401 Prime

1. Reading some of these reviews- blows my mind. People complaining about the prices, portions, speed of service- this is an upscale, fine dining restaurant. If you want food in 20 minutes and a cheap 20 oz steak go to Applebees.

   My husband and I went here last night for our 10 year wedding anniversary and it was our first time. I was very impressed. It’s a beautiful, dimly lit romantic and upscale setting, you don’t “feel” like you’re in Lancaster. Which is nice!

   We ordered the shrimp cocktail which was insane, and my husband had a glass of red wine. I had the garden salad, which was absolutely delicious.

   My husbands steak was perfect, the scallops I had were the best I’ve ever had my whole life, and I highly recommend the rainbow carrots!

   Our server was polite, patient, nailed our order, attentive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Zero complaints!

   Yes, the portions are small- IT IS FINE DINING.

   Yes, the food can take a while, they’re making it TO ORDER, and it’s a dining experience, not a rush in rush out….

   And yes, it’s expensive but it is friggin delicious.

   While we won’t be eating here weekly, I can assure you when we next need to celebrate, we will be back. The service was great, the food was great, the atmosphere was great- 5/5 recommend!!!

2. 5’s across the board! 401 Prime is my new go to special occasion dinner spot. The food service and atmosphere is unmatched.
   Or server Larissa was excellent and so attentive and observant. Never had to ask for anything because it was always being thought of. When you think of a fine dining experience and prefect service, this is it! We’ll always recommend and continue to return here. The bar menu / side is also wonderful and has a great vibe. Please do yourself a favor and come here, it is a pinnacle dining experience in central PA!

3. Went here last night Oct 4th for a 5:30pm. reservation. We were running a little late because of traffic, so we called them to let them know, and they were very accommodating.

   The issue was that when we got there, there was absolutely no place to park on the street as it states on their website that street parking is available. Most of the parking was neighborhood permitted parking spots. There were about 5 parking spots in front of the restaurant, but of course, those were all taken.

   The Queen Street garage, which is also stated on their site to park, was also closed. After calling them back, they stated that they share a parking lot with a mental facility that is next door. The lady on the phone was not very clear on where it was, but after driving around for a few minutes, I thought I had found it, but it turned out I was wrong. Once we started walking to the restaurant, I saw the parking lot she was referring to, so had to go back and get the car to park in the correct lot so I don’t get a ticket or be towed.

   I think the restaurant needs to make it more clear where people are able to park with clear instructions as to where the shared parking lot is because it does not state it well on the website at all.

   Once we arrived, we were immediately seated. It was not overly crowded, and in fact, they seated us in the back, which is sort of like a separate room away from everything and everyone. At one point during the night we were literally by ourselves with no other people around us which I thought was strange, but as the night went on, more people and couples started to arrive in the area we were seated.

   The service was good, and our waitress seemed very attentive. However, there was one point at the beginning of our service when I thought our waitress got offended. I asked her if it would be okay if I ordered items from the surf and turf section. She stated that all items were on the regular menu. I corrected her and told her they weren’t because the Live Maine Stuffed Lobster Tail was not part of the regular menu, only the African Lobster Tail was. I knew this because I had been studying their menu for a week because I knew I was coming here. After she knew I was right, she said, “No problem, I can mix and match whatever I would like.”

   From that point on, I thought the rest of the meal and customer service were not going to be good. For a few times, when she came back, it seemed like there was a little bit of animosity from her, but it went away after my wife started having a conversation with her.

   The drinks were good and showcased well in elegant large glasses. My wife got a cosmo, and I got a Tito’s on the rocks, which had a ball shaped piece of ice in the glass, which I love.

   I got the bacon for the appetizer, which reminded me of Peter Lugers restaurant in Brooklyn. The bacon was actually very good. Some parts of it were very soft, and it literally melted in your mouth. Other parts of it had a nice chard, which made it a really good balance. My wife got a sald and it was huge. Probably a good two people would be able to eat it easily.

   It took a while for the main course to come, but when it did, the presentation lf it looked great. I got the Live Maine Lobster Tail and 3 scallops from the surf and turk section of the menu. My wife got the scallops entree. My lobster was cooked perfectly and the stuffing was also very good. My scallops were also good, but they seemed to have been dipped into something on the top of them as the tops of the scallops were pretty crusted and hard.

   We also got the rainbow carrots and mashed potatoes for our sides, which again were big portions and more than enough for two people to share and still have a lot leftover. I did not care for the fet cheese with the carrots as it made them taste a little bitter, in my opinion.

   For dessert, we got the chocolate decadence, which was divine and a nice ending to our meal. The bill came out to $300 for my wife and I,which is what I was expecting.

   Overall, it was a nice experience and ould eat here again. I wish parking was better.

4. What a unique experience! We started in the lounge area with a drink before being seated for dinner. The lounge area was more laid back with a modern vibe. The dining area was very upscale. We loved the atmosphere. Our waiter, Joseph was very informative. He explained the whole menu to us in great detail and gave us his honest opinions for our selections
   (which we very much appreciated)!
   We started the wagyu beef and lobster bisque. Then the 10 oz rib eye and 6 oz filet mignon for the main course. Everything was cooked to perfection. We highly recommend the carrots (sides are big enough for 2 people).
   The staff really made this birthday special for my husband and we assure you, you will not be disappointed with this dining experience.

5. We went here for my birthday dinner and had a wonderful experience! Out of all of the fancy restaurants in Lancaster, this has been our favorite so far.

   Everything was just delicious and tender. The stand outs are the bacon appetizer – it was so deliciously sauteed and tender. My husband even got the tuna tartare for the appetizer and he loved it, and he’s a picky eater and never eats anything raw!!

   The staff were very welcoming, and the environment was cozy and ambient. We would definitely come back for special occasions!

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