I was looking forward to eating there but after a long period of no service we left to eat somewhere else. I don't even know which server was ours because they never came to our table. There were several servers wandering around acting busy but none of the other 5 tables seated had food either.
(1)
Charlie G.
My coworkers and I came for lunch at noon. We sat there for nearly 30 minutes and didn't even get served water. One of my coworkers even went to tell a waiter we haven't been served but still no one came.
(1)
Izza J.
The inside decor is pretty dated but maybe that's what they are going for. The views are what make it really nice and the outdoor seating option along the river is pretty great. There are not many places in the area that offer that. I came here for lunch and was not very hungry so I order the house salad with seared salmon. The house dressing was excellent. The salad was, well a salad lol. The salmon was overcooked and kind of tough. The staff was attentive and nice. I wasn't very impressed but I will try coming again for dinner and maybe later in the summer season to take advantage of outdoor seating.
(3)
Kyriea D.
I would have given no stars but since that's not possible, I "did them a favor" by giving them one. We were told that we were done a favor by even getting a table because we didn't make our reservation. Our food was awful and customer service was atrocious. We didn't touch our food it was so bad and they still wouldn't comp it. We were given two appetizers when we ordered one, and another beer that we didn't order. They wanted us to pay for them but we refused because we didn't order them. We waited a long time for our food and when we told the waitress it was bad, she brought the manager out. Instead of being understanding or show any sort of kindness, we were told that we shouldn't come back and our kind wasn't welcome. What kind of people were we? Compassionate people, who work in or with food service. Maybe they thought that since we were from the festival, or maybe we looked a lot like hippies, they felt the need to tell us that, but no matter the reason, that was so inexcusable, there is no reason to talk that way to paying customers. This is the worst service I have EVER had. I will never come here again and strongly advise against anyone else from coming here. I don't know how they are still in business...
(1)
Samantha A.
Initially, I visited the Emporium because I was hot, and they were the closest indoor establishment. I really wanted to love it... but I didn't. I'd like to give it a second try though in hopes of really falling in love with it. Let me fill you in.... We visited during the SB150 festival, and as soon as we walked in, I could tell they were having a hard time keeping up! After being told that multiple servers called off work and that they were short staffed, I immediately empathized with them (I have been a server myself ). We asked how long it would take to be seated, and the hostess told us 30-40 minutes. We put our name in, but after about 5 minutes decided that we would just order food to go because we were starving and knew our food wouldn't take that long to make. Here is what we ordered-- 1 house salad (add chicken) 1 greek salad, 1 hummus plate, 1 kids pasta marinara. 5 minutes after we put our order in (this is a wait time of about 15 minutes) she calls our name out for a table. Since it came up WELL before the projected time (which I totally understand happens sometimes) we asked if we could just go ahead and take the table. She said "No, you can't do both." So, we went ahead and took a seat to wait for our salads in the lobby. 45 minutes later....... We got our food. It was honestly pretty good. A generous portion and the different types of hummus were delicious. The wait was awful.... and the organization was a little lax... but I want to go back and try it out for real (fully staffed :) )!!! When I do go back I really and truly hope to see more organization!! This is a restaurant that has so much history in our town... I hate to see all of these reviews talking about its decline :(
(3)
Amy K.
Haven't been here in years but stopped in for lunch the other day. They have a basic, unobjectionable lunch menu and the prices are good. I accidentally wore flip flops there and they didn't even give me the stank eye. Nothing too crazy but they're ok at what they do.
(3)
Tessa S.
We went because of a restaurant.com voucher and we were impressed. The fried mozzarella appetizer was delicious- good quality cheese covered with cornflake-like batter. Not the typical mozzarella sticks. The hummus trio was ok. The flavors of the fish tacos were amazing & balanced. And the truffle fries were so good we enjoyed them without ketchup. My husband had the burger- it tasted fresh & was good quality meat. We finished off the meal with the homemade chocolate pecan pie, which was to die for. Everything was served at the right temperature, and the service was friendly. We chatted with our server for a bit, as we were the only ones in the place. We were just passing through; I can't imagine why more people don't eat here. It is amazing food & if we were local we would definitely come back. The view of the river is pretty neat and the building itself is old & had lots of heavy dark wood- very historical-looking. Hope ya'll enjoy!!
(4)
Derrick J.
We went to The Emporium expecting some great corned beef, but what we ended up with was something completely different. From the moment the plate was set in front of me, I knew something was off. I was served 4 dry slices of meat which tasted nothing like corned beef, but more like ham. My partner however got the Sheppard's pie which was ok. The chef made a valiant attempt but fell short.
(2)
Katherine P.
Love these place. We went during lunch and I got the steak tips sandwich. IT WAS AMAZING. We went back at dinner time and the food was still amazing. I got the chicken salad on pita. However, food is MUCH pricier at dinner time. I love the look of the inside, and it's right on the river. Very beautiful place. Wait staff was great as well.
(5)
Jillian B.
the food was great. I got the tuna BLT, and the tuna was cooked to a perfect rare. the ambiance was very nice, service was a little slow
(4)
Ashley C.
Our service was awesome! Our meals were all outstanding. My husband and friend each got the New York strip and they were very happy with them. My friend got the farfalle pasta and it was incredible. I got the grilled meatloaf and omg it was amazing. Drinks were awesome - desserts were really good. The atmosphere is a little strange but we were happy with our meal.
(5)
Jason T.
I was hoping to eat at a diner by Notre Dame in South Bend, but that didn't happen. Not much to choose from, so we chose location. East Bank was right on the water and had a great view. The place was empty, but maybe there aren't a lot of people in South Bend so we didn't let that deter us. French Onion Soup - mine's better. Hamburger - not good. Meatloaf Platter - it was ok. I wouldn't go back.
(1)
Betty P.
