Nico’s Steak & Chop House

Service suck; unorganized! Do not eat here!!! I waited for an hour ½. Seated, waited another 20 min to get water but I got bread. They closed down thank goodness.

Good Food
Nice Wine list
Great Ambiance, Trendy, Modern
Nice Bar, Patio, Firepits
DJ Latenight Fri & Sat
Friendly Staff.

Still have not been Paid for the events that I booked at Nico’s so please stay away and go to a lot of very reputable places in the East Lake… The List is long the amount of people they owe.
Please be careful of doing business with Nico’s because of there owners business practices. I did Live Entertainment bookings for Nico’s 2 years ago and have still not been paid by the owner Jimmy Love that is now a investor of the current ownership.

Came here for a drink and a appetizer with my friend, Diana (owner of Total Combat Paintball (across the lot)).
She was heading to a movie after and I had a flight to Las Vegas that evening.
I liked the look of the place (very typical non-​NY, outdoor mall/​shopping center, upgraded applebees, fridays, chevys types of places) and the two nice looking hostesses didnt hurt their reputation either. ;)
As for service, our waitress was a zoology major, and after a while opened up towards her battle between love of animals and love of a real paycheck (hence her working as a waitress, instead of continuing in her field of study.)
She was excellent, personable, and very real. Not that fake, «get me through my day nonsensical small-​talk with ‘The Chipper Voice’ that some service people use when they hate their job, but are trying to fake it.»
Back to food and drinks… who can complain? Kind of hard to screw up finger foods.
Anyway, I had a nice time, and made my flight with no problem (Obama was in town during Veterans day, so the no school and no work thing made the roads empty with a capital «M»!)

With 3 kids it is hard to have a night out with the wife and we got one Sunday night (11/​13/​2011) and we wanted a really good steak, but wanted to stay close to home. We have been to Nico’s before but it has been a while so so we said why not. Big MISTAKE as this place has gone downhill fast!!!
5:45 we arrived and were seated quickly and noticed that there were ONLY two other tables full and maybe 3 – 5 people at the bar. We did not think much of it as not many people can afford $ 100 meals in this economy. I even looked at my wife and said we should probably get great service tonight we very few people here… boy was I wrong.
It took almost 10 minutes for someone to even acknowledged we were sitting there and brought us some water, another 10 minutes to take our order. We arrived at the restaurant at 5:45 and our order was taken at 6:05… sorry but 20 minutes… really!!! We shrugged it off as the waitress apologizes profusely.
We went ahead and ordered our dinner and drinks at the same time… My wife ordered a cranberry juice and the $ 25 prefix menu (Salad, fillet medallions, mashed potatoes, banana pudding cake) and I ordered a Stella and Rib eye with green beans.
6:20pm my wife’s salad arrived but we still had not received our drinks… a couple of minutes later she brought our drinks (YES 15 minutes for her to get a beer and a cranberry juice)!!! The waitress when on about some table having a ton of questions, but the tables were all in front of us and there were only two tables full at that time. Was she in the bar watching the game or goofing off with the staff in the kitchen. There were only 4 people in the bar so it could not be blamed on the bartender
6:40pm we received our meal but had to ask again for water and refills… by the way they charged my wife $ 4 for cranberry juice and another $ 4 to refill it… are you serious!!! My wife is 8 months pregnant and she had to pay $ 8 for cranberry juice.
My steak was pretty good although slightly overcooked. My wife’s steak on the other hand not so good. First off the sauce they put with it was super sweet and more fit for pork chops then fillet, it was so sweet it took away from the meal. The medallions were incredibly small and over cooked to the extend they were almost chewy. I have seen chicken nuggets at McDonald’s that were bigger than the medallions which tells you how small they were… the chef should have been embarrassed sending out that plate.
I always liked Nico’s, but for $ 100 meal I expect and deserve a lot better… All in all the food got a C+ and the service got a big fat F – … We will not be going back.

