This is a biased review, so disregard accordingly. I did not eat inside the Ironwood Grille at the PGA National Resort but I did eat several times at the IBar that uses the Ironwood Grille menu. On the positives: The bar side Sliders were excellent. I do not mean as expected good. I mean way better then standard and far exceeding my expectation. When one orders a Slider plater, you select 3 out of 4 choices (pulled pork, crab, turkey burger and beef burger) The beef burger was as good as any top quality restaurant and would have been in the good to great class by itself. The Crab Slider was an eye opener and had a huge potential of being a failure. While a bit messy, it was clearly a presentation of excellent crab in burger format, thick with meat and lightly dressed to keep it (sort of together). But the show stopper was the Pulled Pork. It was damn and I mean damn good pulled pork. I seriously doubt it is smoked on site, because this is not a BBQ crowd, but holy cow (or pig) this one is done to a holy higher standard. Other dishes tried were the Escargot and Ironwood Salad. The salad was good, as would be expected. Though I always find it a little discording to find wilted leaves as those coming from a lettuce bag. Just a pet peeve for me. The Escargot was on the appetizer menu and highly recommended by the waitress. Ok, I'm game. Would be a nice compliment to the salad. The escargot themselves were incredible, big and firm. But the sauce had no flavor, none, not a bit. no salt, no garlic, nothing, not even creamy flavor. The plate looked beautiful. Everything leading up to the first bite, I expected heaven. I was stunned. Maybe it was just an off day for the chef. Again, I put the disclaimer that I did not try the menu extensively. However, it is a pleasure to see random plates excel. The service at the bar was fine and they had Stella on tap, which made me a happy girl. Extra credits for a great Dark and Stormy.
It may be hotel food, but it tastes great. The service is wonderful, and the wine list is expansive.
(5)
raymond c.
talk about melt in you mouth steak this is one of the best steaks i have ever had
(5)
Lonnie D.
My husband and I were here in July celebrating his birthday. We stayed at the resort for the weekend, and dining at Ironwood was very enjoyable. My husband and I shared the Tomahawk for 2, and we had plenty to eat. We shared the sides of mashed potatoes and asparagus- both very good as well. Our server, David was very attentive and made sure our wine glasses were never empty. We were so full from dinner, but we couldn't resist dessert so David packed our dessert up and gave us extra plates, napkins, and utensils to take back to our room. Superior service, excellent food, and a very romantic atmosphere for special occasion/date night. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Faiyaz H.
Go to Outback Instead - For the Location and Brand - Really Disappointed Overall: 2/5 Food: 2/5 Service: 1/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Noise Level: Moderate This restaurant is located within the PGA Grand. Given the reputation of the PGA we were staying at the hotel that nice on business. Instead of going to a competitor prior to checking in we decided that we would give it a shot. That was a big mistake. We checked in and then went to the restaurant to put our names on the list. The hostess gave us a time and we decided to walk around in front of the restaurant to see if there was a seat to sit where we did not have to wait. When we went back to the hostess, we were told we had to wait an additional 15 minutes because the time slot was already taken. We are surprised, but at this point, 15 minutes long. Once we got into the restaurant, it is as if we had to beg for service. They are really really slow. The waitress was horrible and took a long time to take our order, put in our order and bring out our order. Several menu items were already sold out. Never going back again.
(1)
Rick N.
Overpriced with average food. Ate here both nights during my stay. Grouper and NY Strip entrees were both decidedly average. Someone in the kitchen must have hid the seasoning. Tomato and mozzarella app also underwhelming. Not sure where they got the Mozzarella but they need to find a new source. Beet salad was superb. Highlight of the meal. Wine list disappointing for this restaurant's price point and offering. Service had highs and lows. Difficult to incentivize with mandatory 18% tip included.
(2)
Kerry B.
Applebee's quality at Ruth's Chris prices. Not worth the time, money, or frustration from poor service and snooty attitudes by staff. Drive a mile east and get far better food and service almost anywhere.
