Local Restaurant Review / Discussion

191,392 Views | 1203 Replies | Last: 20 hrs ago by Thisguy1
Tumble Weed
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Captn_Ag05 said:

From pictures posted on Yelp it looks like they have a physical menu available, at least


I will go and try the prime rib.

As far as physical menus go, I just ask for one when I go to a place that has digital. They usually have one for people like me.
Clucky
How long do you want to ignore this user?
PS3D said:

maroon barchetta said:

No viewpoint.

Just an observation based on history.
Certainly in the last 15 years there have been notable failures including a restaurant owner who used to come by here quite regularly and pick fights. Be honest though...which promising local restaurant in recent memory (let's say, 2005 or later) deserved better and really didn't get a fair shot?
I think Kreuz was damn good BBQ, and they even kowtowed to the community by offering all the things they said they didn't offer - including forks and sauce - and had some decent combo deals towards the end, but it was too late.
dubi
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Quote:

I think Kreuz was damn good BBQ, and they even kowtowed to the community by offering all the things they said they didn't offer - including forks and sauce - and had some decent combo deals towards the end, but it was too late.
We went once and didn't like it and it was $$$$.
harrierdoc
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Barbecue was not very good. Fact of the matter is, even run-of-the-mill barbecue is usually pretty good and there's was just average. Plus, they did not have Coca-Cola products.
FlyRod
How long do you want to ignore this user?
PS3D said:

maroon barchetta said:

No viewpoint.

Just an observation based on history.
Certainly in the last 15 years there have been notable failures including a restaurant owner who used to come by here quite regularly and pick fights. Be honest though...which promising local restaurant in recent memory (let's say, 2005 or later) deserved better and really didn't get a fair shot?


Easy to forget the hits restaurants took during Covid and many simply never recovered. I believe that was one of the factors in Veritas's demise, ultimately.
MyNameIsJeff
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Don't see much mention of it here, but Willie's has become one of our go-to lunch spots. Pretty consistent with quality and service. I've actually found their 8oz sirloin to be pretty good for the price.
EliteElectric
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I've been to Spago in Vegas and LA in shorts and tee shirt I will NEVER dress up to eat dinner. I have been to formal events where dinner was served but will not make dinner in a strip center a formal event. They'll not see us with that dress code and I doubt they see many college kids or young professionals.

Hell I once went to Commanders Palace in flip flops after a round of golf at TPC Louisiana.

I love fine dinning, I hate when dinning takes itself too seriously.
Orlando Ayala Cant Read
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Had CoCo Shrimp tonight and loved it. Unique flavor very different from other Shrimp taco offerings around town. Definitely going back
PS3D
How long do you want to ignore this user?
CN said:

PS3D said:

Certainly in the last 15 years there have been notable failures including a restaurant owner who used to come by here quite regularly and pick fights. Be honest though...which promising local restaurant in recent memory (let's say, 2005 or later) deserved better and really didn't get a fair shot?
I can think of at least 3 and although they deserved better, I think their demise were kind of self inflicted. Here are 3 that I still wish were around: Cafe Eccell (Northgate edition), Madden's, and Veritas.


Cafe Eccell in Northgate was around for like 25 years, Madden's was around for about 15 years, Veritas 13 years.

Clucky said:

I think Kreuz was damn good BBQ, and they even kowtowed to the community by offering all the things they said they didn't offer - including forks and sauce - and had some decent combo deals towards the end, but it was too late.


Kreuz was a second location of the Lockhart original (I want to say they had more locations at one time but I'm coming up blank).

I suppose there's things like CALZ which was open for less than two weeks following a prolonged difficult time in opening, but their failure didn't seem to be with exceptionally poor reception.
Captn_Ag05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I miss pepperoni rolls from Bucks.
MyNameIsJeff
How long do you want to ignore this user?
FlyRod said:

PS3D said:

maroon barchetta said:

No viewpoint.

Just an observation based on history.
Certainly in the last 15 years there have been notable failures including a restaurant owner who used to come by here quite regularly and pick fights. Be honest though...which promising local restaurant in recent memory (let's say, 2005 or later) deserved better and really didn't get a fair shot?


Easy to forget the hits restaurants took during Covid and many simply never recovered. I believe that was one of the factors in Veritas's demise, ultimately.
What struck me as odd about Veritas closing is that the next concept was announced basically right as Veritas closed, if I remember correctly.
ZoneClubber
How long do you want to ignore this user?


The problem here is comments or reviews like yours from people crapping on a new business who haven't even been to the restaurant.

