Full disclosure, we did not eat here. We were in town visiting my husband's parents and my mother-in-law was sweet enough to make us reservations for a special dinner at "the nicest place in town". We had an early reservation and arrived on time to an empty restaurant. We were taken to our table which was crammed into a corner where even my 5'3 self could not weasel back into the corner seat. We looked around at all the other 4 tops around us not in a corner and asked if it would be possible for us to have a different table. The girl (who seemed about 15 yo) acted very irritated and at first said no but then reluctantly went back to the front of the house. She came back and moved us to another crammed in table next to the order entry station, basically threw our menus at us with a ton of attitude, and marched off. We all just looked at each other in disbelief and decided this was not the place for us. We left and went instead to Bin 303 and had amazing steaks and sides and 2 wonderful bottles of wine with lovely, pleasant service. Consider that for "special dinners" instead! read more

Nice people and a good steak. However, as a long time Rockwall resident I think the change to ultra-upscale is a waste of a great location and facility. I used to love the good ole neighborhood atmosphere and the live music on the weekends on the fabulous patio. It was a wonderful place to meet friends, have a few beers, and listen to some local talent. Now it is just another steakhouse trying to be ultra-fancy and exclusive. The building is great, the people are nice, the atmosphere is the best in Rockwall if not Dallas (better than the Harbor, even) but it is just wasted by trying to be ultra-snooty so they can charge more for the good, but not great, steaks. read more

I am very impressed with this restaurant! I have been fortunate enough to experience every great chef and restaurant in Dallas, and this restaurant holds its own very well! I had the grilled salad and lobster mac and cheese-delicious! My husband had a steak, and he said it was fantastic (my one bite I stole, I would agree). The cream brulee topped off the amazing meal and didn't disappoint. Personally not a fan of the very low lighting and dark interior, but it works. read more

My wife and I had a great first experience at Culpepper's. We came in slightly earlier than the majority of the dinner crowd (around 5:30p) and we were served immediately, food arrive very quickly and tasted awesome. I recommend the Shrimp and Scallop meal. Our waitress was excellent and a good conversation to boot. I can't remember her name, however. We will be back! read more

If your looking for a great steak, amazing service,and happy people this is the place to be! I had the salmon and it was cooked perfectly as was my husbands steak. 1. We were greeted with a smile and amazing service. 2. The food was outstanding as was the wine/beer list. 3. Im from the tx. hill country and I felt like I was back up home, truely a great Texas experience. I can only assume the management/owners care deeply about Culpeppers and treat their staff well because everyone was genuinely happy. Thank you thank you. OHHHH and complimentary valet...well done. read more

First and foremost, I want to say that our experience tonight at Culpepper's in Rockwall was beyond horrible and I hope embarrassing to them. I got there @5:30 and sat outside in the nice outside area awaiting the other 6 members of our monthly Girl's Night Out. It started out ok with just me. From that point on, it was worse than going to a McDonald's on a Saturday morning. Food was terrible, no refills, no water, no service, bad food. Pathetic at best. When we finally went in to ask what the problem was an hour later, they said they were 'swamped'. NOT. When we ALL decided to go somewhere else and asked for a bill, I assume the 'manager' came out then, said she gave us the wine for 1/2 price. Big deal. That was the Happy Hour special anyhow. They had some 'new' thing on the menu with crab and hominy; terrible. The waiter asked me how it was and I told him I never tasted the crab only hominy and it had no flavor. Oops, my mistake. SO, next time you may want to venture out to an overpriced, overrated, antiquated place that smells old, this may be your favorite place. We had ALL been there for dinner before and paid the prices and some of us enjoyed it. This time we wanted to have an enjoyable time, visit and relax....Guess you need to really spend the bucks.............. Just a 1 star food establishment at best. These folks just lost a lot of customers and anyone they talk to. Management failed miserably. ok......I feel better,,,,,,,,,,,,but hungry. read more

