Hickory Ranch Steakhouse - Yucaipa

I've never had a better steak. This place is fantastic! Every server we've encountered has been incredibly accommodating. It's not the cheapest option, but it's definitely worth the price.

Let me start with the positives: the sautéed mushrooms are still amazing if you enjoy them, and I tried the pork chops for the first time—they were pretty good, mainly because my son wanted to try them. We also ordered the spaghetti from the kids' menu, while my wife and son chose the baseball-cut sirloin. Unfortunately, the sirloin steaks arrived very undercooked compared to the medium well and medium temperatures we ordered. When I asked the waiter about the cooking level, he said both were medium rare, which wasn’t ideal. The wait staff took the steaks back to be recooked, but when they returned, they were overcooked on the outside and still underdone on the inside. We tried them anyway, but they were some of the toughest steaks I’ve ever had. I’ve had better steaks at Denny's. Afterward, I informed the waiter that it was the worst steak I had ever eaten. He was polite, apologized, and asked if we needed anything else, to which we replied that we were fine. Then, an older woman with blonde hair (I didn’t catch her name or title) approached us, saying that the waiter had asked her to speak with us. We hadn't requested this, but we assumed someone would follow up. She inquired about the issue and mentioned that she usually comes by before the food is taken away. However, the waiter had already removed the food after I expressed my dissatisfaction with the steak. How is that our fault? We had only taken a few bites from each steak. Unfortunately, the woman had a rude demeanor and seemed quite unfriendly. She proceeded to take 50% off of each steak without acknowledging the situation properly. The fries and broccoli were consumed, and the baked potatoes were quite good too. If it weren't for the unpleasant encounter with the older woman, we would likely consider returning.

This restaurant seems like a candidate for Kitchen Nightmares. I had a terrible ribeye steak that was tough and rubbery, and it was a struggle to cut it with the steak knife. There was no flavor at all. The baked potato felt like it had been sitting in the warmer all day; it was extremely hard. The other dishes I tried were just average at best. They got my money this time, but honestly, if I wanted food from Denny's, I'd just go there and save 75%. This place is seriously overpriced for the quality of food they serve. Save your money and eat somewhere else. This is NOT a steakhouse; they might offer steak, but it's definitely not a true steakhouse experience.

- **Service:** Dine-in - **Meal Type:** Dinner - **Price per Person:** $20–30 **Ratings:** - **Food:** 5/5 - **Service:** 5/5 - **Atmosphere:** 5/5 I highly recommend their steak!

I love the food here, but I can't stand the ridiculous surcharges! Unfortunately, this restaurant tends to attract a lot of seniors, who often live on fixed incomes. I even saw an elderly couple asking the waitress about the surcharges. I understand that prices have increased, but why not just raise the menu prices instead of doing both?