Roots in Summit

Raves? Rants?

Comments of any sort on the food, service or the dining room generally will be appreciated.

Thanks for any help.

TomR

Very good steaks (have nearly had them all, prefer the 12oz filet au poivre), salmon (don't ask why) quite a large cut and well-prepared, solid sides (though not impressed by the chorizo hash that they hype), creamed spinach wasn't the best I've ever had but still good (and to me that particular side is a matter of personal taste and long debate anyway...I'd still order it again), baked is appropriately shoe-sized, shrimp a good size (though not monstrous as some offer, but they do have fresh horseradish), lyonnaise as you'd expect. Desserts ok and as you'd expect.

Wine list was suitably varied with some stellar picks you rarely see and right up my CA fruit bomb alley, but the markup can be frightening in places. Not enough French and elsewhere besides the requisite Tuscans (but shockingly with a DRC or two, not that the meal justifies it), and lacking in adventure outside the U.S., but I loved their Pinot selection. Overall they can hammer you on price, though last time I was there I asked what was lurking in the cellar off list, and had a very aged, one-off Shafer Hillside Select for almost retail.

Overrated.

eta: Actually, my comment is based upon my experience in Morristown, not Summit.

Superb.

I've been to most steak houses in the NY area due to my Brit friend's obsession with them, and found Roots to be okay. Found the food a bit dry. Wouldn't go back as it ain't cheap and, for that kind of cash, I'd like near perfection.

Very good steak, very expensive. I've been to many NYC steakhouses and Roots seems to be at the upper en, which is shocking due to its location. Dining room is nice, bar is packed on weekends. Don't accept a table in the bar area (they seat people in there) as you'll have people standing over your food the entire meal.

I've been there a few times, and each time I leave feeling the same; very good meal, but wow, that check!

Treated ourselves to Mother's Day Dinner there one year (Summit). Believe it or not the Mac & Cheese side gets raves from vegetarians, so my daughter ordered it as an entree and she was happy. Have been there for drinks and appys with an after-show crowd - the seafood tower was great, but expensive.

Love everything about it. Love the seafood platter appetizer, love the tall vodka sodas, love the steak cooked perfectly, love the sides...love the service...and that dessert, I forget what it's called...the butter cake...Ok now I want to go there

It ain't cheap, but I've yet to find anything close that matches it for significantly lesser cost. I go expecting $4-500 with wine, and that's where I'm usually at unless I spring for a bottle I can't resist and knowingly overpay for.

$4-500 for two?

Just looked at the menu on line. For those prices, I would definitely go to NYC unless for some reason you can't. I think Peter Lugars, Wolfgangs, or Sparks may be more expensive, but not by much.

No personality wait staff. Otherwise good food.

I only went once, about 7 years ago. My meal was terrible, even though it was a simple rib-eye. Way overcooked. Others did ok with other steak cuts. I wouldn't go back....but I stopped eating meat, so that may have something to do with it. LOL!! Oh - get the butter cake (or something like that....it was amazing).

Great martinis.

oots said:
$4-500 for two?

3 plus an 11-year old that may or may not order from the adult menu (or split a steak with ctrzwife).

Thanks to all for a feel for the place.

TomR

P.s., TigerLilly, why didn't you send it back?

Because I was with a group of people and didn't want a situation where they were uncomfortable eating their meals while I sat with an empty placemat waiting another 10-15 for my corrected meal. It would have been more trouble than it was worth.

Tom_R said:
Thanks to all for a feel for the place.
TomR


P.s., TigerLilly, why didn't you send it back?

I went there once with my late husband. I had a filet that was wonderful. He had a ribeye, which was tough and barely edible. We did send it back. They claimed that's just the way the cut of meat was. I haven't been back either.

