Comments on: Sage: fine dining in the Deep Deuce

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:16:02 +0000

My office is in Bricktown so I have been to Sage for lunch frequently. I haven’t had any service problems. Since I go to lunch alone, I usually just sit at the bar and get great service. I love their Scallop, spinich & pear salad & if that’s all I am eating, I will splurge and get their lemon poppyseed cupcake when it is available – very good! When my time is short, I call in my order in advance even though I plan to eat there – the kitchen can be a little slow.l When I have done that, it works great. I only got the shrimp mac & cheese once but I had seen how large the serving size was so I asked for a to-go container when I ordered and immediately put 1/2 in the box and made another meal out of it. I frequently enjoy their specials that are not on the menu – veggie shrimp scampi over wild rice, veggie pizza on flat bread, full-size crabcake sandwich, and a chicken panini come to mind. I do enjoy being able to get fresh fruit as a side order for sandwiches. Sometimes the lunch special is just a discount price on something that is on their regular menu. That’s good too since I think their prices are a little high and they don’t participate in any of the discount cards like the OKCityCard or KeepItLocalOK.

By: sarah

sarah — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 20:10:38 +0000

had brunch here today – the turkey sausage and havarti fritata with breakfast potatoes. the potatoes were yummy – almost caramelized with red peppers and onions. fritata was chock full of yummy veggies. both could have used a little salt, which the waiter offered, but i refused since trying to cut back anyway. service is fine, but food always seems slow coming out of the kitchen. i’ve been several times this past year, and this is always the case, but it won’t keep me from going back.

By: Wimpy

Wimpy — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:53:44 +0000

Tried this place for lunch today, they were out of several items we tried to order, seemed impatient for us to order something, so I had the Tuna sandwich,with Waldorf salad it was ok, but nothing special, my wife had Turkey sand. sort of plain ( out of avocado ) just not enough going for this place for a return trip, also not a good value as it is over-priced for average, ordinary,lunch fare !

By: Griffin Brown

Griffin Brown — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:41:21 +0000

The first time that I ate at Sage, I loved it. I honestly thought that I would end up being a regular here. The second time that I ate there, I decided to never go back.

My fiance and I ordered a Greek burger with a tossed salad as our side. We ate a few bites of the burger and it was PHENOMENAL! I ate a few bites of the tossed salad and then noticed something gross. There were 2 clumps of dirt (about 1 centimeter across), a twig, and a live bug. It was obvious that the lettuce had not been washed. It seemed completely inappropriate that according to the CDC more outbreaks of Salmonella are caused by unclean lettuce every year than chicken products.

The disgusting salad (which was unfortunately the same lettuce as on my burger) ruined our lunch. The way the manger treated us afterward ruined Sage for us.

The manager came to us and told us that because they use organic lettuce, it is harder to clean. She actually came across as a snob and made us feel like we had done something wrong. I told her that it was inexcusable to have clumps of dirt, twigs, and live bugs. She told us that she would comp our meal because of the misunderstanding.

So, we got a free meal that we barely started (because neither of us had the stomach to touch after seeing the live bug in it). We were almost lectured on the virtues of organic farming, when it was Sage’s fault for not cleaning the lettuce. And now, we have a gift card that we were going to use and we’re going to throw it away.

It’s so sad because I thought it was a great addition to the OKC restaurant scene. Unfortunately, I’ll never go back there again.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:59:07 +0000

I go to Sage frequently and I really enjoy the food and the atmosphere. The title of this article is a little misleading I think, because Sage doesn’t seem to be trying to be “fine dining.” I would probably categorize them as “upscale casual.” Service is fairly casual but still attentive. I have never experienced “bad” service there but then again I don’t expect a server to kiss my feet or “entertain” me. Also, I don’t know if they have “the original” mac and cheese but I know it’s delicious! My favorite is the Greek mac with feta… yumm! I also recently went to an event in the space next door to the restaurant (the owners) are renting it out as event space) and it was a lot of fun.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:43:25 +0000

I’ve been to Sage a few times since October, and from the sound of it I think that they are beginning to get their act together. The main guy that I always see in there (forgive me for not knowing his name) has always been very helpful and knows just when to come around, but seems that there is just him and one other waitress 80% of the time. I haven’t had any problems with the service, except that it feels like they’re short handed and maybe a little scattered. I don’t mind though, because I like being able to enjoy my food and conversation without being interrupted. I guess maybe I’m seeing it as having a bit more laid back atmosphere than everyone else is expecting. That being said, I love the food and the Happy Hour specials make it even better. I’ve tried each of the Mac’s and loved them all, though they are best shared or taken home as tomorrow’s lunch. I will most definitely have to try Iron Star’s Mac soon as well.

By: Kacy

Kacy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:58:36 +0000

I live in Deep Deuce and visit Sage frequently. The staff has gotten to know me so I tend to get great service, but the first few time I went there it was iffy. The drinks are definitely great and I love that they have Coop on tap. I recently had the caesar salad and loved it, and I’m very picky about salads. The Greek mac ‘n cheese is my fave entree. Their salsa is really fresh and amazing.

