Blü Prime Steakhouse Review: An Anniversary Experience

Anniversary Elegance & Culinary Trade-offs

One of my all-time favorite movies is The Family Man. There’s a scene where Jack, having forgotten his wedding anniversary, whisks his wife off to an extravagant dinner in the city. She glances at the menu and asks, “Jack, can we afford this place?” His response? “I’m taking my Baby out for our anniversary… damn the costs!”

The scene came to mind as I perused the menu last Thursday night. It was also our anniversary. After some googling and a little research, Blü promised atmosphere. It promised indulgence and maybe a few surprises. Blü isn’t your everyday restaurant. It’s the place reserved for romantic Valentine’s Day dinners, milestone birthdays, or anniversaries like ours. Blü is located at 1818 N Loop 1604 W, Suite 101 in San Antonio, TX. The average price of a meal at BLÜ Prime Steakhouse is $50 and over, according to OpenTable. The restaurant is considered fine dining and specializes in steak and seafood.

Ambiance

We walked in and were greeted warmly. The staff at the reception desk was pleasant and friendly. It was dark and the music was loud. At first glance, the dim lighting and pulsing music made me question our choice… but then—there she was. A singer at the piano, serenading the room into softness. I’m a sucker for live music so the initial annoyance quickly dissipated. The music faded to a comfortable volume as a big smile showed us to our table.

Our table was set up nicely. Colorful confetti, rose petals and a Happy Anniversary card added to the charm. I thought it was a nice touch. Our server, John, greeted us warmly and introduced himself while another server placed warm bread covered in salt and butter on the table. We let him know that it was our first time visiting. He welcomed us and took his time going over the menu. John was great.  He described each dish in detail and graciously answered all our questions.

Service

At that point the singer was belting out a captivating cover of Hall and Oates’ I can’t go for that. I noted that to the prettiest girl in the room. She just happened to be my date and sitting at my side as John placed the wine list down on the table. Blu boasts an extensive wine list. I’m no wine snob so I don’t pretend to know anything about wine. Fortunately for us, John does. So I pepper John with questions and he was gracious and patient enough to indulge us. In the end it came down to, “John, just recommend something good under $100.” I will say, the extensive wine list didn’t have many wines listed under $100. Nevertheless, on John’s recommendation, we enjoyed a nice, bold Cabernet.  Post and Beam out of Napa Valley.

Drinks & Menu

 We ordered a couple of Belvedere dirty martinis- extra olives- to sip on while we looked over the menu.  The martinis were perfect. According to John they dry age their steaks in house. We decided to share the Prime Aged 40oz Porterhouse, $170. Loaded mashed potatoes, $18. And broccolini, $14. 

I reiterate, it is pricey. The $50 per meal I mentioned earlier courtesy of open table, is correct.  However, if you’re craving a steak, the least expensive offering is the 8oz filet at $62. That also does not include any sides, desert or drinks. Most of the sides are around $14 but are at least large enough to share. My favorite side to have with a steak is creamed spinach. Blu does not serve creamed spinach. John explained that they used to offer it. Still, it didn’t sell enough to justify keeping it on the menu. Bummer.

The Meal

Our food arrived and everything was plated and set down beautifully. While the presentation dazzled, the flavors didn’t quite follow through. The porterhouse was sliced up and plated for us in the kitchen. It was plated and presented beautifully but for the money, it lacked flavor. It lacked the beefy flavor and seasoned crust that you’d expect at this price point. It was tender, sure, and cooked to a perfect medium rare, but underwhelming. It was brought out luke warm at best and it cooled quickly. 

The broccolini could have been cooked longer. The unusually large stems were tough and nearly inedible. The florets were under cooked as well but had a satisfying crunch and taste. The loaded mashed potatoes were the bright spot of the meal. Hot, cheesy and bursting with flavor. Definitely my favorite part of the meal. As the meal was ending, the staff brought us a decorated plate with a generous slice of chocolate cake on it. “Happy Anniversary” was written in chocolate. A sweet touch—literally and emotionally. We finished off our Cabernet with the cake and paid our bill.

Final Impressions

Overall, Maria and I had a pleasant experience. Blü Prime is elegant, modern, and staffed by genuinely gracious people. It’s a really impressive place. Darkly lit and modernly decorated. The staff is really friendly and attentive. Do I believe the food is worth the price it carries? At least for tonight? No, I don’t. But it was a nice enough experience. The question is always, would I go back. The answer…Yes! I’m willing to give it another try next time we have an occasion to celebrate. So If you find yourself in the River City, and are willing to splurge a little extra on a meal, visit Blu Prime Steakhouse. I don’t regret it and I’m sure you wont either.