I would give Culpepper's no stars if I could. To begin with, we called ahead to ask a question about the wine list. The hostess promptly answered the phone, and just as quickly put us on hold for over 5 minutes. I hung up and assumed that she was just too busy which is understandable. Once we arrived, we found that there were maybe 5 tables in the entire restaurant, and the hostess was not at all welcoming. The service started off pleasant, he allowed us to look over the wine list, which was extensive, albeit overpriced (over $100 for The Prisoner and pushing $200 for Papillon). We decided on a bottle of Jordan Chardonnay, which was fantastic as always. We ordered the calamari as a starter, and it definitely did not disappoint. What was disappointing was the fact that we did not have app plates or silverware. As calamari is a finger food, I was willing to overlook it. We ordered the lobster mac and cheese, a filet with a baked potato and the ribs as our entrees. Only when the food that placed in front of us did our waiter realize that we lacked silverware and napkins. In terms of food quality, the filet was overcooked, the ribs were tough and dry, and the baked potato was cold. Additionally, the baked potato was served without any "fixins". We would have asked our waiter to bring them out, but the potato was cold so they wouldn't have helped anyway. As for the lobster mac and cheese, it was forgotten. We mentioned it when the food hit the table after which we were assured that it would be right out. 20 minutes later, after we had finished all that we found palatable, the mac and cheese hit the table without so much as an apology for the oversight. Rather than complaining, we simply decided that Culpepper's has its virtues, but it is not our cup of tea, so we paid the bill and left. It is a shame that a place with so much potential in terms of menus ideas and ambiance executes their service so poorly. We could have easily gone to Saltgrass, spent half the money, and had a much higher quality experience. This morning, my sister and I both woke up with food poisoning. long story short, between 2 people, we spent over $200 to spend our entire day in the restroom. And a note to the server: My sister and I are both servers. Had you offered better service, you would have received a 30% tip rather than 17%. Don't assume that people don't have money or tip well just because they are young. You lost out on $60. read more

Try the Dry Aged Steak. It is expensive and it is completely worth it. Great flavor as you would expect and send the knife back. All you need is a fork to eat it. Good atmosphere and wait staff is admirable. read more

Ordered the prime rib special for the evening. Meat so tough we couldn't chew. Two of us sent them back and replaced with new ones. Second round just as bad so I sent mine back again. Was asked if I wanted another or something else. I did order a filet. This meal cost more but it was nice. When bill came, much to our surprise, they charged us for the more expensive meal. When we ask about being charged the lower meal manager said no. When we ask to speak directly to him he was uncaring and said sorry we felt that way. After leaving we also discovered they had comped the other couples meal, even though it was inedible so she just didn't order anything else. Customer service by the manager was awful. He flat did not care and said his meat supplier was good. Wished I would have asked him to eat the meal. Will never eat there again and have since heard from others of bad experiences. Hope they figure it out. read more

Pros: country ambiance, great patio with water feature, excellent steak (ny strip) and pretty good filet both with mesquite smoke flavor grilled on a real grill (not baked or broiled). Cons: very close to highway so the noise level on the patio was not optimal. read more

Went to eat Dinner on the Wednesday before Christmas Eve with our family of seven. I called and made a reservation that Monday before with no problem. Unfortunately when we showed up we were given a table that barely sat six with an additional chair at the end. Of course there was absolutely no space so we asked for the manager (Adam) who I felt was very unaccommodating and we were basically told there are no other options and that we could have a table in "the lounge", a.k.a the same sized table. I feel if you are reserving a table for seven that you should be seated at a table that sits seven, not two two tops with seven chairs squeezed in. However, The wait staff was excellent and the meal was mediocre at best for a chop house. read more

I had to leave one star but in reality it was MINUS 50. We had New Years and Anniversary reservations yesterday at 6:30. We got seated at about 6:45 not bad however it took another 20 min for us to catch the attention of a waitress. We ordered our drinks and then placed our order. We made it a point to make sure they did not put the sauces on the entrees...First course mine wasn't even what I ordered and my husbands was drenched in sauce. Before I could get a word out the server was gone. We put the plates on the other side of the table and asked a bus boy to please have our waitress come to the table. He directed the waitress to the wrong table. My husband got up and asked that he please make sure she address the issues with our order. She never came up. Instead she made sure to walk out of her way to avoid us. I walked down and told her I would like to pay for the drinks and I wanted the manager. She said "what's the problem"??? By then I was fuming!!!! I said get me the ticket and the manager. She did not realize that I stayed down by the entrance and when she came around the corner she was trashing talking us. I explained everything to the manager "Joel" and all he could say is that he was sorry. I asked for the owner information and he said he couldn't give that out. Imagine that.....bet I found it out tomorrow. I paid for the drinks and left. What a piece of CRAP place to eat. We ended up at OTB down the street and had a great meal and a great server...if you go to OTB ask for Larissa. She is awesome. NEVER AGAIN Culpepper Steak House. Keep this type of service up and you'll be out of business in a year. Oh one more thing we weren't the only couple that left. One left that was sitting one drop down from where we were sitting. For the same reason....SERVICE SUCKED. read more

Best steak in Rockwall area for sure. Seems a little pricey, but worth not having to drive.

