Two bad meals in a row with bad reviews on Yelp. I feel so negative this week, but must be honest and forthright about Porter's Place. I'm a local and neighbors warned me about it. I went a couple years ago but only got a French Dip. It was not good, but didnt want to judge bc this is a steakhouse... I thought. I bought a $40 Groupon for $15 and STILL feel jipped. I honestly dont know how they stay in business. The owner must be independently wealthy. The place is small and dirty. Fine... I can overlook the grime on walls bc of the "old west" theme and bc the food is awesome, right? Wrong. Service was young kids who probably didnt go through any training. Two tried to help me with the ridiculously sized menu (no way you dont lose money with a menu that big... and nobody can cook that many items). The "salad bar" looks like a cart found in a middle school cafeteria. I was going to take a pic but the owner/manager was standing there. All the salad was white and yellow iceberg. No green leafs or spinach. Very few fixings. They dont really have appetizers, just sides I guess. I asked about apps and they suggested the scones (3 big pcs for $4.50) with honey butter and they were DELICIOUS... however theyre made down the street so Porter's just fries them. GET THESE SCONES... you'll want them after your meal for sure so you dont leave hungry. Theyre more of a dessert, but when I asked about appetizers the server suggested them, so whatever. I ordered the 16oz "suppertime top sirloin" dinner (suggested) for $29.99. I saw a baked potato on the way in, and it looked bad, so I got fries. Also came with baked beans (from a can and stirred with liquid smoke... seriously, that's what it tasted like). The mini loaf of white bread was VERY good but they only give one per meal. The steak... ohhhhhh the steak. Grilled which is fine. Thin cut and little bit overdone (ordered med rare) but not bad. ZERO taste. Zero. I dont even think they put salt on it before cooking. The cut was nothing special and lots of tough fat (not the good fat). Server asked if I wanted A-1 sauce (funny huh? but I declined. After 5 or 6 bites I asked for it. Simply no flavor. No marinade. No salt and pepper rub before cooking. It's like they just went to the grocery store and grabbed one to cook. No fancy cut. It was not dry, thank GOODNESS. Don't eat here. My single meal was $50 after tip. The groupon made it easier to deal with, but still very disappointed. The owner must not read reviews bc the place hasnt changed in years. No way it makes money. It was dead and they dont serve alcohol. Lehi needs a steakhouse bc this is NOT it. Sorry Porter's.
(1)
C.J. D.
Gotta try the buffalo burger here! And you can't start off your meal without their warm, delicious scones! We have been twice now and each time we have had excellent, friendly, and helpful service! There is even a groupon for it right now if you want to get a great discount to try it out!
(5)
Jared S.
Based on all the negative reviews I'd seen my expectations for Porter's Place were pretty low. But it wasn't a bad experience, though it could have been really great. Our service was good. Food was hot and palatable but neither interesting nor delicious. We had the French dip (bland) and the chicken fried steak (plain brown gravy). The atmosphere was what you'd come for: Old west-style decor with smoke from the grill. The seating, however, was really uncomfortable. Both the benches and the table rocked constantly. We're glad we went, but I doubt we'll go back soon unless we hear they've improved the menu and the seating.
(3)
Ryan S.
I am surprised by the reviews for this place. I actually loved it. The service was great and you get a lot of food for your money. I had the Buffalo burger and my wife had the French dip. The burger and the Frontier potatoes were awesome. The place has a terrific atmosphere. We will be back and will be bringing friends!
(4)
Mindy K.
We wanted steak. That's a simple request. We sat down and waited forever to see a waitress. My son wanted his baked potato 'loaded' , we were told they don't do that there. After we finally ordered somewhat what we wanted, the food came reasonably quickly. Unfortunately, the food was no good. The steaks were unseasoned and the pork chops were flatter than my cousin's chest before her work was done
(2)
Bryan H.
Please do not let the other reviews or amount of stars turn you away from this amazing historical monument! The food is amazing, the staff is friendly, the prices are affordable! Porters Place is a must for anyone looking for great food and fun!
(5)
Shauna D.
High priced for average steak & burgers. Buffalo burger was thin & dry. Carl's JR would have been better. I was excited to eat there after all the hype. Uncomfortable seating, sloooow...service. One server in a large area on a busy night. Only cool thing is the history of Porters & the old timey..feel decor.
(1)
Keri G.
Would not recommend at all!! They need to invest in a hood fan for their grill or open a window maybe. My eyes are still burning from the smoke and my clothing smells awful. The service is bad as well and the portions are very small for the price.
(1)
Kaisha M.
One sentence review: your meal will be disappointing but you should go anyway. So I went here with a big group and I picked it because even though it has... Less than fantastic reviews, it's a Utah legend and I felt like everyone that lives here has to try it once. For the record: I was totally right. Everyone should try it. Once. First of all, the atmosphere is fantastic. I imagine that this is what an old west Saloon/Whore house would look like. In other words, it was amazing. The room we sat in had maroon and gold damask wallpaper, several long wooden tables and a few portraits and paintings of... stuff from Utah's history probably. Every single member of the group commented at some point during our time there that they were concerned about the stability of their chairs and one person even ended up swapping chairs with a nearby empty table. The menus were frankly ridiculous. There several items on it that sound almost like jokes and a bunch that have discriptions that seem more like existential haiku than something you can actually digest, (Check out my picture of the specialty drink menu to see what I mean.) The service was only so-so, our waitress was quick to refill our drinks but more than a little difficult to flag down otherwise... Even when she was standing at the other end of our table. The food was at best, a let down. The specialty drinks were expensive and a lot of work seemingly went into making them but taste wise, they were only okay. Nothing terribly unique or exciting but not bad either. I ordered Rockwell's Revelation, which was supposed to be a grilled mesquite chicken sandwich what I got was an unseasoned breast on a hamburger bun with lettuce, mayo and nothing else; I'm not entirely sure what about that is supposed to be "mesquite." It came with a baked potato which was quite good, but also quite difficult to screw up. All in all, I had a good time with my friends and I'm glad I tried Porter's Place, it's a Utah legend after all; but it's not a place I'd choose to go again.
(3)
Jimmy W.
In short: Old-timey ambiance but the food isn't drastically better than Wendy's. The beans are tasty though. :)
(2)
Alex D.
I can think of nothing to recommend here. The food was bad, the service was dismal, and the outrageous prices do not reflect this. I would highly discourage anyone from coming here. Used a Groupon and it still wasn't worth it.
(1)
Rebekah H.
If you live in Utah County, and know anyone over the age of 50, then I would bet good solid money that you've heard of Porter's Place. It's been a Lehi staple for years. And that's literally the only thing going for it. As a theme restaurant, the decor and ambiance of the building is cute and quaint. It's very old timey, with an old fashioned cash register at front next to a soda jerk station. The wallpaper reeks of the 1910's and the chandeliers are super quaint. As far as the food goes, I'd say it's over priced and sadly disappointing. I ordered the mesquite chicken dinner, which came with bread (I chose wheat), beans, baked potato and unlimited salad bar. I expected to get a nice piece of barbequed chicken or at least super mesquite flavored chicken. What I received was a wet piece of chicken with little to no flavoring on it. With one bite, I also realized it tasted exactly like fish. I am a super hater of fish, so one bite literally sent my gag reflex to 100%. It was slimy, and distinctly fishy. I couldn't even finish it. The salad was fine but it's hard to mess up salad. The bread was average, the potato was great, and the beans were decent. Nothing about this meal screamed "I'M SO GOOD. PLEASE EAT ME ALLLLLL UP." I was lucky to finish half my meal which I paid nearly 25 dollars for. The ironport soda was a delight, which I would love to have if I were to re-visit this establishment. I believe if I come again, I would choose to eat only salad and potatoes. Sorry, Porter's Place. Your quaint log cabin from 1910 isn't enough for me to keep coming.
(2)
Melissa G.