We had the duck confit taco appetizer, mushroom Brie burger, and grilled meatloaf. It was all good. I particularly liked dipping my perfect French fries in the meatloaf gravy. We ate outdoors on the patio. It was a gorgeous day for it. Service was pleasant, but I felt like we got a little ripped off because they didn't explain the restaurant deal to us very well. It gets only 3 stars because it didn't blow our minds. I won't say "no" to eating here in the future, but it wasn't so memorable that I would think of it as an option.
(3)
Eric R.
I went here for the first time for a holiday dinner and ordered their special dinner. I have to say it was very good, and I did not go home hungry. The meal came with rolls and side salad that where both good. Over all the inside looks great too.
(4)
J T.
Friendly staff, very helpful. Menu has some good French treats on it. I would make a reservation, and take a date!
(4)
Amy E.
My boyfriend and I visited this restaurant for the first on our anniversary last night. We were promptly seated by one of the friendly hosts. About 10 minutes later a young lady asked if we would like drinks and I said yes, 2 waters please and could you bring us a drink menu. She said she is allowed to serve drinks. I am assume she is underage. A few seconds later our waitress brought us waters and we told her the other girl was bringing us a drink menu. She said okay and walked away. The other girl came back and said we have to go downstairs to the bar to order drinks. We figured we would just wait for our server to come back and order at that time. 10 minutes pass and I just suggested my boyfriend go down and get them from the bar. He did so and the host walked them back up for us. We put in our order including an appetizer of Ahi Tuna. Our salads and soup arrive....then the waitress informs us the kitchen JUST told her they do not have the Ahi Tuna. We order Calamari instead. The calamari was more than disappointing....it looked and tasted like fish sticks. I am NOT exaggerating. The same fish sticks your mom made you as a kid. We aren't the type to complain so we laughed about it and ate our fish sticks. Our food comes out. I ordered the Herb Crusted Salmon with asparagus and Garlic Mash potatoes....the asparagus was less than half cook. It was still cold and hard. The garlic mash potatoes were good but there wasn't even a hint if garlic in them. My boyfriends meal was fine. I don't know if we just went on a bad day. Everyone was running around like crazy talking about how busy it was. I assume they do not get packed often and it was a surprise to them. Our server was pleasant and I believe on a regular day she is probably a great server. I don't think we will be going back there again. Cool place. Not so cool service.
(1)
Ed J.
Had not been to this place in about 25 years. I remembered it was overpriced and the food was nothing special. Yup. Same old, same old. We went on a football Friday and seating was wide open. The interior is super nice with lots of polished wood and old brick. The location is pretty sweet, right on the riverwalk. The server tried hard to relate to us football fans, but it was obvious she was not at all invested in ND football. I appreciate the effort. I really dislike unctuousness, though. I had heard about the meatloaf and thought I might try it. $18. Are you serious?!!!! I ended up with a 12 oz ribeye for $21. Basic baked potato available at any Wendys, and some green beans with the standard butter/seasoned salt glaze. The meat quality was pretty good. I asked for medium. It came back just this side of medium rare, which I love, but never dare ask for unless I am in a place I fully trust. So, the cook got it way right without trying to, but was wrong. Lots of fat trimming lent the steak great flavor. My companions got nondescript sandwiches. One went for the meatloaf and said it was in no way special or worth the $. The server didn't ignore us, but she was not around the table as often as she should have been - especially given how low the customer count was. She did get everyone's order correctly and she had a good understanding of the menu. In the right hands, with a true upscale menu and presentation, this place could do very well. Overall, no need for me to return. It's definitely overpriced and there are far too many better options in the area.
(2)
Amy H.
Unfortunately, my experience with the Emporium continues to decline. My last trip was dinner for four with my future in-laws. We were seated immediately as the restaurant was not busy on a Tuesday evening. Our waitress greeted us with a "hey, what's up?". We ordered drinks (2 beers and 2 glasses of wine) and a appetizer. Our drinks and water were never refilled. The fried zucchini appetizer is decent - nice big spears fried crisp with a dill dipping sauce. Our waitress tried serving our dinners without clearing the salad or appetizer plates - needless to say, there wasn't room and we were basically trying to bus our own table. I ordered the polynesian chicken with asparagus. The asparagus was good, but the chicken and wild rice was so incredibly salty. My fiance and his mother both ordered the pork tenderloin and it was so overcooked and dried. The demi-glaze was more of a congealed gravy. They said the garlic mashed potatoes were ok. My future father in-law ordered the 6 oz sirloin with a baked potato, both were ok. Service was sub-par at best. The Emporium has a long history in South Bend and is locally owned, I just wish they could get their act together and upgrade the food and service.
(2)
Alden E.
In town for business; month of March. Ate at the Emporium per the recommendation of our hotel. The menu offers a lot of selection and intrigue but the food was awful. Would never return nor would I advise anyone make the same mistake my colleagues and I made by eating here. I'm sure the river view is nice in the summer but the food is that bad that you're better off eating somewhere else.
(1)
Cassie H.
My husband and I were looking for a place by the river with outdoor seating to have a lunch date. The Emporium is one of the few options on the river in South Bend but we weren't expecting much because of all the negative reviews it has received. We were pleasantly surprised! The outdoor seating was very nice and right on the river. Inside the restaurant was styled with nice, dark wood and big windows. We ordered the turkey wrap and the Polynesian chicken... the food was what we expected, not gourmet, but enjoyable! The server was quick and friendly. Based on our expectations, and the cost, The Emporium made for a lovely lunch date!
(4)
Yamy H.