Absolutely wonderful dining experience. Atmosphere is great, from the water features at the entrance to the airplane (yes, AIRPLANE) over the fireplace. Our group of three shared appetizers- Fried Ranch, Calamari . Both were excellent, the calamari was the best I have ever had. The ribeye steak was cooked to perfection ,as were the scallops. We tried the lobster mac & chz, and spinach w/ Boursin chz sauce. Everything was spot on delicious!!! Our server was very nice and had no trouble answering our questions regarding menu items. We chose Culpepper because we were looking for a really great steak. I have to say we received that and more. read more

Mediocre food. Ministration and Management sucks. The kitchen isn't clean and kitchen staff eats food off of the patron's plates. If looking for a nice place to eat in Rockwall, look somewhere else. read more

First time dining at Culpeppers and we could not have been more disappointed. We ordered 3 different steaks and two were undercooked and one was cold. The other steak had the wrong topping, we had to ask twice for the correct topping and they charged us for both! The server also seemed new, he forgot about drinks and brought a bottle instead of a glass of wine and we had to ask for our check. My wife remarked that we would have had better food and service at a Texas Roadhouse but instead paid $335 dollars for bad service and food. We will not be going back and will recommend others to avoid it as well. read more

It was really difficult to decide how many starts to give Culpepper's. We have been 5 times. Twice for Sunday brunch (5 star meals with great service!) and 3 times on date nights. The first date nights we had amazing meals at Culpeppers with great service. This is a higher price point restaurant than we normally go to as a family, so we especially enjoyed the meal, drinks and atmosphere. On our third date night, the food was best described as mediocre (cold to the touch upon arrival at the table, overcooked steaks, stale bread) and the service was not up to par. I am hoping this was just a bad night because Culpepper's had so much going for them in the past...it would be a shame to let it all go downhill. read more

This really cool building with it's many rooms in and outdoors has been an icon in my neck of the woods for as long as i can remember. Dauber Stevens owned Culpeppers and the Oar House when he built the complex on the lake just down the street. He wasn't able to build a marina for lake bound customers, hence the harbor some time later, so he packed up and went to the Caribbean. Since then, the Culpeppers we knew and loved has changed from time to time. You can no longer get Steve's Filet, a real baseball cut of luscious meat!!! I have had really good meals there, but Friday night I intended to impress, unsuccessfully... the Cab by the glass we started with, we sent back, I know, preference, no big deal. We bought a $150 bottle of Georges de Latour, mmmm. Then we tried the shrimp cocktail, my date said it tasted like rubber, they were definitely over cooked, sent them back. Next, we tried what they called crab cakes, uck, sent them back both appetizers uneaten. I asked the waiter if the lobster, $70, was going to taste like that, he said they would take great care of the lobster. Admittedly, i screwed up, the lobster was also way over cooked, at this point we were tired of complaining and ate the lobster and half of my Caveman ribeye, that was our version of surf and turf. I ordered that $45 steak medium rare, the bone was burned to a crisp, i have a pic, fed the rest to the dog, when we complained about the entire meal, they comped the two appetizers we didn't eat and sent back, my mistake was accepting any of the food other than the Ceasar, the baked potato and the broccoli. My date had the runs all night, my dog had the runs the next day... I spent $300, half of that was for a bottle that costs from $80 -$120 in the store, not a bad price at a restaurant, really, but $150 for overcooked surf and turf, that is worth firing the Chef!!! Next time, I will not accept the food that is not prepared properly, but after all of these years, goodbye to Culpeppers and i will hesitant to go to the Oar House, they are still owned by the same management... I was going to call and complain, the manager would not give me the owner's name or phone number, how weak is that, and tell tale as well. read more

