a good steak by having to reheat left overs, I finished the whole 12oz there which I was a bit worried about when it came out. I ordered the smallest of the dry aged steaks, so be prepared for leftovers if you order something like the 24oz porter just for yourself.

It is a high end steak restaurant so you get what you pay for. I got a really top end steak, the meal is a bit on the higher end. Although my sirloin, wasn’t too bad. I actually ordered this cut for the size, not the price, but it worked out for me.

Kayleigh here. While most steakhouses can put together a gluten free steak meal with relative ease, Prime has gotten nearly the entire menu to accommodate a gluten free diner. I failed to ask if the sandwiches would be served bunless or if they had an alternative, but I think there are more than enough options regardless. All of the salads, most of the starters, and many of the vegetable and potato sides are gluten free by default, as well as (of course) the steaks. And if you’re like me and are the odd duck that orders a non-beef entrée, you are pretty much guaranteed to find something that tickles your fancy. The menu is not particularly large, but so diverse and well thought-out that I think anyone would walk out happy.

Redmond Bar and Grill Review

Jason here. While looking for more places to try in downtown Redmond we discovered the aptly named Redmond Bar and Grill.

Be aware that parking can be a bit hard to find depending on what hour of the day you are heading there. You can check out their website which lists some nearby lot which are open to the public after certain hours.

The first time we went with friends and it was late at night so we got a nice booth to ourselves. While it was busy, there was still no wait time. Also despite the crowd I could always hear the conversation going on at my table. In contrast, the second time we went was closer to dinner and there was more people. This time it was just Kayleigh and I, and we were placed at a small table near the bar which was not really large enough for two people ordering a full dinner. There was still no wait, so that was nice.

On both visits our waiter was kind and helped us figure out which items were gluten free. Note, that while they list items that are gluten free on their menu, they do not take into account items which go into the same deep fryer. This eliminated quite a few options off the appetizer menu.

I ordered the Redmond’s Burger and swapped the French fries with the soup of the day, clam chowder. I could tell the burger was cooked at a high temperature, with the outside a bit charcoaled, but the inside still pink. I ordered medium, so this was fine by me and it tasted fantastic. The Chef’s secrete spices tasted like a buffalo sauce mixed with the garlic mayo. I wasn’t expecting anything spicy, so it was a bit of a surprise. The sauce was heaped on the burger, so it really carried a flavor punch.

The clam chowder my favorite part of the whole meal. It was thick, but still creamy and had plenty of clams in it. The taste was like the clam chowders you get walking along a shore front, as opposed to the overly salty stuff you find in canned soups. I often ask about the soup of the day and places we go, but it’s usually not carried that day or not gluten free. Indeed when we went back, our waiter told us they do not serve soups on Sundays.

Speaking of our second visit, I also ordered a Redmond’s Burger but this time with just a small Redmond’s House salad. While all of the veggies were fresh, the salad just tasted bland. It might have to do with me picking out all the cucumbers though. It was essentially just some lettuce, carrots, and few grapes and sprinkling of feta. The first time we went, I love my burger so I was excited to dig into that. Unfortunately, this time around it was burnt to a crisp which was pretty much all I tasted. This was not helped by the fact that they went really light on the sauce, which also made the burger dry.

Redmond’s Bar and Grill is an interesting one. On one hand we had an excellent meal the first time, and I felt safe eating there with my allergy. On the other hand the second time we went was less then fantastic and there are plenty of other options nearby. I have a feeling I’d be willing to give them a shot again on a weekday where I could hopefully get that clam chowder again.

Kayleigh here. One quick thing- I appreciated the salad using feta and grapes for added flavor, instead of just piling on a strong dressing. To conclude the review, I think the server’s knowledge of food allergies and the quieter hour made a much better visit on our first try, so I would recommend that you avoid the busier mealtimes when you visit here. The food was prepared with more attention paid to details, and the atmosphere was much more conducive to talking and socializing when it was less crowded. And when you’re looking for a wholly gluten free experience, the last thing you want is rushed cooks and frazzled serving staff.

Red Robin Review

Kayleigh here. It is about time we reviewed another national chain with gluten free policies. And Red Robin was one we had been hesitant about, because it sounded like their safety measures varied from restaurant to restaurant. As a matter of fact, out of the three locations within driving distance of us, only one of them had any mention of offering gluten free hamburger buns- the other two suggest that you make it a lettuce wrap. So it led to the question- is cross contamination a concern in these lesser prepared ones?

Given that one slip up leaves Jason in great discomfort for several weeks, we chose to go to the safest sounding one of the three, and would recommend that you also call ahead and ask about your particular location's offerings and practices. The more gluten-free friendly ones can readily answer questions about ingredients and using separate fryers on top of offering actual buns for the burgers. Our waitress herself knew the answers without having to consult the kitchen, so we felt surprisingly safe for going to a chain restaurant.

The draw of Red Robin lies squarely on the large variety of toppings and combinations for your burger- there are pages of them. Most of them seemed safe to us, although it does not hurt to ask, and all current varieties of fries, we were told, are gluten free. We were told not to use their 'signature seasoning' found on the table, though.

Going to a Red Robin is a great opportunity to bring younger children and people you don't feel the need to impress, order the biggest and messiest burger that catches your eye, and go to town. It is not exactly a date spot- a little too noisy for that-, but sometimes it is more important just to go to somewhere normal and mass-marketed and be able to enjoy yourself without being worried.

Jason here. My feelings on Red Robin mirror Kayleigh's. I thought my burger was alright, but definitely would go back to more local joints like Wibbley’s or Blue Moon given the choice. However, when traveling you can’t be too picky, and it helps to have a handful of places in your pocket that you know are likely to be in any given area. As Kayleigh mentioned, Red Robin was loud with plenty of kids milling about, so if you have kids of your own this place can be a great atmosphere. If going out for a romantic dinner, not so much. 

Of course, I only got to try a single bacon burger at Red Robin and their menu options are expansive. This makes it is a good restaurant if you’re out with a group of friends, and they all seems to want different types of food. You can even check out allergy listings their latest menu before you leave, to see which burger will be your best bet.