(1)
Mark L.
Somebody switched boxes. The box containing romaine for caesar salad was evidently swapped with the box that held the disposable flip flops meant for the spa. That's the only logical explanation for lettuce that required a steak knife and some effort to saw through. I think it gave me carpal tunnel syndrome. Why not serve it chopped up? It doesn't look any better in loooong leaves scattered on a plate. Oh, and for $11, would it be too much to ask for real parmigiano that wasn't shaved a week ago? Like a carnival ride that jerks you in the opposite direction, the beet salad was a generously giant plume of fresh flavor, perfectly dressed and accented with just the right amount of goat cheese. It's impossible to understand how the same kitchen could turn out these two starters simultaneously. She crab soup was a bit of a treasure hunt if you had the inane assumption that you might find actual crab in it - but the rich/creamy sherry base was so good it didn't really matter. Time for the ride again - if you're looking for under-seasoned slight fishy-smelling tuna tartare with a greyish caste...this is your spot, We were repeatedly admonished to beware of the "spicy" jalapenos, but they added no more heat than the turn of a pepper mill. They provided enough balance to prevent you from spitting it out, but that's about it. More positive news arrived in the form of lobster ravioli - light and well prepared with a nice flavor of lobstah. The bistro steak (the smallest red meat option on the menu at 8oz and $29) was tender and cooked as it was asked for. It came with a requested aux poivre sauce that wasn't too bad, though it would have benefited from some form of fresh pepper. Service was attentive and polite - polished, even, thanks to Karen. This is a resort, so there's always the chance that your semi-elegant dinner will be pierced by children scooting around the dining room with glaring iPhone flashlights - as ours was. It's basically a crapshoot - but if you're a gambler you may get lucky.
(2)
Gizelle A.
After being regulars at the PGA Golf resort for quite a few years now, my husband I finally bit the bullet and decided to stay at the resort for dinner. Not that there is anything wrong with that..just that we usually love the adventure of going out and exploring. The resort had a free bottle of wine offer and we had $75 resort credit, so it all added up. And boy..was that a great decision! The environment was perfect - we got a nice comfortable booth and, once in, we didn't even feel any longer that we were so close to the rooms. The waitress we got was just perfect - she quickly got a handle on what we like and found a way to be there when we needed her yet not bother us the rest of the time. The food was excellent! Very much Ruth's Chris or Morton's quality. I got the fillet mignon and my husband got some larger steak..I think the NY strip. Both were done exactly to our liking. Their bread basket is fabulous..and wow..the desert!! It was over the top tasty! It is still a rather expensive place - if you are ok to spend $200+ on dinner, then Ironwood Grill is just as worth it as Ruth's and Mortons.
(4)
J J.
Food was very good, 5 star. Service was "indifferent" (waitress never introduced herself, left while we were ordering to go greet a bigger table). Although indifferent, the service could still have been good. It wasn't. It was poor. Imagine my surprise to find a mandatory 18% tip. No wonder the service is poor and indifferent! She didn't need to earn her tip. To their credit, I wrote "poor service" on the credit card statement. The restaurant manager chased me down in the lobby, apologized, and asked what the problem was. He ended up crediting back my service charge. He started to credit the whole meal but I told him that wasn't necessary, the food was excellent and I was happy to pay for it. Bottom line: we stayed at the resort four days. I would have gone back, but didn't because of the service.
(3)
Suzanne C.
