[TheKingdom2000]

I was talking with some friends the other day about restaurants as we just went to Milestones for a friends birthday.

And we started to compare the bigger named restaurants. Like Milestones, Cactus Club, Earls, and The Keg. Out of these four, they said The Keg was probably the best and highest end out of the bunch. I never really realized this until they told me. What do you guys think. One of my friends said for the middle class The Keg is a pretty good restaurant to go to. I always thought the Keg was good as I never had a bad experience there, but I never gave it the credit it deserved.

So if this is the case, I asked them, if I took a girl on a date to The Keg would she know it is any better than Milestones or Cactus club? They said yes, she would know it's a pretty expensive and fancy dinner. But, i'm not sure if a girl would know the difference?

They said the ranking would most likely be from best to worst...
1) the keg
2) earls
3) cactus club/milestones

What do you guys think?

[Bonka]

Girls know everything :squint:

I'd lump Keg with all the others but to rank them The Keg would squeek out on top (barely) mostly because of what they serve, so there is a perceived higher end feeling. If they didn't make beef as their mainstay they would fall into the likes of Joey's.

Honestly if you're going for steak or prime rib, I would spend a couple bucks more and go to a place like Hy's instead. The Keg is pretty mediocre for beef.

[beanzzz]

If your looking to take a girl to one of those restaurants take her to Cactus Club, it was voted the Best Restaurant to Flirt and Have Sex In by the Georgia Straight Golden Plate Readers Choice Awards in 2010.

[Berzerker]

The only reason The Keg stands out in peoples minds is because of the amount they charge. I fucking hate going there because it's way overpriced compared to the rest you mentioned. The service is NO better than anywhere else. The food is NO better than anywhere else and the PRICE is higher than all the rest. The last time I went there was a complete shit show. They brought 2 meals out, out of 4, and the other 2 10 minutes after the first ones were delivered. I complained and they offered us a "free drink"

I personally will never go to a Keg again.

Berz out.

[nabs]

I personally like milestones. Everytime I go there great service. And my gf considers it fancier than the others
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[Manic!]

Earls and cactus club are just one step up from McDonald's IMO. I have never had bad food or service at the keg.

[sean_wong]

Earls and cactus club are just one step up from McDonald's IMO. I have never had bad food or service at the keg.

Your opinion is just as good as being a jackass with a bat up its ass.

[extracrunchie]

the keg is more of a family restaurant to me................

[MindBomber]

If you want to impress a girl then don't take her to a chain restaurant that everyone's been to countless times, instead read a few local food blogs and choose a restaurant appropriate for the occasion based on the reviews.

Especially don't take a girl to the keg early in a relationship, not everyone likes red meat.
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[Manic!]

Your opinion is just as good as being a jackass with a bat up its ass.

But honestly who goes to the Cactus club for the food. Also isn't milestones the place that microwaves it's ribs?

[SkinnyPupp]

If you want to impress a girl then don't take her to a chain restaurant that everyone's been to countless times, instead read a few local food blogs and choose a restaurant appropriate for the occasion based on the reviews.

Especially don't take a girl to the keg early in a relationship, not everyone likes red meat.
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Then it's a perfect way to determine if she's a keeper or not... Don't like red meat? :gtfo:

[Culverin]

^
:rofl:

On a serious note, no, I would not say The Keg is a higher end restaurant, just a pricey one. There's a difference.

You're better off taking her to a tapas bar to see how she handles sharing. Or to some smaller niche place like Les Faux Bourgeoisie. If she's into food, take her to Grub. For me even, even for a normal dinner with friends, I do my damnedest to try to stay away from chains. I'm sure as hell not going to take a date there.

[scottsman]

Keg, Milestones, Cactus, etc... in no way shape or form should be considered as high end restaurants.

[Santofu]

But honestly who goes to the Cactus club for the food. Also isn't milestones the place that microwaves it's ribs?

Which ribs are you talking about? Prime ribs? We don't microwave the prime rib at all... WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT?

[unit]

The only reason The Keg stands out in peoples minds is because of the amount they charge. I fucking hate going there because it's way overpriced compared to the rest you mentioned. The service is NO better than anywhere else. The food is NO better than anywhere else and the PRICE is higher than all the rest. The last time I went there was a complete shit show. They brought 2 meals out, out of 4, and the other 2 10 minutes after the first ones were delivered. I complained and they offered us a "free drink"

I personally will never go to a Keg again.

