Z's Oyster Steakhouse - Indianapolis

I chose the swordfish, which was a generous portion and well-seasoned with a flavorful rub, accompanied by a decent pepper-spiced aioli. Although it was a thick cut, it was slightly overcooked for my liking, but still enjoyable. My wife ordered the special seafood soup, which she liked, though it didn’t quite live up to her expectations based on her previous experiences with cioppino in San Francisco and our own cooking. When I tasted it, I found the broth somewhat lacking; it needed better seasoning since I couldn't detect the saffron it was supposed to have. A hint of garlic would have really elevated the flavor. The soup tasted like it was made from the same base stock as the bisque, which also had that fishy aftertaste. While there was a good amount of shellfish, it was a bit overcooked, and there was an excessive quantity of white fish that was also cooked a touch too long. In summary, our dinner was worthwhile, with some standout dishes and a few disappointments. I would consider returning, especially now that I know what to avoid and how to ask for my fish to be cooked a little less than usual. However, I do have some concerns about their long-term viability given the sparse crowd. It seems like the economy might be impacting them, as their prices are relatively high, which is likely justified by the high costs of quality seafood, especially with transportation expenses these days. I genuinely hope they can improve and achieve success, since it's tough to find really good seafood in Indiana, and Z's is clearly putting in a strong effort to provide it. I would rate them an A for effort but a B- for execution.

The managers genuinely cared about our experience and checked in with us a couple of times to make sure everything was satisfactory. We wrapped up our meal with a Gran Marnier soufflé and some port—simply delicious!

We recognize that we should have spoken up at the time, but we didn’t want to make my shy daughter feel uncomfortable. So, the following day, we decided to contact the manager, who sincerely apologized for our experience. We ended up with a bill of $250 without even ordering any alcohol, making it the worst dining experience we've ever encountered. While I appreciate the manager's apology and the business card he sent us, I believe it would have been more thoughtful if he had offered some form of compensation. As it stands, we're left with a disappointing $250 bill and my daughter remembers this night as her unfortunate birthday dinner.