My take- I've been twice: De Baca is the nicest restaurant in town. It's certainly pricey.
The big, half moon bar will be a feature and sure to be a hot spot, The restaurant area is elegant and the large windows looking west make it a unique setting. My table ordered filets, ribeye, lobster and the flatiron. Steak flavor is very good, with a good sear and seasoning. The sides were on par with top end steakhouses. The creme brulee was a large portion and delicious.

We enjoyed the tablets with the menu. You don't order from them and they provide additional information, especially regarding the wines. We had many questions and the waitress answered them.

michellecan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I never see Taco Casa on 6 get any love. They have the best crispy tacos LOADED with cheese! Manager and staff are friendly and service is great.
halibut sinclair
How long do you want to ignore this user?
michellecan said:

I never see Taco Casa on 6 get any love. They have the best crispy tacos LOADED with cheese! Manager and staff are friendly and service is great.


We LOVE the Bryan Taco Casa. Always super fresh and lots of food for the price.
Hornbeck
How long do you want to ignore this user?
michellecan said:

I never see Taco Casa on 6 get any love. They have the best crispy tacos LOADED with cheese! Manager and staff are friendly and service is great.
It's still in the rotation, we ate it a lot more when the one off Fitch was open, but the wife picks it up for us on her way home from work sometimes.
Chris77
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I agree, it is the nicest restaurant in town, and it's honestly not even close.
PS3D
How long do you want to ignore this user?
ZoneClubber said:



The problem here is comments or reviews like yours from people crapping on a new business who haven't even been to the restaurant.

My take- I've been twice: De Baca is the nicest restaurant in town. It's certainly pricey.
The big, half moon bar will be a feature and sure to be a hot spot, The restaurant area is elegant and the large windows looking west make it a unique setting. My table ordered filets, ribeye, lobster and the flatiron. Steak flavor is very good, with a good sear and seasoning. The sides were on par with top end steakhouses. The creme brulee was a large portion and delicious.

We enjoyed the tablets with the menu. You don't order from them and they provide additional information, especially regarding the wines. We had many questions and the waitress answered them.




I criticized the idea of tablets-as-menus, and made veiled references to lazier service in restaurants as a general trend. That's not a full review of the restaurant; I made no specific criticisms to the waitstaff/service, food, or atmosphere.

I do not think of it as "unfair" if I attack a certain aspect of a restaurant. If I know for a fact that a restaurant's margaritas are made from white wine and not tequila, that's worth pointing out a flaw and I have every right to be suspicious as to what other corners are cut.

Of course these can be balanced out, you could argue that because the margaritas are cheaply made they also at an unbeatable price, they have an excellent lunch plate, and open until 4 am, it's still a perfectly fine restaurant...but it doesn't change the fact that the margaritas are made of white wine.

On the other hand, if the margaritas were the least of the restaurant's problems, that service couldn't care less, that the queso was more oil than anything else, that everything is far too dry, too salty, or otherwise rendered inedible, and so forth, then I was 100% vindicated and nothing was said that was untrue.
woodiewood1
How long do you want to ignore this user?
CN said:

PS3D said:

Certainly in the last 15 years there have been notable failures including a restaurant owner who used to come by here quite regularly and pick fights. Be honest though...which promising local restaurant in recent memory (let's say, 2005 or later) deserved better and really didn't get a fair shot?
I can think of at least 3 and although they deserved better, I think their demise were kind of self inflicted. Here are 3 that I still wish were around: Cafe Eccell (Northgate edition), Madden's, and Veritas.
I thought Cafe Eccell shut down due to their lease on the old city hall ran out and the city sold the property to the developer from Georgia for the 30 million dollar condo building and parking lot?

It was our favorite nice dining restaurant.
australopithecus robustus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
This is similar to what actually happened. The developer was from Houston and presented a much more grandiose development to the city and Cafe Eccell than the final product.

Of course when it was all over, built and leased, it stands to reason that the developer probably just put it on the market to sell and move on to another deal.
Ric Clark
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I like the new SHIPWRECK. Same owners just moved across the street. Same food and drinks, just nicer. Wade & Mary have hit a homerun with the new building, after a very shaky start.
spike427
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I still want to dress up when I go.
MyNameIsJeff
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I'm impressed. I think their willingness to accept feedback and adjust accordingly means they'll be successful here. I previously had my doubts.
AggiePhil
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I'm shocked that their margaritas are wine-based.
Queso1
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Unbelievable that people find it a burden to dress decently for a nice meal.
JMac03
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Queso1 said:

Unbelievable that people find it a burden to dress decently for a nice meal.