Berz out.

that sounds like a highly unusual experience.
ive been to the keg dozens of times and to my memory ive never had bad service once.
in fact its normally head and shoulders above anything in its price range.

[brokentelephone]

Those restaurants are all location dependent. Keg Granville Island or Keg Park Royal are shit aesthetically, and are to be avoided at all costs. Keg in Yaletown is new and reflects the 'new' Keg concept, i.e., sumptuous surroundings and lots of money wasted on silly luxury design elements used to trick us into thinking the food is similarly high-end.

Milestones above Whole Foods on Cambie is well-designed and new, and the one on Robson is bordering on gross, same goes for Earls, Cactus, etc.

I think they're all damn good for chains (American/British equivalents are far less delicious), and personally I am partial to Earls for almost all dishes, and the Keg for prime-rib (which I think is really good)! None, however, as high-end!

[TRDood]

Has anyone tried the Keg in the states?

I agree that our chains > US chains. I am comparing keg/cc/ms/joeys/earls to red lobster/outback/olive garden/espn

BUT the food in the states is much, much cheaper. 14oz NY for $23USD at Outback vs. 10oz NY for $30 at Earls.
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[observer]

It's all relative, compared to White Spot, yes, the Keg is higher end, but there are many other choices. I'm not sure how much more Hy's Encore is compared to the Keg (same chain) but they server far better food, and their cheese bread is quite good.

[Durrann]

I don't think ppl go their for a causal meal
Keg does get expensive but the service is pretty phenomal

If it was a date I would say going to keg would mean way more than just going to cactus or milestones

Milestones the food ain't great imo
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[ime2006]

High End ??

I would say The Keg is just mid class.


You want High End ? Try Gotham in Down Town

[unit]

^if you read the post, he asked if its "higher" end than the other restaurants he posted.
not high end on the absolute scale.

[skholla]

the keg, high end? hell no! all the places you listed are mid level chain restaurants. not bad but not great or high end. imho much better steak can be had at a boutique restaurant and actually for less. also to me high end is going to be the $50+ price point for a main dish. keep in mind that you dont have to spend a lot for great food, service, atmosphere but you will do better the farther you stray from chains.

[vafanculo]

I'd say of the places compared, The Keg would rank them. Personally, I love the keg. Prices ARE a tad high, but you also get good portion. Their Keg sized prime rib is so good.
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[HonestTea]

the keg, high end? hell no! all the places you listed are mid level chain restaurants. not bad but not great or high end. imho much better steak can be had at a boutique restaurant and actually for less. also to me high end is going to be the $50+ price point for a main dish. keep in mind that you dont have to spend a lot for great food, service, atmosphere but you will do better the farther you stray from chains.

Where are these places you speak of? :fullofwin:

[Gerbs]

High End ??

I would say The Keg is just mid class.


You want High End ? Try Gotham in Down Town

Gotham is a good $70+ per person. But god damn, that shit is good :)

[ilvtofu]

lol @ all the illiterate fucks in this thread.
OP is asking among the chain restaurants if people think it's higher end, and all these derps go on listing better places to go...

Anyways, back on topic, IMO I guess you could consider it higher end among those chains as it's a place you could gladly take your parents (if they like steak) joeys, milestones, cactus club, earls, are more social-daterape kind of scene IMO :D

I think one of the most telltale signs are the typical servers who work there. Take a look around joey's, earls, cactus club, and milestones, and you definitely get more slutty hot blondes/brunettes. Whereas keg (not saying they don't have slutty types) has more respectable meet the parents types. Also consider what they're wearing at work.

Off-topic but I'd tap most of the female servers @ joeys on broadway :P

[Kim Jong Un]

Yeah it is a higher end restaurant.... Compared to Denny's.
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[twitchyzero]

High End ??

I would say The Keg is just mid class.


You want High End ? Try Gotham in Down Town

that's like saying pfft Mercedes isn't high end...you should get a Bentley instead

[skholla]

Where are these places you speak of? :fullofwin:

id rather go to places like these before eating at cactus-earls-milestones-keg...

le faux bourgeois, tableau, peckinpah, kits daily, or a glowbal group restaurant

[bcrdukes]

Alright.

This thread is getting out of hand and far beyond off-topic.

Let's stick to the original post and leave it be.

