Cowboy Chow - Roanoke, TX - Not Worth It...

RATING 70/100

Cowboy Chow has some major issues.  The food is not that good and the staff hasn't a clue.  I think this is the first restaurant job for most of them.  They have no idea how to treat a customer.  From the second you walk in and feel like you are a bother to them to the fact that they have no idea what is on the menu or when and who the live entertainment is/will be.

Now, the food...  It is so bland, that you won't even finish it.  Plus, it is not cute to eat food out of a Mason jar.  You feel stupid eating out of a lidded glass.  Seriously, who's idea was that?  The prices are a little high on top of all of this!  The place is owned by the same folks as Twisted Root.  It seems as though they have no real experience with running a restaurant.  They may have gone to cooking school, but that is never the recipe for success.  Anyone can hire a great chef.  You have to know how to treat people and create the experience!  Get a real manager, get some better food and you may get some patrons other than the Babes Chicken overflow.

Twisted Root Burger Co. - Roanoke, TX - Not Just Another Burger Shop

RATING 83/100

Twisted Root Burger Company offers up a pretty good burger.  The menu is slightly complicated, but no matter what you end up with, you will probably enjoy it.  The shakes and malts are good as well.  The ordering area will confuse you and trying to fill your drink cup is an art in this place.  Not sure this place is worthy of all the hype.  A flash on the Food Network will do wonders for a place.  Time will tell...   I will say this.  The prices are way out of whack!  I think everything is an extra.  So, just when you thought you were about to pay 8 bucks for a burger (which made you feel guilty)... it will ring up at $10.50!  What happened?!  Well, the jalapenos where extra... oh yeah... the cheese you selected is $1 more than the other cheeses that come with the cheeseburger... huh???

Well, if you have a spare $11 or so, go try it.

Brio Tuscan Grill - Southlake, TX - Not Worth the Wait, but Good...

RATING 80/100

OK, I don't normally review chain restaurants, but I feel like Brio is worth a few sentences.  The atmosphere is decent.  Could be improved if it weren't so LOUD!  The bar areas are really nice.  I especially like the outdoor bar area.  DO NOT, sit in the outdoor patio for a meal.  The chairs are so uncomfortable.  They are sized for a 12 year old.

The place is decent.  The pasta dishes are all pretty good.  The appetizers are really good.  I recommend the pizzas.  I normally would not recommend something so ordinary, but the pizza oven does a good job at slightly burning the crust...like a real pizza.  The place uses fresh ingredients which is half the battle.  If you are in Southlake Town Center, hungry, and have an hour or so, try it.  I think you will like it.  The only reason the score is an 80/100 is because I rarely give any chain restaurant a review, and when I do, it rarely makes it out of the 70's.  So, an 80 for a chain is quite good...

Bosses Pizza - Keller, TX - Great Crust!

RATING 84/100

The pizza is really good.  The dining experience needs much improvement.  The restaurant looks OK from the street.  Upon entering, you will not be impressed with the decor...at all!  The salad bar is stuffed into a corner and is lackluster.  However, you go to Bosses for the CRUST!  It is really great.  The pizza is very good.  The buffet needs some help.  It is a little sparse normally.  Buffets are tough for the restaurateur to gauge sometimes...so, it is understandable.

The prices are good.  I would recommend grabbing a pie to go.  Take it home and have the pizza feast there.  Your dining experience will be better that way.  (Take advantage of the $10 Tuesdays.  You get any medium for $10)

Prairie House - Roanoke, TX - Consitantly GREAT!

RATING 85/100

A real chuckwagon experience. The food is really good! No, REALLY good. Not sure how they spice up the Prairie Chicken, but it is my favorite. The barbque is awesome. If you ever need some real chuckwagon style catering, I bet this place would fit that bill perfectly. I eat here a few times a week and never get tired of it. I recommend asking for the vegetable skewer in lieu of the normal side item. It isn't on the menu, but it is really good. Prices are good, and the specials are yum.

Trulucks - Southlake, TX - Could Be Better...

RATING 81/100

 I have been a few times and I keep expecting it to get better. The crab claws came frozen on the first visit. The actual meals are fine. Just not really fine dining. The restaurant is sort of a pig in lipstick. The atomosphere is nice and the waitstaff do a decent job, but the food is more like a Red Lobster. The bar is pretty nice with live piano talent. All in All, not a bad place to eat and drink, just don't expect the seafood meals to be that great. I may be expecting too much since I am used to eating seafood near the ocean...

