Sep
30
Prime Only Downtown Closed
WRAL reported tonight that Prime Only steakhouse and sushi bar located in Powerhouse Square closed today. The restaurant was open for about a year and a half after replacing the vacated South End Brewery.
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September 30th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I only went here once for my graduation dinner. The server was great, but the proportions of food felt small (and I’m not a big eater). I’m honestly not surprised this place shut down. Too overpriced for such small plates of food!
October 1st, 2008 at 12:53 am
I still had two more weeks to go playing for the Frank Sinatra dinner show that was produced by NCT. Really too bad as we were getting great turnout and response.
Unfortunately, not terribly surprised about the restaurant as I got the impression they seemed to be skating on thin ice.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:26 am
I miss South End… poor service, health code violations, and all. Perfect menu for taking picky out-of-towners that didn’t want to spend too much.
October 1st, 2008 at 7:24 am
I agree with the 1st poster. Excellent service, not enough food for the price! I wonder if this also means the end of the Rat Pack Lounge? I was just there this past weekend and had a great time!
October 1st, 2008 at 7:43 am
I have been there three times in the past few months (thanks to some gift certificates!) and the food portions have been plenty for the average person who is not looking to gorge themselves. I would spend just as much, if not MORE, at Ruth’s Chris for the same amount of food. We would usually get an appetizer and end up taking some of it home. Without the appetizer it still would have been a chore to finish everything without feeling too full. Then again, I am someone who only eats until I’m full, rather than until I’m stuffed, so it could just be a difference in opinin or expectations.
Also, I thought the quality of food was good for the money. The petite filet I had there the first time I went was so tender I used a butter knife to cut it.
Also, I’ve never had the sushi, only the steaks.
October 1st, 2008 at 8:55 am
One way or another, losing Prime Only is not a positive thing for downtown
Yes, we do have a few destinations that could fill the gap on the higher end, but losing any such business isn’t good news. I tend to avoid places that put more emphasis on the presentation and less on the portions - I am not suggesting huge portions, just normal - so I can’t say losing Prime Only meant anything to me, personally, but there are people who are willing to pay the price.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:16 am
Yeah, I agree with Ernest, it’s not a good thing for downtown, even if I never ate there but once. (And wasn’t impressed.)
My feeling is that in this economy, any place that’s overpriced for what you get will end up suffering. I expect that the truly outstanding places like Fins, Mo’s, Fraziers, and Duck & Dumpling may weather the storm better…but places like this that just didn’t fulfill the hype (or price) will be the ones most likely to go. (Solas, be warned.)
October 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
In my opinion, that place (like Yancy’s) is way too big. Think of the amount of butts you have to put in seats to fill it. We’ll see how the English joint does downtown but this space needs to be divided up.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Always thought it would be the perfect place for a business dinner but I always found the service spotty and sometime just plain bad.
I like the sushi bar and how it stayed open to 11:30 or so but the guys rolling the sushi were not from Tokyo but from rural Johnson county. That is OK but I knew more about sushi than they did. Still, I am OK with that but waiting 12 or more minutes for a pair of chopsticks when there are 5 or 6 workers in that area and 2 people.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I was working at prime only and the ecomony had nothing to do with why it got shut down. It might look bad for raleigh but realy the only reason it closed is beacuse of very poor management
October 1st, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I have found that often, the economy is blamed, but what the true story is that the place was mismanaged, or the food or service just stunk. I am sure we all know places that open up, we go a couple times, it is just not great, so we never go back. Then you find out the place closed “because of the economy”. Like in most businesses, you still need to build a better mousetrap.
October 14th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
From what I hear the owners took off with the money and never paid their employees. Some employees, according to the News and Observer, are apparently owed thousands of dollars. Nasty!
October 14th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Well, I know three of the owners. You can’t blame them since they sunk hundreds of thousands in that joint. Blame the substance abusing party boy managers. Shame. great place.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Managers are complete douche bags. They get what they deserve. Feel sorry for the employees.