This is the easily my top 5 restaurant experience in Dallas. I need to go here more. The vibe is very slick. Modern yet cozy. Dim lighting, making me look even better! Perfect for dinners with a special agenda. Food presentation is very impressive. Artisanal is every sense of the word. Service is active but not annoying. Wish they had vodka though! Very humble staff. Impressed by the way their kitchen executes. You can tell this place has their coordination in check. Kind of reminds me of how Flora Street Cafe constructed their dishes. Glad to see that this food "art" is still alive in Deep Ellum. read more

I was visiting Dallas for the first time in my 7-8 years (this time for work), and was really excited to get a taste of some the new restaurants. A colleague of mine took me to Local -- the menu and pictures made it look great, but unfortunately, Local fell flat for both of us. We arrived around 7pm, peak dinner time, only to find the place completely empty - with zero employees, and customers, to be found. I started walking around trying to get the attention, when finally someone in the back came out to seat us. Okay, weird. The vibe is very under-the-radar, dimly-lit spot with lots of color and texture so was hoping the food would knock it out the park. The menu was pretty complicated, and included a bunch of dishes that didn't feel cohesive. I got the burger ($22 by the way), which had an entire list of fancy ingredients, but was pretty plain and forgettable. My colleague got risotto, which was basically plain rice. Come on! The mojito x prosecco cocktail was delicious and our server was incredibly kind, but overall the experience was vanilla. Our server mentioned that menu has been the same for like 14 years, but maybe it's time for a change, Local. read more

The food and service were good, but the ambience was a little off--perhaps it was was night we went. More about the food---I had ahi tuna tartare which was great and light. Additionally we had the ice cream--mint chip, coconut, and fig port, all were great. Also, had a cava margarita, which was great and well made. Very fresh! read more

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Not good for kids, not good for take-out, not good for anything. This food is inedible and the kitchen does not like to hear criticism. We got the chef's menu which is a multi-course meal with the chef's choices. All of the menu items as ideas are great, but with the flavor of each meal you would think that Morton's salt sponsors this restaurant. The first two courses were like eating meat out of the ocean. After we complained to the waitress, she told the chef and every course after that was the blandest, worst food that I have ever eaten. If I could take this places business license away I would. What they are doing is terrorism and Homeland Security should take them down. read more

We were hesitant about going here at first because of the poor Yelp reviews (a waiter at the restaurant told me they've gone down .4 stars in the last month). But the other place we called was booked until 9pm. Ate at this restaurant a few days ago with my brother - we both got the tasting menu. First sign something was wrong was when we were approved for a 5:30 reservation at 5pm on a Saturday. We walked in and the entire restaurant was empty except for two tables. The waiter brought us a complementary first course of broccolini soup - little bit salty and lacking in flavor, could have used some citrus. But then the next course came - black eyed pea soup, and it was like eating sea water. My tongue doubled in size from the sodium content. Then the broccolini parmesan salad came which should have been called a salt salad. We called the waitress over to send the dish back, and she told us that the chefs like to add extra sprinkles of salt to all the dishes before they go out... In all the food quality was passable - about as good as an olive garden or a maggianos at 4 times the price. I recommend only going to Local if every other restaurant in town is booked solid and you can't stomach McDonalds. read more

QUICK HIT (Must Go vs. Consider Checking It Out vs. Pass/Don't Bother): Consider Checking It Out ***This review and subsequent rating is strictly for the Tasting Menu offered at Local (compared to other Dallas Tastings). I have dined at Local and ordered stated menu five times*** What you need to know: -The Tasting Menu is ONE OF THE BEST VALUES in Dallas -$70 for 7 courses. Yes, the courses are listed as petite, but I have never left hungry. -The menu changes often, and the offerings are smaller versions of their a la carte menu -For the associated wine pairings, its an extra $30 for 7 glasses of wine. The pairings each time were excellent...and the pours are strong too, with the majority of the offerings hailing from the West Coast (California, Oregon). -The food has always been well prepared and the combination of ingredients complements each other nicely. I can't list particular favorites, but the majority of dishes have been "hits" with few being underwhelming. -The menu is varied with a mix of soup, salad, vegetable, "meat" dishes (last time 3 - bird, fish, steak), and dessert -It's located in Deep Ellum -Nearby street parking is easy -The restaurant vibe is real relaxed and not pretentious at all -Average dining time was 2 hours for entire tasting menu Overall, Local offers a terrific (and under-appreciated) Tasting Menu that I suggest you consider if you are seeking such a dining experience. read more

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Why haven't I ever been to Local before last night? Granted, I have driven this part of Elm street many times and never even noticed it, but I have heard about it for a long while now. I'm glad Restaurant Week finally got me there! First off, this place is kind of hard to see unless you are really looking for it and know where it is. There's a free parking lot next door to it so you don't have to hand your cash to some questionable dude that may or may not work at the parking lot but is still asking for money. It is located in the bottom of the historic Boyd hotel and the ambiance works off this. One wall of the restaurant is exposed brick with murals still intact on it. The decor is modern, wood-toned, dimly lit, classy but not stuffy, eclectic, and funky all at once. I immediately loved it. We were seated immediately in a two top right in front of the window overlooking the sidewalk. It was semi-separated from the rest of the room with a little wall....kind of gave you the feeling of dining alone since I could only really see one or two tables from my vantage point. (Side note: the curtains were right beside us and I couldn't resist touching them as they were made of a festive fuzzy material...must. have. these. for. my. house!) The hostess that seated us was super nice and told us a little about the RW menu and which items she liked. Nice touch. I believe some of the menu was a bit different than their normal offerings but everything sounded awesome. We started with the fried green beans with thyme and garlic dipping sauce. This was an extra $7 for a half order but was worth it. Golden fried on the outside, warm green beans on the inside. The dipping sauce at first scared me because it is white and creamy and we all know I hate that! But it actually tasted kind of like tartar sauce...it wasn't bad at all! First course: I ordered the sweet corn soup and the BF got the warm cow milk cheese and sauteed mushroom salad. The soup was soooo creamy and, well, corn-y. I ate every last drop. The salad had melty cheese all over some type of greens and also the mushrooms. It was yum! (Other choice was an heirloom tomato salad) Entree course: I ordered the Alaskan halibut with fresh corn and the BF got the crispy chicken with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The halibut was well cooked and light and healthy. Which means although cooked perfectly it was slightly boring in comparison to the BF's fried chicken. This was a huge boneless breast of chicken that had been breaded and fried. It almost seemed creamy when you bit into it (he says it looks like they breaded it somehow on the inside too?). I don't know how they did it, but it was juicy, fried, and DELICIOUS! I was super jealous of this and wished I didn't have to order healthy to keep from becoming a ball of fat! Mashed potatoes were also greatness. If you are going for RW '09 I recommend this dish if you aren't trying to keep the calories down. At any rate, both of us scraped the plate clean on this one too. (Other choice was beef tenderloin) Dessert course: I got the chocolate cake with mini ice cream cone and the BF got the peach pie. Chocolate cake was good...maybe ever so slightly dry, but not THAT bad considering I ate it all. (I know, chocolate cake isn't healthy, but I saved so many calories with the fish that I deserved the cake damn it!!) Beside the cake was a mini ice cream cone with a mini scoop of ice cream on it! Mmmmm ice cream!! The BF's peach pie/tart thing was also delicious and came with a scoop of ice cream on top as well. Yes, again, plates cleaned...and possibly licked. (Other choice: banana pudding) We also got the wine pairings that went along with it. While one of the wines wouldn't be my choice to drink alone, it was paired perfectly with the food and I was pleased with each glass. Service was great - our waiter was awesome! Chatty without being intrusive, kept checking on us, and was super friendly. There were a couple of times that we thought something had been forgotten (wine with our first course, our desserts, etc) but I am not entirely sure that all of it was his fault since other people from the kitchen were actually bringing the food out.... either way, I can overlook a little extra time when the personality is there! Slight side notes: the reservation system (OpenTable) sent a confirmation and it said that the dress code for this restaurant is business casual. I saw one person in jeans, but generally most people were a bit more dressed, so take that as you will! Also, couldn't see any discernible bar area to hang out at before dinner. (Turns out it is to your left and in the back of the room...I saw it, looked like tables to me, but guess it was the bar!!) I am definitely going to go back to Local. Looks like a great place to go for a date night...honestly, if a first date took me here it would impress the pants off me...literally! So I guess I'm saying go here and get laid! read more