Salty salty salty. That is my description of their chicken fried steak. Overpriced food. Don't even know why they are even open anyhow. Lots of better choices around Rockwall. read more

Wow has this place gone down hill ! After a brief absence we returned to have brunch , I have always had such a great food here I was shocked at the quality of food and management has changed so drastically . My husband ordered the chicken and waffles and like any other time he dug in ... Mid way through this meal he noticed his chicken wasn't cooked!!!!! He set his fork down and immediately was disgusted that he had been eating raw chicken . He asked for our server and explained the situation she agreed that the chicken was uncooked and took the plate to the manager ... After at least 10 minutes after she took the plate the chef came out and said sorry but this is cooked and pointed to the pieces that were on his small plate he brought out ! They removed the uncooked chicken !!!!! Wow ! Then to add insult and argue about it .... He left and our server came back we asked if he was the manager and she said no , I then asked why on earth the manager would come to the table after something like this ? She explain that he was busy ... Well if your to busy serving people raw chicken .. You're in the wrong business . Disgusting !!!!! read more

'Just in from NY & NJ and were looking for a good meal. To our delight we found Culpepper's on Yelp. Our waitress Bree saw we were seated near a big party and immediately upgraded our seating to a quiet booth. She made sure our experience was exceptional and our only regret is that we live so far away. Thanks for a great Texas experience so far from home. :) read more

I got the sea bass and it was amazing. My husband got the ribs and they were average. I would give Culpepper's 5 stars for service though! We had a great experience!! This is undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in Rockwall! read more

The fact that you pay the same prices here as you would Del Friscos, The Palm, maybe Nick and Sam's you would expect to get the same quality and service. But, you certainly do not. Our waitress was very hot and cold with us and overall the service was just poor. There were times she was very attentive and times she would take forever. When she delivered our check, she just dropped it on the table and left without a word. Not what I expect from a place where I am paying $30-$40 a plate. Other things items to note....the filet had way too much pepper, the bread they delivered to the table wasn't even hot and I doubt fresh baked, the women's bathroom had no soap and the entire decor is extremely outdated. Cow hides handing on the walls? It just left us with a feeling that we dined at a steakhouse straight from the 80s with poor service and overpriced food. We definitely won't be back. read more

Food was good but the survivor was very bad Brittany was her name she was eating off some guy plate flirting drinking wine he was severed never got bread like we asked for one cup of coffee never asked for refills had wait till she got done pleasing him before she help any one else an she was almost in his lap an putting her butt all in his face to flirt more with him people she served after use she never took menu from them after they ordered there food she was piling everything on a table in the middle of the room was not keeping her table clean other staff had to clean them for her because they where busy an needed table in bar area because there was a band playing there they where good to hear an good choice of music but we thought she didn't need a tip from bad sorry service she gave other server did there job an hers they should get her tips she not good at what her job tittle is an she didn't nom the menu not even what soups the have for the night or anything she had to go ask what they where serving an it took 45 minutes to get check to pay because she was to busy with a guy up but Us to care about other customers read more

Very disappointed in the manager, Adam. He was a complete ass and would not help accommodate our party. I called two days in advance for reservations for a party of 7. We were seated at a table for 6 with a chair pulled up to the end to make 7. We immediately asked for a larger table and expressed that we had gifts and had made reservations two days ago and felt like we were squeezed into a table of 6. (Four of the people in the party were grown men.) He told us he had no where else to put us as we looked around and noticed the restaurant wasn't even close to being crowded. He did offer us a table in "the lounge" which was the exact same size table. Anyway, he was rude, never came back to our table to check on us or apologize or anything. He looked very "unkept" for a manager. The waitstaff were all wearing ties and dressed nice and he didn't even have tie on. I just think that a manager of a place that nice should have better attire, manners, and be accommodating to the customers. Food and service were good, it just would have been nice if we could have moved our arms! read more