I came upon Nico’s through their Sign on San Diego Deal and because my friend’s husband works there. I was really excited to eat here but only somewhat satisfied. The service was pretty good… better than what other reviewers said. The food, I would have to say, was just alright. I think it’s a bit overpriced for what they serve. Here’s a little break down and description of what we ordered…
Crispy Hand Breaded Calamari-​Probably the best of everything we ordered. Can’t really go wrong with calamari though. It was very nicely breaded, not thick, and was crispy. It came with the generic tartar sauce and marinara sauce. Nothing too special.
Caesar appetizer salad-Can’t really go wrong with Caesar salad. The salad was perfectly dressed. Not too heavy and not too light. It had enough taste. I liked this too.
Smoked «Prime rib beef» sandwich-​The meat was a bit dry. It’s a good thing they had au jus sauce to the side to help out. The menu says it comes with horseradish sauce but it didn’t. I think the sandwich would be a lot better without the iceberg lettuce in it. The friend were good. They were skinny just like how I like my fries… but then again you can’t really go wrong with fries.
Sampler platter-​I wanted the smokehouse sampler platter but I got something else. I didn’t really notice until after I ate and saw the receipt because it didn’t total up to what I though. My fault for not saying anything. The sampler platter came with calamari, bbq chicken, fried shrimp, french fries, and I believe it’s their fully loaded potato skins (but I could be wrong). The calamari was of course good… as with the fries and friend shrimp. The chicken was good to me but my boyfriend said it was a bit dry to him. The potato skins were pretty good although I think they could have used a bit more sour cream or butter. I think I would have liked to try the smokehouse platter but oh well.
Don’t know if I’d come back… maybe if I was in the area but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

Came here one night for a few drinks and dancing. The restaurant itself is clean and a very nice intimate setting. The bartenders were very nice and kind but the drinks are expensive. Loved the music that the DJ was playing.
I will definitely return to try out the food.

After reading the majority of the reviews, I was petrified to go there and use the Groupon I had purchased. I even thought about making up an excuse to get my money back, but I would never do that because I’m too neurotically honest. So I bit the bullet and made my husband go there for a sort of belated Valentine’s Day dinner. Given our experience, I thought I would write a review to let people know it’s not all bad — maybe hit and miss is the best way to describe it and we were lucky enough to er… be hit, I guess. Get hit? Have a hit? You know what I mean!
We made a reservation on a rainy Friday night, just an hour or so before we wanted to go. Had no problem getting in, which was good for us since we were hungry but did not strike me as a good sign for the restaurant since Fridays are supposed to be busy (maybe it was the rain). When we arrived at Otay Ranch Town Center, we were kind of annoyed that there are not more clear signs on where it’s located. We had to ask some old guy and he told us it was where we had just come from. We just hadn’t seen it apparently. Okay, no big deal. I like walking in the rain, fighting to share an umbrella with my hubby.
We walked in and the bar was quite busy, so I took that as sort of a good sign. I’m not sure how far back the restaurant goes, but the area where we were seated was up front and was only minimally busy, although it was full by the time we left. The tables are quite large, so my husband and I sat next to each other instead and wouldn’t have to shout. Waitress was right there to take our drink order and discuss the menu a bit. We don’t really drink anymore so I can’t comment on their selection.
As for food, my husband ordered a ribeye, medium, a salad with bleu cheese, and a side of grilled veggies. I went out on a limb and ordered the grilled glazed pork chops, because I love pork chops but almost never order them since they are usually dry and disappointing. The pork chops came with spinach and mashed potatoes, but I also ordered mac and cheese a la carte because I’m a sucker for mac and cheese. We were both very pleased with our meals and he cleaned his plate while I took a box home. It was a good amount of food and the pork chops were so juicy and tender, with an excellent flavor. Even after I nuked ‘em at home, they were still fantastic.
I also wanted dessert because that was almost the only thing consistently rated well on Unilocal.Well, and because I love dessert. I was torn between crème brûlée and banana bread pudding, so I asked the waitress which she would get. She said the banana bread pudding is one of her favorites, so I got that. Oh. my. God. So flippin’ good! I would go there again, just for some of that bread pudding. I actually would like to go now and my mouth is watering. Yum!
Overall, I enjoyed my experience. Wait staff was wonderful and I think they told the guys filling water glasses never to let your glass get below ¾ full. It was actually kind of funny how many times they refilled our glasses. Atmosphere was pretty nice, very modern and trendy. Food was fantastic, much better than expected. That all being said, I don’t think I would go here again without another groupon because while all the above is absolutely true, paying full price here would be like paying Fleming’s prices for Outback quality…

I had dinner with a few friends a few weekends back. Was my first time and I really wanted to try this place. Our waitress was on top of everything and really nice. The place is trendy looking. But the food and the drinks didn’t disappoint me. I ordered the tri-​tip sandwich and comes with mixed fries (french fries & sweet potato fries), I loved the portions and the taste was great, I was full, but I needed to finish my plate, my sandwich was that good. We also ordered a crème brûlée, it was really good, yes I have had better, but in french restaurants, but this was was really good, good quality.
The only thing with this place, it is pricey for the type of menu they have, but then again it is a steakhouse, they’re usually on the pricey side. But for me I would pay it again, of course, if I have the same experience…

The crispy ham shank is the bizness.

