Grey Moss Inn Restaurant

Doesn't Recommend

Howard2008

Joined 5 years ago

Not Like It Used to Be. My wife and I visited tonight 25 years after our first (and only other visit). We were visiting SA from Houston. Our server (Aaron) was seldom around. The other server in the room made 3-4 passes through the dining room to his tables between one from ours. The first visit was 15-20 minutes after we arrived. There were only about a half dozen tables in use. The special 3-salad combo was very nice, although the 'white french' dressing tasted more like ranch. I had lamb chops, which were pretty good, although very light on the cabernet reduction - I ran out midway through the second of three chops. My wife had a ribeye which was also good.

The signature 'Grey Moss Inn Squash' comes with every meal. It is heavily seasoned with chili powder and got old quickly . Neither of us finished ours. No other vegetables are offered.

The opposite case was the Sour Cream Potato on the Half Shell. It was very bland. Even after adding butter and pepper it had little to offer. It is sad that they want $3 to add jalapeno to this dish. What a ripoff!

All told, we wish we had spent our time and money somewhere else.

Doesn't Recommend

TomandBarb

Joined 5 years ago

Terrible and disappointing experience. We had wonderful experiences at Grey Moss Inn prior to tonight. We were there 1 1/2 hrs. before our food came. My husband's steak was bloody so he sent it back. His lobster tail was squishy and raw. Before we knew this, he gave me a bite and I almost got sick. It was like chewing white fat. The squash au gratin, a house favorite, was hot and didn't go with the steak at all. Hy husband's jalapeno half shell potato was not tasty at all. I thought the soup, salad and coffee were very good. The food servers are nice and polite. But it was very hot and humid where we were sitting also. They finally turned on the air. At the end of the meal, I asked for a cup of coffee and the dessert menu. The coffee came, but the dessert menu never did. So we paid and left. I had heard GMI was under new management and the food had suffered as as result, but I didn't want to believe it. Sadly, I do now. We will never go back--especially after paying $100 for a substandard meal.

Doesn't Recommend

iwonderwhoitis

Joined 5 years ago

I would only go there for the features and the service...otherwise the place looks ridiculous....7 things about Grey Moss Inn you didn't know!!!!!!!!!!!!. 1. "It's more about the sizzle than the steak." Menus are rigged. "We list the item that makes the most profit first so it catches your eye," says consultant Linda Lipsky, "and bury the highest-cost item in the middle."

2. "Our markups are ridiculous." Coffee, tea, and sodas typically cost restaurants 15 to 20 cents per serving, and pasta, which costs pennies, can be dressed up with more expensive fare and sold for $25 a dish or more. Putting a chicken dish on the menu for $21 will make a $15 pasta dish, where the restaurant is making a big profit, seem like a bargain.

3. "Our specials are anything but." This is one where I must interject. Here, the features are amazing. And it is sad to say, that besides the service, the features are the only things that bring me back time and again.

4. "Nice tip -- too bad your waiter won't get it." According to federal law, only employees who customarily receive tips -- wait staff, hosts, bartenders and bussers -- can participate in the tip pool. But sometimes management takes a cut. In 2006, waitstaff from the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Mass., won $2.5 million in damages after complaining that managers dipped into their tips.

Recommends

steaklover22

Joined 6 years ago

Most exquisite dining experience in South Texas. This was my second visit to the Grey Moss Inn, and I enjoyed it even more thoroughly than the first. My first experience was with the food on the standard menu, and the second time my meal was all choices from the daily features. It had been several years between visits, and the decor, ambience, staff, and menu remain consistently exceptional. Our server had a french accent and treated us with utmost respect and was very knowledgeable regarding the 500+ wine list, while not being snooty. I had a seared tuna appetizer, along with a caesar salad wedge, followed by a magnificent grilled stuffed trout. My companion had the peppered ribeye and lobster tail. The lobster was extremely succulent, and the peppered ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium, with just a little bit of red juice from the steak so as to insure the flavors hadn't leaked from it. I'm not sure if the person writing a previous review got another restaurant confused with this one, but the steaks and seafood are far superior to those of the Barn Door or Pappadeaux, and you just can't beat the atmosphere and service!