This place has really evolved. They have been through several head chefs over the past few years and with each chef the food has evolved. The food just gets better every time I go. First I have to talk about the service which was phenomenal. Everyone was extremely attentive and polite/friendly. So, we had a big group which usually means disaster at restaurants: messed up orders and cold food. Not the case at all. The food came when it was meant to and was hot and tasty. Everyone really enjoyed their food, but I can only discuss the dishes I tasted. To start we ordered the Crab Mac 'N' Cheese. It's only on the bar menu but they were kind enough to let us order it. We ordered a few without crab too. I thought it was very good. I really liked the use of fusilli since it could stand up to to flavor of the cheese (and I'm sure, crab). I did not have the crab one - but everyone who did loved it. Then I had the french onion soup. Very interesting - not like a traditional onion soup. I loved the melted cheese with bread crumbs on top - that added a nice texture. The soup itself was richer in flavor and almost reminded me of a Cabernet reduction that you put on steak. Or the base of a stew. It was very good, but I'm not sure if I would say better than a proper french onion. Still, I very much enjoyed it. Then I had the steak tartare for a main dish and that was delicious! There was a garlic aioli that had truffle oil in it. It was good but I am not a huge fan of truffle oil. Still the steak was very flavorful and the combo was great. For dessert the apple bread pudding is definitely big enough for 3 people and it didn't disappoint. Yummy. All in all a very good experience and the food was good.
(4)
Amy B.
Don't waste your money or your time. Understaffed and no visible manager. Waitress forgot items and food was tasteless.
(1)
Michelle D.
From the pork belly weirdly smothered in buffalo sauce to the smallest 18 oz steak ever plated this meal was a disappointment. If you are at the hotel please head down the road to three forks or capital grill same prices far better meal. Wine was great but I fear if we had asked the waiter for assistance in selecting a bottle he would have just gone for the up sell, like the $89 steak he tried to talk us into at lease 3 times. Service was nice but can't say I am ever going back again.
(1)
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Address :400 Ave of Champions
Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 33418
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Paid Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jacquie N.
This is a biased review, so disregard accordingly. I did not eat inside the Ironwood Grille at the PGA National Resort but I did eat several times at the IBar that uses the Ironwood Grille menu. On the positives: The bar side Sliders were excellent. I do not mean as expected good. I mean way better then standard and far exceeding my expectation. When one orders a Slider plater, you select 3 out of 4 choices (pulled pork, crab, turkey burger and beef burger) The beef burger was as good as any top quality restaurant and would have been in the good to great class by itself. The Crab Slider was an eye opener and had a huge potential of being a failure. While a bit messy, it was clearly a presentation of excellent crab in burger format, thick with meat and lightly dressed to keep it (sort of together). But the show stopper was the Pulled Pork. It was damn and I mean damn good pulled pork. I seriously doubt it is smoked on site, because this is not a BBQ crowd, but holy cow (or pig) this one is done to a holy higher standard. Other dishes tried were the Escargot and Ironwood Salad. The salad was good, as would be expected. Though I always find it a little discording to find wilted leaves as those coming from a lettuce bag. Just a pet peeve for me. The Escargot was on the appetizer menu and highly recommended by the waitress. Ok, I'm game. Would be a nice compliment to the salad. The escargot themselves were incredible, big and firm. But the sauce had no flavor, none, not a bit. no salt, no garlic, nothing, not even creamy flavor. The plate looked beautiful. Everything leading up to the first bite, I expected heaven. I was stunned. Maybe it was just an off day for the chef. Again, I put the disclaimer that I did not try the menu extensively. However, it is a pleasure to see random plates excel. The service at the bar was fine and they had Stella on tap, which made me a happy girl. Extra credits for a great Dark and Stormy.
(4)Mr. Z.
If you're not staying at the hotel, there is absolutely NO reason you should ever step foot in this place! If you are staying at the hotel, make every effort (drive, walk, hitchhike, crawl if you have to) to go somewhere else. Anywhere else. Below mediocre food served in a faux ski chalet decor on an assortment of mismatched square and rectangular plates that look like they were purchased at a thrift store, all at prime steakhouse prices. Just a few of the mishaps at our table included: soft shell crab that was expected to be sautéed arrived "tempura style," room temperature chewy steaks, dry snapper, a whiskey sauced chocolate mousse served to a 16 year old, a "sinful sundae" that looked like it was thrown together at the last minute by my grandmother from whatever she had in her cupboards, and an inedible key lime pie that was left untouched. Side dishes were unimpressive but edible and are served in tiny cast iron "skillets" barely large enough for sharing. All the money that went into converting this place from a Shula's Steakhouse would have been far better spent purchasing quality ingredients and serving them well prepared in gracious portions at prices that were only slightly unreasonable. Ironwood? More like Ironwouldn't!