We went here for my husband's birthday. It was a perfect day to dine outside by the river. Very good location. Gives you a view of the river and the art museum. Parking lot is terrible. I hope they renovate it. Wait staff was awful. They had us waiting for service water for more than 30minutes. They served us the wrong food (for another table). Salad is terrible. Had some bad water taste to it. Just house salad with choice of dressing. We tried raspberry vinaigrette and avocado garlic. I ordered medium well 6oz top sirloin. It came over done and dry. I just went by it with plenty of table salt. Mashed potatoes aren't tasty as well. Husband tried the Fettucine Alfredo. He didn't like it. He'd rather have my home made one. 2 of our guests tried the seafood pasta. It tasted bland and unseasoned. None of us finished our plate. There was an event of 50 people inside the restaurant. Can't get hold of any wait staff. They all look panicky. Terrible management, in my opinion. Should have added staff into the floor for better flow. Will not return.
(2)
Andrew M.
I was very pleased with the menu choices, prices, and quality of food. Nothing, however, can beat the view of downtown South Bend--especially at night. This is definitely somewhat of a hidden gem in the city. I recommend it to everyone.
(5)
B. N.
The food is good and the atmosphere is upscale casual. The building is incredible and sets a lovely backdrop of old world meets the modern world sort of ambiance if you sit inside. It has been quiet when I stop in for lunch during the day. I enjoy riding my bike there and sitting outside by the river on warmer days. I'd recommend this as a place for a family dinner, a casual date, or lunch.
(4)
Brian J.
Stopped in during Restaurant week and had the Polynesian chicken....meh. Service was pretty good. Mojitos were fantastic, but I really wish they would have comped my drink after I found a large piece of paper towel floating in my drink. I sent it back and she brought another. Salad dressing was good....
(2)
Em J.
One of the best views in town: Always a nice lunch. I'm bumping up to 5 stars from 4 due to the very professional and friendly staff. Everyone from the front desk, to the server, to the kitchen staff should be commended for their courteous manner. Excellent service goes a long way with me, especially when entertaining out of town guests. Keep up the good work Emporium!
(5)
Cari A.
If you are looking for a beef jerky of a ribeye or really dry chicken, this place is for you! Couldn't believe the crap food and service we received here on Saturday night! We came in to a half empty restaurant and was told it would be a 15 - 20 minute wait... so we had a drink in the bar (best portion of the restaurant). I had never been there before and I enjoyed the charm of the old wood, the beautiful stained glass windows and the views of the river. Fast forward 20 minutes, my boyfriend went to check on when we were going to get a table and it's like they had forgotten about us. One waitress/hostess/whatever she was leaned on a column nearly the entire time we were there. Literally just stood there like supporting the column was her job! Anyway, we were served burnt dinner rolls, had our soup and salad immediately then waited 30+ minutes for our nasty dry dinner. I got the teriyaki chicken with grilled pineapple on top, and the cook didn't even bother to take off the rind of the pineapple slice. And it was so dry, it reminded me of that turkey from Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. So gross, definitely would never go back even if the food was free.
(1)
Tom K.
I haven't been here in a long time so a group of us decided to try them out. I used to be a fan of potato skins but they only give you 5 for $7 so that seems a bit much for me. The group decided to try the brie and mushrooms and they were both very good. We all ordered steak dishes - two had the steak provolone with mushrooms and another order the steak salad with raspberry dressing. It was very good overall.
(3)
Kenneth L.
We went here for late lunch on a Sunday most everyone was dining outside and there was no wait. We were seated and our server came right over to take our drink orders. The food is what we have come to expect from The Emporium good and the service was good as well.
(3)
Brooks G.
The wife's steak was awful. My chicken was bad. We even sent her steak back and the replacement was bad. Avoid this place. It was a good place in its day. Too bad that day has passed.
(1)
Wink B.
Interesting place, but not very comfortable. The "river view" is only in effect if you're sitting outside, as the indoor seating is more towards the center of the place, not optimizing the west-facing windows at all. A very nice bar area, but it was not utilized at all. The food is rather disappointing. Seared Ahi Tuna looked and tasted pre-prepared. Wild mushroom chicken pasta was overwhelmed with pepper and salt, and the chicken was pretty nasty. The steak was ok, nothing special. Creme brulee was some cheap, waxy pudding with a layer of rock candy on top. Soup, store-bought dinner rolls, and butter were the highlights of the meal. If you're going to eat here, go with the steak and salad, and avoid the chicken, pasta, and most of the appetizers. Steak Neptune is particularly good... or was... I don't know about the new management.
(3)
JULIE T.
I liked this place a lot! Came for lunch. Fair prices ($8ish) and GREAT Cod fish and chips!!!!!!! I finished off everything, and I never do that. can't wait to come back. service was polite and timely. even sent us off with to-go soft drinks in styro cups. nice touch.
(5)
T T.
Nice view, decent food, bit oily to my taste!
(4)
Catherine W.
We ordered steaks and they were overdone. There weren't many healthy options on the menu.
(2)
Tom D.
Me and 4 buddies stopped at the Emporium on Saturday night for dinner after our yearly pilgrimage to South Bend for a Notre Dame game. We got to the restaurant around 8:15 and found it still fairly busy inside but the outside seating still had space and it was a nice night so we grabbed tables there. The outside seating area is right along the river and has to be a great place to go on a summer afternoon/evening. Even in the early fall though it was still pretty nice. The waitress, Brittany, was over quickly taking our drink order and letting us know the specials. She was very friendly and joined right in talking about the game, then joking and teasing along with us. For dinner I knew the best way to top off a guys weekend would be a steak so I went with a NY Strip, my favorite cut. The steak came out and was well cooked and very flavorful. It also came with 2 sides and a salad. The sides (garlic mashed potatoes & broccoli) were good, nothing special. The salad was larger than I expected and was pretty good. The Emporium is a nice restaurant, in an attractive location with good food and a friendly staff. Sounds like 4 stars to me. I think there's a good chance the Emporium will be on our list for dinner on our next trip to South Bend.
(4)
Christina P.
