We spent $260 dining at a 100-year-old steakhouse chain. Our meal at the Orlando location was worth every penny.

3 days ago 6

The entrance to the Palm Restaurant, with caricatures and newspaper articles on the wall, and a menu near the door.

My husband and I had a $260 meal at The Palm Restaurant in Universal Orlando's Hard Rock Hotel.
From the filling starters to the delicious entrées, we were blown away by the quality of the food.
The prices, atmosphere, and service were similar to some of our favorite steakhouse chains.

The Palm Restaurant is a nearly 100-year-old steakhouse chain that operates close to 20 restaurants in the US, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. However, the closest location to me is inside the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando.

I'd been to the restaurant before to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat at the bar — it's long been one of my favorite spots to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Universal. However, I'd never eaten in the dining room before.

So, while staying at Universal Orlando's newest hotel, Stella Luna Resort, my husband and I drove to The Palm for a romantic dinner.

Here's what it was like to eat at one of the most unique and relaxing dining spots at Universal Orlando.

We started our meal with a round of drinks.

A pink mocktail in a sangria glass and an old-fashioned on a table with a white tablecloth.

We kicked off our date night at The Palm with a round of drinks: an old-fashioned cocktail ($19) for my husband, and a pink berry sangria mocktail ($10) for me.

My alcohol-free sangria was really good, and as someone who doesn't drink, I was thrilled to find a few zero-proof options on the menu.

Later in the meal, my husband ordered a glass of red wine ($22 for a 9-ounce pour) from The Palm's vast wine selection.

The complimentary bread service was the best I've had at a steakhouse.

A woman's hand holding a pretzel roll over a basket of bread with butter.

The Palm's complimentary bread service was an unexpected highlight of our meal. I thought it was some of the best bread I've ever eaten at a steakhouse.

Breads like onion focaccia and sourdough rolls were served with creamy, salty butter. The real star of the basket, though, was the pretzel bread, which was buttery, delicious, and a treat I had to restrain myself from filling up on.

While waiting for our entrées, I explored the restaurant's unique artwork.

The interior of a restaurant with tables set for dinner and caricatures on the walls.

After stuffing myself with starters, I needed to move around a bit. So, I walked around the dining room to admire the unique artwork on the walls — hand-painted caricatures of Orlando locals, celebrities, and more.

I asked a manager in the dining room about the unusual art, and he told me there are a few ways to get a caricature on the walls of The Palm.

Sometimes, the restaurant knows a celebrity will be stopping in, so an artist paints them in advance and asks them to autograph it. Other times, a local Orlando regular will do something noteworthy enough to merit a caricature. And finally, members of the Landry's Select Club, of which The Palm is part of, can earn a caricature after accumulating enough points.

However they get there, it's cool to be immortalized in caricature form on the wall of such a posh Orlando dining establishment.

My husband ordered the veal-chop Parmesan for his entrée.

A veal chop topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella on a white plate.

My husband ordered the veal-chop Parmesan — a 14-ounce veal chop served with spaghetti.

The $64 portion was bigger than my husband's head and was cooked to a crispy-brown perfection.

Topped with savory, tomatoey marinara sauce and perfectly broiled mozzarella cheese, we both proclaimed it our favorite dish of the night.

I chose the filet mignon for my main course.

A filet of steak and a bulb of garlic with an herb sticking out of it on a white plate.

A creature of habit at steakhouses, I ordered the eight-ounce center-cut filet mignon ($58) with a side of truffle butter ($6).

When the steak arrived, I cut into it to find the perfect warm, pink center that always accompanies a perfectly cooked, medium-rare steak.

The filet was very good: crunchy and salty on the outside from its sear but buttery and pink on the inside. The cut of beef really melted in my mouth, and I was thrilled with the accompanying truffle-butter topping.

At first, I was a little unsure about the entire bulb of roasted garlic served on the side. However, it really added to the meat's flavor and was incredibly easy to scoop from the bulb.

Our server suggested we order the Italian-style doughnuts for dessert.

Six fried zeppoles on a rectangular dish with three dipping sauces.

The Palm's dessert menu had lots of enticing options, but at our server's suggestion, we tried the zeppoles ($13).

The fried Italian doughnuts were served with a trio of sauces: raspberry, caramel, and chocolate. They were all delicious, but the raspberry sauce reigned supreme for us. We loved the tangy, sweet, fruit taste in contrast with the sugary, crispy, fried dough balls.

I also ordered a decaf cappuccino ($6.25), which was exceptional, especially since so many restaurants only offer brewed coffee as a decaf option.

Our meal was worth the cost, especially given the restaurant's relaxing but elegant vibe.

Terri takes a selfie with the Palm Restaurant sign.

Overall, our meal came to $260 after tax but before the tip. We thought our dinner was well worth the cost for the quality of the food alone.

We also enjoyed the posh atmosphere, and our meal felt like an indulgent date night. We'd definitely return to The Palm for a special occasion.

Moreover, we could've easily shared an entrée or skipped dessert and still left with full bellies and feelings of food-induced happiness.

The prices, atmosphere, service, and experience at The Palm were similar to some of our other favorite steakhouse chains — like The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris — with the added perk of being located at one of our favorite theme parks.