We just moved here and have driven by this place a couple times and decided to go out for a date night. I was craving steak so naturally you walk in to the place on Main Street with a huge STEAK HOUSE sign above the doors. As soon as we walked in the place was completely empty with the exception of a couple elderly friends. That should have been a sign for us to leave... But I knew I wanted steak and potatoes and didn't think they could mess that up... Due to the ambience and obvious aged decor it looked like they had time to build a reputation for their steak at least. First thing I noticed were the cold beans that looked like they were straight from the can... I was looking for mashed potatoes but settled for the Frontier Potatoes. They were super thickly cut and very very bland-No seasoning. Steak was also bland and super thin. I made sure not to finish my meal to save room for our next stop for the night.... Texas Roadhouse. Seriously.
(1)
Marissa H.
This place is pretty cool and you have to love the history that just fills this place. The atmosphere is absolutely great. There is so many cool things to look at. The foods and drinks are good. If you are a meat lover, you'll love this place. Although, it's pretty expensive. The service isn't really bad, but not good either. Very casual, on the slow side. The salad & fruit bar is small and although it's okay, it is nothing special. Particularly the fruit part. The buffalo burgers are good. Some meals/portions are average or small for the prices. Others have great portions, but just expensive. I would rate this place as below average/a 2 star, but because of the amazing ambience and what a historic landmark it is definitely a 3 star/average. Check out to this place for the history alone.
(3)
Jeremy H.
Very awkward seating and setup. Ordered the buffalo filet and expected a great meal for what I paid, however, the meat was cold and dry even though I ordered medium rare. Really disappointed in the food. I brought this up to the waiter and he just brushed it off. Not great service or care. Won't be going back anytime soon. You may like it if you're used to eating on the prairie.
(1)
Conrad S.
This place has potential in my mind, but it is trying to hard to keep its roots. Their menu features a vast 200 items or so specializing in mostly burgers and steaks. The teenage cook in the back clearly not trained well enough to handle it all. I had their chicken fried steak which was mediocre. My wife had a regular burger which she said was good. The service was friendly, but the server was forgetful and we had to ask multiple times for things he had forgotten. I will definitely give it another shot, but stay close to steak or burger. I will say the large iron port was huge and delicious.
(3)
Curtis C.
I must have driven past Porter's Place hundreds of times during my life without going there. On a night a couple weeks ago it was finally the time to go. The interior is about what you would expect. Old, but clean. Chairs and table were a little rickety, but worked and were comfortable. The menu is insane. It's huge. There seems to be a couple hundred things on the menu. That should have been the first sign of warning...no place can have 2 or 3 employees and properly cook everything on a menu like that. I decided to play it safe and ask for the waiters recommendation. I ended up with a buffalo burger. We noticed they had Iron Port, which is a fantastic soda that very few places have, so I got a large. I was worried about not getting free refills on it, but it was big enough that even after drinking freely of it there was still plenty left at the end of the night. The food came out a little bit later than I would have hoped. The burger was good at first, but gradually got more and more pink as I ate. My girlfriend would have stopped eating halfway in, but I braved the buffalo and ate most of it. It was a gamble, and I wouldn't have been surprised if I had food poisoning the next day, but I survived just fine. The frontier potatoes are just potato wedges. They were a little too thick for my preference, but they were good. I had some of my girlfriends cowboy beans and they were okay, but cold. Overall it was an okay experience. I think it could be a great experience if they would cut back on a lot of the menu though. I wouldn't touch seafood there at all. Less options gives the cooks better training on doing it right, which would have prevented my pink burger. It's a place I've always wondered about and wanted to love. I'll give it another shot in the future. The piano player also just died as well.
(2)
Vickie J.
The food and service were good but this place is so dusty, dirty and grimy. It needs to be cleaned. Everything has so much dust hanging on it, including the wood plank walls. The prices for dinner are on the high side but we really liked our meals. The salad bar was adequate but the lettuce wasn't cold and crispy like it should be. The salad dressings are not homemade. Everything comes out of a can or bottle. We loved the ironport drink. We love the nostalgia of the old west and Porter Rockwell atmosphere. Our server was so polite and took good care of us. I got the shrimp dinner and my husband got the sirloin steak. My shrimp were just the typical deep fried shrimp but they were meaty and good. The steak was cooked as ordered but it was a little tough. The baked potatoes were good, the bread was warm and we each got our own little baby loaf. All dinners come with baked beans. They tasted homemade and were good. We couldn't finish everything. We probably won't visit here very often since the prices are on the higher side and the place is pretty filthy. There are other eating places that are cleaner and just as good. The menus even need to be wiped down. The tables are covered with tacky faux leather and are sticky and seem dirty. Give this place a facelift and deep cleaning and we'd go back.
(3)
Robby P.
What an excellent piece of meat! Great service, with warm friendly smiles. Salad bar was just enough, but that New York strip was the best steak I've had in a long time! Cooked to perfection, and tender as can be. The place is small, but if you want a frilly place to eat, don't come to a place named after a tough grinding man like porter Rockwell. If you want to step back in time, and feel like you're coming in after a long days ride, this is your place, where they'll treat you like the man you are.
(5)
Brett W.
This is one of my favorite restaurants around. Mostly for the atmosphere. We need more old diners like this instead of all the franchises. The food is always great as well.
(5)
Chelsea C.
I leave reviews constantly and really love places like this. However, this one wasn't great. The food is good, nothing magical but not disappointing. It's priced decent for what you get. My biggest complaint was the service. Literally if you needed a refill you might as well go get it yourself. Waitress was rude and acted inconvenienced by having to do her job. I don't have super high expectations when dining out either. Refill my drink and check on us once right after we get food in case we need condiments etc.. Based on food I recommend, based on service don't waste your money on the tip. Cute ambiance though, and great little local stop.
(3)
Dustin T.
Large portions, steak was a good cut of steak, but didn't taste like anything. Some seasoning would've been nice. If you have to use A1 or other steak sauce to get your meat to taste like something, you've cooked it wrong. Speciality drink (pina colada) was also pretty nasty (not even drinkable). Bread felt like it had been ordered several days before and just brought out from a bread basket. Food came out luke warm, but at this point, I didn't care anymore. I left feeling full, but dissatisfied. I felt like I had eaten dinner, but it didn't taste like anything. I wouldn't go back.
(1)
Dustin D.
Steak was OK. Took forever to get our food even though our party ordered right away. Over priced.
(2)
Mac S.
It was OK, but not great. The steak was a good cut and cooked fine, but had zero seasoning. The scones were also cooked fine, but lacking salt and a little too yeasty tasting. It was generally an underwhelming meal.
(3)
Andrew W.
I have lived in the area for a long time and always wanted to try this place. Went there tonight with my wife for date night. We were extremely disappointed. I signed up for yelp specifically because of this experience. We waited 10 mins for a server to come to our table. Had to go looking for someone to help us. The food then took about an hour to come out. The food was disgusting. I ate the potato but couldn't eat the meat. My wife's meal was just as bad. The bread was old and smelled weird. The place is also very dirty. I don't think they clean it. So to sum it up, bad service, long wait, bad food, and very dirty. Unfortunately, there was nothing redeeming about this place. Save your money and go somewhere else
(1)
Randy D.
Took my wife here for a birthday. It was the worst meal I have had in a very long time. I ordered their "chuck" burger. OMG. It was as hard as rock, way over cooked, and terrible tasting. The onions were a shriveled mess of horrible goo. French fries from a frozen bag. Horrible salad bar with nothing but crap from the can. AND, holy crap---this damn meal cost me $40 bucks. Never...I say never will I return. My wife's dinner steak was just as bad. It was either nearly spoiled meat or cooked in some kind horrible vinegar marinade. It was not edible. When I complained about the meal the server/cashier said" oh--sorry ". Seriously. Do not eat at this rat hole
(1)
Matthew A.
This place held a lot of memories in th late 80`a but has gone down hill since then. Food is either dry or greasy only go there to relive the past and let down! Thank you porters for ruining my Child hood memories
(2)
Travis B.
