LUX Steakhouse and Bar

Wine wednesday! And ten dollar appetizers. After work drinks and appies. Atmosphere is upbeat, upscale, yet after-​work relaxing. It’s people in suits. Definitely a business crowd. Attractive servers who are attentive. The Caesar salad was fresh and light. The camembert appetizer was amazing, It came with bread that I think was a thinly sliced pretzel bun. I’ve been in for the Wednesday a few times and haven’t had anything we didn’t enjoy.

Lux for lunch. All I had was soup but it hit the spot. Some kinda beef. Wasn’t soup of the day so it’s there every day. A working mans soup. Good broth. My companion had a chicken burrito thing that he said was good too.

I met a friend for a festive lunch and we made reservations in advance. They get pretty busy before Christmas so next time I know to make a reservation at least a few weeks in advance. We were able to get a table for 2 at 1PM but it was still busy with people arriving when we did at the hostess stand in the restaurant part.
We didn’t have to wait too long for them to clear a table and we were seated in a booth in the restaurant part. I prefer this part rather than the lounge area with high tables that’s closer to the Commerce Place entrance.
Our server was decent but tried a little too hard to be funny. But he got us drinks, food, and cutlery when needed to he did his job. The lunch menu had a good variety of sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. I couldn’t decide between the open face chicken sandwich or a salad but ordered the sandwich with a side market salad ($ 17). There were an item or two not available as they were sold out but my friend was in luck as she ordered the last beef sandwich.
It didn’t take long for the food to arrive at our table. The open faced sandwich was a pesto topped on a grilled chicken breast on top of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado on a multigrain bread. It’s a good thing they provided a larger knife as I needed it to cut through the vegetables and bread. The side salad was delicious with green, mandarin oranges, walnuts, and vinaigrette. The salad would be tasty with chicken or shrimp. The food tasted fresh and I liked all the vegetables on the sandwich.
When it was time to pay our bill, our server let us know there was a survey if we wanted to complete and be entered to win a draw for a gift card (I think $ 100). We paid our bill and didn’t feel rushed to leave.
Although the prices were a little high, I enjoyed the atmosphere and food and would come back for lunch again.

Giving this place a one star is being very generous. We went to lux steakhouse as a party of three on a business trip. Two of us ordered the chef’s specially lamb shank. I was excited when the ordered arrived and proceeded to cut the meat. My knife bounced off the shank. I sawed through the meat only to find a expensive cut of meat, very dry, no flavor and just plain old nasty. My partner had the same experience. Why would the kitchen even let these two orders go out to the table. The waiter made some lame excuse and we ordered a filet which was sub par. This place has gone down hill. Stay away unless you like to pay for an expensive cut of meat that came out of a blast furnace.

Wow this place has so many mixed reviews, definitely a tough one to rate.
I’ve been here a few times now and have ordered different things each time. Most recently, I went in a large group and were seated in the private dining room. The service was really slow… Got there at 11:45 but didn’t get our food until 1pm (this is the main reason the rating went down).
I ordered the beef dip sandwich. It was a great sandwich with lots of flavor. The fries on the side were a huge disappointment though (I love my fries). They were kind of soggy and the dipping sauce it came with didn’t have the right flavors to match the seasoning on the fries.
I’m sure I’ll be back again but hopefully it’s a better experience. I always want time for dessert and coffee but I missed out this time!

For the atmosphere to the food this place is great! Service is a bit slow, but it’s seriously worth it. Best steak I ever had!