[scottsman]

I agree that our chains > US chains. I am comparing keg/cc/ms/joeys/earls to red lobster/outback/olive garden/espn


Olive Garden is the bomb. Fill up on unlimited bread and salad then take home your meal for later.

There are so many factors that can make a restaurant high end or at least seem high end. As someone has already mentioned each Keg or Cactus location is different, some looking more high end than others. The Keg near Steveston Hwy in Richmond looks terrible if compared with a DT location but has the same food.

[red_2]

I just recently went to the cactus on byrne road in burnaby and i havent been to a cactus in a while (like 3 years). I must say they really stepped up the food now especially with the new Rob Feenie additions. If you guys haven't tried the new menu then give it a go cause i thought it was great imo but a lil more pricey than before. Decor was also pretty good but i guess cause its a new location!

[Great68]

I've never had an extraordinary meal at the Keg, I always leave thinking "I could have cooked a tastier steak at home".

[Hakkaboy]

I like the Keg even though it may be a bit overpriced. Don't really consider high end but imho the ambience & service is better than the other chain restaurants. What the other chains have over the Keg is a slightly more trendier decor and more scantily dressed women (which is not a bad thing).

Anyways, for the Keg, I highly recommend their "t-bone" steak as i've found it to be their best tasting steak on the menu

also, when they give you bread, ask for the "3 cheese butter" :)

[TheKingdom2000]

this thread was an interesting read to say the least.

Thanks for all the input.
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[6insomnia9]

Joe fortes!

[Gt-R R34]

I think it's a very respected chain store.

I don't mind taking my dates/gf there to eat. Sure, there are way more expensive place.

But for price/decour/food. Good imho.

[K-Dub]

I think one of the most telltale signs are the typical servers who work there. Take a look around joey's, earls, cactus club, and milestones, and you definitely get more slutty hot blondes/brunettes. Whereas keg (not saying they don't have slutty types) has more respectable meet the parents types. Also consider what they're wearing at work.

Off-topic but I'd tap most of the female servers @ joeys on broadway :P

Didn't you know? The best restaurants are breastaurants. :fullofwin:

[SkinnyPupp]

I've never had an extraordinary meal at the Keg, I always leave thinking "I could have cooked a tastier steak at home".
Same here. I've never had food there that is better than mediocre. Other people love it though, so to each their own I suppose.

[Matlock]

Same here. I've never had food there that is better than mediocre. Other people love it though, so to each their own I suppose.

That's why you don't order steak. You order prime rib.

A steak takes what 5 minutes to make? A prime rib takes a couple hours? If I just want my quick fix I'm going to The Keg.

[Jayboogz]

The shore club was probably the most expensive restaurant I've been to and I'll consider that "higher end" lol 1300 for 11 people wit drinks and just main course. You pick your main and sides are to share.
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[willystyle]

I like the Keg even though it may be a bit overpriced.
Compared to what? other chain restaurants or other steak houses?

For the latter, Keg brings the best value for the quality and price. Have you been to Gotham? or the former Morton's?

Also, people who know about Keg wouldn't order steak, they are known for their prime rib.

[Hakkaboy]

Compared to what? other chain restaurants or other steak houses?

For the latter, Keg brings the best value for the quality and price. Have you been to Gotham? or the former Morton's?

Also, people who know about Keg wouldn't order steak, they are known for their prime rib.

ummm yeah, i have been to those places...and more

when i say slightly overpriced, i don't mean grossly overpriced. Slightly overpriced as in costs more than average restaurants that I usually go to, but I try not going to a lot of "chains" or steaks houses anymore so those aren't in my "average" restaurants ;). But to be fair, when i DO go to chains, my bills are usually less than when i go to the keg, simply because i don't bother ordering steaks at those places.

and funny thing about the prime rib at the keg. i used to order that ALL the time. But then a few years ago i tried the prime rib at Lawry's, The Prime Rib. (http://www.lawrysonline.com/lawrys-primerib/las-vegas) Now the Keg's prime rib tastes bland and disappointing, so much so that I refuse to order it there anymore. That led me to try every single steak on the Keg's menu (yes, i've been there a lot over the years) and bar none, the T-Bone steak is their best steak. It was only put into their menu this year, and previously it was only available during their "Winter Fest" which was from Jan to beginning of March of every year. It is very tasty. I like it even better than the porterhouse at Gotham's, tho it is smaller. But i prefer it that way. YMMV

[Lomac]

Compared to the standard chains, I suppose I'd have to say Keg among the higher end of the scale. The fact that the majority of their stores aren't decorated in tacky items or that their servers are dressed respectfully help with this. In fact, the latter is one reason why I'd consider it to be a decent "date night" restaurant. The last thing I want my date to think is that I've gone to a place like Joey's or the Cactus Club so that I can oggle the barely dressed waitresses.