Being a girl who loves food I can't believe I haven't been here before! This place is great. Some of the best service I've had in a long time in a unique and comfortable space. From the moment you walk in you feel extremely welcomed. The hostess kind of had that relaxing, spa voice, "Hello, welcome to Local." I was looking around for a bathrobe, spa slippers and massage room...oh wait, I'm here to eat. Got it! The decor is modern yet inviting, multiple rooms keep it from getting too loud yet aren't so broken up you feel like you're in a fun house. And like I said before, FANTASTIC service. And I'm a sucker for that. I have to say it is WAY pricey in my opinion. This is in large part to their wine being extremely overpriced. True food prices are a little high but for local, farm-raised fine dining I'll accept that. But the wine list wasn't that great and was way too expensive. (And that is what's keeping this place from getting my last star.) The tasting menu was just a compilation of what was already on the menu so we skipped that and just ordered what we wanted. Lump Crab cake- Wonderful. 2 things I like in a crab cake: actual crab, and not a lot of cake. Spot on!! Panko crusted Sea Bass- beautiful piece of fish. I think it might be better without the panko. BUT it was fantastic. PB+C= Dry, skip the dessert In Closing: Great Service, Good Food, Great Atmosphere, Free Parking Lot next door!!! read more

Scenario: Dinner with customers in Dallas Atmosphere: modern, trendy, and fun Service: Hands down the best service I have received in a loooooong time! Traci, Stacey and Johnny were awesome! Our group started in the bar where they were immediately served while we waited for the rest of our party to join us. We then moved into a private area but our group was larger than I had expected. Stacey and Traci were MORE than accommodating with rearranging us in an area that would fit our group and they were fast about it. Food: The menu was innovative, fun and creative! I had the filet, I ordered it medium rare, hold the medium (I like it moo'ing) and with it being a large group my steak got to me and it was more on the medium side. I told Stacey and she immediately took it back to the kitchen and they fixed it. While I waited they brought me a small cup of black bean soup which was awesome! I got my steak in lightening speed and it was perfect. Dessert... Mmmm Cherry Pie with a twist. This was one of the most incredible desserts I have ever had; it was 2 hot cherry pies with a cherry reduction and cherry cheesecake ice cream that had chunks of graham cracker. It was freaking amazing. After dinner drinks: They did not have a full bar but they were incredibly innovative with a variety of drinks from mojito's and martini's with champagne, prosecco, wine and beer. It was extraordinary! I wish I could remember the name of what I had, but it was with beer, lime, this chili sauce and the glass had a sea salt & pepper rim. Phenomenal! It's one of the places that you wish you had in your city, the staff was friendly and warm, the food tasty and unique, the ambiance welcoming and comfortable! Local, do you know the way to San Jose? read more

A discreet, subtle find.This hidden hotel-turned-restaurant lies amongst the funky finds on Elm street. You walk in and are immediately put at ease by the muted colors, low seating, soothing music (if any at all), angular lines, and exposed brick wall that constitutes the whole west wall of the restaurant. The restaurant is comprised of tiny little cubbies that house small, intimate seating areas surrounded by small Rex Ray-looking art, low lighting, and kitschy silk screen prints of forks and knives. The restaurant is much larger than it seems, you just have to go searching throughout the maze of the dimly lit, somewhat eery restaurant. Finally once you reach the back of the place it opens up to this beautifully designed bar area complete with artistically crafted, tree trunk coffee tables, a three part series of grandiose art above a cozy, mid-century sofa. The menu is somewhat pricey, but not a huge shock considering the quality of the interior. Quality over quantity - the fresh array of food offered ranges from sea bass to tuna tar tar. The portions are small but seem to fill you up. Its amazing to think we don't need as much food as we think we do. How much have I really overeaten the past 26 years of my life? Oh well, a thought for or another time... I had the tuna tar tar, which was so amazing. Lying atop of bed of vinaigrette soaked cucumbers, each bite was even better than the last. The tuna was fresh and seasoned perfectly. A blissful mix of flavors. The mac n' cheese and broccolini was also a great choice for a side. If you come across some extra dough or just feel like spoiling your significant other - this is a great, and original choice. read more