I’ve now been to Lux three times, with different groups (because it’s in an adjoining building to my work). My First two times might have earned at least a four star rating, but my most recent two star experience pulled down my rating to three at best overall.
For a business lunch, in the dining room, the service was great. It was quiet, comfortable, and ideal for a meeting. The Mac and Cheese dish was very tasty, though a bit more al dente than I would have liked and it didn’t «WOW» me. On my second visit on a weeknight for supper with my husband, the cocktails were okay and the burger was good, but again, not blowing me away.
On my third visit with a group of co-​workers, I wouldn’t call it a terrible experience, but it was far from great. The server was «attentive», but maybe also new. She seemed a bit unsure and like everything was very unnatural. She was polite and I wouldn’t put our entire experience on her shoulders.
I feel like a place of this class should just bring everyone waters, not ask people if they want waters or if they want their water refilled throughout the meal. Just do it anyway, it’s water.
For 5 – 6 people at a table, a second drink menu would speed things up so we are not waiting for everyone to share one book. It took unnecessary time for everyone to peruse the options, causing our server to return twice to see if we were ready.
The Lux Nachos are a great choice to share. We all enjoyed them. The calamari was tender with a light breading. The two items were enough for 5 people to snack on. We did ask for more chips to go with the dip — which was easily obliged.
My first rather odd experience was when I still had about ¼ of my first drink left (with ice), as several did my colleagues (beer or wine). Rather than asking me, «are you done, can I take this» which made me feel awkward, especially to say no in front of colleagues, simply asking if I’m ready for another would give me a better way to say «I’ still nursing this one» or «I’m good with this one, but maybe in a few».
When I was taking some of the remaining calamari from our share plate (that we were all still passing around and nibbling on) there were some pieces that were stuck together making it hard to take a modest portion. Before I could try to set the tray down to figure out a way to deal with it, and with there still being several pieces that my colleagues wanted to nibble at, our server wanted to take it and almost joked that I should take the last few bites. I rushed and pulled the whole clump and let her take it away. At least let us set the tray down and see if anyone goes for it after a few mins befor offering to remove it.
My second drink, a berry bramble (lemonade type), had globs of sugary stuff at the bottom that was unpleasant to drink.
The chocolate moose cake (not 100% on the name) was delicious!
We all felt a bit rushed. We finally learned when we asked for the bill, then decided to have a third drink (in less than 2 hours) that our server was finishing her shift. That might explain the awkward push to move us along. We would rather her have said, when she was getting close, that her shift was ending and she would need us to cash out or finalize our bill and another server can work with us going forward. I appreciate that everyone has commitments beyond work — just be honest with your patrons and they will understand. It’s better than making us uncomfortable and affecting our experience. We were glad to see management help the server to finish up so she could leave her shift on time.
The bathroom stalls are very uncomfortable, with stall door slats that are falling apart and the base is way too high. The paper towel dispenser did not want to work easily. It was otherwise clean and well kept.
The music was at a good decibel and tempo for the atmosphere, which was modern and slightly upscale. The seating and décor were in good shape and the tables were cleaner than most other bar tables (no stickiness).
Overall, I would go here again if it was a quick lunch or an invite, but Lux would not be on my own list of recommendations.

Had a work lunch meeting here last week.
It’s been a while since I have been here (2 year ago), and dinner was OK, nothing great, so interesting to see how things may have changed or not.
I ordered the steak sandwich, medium-​rare but unfortunately it was done medium. I’m not one to send food back unless it is really terrible, so I just ate it as it was. The salad with pecans was very good though.
Service was excellent, as both our waitress and another server came by to check on our meals and re-​fill water and pop.
For steak it wasn’t anything great and I find the ones at The Keg much better, and I get my steak done just right.

CHG restaurants are not my favorite spots to eat as the food is normally bland or inedible and the service left to be desired.
On the couple of occasions I have attended LUX, the experience has been much better.
They now have a host who comes around to ask if you need anything, grab your coat, etc and supplements the service provided by your server. It is a nice touch and I suppose adds to the lux nature.
The prices are a little bit higher than are warranted and having to find parking can be an annoyance, including having to pay so validation would be nice, but generally our experience is good here.
The calamari appetizer is nice, I would get it again.
I had Chef Matt’s special sriracha fried chicken with corn and fries that was off menu and it was wonderful. The corn needs to be added to the everyday menu.
The side of mushrooms is always a treat as well and the desserts, especially the carrot cake are both well worth it.
All in all Lux is a good experience on the higher end of price and service is typically fine. Check it out.

Lux is a perfect place to meet with friends for drinks. Love the roast potatoes and the Lobster Mac and Cheese. Steaks are always nice, and the staff even nicer. Very attractive décor. I’ll be a repeat customer for a long time.

Alberta beef is supposed to be the best, so being from Toronto, I sought out the best steak houses in downtown Edmonton.
Well, to my disappointment, LUX is very average, and over-​priced for what you actually get. I ordered the strip steak, which is supposed to be a very nice meaty tasting steak. I asked for it «Chicago style», which is a bit crisped on the outside, but was told that the chef would not recommend that, because it would ruin the taste of the steak. So I accepted and told them to do it the way they think is best.
The steak arrives and it’s quite colourless, under seasoned, and very bland tasting. I’ve had Alberta beef from Costco on a backyard BBQ that was way better tasting than this. It was just very disappointing to be overcharged for a steak that didn’t taste half as good as grilling it at home.
I would recommend to pass on this steak house.