The food, however, isn't the greatest. When the Langley location reopened a few years back, I went about a dozen times and literally had eight of those visits covered by the restaurant. My steaks were either over/undercooked by at least three minutes (c'mon, how hard is it to cook a medium rare steak?) or they forgot to put in someone's order or we were basically just ignored completely. Even when we all got our meals exactly how we ordered it, the food was still pretty bland. I swear half the time the only reason why someone of it had any sort of taste was because I had decided to Chicago-style it those times.

Slight OT, after eating at a couple of steak houses in New York and New Jersey, nothing in Vancouver comes even close anymore. Not even places like Gothams or Hy's can compare. I was never a real stickler for steak until my Grandpa (rip) introduced me to the differences between a good and a fantastic steak. Now... Well, I have a hard time even considering going to The Keg for steak anymore. :lol

[Durrann]

ummm yeah, i have been to those places...and more

when i say slightly overpriced, i don't mean grossly overpriced. Slightly overpriced as in costs more than average restaurants that I usually go to, but I try not going to a lot of "chains" or steaks houses anymore so those aren't in my "average" restaurants ;). But to be fair, when i DO go to chains, my bills are usually less than when i go to the keg, simply because i don't bother ordering steaks at those places.

and funny thing about the prime rib at the keg. i used to order that ALL the time. But then a few years ago i tried the prime rib at Lawry's, The Prime Rib. (http://www.lawrysonline.com/lawrys-primerib/las-vegas) Now the Keg's prime rib tastes bland and disappointing, so much so that I refuse to order it there anymore. That led me to try every single steak on the Keg's menu (yes, i've been there a lot over the years) and bar none, the T-Bone steak is their best steak. It was only put into their menu this year, and previously it was only available during their "Winter Fest" which was from Jan to beginning of March of every year. It is very tasty. I like it even better than the porterhouse at Gotham's, tho it is smaller. But i prefer it that way. YMMV

wow you know your keg man..
winter fest and all that
i know u go a lot haha

[Great68]

That's why you don't order steak. You order prime rib.

A steak takes what 5 minutes to make? A prime rib takes a couple hours? If I just want my quick fix I'm going to The Keg.

I've had the Keg prime rib before, and I wasn't blown away by that either.

[unit]

you're not gonna get blown away by any steak or roast meal for about 25 bucks though.
for its price its pretty good. look at a steak at milestones or joeys or somewhere with a similar price point, it wont be as good.
in fact those places usually only have boring cuts like sirloin or new york which i hardly ever have any desire to eat unless its prime grade.
and the service at those places is far below.. they're just girls trying to make a buck who do the bare minimum.

[ae101]

my family used to go to the keg a lot back when i was in gr 6 & 7, cuz after we sold the house we rented for a while & there was only one kitchen (its shared) so quick chinese food is a easy fix at home but steak is not

so we go to the keg & cactus club a lot as we see coupons a lot in the local papers (used to be like 30 bux something like that), service was never bad (dad loves wine so its always good) for both places were great (i used to see which severs are hotter to determined where were going) but after that we stop after we had our own place

im gonna do a rate in what I PERSONALLY think which ones are more higher end then others

1. keg, cactus club, joey
2.milestone, maxx grill, earls
3. red robin, TGIF, boston pizza
4.white spot, boat house, red lobsters
5.dannys & what every 24hr restaurant

[HonestTea]

Have you guys tried the Rib eye steak? I tried it the other day and it's pretty fucking good lol
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[GrapeDrink]

lol imo whether the keg is considered high end to each person really just depends on where they usually go to for a casual dinner and what tax bracket they are in. I mean if you take me for example I'm a broke ass student that does fast food most of the time,so going to the Keg would be like woah this is some fancy shit. But I'm sure there are plenty of people here that go fine dining all the time, so the keg would actually be a downgrade from what their used to so thus not very high end to them.