Summary: 3-3.5 stars total Wine policy 1 star Food 3.5-4 stars Ambiance 4 stars Service 3.5 stars conversation with the chef/owner 2 stars Overall the food was good, the chef talented, but her food tastes differ with mine and the terse conversation we had with her was somewhat off putting so I'd rather go to york street Prepare for a, curmudgeonly, long-ass review. Despite possessing a mere 28 years of age, I have trapped within me a cantankerous old coot that makes Andy Rooney look young and hip. I'm big on value for money, this doesn't mean I'm cheap, but if I eat at a restaurant in a certain price range I expect a certain quality of experience, especially if the overhead is low ( deadish block in deep ellum) A little bit before our reservation we call in to ask about the corkage. Expecting to hear something on the order of 10-20 we were shocked to hear that no external wine would be allowed (RED FLAG). We arrive to a 4 top right by the door, since it's cold out I ask for a re-seat to something further indoors. They accommodate us with a table in a separated little corner which was actually really nice +1 We ordered based on the server's recommendations: the fried green beans, the sweet potato and chevre ravioli, the lamb shank, and the panko_crusted seabass ( I shit you not, the menu had an underscore, lolz). For drinks, the wife had the pear bellini, and I had the pear saketini since I felt the need to snub the wine list (small selection and ridiculous markups, this isn't Manhattan, London, SF, or even Downtown Dallas). Amuse Bouche - blackbean soup with cilantro creme fraiche: served in a sake cup on a saucer with a tiny spoon, this was a good portent for the meal. It had good flavor, with strong salt to inspire a little salivation and thirst 3.5 Stars Fried green beans: some people love em, but for me the thick thick batter completely overwhelmed the green bean completely, you could have put anything in that batter and it would have tasted the same. Score 2 stars cause the batter flavor was decent, as was the dipping sauce Sweet Potato and Chevre ravioli: these were really tasty with time honored pillars of sweet starchy and fatty. I tend to like the pasta part of the ravioli a bit firmer, but that's just me. Score 3.5 stars Lamb shank with a creamy polenta and broccolini: the lamb shank was expertly cooked to falling offf the bone goodness, the broccolini lightly cooked with plenty of flavor. The polenta was fair, if you're gonna serve it creamy don't have harder chunks in there, that's just sloppy. score 4 stars Panko_crusted Seabass w parsnip & celery whip and haricot vert: The seabass was excellently cooked, though the beurre blanc was somewhat lacking in flavor, the parsnips and celery root were nicely done with a good celery flavor, the haricot, excellent, and the radish sprouts on top a nice touch. the whole dish had a very mild flavor an while good could have used a little more acidity ( a crisp dry chard couldn't have hurt, but again the wine issue pissed me off) score 3.5 stars Pear bellini- great pear flavor 4 stars Pear saketini, just sake with 3 tiny boules of pear sorbet a little sweet for me, so the second with less sorbet was perfect 5 stars for flavor+ creativity Meal closing cookies: "thumbprint cranberry cookies" excellent thumbprint sized gingerbreadesque cookies with a litle bit of cranbery on top 5 stars Coffee -1 only coffee they serve is hazelnut cream. Seriously? allright, again an area of disagreement with the chef. Now the real reason why star chef Tracy Miller gets 3 stars instead of 4, outside of our disagreements of personal taste. We were curious about the no outside wine so we asked. Our server didn't want to answer directly so she brought over the chef/owner. The reason Tracy gave was : we're trying to make money here and when we had let people bring their own bottle some started to take advantage. Allright, so just offer a high corkage, or lie and say you don't want someone's brought wine to influence their selection of food. By saying it's for the money you just lost the culinary high ground, why not get a real liquor license and bolster your margins. If you want to run a restaurant for money open a subway, way better $/sqft; Minor irritation, but seriously, what bugged was she was just really terse and impolite. We hadn't asked to speak with her directly, and we complemented her on the food; she could have at least been gracious. I certainly won't be back, but she is talented and if you seek variety it's not a bad pick. It certainly beats many other dallas eats, but for me it won't unseat york street, abacus, or stephen pyles. Holding us hostage to an overpriced wine list shouldn't be necessary with deep ellum rents read more

As others have said...this place is easy to miss. My partner and I are new to the neighborhood and are fairly unfamiliar with the restaurants around us...and knowing, of course which ones are even worth trying? So thank you to my friend Stacy C. for introducing us to yelp. :) So I'm sitting at Mamma Mia's waiting on my baked ziti and I notice a few nice cars pulling up in front of what looks like an old run-down building across the street. It's completely dark outside so it was hard to see...but I knew SOMETHING was going on over there. I go to the window and can see what looks like candle light coming from inside the building. i look for a sign. the only one i see says "local". hmmmm..that doesn't really help me. so i go home and look it up. one week later i'm going there for my birthday dinner. so we immediately decide to go with:: the chef's tasting menu 70. _ 100. petite collection of 7 courses + wine complimenting selections for each course this was a great way to try a little of everything. HOWEVER, if you're like me and can get tipsy from 2 beers (bummer. i know.) ...just order a glass of wine or two separate with your dinner. i was drunk by the 4th course and don't think i can give honest reviews about courses 5-7. maybe even 4-7...wait when did i start crying?? i think it was during the foie gras..ok yeah, that was #4. i think. :) the 7 courses consisted of:: white bean soup salad of frisee, endive, radicchio + brussels sprout_shallot sauce spiced pecans, currants, parmesan + lemon V jonah lumpmeat crab cakes- napa cabbage slaw + basil aioli cream seared hudson valley foie gras+house_made texas toast fresh fig + madeira compote herb marinated pan_seared scallops- yukon gold_acorn squash risotto, micro arugula +simple citrus butter glaze grilled angus filet steak- herb butter + balsamic_tawny port finish, crispy curly fries + young spinach toss dark chocolate pudding cocoa cookie crumbles, fresh whipped cream + bittersweet chocolate wafer OVERALL: it was a delightful place, cool atmosphere and very quiet. seductive even. felt like i was in a secret club. the food was excellent. tender, juicy, flavourful meats. crab cake heaven. perfect little salad. white bean soup was very tasty and the perfect temp. i don't really remember the pudding... or leaving the restaurant for that matter. So there you go.. read more

I still giggle when I think about my dinner experience here. I recently came here for dinner on a Saturday night with four friends. The food was good. The fried green beans we ordered for the appetizer and the sea bass I ordered for my entree were both delicious. Nothing funny about that. What WAS funny were the little-people sized servings of the various items. While we were looking through our menus, the waiter brought us a thimble-size bowl of warm nuts and pretzels for us to share. It was delicious... I enjoyed every (three or four) nut I ate. After we had ordered, we each received soup that was served in what appeared to be shot-glass sized "bowls" accompanied by a mini-spoon. My friends downed the soup like a shot while I used the spoon. It was like using a little girl's tea-party set. I had to use the spoon. How could I resist?! As for the entree, my sea bass was delicious as was the risotto type side it was accompanied by. But I was still hungry afterwards. Two of my friends ordered the scallops; they received two whole scallops with some potato type side-dish "dusted" on the side. The smartest guys at the table were the ones who ordered the burger... they were probably the only ones whose hunger was truly satiated. I was jealous. The burgers looked so good and so grown-up sized. After dinner, the waiter placed a small plate of cookies on the table for us to share. It was so small (possibly the size of a quarter) one of my friends described it as a "suggestion" of a cookie. The next day, I was at Central Market with one of the guys with whom I had shared the Local experience. He noticed a tub of cherry-sized oranges, looked at me, and exclaimed, "Local!" read more