By: Alexis

Alexis — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:23:43 +0000

I have been twice and the service was lacking both times. There are just so many other options that are so much better. That being said I did like the salt bar, a unique concept that I enjoyed tasting.

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:28:00 +0000

thanks for your insight Steven! I totally agree with you.

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:37:13 +0000

I’d say the reviews of this place are spot on with my experiences. I’m a downtowner and I really want this place to succeed, but I wonder if Kevin & Charifa actually read the reviews of their place.

I’ve had several of the mac & cheeses (what I was looking forward to the most) and they are less than expected. As far as “original” I agree they are not. There are plenty of local places that have gourmet mac longer than Sage has been around. Red Prime is the best IMO, but I have yet to try the one at Deep Fork described above.

Service has been less than par, the dressings and fried tomatoes were outstanding the first time I went and the second time I went they were horrible. Service was slow and didn’t seem educated on what they were serving, etc.

I hope the Smith’s get their act together, I really want this place to succeed AND IMPROVE. The Deep Deuce crowd is populated enough the place can probably get by (and has a high enough turnover of residents), however without the owners reading the constant mediocre reviews of the place, I don’t see them improving. Wishes for the best!

By: danielle

danielle — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:56:40 +0000

Okay, I loved this restaurant. The atmosphere was amazing. I ate several things. The hot wings (which were amazing with the avocado ranch, I licked the bowl clean), fried green tomatoes (also amazing), salad can’t remember which but that was gone too. I also sampled my friends shrimp mac and cheese (yummy!). Afterwards, I proceeded to get a red velvet cupcake and coffee which were great. Cupcake was nice and moist and the coffee which is their own special blend was perfect with a little cream. Obviously, after all that I ate I had to go for a walk in bricktown which was fine with me. A sidenote: the mojitos were perfect. Not too sweet, not too sour. Will be going back many times.

By: Snowful

Snowful — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:23:20 +0000

Try the chocolate cake! It’s the best of the desserts I’ve tried so far and it’s big enough for 4 or 5 people to share!

By: Malerie

Malerie — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:40:28 +0000

The main reason I chose to dine at sage was for the mac. Along with three friends, we sat outside and shared each of the four kinds offered. The shrimp mac was my favorite. The atmosphere was fun and we enjoyed our drinks but the service nearly ruined our experience. Our waiter was uninformed, not helpful, and not interested.
I don’t think we will return for dinner, but brunch is fantastic! The oatmeal waffles, sausage, and quality of fruit have been perfect each time we have been there! This is highly recommended!!

By: Kaylee

Kaylee — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:51:44 +0000

I ate at Sage with some coworkers at lunch about 2 or 3 months ago and I was not impressed. I got the mac n cheese and didn’t even hardly touch it. To me it was waaay to much, waaay to rich, and the flavor wasn’t even that interesting. It was $10 or $11 and I did NOT think it was worth it. My coworkers had a slightly more satisfying experience but I don’t think I’ll be going back.

By: Bryce

Bryce — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:21:59 +0000

I am looking forward to trying Sage’s Mac & Cheese. However, about it being the “original” I’m not sure. If you haven’t tried it you need to get the Mac & Cheese at the Deep Fork Grill, it is insanely good (and very rich)! It is expensive for a pasta dish, but definitely worth it. Here is the description from their dinner menu:

Mac and Cheese
Truffled asiago cream with smoked tomatoes – 15
Add pulled rotisserie chicken – 4, add sauteed jumbo shrimp – 8, add lobster – 12

My mouth is watering right now thinking about it.

By: Buck

Buck — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:06:10 +0000

Personally – I can almost deal with sub par food than sub par service in a restaurant. It takes very little for waiter/waitress to be engaging; informed and can make ‘not so great food’ better simply by great service. I too want Sage to succeed. But their service must be a priority if they will ever taste success.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:58:22 +0000

This is the second place I’ve read commentary on questionable service levels. Until that aspect gets resolved for them, there are simply too many venues where service isn’t an issue for fancy mac and cheese to draw me in.

By: Anon Reader Dude

Anon Reader Dude — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:37:50 +0000

My food experiences have been a bit mixed at Sage. I do like the mac and cheese (though Iron Starr’s is even better!), and also the shrimp and grits.

Service has been flaky at times, and the staff can be somewhat uninformed about their own wine list. However, the trend seems to be slowly improving. Service kinks are to be expected at a new restaurant.

I plan to keep going every so often. I am rooting for Sage. This place has some good dishes, a nice interior, and is in a great, up and coming location downtown.

By: Dena

Dena — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:27:35 +0000

I have to agree with Jennifer on the fact that they call their Mac & Cheese the original. Iron Starr’s is superb. However, I can’t wait to try it. Maybe for dinner, their lunch seems to be having more problems with service.

By: Kelly Duke

Kelly Duke — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:57:54 +0000

I like the food at Sage but the service I have had the three times I have been during lunch have all been sub-par. I will not return due to the service and this is unfortunate because the food is very good. I have only been during lunch and I have been with small parties around 11-11:30.