Not being familiar with Utah County I punched up restaurants on the GPS and looked for something with out the "R" or "C" trademark after the name. Porter's Place was close by so I gave it a shot. The place is very inviting from the outside. A cool little "main street" feel and someplace you know is very old. The inside is decorated with a definite theme. Looking around the restaurant you see some cool antiques, some not-so-cool replica antiques, and quite few blurbs on the wall about the history of Porter Rockwell. Don't look TOO close or you see a few years of dirt and dust bunnies that haven't been cleaned. Not a fan of that but heh, as long as it doesn't make it in to the food. The place was dead at 1:00pm and I was a little worried about that. I asked for a recommendation and was told the Claim Jumper was a specialty sandwich. Cubed sirloin, peppers, onions, cheese, 'maters, and mushrooms. How can you go wrong? It came with choice of potato so I opted for the potato wedges. I asked about the clam strips on the menu and was told they came from a box. I appreciated the honesty and chose not to order that. The sandwich was above average. It really was sirloin and the portion was more than enough to fill me up. The potato wedges were just that. No special seasoning but nothing little salt couldn't fix. The iced-tea was fresh brewed and I really like that. The gentleman running the place was very friendly and even gave me the souvenier hand-out about the history of the place and Porter Rockwell. It made for good reading while I ate. The only downfall is that the place was kind of dirty. Not "Oh my god there are dead flies on the table" dirty but "wow, someone ought to wipe off that picture frame/old bottle/ wall clock" sort of dirty. But I'll take that over the McRestaurant any day.
(3)
Maestro L.
2nd time here, Excellent
(5)
Whitney P.
Fabulous! We love this place. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is perfect, not to loud. Never a wait. We come at least twice a month. I recommend the bbq sirloin tips and the one eyed jack.
(5)
Jesse H.
It makes me sad to write a bad review about a historic Lehi landmark, but over the years the food, service, and restaurant has deteriorated. From our last experience the lettuce was wilted at the salad bar, our food came out cold or undercooked, and the menus stuck together because they haven't been wiped down. When we were checking out I also noticed the ice cream condiment bar looks like it had not had a deep clean in years with dried fruit and caramel sauce. The bathrooms were disgusting with dim lighting and lack of toiletries. The ambiance in the 80's were cool, now it just looks outdated and dusty. Hope someone can come in and turn this place around.
(1)
Randall H.
There are only two reasons to come here: Atmosphere & Ambiance (same thing?) overview: Just okay food, bad service, somewhat expensive, nifty looking place. This is mostly a touristy/historic location. It's also one of the few places left where you can get Ironport. The menu is nifty and witty but it is also difficult to navigate and understand exactly what you're ordering and what comes with it. Which in itself isn't completely a bad thing because it will give you something to do while you wait for service. After being seated it took 15 minutes for a waitress to show up and that was just to order drinks. Every time she left the table it took 10-15 minutes before we even saw her again. Once we received our food it took another 20-30 for her to check back. The food is very overpriced for the quality and quantity received. The scones with honey butter were very tasty and the food wasn't bad but I feel like I could have eaten the same thing at a fast food restaurant or even a different sit down restaurant for more than half the price or twice the portions. Don't even bother with the salad bar. It is literally bagged lettuce and other salad toppings from a can that have been sitting out too long.
(2)
Mick P.
These people are nuts if they don't like this place. They have a great list of drinks and the burgers are sooooo good.
(5)
Brad S.
Oh Porter's Place, what a cool little place you have going on there. It's funny, every time I drive or ride by Porters I say to myself, I really need to go back there soon. Unfortunately, I then realize while it is a cool little restaurant, I just haven't had the best experiences there to get me to be regular. This place has soooo much potential it's a little disheartening to only rate it as a two star. The food is good, some of it is great and some of it not so. The atmosphere is awesome. I love the western salon type of feel. The service is sub-par and it is a bit overpriced for my wallet. I'll reiterate, that this place has so much potential but unfortunately it probably doesn't have the funds and drive to meet that potential. That being said, give this place a it a try, you may love it or you may walk away from it thinking about this review. BTW (for Porter's Place), the salad bar or maybe the bathrooms is probably the easiest place to start improving on.
(2)
Julie K.
Burgers as big as your face! This is what most of my co-workers ordered. I had the halibut sandwich which was exactly what I expected, a nicely fries piece of fish. The BYU ice cream came recommended but was full enough from the sandwich and fries.
(3)
Rene K.
Took a group of 20 here tonight. The food was tolerable. Our waitress was incredibly rude. She acted as if we were inconveniencing her by being there. We won't be going back
(1)
Dempsey B.
Porter's Place is as close as you can come (in a Utah county restaurant, at least) to stepping back in time. From the old wood used for some interior walls to the black & white photos on display to the never-ending piano music echoing throughout the place, you'd almost think you were 200 years in the past. As a few other reviews have said, the food isn't the greatest you'll ever experience. It isn't horrible; indeed, our meal was perfectly adequate and tasted fine. I had ordered a huge steak and was not disappointed in the least. The atmosphere makes this place what it is. I agree with another Yelper: this would be a fun place to bring friends from out of town. While I wouldn't make Porter's Place my exclusive stop for a steak dinner, I would be happy to return here every so often.
(3)
Sarah Z.
Food is okay, but seriously, come here just for the ambience alone! It's a fun little old-timey cowboy restaurant with great decor. I enjoy it just for that. Our service was also great! They weren't busy, and took great care of us!
(3)
Ryan S.
Porter's Place is what may be the area's longest running theme restaurant, and I guess if you are going to choose a locally relevant historical figure for the basis of your theme, Joseph Smith's bodyguard and all-around badass Orrin Porter Rockwell is a pretty good choice. the one thing Porter's has going for it is kitsch appeal. the restaurant is decked out in all kinds of old-timey pictures and paraphernalia related to the old west and LDS history. there is a buffalo head hanging from the wall. sitting at the bar (which is something of a faux-bar since there is no alcohol served at Porter's) there was what appeared to be an actual mountain man. with his long hair and beard it's possible that he was actually trying to get a gig as an impersonator of the destroying angel of Mormondom. or this may have just been coincidence and opportune timing on our part. I didn't ask. the menu items follow the same theme with names like "The Twelve Apostles" and "Brigham's Favorite" and "The Extermination Order 44 Endless Salad Bar," but mostly it is just sandwiches and burgers. as a word of warning, don't bring your vegan friends, since the entirety of the menu with the possible exception of an ironport seems to be animal-product based. luckily, I only brought my lapsed vegan friend for whom they were able to cater to with a special request for a grilled cheese. for the price, my buffalo burger was disappointing. I felt like I could get a better burger from Carl's Jr. or something. they have ice cream sundaes, which looked good, but I didn't order one. sodas come in giant mugs, but I didn't get one of those either. I did get fries and they were good, but they weren't good enough to overcome the pervasive and somewhat inexplicable sadness that I felt while we were there.
(2)
David B.
The authentic western-style antique bar, pot-bellied stove, wood paneling and tables, and period decor make this a perfect place to eat traditional western fare. The steaks are good and the sides of beans, bread, and potato wedges hearken back to an earlier era. The food is plain, but hearty and tasty. The non-alcoholic mixed drinks are fun, and the ice cream is amazing.
(4)
Tristan A.
Fun place to take friends. I asked a local where to go for lunch today, and after she reeled off a list of national chains, I asked her for something only found in Lehi, and she said, without hesitation, "Porters". I drove right to it, its on the main street, and enjoyed my lunch there. Its based on the historic Mormon Porter Rockwell, a friend and body-guard of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and quite a character. Walk in and feel like you've stepped back in time. There's bench seating up front, and bar seating, as well as table and chairs in an adjacent room, and seating upstairs as well. Old-timey music is playing and there's huge pictures of the man himself near the cash register. Food was ok, I had fish & chips. Friendly and fast service. the salad was fine, but I guess their specialty is steak. I would return for a steak just to see what all the raving is about. Place needs a deep clean, but its colorful. And next time I'm parched in Lehi, that's where I'm going. They've got an extensive and creative non-alcoholic drink menu, which is what this 'sprite, please' girl is always looking for. I'd like to try each one of those drinks. Give me a double Ironport, Porter.