This is a "common man" review (i.e. I'm not rich): Hmm. I'm tempted to go 2 stars on this, but I want to like Local so badly. I totally appreciate that this neat little place is nestled within the bars and clubs (and street construction) of Deep Ellum and I continue to wish them the best. I've been to Local three times now and I just can't muster much more than a meh. My main criticism is that the flavors are mostly very, very, very subtle. The prices are not. Definitely $$$$. They start you out with a complimentary teeny soup "shooter"--some type of leek this past time but I couldn't catch all of it. Was really good, as it was in my previous visits. We opted for two starters and one entree--lobster cakes, butternut squash ravioli, and then the scallops with an extra side of mascarpone mac & cheese. Lobster cakes were fine. Nice crunchiness on the outside with a good flavor--wasn't mind-blowing, but still good. Butternut squash ravioli was good, but very mild and delicate. You get three little discs of them. Scallops were really good! Not outstanding or way better than other places, but still really good. I should have learned my lesson with the mac & cheese from previous visits--very little flavor, extremely mild, couldn't really detect mascarpone and biggest offense to me: it was penne pasta, not macaroni. Come on--we don't have to fancy it up to the point of making it a less offensive/"common" pasta. Wine list is good, but if you want by the glass instead of opting for a $68-$150 bottle, your options are pretty limited. Another thing that 'kind' of soured me was the vibe of the staff. I'm not sure if the owner/chef was who was at the front door, but she was very cold and ignored us. Our server seated us in the front room which was a bummer because I like the back room with the bar better. Her butt kept hitting my elbow as she waited on the table next to ours. Was pretty tight space. We just didn't really feel welcomed, I guess. TONS of time between courses. I'll assume that is intentional, but after finishing the petite servings each time, we found ourselves waiting and waiting. And waiting. To sum up, the fare here is good. I feel it is more on the pricey side than it needs to be, but I will also say it is a super-neat place with a cool finish-out inside. read more

Reservation are nice but if you are in the area you can most likely walk in and be seated immediately or after a drink or two in their bar. If you are in the area give them a try to see if you agree with my review. If you are not in the area you may want to think twice before doing the drive. The food here is adequate but nothing to write home about. The serving portions are small which normally does not bother me since most places over feed you. They may actually underfeed you here. The service is good here but not good enough to make up for the food and odd energy. Parking for this place is interesting. At first glance it appears as though they only have street parking. There is no clear signage that the lot next to the building is also available for customer parking. Then there appears to be three areas you can enter however, none of the three are clearly marked. Though the owner and staff may think it amusing for the entrance to not be clearly defined (once seated you can watch other customers clammer for the proper door) it is annoying as a customer to say the least. Even after going here a couple times you are likely to forget which door to attempt to open. It is just silly and foolish to not have a clearly defined entrance. The hostess is friendly and helpful but some of the wait staff are odd. The waitress that attended to us the first time we had dinner here was creepy. She just had this blank stare that was disturbing and she lacked the proper social skills to make us feel comfortable. The second time wasn't much better. I'm not sure if they are not use to people being friendly but the experience both times were lacking for the price and what the owner is attempting to create. Maybe they are as confused as the place itself. The bartenders are friendly and a plus. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here however, I may try them again in 6 months or so. It may be the time they need to get their act together or not, either way it is definitely a thing that will correct itself over time. read more

Local is one of the underrated gems of the Dallas dining scene. While other fine dining restaurants get a lot of press and hype, Tracy Miller has been creating wonderful dishes that definitely deserve more attention. Located in a historic old hotel, the space reminds me of the kind of establishment you'd find in New York. It's comfortable and unpretentious, comprised of different rooms which give it a more intimate feel. Each meal starts off with a small bowl of mixed nuts and an amuse bouche of a seasonal soup. This time we had broccolini which is something I would never think to order but it was quite good. For my starter I had the ahi tuna tartare, served on a homemade sesame cracker with English cucumbers. What a great way to start a meal, so light and fresh! My boyfriend had the beet salad which was the highlight of the evening for him. My main was the herb-marinated seared scallops served on top of potato risotto. One word comes to mind: amazing! Three large, perfectly cooked scallops that have completely spoiled me as there are not many places that can do scallops so well. The potato risotto was fantastic. My boyfriend had the cornflake encrusted sea bass with parmesan risotto which was quite different from my dish; his was more subtle but just as delicious. For dessert, I had their homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream which is a must try if you are a fan of this flavor. It has such a bright, natural mint essence. We also had the doughnut holes which we really enjoyed. As for drinks, we are fans of their Champagne Cocktail, the prosecco mojito and the pear sake martini. They only have 2-3 other cocktails and the rest of it is beer and wine. Every time we have been here, the service has beeen outstanding. This past time, it was New Year's Eve and never once did we feel rushed...the courses were paced well and our waiter was attentive and helpful. Some things to keep in mind: portion sizes are similar to those you'd get at a place like Abacus, on the smaller side (which I prefer personally). The menu changes a bit with the seasons and there are only 6-8 choices per course (although they always seem to have a filet) so if you're with someone who is very picky, it could be an issue. But over the years, I've had dishes with items I've been unfamiliar with or thought I didn't like and because of Tracy's talent, I've been pleasantly surprised with how much I liked them. After writing this review, there's only one thing I'm thinking of: my next fabulous meal at Local! read more

Dana's B.'s Simple Restaurant Week (RW) Disclaimer in 3...2...1... I believe you can tell a lot about a restaurant in how they "handle" RW. Yes, a portion of your noticeably discounted meal is going to charity, but a great restaurant notices that patrons who wouldn't normally dine at said restaurant are, and that the opportunity is upon them to treat you like gold and perhaps you'll dine there again....at the nondiscounted rate. It's Restaurant Customer Service For Dummies. I should pen the book. But I digress... Night 3 of RW. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE RESTAURANT WEEK. Really. Food? Great! We ordered the fried green beans for the table. Delicious. Believe what you read. I started off with the arugula salad w/ blue cheese and nuts. Delicious. I cleaned my plate. Absolutely perfectly cooked Halibut with corn and greens in a broth that was just so light and perfect. And, as the peach pie was sold out, I finished my meal off with some down home banana pudding that was creamy & crunchy all at the same time. Yum. And now to what I think some reviewers have been trying to pin point about Local...AND now my attempt to throw my 2 cents in about, how shall I say, it's Achilles' heel: I think they are underhanded. There, I said it. I think a lot of good restaurants have great intentions, but a lot of great restaurants have ill conceived ones and I think this is such the case with Local. Local, I want to love you! I want to shout from the rooftops how much I absolutely adored everything I put in to my mouth last night (that's what she said). But, alas, I cannot. A few examples as I bear witness: 1. We ordered the Fried Green beans for the table: The $5 option came without sauce, the $10 option did. We simply ordered "Fried green beans for the table." We were served the sauce. We were charged $10. Fine. 2. Our table was informed about the wine-pairings served with each RW course. Fantastic. However, not in our evening's budget. But, whilst perusing the dessert course I noticed a lovely Moscato di Asti paired with one of the desserts. Those who know me know I heart me some good Italian Moscato, the crisp cold slightly fizzy kind. It's not anywhere to be found a la carte on the menu, so of course I ask about it. Can I too have a glass of Moscato di Asti with dessert? I mean, clearly the bottles have been broken. Glasses are being poured. Can I partake too? I was told he'd ask. So...out comes dessert, and out comes the most measly serving of Moscato di Asti in perhaps the history of Moscato di Asti serving. Were you measuring with a Dixie cup back there? Is it the eve of prohibition? Can you spare a square? What in the hell? Ok, fine, I drink it and then get charged....wait for it....wait for it....$12 DOLLARS. Could you have told me? "Um, Miss, yes we will be able to serve you a glass of this lovely dessert wine, but it will cost you your first born child." Wonderful, I'll have a whole bottle! 3. Any restaurant outside of NYC that asks you if you prefer tap or bottled water with dinner in Dallas is looking for a buck. Clearly. This is Deep Ellum for Christ's sake, not Rockefeller Center. I'll have tap and I'll love every minute of it! FOR FREE!!! 4. Um, could you spare a few more nuts for the table? I kid you not, they were served in a dish the size of a matchbook. I've seen truffle shavings bigger than this dish. They're nuts. They cost .03 cents. OK, I think I'm done. If I were rating solely on the food alone....5 stars. But because Local needs to brush up on their customer service skills and the fact that I wasn't born yesterday....3 stars. Can I get a witness?!?! read more