Meh. The service was so-​so. My salad was late and wrong which meant more waiting for me and my friend (she ordered the same salad) while everyone else ate their dinner. When the salads came back we were told one of the items that was missing had been discontinued but the menus hadn’t been updated (or the wait staff informed???)
My first clue should have been the near empty dining room at the height of dinner time…

Almost a year had passed since I ate here, so with new management, a new menu and a groupon I gave it a second chance. My take is that this is the place to go for appetizers, sandwiches and salads. The cobb was really good and the trio of sliders were not only savory, but bigger than I expected. The burger may seem pricey at $ 12 but it was not an ordinary burger. It was loaded with spices and a definite standout.
Our server was great and the wine prices are reasonable. When I asked why we were served regular fries and not «mixed» as the menu specified, he said there was a menu glitch and he brought us out complimentary sweet potato fries. They are really good so I was disappointed that the regular fries didn’t have some garlic or added spices like the burger did.
I like the atmosphere here but it’s competition is definitely more cheesecake factory than ruth chris.

I came all the way down from Mira Mesa to take advantage of this Groupon deal here at Nico’s. Pretty good deal, basically $ 60 worth of food for $ 30.
Tip: If you’re coming from the North, google maps will lead you to the 125 which is a toll road access of $ 3. Something to think about when you’re heading down here. Also, the Groupon doesn’t apply to happy hour drinks. That’s fine, no problem.
Dining here is like dining at a Cheesecake factory. The décor and atmosphere is pretty much the same thing with crying babies, nomadic teeny boppers and lots and lots of loud people. There was a weird smell, couldn’t really describe it, maybe like a wet poodle smell, but subsided quickly. I guess I got used to it that quick.
A lot of servers were on hand this evening, but the quickness of the service was lacking. I noticed from two different tables, that the servers and the chefs would go to the customers’ tables and apologize for their tardiness or lack of food. I too received an apology from my waiter when he told me that my steak was over-​cooked and that they would need more time to prepare. He also apologized for my asparagus being late. Kudos on the honesty, but overall doesn’t fix the issue.
Ordered a Bay Breeze. Not used to this version. So I got me a Stella after this. Got the crab cakes as a starter. Pretty decent. Had a nice sweet and tangy kick to it with the pineapples and cucumbers garnish. Free fresh hot bread and butter too were served. Pretty good stuff.
Grilled Asparagus — a little bland in my books. Used some of my leftover butter and added some salt for flavoring. But still, asparagus is good for you!!!
Filet Mignon (8 oz) — served medium rare with russet potatoes. Something about this steak was just not right immediately after it reached my table. Look at the picture to see the grotesquesness. Yah it was cooked medium rare, but I just didnt feel the mutual symbiosis or a better term. mutual agreement between myself and the steak. Yah, she went down my belly, but neither of us were happy during the process. She didn’t die honorably. Russet potatoes were good, just needed some salt, pepper, seasoning and butter and whatever else to add some flavor.
For dessert, got the banana bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. Nicely made, warm pudding. Deeelish.
So if you were expecting a Fleming’s/Donovans service, it’s not here. I mean, yah, the servers were friendly and apologetic, but atmosphere was too loud, kids running around and accidently bumping onto my table a few times. Kids wanting their mommy and so does daddy’s brother who was staring at her througout the night. Yah, you notice these things sitting by yourself. It was kinda of my entertainment since my food wasn’t served in a timely fashion.

