The Backyard Steak Pit

We go this place every Valentine’s Day, Anniversary and New Years Eve. Also a couple of extra times a year for the 8 years. Honestly, better Lobster then when we went Ruth Chris Steakhouse. They raised there prices a couple of years ago but still worthy it. I love the salad bar, great italian dressing. My husband loves the lobster bisque soup. Steaks are always tender and cooked. PERFECT! Never had anything bad. They have a $ 25 coupon in the entertainment book too every year

I wont even give two stars for the service. Our server, Cary Anne was great and attentive, but that wasn’t enough to save this night.
Greeted promptly at door and sat right away.
Music does not fit the place. They are attempting to be a high end steakhouse playing pop hits at medium volume. Does not work. Switch to classical or big band. I don’t want to hear B96 garbage when I’m paying 120 dollars for a meal.
The drink options are boring. No Moscow mules, so don’t ask. They have the standard commercial big three beer options, but no craft beers. Boring.
The appetizer of Ahi tuna was the best part of the meal. Not sure how this place can afford to serve the portion size they do while still making a profit. Its sliced thick and is about an 8oz portion. That’s a lot of tuna for an app for only 13 bucks, but I am not complaining. It was the only bright spot.
We also got the «help yourself» salad bar. Bland canned dressings and boring topping choices. Nothing special.
We ordered a steak and chicken kabob. The steak was well done, dry and under seasoned. It was ordered medium. The chicken was overcooked and tasted like it was marinated in Italian dressing.
What really killed this place, was the mashed potatoes my date was looking forward to having. When they came out, we both dove our forks into them. The moment they we put them in, we got with the taste… BOXED MASHED POTATOES!!! Are you kidding me??? You are selling steaks for close to city prices and you are using BOXED MASHED POTATOES? That’s shameful and you should be ashamed! WHO WOULD SERVE THAT AT A HIGH END STEAKHOUSE???
I paid the 120 dollars and left. We will not be back.
I can tell this place is being run but the same person who opened it or bought it 30 years ago, it is dated, boring and needs help fast. Such a shame. Don’t waste your hard earned money on this place.

Chris is the best chef. I like my steak well done and he cooks it perfect. It is still really juicy even with it being well done

Always a favorite stop at the end of the day or to celebrate a special occasion! Family owned snd friendly crowd. The food is simple (awesome cuts of meat and seafood) deliciously prepared over an open flame. Fresh and abundant salad bar old school that never gets old. Just great food in a great atmosphere. I have never had bad service and it can get really busy in there at prime time. These people have been doing it right for 20+ years and I hope they keep it up for another 20.

Starting with our onion loaf that was raw in the middle, to cold soup and then cold mashed potatoes that were sent back for new new hot potatoes that were then returned to the table heated up not new and a very rude Manger. No longer a restaurant that we will be returning to.

Enjoyed a relaxing dining experiences. The service was excellent and meal was a good value.

We had our company Christmas dinner on Saturday here. Despite having a reservation we were still subjected to a 45 minute wait. However they did comp us with two free appetizers which we greatly appreciated. The food and service was excellent. We had such a good time. Would have given 5 starts had it not been for the long wait. Will go again.

18 oz ribeye cooked to perfection. Medium rare extra char. Good salad bar, good lobster bisque. The steaks were cooked on an open grill. The baked potatoes were actually smoke flavored from the grill.

So I went to this place for a birthday lunch a few years back but forgot about it. Once I remembered being there I recalled the food being decent. My girlfriend and I went out for a late dinner. We walked in at 8:51 PM and looked around for a bit before a manager or server (he never clarified) came and greeted us by stating, «We closed like 2 minutes ago, sorry.» It seemed odd to me but after briefly pausing I just said OK and left. As I was walking to my car I stopped and double checked the closing time and it was 9 PM. I looked at my phone and it was 8:53 and I thought, they closed at 8:49? Who closes at 8:49? Obviously they did not stay open til their advertised time but to treat us like we were stupid and wouldn’t realize it is ridiculous. Apparently somebody had a hot date that was more important than the reputation of the business they worked at. I get we were cutting it close but I am one to order and eat fast if I realize I am keeping the staff. There were at least 20 people still in the place so it’s not like they were about to walk out for the night. Odd thing is this isn’t the first time I’ve gone to a restaurant in Lake County and had this happen. I tried to eat at a sushi place a half hour before they closed and their doors were locked. Never gave them our business again.

When I get the taste for steak I head to the backyard steak pit the meat is juicy and tender I recommend the NY strip

I’m so surprised to read the less than stellar reviews. My husband and I love to come here, it’s always a treat. The service is excellent, the steaks are great. The salad bar is lovely. We’ve never had a bad meal here. Our usual order is steak and ribs, baked potato and the salad bar.

Recently tried this restaurant with a large group of people for an event. To say it was disappointing would be an understatement (to say I felt horrible for my friend who had to foot the bill would be more accurate). Several items came out undercooked (onion loaf, bread, meat), the presentation was laughable, wait staff was completely ineffective, and we all felt like a burden to the servers. To boot, the food was mediocre, at best (many people just took the food home for their pets). I’d say stay away, as there’s absolutely nothing remarkable about this restaurant. Spend your hard-​earned money elsewhere, particularly when there are so many options out there.

