Porters Steakhouse

We visited Porters Steakhouse for our anniversary meal and had mixed feelings about the experience. The food itself was very good. We shared one of the larger steaks from the board, which was expensive but cooked perfectly and of excellent quality. The starters, sides and wine were all enjoyable, and the staff were friendly throughout the evening. However, for a bill of around £260 for two people, the overall experience didn’t feel polished enough to justify the price. After being seated, we weren’t given a drinks menu and waited around 20 minutes before anyone came over to take a drinks order. While the staff were pleasant, service felt quite chaotic and lacked the professionalism you would expect at this price point. The atmosphere was also disappointing. When we arrived there was no music playing, so the restaurant felt a little flat and all you could hear was conversation from other tables. Some of the conversation you could hear was also other tables chatting that they had been waiting a long time for food. Music was turned on, but it kept cutting out during the evening. The lighting was also brighter than I’d expect for a restaurant in this price range and didn’t create the cosy, intimate atmosphere I’d hoped for. Overall, the food was excellent and the staff were friendly, but the service and ambience didn’t match the premium pricing. Unfortunately, despite enjoying the meal itself, I wouldn’t choose to return which is a real shame as the steak was very good.