I had high hopes for my early dinner at Banks Seafood & Steak, but unfortunately, the experience was disappointing.
The best part of the meal was the warm, fresh bread. It was delicious and set a great first impression.
The clam chowder was just okay. I've had much better, even from Whole Foods. What surprised me was that the oyster crackers were served in a small cup, and they were stale. Most restaurants provide a fresh, sealed packet, but these tasted old and took away from the soup.
I also ordered the beef tartare. The bread underneath the meat was so hard it was difficult to eat. All I could really taste was cold, raw meat. I understand tartare is served raw, but this preparation simply wasn't enjoyable and wasn't to my liking.
For my main course, the steak had good flavor, but it was very chewy. While it was tasty, the texture was disappointing.
The biggest issue was the service. My early dinner lasted over two hours, and I often felt as though my waiter had forgotten about me. There were extremely long waits between courses, and it took about 45 minutes just to receive a frozen yogurt dessert. The slow service turned what should have been a relaxing dinner into a frustrating experience.
Overall, while the bread was excellent, the food and especially the service did not meet my expectations. Sadly, I would not return or recommend this restaurant based on my experience
I give it a 3.5 stars. We went there for my wife birthday dinner. One we entered the staffs immediately wished her a Happy Birthday and comped us with two glasses of sparkling wine. It was really nice of them. The staffs were amazing, super attentive and friendly! For starters we ordered beef tartar and daily catch of the day ceviche. The beef tartar came with chips. While the tartar was good, the gochujang over powered the beef tartar. I wished the chips were a bit bigger. The black seabass ceviche was OK. The bass was firm, but the sauce was a bit fishy. The ceviche was too watery. It would be nice to have some chips or thinly sliced toasted bread to compliment the ceviche. My wife ordered a tuna seared. It was really good and the tuna was melted in my mouth when I bit into it.
I got the Brandt 14oz NY steak. The steak was cooked perfectly med rare. However, the steak was OK and lack a salt. The mushrooms side dish and truffle fries was good. Nothing special. I really liked the old fashion drink with black cherries. We got peach cobbler. It was too sweet for us and we didn't finished it. Our server noticed it and took it off our bill. It was really nice of him even though we didn't ask. Overall we enjoyed our dinner and the amazing staffs. I would highly recommend The Bank Seafood and Steak.
5
Conveniently located in Back Bay, this bright restaurant with walls of glass is very inviting. We had reservations for brunch and were promptly greeted upon entering and seated immediately near the first floor gas fireplace. The servers were pleasant and knowledgeable, answering all our questions & making helpful suggestions. The Bloody Marys were tasty but did not have celery. The apps came out quickly, the spoons were just a tease, but you can order as many as you want. The tower was fresh and cold. The Benedict had a good share of sweet lobster knuckles & claw meat, while the eggs were perfectly poached. Served with deep fried homefries & a tiny side of mixed greens. Excellent. The avocado toast was served on sourdough with avocado, smoked salmon, thin radish slices and topped with tobiko. It was outstanding. Definitely a great place for fresh seafood.
4
Really enjoyed the food at The Banks Seafood and Steak. Everything tasted great, but service was slower than expected for Saturday around 4 PM. One thing I’d mention is to check your bill carefully. I ordered the same beer twice, but the second one was entered as a different beer that cost $5 more. I caught it before paying, and they fixed it right away. Overall, good meal, just worth keeping an eye on the check.
4
Good food and pretty good service, but definitely on the pricey side.
My only real complaint is that I specifically came for the Chicken Milanese Sandwich because it’s listed on their website, only to find out it isn’t available on weekends. The server said they only serve it on weekdays. That should really be noted on the website to avoid disappointing people who make the trip for a specific dish.
I ended up getting the lobster roll instead, which was good, but the meal came to $66 without any drinks or extra sides. Expect to pay a premium