I've dined at Emporium a few times throughout the years, mainly because it's one of the few restaurants in the area with a good outdoor dining area and view of the river. We hadn't been here since a year or two ago when we were met with a, "well that was odd..." moment, but we didn't remember it until after this evening's visit. The two of us arrived around 6:30-7 on a Thursday evening. I quickly glanced at the "special of the evening" board before walking in. The hostess greeted us and asked for our seating preference and since it was a fairly quiet evening we were seated immediately. We only waited a few seconds before our waiter came up to our table, asked us how we were, introduced himself, and told us about the special of the evening, which was herb-incrusted sea scallops ("the really big kind," according to our waiter) with two sides. We both thought we heard him say it was $16.99. After taking our drink orders (the raspberry iced tea is very delicious here) we were left to peruse the menu. Neither of us were particularly hungry and were just looking for a nice, light dinner. Originally, we had decided on each ordering an appetizer, though the sea scallops sounded tempting. A quick read through the menu showed that the original sea scallop entree includes risotto for $18.99; we assumed that the lack of risotto is why the special was two dollars less. Our waiter returned a few minutes to take our order. We ordered the baked brie with almonds and toasted bread appetizer, then asked if it would be alright to split the special sea scallop entree. He assured us it would be completely alright, then asked if we wanted the side salad split between two plates. Of course we said yes, and thanked him for offering. The salad, a basic side salad that was heavy on the croutons but only contained one grape tomato per plate, had an alright blend of lettuces, though I would appreciate if a restaurant of this caliber refrained from using iceberg lettuce. Compared to similar restaurants I've dined at in bigger cities, they wouldn't have dreamed of using iceberg as the garnish. The dinner rolls were warmed and were kind of our favorite part. I'm not sure if they make the rolls in house or if they're frozen, but they were decent and the whipped butter was nice. And then our entree arrived on one plate. In the past when the waiter knew an order was being split, they would have made sure tell the kitchen to divide it between two plates. However, we had to dish it out onto the second plate ourselves. The entree was decent but not spectacular, especially for the price. This isn't unique to Emporium; rather, it's an issue I've noticed all throughout South Bend, that being inflated prices with no real standard set for what fine dining means. But we did expect that, having dined here before, so that wasn't a problem. As for the meal itself, the five herb-crusted scallops were rather small, not "the big kind" like we had been told. We figured the standard for "the big kind" can vary by person so we shrugged it off, but it definitely seemed like more of an appetizer portion in total. We both thought the pairing of the herb crust with the accompanying thick blueberry sauce to be too many contrasting flavors for one plate and skipped the sauce. The two sides of wild rice and asparagus were alright but not outstanding. Once we finished, our waiter asked if we would like dessert, to which we declined, then brought us our check. That is where we paused, for instead of the $16.99 special we both thought we heard, we were charged $19, pre tax. Now we were very confused. Did we both hear our waiter wrong or did the special change? And if the special changed, why was it the same price as the normal entree, without risotto? Whatever the problem was, we paid our bill. On the way out, we asked the hostess the price of the special. She said that it was probably the same price as in the menu. When we looked on the board just outside of the door, it didn't list a price, but neither of us had read the board closely in the first place. A few hours later we were still perplexed, so we called Emporium to inquire about the special. There was some confusion as to what came with the herb-crusted scallops, but eventually we were told that the "scallops are served on a bed of rice and comes with two sides." On a bed of rice? Did they mean the risotto, meaning that we paid full price for a "special" but only received half of the entree? In any case, we were reminded why we only come here during lunchtime for soups, salads, and raspberry iced teas. The three stars are mostly for the pleasant and attentive service we received, minus the pricing issue because we aren't entirely sure where the fault lies.
(3)
Temple S.
HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. WILL NEVER RETURN. I don't even want to give one star. I was with a party of seven, two were small children. We were there on a Saturday and there were only 4 tables occupied in the entire restaurant. I now know why. We waited almost an hour and still did not have our entrees. Drinks were slow as well as appetizers. The table next to us said their food took forever as well. My children were very hungry after 50 minutes of waiting for their food (my son only ordered a cup of soup!). I went inside and politely asked for a manager. I spoke to the general manager, Sean, and told him we had waited for almost an hour and still did not have our entrees. Rather than immediately apologize and check up on the situation, he got defensive and told me he saw us walk in and that we did NOT wait for an hour. He then checked the computer to see what time our food order was sent to the kitchen and essentially told me we had only waited a 1/2 hour for our entrees since the time the order was sent to the kitchen. I was appalled, to say the least. Even people who have not worked in the restaurant industry know that this is not an accurate way to gauge how long people have waited for food at a restaurant. Additionally, I have worked in the restaurant industry and even 1/2 hour is unacceptable to wait for an entree. Our waitress even recognized that the kitchen was taking too long to send the food out, but the manager was essentially calling me a liar. The manager, Sean, is not someone who belongs in customer service and I communicated this to him. He then accused me of yelling at him and told me to leave HIS restaurant. I was not yelling at him. He simply did not like that his staff overheard what I was saying to him. When I mentioned that I was going to write about this on Yelp, he told me that he was not going to check on our food and that our table should just leave the restaurant. I live in Chicago, but frequent South Bend regularly. My parents, who were with me, have always eaten at The Emporium, but will NEVER be back after this experience. They even said that service and food quality have been going down over the past couple of years. I see now why there were only 4 tables on a Saturday night. I predict they will be out of business within a year unless they do some serious cleaning up with their management to bring the egos down and training of chefs to pick up timing with food orders.
(1)
Marckus S.
The crabcakes are the best appetizer on the menu! More expensive than the two-star Yelp review. I would give it 3-stars. Great service and great setting for a quiet family evening. Classic downtown SB restaurant.
(4)
Dean V.
Good food, I've been here several times for dinner.
(3)
Melody F.
We went here because we had a restaurants.com coupon thing we wanted to use. It's super pricey and it was hard to find anything on the menu that I wanted. The food was fine, but not exciting and the atmosphere was bland.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Bryan V.