(3)
Evrhet M.
I had heard a lot of great things about Porter's Place, but everything about it was disappointing. I ordered the top sirloin and it had tasted like my wife cooked it, and that is not compliment to my wife. If I have to put A1 sauce on my steak its probably because there was no flavor, and I used a lot of A1. The salad bar seemed a little dirty. The bowls were tiny making it so you had to go back multiple times if you wanted to get a good sized salad. Luckily once was enough. The food came out very quickly, but it took us ten minutes after we were ready to order to actually place the order. We were never given refills and I had to up to the bar and try to refill my glass myself before someone came and helped me. The place was not busy at all, but just seemed to be running very inefficiently. It wasn't a great experience, but it did have a fun atmosphere. Usually I am a sucker for the atmosphere, but this place just did not cut it.
(2)
Kendra S.
We live just down the road from Porter's. We have been there once before and thought the food was good (although pretty pricey for the food/venue), so for Christmas, I bought my husband a gift certificate. We went there tonight and were furious by the time we left. We walked in and waited to be seated. There was no greeting or acknowledgement. Finally a young woman appeared and asked us to follow her to a table. When we sat down I realized the table was filthy. We were not given any silverware or water, not told our "server would be with us in a moment." The restaurant was not busy at all. There were 4 tables occupied, including ours. That would be one table for each waitress working at the time. We waited and read the menus. We continued waiting for well over 20 minutes with absolutely no contact from the staff. Every waitress in the place walked past our table several times. So did the bus boy. We were sitting directly across from the cooks, looking exasperated, and they never noticed us either. At one point, one of the waitresses exclaimed a vulgar word as she scurried past our table. Thinking maybe they were slammed with a huge banquet in the next room, my husband peeked around the corner. There was just one family at a table. We finally just got up and left. We walked past the ENTIRE restaurant staff and no one said a word to us. I'm really angry we have $80 in gift certificates there. I have NO desire to go back. It's drab, it's dirty, and the staff, seemingly annoyed by our presence, has forgotten they work in a service industry. I mean, if it's too much trouble to acknowledge and serve the people who have decided to patronize your business, you have a serious issue; to say nothing of their nonchalant attitude about cleanliness. On their menu it says "Served with that old western hospitality." Um...yeah. My husband said Porter Rockwell must be rolling over in his grave.
(1)
ZuTroy D.
A little over priced. And not the most amazing food. That said, this is a really cool place to take people that are from out of town. Lots of Porter Rockwell memorabilia and old west stuff.
(3)
Dan T.
This place is the whole package. I love that they are still here, among all of the commerce, doing like they have always done it. I hope they are here forever. I have eaten a number of dishes here... the ones that come to mind are the buffalo burger, the destroying angel (killed it), and the steak plates. They have a salad bar... I get it every time. No beer... but that makes sense. Mormon historical site and all.
(4)
Angel M.
Best compare to other places in Utah...not the healthiest, but at least they do a few homemade stuff...and they have healthy options for meat, like bison, and elk.
(4)
Chris F.
Delicious burgers and fries. I also love the large mugs for my soda:) The waiter was great and obviously loves Porter's. I had the buffalo burger lunch special and although it wasn't amazing when it was placed in front of me I was a big fan by the end. It's an old place so don't be surprised when you walk in to see a little dust and history everywhere. Good times and worth a meal. The Destroying Angel burger is also fantastic!
(4)
Maitiú J.
Stopped in for some burgers. The burgers were OK, but there is no way that the 1/2 pound on the menu is what actually was served. The place itself is interesting. Food was ok, but certainly not anything special.
(2)
John M.
Cool ambiance, but that's pretty much it. Lots of potential but needs lots of TLC to clean up the years of accumulated dust. I'm sure the tables, etc are technically clean but the dirt layer over all the decor, etc is scary. Food is poor. Seems to have no pride any more. Hope someone comes and invests in it to make it what it could be.
(2)
Jeff P.
The historic appeal is fine but the food wasn't that special. Nothing I couldn't have cooked at home. I really thought the tables could be cleaner. I am not a fan of looking clean but being sticky.
(2)
Justin P.
My wife and I are new to the area, so we decided to try out a coworker's recommendation for a local restaurant...Porter's Place. When we walked in, we were greeted promptly and cheerfully by one of the staff, then seated with our menus at a picnic-style table in the front dining area. The dining area itself was decorated like an old time saloon, which we thought was pretty neat and really added character to the place. Then, things began going down hill. Our waitress brought two mugs of water, set them on the table and then promptly turned to walk away. My wife had to stop her to request that she take our drink order (which, she happily did). Then, as we were looking over the menu trying to decide what to order for dinner, we were noticing that the prices seemed inflated. Figuring that this was because of the excellent quality that we had heard about, we shrugged it off, but agreed that we'd have to save coming back for any steaks for a special occasion. When the waitress came back to take our order we asked for recommendations which, of course, included steak and several other things. I decided to go with her recommendation of a local favorite called the "Prophet's Plate" which was advertised as a "halibut fillet, fan-style shrimp, and chicken" served with a side of your choice and a trip to the salad bar. My wife went with another of the recommendations - the beef french dip. I was pretty disappointed with the salad bar, as I was expecting different types of salads. This one wasn't terrible, but it was pretty much just lettuce salad, cottage cheese, potato salad and then the topings for the lettuce. (In all fairness though, the bar itself is tiny and there isn't room for a larger one without cutting off the walkway to the other dining areas, so they were just working with what they have.) We know we weren't the only ones in the restaurant, but it seemed to take FOREVER to get our order, but figuring that it must be worth the wait, just ejoyed each other's company and the atmosphere. In the meantime, my wife had finished her drink and the waitress had yet to be back to re-fill it. Upon looking around, we saw her standing at the bar, and even though she may have been doing something that needed done, from our vantage point it just looked as if she were just standing there chatting with the other wait staff. When our order finally came, I was EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in the highly touted "Prophet's Plate". The menu description had left me believing that I would be served a piece of fish, a large shrimp, and a piece of chicken (my guess would have been maybe a fried chicken breast or something like that). What was on the plate in front of me was not what I had thought. There were three (approximately 2oz.) very similar looking semi-triangular shaped, golden fried "things" that were impossible to distinguish which was which meat and a small portion of baked beans. (the baked beans, by the way, were good) I almost asked if they were going to be bringing the chicken out on a separate plate as surely this wasn't something that the locals would consider to be good food at a reasonable price...my "prophet's plate" was $9.85. What I figured out was that one of the deep fried lumps on my plate was a batter dipped fish stick, one was a piece of "shrimp" and the other was a "chicken tender" that must have been pounded to about 1/8 of an inch thickness, breaded and fried. This would explain the lack of distinguishable flavor and shoe leather-ish texture of the "chicken". My thoughts were that these items must be directly out of a bag, and not prepared on site. My wife's beef french dip sandwich looked pretty good when it was served. (again, she had to ask the waitress for a drink as she had turned and started to walk away) However, after taking her first bite, my wife said that this was not a place that she would come back to. Although the french dip was a much more reasonable $7.15, and the portion much more what one might expect, the meat was tough and dried out. If it hadn't been for the au joux it wouldn't have been edible. I know this because I was finished with my "dinner" before she had gotten more than 4 bites into her sandwich, so she gave me 1/2 to try. We are hoping that this was an off night at Porter's Place and are willing to go back to try the steak, but will never order anything else there as it's just not worth it. Our thoughts are that at between $15 and $30 for a steak (regardless of how many trips you can make to the salad bar) it HAS to be much better than what we were served on this visit. Otherwise, how could they possibly explain what must be a HUGE profit margin?
(1)
Andrew S.
Great food, Great Atmosphere. If your looking for a good steak and don't want to sit in another chain restaurant this is the place. The food is amazing and their home made porter house and Iron Port sodas are fantastic. Strongly Recommended.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Touristy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Brent S.