Culpepper used to be the best restaurant in town. No longer, and they aren't even trying anymore. We visited during Sunday brunch and the place was dead. Yet our server still ignored us, and it took our food over 30 minutes to arrive. I ordered shrimp and grits, which was always my favorite here, but apparently they changed the recipe. It is now so loaded with jalepenos and sauce that you can't even TASTE the shrimp or grits. My mouth was on fire so I asked for some bread, and could not tell if what they brought me was stale bread or maybe toast that was barely toasted. Who knows. Also, no brunch specials or $2-4 mimosas here like other modern restaurants offer. It feels like the owners don't want to do brunch at all, but are just slogging through it anyway. Do it well or don't do it at all. The restaurant is like a dark dungeon, which is depressing on a sunny afternoon. I've had several "off" experiences here the past year, but this last one has convinced me that there is no reason to return. So sad. read more

This was always one of my favorite restaurants. It is unique and was good food and wait staff. That is no more. I went there for my birthday today. It took 4 cappuccino tries and we finally got two that weren't cold. The bacon was the only thing good today and it was mostly fat. My food came out after a long wait and was cold. The steak I paid a fortune for was so thin it was hardly edible and the sauce and egg was cold. The sweet potato was the only thing worth eating on that plate and it was cold. The waiter was told and supposedly was going to see what he could do about it. He never did. I got no refill on my water either. I could have gone down the road to Panera Bread and got a much better meal with better service for a quarter of what I wasted here. The place used to be packed but in our area there were only 4 tables with people today. Definitely not worth the terribly high prices they charge. Unfortunately, I will be shopping for a decent restaurant and not return. I don't suggest you waste your money here. read more

Fantastic service, unique atmosphere, and delicious food! Our anniversary dinner couldn't have been more enjoyable. My husband's filet with fried lobster was some of the best he's had. My filet and mashed potatoes were perfect! It's not often that we get a steak that's cooked exactly as we ask, no matter how nice the restaurant is, so that was a huge plus! Can't wait to go back and try out more tasty options from the menu! read more

Since Smitty's closed, this is now the best steakhouse in Rockwall. Before last night I would easily rated Culpepper's at least a four. The "Caveman" 22 oz is why God gave us cows! My only complaint is that there has been an inconsistency in the cut size of this steak and the depth of its char. This is a $40 steak (w/o salad), which is not too pricey for what I have usually received. Last night, though, for the first time I took the $4 option to let the chief split the order onto two plates (both came with potatoes of choice) so my grandson could give it a try. What came out were two chunks of tasty but over-charred meat that, together, did not equal my wife's 14 oz NY Strip (which was excellent) either in thickness or plate size. Had my g'son not been mortified by the thought, I would have demanded another steak. We made a special trip there to treat my g'son and were disappointed; but not so much we won't give Culpepper's another try! Maybe this was just a one off. read more

I took my family here to celebrate Christmas a little early. I was disappointed in the valet because I said I wanted to self park. They said you can try, but I think the last spot was just taken. It wasn't and there were plenty of spots available that could be seen from the valet stand! We were seated very promptly and for a party of seven without reservations, I was impressed. The waiter (Michael) was absolutely great! He took our drink orders very quickly and went over the specials of the day. Bread and butter was brought out along with our salads. Very nice...when the entrees were severed, I was very disappointed in the food. Two people in the party ordered the halibut, it was described as having asparagus. One plate had it, the other one did not. I had prime rib with mashed potatoes. The prime rib was difficult to cut even with the steak knife. The mashed potatoes were full of large (I mean LARGE) lumps. My husband got the NY strip and it was not as described as he has gotten a better strip at Saltgrass. For the price, I was not that impressed with the food, but the waiter was very professional and did a great job! read more

I don't know what other word to use besides just BAD. Our first visit was for Valentines Day when they had a set menu. Let's start from the beginning... First was the cheese and ham pretzel bite with a honey mustard sauce. The bite had nothing in it and the sauce tasted like nothing but vinegar. I could smell the vinegar. I would have preferred a ham and cheese hot pocket. Next was the blackened shrimp and scallop. The flavor and risotto were disgusting to begin with but then there was grit in the scallop. It was like it was sprinkled with sand instead of salt. On to the main course! The qaulity of the steak was good but it was topped with FAKE crab meat and some gross tomatoes sauce. Who tops a filet with inmatation crab meat? Who? Seriously I would like to know. Ive never met a potatoe I didn't like but I couldn't even force the mashed potatoes down. Desert appeared to be from possibly Sonic or Costco. Scratch that bc at that point I would have killed for a Sonic banana split. That was actually insult to Sonic. I apologize. To say it was not worth $65 is a gross understatement. I am trying not to get sick bc i just don't want to taste it again. Service was ok at best. I think this restaurant is owned by the same owners as The Oar House. I've also been there and wouldn't go back. For the money Capital Grill or Bob's Steak and Chop is a much better choice. The atmospher of the restaurant is the only positive I can think of. read more