(1)Joe S.
It may be hotel food, but it tastes great. The service is wonderful, and the wine list is expansive.
(5)raymond c.
talk about melt in you mouth steak this is one of the best steaks i have ever had
(5)Lonnie D.
My husband and I were here in July celebrating his birthday. We stayed at the resort for the weekend, and dining at Ironwood was very enjoyable. My husband and I shared the Tomahawk for 2, and we had plenty to eat. We shared the sides of mashed potatoes and asparagus- both very good as well. Our server, David was very attentive and made sure our wine glasses were never empty. We were so full from dinner, but we couldn't resist dessert so David packed our dessert up and gave us extra plates, napkins, and utensils to take back to our room. Superior service, excellent food, and a very romantic atmosphere for special occasion/date night. We will definitely be back!
(5)Faiyaz H.
Go to Outback Instead - For the Location and Brand - Really Disappointed Overall: 2/5 Food: 2/5 Service: 1/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Noise Level: Moderate This restaurant is located within the PGA Grand. Given the reputation of the PGA we were staying at the hotel that nice on business. Instead of going to a competitor prior to checking in we decided that we would give it a shot. That was a big mistake. We checked in and then went to the restaurant to put our names on the list. The hostess gave us a time and we decided to walk around in front of the restaurant to see if there was a seat to sit where we did not have to wait. When we went back to the hostess, we were told we had to wait an additional 15 minutes because the time slot was already taken. We are surprised, but at this point, 15 minutes long. Once we got into the restaurant, it is as if we had to beg for service. They are really really slow. The waitress was horrible and took a long time to take our order, put in our order and bring out our order. Several menu items were already sold out. Never going back again.
(1)Rick N.
Overpriced with average food. Ate here both nights during my stay. Grouper and NY Strip entrees were both decidedly average. Someone in the kitchen must have hid the seasoning. Tomato and mozzarella app also underwhelming. Not sure where they got the Mozzarella but they need to find a new source. Beet salad was superb. Highlight of the meal. Wine list disappointing for this restaurant's price point and offering. Service had highs and lows. Difficult to incentivize with mandatory 18% tip included.
(2)Kerry B.
Applebee's quality at Ruth's Chris prices. Not worth the time, money, or frustration from poor service and snooty attitudes by staff. Drive a mile east and get far better food and service almost anywhere.
(1)Mark L.
Somebody switched boxes. The box containing romaine for caesar salad was evidently swapped with the box that held the disposable flip flops meant for the spa. That's the only logical explanation for lettuce that required a steak knife and some effort to saw through. I think it gave me carpal tunnel syndrome. Why not serve it chopped up? It doesn't look any better in loooong leaves scattered on a plate. Oh, and for $11, would it be too much to ask for real parmigiano that wasn't shaved a week ago? Like a carnival ride that jerks you in the opposite direction, the beet salad was a generously giant plume of fresh flavor, perfectly dressed and accented with just the right amount of goat cheese. It's impossible to understand how the same kitchen could turn out these two starters simultaneously. She crab soup was a bit of a treasure hunt if you had the inane assumption that you might find actual crab in it - but the rich/creamy sherry base was so good it didn't really matter. Time for the ride again - if you're looking for under-seasoned slight fishy-smelling tuna tartare with a greyish caste...this is your spot, We were repeatedly admonished to beware of the "spicy" jalapenos, but they added no more heat than the turn of a pepper mill. They provided enough balance to prevent you from spitting it out, but that's about it. More positive news arrived in the form of lobster ravioli - light and well prepared with a nice flavor of lobstah. The bistro steak (the smallest red meat option on the menu at 8oz and $29) was tender and cooked as it was asked for. It came with a requested aux poivre sauce that wasn't too bad, though it would have benefited from some form of fresh pepper. Service was attentive and polite - polished, even, thanks to Karen. This is a resort, so there's always the chance that your semi-elegant dinner will be pierced by children scooting around the dining room with glaring iPhone flashlights - as ours was. It's basically a crapshoot - but if you're a gambler you may get lucky.
