Last Saturday, September 19th, my husband and I decided to go out for a nice dinner. We have been searching for a favorite steakhouse since moving from California and I was in the mood to try out a “new” restaurant.
Garrin suggested driving to Howell and visiting Diamonds Steak and Seafood. We had dined at Diamonds once prior for an late afternoon meal and enjoyed the food but had yet to experience a full course dinner. It was shortly after 6:00 pm so we glanced online quickly and confirmed Open Table system reservations appeared plentiful.
We arrived shortly before 7:00 pm and soon observed that the place was packed. Guests were standing outside and we waited a few minutes to be greeted. Our hostess offered us a table outside which we declined due to the cooler weather that evening. As we did not have a reservation, she estimated a 30-40 minute wait for an indoor table. We decided to stay and I gave her my name though she did not appear to have a means to record it which worried me slightly. It was congested by the door so Garrin went outside to wait, however I decided I would be more comfortable waiting inside.
I had the opportunity to observe many people coming in and their interaction with the hostess who appeared flustered as the evening progressed. She now carried an iPad for check-ins, however the wait time did not change with each check in and I wondered if they really had a way of calculating it. A gentleman with reservations was also told of 20-30 minute wait past his reservation time.
I felt bad for the hostess and entire wait staff as I knew they were extremely busy, however after waiting about 45 minutes, I inquired about our status on the list. I was told it would be another 40 minutes so I then expressed how long I had already waited based on the first estimate. The hostess verified my wait time on her iPad and left to check out options.
There were a couple fumbled attempts before we were actually seated approximately 15 minutes later. However, the hostess sincerely apologized for the mix-up, explained how an exceptionally large party that evening had interrupted the available seating delaying wait times and offered us a free appetizer.
We ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip as our courtesy appetizer and some refreshments. They had a Surf and Turf special that evening featuring a sirloin and shrimp scampi with two sides. I selected the asparagus and smashed potatoes to accompany my meal while Garrin ordered a ribeye with the shrimp.
The food came out in a timely manner and was cooked to perfection. The appetizer was hot, delicious and the pita wedges were crispy and soft at the same time. Our steaks were both prepared to order and were very tasty. The shrimp was also an excellent dish. Our waiter was attentive and refilled drinks quickly through out the meal. The dining savoir-faire easily made up for the not so perfect wait time we had experienced. We even took home the restaurant’s popular carrot cake dessert to share. I understand why it is a favorite!
Overall, I highly recommend checking out Diamonds Steak and Seafood as the food is divine. I do recommend reservations though especially on a weekend. I know I will make reservations for future visits.