I have been there a number of times and used to really like it. Last time was for a Saturday lunch a few months ago. it as very disappointing and we will not return. Service was lax to the point of being unprofessional; we were seated near the bar, which never happened before, and had to listen to personal conversations among three staff members, motly focusing on the social life of one of them. What follows summarizes in brief a review I wrote for tripadvisor at the time: Specifics: staff members that they failed to refill our water glasses at any time throughout the meal. I finally requested more water about the time the dessert menus were brought, and glasses were then refilled. Water was not re-offered after that. We did not order wine, nor should we have had to. It was lunch, after all. Fries were excellent, the lobster pieces in the lobster roll my husband ordered were tasty and generous (which could not be said for the small bits of lobster in the Cobb salad lunch special, overpowered by an overly tarragon-tinged dressing). The Roots sundae was ok, decent ice cream and good sauces topped by overly dense and probably overprocessed or not quite real whipped cream. (Who’d have though there could ever be too much whipped cream?)

I remember the steaks being quite good and the burgers were too, but not worth the effort or the money. And who knows if even those items are good anymore.

I've been there a couple of times. Not thrilled with the food nor the atmosphere. I had a filet one time that tasted like liver---that was not USDA Prime meat. And the service was slow and lackluster.

I think it's a better than average steak house and nice to have so close to SOMA. It's no Sparks/Luger/Homestead, so unfair to expect it lives in the same neighborhood to to speak Filet was solid, sides (spinach, mac and cheese, double stuffed potato) were all competent.

While the convenience of being in Summit (or Morristown) is nice, Roots steakhouse is not up to par for the prices they charge. If you can get out of there for dinner for 2 with apps, steaks, sides, wine and dessert for under $400 you did a hell of a job. And there is no guarantee your meal will leave you feeling that it was a satiating experience.

Obviously those are NYC top of the line place prices and no part of Roots in Summit compares to the atmosphere that Keens, Wolfgangs or Lugers will provide at the same price point.

If looking for a semi-local steakhouse that certainly isn't cheap but excels in atmosphere and quality steaks/wine/apps I'd suggest the Strip House in Livingston, attached to the Hotel Westminster. The place is almost identical to the Strip House in Manhattan in terms of atmosphere and every meal there has been stellar.

The restaurant group in many cases sells image and lifestyle...Roots isn't out to be considered a good value. A manager from Huntley Tavern, their sister restaurant in Summit, once told me that a customer thanked her after having dinner there for not having big portions of food. Roots has become a Summit clubhouse and people are often there to be seen and to impress their friends. I forget the number, but a wine wholesaler told me their average bottle price for wine sold (not listed) is amazing, over $100...and they sell a lot of it and know to stock what their customers want. They have a very good formula for picking locations and creating spaces and menus that satisfy their target market. That said, their restaurants don't get amazing reviews or make best of lists all that often. But they keep opening new places.

We've been to Roots a few times over the past few years. It's certainly pricey and very much a once-in-a-while place, but the dining experiences have been quite good overall and as such I've thought of Roots as the rare NJ steakhouse that can charge NYC prices and get away with it, because they provide an NYC-like experience.

I'm wondering if the surprising (to me anyway) negativity on this thread is a sign that Roots has gone downhill...

I doubt it... try getting a last-minute reservation. I think it comes to personal preference. If I wanted to schlep to NYC for a steak and spend 45 minutes each way vs 10, and pay for parking, and turn a local dinner into an excursion I easily could.

But I've not found the steaks so stunningly in NYC better to justify the time needed. Hit Wolfgangs twice and wasn't impressed in the least (baby Luger isn't saying much), Lugers can take their schtick and cash-only policy and let the tourists and hype-buyers have at it IMHO, Sparks is still wonderful (and probably my fave), Gallaghers another tourist spot, Post House quite good, the Palm I've got some good memories at (and am near getting a caricature I think, so there's that), S&W used to be much better, Mark Joseph good for a sleek one, and there's the old-school houses in Keens, Frank's and the Homestead that can still crank out a great piece o'meat. Sure everyone's mileage may vary widely.

I can tell you when I went they were only open for a short time. I think that stuff happens and if it happens once, you might try again. I would've been willing to go again, but my husband was like, no way.