I was looking forward to eating there but after a long period of no service we left to eat somewhere else. I don't even know which server was ours because they never came to our table. There were several servers wandering around acting busy but none of the other 5 tables seated had food either.
(1)Charlie G.
My coworkers and I came for lunch at noon. We sat there for nearly 30 minutes and didn't even get served water. One of my coworkers even went to tell a waiter we haven't been served but still no one came.
(1)Izza J.
The inside decor is pretty dated but maybe that's what they are going for. The views are what make it really nice and the outdoor seating option along the river is pretty great. There are not many places in the area that offer that. I came here for lunch and was not very hungry so I order the house salad with seared salmon. The house dressing was excellent. The salad was, well a salad lol. The salmon was overcooked and kind of tough. The staff was attentive and nice. I wasn't very impressed but I will try coming again for dinner and maybe later in the summer season to take advantage of outdoor seating.
(3)Kyriea D.
I would have given no stars but since that's not possible, I "did them a favor" by giving them one. We were told that we were done a favor by even getting a table because we didn't make our reservation. Our food was awful and customer service was atrocious. We didn't touch our food it was so bad and they still wouldn't comp it. We were given two appetizers when we ordered one, and another beer that we didn't order. They wanted us to pay for them but we refused because we didn't order them. We waited a long time for our food and when we told the waitress it was bad, she brought the manager out. Instead of being understanding or show any sort of kindness, we were told that we shouldn't come back and our kind wasn't welcome. What kind of people were we? Compassionate people, who work in or with food service. Maybe they thought that since we were from the festival, or maybe we looked a lot like hippies, they felt the need to tell us that, but no matter the reason, that was so inexcusable, there is no reason to talk that way to paying customers. This is the worst service I have EVER had. I will never come here again and strongly advise against anyone else from coming here. I don't know how they are still in business...
(1)Samantha A.
Initially, I visited the Emporium because I was hot, and they were the closest indoor establishment. I really wanted to love it... but I didn't. I'd like to give it a second try though in hopes of really falling in love with it. Let me fill you in.... We visited during the SB150 festival, and as soon as we walked in, I could tell they were having a hard time keeping up! After being told that multiple servers called off work and that they were short staffed, I immediately empathized with them (I have been a server myself ). We asked how long it would take to be seated, and the hostess told us 30-40 minutes. We put our name in, but after about 5 minutes decided that we would just order food to go because we were starving and knew our food wouldn't take that long to make. Here is what we ordered-- 1 house salad (add chicken) 1 greek salad, 1 hummus plate, 1 kids pasta marinara. 5 minutes after we put our order in (this is a wait time of about 15 minutes) she calls our name out for a table. Since it came up WELL before the projected time (which I totally understand happens sometimes) we asked if we could just go ahead and take the table. She said "No, you can't do both." So, we went ahead and took a seat to wait for our salads in the lobby. 45 minutes later....... We got our food. It was honestly pretty good. A generous portion and the different types of hummus were delicious. The wait was awful.... and the organization was a little lax... but I want to go back and try it out for real (fully staffed :) )!!! When I do go back I really and truly hope to see more organization!! This is a restaurant that has so much history in our town... I hate to see all of these reviews talking about its decline :(
(3)Amy K.
Haven't been here in years but stopped in for lunch the other day. They have a basic, unobjectionable lunch menu and the prices are good. I accidentally wore flip flops there and they didn't even give me the stank eye. Nothing too crazy but they're ok at what they do.
(3)Tessa S.
We went because of a restaurant.com voucher and we were impressed. The fried mozzarella appetizer was delicious- good quality cheese covered with cornflake-like batter. Not the typical mozzarella sticks. The hummus trio was ok. The flavors of the fish tacos were amazing & balanced. And the truffle fries were so good we enjoyed them without ketchup. My husband had the burger- it tasted fresh & was good quality meat. We finished off the meal with the homemade chocolate pecan pie, which was to die for. Everything was served at the right temperature, and the service was friendly. We chatted with our server for a bit, as we were the only ones in the place. We were just passing through; I can't imagine why more people don't eat here. It is amazing food & if we were local we would definitely come back. The view of the river is pretty neat and the building itself is old & had lots of heavy dark wood- very historical-looking. Hope ya'll enjoy!!
(4)Derrick J.
We went to The Emporium expecting some great corned beef, but what we ended up with was something completely different. From the moment the plate was set in front of me, I knew something was off. I was served 4 dry slices of meat which tasted nothing like corned beef, but more like ham. My partner however got the Sheppard's pie which was ok. The chef made a valiant attempt but fell short.
(2)Katherine P.
Love these place. We went during lunch and I got the steak tips sandwich. IT WAS AMAZING. We went back at dinner time and the food was still amazing. I got the chicken salad on pita. However, food is MUCH pricier at dinner time. I love the look of the inside, and it's right on the river. Very beautiful place. Wait staff was great as well.
(5)Jillian B.
the food was great. I got the tuna BLT, and the tuna was cooked to a perfect rare. the ambiance was very nice, service was a little slow
(4)Ashley C.
Our service was awesome! Our meals were all outstanding. My husband and friend each got the New York strip and they were very happy with them. My friend got the farfalle pasta and it was incredible. I got the grilled meatloaf and omg it was amazing. Drinks were awesome - desserts were really good. The atmosphere is a little strange but we were happy with our meal.
(5)Jason T.
I was hoping to eat at a diner by Notre Dame in South Bend, but that didn't happen. Not much to choose from, so we chose location. East Bank was right on the water and had a great view. The place was empty, but maybe there aren't a lot of people in South Bend so we didn't let that deter us. French Onion Soup - mine's better. Hamburger - not good. Meatloaf Platter - it was ok. I wouldn't go back.
(1)Betty P.
