Twin Oaks Restaurant

01/08/2008 Posted by timkellerman

I grew up going to Twin Oaks, when it used to be good. I then only would go once every couple of years on a special occasion. Not anymore. The only reason why people continue to rate this restaurant highly is because this place is a dinosaur. It brings back memories of the old days. They haven't updated it in ages. I am sure all of the good reviews are made by people over the age of 65. Unfortunately, along with a persons hearing, the tastebuds go as well. When you're on a fixed budget, Twin Oaks low prices seem a plus. Yes, the parking lot is always crowded, but as you pull in you'll notice the elderly people being escorted in by a relative. Yes, the prices are low for a big portion of lousy food. Legally, they are allowed to only hire men for the waitstaff (not women) due to a grandfather clause. Hey, it seems classy if you're sexist. They don't write your order down, but commit it to memory. The service is not great anymore as the waiters don't have a good attitude and don't seem to take their job seriously like at a fine restaurant. The wait is ridiculously long, unless you slip a few bucks to the maitredee. I can only assume that people get tanked in the "great bar" and then actually don't mind the poor service, cold bland food, iceberg lettuce, canned vegetables, and bad quality meat.

Pros: Good Bar

Cons: Poor Service, Bad Quality Food, Long Wait,Ugly Interior

01/01/2008 Posted by rick_w

After dining at least a dozen times with countless other couples, the conclusion is that the steaks are well above average and very consistent. My main meal has consisted of the large filet mignon, almost too large to finish, which was 2 inches thick and cooked every time to perfection. My wife selected the teriyaki tenderloin. This dish consists of two large tenderloin steaks smothered in teriyaki sauce, again cooked perfectly. She never seems to eat more than half of one tenderloin, which the rest will allow her two addional meals in in the following days. The dinner rolls and butter, however, suffer from lack of heat. The rolls are always cold and the butter hard(although, lately the butter has been spreadable). The wait staff consists of all men. Very polite and attentive yet conversational and playful when necessary. The prices are wonderful, the quality of food demands higher prices yet strays from the normal 5 star menu pricing beating them hansomly. Truly a gem. The atmosphere is casual and inviting. The decor is old world with dim lighting and dark paneling. There are two bars in the main area which seems to always be at limit(probrobly the wait). The bar tenders are liberal with the alcohol, making large strong drinks of all kinds. The parking area is always full and they do have a valet service at the door. Seating wait time is usually an hour. But the time in the bar with the chattering patrons makes it fly by. The taste of the exquist meals will make this a destination of choice. I have never written a review before this one, but this experience need to be shared. With all the other couples we bring to this resturant, this is unanimously OUR destination of choice. Rick W.

Pros: prices, great steaks and extreamly consistant

Cons: hidden in a residental neighborhood, needs a little makeover.

12/24/2007 Posted by timkaiserman

Twin Oaks has really gone downhill. I heard that they lost alot of business due to the Casinos. But this place is an empty shell of what it once was. I used to go all the time with my parents when I was a kid. About 6 weeks ago we took my mother for her birthday and boy, was I disappointed. The lamb my sister and I ordered which was a 'special', was pretty disgusting. It was shaved and smothered in this thick, goppy brown mushroom sauce. There was way too much salt in it and it's purpose was to hide all the fat (there was way too much) on the meat so it made it really difficult to cut off the fat. The twice baked potato I ordered was cold, and it was flavorless. I usually order a baked potato but they only had two options, one was twice baked and the other was mashed. Since when did they stop serving baked potatoes? Since it's easier to make twice baked and then just reheat them in the microwave? The special loaf of Italian bread we ordered (at an additional cost because it had been marinated in butter) was served without plates so we had butter and grease dripping all over the table and on our hands (Can you say clueless?) We had a baby and two kids with us and waited an unusually long time after being seated just to order. (Can you say bad service?) The red sauce for the pasta was plain. The calamari we ordered was slimy, it just was a bad meal overall. I accidentally left my baby's sippy cup and called a couple of hours later to see if they had it. A waiter said he found it and will put it aside so I can pick it up later. I came by the next day they were open and it was gone. Thank god I did not leave any jewelry or my purse! Don't go. There are so many better options.

06/16/2006 Posted by catherinewhite

And the food is nothing to write home about.

05/03/2006 Posted by imperia

Twin Oaks wins in every field- I like consistency in good service, great food, right down to the wine list and the salt & pepper shakers. I've enjoyed some of the best cuisine on both the West Coast(since I live there)& the East Coast. and I always make sure that I dine at Twin Oaks whenever I come back home to perform. It's always friendly especially at the bar where I always meet up with old friends.If I am able, I try to arrive just before sunset so I can also enjoy the view on the deck. It's also great later in the evening when a group of us wind down after a show and enjoy a late night snack.We will be celebrating my mom & dad's Anniversay at Twin Oaks this May.Can't wait since I 've been going there since I was a kid.A definate winner!

Pros: Inexpensive, Plentiful Portions, Great Sundeck

Cons: Need reservation, some rooms noisy, expand booths

10/09/2005 Posted by itisso

This place has gone steadily downhill over the years. The food is average at best. People often praise thier steak but in fact steaks at real steakhouse are ten times better. I will only go thier with my parents for nostalgias sake. The best deal here is to get a sanwich for take-out. The place looks like it hasnt been updated since 1970 and for a good reason it hasnt.

Pros: nice view

Cons: food, wait, ambiance

07/01/2005 Posted by jackmb

Simply the worst excuse for Italian food I have ever seen. The restaurant is run down, the staff is rude, the food is cold and old

08/27/2004 Posted by huffmanjb79

After the review I read here (which is actually an advertisment), we were excited to finally enjoy authentic italian food that we could afford. Pulling up to the restaurant we already had concerns, as it's in an entirely residential neighborhood. From the outside Twin Oaks looks and feels like a retirement home and from the inside it looks like a giant Denny's or Friendly's restaurant. The food was not impressive, and I wasn't expecting much, a lot of it was actually gross (jalapeno poppers with runny Velveta cheese inside instead or traditional style). Our waiter was friendly and memorized our orders well, but after he dropped the check he disappeared and the bus boy actually had to take our creditcard and run it. As we left we saw our waiter sitting in the lounge as if he were off the clock!

Pros: Inexpensive

Cons: , Ambiance, Food

03/12/2004 Posted by Kimmie

Twin Oaks is a terrific place to go - for a date, or as a family. The steak is awesome, just be sure to order it a degree of done-ness more than you usually like (except for well-done!) as the chef cooks things a little rare. If going on a weekend, prepare for a l-o-n-g wait - they do not accept reservations for parties less than 10. At the bar, as for Artie - he makes the best Margaritas!

Pros: affordable, pleasant atmosphere

Cons: , crowded

03/02/2004 Posted by dinner_lover

Twin Oaks has been around as long as I can remember. However, I think they are living on their reputation. The last two times my family dined there our dinner was inferior. The steaks had a lot of gristle and were chewy. The pork chops were tough and overdone. Although we have a handicapped person in our party, the valet parking was full.

Pros: Inexpensive, good drinks, prompt service

Cons: , very long wait, food below par