The Wild Grape

May 2011
This place, in all of its pretentiousness, is decent but not great. Excellent wine selection, but none of the inept servers knew anything about them. After a terrible experience with a server (sleaze mcsleazy bartender guy who seemed to be hopped up on meds), the prissy hostess «offered» us bread, which she later charged. Tacky. This was a prix fixe meal with wine pairings and after the server blundered my sparkling wine (popped the wine everywhere), no one was willing to split the bill. To itemize a prix fixe menu is so easy on Open Table, even the Bayou can do it. I give credit to the manager who tried to compensate later with a dinner credit. Nevertheless, the food is not worth the terrible service.
Update June 2011
I called in regarding the terrible service and the manager offered a $ 50 credit towards my next meal. The server for Sunday Brunch was a nicely bearded fellow who was kind and very attentive.

It is really a shame that this place went downhill. I remember having dreams about the lamb burger… then turned to nightmares about overcooked food and abhorrent service. Apparently now it is out of business. Hopefully something cool will move into the space.
*Side note, after I posted this review, I got two hate messages from someone who is clearly either the owner or chef. Pretty sure my reviews aren’t that bad, dude, and you aren’t going to succeed in this industry if you can’t handle honesty. Try using people’s feedback to better your next endeavor, instead of calling some girl you don’t know «a bitch»

Kitchen has cockroaches, owner doesn’t care, doesn’t clean veggies before using, waiters are overworked. All of this could only mean one thing: THEY FINALLY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS!!!

Having recently taken a job in Utah, I thought I would write a quick review of this great restaurant. I have been here a number of times and would like to give my insight.
Service: Pretty mediocre, often times the wait staff seems uninterested or they are busy having conversation with their co-​workers. This can be kind of annoying, but I’m willing to overlook this shortcoming because of the food.
Ambiance: Decent, I like it because it is pretty quite, and usually not too busy. easy to have a conversation, which is key to my dinner experience.
Food: I can only only comment on one item on the menu because it changed my life… No seriously, the bison burger is like a spiritual experience. After eating the delectable offering I asked to shake hands with the Chef. I subsequently have ordered the bison burger 5 times over a two-​week period. I also recently had the bison burger at the four seasons in Jackson Hole, Wy. It didn’t touch this burger.
Conclusion: After having the bison burger my life is substantially improved. Now living in SLC this burger/​restaurant have become a staple.

Once Great, Now Disappointing.
My friend and I made reservations and went her for my birthday brunch. We were seated promptly and then we waited… Finally a young lady asked if we had been helped and we told her no. She then said she would find our server. We waited again. Finally she came back and apologized and said she would just take our table. She took our drink orders and came back some time later with them. She then took our food order and said she would comp our donut holes for the wait. Our food came out about 45 minutes after we ordered. Our waters weren’t refilled and we we never asked if we wanted more drinks in that time. The manager came out at the apologize and said that they were trying to get things back on track for the restaurant. He also said he was sending out drinks for us… which never came. I used to love the Wild Grape. I would come her all the time for breakfast, brunch, and dinner. This is the second time in a row that I have had a poor dining experience here. I am so sad that this establishment has gone by the wayside.

Came here with our brunch group on a Sunday. This is one of those places that people use to rave about, but now the most current reviews are reporting a decline in quality and service.
I will admit that the service seemed a bit scattered… Friendly… But scattered.
There were also little things like a coffee cup with stains in it (no big deal really), Salt shakers with bits of «stuff» in them (a little unnerving), and a coffee creamer that looked like it had been sitting in water for weeks… (health code?)
As for the food. It was decent, but nothing to write home about. We ordered a variety of things and while nobody was disappointed with their meal, many of us had this unanimous sense of… Meh…
If you are in the area it is a hip little location to try out. Apparently their mimosas are pretty awesome. As far as brunch goes, there are better options out there.

The food is absolutely amazing every time we’ve eaten here. I love their cheese plate selections and the seasonal menu is always excellent. My husband and I always order different dishes and this is one place where I don’t ever feel either of us are disappointed. We have always had good service. Eating on the patio is definitely more desirable than inside but we don’t have the same complaints with the ambience that others seem to.

This review is for the service/​ambience only. We didn’t stick around to try the food. First of all the exterior needs some soap and water. We thought it was closed down as none of the Open signs were lit and the patio area and windows looked trashed. Luckily the front door was open to indicate we were welcome to enter.
When we were brought to our table there was a layer of dust covering everything, including the water glasses. The fabric on the bench was filthy with grease stains and was black, and there were tacky signs haphazardly printed on paper and taped to windows. There were cooks shouting at each other, arguing that they were too stressed out. I guess the 4 occupied tables were too much. There were wait staff giving each other back rubs and indiscreetly socializing and a plate shattered all within the first 60 seconds of us sitting. The reason this mattered to us was the menu prices, which suggested a more sophisticated environment which was definitely not provided. Though the food descriptions were enticing (at least what we could read as the menus were terribly faded) we weren’t convinced enough to stick around, so we excused ourselves.