We had the duck confit taco appetizer, mushroom Brie burger, and grilled meatloaf. It was all good. I particularly liked dipping my perfect French fries in the meatloaf gravy. We ate outdoors on the patio. It was a gorgeous day for it. Service was pleasant, but I felt like we got a little ripped off because they didn't explain the restaurant deal to us very well. It gets only 3 stars because it didn't blow our minds. I won't say "no" to eating here in the future, but it wasn't so memorable that I would think of it as an option.
(3)Eric R.
I went here for the first time for a holiday dinner and ordered their special dinner. I have to say it was very good, and I did not go home hungry. The meal came with rolls and side salad that where both good. Over all the inside looks great too.
(4)J T.
Friendly staff, very helpful. Menu has some good French treats on it. I would make a reservation, and take a date!
(4)Amy E.
My boyfriend and I visited this restaurant for the first on our anniversary last night. We were promptly seated by one of the friendly hosts. About 10 minutes later a young lady asked if we would like drinks and I said yes, 2 waters please and could you bring us a drink menu. She said she is allowed to serve drinks. I am assume she is underage. A few seconds later our waitress brought us waters and we told her the other girl was bringing us a drink menu. She said okay and walked away. The other girl came back and said we have to go downstairs to the bar to order drinks. We figured we would just wait for our server to come back and order at that time. 10 minutes pass and I just suggested my boyfriend go down and get them from the bar. He did so and the host walked them back up for us. We put in our order including an appetizer of Ahi Tuna. Our salads and soup arrive....then the waitress informs us the kitchen JUST told her they do not have the Ahi Tuna. We order Calamari instead. The calamari was more than disappointing....it looked and tasted like fish sticks. I am NOT exaggerating. The same fish sticks your mom made you as a kid. We aren't the type to complain so we laughed about it and ate our fish sticks. Our food comes out. I ordered the Herb Crusted Salmon with asparagus and Garlic Mash potatoes....the asparagus was less than half cook. It was still cold and hard. The garlic mash potatoes were good but there wasn't even a hint if garlic in them. My boyfriends meal was fine. I don't know if we just went on a bad day. Everyone was running around like crazy talking about how busy it was. I assume they do not get packed often and it was a surprise to them. Our server was pleasant and I believe on a regular day she is probably a great server. I don't think we will be going back there again. Cool place. Not so cool service.
(1)Ed J.
Had not been to this place in about 25 years. I remembered it was overpriced and the food was nothing special. Yup. Same old, same old. We went on a football Friday and seating was wide open. The interior is super nice with lots of polished wood and old brick. The location is pretty sweet, right on the riverwalk. The server tried hard to relate to us football fans, but it was obvious she was not at all invested in ND football. I appreciate the effort. I really dislike unctuousness, though. I had heard about the meatloaf and thought I might try it. $18. Are you serious?!!!! I ended up with a 12 oz ribeye for $21. Basic baked potato available at any Wendys, and some green beans with the standard butter/seasoned salt glaze. The meat quality was pretty good. I asked for medium. It came back just this side of medium rare, which I love, but never dare ask for unless I am in a place I fully trust. So, the cook got it way right without trying to, but was wrong. Lots of fat trimming lent the steak great flavor. My companions got nondescript sandwiches. One went for the meatloaf and said it was in no way special or worth the $. The server didn't ignore us, but she was not around the table as often as she should have been - especially given how low the customer count was. She did get everyone's order correctly and she had a good understanding of the menu. In the right hands, with a true upscale menu and presentation, this place could do very well. Overall, no need for me to return. It's definitely overpriced and there are far too many better options in the area.
(2)Amy H.
Unfortunately, my experience with the Emporium continues to decline. My last trip was dinner for four with my future in-laws. We were seated immediately as the restaurant was not busy on a Tuesday evening. Our waitress greeted us with a "hey, what's up?". We ordered drinks (2 beers and 2 glasses of wine) and a appetizer. Our drinks and water were never refilled. The fried zucchini appetizer is decent - nice big spears fried crisp with a dill dipping sauce. Our waitress tried serving our dinners without clearing the salad or appetizer plates - needless to say, there wasn't room and we were basically trying to bus our own table. I ordered the polynesian chicken with asparagus. The asparagus was good, but the chicken and wild rice was so incredibly salty. My fiance and his mother both ordered the pork tenderloin and it was so overcooked and dried. The demi-glaze was more of a congealed gravy. They said the garlic mashed potatoes were ok. My future father in-law ordered the 6 oz sirloin with a baked potato, both were ok. Service was sub-par at best. The Emporium has a long history in South Bend and is locally owned, I just wish they could get their act together and upgrade the food and service.
(2)Alden E.
In town for business; month of March. Ate at the Emporium per the recommendation of our hotel. The menu offers a lot of selection and intrigue but the food was awful. Would never return nor would I advise anyone make the same mistake my colleagues and I made by eating here. I'm sure the river view is nice in the summer but the food is that bad that you're better off eating somewhere else.
(1)Cassie H.
My husband and I were looking for a place by the river with outdoor seating to have a lunch date. The Emporium is one of the few options on the river in South Bend but we weren't expecting much because of all the negative reviews it has received. We were pleasantly surprised! The outdoor seating was very nice and right on the river. Inside the restaurant was styled with nice, dark wood and big windows. We ordered the turkey wrap and the Polynesian chicken... the food was what we expected, not gourmet, but enjoyable! The server was quick and friendly. Based on our expectations, and the cost, The Emporium made for a lovely lunch date!
(4)Yamy H.