Two bad meals in a row with bad reviews on Yelp. I feel so negative this week, but must be honest and forthright about Porter's Place. I'm a local and neighbors warned me about it. I went a couple years ago but only got a French Dip. It was not good, but didnt want to judge bc this is a steakhouse... I thought. I bought a $40 Groupon for $15 and STILL feel jipped. I honestly dont know how they stay in business. The owner must be independently wealthy. The place is small and dirty. Fine... I can overlook the grime on walls bc of the "old west" theme and bc the food is awesome, right? Wrong. Service was young kids who probably didnt go through any training. Two tried to help me with the ridiculously sized menu (no way you dont lose money with a menu that big... and nobody can cook that many items). The "salad bar" looks like a cart found in a middle school cafeteria. I was going to take a pic but the owner/manager was standing there. All the salad was white and yellow iceberg. No green leafs or spinach. Very few fixings. They dont really have appetizers, just sides I guess. I asked about apps and they suggested the scones (3 big pcs for $4.50) with honey butter and they were DELICIOUS... however theyre made down the street so Porter's just fries them. GET THESE SCONES... you'll want them after your meal for sure so you dont leave hungry. Theyre more of a dessert, but when I asked about appetizers the server suggested them, so whatever. I ordered the 16oz "suppertime top sirloin" dinner (suggested) for $29.99. I saw a baked potato on the way in, and it looked bad, so I got fries. Also came with baked beans (from a can and stirred with liquid smoke... seriously, that's what it tasted like). The mini loaf of white bread was VERY good but they only give one per meal. The steak... ohhhhhh the steak. Grilled which is fine. Thin cut and little bit overdone (ordered med rare) but not bad. ZERO taste. Zero. I dont even think they put salt on it before cooking. The cut was nothing special and lots of tough fat (not the good fat). Server asked if I wanted A-1 sauce (funny huh? but I declined. After 5 or 6 bites I asked for it. Simply no flavor. No marinade. No salt and pepper rub before cooking. It's like they just went to the grocery store and grabbed one to cook. No fancy cut. It was not dry, thank GOODNESS. Don't eat here. My single meal was $50 after tip. The groupon made it easier to deal with, but still very disappointed. The owner must not read reviews bc the place hasnt changed in years. No way it makes money. It was dead and they dont serve alcohol. Lehi needs a steakhouse bc this is NOT it. Sorry Porter's.
(1)C.J. D.
Gotta try the buffalo burger here! And you can't start off your meal without their warm, delicious scones! We have been twice now and each time we have had excellent, friendly, and helpful service! There is even a groupon for it right now if you want to get a great discount to try it out!
(5)Jared S.
Based on all the negative reviews I'd seen my expectations for Porter's Place were pretty low. But it wasn't a bad experience, though it could have been really great. Our service was good. Food was hot and palatable but neither interesting nor delicious. We had the French dip (bland) and the chicken fried steak (plain brown gravy). The atmosphere was what you'd come for: Old west-style decor with smoke from the grill. The seating, however, was really uncomfortable. Both the benches and the table rocked constantly. We're glad we went, but I doubt we'll go back soon unless we hear they've improved the menu and the seating.
(3)Ryan S.
I am surprised by the reviews for this place. I actually loved it. The service was great and you get a lot of food for your money. I had the Buffalo burger and my wife had the French dip. The burger and the Frontier potatoes were awesome. The place has a terrific atmosphere. We will be back and will be bringing friends!
(4)Mindy K.
We wanted steak. That's a simple request. We sat down and waited forever to see a waitress. My son wanted his baked potato 'loaded' , we were told they don't do that there. After we finally ordered somewhat what we wanted, the food came reasonably quickly. Unfortunately, the food was no good. The steaks were unseasoned and the pork chops were flatter than my cousin's chest before her work was done
(2)Bryan H.
Please do not let the other reviews or amount of stars turn you away from this amazing historical monument! The food is amazing, the staff is friendly, the prices are affordable! Porters Place is a must for anyone looking for great food and fun!
(5)Shauna D.
High priced for average steak & burgers. Buffalo burger was thin & dry. Carl's JR would have been better. I was excited to eat there after all the hype. Uncomfortable seating, sloooow...service. One server in a large area on a busy night. Only cool thing is the history of Porters & the old timey..feel decor.
(1)Keri G.
Would not recommend at all!! They need to invest in a hood fan for their grill or open a window maybe. My eyes are still burning from the smoke and my clothing smells awful. The service is bad as well and the portions are very small for the price.
(1)Kaisha M.
One sentence review: your meal will be disappointing but you should go anyway. So I went here with a big group and I picked it because even though it has... Less than fantastic reviews, it's a Utah legend and I felt like everyone that lives here has to try it once. For the record: I was totally right. Everyone should try it. Once. First of all, the atmosphere is fantastic. I imagine that this is what an old west Saloon/Whore house would look like. In other words, it was amazing. The room we sat in had maroon and gold damask wallpaper, several long wooden tables and a few portraits and paintings of... stuff from Utah's history probably. Every single member of the group commented at some point during our time there that they were concerned about the stability of their chairs and one person even ended up swapping chairs with a nearby empty table. The menus were frankly ridiculous. There several items on it that sound almost like jokes and a bunch that have discriptions that seem more like existential haiku than something you can actually digest, (Check out my picture of the specialty drink menu to see what I mean.) The service was only so-so, our waitress was quick to refill our drinks but more than a little difficult to flag down otherwise... Even when she was standing at the other end of our table. The food was at best, a let down. The specialty drinks were expensive and a lot of work seemingly went into making them but taste wise, they were only okay. Nothing terribly unique or exciting but not bad either. I ordered Rockwell's Revelation, which was supposed to be a grilled mesquite chicken sandwich what I got was an unseasoned breast on a hamburger bun with lettuce, mayo and nothing else; I'm not entirely sure what about that is supposed to be "mesquite." It came with a baked potato which was quite good, but also quite difficult to screw up. All in all, I had a good time with my friends and I'm glad I tried Porter's Place, it's a Utah legend after all; but it's not a place I'd choose to go again.
(3)Jimmy W.
In short: Old-timey ambiance but the food isn't drastically better than Wendy's. The beans are tasty though. :)
(2)Alex D.
I can think of nothing to recommend here. The food was bad, the service was dismal, and the outrageous prices do not reflect this. I would highly discourage anyone from coming here. Used a Groupon and it still wasn't worth it.
(1)Rebekah H.
If you live in Utah County, and know anyone over the age of 50, then I would bet good solid money that you've heard of Porter's Place. It's been a Lehi staple for years. And that's literally the only thing going for it. As a theme restaurant, the decor and ambiance of the building is cute and quaint. It's very old timey, with an old fashioned cash register at front next to a soda jerk station. The wallpaper reeks of the 1910's and the chandeliers are super quaint. As far as the food goes, I'd say it's over priced and sadly disappointing. I ordered the mesquite chicken dinner, which came with bread (I chose wheat), beans, baked potato and unlimited salad bar. I expected to get a nice piece of barbequed chicken or at least super mesquite flavored chicken. What I received was a wet piece of chicken with little to no flavoring on it. With one bite, I also realized it tasted exactly like fish. I am a super hater of fish, so one bite literally sent my gag reflex to 100%. It was slimy, and distinctly fishy. I couldn't even finish it. The salad was fine but it's hard to mess up salad. The bread was average, the potato was great, and the beans were decent. Nothing about this meal screamed "I'M SO GOOD. PLEASE EAT ME ALLLLLL UP." I was lucky to finish half my meal which I paid nearly 25 dollars for. The ironport soda was a delight, which I would love to have if I were to re-visit this establishment. I believe if I come again, I would choose to eat only salad and potatoes. Sorry, Porter's Place. Your quaint log cabin from 1910 isn't enough for me to keep coming.
(2)Melissa G.