Terribly disappointing. Gave credit card for Opus One Dinner five months in advance. Showed up on the day of to be told it was canceled. Even talked to the manger one month prior to confirm. Was not informed of the cancellation, even drove 2 hour the get there from where I live. read more

The food was amazing and we had a great waitress who was very knowledgeable of the menu. Everything we ordered tasted amazing with good portions. I loved the atmosphere until we got placed next to a big tv. I personally felt that took away from the beauty of the old building. read more

Great steakhouse if you want to get out of the city for a night. Surprisingly elegant, food and service was on par with the entire experience read more

Excellent service, really nice atmosphere but that's what you pay for here. Way too expensive....paid $350 for 3 people. I don't mind paying for a good meal but it has to be satisfying. Should've gone to Saltgrass to have a good steak but wanted to give place a try, after-all it looked really nice. Steaks are unseasoned here, they had char marks but appears to have been microwaved. Paid $13 for 2 scallops added to my meal which were the size of quarters and tasted of lighter fluid. Appetizers were much better but they were overpriced. Crab cake appeared to have been previously frozen. Lobster mac n cheese needs lobster added and flavor. Lobster had a funny smell so my friend just took a bite but put aside. Desserts way too small. Creme Brûlée-about a 1/4 size cup for $10. Chocolate cake(?) more like tiny piece of brownie with ice cream on top.... could've just gone to Braums. We left thinking what we could have done with the money ....bought a plane ticket, go to a spa etc... Left here with our leftovers (which the dog enjoyed) ABOVE ALL: really regretting we didn't wait in line at Saltgrass. read more

We were pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the food was! We started with grilled oysters and they were the best ever! The Rib Eye was so tender and juicy and my petite filet and fried lobster tail were unbelievably good! The mac and cheese is incredible! It is pricey but what a great meal. Also our waiter was fantastic! Loved it! read more

This is the WORST HIGH DOLLAR RESTAURANT EVER!!!!!!!!!!! I called and made reservations for 7.30 Sat night, first time date.. So, i check in early and my date arrives on time.. Guess what no table. O.k no worries we will wait. So we ask the hostess is there anywhere else we can sit? Sure, the lounge...."I will come and get u as soon as the next table come open!" 40 minutes later no table, so i just go to ask whats up and they said they had forgotten us. O.k not happy but, still on a first date so do be a jerk. Will to top it off..the waitress brings me my 58 dollar steak and says cut into it and see if its right. No! " Could you cook it a little more" it was almost rare... and then the silly little girl goes "well just take a bite of it anyway and see if you like it. Really!!!! Guess's what? You can get all this too at the low low price of 140.00!! Culpepper Sucks!!! There are a lot of better values in the local area for your money! read more

This is my second time here. First time split a great Cavemans primerib! This time had their regular primerib, but they made it like the caveman one. Also the lobster mac is delicious and rich, so side tip order a small cup of it. Here on a Friday night the band is good. read more

Worst steak I ever had. One of the worst meals also. WAY WAY overpriced. I got Angus Rib Eye and asked waitress if it was Sirloin TERRIBLE for the price should have been a melt in your mouth but was tuffer than Sirloin and zero flavor. Also got that lobster mac with truffles everyone brags about. I could not see or taste any Loster and was watery as heck. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY GOING HERE as its going to cost over 50 bucks for each meal. Me I will never go there again. I'll go and stuff down a Nasty big mac before wasting my time and money at this place. At least the water was good !!! read more

I took my family there on 3/13 for dinner and even though the service was very good, the prime rib my wife and I ordered was terrible.The prime rib was doused with onions along with the au jus?? We had to send it back because it was undercooked and even after the re-heat, it still was not good and very tough. We dined there for years before the Rockwall restaurant explosion and I always thought it was overpriced then. It's a shame my daughter's chicken strips were the highlight of the evening! read more