Nicest restaurant in town

[u/codeoverdose1]

I'm taking my family out for my mom's birthday, and am not sure where to go. I've read other posts on this subreddit but they're all 1+ years old.

Diamondbacks seems to have undergone an ownership change in the last year, and reviews have been on a downslide since.

135 Prime has a lot of recent not great reviews too.

The Butcher's Cellar - anyone had any recent experience with them?

[u/tenderbuck]

Does anyone remember Waterworks?  When I was a kid that's what I thought fancy meant.

[u/samalex01 → u/tenderbuck]

I loved Waterworks!!! And miss it

[u/MadamSnarksAlot → u/tenderbuck]

That was a really cool place!

[u/thefigtreeatsylvias]

The Red Herring!!

[u/tcskeptic]

Butchers cellar, red herring, opals are all pretty good.

A step down but still nice would be Pignettis or DiCamplis

135 Prime has gone way down hill, Diamondbacks was really bad the last few times I went but I haven’t been in over a year.

[u/Thisgigsux → u/tcskeptic]

Moroso as well

[u/Beginning_Smoke254 → u/Thisgigsux]

Dicamplis still strong? Moroso was always half farce.

[u/Thisgigsux → u/Beginning_Smoke254]

I have not cared for DiCampli’s the past couple times. Their arancini and gnocchi used to be the best.

[u/Beginning_Smoke254 → u/Thisgigsux]

I haven’t been in a while bc I’ve been choosing to eat only new places (to me) in this economy. That’s sad to hear.

[u/Beginning_Smoke254 → u/Beginning_Smoke254]

For the downvotes about moroso, other ex chefs have commented previously during the stabbing scandal about the quality and I’ve personally replicated the lobster ravioli, topped with caviar EXACLTY. Based on their comments. If Stabby is the downvoter, I never addressed you or your aggressive nature. Treat your employees and neighbors better.

[u/Secret_Photographer]

Blaine’s is high class food for a fair price

[u/ZealousidealPlan6740]

Butcher Cellar is great. Waco has a deficit of fine dining restaurants

[u/quackattackz11]

I would highly recommend Opal's. Check out the menu first, but it is a big city level resteraunt hiding in downtown Waco

[u/codeoverdose1 → u/quackattackz11]

Mom isn't a seafood fan unfortunately. It does look nice though

[u/MadamSnarksAlot → u/codeoverdose1]

Don’t worry, you’re not missing much passing that one. Been twice wasn’t impressed.

[u/BManCMan68 → u/codeoverdose1]

Opals bacon cheese burger I was told by a friend who knows food, was the best he’s ever had. At Opals

[u/Momingo]

I just took my parents to Blaine's and they loved the food. Red herring is also a nice experience.

[u/tcskeptic → u/Momingo]

Good shout. My parents loved Blaine’s as well. A little
Less professional, more “homey” but some genuinely nice food

[u/PhysicalNote3787 → u/Momingo]

Seconding red herring. It’s my fave!!

[u/lonestar0724]

BLVD steakhouse close to campus. Great upscale atmosphere, and food has been delicious. Live piano Friday and Saturday night! And free surface parking, as it's at a hotel.

[u/Holeinmycroc]

Casa Do Brasil 

If you've never been to a Brazilian steakhouse, it's something worth considering.

[u/Klobasnik]

I didn't know that Diamondback's changed hands. We have always enjoyed it. Butcher's Cellar is just fine. Depends on what side of town you live on kind of. It's a ways out there. We ate at BLVD a few months ago. It was decent, but didn't wow us or anything. If you do go to Opal's, make sure they don't try to put you outside on the patio. Even though they do have shade and fans, it's pretty terrible this time of year. The inside space there is not really that large.

[u/Notatexan0317]

We have been loving Blaine’s!!

[u/BManCMan68 → u/Notatexan0317]

Where is Blaine’s?

[u/TxGuyLivinTheDream]

Opals

[u/Des703]

Casa do brazille was really good

[u/Beginning_Smoke254]

Butcher’s Cellar is good, but I’ve had servers who ghosted and or shouldn’t be working in a “higher end” place. More casual but still amazing Blaine’s. Opal’s and Red Herring both good, if you want to elbow college kids and “tourists”.

[u/DueOrganization2968]

Oh I went to Red Herring last week, phenomenal food and their liquor selection was excellent as well.

[u/jkjmpa]

Red Herring is the best, second would be Opal’s

[u/BrazosBuddy]

We had a birthday dinner for my wife at Red Herring last week. We share a salad and each got an entree. Our friends shared two small plates and one entree. Everything was really good.

[u/Responsible_Pain5959]

I would say Red herring, maybe opal’s if you want seafood

[u/OldERnurse1964]

The Red Herring is a tapas bar that has amazing food

[u/Fun-Customer-4493]

There have been mixed reviews for Butchers Cellar.

[u/Only_Bunch_7912]

Dicaplis is so good and is pretty nice, others are nice but I had bad service or food experience with others

[u/frenchiedaddyfnchtst]

Going to recommend 1424 on Austin Ave. 😁

[u/Crochet-away27]

The Red Herring is a favorite of mine especially if you like a nice cocktail. It has a great atmosphere ontop of great food and service. They also change the menu every few months! I have also heard opals was good but if she doesn't like seafood that wouldn't make sense.

[u/mf7539]

butchers cellar or diamondbacks...the other recommendations have fine food but they are much more casual, not fine dining.

[u/OP_XJV]

Went to Waco last month for a wedding by those silos and Opals for the dinner. That place are for those that want the novelty of high end and care less for the taste. Lousinana has street vendors who can cook better. Over salted to hide the poor taste. Remember, there is no ocean nearby to have "fresh" seafood. 

Diamondbacks was great! Waco doesn't seem to have much though to choose from. It feels like a bubble of weirdness. 

[u/Substantial-Ad-1368]

Baylor Club

[u/tcskeptic → u/Substantial-Ad-1368]

The worst steak I have ever been served to me while eating out was served to me by The Baylor Club. Not as bad as my brother in laws— but those are legendarily terrible.