We just moved here and have driven by this place a couple times and decided to go out for a date night. I was craving steak so naturally you walk in to the place on Main Street with a huge STEAK HOUSE sign above the doors. As soon as we walked in the place was completely empty with the exception of a couple elderly friends. That should have been a sign for us to leave... But I knew I wanted steak and potatoes and didn't think they could mess that up... Due to the ambience and obvious aged decor it looked like they had time to build a reputation for their steak at least. First thing I noticed were the cold beans that looked like they were straight from the can... I was looking for mashed potatoes but settled for the Frontier Potatoes. They were super thickly cut and very very bland-No seasoning. Steak was also bland and super thin. I made sure not to finish my meal to save room for our next stop for the night.... Texas Roadhouse. Seriously.
(1)Marissa H.
This place is pretty cool and you have to love the history that just fills this place. The atmosphere is absolutely great. There is so many cool things to look at. The foods and drinks are good. If you are a meat lover, you'll love this place. Although, it's pretty expensive. The service isn't really bad, but not good either. Very casual, on the slow side. The salad & fruit bar is small and although it's okay, it is nothing special. Particularly the fruit part. The buffalo burgers are good. Some meals/portions are average or small for the prices. Others have great portions, but just expensive. I would rate this place as below average/a 2 star, but because of the amazing ambience and what a historic landmark it is definitely a 3 star/average. Check out to this place for the history alone.
(3)Jeremy H.
Very awkward seating and setup. Ordered the buffalo filet and expected a great meal for what I paid, however, the meat was cold and dry even though I ordered medium rare. Really disappointed in the food. I brought this up to the waiter and he just brushed it off. Not great service or care. Won't be going back anytime soon. You may like it if you're used to eating on the prairie.
(1)Conrad S.
This place has potential in my mind, but it is trying to hard to keep its roots. Their menu features a vast 200 items or so specializing in mostly burgers and steaks. The teenage cook in the back clearly not trained well enough to handle it all. I had their chicken fried steak which was mediocre. My wife had a regular burger which she said was good. The service was friendly, but the server was forgetful and we had to ask multiple times for things he had forgotten. I will definitely give it another shot, but stay close to steak or burger. I will say the large iron port was huge and delicious.
(3)Curtis C.
I must have driven past Porter's Place hundreds of times during my life without going there. On a night a couple weeks ago it was finally the time to go. The interior is about what you would expect. Old, but clean. Chairs and table were a little rickety, but worked and were comfortable. The menu is insane. It's huge. There seems to be a couple hundred things on the menu. That should have been the first sign of warning...no place can have 2 or 3 employees and properly cook everything on a menu like that. I decided to play it safe and ask for the waiters recommendation. I ended up with a buffalo burger. We noticed they had Iron Port, which is a fantastic soda that very few places have, so I got a large. I was worried about not getting free refills on it, but it was big enough that even after drinking freely of it there was still plenty left at the end of the night. The food came out a little bit later than I would have hoped. The burger was good at first, but gradually got more and more pink as I ate. My girlfriend would have stopped eating halfway in, but I braved the buffalo and ate most of it. It was a gamble, and I wouldn't have been surprised if I had food poisoning the next day, but I survived just fine. The frontier potatoes are just potato wedges. They were a little too thick for my preference, but they were good. I had some of my girlfriends cowboy beans and they were okay, but cold. Overall it was an okay experience. I think it could be a great experience if they would cut back on a lot of the menu though. I wouldn't touch seafood there at all. Less options gives the cooks better training on doing it right, which would have prevented my pink burger. It's a place I've always wondered about and wanted to love. I'll give it another shot in the future. The piano player also just died as well.
(2)Vickie J.
The food and service were good but this place is so dusty, dirty and grimy. It needs to be cleaned. Everything has so much dust hanging on it, including the wood plank walls. The prices for dinner are on the high side but we really liked our meals. The salad bar was adequate but the lettuce wasn't cold and crispy like it should be. The salad dressings are not homemade. Everything comes out of a can or bottle. We loved the ironport drink. We love the nostalgia of the old west and Porter Rockwell atmosphere. Our server was so polite and took good care of us. I got the shrimp dinner and my husband got the sirloin steak. My shrimp were just the typical deep fried shrimp but they were meaty and good. The steak was cooked as ordered but it was a little tough. The baked potatoes were good, the bread was warm and we each got our own little baby loaf. All dinners come with baked beans. They tasted homemade and were good. We couldn't finish everything. We probably won't visit here very often since the prices are on the higher side and the place is pretty filthy. There are other eating places that are cleaner and just as good. The menus even need to be wiped down. The tables are covered with tacky faux leather and are sticky and seem dirty. Give this place a facelift and deep cleaning and we'd go back.
(3)Robby P.
What an excellent piece of meat! Great service, with warm friendly smiles. Salad bar was just enough, but that New York strip was the best steak I've had in a long time! Cooked to perfection, and tender as can be. The place is small, but if you want a frilly place to eat, don't come to a place named after a tough grinding man like porter Rockwell. If you want to step back in time, and feel like you're coming in after a long days ride, this is your place, where they'll treat you like the man you are.
(5)Brett W.
This is one of my favorite restaurants around. Mostly for the atmosphere. We need more old diners like this instead of all the franchises. The food is always great as well.
(5)Chelsea C.
I leave reviews constantly and really love places like this. However, this one wasn't great. The food is good, nothing magical but not disappointing. It's priced decent for what you get. My biggest complaint was the service. Literally if you needed a refill you might as well go get it yourself. Waitress was rude and acted inconvenienced by having to do her job. I don't have super high expectations when dining out either. Refill my drink and check on us once right after we get food in case we need condiments etc.. Based on food I recommend, based on service don't waste your money on the tip. Cute ambiance though, and great little local stop.
(3)Dustin T.
Large portions, steak was a good cut of steak, but didn't taste like anything. Some seasoning would've been nice. If you have to use A1 or other steak sauce to get your meat to taste like something, you've cooked it wrong. Speciality drink (pina colada) was also pretty nasty (not even drinkable). Bread felt like it had been ordered several days before and just brought out from a bread basket. Food came out luke warm, but at this point, I didn't care anymore. I left feeling full, but dissatisfied. I felt like I had eaten dinner, but it didn't taste like anything. I wouldn't go back.
(1)Dustin D.
Steak was OK. Took forever to get our food even though our party ordered right away. Over priced.
(2)Mac S.
It was OK, but not great. The steak was a good cut and cooked fine, but had zero seasoning. The scones were also cooked fine, but lacking salt and a little too yeasty tasting. It was generally an underwhelming meal.
(3)Andrew W.
I have lived in the area for a long time and always wanted to try this place. Went there tonight with my wife for date night. We were extremely disappointed. I signed up for yelp specifically because of this experience. We waited 10 mins for a server to come to our table. Had to go looking for someone to help us. The food then took about an hour to come out. The food was disgusting. I ate the potato but couldn't eat the meat. My wife's meal was just as bad. The bread was old and smelled weird. The place is also very dirty. I don't think they clean it. So to sum it up, bad service, long wait, bad food, and very dirty. Unfortunately, there was nothing redeeming about this place. Save your money and go somewhere else
(1)Randy D.
Took my wife here for a birthday. It was the worst meal I have had in a very long time. I ordered their "chuck" burger. OMG. It was as hard as rock, way over cooked, and terrible tasting. The onions were a shriveled mess of horrible goo. French fries from a frozen bag. Horrible salad bar with nothing but crap from the can. AND, holy crap---this damn meal cost me $40 bucks. Never...I say never will I return. My wife's dinner steak was just as bad. It was either nearly spoiled meat or cooked in some kind horrible vinegar marinade. It was not edible. When I complained about the meal the server/cashier said" oh--sorry ". Seriously. Do not eat at this rat hole
(1)Matthew A.
This place held a lot of memories in th late 80`a but has gone down hill since then. Food is either dry or greasy only go there to relive the past and let down! Thank you porters for ruining my Child hood memories
(2)Travis B.
