Santa Fe Cattle

Stopped in here earlier on for a Valentine’s Day treat and this time the service and food were better! I give a lot of credit to the waitresses running in and out when we were seated as busy as it was for this special occasion day! Our server «Nicco» was working up a sweat and that is very understandable he deserves a raise or top pay. I had the combo fajitas sizzling they were fantastic my brother had the chicken fried steak and he devoured it. I love coming to this place because of the tex-​mex that I missed back home in Houston.

Yuck! This was the worst steakhouse I have ever been to. Point blank period. The waitress was horrendous and wouldn’t stop talking to other wait staff long enough to bring fresh drinks. We had to get another waitress’ attention so we could get drinks and our bill. Meanwhile, the food just plainly sucks. We ordered the cheese sticks, which were humongous but only slightly palatable. The steak was cooked to the degree of cookedness I wanted but it was mostly fat and it was almost paper thin. For the price I paid I expected a big fat juicy steak not this thin piece of crap. I ordered the Santa Fe rice and taters, big mistake. The rice was dryer than a desert and flavorless and the «taters» tasted like they sat in a room full of stale cigarette smoke for three years. For the hefty price of $ 26.10 per person for the same meal and an order of half decent monster cheese sticks it was the worst experience I’ve had in a long time. Needless to say, this is one place I will never visit again.

Food is decent when they have what you want, but service leaves much to be desired. I’ve been there many times because I keep thinking its a fluke and wanting to give them a chance to improve but I have never had good service. They often have been out of things we’ve tried to order. They have forgotten to bring drinks., plates, and utensils on various visits. The steaks have been overdone every time. The noise level and music is so loud it is impossible to have a conversation. And the peanuts are often stale and rancid.

We stopped going here for awhile and started going back. Tonight for the SECOND time, SOUR beef was served. To top that off, the manager did not smell it, and insisted that my wife was wrong. How insulting — How is that for business? No more visits from these ex-​customers.

I could probably go 4 stars for this chain Steakhouse since it was move in weekend in Thibodaux at Nichols State Univ. But if I do that then there really isn’t any room to improve. I heard they just opened in late June or early July.
Was planning on eating at Flanagan’s after helping the niece move in to her dorm room but they apparently have a lunch and then a dinner shift on Saturdays! What’s up with that? Most places run a full day on Saturdays… anyway another topic for another day…
After the original plan was shot to hell, with the family group we had there, settling on a new place was like herding cats… everybody was screaming Chili’s and I had to forcefully put that mob action down!!! So I remembered seeing this place as we came into town and piqued their interest with it since this appears to be a new chain in the south LA area. seen one in Prairieville and this one to date.
The over 21 female members of the family were happy cause we hit it at 4 which started $ 2 margaritas… the draft beer selection is ass and by the way what is up with this restaurant/​bar love for the beer Blue Moon? Again another topic for another day…
At least they had Modelo Especial in bottles AND it was cold… But seriously, if you have ever walked into a Texas Roadhouse (started in Ohio by the way) or a Logan’s Roadhouse then you’ve been in a Santa Fe Cattle Co. restaurant… Western Ranch theme with the de rigueur Steve McQueen from Magnificent Seven, John Wayne from any Western, Clint Eastwood from his various Westerns cowboy pics, kitchsy cattle roping and rodeo paintings etc… Peanuts that you shell and throw on the floor, etc…
Our waitress/​server was slow but good. She had personality (and that counts for alot per Jules in Pulp Fiction) and because she was slow not obtrusive… I’m not blaming her for the slowness because this place was rather packed when we walked in right before 4 PM and became extremely packed by the time we left (See first paragraph about college move in day above). So I’m cutting some slack on that.
There were 7 in our party and the waitress got all the orders right, even the substitutions… The portions are large and the steaks were flavorful. Only issue was between me and one of my sisters… I ordered my steak Medium Rare and she ordered hers Medium and the cooks appear to have gotten that assbackwards but overall they steaks were tender and tasty.
The Starters selection was ample but stay away from the Chips and Salsa… the chips were good but the Salsa sucked BIG TIME!!! No flavor!
Look, this is a safe place to eat and you know what you’re gonna get when you step thru the door. So by all means step on thru and enjoy yourself…