So… we came here for a steak dinner after Navy graduation. The server was pleasant and attentive. Prices were about what you’d expect.
The lobster bisque was just okay. Nothing great — flavor was a bit bland. I order the Ahi and honestly don’t know how I ate it. The cook on the Ahi was good but the taste was just bad. I don’t know what their definition of blackened is but this tasted almost burnt. It really just wasn’t good at all and am not at all sure the ahi was fresh.
Even still, it was a good atmosphere with pleasant and attentive service. The other people I ate with enjoyed their steak so perhaps I’d give it another go.

I don’t really understand this place.
Based on the name, you would expect a dive of a steak place.
The décor is white linens and dim lighting, indicating they’re trying to be upscale.
The brick steak pit indoors speaks more to the intent to be divey.
The prices are comparable to more upscale places.
The food was good, service was excellent… I’m just not sure what the experience was intended to be.

Surprisingly pleased, this was a last minute substitute for the restaurant we attempted to try and arrived to find was permanently closed. We wanted Steak, so I searched Unilocal near by and learned they have steaks. So we gave it a chance and were rewarded.
Living in the area for a couple of years, we have passed it several times without a strong inclination to try because truthfully, the name and exterior of the restaurant makes you think a typical country barbecue place. (To which we already have a favorite.)
However, you enter an establishment that walks a line between fancy steakhouse and laid-​back family diner. Oddly, creating a comfortable environment with a loose dress code, but as another Unilocaler quoted, «Best Steakhouse in Lake County» with linen table clothes. This pricing is not cheap, but worth it and compared to other high-​end steakhouses very reasonably priced. So if you want great steaks without dressing up, come here.
I can attest to the blue cheese encrusted f
Filet Minon was crispy on the outside with a smokey flavor, but juicy and perfectly cooked in the middle medium rare inside. My husband loved his prime rib and mashed potatoes.
They filled my wine glass to the brim. (Extra points!)
The lobster bisque was not bad, I am biased based on previous experienced at super expensive places, I would order it again and steamed broccoli was strictly steamed, not a lot of seasoning, a minor commentary.
Only confusing part is we were unaware that the salad with your entrée, was actually a salad bar, we did not see it initially, the waitress did not mention and we finally figured out.
But for the price and the quality of steak, was amazing!

Great steakhouse! The salad bar is a must — the homemade ranch and blue cheese dressings are delicious. The potato skins are made from scratch and large enough to order as an entrée. The petite filet, buffalo chicken sandwich, coconut shrimp and bbq ribs are my favorite entrees. Make sure you order a brandy Alexander for dessert — you will not be disappointed!

This restaurant is amazing! Top of the line aged angus steaks cooked over a charcoal grill out in the open of the restaurant! The service is wonderful, a lot of the servers have been there 15+ years. Great atmosphere at the bar. The seafood is incredible, the ahi tuna is perfect. The owners have been doing it for 30 years, they are always there and are so friendly and fun. Family place with a supper club vibe! And I can’t forget the salad bar. It’s fresh and delicious.

3 words… Powdered Mashed Potatoes! Disgusting attempt at a steakhouse. Grade D meat. Warm Germs and very outdated décor. Very pleasant service from people subjected to serving up horrible food. Bless their hearts for smiling through it all. Don’t waste your money on this place. Overpriced grizzle.

We’ve been coming here for years. The food is very good, and the service is probably the best in Lake County.
When you sit-​down the table has a clean piece of butcher paper (which my daughter loves drawing on). Shortly after you are seated you recieve delicious, warm, homemade bread.
Each entrée comes with a choice of homemade soup, or the salad bar. The soups are good, but my family usually choses the salad bar, which is very fresh. You can’t find better bacon bits anywhere, (they make their own bacon bits from real bacon).
The steaks are excellent. My wife usually orders the ribeye (more flavorful than other cuts) with bleu cheese crumbles.
I’ve had almost everything on the menu, and it’s all good. I particularly enjoy the bbq ribs, which are tender, sweet and tangy.
This crushes any of the chains over by the mall. This place is a solid old-​school steakhouse. It is great for friends, family, or a date night.

What a huge let down. I did read the reviews on Unilocal and I had mixed emotions about going here but it was the place my hubby really wanted to go to for his birthday.
We had reservations at 7. Did not get sat until almost 7:30. The lemon drop martini was dreadful. We grabbed a drink at the bar to offset the wait time and the drinks were weak and not prepared as in the menu.
The food was ok. The meat was of a good quality but had absolutely no seasoning on it. Lobster bisque? If it had lobster in it and was not just made with a lobster stock I could see calling it that.
Our steaks were completely wrong, the potatoes never made it to the table and the sides we ordered arrived well after the meal. For this place to call itself a steak house is completely fraudulent. I hope that they read the reviews and step it up. They have the quality base, just need to step up the attention paid to the guests, service and the preparation.