Not being familiar with Utah County I punched up restaurants on the GPS and looked for something with out the "R" or "C" trademark after the name. Porter's Place was close by so I gave it a shot. The place is very inviting from the outside. A cool little "main street" feel and someplace you know is very old. The inside is decorated with a definite theme. Looking around the restaurant you see some cool antiques, some not-so-cool replica antiques, and quite few blurbs on the wall about the history of Porter Rockwell. Don't look TOO close or you see a few years of dirt and dust bunnies that haven't been cleaned. Not a fan of that but heh, as long as it doesn't make it in to the food. The place was dead at 1:00pm and I was a little worried about that. I asked for a recommendation and was told the Claim Jumper was a specialty sandwich. Cubed sirloin, peppers, onions, cheese, 'maters, and mushrooms. How can you go wrong? It came with choice of potato so I opted for the potato wedges. I asked about the clam strips on the menu and was told they came from a box. I appreciated the honesty and chose not to order that. The sandwich was above average. It really was sirloin and the portion was more than enough to fill me up. The potato wedges were just that. No special seasoning but nothing little salt couldn't fix. The iced-tea was fresh brewed and I really like that. The gentleman running the place was very friendly and even gave me the souvenier hand-out about the history of the place and Porter Rockwell. It made for good reading while I ate. The only downfall is that the place was kind of dirty. Not "Oh my god there are dead flies on the table" dirty but "wow, someone ought to wipe off that picture frame/old bottle/ wall clock" sort of dirty. But I'll take that over the McRestaurant any day.
(3)Maestro L.
2nd time here, Excellent
(5)Whitney P.
Fabulous! We love this place. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is perfect, not to loud. Never a wait. We come at least twice a month. I recommend the bbq sirloin tips and the one eyed jack.
(5)Jesse H.
It makes me sad to write a bad review about a historic Lehi landmark, but over the years the food, service, and restaurant has deteriorated. From our last experience the lettuce was wilted at the salad bar, our food came out cold or undercooked, and the menus stuck together because they haven't been wiped down. When we were checking out I also noticed the ice cream condiment bar looks like it had not had a deep clean in years with dried fruit and caramel sauce. The bathrooms were disgusting with dim lighting and lack of toiletries. The ambiance in the 80's were cool, now it just looks outdated and dusty. Hope someone can come in and turn this place around.
(1)Randall H.
There are only two reasons to come here: Atmosphere & Ambiance (same thing?) overview: Just okay food, bad service, somewhat expensive, nifty looking place. This is mostly a touristy/historic location. It's also one of the few places left where you can get Ironport. The menu is nifty and witty but it is also difficult to navigate and understand exactly what you're ordering and what comes with it. Which in itself isn't completely a bad thing because it will give you something to do while you wait for service. After being seated it took 15 minutes for a waitress to show up and that was just to order drinks. Every time she left the table it took 10-15 minutes before we even saw her again. Once we received our food it took another 20-30 for her to check back. The food is very overpriced for the quality and quantity received. The scones with honey butter were very tasty and the food wasn't bad but I feel like I could have eaten the same thing at a fast food restaurant or even a different sit down restaurant for more than half the price or twice the portions. Don't even bother with the salad bar. It is literally bagged lettuce and other salad toppings from a can that have been sitting out too long.
(2)Mick P.
These people are nuts if they don't like this place. They have a great list of drinks and the burgers are sooooo good.
(5)Brad S.
Oh Porter's Place, what a cool little place you have going on there. It's funny, every time I drive or ride by Porters I say to myself, I really need to go back there soon. Unfortunately, I then realize while it is a cool little restaurant, I just haven't had the best experiences there to get me to be regular. This place has soooo much potential it's a little disheartening to only rate it as a two star. The food is good, some of it is great and some of it not so. The atmosphere is awesome. I love the western salon type of feel. The service is sub-par and it is a bit overpriced for my wallet. I'll reiterate, that this place has so much potential but unfortunately it probably doesn't have the funds and drive to meet that potential. That being said, give this place a it a try, you may love it or you may walk away from it thinking about this review. BTW (for Porter's Place), the salad bar or maybe the bathrooms is probably the easiest place to start improving on.
(2)Julie K.
Burgers as big as your face! This is what most of my co-workers ordered. I had the halibut sandwich which was exactly what I expected, a nicely fries piece of fish. The BYU ice cream came recommended but was full enough from the sandwich and fries.
(3)Rene K.
Took a group of 20 here tonight. The food was tolerable. Our waitress was incredibly rude. She acted as if we were inconveniencing her by being there. We won't be going back
(1)Dempsey B.
Porter's Place is as close as you can come (in a Utah county restaurant, at least) to stepping back in time. From the old wood used for some interior walls to the black & white photos on display to the never-ending piano music echoing throughout the place, you'd almost think you were 200 years in the past. As a few other reviews have said, the food isn't the greatest you'll ever experience. It isn't horrible; indeed, our meal was perfectly adequate and tasted fine. I had ordered a huge steak and was not disappointed in the least. The atmosphere makes this place what it is. I agree with another Yelper: this would be a fun place to bring friends from out of town. While I wouldn't make Porter's Place my exclusive stop for a steak dinner, I would be happy to return here every so often.
(3)Sarah Z.
Food is okay, but seriously, come here just for the ambience alone! It's a fun little old-timey cowboy restaurant with great decor. I enjoy it just for that. Our service was also great! They weren't busy, and took great care of us!
(3)Ryan S.
Porter's Place is what may be the area's longest running theme restaurant, and I guess if you are going to choose a locally relevant historical figure for the basis of your theme, Joseph Smith's bodyguard and all-around badass Orrin Porter Rockwell is a pretty good choice. the one thing Porter's has going for it is kitsch appeal. the restaurant is decked out in all kinds of old-timey pictures and paraphernalia related to the old west and LDS history. there is a buffalo head hanging from the wall. sitting at the bar (which is something of a faux-bar since there is no alcohol served at Porter's) there was what appeared to be an actual mountain man. with his long hair and beard it's possible that he was actually trying to get a gig as an impersonator of the destroying angel of Mormondom. or this may have just been coincidence and opportune timing on our part. I didn't ask. the menu items follow the same theme with names like "The Twelve Apostles" and "Brigham's Favorite" and "The Extermination Order 44 Endless Salad Bar," but mostly it is just sandwiches and burgers. as a word of warning, don't bring your vegan friends, since the entirety of the menu with the possible exception of an ironport seems to be animal-product based. luckily, I only brought my lapsed vegan friend for whom they were able to cater to with a special request for a grilled cheese. for the price, my buffalo burger was disappointing. I felt like I could get a better burger from Carl's Jr. or something. they have ice cream sundaes, which looked good, but I didn't order one. sodas come in giant mugs, but I didn't get one of those either. I did get fries and they were good, but they weren't good enough to overcome the pervasive and somewhat inexplicable sadness that I felt while we were there.
(2)David B.
The authentic western-style antique bar, pot-bellied stove, wood paneling and tables, and period decor make this a perfect place to eat traditional western fare. The steaks are good and the sides of beans, bread, and potato wedges hearken back to an earlier era. The food is plain, but hearty and tasty. The non-alcoholic mixed drinks are fun, and the ice cream is amazing.
(4)Tristan A.
Fun place to take friends. I asked a local where to go for lunch today, and after she reeled off a list of national chains, I asked her for something only found in Lehi, and she said, without hesitation, "Porters". I drove right to it, its on the main street, and enjoyed my lunch there. Its based on the historic Mormon Porter Rockwell, a friend and body-guard of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and quite a character. Walk in and feel like you've stepped back in time. There's bench seating up front, and bar seating, as well as table and chairs in an adjacent room, and seating upstairs as well. Old-timey music is playing and there's huge pictures of the man himself near the cash register. Food was ok, I had fish & chips. Friendly and fast service. the salad was fine, but I guess their specialty is steak. I would return for a steak just to see what all the raving is about. Place needs a deep clean, but its colorful. And next time I'm parched in Lehi, that's where I'm going. They've got an extensive and creative non-alcoholic drink menu, which is what this 'sprite, please' girl is always looking for. I'd like to try each one of those drinks. Give me a double Ironport, Porter.
