Old Hickory Steakhouse - Aurora

This was a really frustrating meal. We went up to the host stand at 6PM to ask if there was a wait and were told that at 6:30 a table would be ready. We happily went outside to listen to some live music and enjoy the beautiful night. We did not receive a text and returned at about 6:40PM, finding three people at the host stand who all ignored us while cleaning menus as we walked up.We were then told that no tables were available inside, but that we could sit outside. I responded with "That 's fine provided the bug situation isn 't bad out there. What 's the bug situation like out on your patio? "Now, if they had told me that it 's a bit of an issue and we could weigh the option to weight for an interior table or choose to deal with the bugs, that 's totally cool. But, the expectation I got was from their response of "The bugs aren 't a problem at all out there. "Surprised and pleased, thinking they must have some kind of mitigation on their patio (or even that it was enclosed) left me satisfied enough to agree and away we went.We walked through a nearly empty restaurant with empty table after empty table inside and were guided to our table on the near empty patio. I understand the idea of reservations, etc., but it was odd that there were this many and we 'd waited 40 minutes.Immediately I noticed there were small fan-like devices designed to keep bugs away. I rolled with it as ours was placed on our table.I fished two small bugs out of my water as our appetizers/bread was served. Again, I rolled with it knowing we 're out in the elements, though a bit frustrated that our expectations weren 't managed.But, when this larger bug drowned himself in my old fashioned I became frustrated.We received GREAT service from our server, Evie all night. She was kind, personable, and knowledgable. It was during our dinner course so she wasn 't checking in as often and after 10-12 minutes of staring at my drink, I finally went up to the bar.We were done with our meal at this point and I really didn 't want another drink, I simply wanted to bring it to someone 's attention and have it removed from our tab. But, the bartender was quick to be kind in replacing the drink and Evie brought the replacement to our table.We spent a little longer than we 'd intended at our table as my partner and I shared the replacement Old Fashioned.We left, extremely satisfied with the quality of our food and drink, and with the service we had received once seated. But, I can 't help being frustrated that a simple question about managed expectations with bugs colored our whole dinner. It 's fine that there are bugs. It 's outside, we get it. But just manage our expectations when we ask.Also, a restaurant that charges $6 just for the table bread, let alone the a la carte menu for a pricy dinner, should have friendly, knowledgable people as the first line of customer experience.This may be a problem with the entire property at the Gaylord as every host staff seemed frazzled and a little overwhelmed when we simply asked to be seated. We met one good host who was not only attentive but kind, focused, and just knew how to do their job at the sports bar. But, Old Hickory was by far the worst of them all.The product on site is incredible and the wait staff and bartenders are top notch. This seems like an easy fix to train up the host staff.What concerned me more is I asked/offered to express these concerns to a manager and was told that the server/bartender staff had expressed the same concerns to management repeatedly and had those concerns fall on deaf ears. When I asked if I could speak with someone myself, in a genuinely effort and want to help things improve, I was told that management wouldn 't listen to me on site and that reviews online were the only way to create any kind of change.We 're not planning to come back to the property as the entire weekend has been pedestrian at best for the price and there are a LOT of more enjoyable places to stay in Denve

Well worth the price and lovely experience. The perfect ending of my stay in CO. I had the ribeye, sautéed spinach, smashed potatoes (forgot what they were called), and vanilla crème brûlée, and the best old fashioned I have ever had. The ribeye was cooked to perfection with the truffle butter. The sides are shareable for 2. An astounding meal and service

Beautiful restaurant with average food. My 24 oz ribeye was a little chewy for the price, but my wife's fillet was perfect. Crazy prices, but so is everything else in the Denver area.

I recently dined here with my family and was thoroughly impressed. The restaurant's mountain-themed ambiance created a cozy atmosphere. The service was exceptional, with attentive and friendly staff checking in on our table frequently. One tip: if you're paying for parking, make sure to validate your ticket at the restaurant.Our order included the salmon entree, a NY strip, and a bone-in NY strip. The meat's temperature was spot on, and both steaks were bursting with flavor and juiciness. We also indulged in the Mac and cheese and whipped Yukon potatoes, which were generously portioned and easily enough for three people to share. The wine selection was extensive. The prices are leaning towards the higher end for a steakhouse. Despite this, the quality made it worth every penny. Should I find myself in the area again, I wouldn't hesitate to return for another memorable meal.

We got the filet, ribeye, and the bison ribeye along with brussel sprouts, asparagus, and potatoes. Wait time wasn't bad, I think we had a 20 minute wait. The Caesar salad was delicious. All of our steaks were cooked perfectly.