Do you enjoy hot rolls and butter with your meals? Then this is the place to be! I must say that the rest of my experience at this «steakhouse» wasn’t very good. Was here last Friday to finally give it a shot after 2 years of avoiding this place. I must say it over-​delivered on disappointment and under-​delivered on the food quality.
I ordered the shrimp and lobster «bisque» and upon its arrival I noticed that it was dark and lumpy. It was more like a chowder than a bisque, super salty and lukewarm temp-​wise. I had a few spoonfuls then I tapped out. (Needless to say when the check came, our server mentioned that she asked the manager to remove the charge for the soup because it didn’t appear like I enjoyed it. No duh, doesn’t the chef try this stuff out before they come out of the kitchen? Perhaps the chef forgot their taste buds at home).
For the main event I ordered the crispy pork shank which the server said would be «falling off the bone». Yet another dish having temperature issues. It was not all that hot when I got it and the mushrooms that it came with looked like big eyeballs swimming in gravy. I’m no Tom Colicchio but I’m pretty certain the presentation would have looked nicer if they sliced the mushrooms and it would have been easier to eat as well. Plus I like my pork and mash HOT!
Because it was Restaurant Week my wife opted for their pre-​fixe menu. Here’s a quick low down of her dishes… chili looked like it came out of a can, the salmon course looked like cafeteria food and the chocolate chip a la mode was just a giant cookie with a microscopic-​size scoop of ice cream. Bleh.
Perhaps they were trying to use reverse psychology on us, thinking that if we hated this visit, we’ll come back a second time. I would’ve been better off at the In n’ Out down the street.
If you want to spend your hard-​earned cash on cold, overpriced cafeteria food, head to Nico’s now! If you want to experience a «real» steakhouse, head on down to Ruth’s Chris, Donovan’s or Fleming’s.

Four star bar.
I’ve never actually been to Nico’s dining room, but it’s a favorite for weekly cocktail get-​together with friends. We usually wind up kicking back on Nico’s patio on Thursday for their burger & beer special. Cat is a wonderful bartender and always makes me feel valued. Happy-​hour prices are pretty decent.
Kobe burgers are tasty and reasonably priced. I recommend the sweet potato fries for a side – they come with a curry sauce for dipping that’s addictive. Nico’s is also breaking out a new menu of barbecue sandwiches – the pulled chicken is tasty, not over-​sauced, and on a great ciabatta roll.
Pets are welcome on the patio

I think this spot has been open for about two years now, but I barely went here for the first time yesterday to check out the $ 10 dollar wine tasting event that they just started up on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the bar area. I think yesterday was the second week they’ve had this.
It’s a great idea for the venue, especially to lure the local crowd in doing something chill, but not too flip-​flop casual early in the work week. The restaurant side was no where close to being fully occupied by diners, so this event will certainly help with the exposure they deserve. The Sommelier was really cool and knew his stuff when I had questions about a particular wine he poured. When I asked if he was going to pour a Pinot Noir, he went back to the wine cellar to grab a bottle for me to sample. It wasn’t bad, but more flat than the Malbec I preferred.
Nico’s is a beautiful restaurant, no doubt about that. I like how the bar area opens up to the outdoor patio on this particularly warm summer day and how the nice afternoon breeze kept my dining experience comfortable while I sat at the bar watching the All Star game on the huge flat screen (which there was plenty of if you’re looking for a local spot to watch a game).
I wish I was able to try a big piece of steak yesterday, but we opted for the happy hour stuff. We shared some sliders and fries. Their happy hour menu seemed a little limited and nothing really jumped out at me to try. I’m not a fan of sweet potato fries (which was on the HH menu), but the bartender that served us all night said we can order regular fries. They have a more extensive late night happy hour (available after 10:00 p. m, I wish they had those items available during normal happy hour). Extra points for the complimentary cheese and crackers and the hot wings that were served during the wine tasting event though.
The food was good, but the wine I had was great. The Elsa Malbec is the one (out of the six tastings) I enjoyed the most and decided to purchase a bottle to enjoy there with the company I was with for only $ 9 dollars plus a $ 5 corkage fee.
Overall, it was a decent experience. Former NFL player, Robert Griffith and his wife Amethyst are a hot looking couple and the owners of this fine establishment; they were both there and very hospitable. I think I might find myself back here a few more Tuesdays to enjoy an early week happy hour since it’s closer to home.
I’m going to enjoy the extra bottle of Malbec I left with until I return and use the 25% off coupon they gave me for being a first-​time wine tasting attendee. Great way to get me back here Nico’s, I will see you soon!