Uncle Julios - Grapevine, TX - Fresh Mexican Food Done Right.

RATING 81/100
SALSA RATING 84/100

I went on a Wednesday for lunch.  The place was busy!  The decor is just right.  The staff is professional.  The food is really great.  The salsa is a perfect balance of spice and flavor.  The chips and tortillas taste fresh made.  I had cheese enchiladas.  I normally start with that on a first visit to test the flavor.  You can tell a lot from a simple cheese enchilada.  Is the cheese aged?  Is the tortilla fresh?  Is the plate appetizing?  Uncle Julios hits on all cylinders!  The food really is pretty good.

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La Hacienda Ranch - Colleyville, TX - Great Mexican Food and Steaks!

RATING 86/100
SALSA RATING 92/100

The location is great.  The building is really something else.  The rustic decor is perfect and not overdone.  Very cozy once you sit down.  The service is fantastic.  The food...well...it is great too!  Did I scare you?  I really enjoy going to this place.  It is consistently good food.  Even if you have to wait, the bar area is ample and the drinks are top notch.  Belly up to the bar on a real saddle!  Just leave your spurs in your truck!

Joe's Pizza - Westlake, TX - Really Good Pizza! REALLY!

RATING: 86/100


- Is it the crust? Is it the sauce? Is it the cheese? Is it the toppings? I don't know, but I do know that it is G R E A T! The crust is slightly crispy and doughy at the same time. The sauce is just right and the cheese is...well... REAL CHEESE! Put it all together and you have a fantastic pizza. Plus, they deliver. Hmm. I know what's for dinner tonight!

Babe's Chicken - Roanoke, TX - JUST TRY IT ALREADY!

RATING: 84/100

Ok, you have driven by the place and saw the line out the door and wondered why.  So, just go out and try it.  If you like fried chicken or chicken fried steak, you will love this place.  If you don't, you probably won't enjoy yourself since that is all that is on the menu.  The salad is 'toaster simple', but tastes great.  The salad, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, and scratch biscuits are served family style.  The sides are all very tasty.

The atmosphere is great.  Really old building with a lot of character.  Juke box playing in the background takes you back a few years.  The rating is an 84 out of a possible 100.  Any rating above a 70 is worth trying!  So, just go and try it already and be prepared to take the leftovers home with you... Cold chicken for breakfast or lunch the next day?  YES!

Joe T. Garcias - Fort Worth, TX - Um, Is This Mexican Food?

RATING 75/100


 I know... I know. This place is a local institution of Fort Worth. An icon of the area... We all have memories of events that we have attended there. But can we all come together and agree that the food really isn't that great. From extremely greasy tacos to fajitas that taste...uh...terriaki. What? TERRIAKI... YES! EWWW. Anyway, the place is packed all the time and we all sort of know the family and love them. I just wish I could go for the food. Instead, I will cotinue to go for a Sunday brunch now and again. And I am sure our family will have an event or two every year. But it just isn't the food that draws us there. Thank goodness for them that traditions exist. I wonder what would happen if the food was great. My gosh, we would never get it! And for the love of Pete! Accept Credit Cards! It's not cute anymore trying to be old school and take cash only. Who carries cash anymore? Ok...see you there tonight...darn it!

Dino's - Grapevine, TX - Don't Expect Too Much.

RATING: 77/100

I wish this place was better.  It is in a great location.  It is located in the very quaint old town Grapevine.  The building and the signage draw you in.  The interior/atmosphere is decent.  The interior could have been better if it were professionally designed.  You can tell they spent the money on the inside, just missing a few, easily fixed, things.  For example, if you sit upstairs during the daytime, you will be blinded by the huge un-tinted windows.

I went with a large group and the consensus was unanimous... The food was just OK... Not worth the price.  They were out of many items on the menu.  Including the special.  Uh, we were there at 7:00pm... huh?

The wait staff was really great.  They had to apologize so much, it became uncomfortable.  Oh well.  It wasn't terrible.  It is just that the food doesn't line up with the pretty nice location and building.

I hope they get better.  I will give them another try for sure.

Vinny's - Trophy Club, TX - Great Pizza.

RATING:  82/100

Located in Trophy Club near Trophy Lake Drive.

Good atmosphere, good food, good service...

The pizzas are great! The food is consistent hot and very good. Give them a try!

The specials are always a good choice.