Service not anywhere near the food quality they offer up. We had a delicious meal. Generous portions, meat cooked well, beautiful presentation.
Front of house fell short. There were no wine glasses on our table and no wine menu in sight. I’m at a steak house I expect to be told wine will go well with my meal. And from a business perspective why wouldn’t u push wine. So we had to ask for a menu then wait for all the glasses to be brought out. There were no recommendations or features talked about. It was standard Denny’s fare. What would you like or are you ready yet? We were also informed the steaks were a la carte but their generous garnishes can double as sides (stack of pomme frites and broccoli, cauliflower and tomato). Our table had 2 untouched sides because of the misinformation.
We have another big dinner at another century restaurant this season and hopefully the service is aligned with the food.

Went to Lux with my fiancé & was disgusted by the staff. Not only do they look like death but im certain mine was drunk. A red head with no self respect flaunting her cleavage to me infront of my fiancé. I then ordered from the bar to only discover a character from Trailer Park boys. She spoke like a hill billy and dressed like a $ 5 hooker. Lux is suppose to be a fine dining restaurant and its the opposite. Servers at Mcdonalds speak and present themselves better than Lux servers. Worst service. Wouldnt recommend it to anyone. Upgrade your servers learn from Cactus or Joeys.

I’ve only to LUX three times for special events (usually Edmonton Geek Girl Dinners), and to the bar for dinner/​drinks once but I’ve mostly had an excellent time. Only one of these events had inadequate food (the other ones, last night especially, the food has been marvelous!)… and the food has ALWAYS been delicious! The chefs are so friendly and personable, and this place had a great Twitter presence too!
Probably my favourite food item is the lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. But the other food options are also so delicious. And I know better than to just order the lobster mac ‘n’ cheese by itself (too rich without something to accompany it).
The serving staff are mixed in their attentiveness and serving style but generally very good too. I’m also pleased that they make a decent blueberry tea (though it isn’t my favourite of the restaurant versions of this drink). I would definitely recommend visiting here if you want a good fancy-​looking place for a food and/​or drinks.

As one of Edmonton’s best steakhouse or so I perceived I had some high expectations. I love steak and I know how exactly I want it. Big juicy ribeye. Dry aged minimum 28 days. Nice, broiled crust on the outside. Medium rare. Juicy and tender.
It ended up being a 21d dry aged steak, barely a crust. Under seasoned. No aromatics like rosemary or garlic butter. Medium. Had to work the knife like crazy through some parts. 21d does barely anything to the meat, and honestly I even doubt that here based on the moisture and tenderness of the meat. Unsure about prime grade either. So dry, I almost had to dip my steak in the black peppercorn sauce just to get it down which in turn overwhelmed the meat. This could be due to it being a solid medium when I’m used to medium rare but oh well.
Let’s go back to the appetizers. We got calamari and dry short ribs. Both underseasoned. Unfortunate.
Dessert sort of redeemed itself. Well, not mine, the chocolate cake came out impressive but was honestly average for taste. The coconut cake though was truly delicious. The salted caramel crème brûlée came out with too little custard, too much sugar, and most of all, burnt on top. Should be nice and orange and light brown. It was more like… Dark espresso brown.
Service was great. Guy was super nice and attentive. He even waived my colleagues burnt crème brûlée. (expected though).
Quite frankly to sum it all up, an underwhelming meal.
Oh well.

I’ve been for lunch here twice in the past few weeks and both times I was quite satisfied. The first time, I had the «where’s the beef» lunch entrée, which included several arancini with wild mushroom, and some veggies in the side. I enjoyed this dish immensely and thought it was a creative lunch time offering. The second time I had the lobster truffle mac and cheese. It was okay, but not as good as I’ve had elsewhere.
The service on both occasions was attentive and professional, and very quick. Lux is a great lunch spot for a quick but higher end experience. You can choose to sit in either the bar or dining room. The bar would be better for a casual lunch and the dining room is great for business lunches.

We went with a big party after a convention ready to get our grub on. I got the ribeye… it was awesome. The lobster Mac n Cheese was also ridiculous. Mmmm
We drank out asses off and stayed late. The bills came out — we split them up since some of us drank a lot and others didn’t. The waitress had a pretty hard time figuring out who had what. I got a check for my meal and drinks… and then another check with a bunch of drinks on it. Not sure how it landed in front of me but I ended up paying both. Overall it was a good experience and I’d eat at Lux again.

