Chuck's Steak House

A cut above the rest

10 Prospect Street (facing Route 20), Auburn 832-2553
Sun. 2-9 p.m.
Mon.-Thurs. 5-10 p.m.
Fri. 5-10:30 p.m.
Sat. 5-11 p.m.
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap Accessible

by Jim Johnson

Friends had raved about Chuck's Steak House with its large portions of tasty entrées, great prices, cordial and efficient waitstaff, and comfortable setting. Still, my experience surpassed my already lofty expectations.

Let's talk about the food first. Nary a style or cut of steak is missing from Chuck's menu (painted on large, wooden, black bottles): top sirloin (with Cajun and teriyaki variations), prime rib, New York strip, filet mignon, and London broil. Baby-back ribs, teriyaki pork chops, and chicken breast (in four varieties) round out the meats. Seafood is almost as plentiful, with scallops, haddock, swordfish, salmon, shrimp, catfish (Cajun, of course, or lemon-pepper), and king crab legs.

Appetizers suggest the influence of Margarita's, the Mexican restaurant under the same roof. Although each restaurant has a separate kitchen and waitstaff, both menus share items such as Margarita's chili, chili skins, nachos, cheese crisps, and jalapeño poppers. (If you've been to Margarita's, you know how good those are. You might not know that Margarita's recently changed its menu; head over to check it out.) Other choices include pub stuff including wings of fire, chicken tenders, and mozzarella sticks. On the day I visited, appetizer specials included crab cakes and Thai shrimp.

Portions are large, and prices are reasonable. As expected, swordfish and Cajun prime rib top out at $17.95 and $18.95, respectively, although you can order a smaller cut of rib for $14.95. Prices fall to to $9.95 for London broil, a teriyaki pork chop, salmon, or catfish. All entrées come with an all-you-can-eat salad bar, soup, bread, and baked potato (Idaho or sweet) or rice.

When I visited with a friend, our server (backed up by others on the wait-team) attended to our every need. She answered our questions completely and patiently, paced our courses perfectly, letting us know when they would arrive. She kept our water glasses full and our table immaculate (no thanks to us). With her cordial warmth and a hint of humor, she hit 10 on the server scale. Her colleagues seemed equally personable and efficient, a sure sign that management cares about hiring, training, and motivating a talented, sincere waitstaff.

The setting itself is friendly and warm. The nondescript entrance opens to a spacious bar and lounge. Margarita's is straight ahead, Chuck's to the right. As we walked to our table, we watched the kitchen crew working busily on one side; on the other, customers dined happily amid angled walls that created intimate nooks, and even a cranny or two. We climbed several steps to a separate level, where we relaxed in a comfortable, quiet booth. A wall covered with books faced us. Looking at the dark wood and high ceilings, my dining companion compared the space to a Stowe ski lodge.

Even before we'd studied the menu, we headed to the soup, salad, and bread bar. The salad bar offered a variety of fresh, chilled vegetables, beans, sprouts, and a number of toppings. Soups were creamy cheddar and French onion -- both perfect for dipping fresh bread which you slice yourself.

After we returned to our booth, we ordered two appetizers. They arrived just as we finished our salads. I'd loved the Blazin' Buffalo Shrimp ($4.95) at Margarita's and ordered them again. As before, the crispy bread coating that covered the shrimp had plenty of zing. The wide, plump crabcake ($2.95) was also crisp, at least on the outside, with a layer of herbed bread crumbs, which coated a moist mixture of crabmeat, breading, and scallions.

Our entrées arrived just as we finished. The beef kebab ($11.95) featured a large portion of perfectly cooked cubes of meat. Each tender morsel yielded hints of a flavorful marinade, charcoal grilling, and the neighboring onions and peppers.

The rack of baby-back ribs ($14.95) hung off both ends of the plate. Slow cooking had infused the meaty ribs with the sweet tanginess of the rich sauce.

From the dessert tray ($3.50 each) we chose two delights: rich, fresh cheesecake with strawberry sauce and moist semi-sweet chocolate cake.

Expect to pay $15 to $20 per person, depending on appetite and thirst.