Doesn't Recommend

blalllison

Joined 6 years ago

Avoid at all costs!. We were looking forward to a special dinner as it was our anniversary... so on the evening of 7 July 2007 we drove the 30 some odd miles from the Northeast side fo San Antonio to Grey Moss Inn. Our previous experiences there had been memorable. I read the reviews and could not believe the negative comments, so off we went! We went early and were greated at the door and immediately taken to our table. The atmosphere and the ambience were really nice. The service was acceptable. My wife order steak and I ordered the steak and the lobster combination. The sides were ok and were of adequate size.... the steak and the lobster were absolutely tasteless! I was shocked, as I remembered the flavor being very nice before. There was no flavor! Bland! Looking back I should have asked for A-1 for the steak. The lobster had no flavor, even with the drawn butter, the butter was the highlight of the lobster! My wife had to send her steak back to have it cooked to medium... it came out with "red" on the plate. The wine was very good... I left a nice tip for the waiteress as she did a good job and was apologetic for the steaks! This was my last trip to the Grey Moss Inn... I believe they have lost it.. Next time I will go to Papadeaux for lobster and the Barn Door for steak! To add insult to injury the cost of the meal was outrageous! Never again.

Recommends

hip2hick

Joined 6 years ago

Great Food and Good Service. My sister and I ended up here by chance one evening. While she had eaten here before, I had not. My sister knew there is a "daily" menu much different from the printed one. The printed one I beleive has not changed much over the years and is pretty extensive with most items from the "grill". Both of us consider ourselves "foodies".

We dined outside on the patio. A herb of deer went through the parking area while we were there. The wooded area is really pretty and I like dining al fresco. The inside was rustic and looked lovely.

We shared everything we ordered as we are grazers who love to try things. All the "daily" menu had interesting combinations. We started with a a cream of crab soup that had brie in it. A very good soup. While rich it was not overly rich. We had buffalo and shrimp empinadas with an avacado creme and a cucumber (cold) soup. On to the main course of lamb with mashed tators and hominy. All very good. We topped off the evening with a "dessert trio" which contained cannoli, orange creme (fabulous) and a lemon/almond cake with marsala creme. Everything was really very good and more "gourmet" then I had had since moving to SA. The entire meal cost us $70. The waiter was very good about us sharing everything and there was no extra "plate" charge. The service was friendly and not stuffy which I appreciate. Everyone was attentive and made good suggetions.

Recommends

themoosh77

Joined 6 years ago

good time. I recently dined at the Grey Moss Inn with my boyfriend. I had been hearing people talk about it all week. There were good and bad remarks, but mostly good, so I thought I would give it another go. I hadn't been in such a long time, and alot has changed. We had an incredibly wonderful experience there. I don't remember there being linens on the tables, so I was quite surprised to find a beautiful dining room. I do remember the rustic part. Some people sitting next to us had a rude comment for everything, including the "rustic" atmosphere. I think that's part of the charm. It seemed as though they went out that night to have a bad time, instead of a good one. We had a blast anyhow. I also don't remember the food being that good! The chef prepared the most outstanding hawaiian sea bass. I love morel mushrooms. My boyfriend was boring and got a steak, but I soon realized how un- boring his steak was. He ordered a medium rare smoked/grilled prime rib, complete with homemade horseradish sauce. The waitress was extremely outgoing and helpful. She answered our thousand questions without batting an eyelash. She also coached us through the wine book. I call it a book because it is huge. We had a little snag when the wine we all decided on was out, but I guess that's what happens when you have so many wines. Our waitress was quick to reccomend something similar, and was right on. Overall we had a great dinner. I just wish we would'nt have sat next to Mr. and Mrs. "we're too good for everyone".

