The Blu Halo - Tallahassee (FL)

2 /5 Metrius Hadley: I’ve been to numerous steakhouse restaurants and this restaurant was very underwhelming. Our server, Jacob C. , wasn’t very friendly and didn’t assist us with navigating the menu or restaurant as whole. Drinks were forgotten and it took a while for our items to come out. We ordered The Barrington and Brow-ski Grouper and Grits. I requested the grouper fried but when it came the grouper meat had a very unusual texture and look so I asked Jacob if this was normal and he said he had “no idea”? It was rubbery and squishy. The Barrington however was delicious and flavorful. I had to reorder the Bone-In Pork Chop meal instead of the grouper and it took a while for it to come out and I had to take it home. Overall, the best part of the experience was the energy that came from the trainee host; he was very welcoming. Other than that, I would not recommend.

5 /5 jeff n.: For better or worse another persons experience will vary....visited Blu Halo with reservations on a Friday night. Was seated right away with no wait. There were a couple of holiday parties going on but the restaurant didnt seem too busy or overwhelmed. Our server , Brandy, said she was new to the restaurant but she was insanely good. It was clear that she has a lot of experience as a server. She was all around great. We ordered lamb chops and pork chops. The lamb chops are probably the best Ive had a fine dining establishment. We were told its their best seller and I can see why. Pork chops were thick and delicious as well. I cant say enough about the brussel sprouts. One small appreciated detail, they put ice in the urinal to prevent splash back. Ive been to restaurants all over the world and havent seen that before but its smart. Will definitely be back. As much as I want to try a steak the lamb chops will probably be my go to.

4 /5 Kiara Cotton-Fairley: The only reason it receives 4 stars instead of 5 was the moment we reached the door there was a guy that was visibly drunk stumbling out the door. When we walked in we could tell the host was bothered but quickly gathered herself and met us with a smile and greeting. While dining he came back (obviously not a patron of Blu Halo’s) and was attempting to talk to her while she was clearly uncomfortable, it took someone entirely too long to come to her defense. The ambiance was amazing. Food was delicious. We enjoyed our entrees, the Greenway lamb chops and the Stanford chicken. Lamb chops were perfect and you can slightly taste the brown sugar for a nice sweet and savory balance. The chicken is on the smaller side but tastes great and perfect with the sides. We LOVED our appetizer, just the tips. The broth to toss and onion ratio is perfect. We had 4-5 drinks collectively that were all great, couldn’t find anything wrong with any of them.

5 /5 Nina McDonald: Had a lovely brunch with two friends today... Service is exemplary. Cheerful, focused and attentive. From the hostess at the door to our waitresses: whoever is training and managing their staff is doing a GREAT job! Two of us had the shrimp and grits with andouille sausage, and two of us had the classic Eggs Benedict. Grits were tender, buttery and flavorful, shrimp was perfectly cooked and the sausage and spice level was great! The only reason Im not giving this five stars is because the chef may want to rethink this dish a little bit. They included some boiled and sauteed potato chunks in the grits, as well as some corn kernels. Neither of them are necessary. They dont really contribute anything to the dish and if anything theyre kind of a strange, unexpected texture. But it was beautifully plated and expertly cooked and very flavorful! Eggs benedict: poached eggs were perfectly cooked, runny but not undercooked, hollandaise was smooth and silky but it could have used a bit more of a punch. Either more lemon or seasoning. Especially because the (excellent)crunchy potato chunks were so spicy the hollandaise didnt really stand up to it well.... But overall a very nice Benedict and potato brunch dish. Suggestion for the kitchen and the chef: since you already have salmon on the menu in your salmon bowl, you might want to try a salmon eggs Benedict as an option for people who dont want to eat ham? Just a thought... The atmosphere is lovely. Soft lighting, very clean and our booth was cozy and comfortable. Had peach Bellinis and orange and guava mimosas.. Generous pours and made perfectly. I really appreciated that the music wasnt overwhelming and that we didnt have to shout to hear each other.. So many restaurants nowadays are just so noisy... Overall a very pleasant experience and Im sure will be back!

5 /5 Chris Voehl: I’m on the verge with the Halo and this 5-star rating. I’ve been here multiple times and I don’t know if they changed their chef but everything was like too sweet. I ordered cavatappi pasta with sweet potatoes and it had a sweet butter sauce, that I remedied with some Tabasco. It was unlike anything I’ve ever had and I love variety (and hot sauce) and overall it was a win. My wife had ribs that were also very sweet, and we had the shrimp tostada app that had a sweet chili sauce. Ok now I’m sensing a theme. Mind you we ate every bite, it’s delicious and presents well, just a bit on the sweet side. I also had a half-dozen raw oysters that were perfect. For dessert we had a banana peanut butter cup cheesecake that could have been more peanutty, and less like a banana cream pie. Again every bite was consumed with gusto. Note: don’t come here if you’re in a hurry, thankfully we were not. We had a large party of 11 and for some reason the dessert course took forever. It’s worth the wait but they’ve got some work to do to stay at a 5-star level.