vernon's speakeasy

i'm very disappointed with vernon's. we spent almost $500 last night for nye. the food was good and our waiter professional and attentive, but the chaos going on was horrible and not at all relaxing. they overbooked for nye and didn't anticipate that guests would linger for a special occasion like nye. first we spent at least 45 minutes before we were seated eventhough we rsvped. since some patrons stayed longer thanvernon'scalculated time then everything was back up. seriously what do you expect on nye. come on this was $125 prix fix per person. do you expect people to eat like it's mcdonald. the rsvp department failed miserably. unfortunately we were seated near the bar where we literally saw the hostess & host, waiters and servers running about to serve people and to seat them. one couple was even asked to hurry up and eat their meal because someone needed their table. we were upset by hearing because it meant unless we don't eat fast enough then you will ask to vacate your table. when you spent that much money you don't need that kind of hassle especially on nye.



vernon called me two days ago and apologized for their overbooking. they even reimbursed us for one meal that is $125. i have to say i’m impress the apology left on my voicemail. it sounded sincere and heartfelt. i will review my rating from one star to three for their effort in making this right.

my friends and i had dinner
last week atvernon'sspeakeasy and it was easily the worst restaurant
experience i've had in my entire life. the service was horrendous.
we 
chose to sit on the patio to listen to the music offered as part of their
summer nights on the patio series, and that's when we became second class
citizens.  if you’ve never been there
before, when you arrive you knock on a solid door and a small window slides
open,  “joe batters,” a mobster type
doorman asks if you have the password and asks if you’re a cop.  assuming you give the password and are not a
cop, they let you in.  as soon as we said 
were there for summer nights, the speakeasy atmosphere, role playing and good
customer service ended.  we were rushed
through a severely darkened maze of a dining room to the patio, and despite
having reservations they didn't have a table ready for us. they didn't even have a table that could accommodate us so we had to push two tables together.
staff did not offer to help. we were asked if we'd like to look at a menu and
said yes.  it was the same menu inside
and outside, so i paid as much for my meal as i would have had i chosen to sit inside the dining room. not that you could tell from the service we
received.  it took the server three trips
to the kitchen to find out enough information about the specials to be able to
explain them to us sufficiently. she never asked if we wanted anything to drink
other than water...even after i requested a wine list i had to tell her that i
wanted to order a glass of wine. my first steak was over cooked; my second
steak was under cooked and cold. when it started to rain and we moved our food
to a covered section of the patio, again, staff did not offer to help. the
server never came back to see if we needed anything. we were never asked if we
wanted dessert (i did, but was never given the opportunity to order it). we
waited for our ticket and it never came. after what had to be close to an hour
of waiting (while enjoying the music), we finally went inside and asked for it.
when the server brought the ticket, she actually stood there and waited for us
to pay it. then, to add insult to injury, we had to find our own way out of the
darkened maze, as nobody offered to walk us out. when we finally found the
door, “joe batters” asked us how our dinner was, i said nothing and my friend
said "eh." he didn't know what to say, but certainly didn't say he
was sorry we had a bad experience, or ask us what happened, or ask a manager to
come by to talk to us. he simply let us out.
they
may not care that i will never go back, however i love a good steak and i'm
willing to pay for it.  my meal was more
than $72 not including tip…and i had to stop on the way home to buy the last
glass of wine and dessert that i never got. 
they need to know that when i find a place i like, i tell everybody
about it and if they've never been there, i take them.  at the same time, if i have an especially bad
experience i tell everybody about that as well…and i’m not alone.  many people share their experiences with
others, good or bad, and if enough people hear about it, it can make a
difference.

it would have been nice to
be able to say that albuquerque has a local steakhouse that can compare to
ditka's in chicago or the silver fox in dallas, but no, it's not worth the
time, money or effort. my suggestion?  go
to marcello's chophouse, the food is good and at least there you're treated as
a valued customer...no matter where you sit.

scallops and lobster. the scallops were tender and fresh-tasting, seasoned just right - i wanted to lick my plate! the lobster was the highlight, so tender, not a rubbery or gristly bite on it; it didn't even need to be dipped in butter except that the butter was so amazing. as i ate each bite of buttery lobster, it truly melted in my mouth as the flavor stimulated every taste bud. i never got bored with the flavor. the butter dip was so fresh and well-seasoned with no greasy dripping or separation from the cream.


-----10 apr, 2015-----

pricey but worth it. we went on 2/13/15 for early valentines - first time there. we dressed up in 20's garb, which was fun, but i was disappointed that more customers didn't play the part as well. we liked the dark, romantic atmosphere, the password, secret revolving bookcases, and that the hosting staff dressed the part.

the place was hard to find for us as first timers. we walked around for ten minutes, worried we'd miss our reservations and finally just followed some random couple to see if they were going to vernon's. thank god they were. the black door with red light wasn't so black and red. more like weather-worn black and dull orange. they really need to repaint door and put in a red bulb.

the food and service made up for not finding the place! we seriously hadn't had a meal of such high quality in years. our seafood and steaks were cooked to perfection and the lobster butter was amazing - not the greasy butter that separates when it cools down. i appreciated that the portions weren't overwhelming, but just right so that we didn't need take home boxes. to me, that says class. the prices are truly high, but we felt we received the value in our meal.

i was a little disappointed in seeing a couple customers come in with jeans on; my understanding fromvernon'swebsite is that the dress is business casual at the very least. maybe a t-shirt and jeans is business casual to some. ??

the hostess was very friendly and thorough when making reservations. and our waitress was wonderful, she even placed my napkin in my lap! i know that's classy but somehow didn't expect it. she was also knowledgeable about the wine selection and i was pleased with her wine suggestion for my taste.

