User Reviews for Cooperage (The)

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Jan 5, 2006 by Chris from High Desert
Overall Rating: 2
Food:[1] • Service:[3] • Atmosphere:[7]

• Good salad bar.
• Cold food, gristly steak, drafty restaurant, ill timed service.

“Having had a good meal and good service from Jason on one occasion, we were ready to make the Cooperage one of our favorites. Now I doubt that we will ever return, unless it's for the salad bar. On my birthday on December 6, we were seated in a small room with four tables, right under some irritatingly flashing Xmas lights. Not sure why, as there were plenty of other tables available. The waiter was kind enough to let us move, as well as the next 2 couples the hostess attempted to seat there. It was drafty and freezing cold in some areas of the restaurant. I ordered fillet and crab legs, and my hubby ordered one of the big steaks. Our food arrived before we'd had a chance to eat a few bites of salad and it was barely warm. Sent the big steak back for warming, but there was so much gristle that hubby ultimately traded it for some mediocre prime rib. Fillet was tepid, potato barely warm and hard, dry and undercooked, and crab legs were stone cold. Waiter Colby was attentive, though he made excuses for the poor food, rather than takes responsibility or get a manager who would. What a way to ruin what I'd hoped would be a special birthday meal! We won't go back. Don't recommend.”

4 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Jun 13, 2005 by Marian from Albuquerque
Overall Rating: 5
Food:[9] • Service:[2] • Atmosphere:[8]

• Good prime rib
• Need some common courtesy or social graces from the wait staff

“On a recent Sunday evening we returned to The Cooperage where we've been going off and on since we moved to Albuquerque twenty five years ago.

We entered the restaurant and were asked how many, the waitress grabbed our two menus and started off at a fast pace. We followed. The waitress laid down our menus and took off again without a word. No greeting at the door, no asking if the table was okay. The restaurant was no where near at even half capacity so we weren't sure why the young waitress was in such a hurry.

The waitress finally came hurrying back to our table. She took our drink and dinner orders at the same time. We then indulged in the great salad bar. They have great cottage cheese and pickled beets which are my two requirements. The salad bar was not well attended that night and I over heard several people asking for staff to refill items. Our bread came shortly before our entrees.

Our prime rib came to the table--yet again, not another word spoken to us by this hurried young waitress. The prime rib was good, not up to the quality I have come to expect from the Cooperage. We needed the au jus to add flavor. The cuts were both very tender and done to perfection however.

The waitress did tell us she'd be our cashier when she presented us with the bill. (She had tried to bring the bill several times, but saw we were still eating.) The waitress did tell us thank you as we were leaving.

Last but not least, as we were exiting the lobby, there was a host and hostess at the front. The hostess was leaning against the wall looking bored and the two were talking. Not even a nod or "Have a good evening." from either.

While we will go back because the food is always good, we won't be expecting an pleasantries from the wait staff. ”

11 of 12 people found this review helpful.