Local - Dessert: Restaurant Week - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Local scrapes by on earning a 4 star rating in my book. Local, you're lucky I'm feeling generous because I'm hoping my experience was an isolated incident and I sense potential at Local...and because it's just a gorgeous day outside and it's making me whistle while I work. The place is notoriously easy to overlook, but it's located on the beginning of Elm Street so keep your eyes peeled and you'll spot it in a jiffy. If you do park on the street, do heed the homeless guy who advises you to put coins in the meter even if it's on a weekend evening. The Dallas 5-0 is out in force ticketing cars left and right. I should know because I ignored the man and came back to my car to find a lovely ticket on my windshield. I was really excited about trying Local so when I opened the door and got a blast of a very strange, disturbing smell emanating from the interior, let's just say it didn't put us in the right dining mood. I'm accustomed to smells like these coming from a hole in the wall joint, but not from a place like Local. And I don't have a keen sense of smell either. Blindfold me and dangle a wombat in front of me and I probably wouldn't know it was there. Unfortunately, the smell lingered throughout the entire evening. It wasn't overpowering, but it was noticeable every time you took more than short breath. Complexity is not part of Local's DNA. Simplicity rules. From the minimalist modern design of the partitioned space to the food that's served. It's not a bad thing, but not it may not appeal to everyone. Local changes its menu from time to time so when we went, we gambled on a fried hearts of romaine appetizer. Yeah. Probably wouldn't advise ordering that again. Though we didn't like the dish, I credit Chef Miller's willingness to innovate and provide unique twists on dishes. You can't hit a home run on every dish, but you won't get a home run dish unless you're willing to try. My fellow Yelpers have already described the food in detail so I won't go any further other than to say that the entrees though simple in flavor and presentation, are remarkably poignant in the flavor delivery. I like to recognize chefs who are willing to explore, but I'll probably wait for Local to develop some home runs before I return. For now, I'd probably advocate places like Bolsa or York Street. read more

My gourmand-in-crime introduced me to a new (to me) amazing, romantic, culinary experience here amongst the sparkles and bubbles of the Dallas restaurant scene. Hidden among the funky and fantastic joints along Elm St., in the quickly reviving Deep Ellum, we parked (no valet for once!) and walked through a glass door into a whole other world. Chic simplicity, understated and warm yet with a very current vibe, Local sent me through a time warp to such hidden gems I have found in New York, Seattle or most recently Barcelona and Rome. We were greeted by the Chef/Owner, Tracy, who took us to the adjoining space and into the bar area seating. The intimate booth was comfortable and well lit for a lovely dinner. Our server, Parker, was on the ball. She was both attentive and read us and our needs well. We sat for over 2 hours enjoying a lovely Oregon Pinot and some of the most sublime seafood i have had in awhile. We started with the Lobster Cake which was tremendous. The only slight change I would make, is mellow the dill just a bit as it was a bit powerful. Entrees included Sea Bass and Halibut, both of which were cooked to perfection. Sides included the charred Haricot Ver and a "light" mascar pone mac-n-cheese that was plenty rich enough without being overkill like so many 10 Cheese MAC-N-Cheese on trendy menus. The roasted corn amuse bouche finished with a creme fraiche swirl was robust and just added to the party among my taste buds. We wrapped up around 11:30 and were one of the last tables to leave but the dreaded feeling of keeping the waitstaff past their end time was not present. Some of the best service I have received in Dallas. Friendly, professional, timely, and attentive without being fussy. 5 extra stars to Parker and equally talented Chef and kitchen. Def going back for more! read more

Personal Opinion: When you go to a restaurant and expect a "Fine Dining Experience" it's not JUST about the food. It's about the ambiance, the service, making you feel like your in good hands of and of course the food...the whole shebang! (cue Ricky Martin). If you are looking for someplace good to eat and don't care about service. Go to a place that prides on food and food alone. First off, I was SO excited about this place. I hadn't heard of Local until my friend told me about it. Read some of the reviews....SIGN ME UP! I love new places.... Next, I tend to be a little bit of a beyotch when a waiter is clueless, doesn't know what they're doing (nor the menu) or even makes me feel awkward. I mean this is supposed to be a 5 star restaurant....get it together or go work at Wendys. Too harsh? Onto the actual review. The restaurant itself is lovely. It seems to me that someone actually took the time and designed the inside. Original wooden floors, plain creamy white walls (not globbed up with pictures or obnoxious mirrors). Simple, plain, fabulous. Elegant booths, couches with the tables. There is a back room for parties separated by a curtain. I really enjoyed the whole ambiance of the place. Plus this building is where Hotel Boyd is. So you know its an old old part of town. Our Waiter. Bless his heart. He worked hard, I'll give him that. But coming to our table...he had his work cut out for him. Picky people we are. Very friendly, but I think somewhat intimidated by us? While browsing the manu (cue Franc) we notice that each course and each choice came with a wine pairing. We had already ordered a bottle of wine for the table however my friend wanted a glass of wine with dessert. When she asked if he could bring her a glass with said dessert, our waiter goes "Um, let me check, I think its only served if you get the whole wine pairings with your meal." What? Friend asks irritated "Well ok, please check." My loudmouth then speaks up...."If its on the menu for the course, it should be served by the glass correct?" Waiter doesn't know. Wait, what? Obviously these wine bottle have been opened...so why not just pour her a glass and serve it? If you're going to offer something, make sure your waiters know whats up. Or have them say "Absolutely, let me check for you" or "I'm sure we can accommodate you". Not "Um, let me check, not sure". Eh? She ended up getting her little glass of wine. For $12. We also ordered their signature fried green beans, which were $5 or $10 with added dipping sauce. I ordered "Fried Green Beans". It was brought with dip, so I thought, oh maybe there is another dip they serve, this comes standard. Nope, we were charged $10. I never once said "with dip". Grrr. I'm not cheap, I just don't like being charged for something I didn't order. Am I a brat?? We order and our meals come. I ordered the Corn Soup. Delicious, spicy, warm...fabulous. Main course, crispy chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. Very delicious. I tend to overcook green beans at home, so it was nice to have them properly prepared for yours truly. Dessert, first off they ran out of the peach pie. Ok. I ordered the chocolate cake with ice cream (the scoop of ice cream was served on a sugar cone...very interesting). The cake was cake, nothing spectacular. Ice cream is ice cream. Not sure if it was homemade. Like I said earlier, a place like this you take EVERYTHING into account, not just the food. If we were reviewing JUST food....5 stars. Definitely. The food came out hot and fresh. The table was prepared before each course with fresh silverware and water was refilled I kid you not, every 4 minutes. It's like the guy was hired just to keep water glasses full. Will I go back? Yes. Will I be wary of green beans and wine? Yes. Will I maybe only go back during RW...probably. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. Cause then I would. I feel like i've gone on forever. I'll leave you in peace. Namaste. read more