(2)Gizelle A.
After being regulars at the PGA Golf resort for quite a few years now, my husband I finally bit the bullet and decided to stay at the resort for dinner. Not that there is anything wrong with that..just that we usually love the adventure of going out and exploring. The resort had a free bottle of wine offer and we had $75 resort credit, so it all added up. And boy..was that a great decision! The environment was perfect - we got a nice comfortable booth and, once in, we didn't even feel any longer that we were so close to the rooms. The waitress we got was just perfect - she quickly got a handle on what we like and found a way to be there when we needed her yet not bother us the rest of the time. The food was excellent! Very much Ruth's Chris or Morton's quality. I got the fillet mignon and my husband got some larger steak..I think the NY strip. Both were done exactly to our liking. Their bread basket is fabulous..and wow..the desert!! It was over the top tasty! It is still a rather expensive place - if you are ok to spend $200+ on dinner, then Ironwood Grill is just as worth it as Ruth's and Mortons.
(4)J J.
Food was very good, 5 star. Service was "indifferent" (waitress never introduced herself, left while we were ordering to go greet a bigger table). Although indifferent, the service could still have been good. It wasn't. It was poor. Imagine my surprise to find a mandatory 18% tip. No wonder the service is poor and indifferent! She didn't need to earn her tip. To their credit, I wrote "poor service" on the credit card statement. The restaurant manager chased me down in the lobby, apologized, and asked what the problem was. He ended up crediting back my service charge. He started to credit the whole meal but I told him that wasn't necessary, the food was excellent and I was happy to pay for it. Bottom line: we stayed at the resort four days. I would have gone back, but didn't because of the service.
(3)Suzanne C.
This place has really evolved. They have been through several head chefs over the past few years and with each chef the food has evolved. The food just gets better every time I go. First I have to talk about the service which was phenomenal. Everyone was extremely attentive and polite/friendly. So, we had a big group which usually means disaster at restaurants: messed up orders and cold food. Not the case at all. The food came when it was meant to and was hot and tasty. Everyone really enjoyed their food, but I can only discuss the dishes I tasted. To start we ordered the Crab Mac 'N' Cheese. It's only on the bar menu but they were kind enough to let us order it. We ordered a few without crab too. I thought it was very good. I really liked the use of fusilli since it could stand up to to flavor of the cheese (and I'm sure, crab). I did not have the crab one - but everyone who did loved it. Then I had the french onion soup. Very interesting - not like a traditional onion soup. I loved the melted cheese with bread crumbs on top - that added a nice texture. The soup itself was richer in flavor and almost reminded me of a Cabernet reduction that you put on steak. Or the base of a stew. It was very good, but I'm not sure if I would say better than a proper french onion. Still, I very much enjoyed it. Then I had the steak tartare for a main dish and that was delicious! There was a garlic aioli that had truffle oil in it. It was good but I am not a huge fan of truffle oil. Still the steak was very flavorful and the combo was great. For dessert the apple bread pudding is definitely big enough for 3 people and it didn't disappoint. Yummy. All in all a very good experience and the food was good.
(4)Amy B.
Don't waste your money or your time. Understaffed and no visible manager. Waitress forgot items and food was tasteless.
(1)Michelle D.
From the pork belly weirdly smothered in buffalo sauce to the smallest 18 oz steak ever plated this meal was a disappointment. If you are at the hotel please head down the road to three forks or capital grill same prices far better meal. Wine was great but I fear if we had asked the waiter for assistance in selecting a bottle he would have just gone for the up sell, like the $89 steak he tried to talk us into at lease 3 times. Service was nice but can't say I am ever going back again.
(1)