We went here for my husband's birthday. It was a perfect day to dine outside by the river. Very good location. Gives you a view of the river and the art museum. Parking lot is terrible. I hope they renovate it. Wait staff was awful. They had us waiting for service water for more than 30minutes. They served us the wrong food (for another table). Salad is terrible. Had some bad water taste to it. Just house salad with choice of dressing. We tried raspberry vinaigrette and avocado garlic. I ordered medium well 6oz top sirloin. It came over done and dry. I just went by it with plenty of table salt. Mashed potatoes aren't tasty as well. Husband tried the Fettucine Alfredo. He didn't like it. He'd rather have my home made one. 2 of our guests tried the seafood pasta. It tasted bland and unseasoned. None of us finished our plate. There was an event of 50 people inside the restaurant. Can't get hold of any wait staff. They all look panicky. Terrible management, in my opinion. Should have added staff into the floor for better flow. Will not return.
(2)Andrew M.
I was very pleased with the menu choices, prices, and quality of food. Nothing, however, can beat the view of downtown South Bend--especially at night. This is definitely somewhat of a hidden gem in the city. I recommend it to everyone.
(5)B. N.
The food is good and the atmosphere is upscale casual. The building is incredible and sets a lovely backdrop of old world meets the modern world sort of ambiance if you sit inside. It has been quiet when I stop in for lunch during the day. I enjoy riding my bike there and sitting outside by the river on warmer days. I'd recommend this as a place for a family dinner, a casual date, or lunch.
(4)Brian J.
Stopped in during Restaurant week and had the Polynesian chicken....meh. Service was pretty good. Mojitos were fantastic, but I really wish they would have comped my drink after I found a large piece of paper towel floating in my drink. I sent it back and she brought another. Salad dressing was good....
(2)Em J.
One of the best views in town: Always a nice lunch. I'm bumping up to 5 stars from 4 due to the very professional and friendly staff. Everyone from the front desk, to the server, to the kitchen staff should be commended for their courteous manner. Excellent service goes a long way with me, especially when entertaining out of town guests. Keep up the good work Emporium!
(5)Cari A.
If you are looking for a beef jerky of a ribeye or really dry chicken, this place is for you! Couldn't believe the crap food and service we received here on Saturday night! We came in to a half empty restaurant and was told it would be a 15 - 20 minute wait... so we had a drink in the bar (best portion of the restaurant). I had never been there before and I enjoyed the charm of the old wood, the beautiful stained glass windows and the views of the river. Fast forward 20 minutes, my boyfriend went to check on when we were going to get a table and it's like they had forgotten about us. One waitress/hostess/whatever she was leaned on a column nearly the entire time we were there. Literally just stood there like supporting the column was her job! Anyway, we were served burnt dinner rolls, had our soup and salad immediately then waited 30+ minutes for our nasty dry dinner. I got the teriyaki chicken with grilled pineapple on top, and the cook didn't even bother to take off the rind of the pineapple slice. And it was so dry, it reminded me of that turkey from Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. So gross, definitely would never go back even if the food was free.
(1)Tom K.
I haven't been here in a long time so a group of us decided to try them out. I used to be a fan of potato skins but they only give you 5 for $7 so that seems a bit much for me. The group decided to try the brie and mushrooms and they were both very good. We all ordered steak dishes - two had the steak provolone with mushrooms and another order the steak salad with raspberry dressing. It was very good overall.
(3)Kenneth L.
We went here for late lunch on a Sunday most everyone was dining outside and there was no wait. We were seated and our server came right over to take our drink orders. The food is what we have come to expect from The Emporium good and the service was good as well.
(3)Brooks G.
The wife's steak was awful. My chicken was bad. We even sent her steak back and the replacement was bad. Avoid this place. It was a good place in its day. Too bad that day has passed.
(1)Wink B.
Interesting place, but not very comfortable. The "river view" is only in effect if you're sitting outside, as the indoor seating is more towards the center of the place, not optimizing the west-facing windows at all. A very nice bar area, but it was not utilized at all. The food is rather disappointing. Seared Ahi Tuna looked and tasted pre-prepared. Wild mushroom chicken pasta was overwhelmed with pepper and salt, and the chicken was pretty nasty. The steak was ok, nothing special. Creme brulee was some cheap, waxy pudding with a layer of rock candy on top. Soup, store-bought dinner rolls, and butter were the highlights of the meal. If you're going to eat here, go with the steak and salad, and avoid the chicken, pasta, and most of the appetizers. Steak Neptune is particularly good... or was... I don't know about the new management.
(3)JULIE T.
I liked this place a lot! Came for lunch. Fair prices ($8ish) and GREAT Cod fish and chips!!!!!!! I finished off everything, and I never do that. can't wait to come back. service was polite and timely. even sent us off with to-go soft drinks in styro cups. nice touch.
(5)T T.
Nice view, decent food, bit oily to my taste!
(4)Catherine W.
We ordered steaks and they were overdone. There weren't many healthy options on the menu.
(2)Tom D.
Me and 4 buddies stopped at the Emporium on Saturday night for dinner after our yearly pilgrimage to South Bend for a Notre Dame game. We got to the restaurant around 8:15 and found it still fairly busy inside but the outside seating still had space and it was a nice night so we grabbed tables there. The outside seating area is right along the river and has to be a great place to go on a summer afternoon/evening. Even in the early fall though it was still pretty nice. The waitress, Brittany, was over quickly taking our drink order and letting us know the specials. She was very friendly and joined right in talking about the game, then joking and teasing along with us. For dinner I knew the best way to top off a guys weekend would be a steak so I went with a NY Strip, my favorite cut. The steak came out and was well cooked and very flavorful. It also came with 2 sides and a salad. The sides (garlic mashed potatoes & broccoli) were good, nothing special. The salad was larger than I expected and was pretty good. The Emporium is a nice restaurant, in an attractive location with good food and a friendly staff. Sounds like 4 stars to me. I think there's a good chance the Emporium will be on our list for dinner on our next trip to South Bend.
(4)Christina P.