Local - Dessert - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Man, I was really excited to come here! Until the bartender looked us dead in the eyes without smiling and spoke with such lackluster tone that I wanted to crawl under a table and weep for her. We were all a bit put off by our experience in the bar area, but when we were finally seated, I was hoping the food would make up for it! Our server seemed meek and confused... but we powered through it and eventually ordered the mac & cheese and sea bass with risotto. The sea bass was great! A lot of flavor and the risotto was also cooked and seasoned well. The mac & cheese was something the server told us people came here JUST to order, so we had to get that... but it was a disappointment. First, we were told it was left in the oven a bit too long, so we had to wait for another one. Second, when it finally came out, it was bland. The mac & cheese at Cedar Social is definitely better. For the price of the menu and the romantic atmosphere, service was definitely a shock. The food was good, but I could go elsewhere for equivalent food and better experience. read more

I definitely like Local, you do have to be in the right mood or with the right crowd. It is in Deep Ellum and kind of feels to be a little bit desolate section of Elm Street especially compared to years ago when Deep Ellum had people constantly down there. The food is good as is the atmosphere although both are minimalist and thus not for everyone. I also think it is a little better place to go with 2 or 4 people as opposed to more, because it can be pretty loud. Everything I have tried down there is good and it has a unique feel and is not just a cookie cutter restaurant. The fried green beans are definitely a crowd pleaser. I definitely recommend Local, just more a place to go with your hip friends than your hard of hearing parents. read more

Absolutely wonderful! If you are a Dallas foodie, you will love this place. It's cozy, chic without being pretentious, reasonably priced (for fine dining) and the staff is excellent. The chef walks around and talks to people, which is always exciting for those who like meeting chefs. If they have the sea bass coated with panko on the menu - holy cow. It's maybe one of the best seafood dishes I have ever had. Enough said - just go already! It's great! read more

Nice place for entertaining clients, a romantic date, or special occassion. It's a bit on the modern side, nice presentation all around. The bar is tucked in a small room with some couches. Unfortunately, they only serve wine and beer. The warm nuts to start was nice as was the very tiny cup of soup. The markups on the wine was a little excessive. I could go to Bodega and get the same bottle for 1/2 the price. I had the Chilean Sea Bass which was very good. They had some good specials that night. We also got the fried green beans and mac and cheese. The sides are delicious. We didn't get into any desserts. Overall a good experience. I will return. Hopefully it will make it in Deep Ellum. read more

Walked in at 9:00 pm and the place was empty. Made me nervous and I was quick to turn around to leave. My group was already in the door, but before we could head out a staff member was able to greet us. So, we were seated in the very back of the restaurant in a small room with three other couples. They told us the kitchen closed at 9:30... Which made me feel rushed. The atmosphere is nice - and I was amazed the place was busier! The dining was intimate, charming, trendy- everything I look for in a place! The drinks were great - even though they don't offer any "traditional" cocktails. Mostly everything is wine or beer- and if you want a cocktail expect it to be mixed with sake. The food was ok. Everything was sweet--- too sweet. The pork had a maple sauce that covered EVERYTHING on the plate. The burger had a sweet sauce on it, the tater tots that came with it was covered with cinnamon and sugar. The corn soup was a sweet corn soup purée type thing. By the time dessert came I couldn't imagine wanting anything sweet. Glad I ordered a beer to wash the burger down with. I'd expect more from a $22 burger... And the same for a $30 pork entree. My tip :come here for light meals and light cocktails with good friends. But do not come with an empty, hungry stomach- or you'll be left unsatiated. read more

I ordered my tenderloin fillet medium-rare, it came out medium-well. Her lamb was the same. My steak tasted good, but the "tater tots" it was served on did not. I spent $127 (before tip) on two entrees and 4 drinks (one of which was just a beer,) and I left hungry and feeling cheated. I came here under the recommendation of a chef friend, but maybe I was expecting too much. I was not impressed by the menu, or really the food. However the strangest part of the evening was the service. Our grungy, ear-plugged server, who looked like she hadn't seen a shower in a month, disappeared after taking our second drink order. Our food showed up (from someone working in the back) without silverware, and we had to wait 5 minutes to begin eating. I had to walk to the bar to ask about our second round of drinks, and not a single person asked how our food was. Our server finally emerged a half hour later to ask about dessert. No thanks. Very unimpressed with the entire experience. read more

My husband and I had our first dining experience at Local a few months ago. Upon arriving, we notified the waitress that my husband is highly allergic to nuts and asked that she would let us know as we were ordering if any items contained nuts. She was very helpful in the first few courses. However, with our ticket she presented us with two small wafer cookies. My husband had one and immediately began having an allergic reaction. The waitress confirmed that the cookies did have nuts in them. We left immediately after completing our payment so that my husband could get some medication before his reaction got bad enough to require a doctor's intervention. It was a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise pleasant dining experience. If we had expected something other than fine dining, it wouldn't have been so frustrating. However, we did expect a very high quality of service given the prices. We had tickets to a musical at Fair Park that evening and instead of enjoying the musical, my husband spent a significant amount of that time dealing with the aftermath of his run in with the nuts. Later that week I notified the management of Local of the incident. I was expecting profuse apologies and the offer to return for a meal on the house or something. Instead, I got a reply email saying, "Oops, it was an accident. Thanks for letting me know." We will not be heading back there. To be fair, the food wasn't bad (though decidedly small portions) and the ambience was nice. read more

When you pull up you'll probably drive by it. But, once you enter you'll be pleased with what seemed to be an interior decorator's playhouse. I took my wife there for her birthday. We like to try as much as possible at new places so of course we each had the tasting menu. (Standing Ovation) 7 courses of excellence. Unique techniques and presentations... We truly enjoyed the service, surroundings, and selections. We will make a return! read more

BEST value chef's tasting menu in Dallas! They offer a small portion 6-course dinner for $70 or with wine pairing for $100. Just phenomenal!!! Amuse bouche- a delicate corn chowder Soup- Roma tomato Salad- heirloom tomato with blue cheese OH MY GOSH!!! Pork tenderloin- I don't even like pork but this was divine. Fish n chips- halibut.....didn't like this one. Mini-filet- delicious....only complaint was that it was overcooked at about medium. Medium rare would have been perfect. Dessert....I can't remember!! Apple cake paired with a white port. Every single item was perfectly paired with a red or white wine. I've never had a more perfect pairing. Very impressive!!! Next time, I would specify medium RARE on the filet. Will definitely do this again on a special occasion. read more