I really wish I could give these guys 4 stars. I actually think their food is generally underrated. I’ve been eating here occasionally for many years now and feel the food is consistently quite good. I’m also a big fan of the craft cocktails when they are made by Eric («Doc») or Jill.
My one major complaint has been, and continues to be the service. While service is almost always much better at the bar, service at the tables is almost always sub-​par. If it’s a busy night you’re best just going elsewhere. It will take ages to get through the full meal. Also, one of the hostesses is incredibly unprofessional and often chews gum with her mouth open at the host stand. They have had a problem hiring competent hostess/​wait staff for years. Again, Eric and Jill at the bar are exceptions in my mind. Sad that service has to distract from otherwise good food.

Our lust for the Bison Burger (which is what made the original review ⁴⁄₅ stars) kept us coming here in the past year. However, when we went to The Wild Grape today, we noticed that somethings changed. The «Bison Burger» was renamed «Buffalo Burger», had mushrooms and gouda cheese instead of bleu cheese (good call). We asked about the change and our waiter said the restaurant just got a new executive chef. Well, whatever he did is not working. Our burger was dry, tasteless, burnt and was even a level below your neighbor’s inexperienced BBQ burgers. This is $ 14?
Then the service. Wow. There was hardly anyone there during Sunday dinner time, but we still waited an HOUR after ordering. An hour. Then our waiter came around to say «you guys are only ordering water, huh?» Confused, we told him we ordered a starter of bread. He came back saying «they must have forgotten» and gave us the bread. When he came back, he wanted to confirm that I didn’t want a bun with my burger. I was like, «uhhh, no I do.» He left confused. This is the same waiter (don’t know his name) who messed up our last few orders. Sounds like you need to use a pen and paper, dude. After we got our burger, the disappointment was complete. Our waiter took some money off our bill (even without us complaining) I think because he saw how disappointed we were. Thanks, but after that experience, I don’t think we’re going to come back.

Never disappointed with this place. The food is quality and the service is friendly. So happy I live so close.

Based upon the menu and reviews, I had high hopes for the Wild Grape as being a future favorite in the budding Utah food scene. I have lived between New York City and Los Angeles for the past eight years, and it’s been thrilling to explore an array of new options since moving back to Salt Lake City this past month. However, that said, I must admit that couldn’t have been more let down by my experience at the Wild Grape.
With the restaurant only half full, it took an hour to get two side salads. They were composed sloppily, with items just thrown on the plate, with a strangely bitter taste. In the meantime, the guests at another table down the row decided to leave the restaurant — I can assume due to poor service as nothing had been on their tables.

Our main courses finally arrived another half an hour later — mine, a nearly raw salmon with undercooked and poorly prepped vegetables with remnants of hard squash rind — trust me, this was not a decorative or a flavor-​based choice — it was mere laziness. When I asked why the salmon was so extremely fishy and old tasting, our server said all the seafood was five-​days fresh. Five days «fresh» — ?? In other words, I had just been served refrigerator-​stale fish that I didn’t dare (nor want) to eat. In addition, the fish was sold as a tea-​rubbed Salmon with Thai Basil Pesto (not bad) — however, I couldn’t find any hint of the tea and as for the topping — a shy sprinkle of basil and walnuts — no pesto, no Thai flavor. Please accurately describe the menu items.
My parents, who I had taken out for a nice ‘thank you’ dinner were equally by their experience with the flavorless, dry roasted chicken, and the under seasoned and thinned out bowl of butternut squash soup. My mom, who appreciates flavors and complexity took two bites of the braised beef gnocchi dish and said it was «just too much.»
I SO SO SO wanted to love this place! I came through the doors at 6:10 with excitement, and left at 7:45 deflated and racing to our concert. I won’t be back to the Wild Grape, but should this entity remain open, my main message to the owners and chef would be to please revisit the menu choices, expect promptness of service by your staff and by all means — make sure your ingredients are fresh, treated with respect (and safety!) and served with care and love.

I love the Wild Grape! I would eat every meal there if I wouldn’t end up weighing 300 pounds again! There are great burgers all over Salt Lake City, but I swear their burger is 5 Star all the way! The only complaint, and I mean the only complaint I might have is the fact that just about every time my wife and I have been there, we have ended up waiting for the check a little longer then we should. But overall, the service is great, and I like the fact that they have televisions for catching sporting events while I’m eating. I am dying to try their brunch, which I hear is simply outstanding!

I have to admit, I was very dubious when my mama asked me to meet her for lunch at the Wild Grape. I had been there many times back in 2008-​09, but then had been on hiatus after a move to SoCal. I had always enjoyed the Wild Grape but worried its quality had slipped, based on some of the Unilocal reviews in the last few years. But, I can say I was surprised in a very good way!
My mama and I shared the grilled cauliflower and eggplant sandwich. The grilled cauliflower was excellent. Slightly charred and seasoned to perfection. I could eat that everyday and be happy. The sandwich was also surprisingly delicious. I’m a vegetarian and eggplant sandwiches are always a popular menu options much to my chagrin. Normally these sandwiches are overcooked and dripping with oil/​grease. However, the wild grapes managed to slice the eggplant to the perfect width, thick enough to have some bite but thin enough that it cooked quickly without overcooking. It also had a subtle lemon flavor that elevated the whole sandwich.
The service was quick and friendly, and made it possible to eat and get back to work within the lunch hour. Overall it was a great meal and I would happily return!