What if people want to go before or after a sporting event?

There's a lot of scenarios where you want to go somewhere nice but don't necessarily want to be dressed up for it.
Hornbeck
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Queso1 said:

Unbelievable that people find it a burden to dress decently for a nice meal.


Unbelievable that people judge other's attire and make it a bar to divide people.
CN
How long do you want to ignore this user?
PS3D said:

CN said:

I can think of at least 3 and although they deserved better, I think their demise were kind of self inflicted. Here are 3 that I still wish were around: Cafe Eccell (Northgate edition), Madden's, and Veritas.


Cafe Eccell in Northgate was around for like 25 years, Madden's was around for about 15 years, Veritas 13 years.
I needed a paragraph break. I was trying to (poorly) make two different points. Those were not the 3 restaurants I was referring to.
Captn_Ag05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AggiePhil said:

I'm shocked that their margaritas are wine-based.
I think that poster was trying to use that as an example of something they would criticize at a place if it were the case. They appear to use liquor.
PS3D
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AggiePhil said:

I'm shocked that their margaritas are wine-based.


I was using a hypothetical example of a "restaurant" (Tex-Mex implied), not De Baca. See, this is how rumors get started.
techno-ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
MyNameIsJeff said:

I'm impressed. I think their willingness to accept feedback and adjust accordingly means they'll be successful here. I previously had my doubts.
Yup. Called it in the other thread. Restrictions don't sell well in this town. Kudos to the Bacas for pivoting quickly.
Trump will fix it.
woodiewood1
How long do you want to ignore this user?
australopithecus robustus said:

This is similar to what actually happened. The developer was from Houston and presented a much more grandiose development to the city and Cafe Eccell than the final product.

Of course when it was all over, built and leased, it stands to reason that the developer probably just put it on the market to sell and move on to another deal.
The orignial purchaser of the city owned Cafe Eccell site was Gameday Centers Southeastern LLC, a developer out of Atlanta, GA and they were going to build a ten story condo development with around eighty condos calling it "Aggieland Game-Day Condos" They already had a number of locations across the country already built near major universities and some larger developments in Miami, Las Vegas, etc..

I was one of the two real estate agents pre-marketing the condos. We had sold about 10 of them, three on the top floor overlooking A&M to one major Aggie booster. Just about when they were going to build they stopped the project and we found out that the two primary investors had a falling out over some financials issues and they abandoned the project and sold the site to a developer in Houston.
australopithecus robustus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Some years after that, Asset Plus became the final developers for the site. The city retained the site after Gary Spillers and Gameday Condos. The city then sold to asset plus
PS3D
How long do you want to ignore this user?
woodiewood1 said:

australopithecus robustus said:

This is similar to what actually happened. The developer was from Houston and presented a much more grandiose development to the city and Cafe Eccell than the final product.

Of course when it was all over, built and leased, it stands to reason that the developer probably just put it on the market to sell and move on to another deal.
The orignial purchaser of the city owned Cafe Eccell site was Gameday Centers Southeastern LLC, a developer out of Atlanta, GA and they were going to build a ten story condo development with around eighty condos calling it "Aggieland Game-Day Condos" They already had a number of locations across the country already built near major universities and some larger developments in Miami, Las Vegas, etc..

I was one of the two real estate agents pre-marketing the condos. We had sold about 10 of them, three on the top floor overlooking A&M to one major Aggie booster. Just about when they were going to build they stopped the project and we found out that the two primary investors had a falling out over some financials issues and they abandoned the project and sold the site to a developer in Houston.
If I recall, that was announced back in 2005 and would've been the first real "big" Northgate development (a ten-story development in Northgate was unfathomably tall) but basically disappeared after the recession. Cafe Eccell didn't get evicted until 2014, at which point the Gameday Centers plan was dead and all that remained was just added to a pile of unbuilt developments which only exist as renderings. Same as the Dartmouth traffic circle and town hall, the Albertsons reopening, the filled-out Science Park, and a few others.
FlyRod
How long do you want to ignore this user?
People I trust gave a big thumbs up to Casa Monarca re food, service, and vibe.

Two friends of mine with investment funds are talking about opening a wine bar where The Village was, and they know Kristy very well, but I have no idea how serious this is. I'll move it to comings and goings if better data surfaces.
cstxfn
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Wife and I would like to try them out, but having trouble finding the hours they are open and s look at their menu.
I could only find the website for a Ft. Lauderdale location.
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.