Dale's Restaurant

User Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

From the moment you walk in the door you know Dale's has seen better days. The tired 70's steak house intererior isn't the only thing that needs refreshing. Once seated at your table you will notice the cloth and the silverware should have retired long ago. But it does set the proper expectation for your food.

The menu is lack lustre and gives no indication that you can expect anything other than what could be found elsewhere for much less. I did settle on the 14oz ribeye with soup and steamed broccoli. I asked for it pittsburg rare.

The first thing to arrive was a basket of limp bread sticks, rather bread flats. They were neither warm nor particularly tatsy, which for the price you might expect something baked in house or at least fresh. The soup was delivered soon after. I have never had French Onion soup with such a salty bite, if you can get past the salt it does have a good flavor but lacks any depth. (I suspect they use boullion and not stock as their base) I expected the croutons to have a toasty crispness but these appear to have been soaking in the soup under a hot lamp for at least an hour. Do not expect a nice baked gruyere or provolne topping your soup either, it's not going to happen.

The salad was cool and fresh, no complaints, a basic lettuce and tomatoe.

When the steak was delivered was when the realization sunk in - Dale's is living on reputation only!! This cut of meat looked as though it came from wal-mart, it was big and flat and round. I expect a $27 cut to be 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick and trimmed. I had also asked for pittsburg rare (nicely charred outside with cool red inside), what I got was medium rare. The taste and texture were alright but nothing spectacular.

The staff are dressed professionaly and conduct themselves well. The service was efficient but not attentive. The staff seemed to be going through the motions, lacking excitement or enthusiasm for their job. No coffee or desert tray was offered after the meal and I didn't want to ask about an after dinner drink.

All in all the experience was not worth repeating. If I want to pay the price for a steak I will go to Pauli's in Huntsville or to Morton's in Nashville.

So the lesson here is save your money or for equivalent food at a lower cost, go to Legends, Outback or any of the five or six steak places in town. If you are still set on spending $40-$50 a head take a trip to the 360 or Bronzeback Grill at the Marriott.

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I have eaten at this restaurant on several occassions and I must say that, with exception to the Peddler Restaurants in Gatlingburg, Nashville, and Knoxville, Dale's is by far the best the South has to offer. From the moment you enter to front door you are taken back to a period in time that is all but forgotten. The wait staff is exceptional and the food is without comparison. From the bread sticks and rolls with real butter, to the French Onion soup, to the fresh Garden Salad, and finally to the marinated steak of your choice, what can compare.

I use Dale's Steak Souce when I grill at home but this restaurant is an exception to any I have visited. From clients, to family, to solitary dining while traveling, this is "one in a million". I have recommended Dale's Restaurant in Florence, Alabama to hundreds and will continue to do so. It is my hope that this restaurant tradition will comtinue for at least 40 more years at which time I will be too old to travel but , hopefull, not too old to remember.

Lip smackin', finger lickin' good is a great descriprion except that the folks running the place would probably frown upon doing that while eating in their fine restaurant. I will say that I have visited in dingy work clothes after a hard day on the road and they did not religate me to the back of the kitchen table.

Just an extra fine place to eat at an slightly above average price. But, no, Logan's Road House or other chains cannot comapre. The long gone "Baby Doe's Matchless Mine Restaurant in Birmingham and Atlanta would be a good comparison.

Kyle Smith
Sylacauga, Alabama

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Love the the food, p...: Love the the food, priced to high

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