Complete disappointment.
Mold on fruit, ¾ of the meal had mistakes (literally), wrong omelette, un toasted bread with no butter for toast… etc. no one seemed to care much. Not the kitchen, not Alvin, our waiter. Won’t be back.

Wild Grape, I want to like you so much more but to me you’re just okay. Just another option among many other New American restaurants in Salt Lake is how I would describe this place. Go if you’re in the area and are wanting a quieter dining spot as this place didn’t get very busy during my visits. It may take a bit for someone to realize you’ve walked through the doors and to get you seated. It’ll also take even longer for a server to come around with water, take your order and check up on you.
As for the food, I have had the Shrimp and Grits and the Hollandaise Burger for brunch before and both were good. The truffle fries I had for an extra charge could have used more seasoning though. On my most recent visit, I opted for the Dine ‘O Round menu and chose the Corn & Crab Bisque to start. I have made my fair share of soups, so I was expecting it to have an even texture as most bisques do, but it was really chunky. It tasted okay though. The server had asked my friend and I if we wanted bread with our soup, and it was added to our bill at an extra cost which I thought was kind of funny. They are all about add-​ons and upgrades apparently. My main course was the Short Rib Risotto, but it came out looking more like a stew swimming in broth. The flavors were fine, but I’ve had much better. I would have to say the highlight of the meal was my dessert of Peach Crumble; although it took a while to be served after our main courses had been cleared for some time. It was served with some sort of mint whipped cream and granola was used for the crumble. The flavors of the peaches, minty cream and cinnamon went very well together.
Overall, the food is okay but something needs to be done with the speed and efficiency of the staff. Over 2 hours for 3 courses with only a handful of other tables is pushing it… Especially after telling the server we were in a hurry.

I thought I had reviewed this a couple of years ago and it was time for an update. Well, I couldn’t put it any better than Monica T’s reviews, they’re spot on.
Key points:
— Service is very much lacking. Not attentive and sloooowww.
— Bison burger is very good but is it worth $ 14, you decide but it is good
— Truffle fries, it’s a $ 1 upcharge. meh, I guess if you never had truffle oil
I want to see this place do as well as it did years ago.

Wild Grape is not what it once was, my friends.
I’ve been going to this place basically since it opened in 2008 and have loved it. I’ve told many people that their brunch was the best in town, because it was. I’ve come here for many wonderful lunches and dinners.
But I started hearing from friends that things were going downhill at the Wild Grape. I refused to believe it. I ignored the little things. At some point, they changed something with the mimosas and they were never the same. There were small problems with the service. The menu didn’t seem to have the creativity it once did. However, after last night’s dinner I decided to bite the bullet and downgrade my review.
My husband and I made a reservation for 745pm and when we arrived there was no host or hostess around. After a couple of minutes we were finally seated. Got the last table outside, score. We quickly received water and menus and our server said she’d get us glasses for the wine we brought. Shortly after a busboy arrived with a ice bucket for our wine. Then nobody came to our table for literally 20 minutes. Then the server who said she’d get us wine glasses asked if anybody had been to our table after her. No. She left for another five minutes and then came back with the wine glasses and to take our order, saying that there was confusion about who was supposed to be the server at our table. Okay.
We ordered the pâté as an appetizer. It was good, but kind of crumbly and dry and not really what I expect from pâté. I still ate it all, though. Then the entrees arrived. My husband ordered the bison burger, which he has often declared to be his favorite burger in town. He didn’t finish it this time around because it was overcooked. They also served him fries when he asked for salad. That’s not the first time that’s happened here. We chose not to send it back because it had already taken long enough to receive our entrees (the slowness continued after our server took our order). The lamb risotto I got was certainly solid, but not up to the standards I had for this restaurant.
I’m sad to see this happen to a restaurant I’ve loved for so long.

They don’t serve booze until 11:30am which is crap! Not their fault though. Stupid Utah laws.
Anyhow, I came here for Saturday breakfast. Ordered the Hen. Great set up, two eggs any style, choice of bacon or sausage and breakfast potatoes. All fantastic items except that the scrambled eggs were still a bit runny. The bacon wasn’t crispy (despite my request) and the potatoes seemed to have had too much salt on them. This wasn’t my only time eating here. My first visit was much better and despite this subpar experience I will go back to eat here and hope you guys give it a try too.

Procrastinated my Groupon and went December 11 at about 8:30 pm, AFTER I had already eaten dinner at my brothers place. Yup, that’s how I roll.
I ordered the Seared Duck Breast w/​mushroom risotto with sugar snap peas and a cherry compote. DELICIOUS. The fat was cooked to crispy perfection, the breast meat was succulent (he he) and heavenly paired with the cherry compote. The rice in the risotto had texture, and wasn’t overdone like most risotto I’ve had over the years.
Bottom line, you must order this dish.