Friday, April 18, 2025

Review: The Capital Grille – Town Center, Jacksonville, FL April 18, 2025


 

Review: The Capital Grille – Town Center, Jacksonville, FL

April 18, 2025

My wife and I just returned from what I can only describe as one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had in the past 10 years. Given The Capital Grille’s reputation, we expected a high-end, enjoyable evening. What we got instead was disappointment from start to finish.

We both ordered the New York Strip, which turned out to be completely inedible. My first bite was filled with so much fat and gristle that I had to spit it out. I gave it one more try, and the second bite was equally bad—tough, fatty, and completely unchewable. I had to spit that out as well. My wife experienced the same thing with her steak. It was unacceptable. The restaurant did accommodate us with a small filet as a replacement, which was a better cut, but it was served rare, even though I requested medium. I didn’t bother complaining again and just finished what I could.

As for the ambiance, we were seated at a table that felt like a hallway intersection—servers were walking by constantly, and we were right next to the kitchen, which was loud and distracting. There was nothing intimate or relaxing about the setting. For a premium steakhouse, I expect a peaceful dining experience, not the chaos of Grand Central Station.

The price added insult to injury. For one New York Strip (which we didn’t even eat), a salad, and two house wines, the total came to $135 including tip. That doesn’t include the $15 valet parking charge ($10 fee + $1 service charge + tip), which felt outrageous on top of everything else.
 
To their credit, our server was excellent—gracious, attentive, and embarrassed by the situation. The manager did stop by and admitted, “Occasionally we do serve a bad cut of steak.” Sadly, we were the recipients of that bad cut, and that should never happen at a place charging these prices.

In conclusion, this was a terrible dining experience—inedible food, chaotic atmosphere, and a steep price tag. I won’t be going back, and I can’t recommend The Capital Grille to anyone looking for a quality night out in Jacksonville. Save your money and go elsewhere.

— Bill Conley

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