This is one of my go-​to standbys. If you need a place to take guests, you shouldn’t be disappointed.
This is an allergy aware restaurant — they’ll bend over backwards to accommodate. If you have special needs, be sure to call ahead, make a reservation and speak to the chef if you have complex needs — 24 hours is preferable so they can make something safe for you. FYI — they also have a dedicated gluten-​free fryer so you can eat fried anything safely!
We ordered the Crab & Artichoke dip to start. Chef offered to make it as a lobster and artichoke dip, (we think we had it as a special item last time we were in) — but decided to try the crab… and it was good. This time it came out of the kitchen screaming hot — it was just a-​bubbling away. Might have been a tiny bit over-​fired, the dip was broken (crowd goes ohhh) with a little oil on top, but I can’t stop eating it — it’s delicious!
We elected to share two dishes, a main meaty dish, and a salad. Our server kindly brought an extra plate so we could dish as we liked.
Portion size… half chicken is _​half_​a chicken! comes with a few potatoes and some lovely beets. For the regulars (aka not gluten free diners) there is a great gravy as well as a beer glaze that I’m told is like the best waffle sauce and tasted great on the chicken. We always have extra to take-​home. I don’t know why I don’t remember to bring containers. It’s great to have lunch (for TWO) for the next day! If you want more sides, order more sides — the bacon creamed corn is one of my favourites.
The Cobb Salad — it’s loaded. And thankfully, not overdressed — I usually order my dressing on the side because most restaurants drench the greens… I forgot this last visit, and I was pleasantly surprised. Perfectly dressed. If it’s not enough, they’ll happily bring you more.
Haven’t had a bad wine recommendation yet. The special promotion wines have been on the money so far. Our server Kaitlyn is great. Considering it’s difficult to find good/​quality serving/​kitchen staff these days, it’s nice to see familiar faces when I return.
There are menu specials — but they’re popular and limited, so get there early! Reservations are best. You can order in the lounge, but I prefer the ambiance and service of the restaurant. The booths are my favourite.
Dessert… oh the Chocolate Decadence, of course! GLUTEN FREE FOLKS! Prepared with care in the area of the kitchen least possible to expose you to cross-​contamination. And it’s a sharing size. Really. It’s enormous slice of chocolatey, ganachey, goodness served with some delicious, lovely coulis/​fruity swirl, and with a strawberry and some whipped cream,
Was a wee bit disappointed that the lights were turned down in an already dim restaurant while we were there. We arrived shortly after 5, and left around 7:30. Sometime in-​between, the lights were dimmed further… used the candle at the table to read the wine listing.
Dinner for 2, appetizer & shared dessert… $ 70 plus tax & gratuity. And two additional portions for lunch tomorrow to boot. Wine… is extra of course.
Watch for Bacon Camp — first Saturday of every September. This is an event not to be missed! Get your tickets when they go on sale.

Overpriced for a simple menu. The dishes come almost bare with not many sides.
I ordered the market salad which was a good portion of lettuce, mandarins, n candied walnuts. Just enough dressing to flavor the dish. For my main the filet tenderloin was cooked well but the lack of sauce and sides was underwhelming. Three half mini potatoes n a few sprigs of veggies. Not a healthy or porportionate plating dish. There was not enough sauce but the bits that were there were flavorful.
Service was lacking as my wine glass was empty several times during dinner. The waiter had the adasity to say are u finished or are you going to lick the plate? Since my friend was a slow eater. A rude comment which was shocking at the time. I won’t be back unless someone else is paying but the food is not worth remembering or coming back for.

This steakhouse was recommended to me on a business trip and since I like to treat myself to a steak at the end of a week’s work out of town, I tried this on my last night in Edmonton. Overall, I found this to be a disappointment.
I find that a lot of restaurants in Edmonton have gorgeous décor, are very trendy-​looking, and have a pretty cool vibe to them. This one was no different. However. That’s where my good impression of LUX ends.
As a person dining alone, I often sit at the bar so as not to take up a full table by myself, and have something to occupy my time (the tvs behind the bar). The bartender was not overly busy yet not very attentive. I was greeted quickly and once I ordered my wine and steak, the bartender stood behind the bar and chatted with another gentleman next to me. Since they were right next to me, I could hear their conversation — a rousing discussion about how idiotic Americans are. And here I sit, an American, right next to them. Just because they didn’t know this doesn’t mean it wasn’t a bit rude. You never know who’s sitting at your bar. This left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth to begin with.
When my steak arrived, I had to remind the bartender about the wine I ordered, as he had stood there the entire time until my food arrived chatting away. It was apparent he had forgotten and so he gave me a «larger pour since I forgot». The food itself was mediocre. The steak was decent, but certainly not worth $ 30 for the small 6oz portion I received. I ordered my steak medium, and it definitely came medium well. Also, the $ 30 steak price includes a pile of garnish, half a piece of cauliflower, and a single carrot. Really? No side dishes? For $ 30 all I get is a small steak?!! I’ve never known a steakhouse to not deliver sides as part of the dish when the price was over $ 20.
All in all, this place was a disappointment: subpar waitstaff, mediocre food, and way too much money for what you receive. There are better places to go.