overall, we will be back for sure as our budget will allow!

vernon's for that special dinner date.. a great place for special occasions and sharing with out of town guests. a fun speakeasy atmosphere. interesting appetizers, great lobster bisque, and gun desserts. and, whilevernon'sis a steakhouse, my wife has always enjoyed the fish. their wine list is extensive and our service has always been great.

everyone i know loves vernon's. every time we have ever dined atvernon'swith family and/or friends there have been only the best comments. presentation, quality and service! we never feel like we are being rushed out the door. we are always meant to feel welcome and to engage ourselves in the unique speakeasy dining experience. i highly recommend the nm grass-fed beef ribeye! the only downside for me is that i'd like to see new mexico wines on the wine list, especially milagro & black mesa.

albuquerque's best. we went here one evening to celebrate 3 birthdays - my sister's, our roommate's and mine. i was a little nervous about this place at the beginning, wondering if we were paying for the "shtick" or whether the food was really worth the price tag. i have to say, my fears were quickly allayed. first, they had a nice "by the glass" wine list, which you often don't find at this price point. my sister and i have very different tastes in wine, so a bottle was out of the question, and i like to start with white and switch to red with my entree. here, that was no problem. there was a nice selection to suit all tastes and that alone saved me from being forced to drink that god awful pink stuff my sister likes! on top of the wine list there is a huge list of artisanal cocktails as well as beer.

our group started with soup or a salad and i must say the french onion soup was probably the best i've ever had. a wonderfully flavorful broth, very onion-y with the correct gruyere cheese on top. we then moved to the entrees. this is definitely a meat eater’s paradise, featuring dry-aged beef charged by the ounce. it's a nice option allowing bigger appetites to order larger portions. for example, our roommate ordered a 16 oz. ribeye while my brother-in-law ordered the same thing in a 20 oz. version. the steak was absolutely outstanding, easily one of the top 2 steaks i've ever had with the only contender being the ribeye from the french laundry in yountville, ca. my lamb chops were cooked to perfection and accompanied by tasty wasabi mashed potatoes. my sister opted for the prime rib, extra rare, at which our server didn't blink an eye.

at the end of our meal our server surprised us with 3, yes, 3 birthday desserts. most places would have gone with one, but these guys made sure we were all acknowledged, it was the perfect touch to a terrific meal.

so yes,vernon'sis pricey, and on my budget will be a special occasion event. but i guarantee i will be back, and if you have the opportunity, you should definitely give it a try!

great food, great ambience, great service!!. my wife and i have been tovernon'stwice now. if you are looking for a place with great character, food, service and experience in the 505, this is it! pricey yes, but absolutely worth it. make a reservation, get there early and sit in the lounge and have a drink before your reservation. music is fantastic, drinks are excellent. stories are hilarious! kick back and have a great time in our own speakeasy in albuquerque.vernon'sdoes not disapoint.

exceptional experience. we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary atvernon'sand it was a great choice. from beginning to end, it was a wonderful and notable experience. the staff provided exceptional service and every person that we encountered was commendable. they attended to our every need as if we were the only diners. all of the food was delicious and the filet mignon was the best piece of steak that i've ever eaten. the special surprise dessert was an amazing surprise! i definitely would dine again and recommend it to anyone.

amazing!!!. i took my wife tovernon'shidden valley steakhouse for her birthday. she had no idea where we were going. she told me she had heard about it - 14 years ago! and, always wanted to go. well, after i provided sonny with the password, we were let into what the country was like in the 1920s - 1930s. the food was amazing - and that doesn't adequately describe it. the whole evening was fun, exciting, and we were treated like vips the whole time. my thanks to chuck, sonny, sterling, and all the rest who made it truly an unforgettable evening.

speakeasy spectacular. ever since my wife and i discoveredvernon'ssteakhouse--a speakeasy-style restaurant in rio rancho, nm--we have always considered it one of the top dining establishments in the albuquerque area. from the "required" password to gain access to the live music,vernon'sis a true treat. and don't forget to visit the vibrant bar with its knowledgeable barkeep "bar" matt! his memory may have a few "blanks" these days, but he is quite the mixologist and is always on top of his game!

great food, fun atmosphere, excellent service. nice place for an anniversary, birthday or just date night!! i heard aboutvernon'sand always wanted to try it. i was not disappointed. the night was perfect.

great for business dinner. while visiting abq on business, we heard ofvernon'sand went not knowing what to expect. the 'hidden' part of hidden valley steakhouse was a blast. the décor was fun, the drinks great, the food fantastic, and the service superb. it was one of the most enjoyable dinners in a long time, especially with a group just in town on business.

loved vernon's!!. we had an incredible evening atvernon'stwo weeks ago! the service, the food, the atmosphere - couldn't have been happier! can't wait to visit again!

excellent!!! my husband and i had dinner atvernon'sfor the first time tonight. it was exceptional! both of our steaks were cooked to perfection, the garlic mashed potatoes were spectacular. the service was also top notch. our server was gabe and he was very knowledgable, friendly, and hospitable. we will definitely return and recommend it to others.

outstanding dining. for the romantic dinner or for the dinner where you really want to impress someone,vernon'sis the place.
the service is impeccable with excellent, knowledgeable service staff who really care about making the experience special coupled with a culinary staff second to none and you have it all together. if you are tired of the same old green chile on this item and call it something special, thenvernon'sis the place. our steaks were done perfectly and fork tender- and that is a filet mignon. salad was excellent, and the truffle mashed potatoes are not to miss as a side.
even though the food and service are great, it is just a comfortable atmosphere with the live piano playing in the background, intimate table lighting so you are made to feel that you are the only couple in the whole restaurant, it is just great. 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!