I've dined at Emporium a few times throughout the years, mainly because it's one of the few restaurants in the area with a good outdoor dining area and view of the river. We hadn't been here since a year or two ago when we were met with a, "well that was odd..." moment, but we didn't remember it until after this evening's visit. The two of us arrived around 6:30-7 on a Thursday evening. I quickly glanced at the "special of the evening" board before walking in. The hostess greeted us and asked for our seating preference and since it was a fairly quiet evening we were seated immediately. We only waited a few seconds before our waiter came up to our table, asked us how we were, introduced himself, and told us about the special of the evening, which was herb-incrusted sea scallops ("the really big kind," according to our waiter) with two sides. We both thought we heard him say it was $16.99. After taking our drink orders (the raspberry iced tea is very delicious here) we were left to peruse the menu. Neither of us were particularly hungry and were just looking for a nice, light dinner. Originally, we had decided on each ordering an appetizer, though the sea scallops sounded tempting. A quick read through the menu showed that the original sea scallop entree includes risotto for $18.99; we assumed that the lack of risotto is why the special was two dollars less. Our waiter returned a few minutes to take our order. We ordered the baked brie with almonds and toasted bread appetizer, then asked if it would be alright to split the special sea scallop entree. He assured us it would be completely alright, then asked if we wanted the side salad split between two plates. Of course we said yes, and thanked him for offering. The salad, a basic side salad that was heavy on the croutons but only contained one grape tomato per plate, had an alright blend of lettuces, though I would appreciate if a restaurant of this caliber refrained from using iceberg lettuce. Compared to similar restaurants I've dined at in bigger cities, they wouldn't have dreamed of using iceberg as the garnish. The dinner rolls were warmed and were kind of our favorite part. I'm not sure if they make the rolls in house or if they're frozen, but they were decent and the whipped butter was nice. And then our entree arrived on one plate. In the past when the waiter knew an order was being split, they would have made sure tell the kitchen to divide it between two plates. However, we had to dish it out onto the second plate ourselves. The entree was decent but not spectacular, especially for the price. This isn't unique to Emporium; rather, it's an issue I've noticed all throughout South Bend, that being inflated prices with no real standard set for what fine dining means. But we did expect that, having dined here before, so that wasn't a problem. As for the meal itself, the five herb-crusted scallops were rather small, not "the big kind" like we had been told. We figured the standard for "the big kind" can vary by person so we shrugged it off, but it definitely seemed like more of an appetizer portion in total. We both thought the pairing of the herb crust with the accompanying thick blueberry sauce to be too many contrasting flavors for one plate and skipped the sauce. The two sides of wild rice and asparagus were alright but not outstanding. Once we finished, our waiter asked if we would like dessert, to which we declined, then brought us our check. That is where we paused, for instead of the $16.99 special we both thought we heard, we were charged $19, pre tax. Now we were very confused. Did we both hear our waiter wrong or did the special change? And if the special changed, why was it the same price as the normal entree, without risotto? Whatever the problem was, we paid our bill. On the way out, we asked the hostess the price of the special. She said that it was probably the same price as in the menu. When we looked on the board just outside of the door, it didn't list a price, but neither of us had read the board closely in the first place. A few hours later we were still perplexed, so we called Emporium to inquire about the special. There was some confusion as to what came with the herb-crusted scallops, but eventually we were told that the "scallops are served on a bed of rice and comes with two sides." On a bed of rice? Did they mean the risotto, meaning that we paid full price for a "special" but only received half of the entree? In any case, we were reminded why we only come here during lunchtime for soups, salads, and raspberry iced teas. The three stars are mostly for the pleasant and attentive service we received, minus the pricing issue because we aren't entirely sure where the fault lies.
(3)Temple S.
HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. WILL NEVER RETURN. I don't even want to give one star. I was with a party of seven, two were small children. We were there on a Saturday and there were only 4 tables occupied in the entire restaurant. I now know why. We waited almost an hour and still did not have our entrees. Drinks were slow as well as appetizers. The table next to us said their food took forever as well. My children were very hungry after 50 minutes of waiting for their food (my son only ordered a cup of soup!). I went inside and politely asked for a manager. I spoke to the general manager, Sean, and told him we had waited for almost an hour and still did not have our entrees. Rather than immediately apologize and check up on the situation, he got defensive and told me he saw us walk in and that we did NOT wait for an hour. He then checked the computer to see what time our food order was sent to the kitchen and essentially told me we had only waited a 1/2 hour for our entrees since the time the order was sent to the kitchen. I was appalled, to say the least. Even people who have not worked in the restaurant industry know that this is not an accurate way to gauge how long people have waited for food at a restaurant. Additionally, I have worked in the restaurant industry and even 1/2 hour is unacceptable to wait for an entree. Our waitress even recognized that the kitchen was taking too long to send the food out, but the manager was essentially calling me a liar. The manager, Sean, is not someone who belongs in customer service and I communicated this to him. He then accused me of yelling at him and told me to leave HIS restaurant. I was not yelling at him. He simply did not like that his staff overheard what I was saying to him. When I mentioned that I was going to write about this on Yelp, he told me that he was not going to check on our food and that our table should just leave the restaurant. I live in Chicago, but frequent South Bend regularly. My parents, who were with me, have always eaten at The Emporium, but will NEVER be back after this experience. They even said that service and food quality have been going down over the past couple of years. I see now why there were only 4 tables on a Saturday night. I predict they will be out of business within a year unless they do some serious cleaning up with their management to bring the egos down and training of chefs to pick up timing with food orders.
(1)Marckus S.
The crabcakes are the best appetizer on the menu! More expensive than the two-star Yelp review. I would give it 3-stars. Great service and great setting for a quiet family evening. Classic downtown SB restaurant.
(4)Dean V.
Good food, I've been here several times for dinner.
(3)Melody F.
We went here because we had a restaurants.com coupon thing we wanted to use. It's super pricey and it was hard to find anything on the menu that I wanted. The food was fine, but not exciting and the atmosphere was bland.
(2)