Didn’t get to try the food or drinks, but got a taste of the horrible service! We called ahead of time, and they said there was no wait. I admit they asked if they should prepare a table for our party of 8. But, we weren’t sure if we were going to dine here. Then again, they said no wait so we ended up walking over.
We arrived and was greeted by a hostess. She went to grab a table for us and then we waited… and waited and waited!
I can understand if all the tables were full, or even half full, but really the dining area was practically empty. The hostess’ response was, «they still have to set the glasses.»
She must have repeated that answer several times until we realized that we were not a priority. We wasted nearly half an hour waiting for glasses… c’mon! That’s too bad that they lost our business… I’m sure the bill would have been at least a couple hundred bucks. And, now through word of mouth they may lose more.
I really was excited to eat here as the ambiance meets the standard of a nice restaurant/​lounge in the Gaslamp District. Immediately as you open the glass doors, you’re greeted by a wall on the left side made of huge stones and to the right you have a glass wall to view the outdoor seating w/​firepits. Ahead is a lounge area with seats and a bar. And to the left around the stone wall is the dining area.
Truly, it is beautiful, dim and classy inside. But, the service is not.
Will I give this place another try?
Ehhh…I don’t know… maybe one day when I feel like spending half an hour standing along the glass walls, staring outside at the fire pit and listening to the sound of my stomach grumble :)

Impressive atmosphere and décor. Great service.
Not so exciting and impressive food. Just so so. Good, yes, but not out of this world, especially for the a la carte pricing.
FYI, a la carte menu, however they served a side of roasted potatoes with your entrée! Not a garnish, a legit side of potato… why did we order an a la carte side of potato then? Hm.
Looks like the bar scene would be a better choice. Great Happy Hour, and love the fire pits. Very sophisticated vibe.
3 Stars.

So I took my Mom here for Restaurant Week (been mulling trying it our and its close to my house). Thanks to OpenTable I had made my original reservation but got home early, jumped on the computer and changed my reservation for earlier. Easy peasy! So on to the food… We had the Appetizers: Grilled Shrimp & Beet Salad (Shrimp was OK but the salad was excellent); Dinner: Salmon w/​Grain Salad (the fish was cooked perfectly and the grain salad was lovely) & Blackened Chicken w/​Broccolini and Polenta (chicken was a tad dry); Desert: Cream Brûlée & Chocolate Lava Cake w/​a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream (best Lava Cake I have ever had hands down).
Positive:
Service was very good and I like the ambiance, Alberto our waiter was great.
Very good, fresh and hot rolls — think they put butter on them while they baked mmmmm.
The serving sizes where reasonable, big enough to feel full but not so big you felt like you had to unbutton your pants.
The food was good quality and fresh (tasty too).
We were seated within 10 min, would have been faster but we where early for our reservation.
Negatives:
Nothing really, my only complaint was that our reservation was for 5:00 and we got there a few minutes early but they would not seat us. The tables where ready but «they dont seat anyone until 5:00» which I can understand but it was still mildly annoying standing around when we weren’t actually waiting for a table to be cleared.
All in all I enjoyed the place and am very excited to try out their happy hour (they have several great happy hour deals). Thank you to Restaurant Week for finally getting me into Nico’s.

My Happy Hour Review
When I first walked in, I was a bit confused as to where the happy hour people sat. When you pass the hostess counter, you get a view of the bar and an expansive room with 4 huge couches and 3 ottoman couch-​table thingies. I will reiterate — lots of room, not a whole lot of furniture. Why did it look like wasted space? But, the placed looked cool, open, upscale and, dare I say, expensive?
I walked over to the other end of the room, towards two unoccupied couches and an ottoman. The area, itself, was awkward, especially since it sat right next to the back entrance. But, with the number of people showing up for happy hour, there really wasn’t much of a choice. The couch area next to us, already had two occupants, so we couldn’t pilfer the furniture for our use, until later. As Edwin R. has said, it wasn’t really great for a group (in our case, 8 people).
But, first on the agenda, find out what the happy hour choices are. For happy hour, it’s $ 1 off all well drinks and 25% off all appetizers.
As I stepped up to order a beer, I was told that they were out of that choice. But, uhm, hello? You only have three options well drinks. So, you’re saying that you only have ²⁄₃ choices available? Lame. I ended up getting a semi-​decent pomegranate martini.
For appetizers, I felt as if there were limited options. One fourth of the menu options seemed to consist of salads. Who eats salads for happy hour? In the end, we ordered calamari, tuna tartare on top of avocado, shrimp cocktail, fire roasted artichoke, french fries and lamb lollipops. They were all tasty, but nothing spectacular.
If you are willing to try the place out, happy hour runs from 4−7pm and then 10pm until closing, Monday through Friday.