Doesn't Recommend

rockyrider

Joined 6 years ago

Lost Luster. When phoning for reservations, I got Dr. Jekyll. The Maitre D' was Mr. Hyde. Bubbly phone person said if upon my arrival I wanted to be seated inside rather than outside, that would be easily accomodated. M.D. was exasperated when my dinner guests preferred to be inside. This resulted in a 20 minute, standing wait inside, where it smelled, well, mossy, next to an empty table that was right on the main pathway inside the door. Guess where we were eventually seated. By far and away, the worst table in the house. Sweaty waiter (remember, this is in the AC'd part of the restaurant) showed up 5 minutes after we were seated to get the drink order. If you order a martini stirred, not shaken, your drink is served room temperature. Bartender doesn't know the difference between "stirred" and "neat." Speaking of the bartender.... Finally got the merlot 10 minutes after the somewhat grisly steaks were served. Back to Mr. Sweaty. Had to read all of the specials, which really weren't special (or tantalizing as the menu would claim) at all. Didn't know that some of the items he read were gone. The house salad was on par with the salad you would get at Denny's. The decaf coffee was weak. The bus person a few tables away delighted in dropping, rather than gently placing the soiled plates into his big, grey tub. 45 minutes before closing time, the surrounding abandoned tables were stripped of the table cloths, down to the bare, mismatched table tops. Does somebody want to go home?

Certainly, not an awful experience. The noise level (outside of the brief plate crashing) was such that good conversation could be had and the house merlot was more than acceptable. But, when you travel over 1000 miles to entertain business associates at a restaurant that's been around all this time with a certain "good reputation," it becomes a letdown. I think they're resting on their bucolic laurels.

Recommends

ryanab

Joined 6 years ago

best food and ambiance to be found!. A few friends and I recently dined at the legendary Gray Moss inn and found the food and service infallible. Located out in romantic hill country in an idyllic town called Grey Forest, one can almost believe upon entering this tiny wildlife refuge that this is the realm brought to life by the Brothers Grimm. Upon arrival we were greated with enthusiasm by the professional, friendly staff , and aromas wafting from the huge mesquite grill in the center of the patio was enough to make even the most recalcitrant of tummies gurgle in anticipation. We were then escorted into a dining room that mesmerized the eyes with its gorgeous array of handsome tablecloths, shining silverware and polished glasses, old portraits on the walls, a fireplace, and mutitudes of glowing candles dripping wax in a kaleidoscope of colors. I dined on the fabulous Osso Bucco ( braised veal ) while my companions enjoyed steak, prime rib and lobster. Our knowledgeable French waiter ( yes, a real Frenchman! ) recommended a fine, adventurous wine from the vault and served our drinks and food with a flourish. After the entree, we then satiated ourselves with

a creme brulee and the divine, chocolate Queen Nell cake. We must have dined for over 2 hours, but none of us were ready to leave. We did so, reluctantly, amid grateful goodbyes from the staff and the accomodating host. The Gray Moss Inn was one of the best dining experiences I ever had, and my friends and I will not only spread the word, but continually return.

Recommends

monicadiamond

Joined 6 years ago

A Very Happy Birthday!!!. Recently I took my husband to the Grey Moss inn restaurant for his 24th birthday and the experience was more than delightful. My husband for past year had been going through a lot of personal problems and I wanted to really make his day memorable. We arrived around 6:30 and were actually greeted by two waiters who were prepping the outside dinning area, both were very nice greeted us both and showed us right in. We were seated right away in this corner table tucked away in a very elegant part of the restaurant; it had such a romantic environment we felt like we were in a romantic movie. The waiter soon followed and with him a great and vibrant personality. He was awesome just what my husband and I needed for this occasion. My husband and I are seafood lovers so we ordered the lobster. While we were waiting I still couldn't decide what alcoholic beverage to drink, our waiter suggested that I allow him to make me one of his best martini. It was excellent everything he said it would be. Our food arrived which looked and tasted great, the serving of lobster and sides was perfect. My husband was so pleased at how well proportioned the lobster was. And of course we had to have dessert the "strawberry supreme" to die for it had large strawberry slices marinated in Grand Marnier served with vanilla ice cream and of course whipped cream, so simple and so great. It was everything I asked for a romantic dinner by candle light, great drinks, great food, great staff, and of course great company. Oh yeah and by the way the martini was called the "luscious peach" and it put the L in luscious. My husband had a wonderful time he was so impressed. I am thankful to the Grey Moss Inn for making my husband's birthday such an unforgettable night.