You can take this Houstonian's review with a grain of salt, but to me, Local was a quintessentially Dallas dining experience. Here's where you say: "whatever do you mean?" At which point I'll explain. Open only for dinner, Local took our reservations via phone tag. We called the day of, and were notified via voicemail that yes, reservations were available, and normally for large parties, a credit card reservation was required. In any case, Local didn't ask for a financial hold, but did specifically ask how many in our party would be attending. The combination of that and the Deep Ellum location led me to believe that Local, by its name and reputation, would be a small, homey restaurant. Instead, upon entering, we were greeting with a trendy, sophisticated, and multiple dining space. The restaurant is incredibly attractive, which in a way is also quite unsettling. The "Local" designation comes from the menu. After closer inspection, I take it that ingredients aren't necessarily local; rather, the cuisine and menu have been "influenced" by Dallas proper. It's a concept done expertly by Houston's Underbelly. At Local, I'm still not quite sure what Dallas cuisine is. Unless what it "is", is American (New) and expensive. That's not to say the food isn't tasty. It is. But I never felt like I was eating, or ordering, something exquisitely unique. It felt like just another restaurant. To start, as we sat at the bar, I peered into the fridge below the countertop, seeing as how a beer menu was unavailable. There wasn't a single Texan--let alone Dallas--beer to be found. A lost opportunity, in my opinion. Likewise, the wine menu (from which we ordered tableside) was a mix of a few different wines from varying regions, and appeared to lack any sort of theme. The menu was split into "short" and "tall" orders, but read like a traditional appetizer-entree ordering system. Of the two, the appetizers were wholly preferable to me. The fried green beans, which gets top billing on Local's Yelp page, was the best of them all, crispy and tasty with a delicious aioli dipping sauce. A lightly sauced tuna tartare and well-rounded selection of cheese and crackers were both also very good. In the entree round, my slow-cooked short ribs were put to shame by my trip to Pecan Lodge the next day. They weren't bad, but they weren't good and desperately needed the sparsely drizzled pan jus. The accompanying mashed potatoes were good. I favored the wife's panko-crusted sea bass, though for that price point I would've preferred a bass of the Chilean variety, straight. And therein lies the rub. A place like this would've done well to lower its prices by 20%, cut down the trendiness level, and focus solely on creating delicious, "local" dishes rather than garner buzz points. A quick perusal of Yelp reviews kind of agrees with my point, and perhaps Local started off strong and has only recently faded. In any case, Local was my first trip into Deep Ellum, and while there was a modicum of disappointment, I enjoyed the experience overall. read more

The thing I loved most about Local is that it is unexpected. It's down at the end of Elm St. where the night life really begins to drop off. It's easy to miss because it has a small, unassuming neon sign out front. The complimentary parking lot next to it is a rare treat in Deep Ellum. You walk inside and be prepared to be impressed! The design is very well done...a bit minimalist, but not barren, a bit trendy without being over the top. And excellent ambient lighting. I would definitely recommend this spot for a romantic date. The bar serves, beer, wine, and "faux" cocktails. What are faux cocktails, you ask? The are cocktails made with beer, wine, and sake- no spirits available. I had the bartlett pear bellini. It was nice, but a bit bland. My comrades had micheladas which were quite tasty and had a smokey flavor that we couldn't quite put our finger on. The warm nuts, chex mix combination was hit as was the itsy bitsy cup of brocolli soup- all complimentary. We started with some apps of seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with toast and figs ($16) and a cheese platter ($20). I've had better foie gras and the cheese platter had such small portions, the four of us couldn't each taste all the cheeses. The chilled champagne grapes and the apple cole slaw served with it were very tasty. The four of us decided to order four separate dishes and sample each. We had the rib eye with assorted mushrooms and horseradish mashed potatoes, the scallops with ?, the lamb shank with cheese grits, and the sea bass with risotto. (Prices ranging from about $24 to 38.) We all agreed that the scallops were our favorite. The presentation was very nice and the food was good but we all agreed that we've had better at that price point. All-and-all, I would come back here more for the ambiance than the food. read more

The Setting: Date night with the GF, Friday evening at 830, had a reservation, sat immediately. Food - 3.5 stars Service - 3 stars We had the Chef's Tasting menu with wine pairings ($100/person) The GOOD: 1. Amuse Bouche (broccolini soup) - tiny portion but absolutely amazing, we wanted more! 2. 3Cheese Ravioli - just as we were worrying that we overpaid for a bad meal, we had this great ravioli. Sauce and spinach with it were perfecly flavored as well. 3. Tendeloin filet - best dish we had! Filet was perfectly cooked, grits were wonderful. 4. Lavender honey tea cake - we were dissappointed when we were told the original dessert, the donut holes, wasn't available, but this cake was moist and flavorful, great final dish. The OK: 1. Butternut Squash Soup and Malbec - Malbec tasted good, soup was ok. Broccolini soup was much better. 2. Tomato Heirloom salad - extra points for them giving me beets when I mentioned I didn't like raw tomatoes. Overall only ok though. 3. Panko-crusted Seabass - the seabass was actually quite good, but the risotto with it was horrible. The BAD: 1. Caramelized Onion Risotto - The only redeeming quality was the kale on top. the risoto was very bland and not even warm. This was our least favorite dish. 2. Tawny Port - nope, not our speed. Too sweet, didn't taste good. The Bottom Line: Other than the amouze bouche, the first few courses were very dissappointing for what we were spending, but the meal redeemed itself with some great final courses. The servers were well-meaning and nice but not very knowledgeable about what we were eating, a no-no when it comes to a tasting menu. This was a pretty good overall meal, but for the money there are better choices in Dallas. read more

The place is super cute. Lovely ambiance. Service was alright. The server took awhile to get our order, and even longer to get our food. I guess that's the restaurant's strategy to get people to buy more drinks. But The place does not have a liquor license, just wine and beer. Green beans was supposed to be a popular appetizer but it was super salty. I ordered a Caesar salad, it was drenched in dressing and salty! My friends got the salmon, ravioli, and scallop. They weren't pleased either. Def not worth the price they charge. read more

Let me start by saying we dined on New Year's Eve, so a normal night could be a better experience. My wife and I booked 6:30 reservations weeks ago to celebrate our anniversary and were excited for the 7 course tasting menu. We were seated right away and the restaurant was only half full when we were seated. From the start service was bad. It was clear they were short staffed or overwhelmed. However, they did an awful job of managing the situation. At one point we had to ask 3 times for a water refill. Knowing it was NYE we gave them the benefit of the doubt and didn't say anything... it took them 3.5 hours to get us through the 7 courses! They didn't apologize or say anything until course 6 (2.5 hours in). When we finally finished, every table in earshot was discussing how poor the service was. We always try to do something special on our anniversary and this unfortunately was a dud. read more