(3)Evrhet M.
I had heard a lot of great things about Porter's Place, but everything about it was disappointing. I ordered the top sirloin and it had tasted like my wife cooked it, and that is not compliment to my wife. If I have to put A1 sauce on my steak its probably because there was no flavor, and I used a lot of A1. The salad bar seemed a little dirty. The bowls were tiny making it so you had to go back multiple times if you wanted to get a good sized salad. Luckily once was enough. The food came out very quickly, but it took us ten minutes after we were ready to order to actually place the order. We were never given refills and I had to up to the bar and try to refill my glass myself before someone came and helped me. The place was not busy at all, but just seemed to be running very inefficiently. It wasn't a great experience, but it did have a fun atmosphere. Usually I am a sucker for the atmosphere, but this place just did not cut it.
(2)Kendra S.
We live just down the road from Porter's. We have been there once before and thought the food was good (although pretty pricey for the food/venue), so for Christmas, I bought my husband a gift certificate. We went there tonight and were furious by the time we left. We walked in and waited to be seated. There was no greeting or acknowledgement. Finally a young woman appeared and asked us to follow her to a table. When we sat down I realized the table was filthy. We were not given any silverware or water, not told our "server would be with us in a moment." The restaurant was not busy at all. There were 4 tables occupied, including ours. That would be one table for each waitress working at the time. We waited and read the menus. We continued waiting for well over 20 minutes with absolutely no contact from the staff. Every waitress in the place walked past our table several times. So did the bus boy. We were sitting directly across from the cooks, looking exasperated, and they never noticed us either. At one point, one of the waitresses exclaimed a vulgar word as she scurried past our table. Thinking maybe they were slammed with a huge banquet in the next room, my husband peeked around the corner. There was just one family at a table. We finally just got up and left. We walked past the ENTIRE restaurant staff and no one said a word to us. I'm really angry we have $80 in gift certificates there. I have NO desire to go back. It's drab, it's dirty, and the staff, seemingly annoyed by our presence, has forgotten they work in a service industry. I mean, if it's too much trouble to acknowledge and serve the people who have decided to patronize your business, you have a serious issue; to say nothing of their nonchalant attitude about cleanliness. On their menu it says "Served with that old western hospitality." Um...yeah. My husband said Porter Rockwell must be rolling over in his grave.
(1)ZuTroy D.
A little over priced. And not the most amazing food. That said, this is a really cool place to take people that are from out of town. Lots of Porter Rockwell memorabilia and old west stuff.
(3)Dan T.
This place is the whole package. I love that they are still here, among all of the commerce, doing like they have always done it. I hope they are here forever. I have eaten a number of dishes here... the ones that come to mind are the buffalo burger, the destroying angel (killed it), and the steak plates. They have a salad bar... I get it every time. No beer... but that makes sense. Mormon historical site and all.
(4)Angel M.
Best compare to other places in Utah...not the healthiest, but at least they do a few homemade stuff...and they have healthy options for meat, like bison, and elk.
(4)Chris F.
Delicious burgers and fries. I also love the large mugs for my soda:) The waiter was great and obviously loves Porter's. I had the buffalo burger lunch special and although it wasn't amazing when it was placed in front of me I was a big fan by the end. It's an old place so don't be surprised when you walk in to see a little dust and history everywhere. Good times and worth a meal. The Destroying Angel burger is also fantastic!
(4)Maitiú J.
Stopped in for some burgers. The burgers were OK, but there is no way that the 1/2 pound on the menu is what actually was served. The place itself is interesting. Food was ok, but certainly not anything special.
(2)John M.
Cool ambiance, but that's pretty much it. Lots of potential but needs lots of TLC to clean up the years of accumulated dust. I'm sure the tables, etc are technically clean but the dirt layer over all the decor, etc is scary. Food is poor. Seems to have no pride any more. Hope someone comes and invests in it to make it what it could be.
(2)Jeff P.
The historic appeal is fine but the food wasn't that special. Nothing I couldn't have cooked at home. I really thought the tables could be cleaner. I am not a fan of looking clean but being sticky.
(2)Justin P.
My wife and I are new to the area, so we decided to try out a coworker's recommendation for a local restaurant...Porter's Place. When we walked in, we were greeted promptly and cheerfully by one of the staff, then seated with our menus at a picnic-style table in the front dining area. The dining area itself was decorated like an old time saloon, which we thought was pretty neat and really added character to the place. Then, things began going down hill. Our waitress brought two mugs of water, set them on the table and then promptly turned to walk away. My wife had to stop her to request that she take our drink order (which, she happily did). Then, as we were looking over the menu trying to decide what to order for dinner, we were noticing that the prices seemed inflated. Figuring that this was because of the excellent quality that we had heard about, we shrugged it off, but agreed that we'd have to save coming back for any steaks for a special occasion. When the waitress came back to take our order we asked for recommendations which, of course, included steak and several other things. I decided to go with her recommendation of a local favorite called the "Prophet's Plate" which was advertised as a "halibut fillet, fan-style shrimp, and chicken" served with a side of your choice and a trip to the salad bar. My wife went with another of the recommendations - the beef french dip. I was pretty disappointed with the salad bar, as I was expecting different types of salads. This one wasn't terrible, but it was pretty much just lettuce salad, cottage cheese, potato salad and then the topings for the lettuce. (In all fairness though, the bar itself is tiny and there isn't room for a larger one without cutting off the walkway to the other dining areas, so they were just working with what they have.) We know we weren't the only ones in the restaurant, but it seemed to take FOREVER to get our order, but figuring that it must be worth the wait, just ejoyed each other's company and the atmosphere. In the meantime, my wife had finished her drink and the waitress had yet to be back to re-fill it. Upon looking around, we saw her standing at the bar, and even though she may have been doing something that needed done, from our vantage point it just looked as if she were just standing there chatting with the other wait staff. When our order finally came, I was EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in the highly touted "Prophet's Plate". The menu description had left me believing that I would be served a piece of fish, a large shrimp, and a piece of chicken (my guess would have been maybe a fried chicken breast or something like that). What was on the plate in front of me was not what I had thought. There were three (approximately 2oz.) very similar looking semi-triangular shaped, golden fried "things" that were impossible to distinguish which was which meat and a small portion of baked beans. (the baked beans, by the way, were good) I almost asked if they were going to be bringing the chicken out on a separate plate as surely this wasn't something that the locals would consider to be good food at a reasonable price...my "prophet's plate" was $9.85. What I figured out was that one of the deep fried lumps on my plate was a batter dipped fish stick, one was a piece of "shrimp" and the other was a "chicken tender" that must have been pounded to about 1/8 of an inch thickness, breaded and fried. This would explain the lack of distinguishable flavor and shoe leather-ish texture of the "chicken". My thoughts were that these items must be directly out of a bag, and not prepared on site. My wife's beef french dip sandwich looked pretty good when it was served. (again, she had to ask the waitress for a drink as she had turned and started to walk away) However, after taking her first bite, my wife said that this was not a place that she would come back to. Although the french dip was a much more reasonable $7.15, and the portion much more what one might expect, the meat was tough and dried out. If it hadn't been for the au joux it wouldn't have been edible. I know this because I was finished with my "dinner" before she had gotten more than 4 bites into her sandwich, so she gave me 1/2 to try. We are hoping that this was an off night at Porter's Place and are willing to go back to try the steak, but will never order anything else there as it's just not worth it. Our thoughts are that at between $15 and $30 for a steak (regardless of how many trips you can make to the salad bar) it HAS to be much better than what we were served on this visit. Otherwise, how could they possibly explain what must be a HUGE profit margin?
(1)Andrew S.
Great food, Great Atmosphere. If your looking for a good steak and don't want to sit in another chain restaurant this is the place. The food is amazing and their home made porter house and Iron Port sodas are fantastic. Strongly Recommended.
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