[impulseX]

my opinion may be biased because i work for the company, but compared to milestones, earls, cactus, etc. i would rate the keg's product to be better than the others. it doesn't have that wow factor for me anymore, but i know the quality of the product is superior to the others.
and as other's mentioned. the professionalism of the servers outshines that of earls, milestones, cactus, etc.

off topic, hakkaboy you really know your shit lol.
and whoever mentioned 3 cheese butter for bread. you know whats up! :D

[MrGoodbar]

I was talking with some friends the other day about restaurants as we just went to Milestones for a friends birthday.

And we started to compare the bigger named restaurants. Like Milestones, Cactus Club, Earls, and The Keg. Out of these four, they said The Keg was probably the best and highest end out of the bunch. I never really realized this until they told me. What do you guys think. One of my friends said for the middle class The Keg is a pretty good restaurant to go to. I always thought the Keg was good as I never had a bad experience there, but I never gave it the credit it deserved.

So if this is the case, I asked them, if I took a girl on a date to The Keg would she know it is any better than Milestones or Cactus club? They said yes, she would know it's a pretty expensive and fancy dinner. But, i'm not sure if a girl would know the difference?

They said the ranking would most likely be from best to worst...
1) the keg
2) earls
3) cactus club/milestones

What do you guys think?

The three are so different in what they are known for. This is like asking, which type of footwear is better? Runners or boots or flip-flops?

It depends on the occasion and what a girl is feeling like eating that night and the mood she's in. If she felt like having a steak with a more formal atmosphere, but you take her to a place that's playing loud music, lax and rowdy atmosphere and makes a shitty steak, obviously she's not going to be happy with the restaurant or you.

Know this picture??

http://www.robertdicus.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/lifeexplained.jpg

Yeah, guys have only a couple of concerns: Waitresses need to be hot and the guy needs to get full with good service. Girls: they have like a million buttons and if you push the wrong one at the wrong time, they're gonna flip out. "oh the napkins not folded neatly, oh the waitress didn't offer pepper on my shit, oh the tables are too small, oh the lighting is too dim, oh the seats are too hard, oh the washrooms are too far away." :facepalm:

Bottomline, know who your audience is and don't judge a restaurant exclusively by what they can offer you.


Besides, if you're taking a girl out and treating her to dinner, she better not have any complaints about where you should have went instead, unless the restaurant really runs a foul on the both of you. Then you fucking flip tables and waitress titties.

[Culverin]

If she's complaining about napkins or washroom distance, those are warning signs.

Don't stick your dick in crazy.

[racerman88]

The steak and prime rib has always been good at the Keg. I usually go to the one by Costco off Willingdon

[Durrann]

my opinion may be biased because i work for the company, but compared to milestones, earls, cactus, etc. i would rate the keg's product to be better than the others. it doesn't have that wow factor for me anymore, but i know the quality of the product is superior to the others.
and as other's mentioned. the professionalism of the servers outshines that of earls, milestones, cactus, etc.

off topic, hakkaboy you really know your shit lol.
and whoever mentioned 3 cheese butter for bread. you know whats up! :D

No more 3 cheese butter
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[vvd]

The Keg IS the best of the four, but I don't know if it'd be a good place to have a date. I've never heard a girl suggest eating at The Keg and anytime they suggest eating at Cactus Club or Milestones it's just a get together for drinks.

[racerman88]

Just took my mom to the keg last night for her birthday and had their lobster special which is on for the month of August. Went with the 10oz prime rib and lobster tail. Very Good.

[westopher]

I worked at 3 out of the 4 places when I was younger. They are all premade, mediocre food. That being said, it all tastes alright other than milestones. I really never have a bad experience at earls or the keg. The food, service and ambience is always a 6-6.5 across the board. Cactus club pisses me off usually when I go there because of the arrogance that seems to exude from their entire customer base. Really look around, go on urbanspoon, or scout magazines website if you are interested in some real quality dining. The steaks at keg actually get preseasoned so the people on the line can't fuck em up, the sauces come from bags. Earls/cactus club mashed potatoes come from a bag, as well as so many other things. You don't even need to spend much more money to get good quality scratch food in this city, you just have to look.

Coles notes:
No, none of those restaurants are high end, but other than milestones, they aren't bad per se.

[yot065]

take a girl to the seasons at queen elizabeth.

[vancitylove]

how much does the omega cost?