Went for Restaurant Week with a group of friends. And I must say, this restaurant knocked it out of the ball park for me. You can definitely notice a lot of attention to detail was paid to pulling off every single dish. As with previous reviews for this restaurant, you'll definitely pass it if you don't look hard enough for the sign. There is a parking lot next to the restaurant that is free, otherwise, parking meters are everywhere along the side of the street. Right when you walk in, you feel like you're transported into a different era - retro 70's maybe. Think dark browns with silver accents. Dark brown leather booths. Dark shag-like rugs. Music is very, very light. Intimate, and can definitely be considered romantic. As a group, we did our best to try to order every option off the menu and sample at least a bit from each other's plates. 1st course offered a choice of Sweet Corn Soup, Arugulua Salad with sweet Asian pears and candied walnuts, and Heirloom Tomato Salad. All three are delicious but the soup definitely stood out. It was served in a puree form and it really brought out the sweetness of the corn that I don't think was possible if it wasn't pureed. Delicious and different to say the least. The arugula salad is served with warm glazed pears around the plate and I have to admit, I'm not a salad person, but this one was fantastic! The pears steal the show. Heirloom Tomato Salad had small cherry tomato sized red & yellow tomato halves with feta cheese and sliced onions. Very simple, but was tasty. Some opted for a 4th course, so foie grois served on small toasts with a berry compote was brought out. Some of us chose to do the dinner with wine pairings, and I must say, their decision to serve this with a Sauternes wine was genius. Best combination of tastes and whoever chose this wine pairing, is awesome. 2nd course came out and and half of us got the filet of beef, while the other half ordered the pan seared halibut. Beef was cooked just right. Not too overbearing with added flavor, but just enough to enhance the natural flavor of the meat. The same for the halibut. Someone mentioned it was bland tasting, but I think it is nice to have a restaurant that serves their meats/seafood in an au naturel form sometimes. We forget what some things are supposed to taste like because we're too busy trying to make it a one of a kind dish and in turn, it gets over seasoned. We finished the night off with chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, banana pudding, and peach pie with peach ice cream (yummmm). All three were delicious, but the peach pie had to be the best out of the three. Pie served warm with a cold scoop of peach ice cream on top. Refreshing for sure. I imagine if we went on a regular night (not RW), the bill could get pretty heavy! But - if you're looking for a restaurant that brings the good natural flavors together, this is the place. I wish them future success! read more

What an outstanding experience! Although costly, this restaurant was completely worth it for a special occasion. The decor was very chic. The plain exterior, cozy size and minimalist cool interior made it feel like we were going somewhere that was our little secret. The owner and wait staff were extremely friendly and attentive and brought a human element to the building's charm (yes, the owner greeted us at the door). Prior to ordering we were served warm rosemary nuts and small cup of asparagus soup. A nice treat to start the evening. The wine list was varied and the owner was very willing to help us find just what suited us. The food was outstanding. We ordered the ribeye fillet and the salmon and enjoyed sampling each other's meal as well as eating our own. The portions were right-sized for a meal prepared of this quality. There are tables in the front that are nice, but if you are looking for a more peaceful, secluded dinner, ask for a table in the back, behind the bar. read more

Had an incredibly disappointing dinner Friday night that may have turned me off from Local for good. Food ran the gamut from average to downright bad. Short rib was tough, dry and ultimately not consumed. We expressed our disappointment to our server who said she would see what she could do. She did nothing--no replacement short rib, no offer of a new item and no removing from the bill. Speaking of the service, our server was abominable. We were a party of 8, but a calm and quiet party of 8. She knew she was getting her 20% gratuity and could care less about our dining experience, especially since we were her last table. Not to mention, we overheard her talking about how she couldn't wait to get out of there and start drinking--based on her behavior, I'm not sure that she hadn't started already. When ordering wine, our server discredited our selection and up sold us on something that we ultimately didn't like. Only 6 people were drinking red wine, yet twice she brought out 2 bottles and immediately open both, which was unnecessary and just drove up our bill. She mistakenly poured two different types of wine into one glass. She also said she would do something about that, but did nothing. Besides the company, the only redeeming part of the meal was the cauliflower soup, the champagne cocktail, and the complimentary nut/pretzel mix. Local used to be a favorite spot of mine. Sadly, I won't be making a return visit. read more

We chose the chef's 7-course tasting menu with wine accompaniment. We are both foodies and my partner cooks every day, so we are pretty tough judges. But I am not exaggerating when I say it was one of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time. Everything was perfect- each course, the wine pairing, and the service- Local has mastered the attention to details required to pull off a great dining experience. The food highlighted the simple ingredients. Each was served promptly and hot. The wine pairings were inspired- who would have thought to serve a Malbec with a creamy turnip soup? It only got better as we progressed from salad to seafood to lamb and beef. We finished with one of those rare beaming food highs. We had symphony tickets and when the cab didn't show up on time, guess how we got to the show? Chef-owner Tracy Miller herself drove us there! How special is that level of customer service? She kept her promise that we would make the show. As we found our seats, our food high was peaking with bursting gratitude for Tracy's extraordinary service and kindness. read more

Local occupies a low key facade in the heart of Deep Ellum inside of one of its characteristically historic buildings. It's identifiable only by small, but charming neon letters above the door. The interior is equally unassuming- exposed brick, shag carpet, velvet booths. Each table feels cozy, private, and best of all- relaxing. Our waitress was knowledgable, courteous and professional, but the restaurant was at an immediate disadvantage the moment she said "Beer and wine only." It had never dawned on me to ask if a restaurant at this price-point served cocktails. If it had not been a group outing, I couldn't have resisted the urge to walk out. I couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to sneak in a drink from the bar down the street... We appetized with the "cheese and crackers." Such a humble and erroneous name for an $18 plate of cheese served with bread. The cheeses were well chosen, but none were particularly rare and a comparable cheese plate is half the price at other local restaurants. My dish, while fantastic in flavor and presentation, was only luke-warm. My dining mates also had mixed impressions- one felt that her steak was inaccurately described on the menu and the other reported that her salad contained more dressing than actual substance. However, the fourth person enjoyed one of the best tenderloins I have ever tasted. The complimentary dessert consisted of a dime-sized dot of chalky sugar cookie topped with unsweetened chutney. It tasted like flour. In summary, the cost and quality of the meal did not match up. This will be the first and last time I recommend the restaurant to anyone. read more

I must say my first impression was WOW! The subtle sign outside doesn't have a chance with with is inside. This place is so charming and is not what you would expect on Elm. The owner Tracy Miller was just so nice and came by the table to showcase her wonderful food. The lobster cake was to die for along with many other great parings that I was able to order. I must say, I will be back with more people and with an empty belly!!! So charming, quiet and very special! The decor was simple beautiful!!! read more