I will forever be amazed by cool places, especially when they appear in unexpected cities like…read moreAbilene. Located on the second story of a beautiful building in downtown Abilene sits Grain Theory, a brewpub and coffee shop towering over the city. It is a mixed indoor-outdoor space with plenty of shaded outdoor and cooled indoor seating. Looking at their tap list, my girlfriend and I were impressed by their unique beers to try. I started with the Strawberry Peach Tonic (Fruited Hard Seltzer) and she had a Bella Rose (Rosé IPA). Both were served in cool glasses, with mine being tall and skinny and hers being almost like a wine glass. Shocking to nobody, mine was quite fruity while her Rosé IPA was hoppy with an underlying rosé flavor. Next, I ordered their Oktoberfest (German Märzen) and she had their Season's End (Belgian Dubbel). She described her drink as tasting like a Biscoff cookie. My Oktoberfest was quite malty, and I was a big fan. To close, we both ordered their Luscent (Belgian Table Beer) because small beers are back in fashion and I wanted to try it. It was obviously very light but still had a good flavor that was very bready. Nice and easy to close out our drinks with. They also have food and coffee that we didn't try, but the food looked sensational from what we saw others eating. They also have plenty of board games and card games to play while you're at the brewery and many beers available to take to-go. My only minor complaint is the lack of TVs in the brewery. Maybe it's a purposeful decision, but Texas Tech was playing football, and it would be a great place to watch the game. The bartenders are very friendly and willing to let you try and sample as many beers as you need to make your decision. Grain Theory feels like the kind of place every small Texas city wishes it had. I am very excited to come back here and try more beers, especially with how excellent the space is. RIYL: Cool-shaped beer glasses or a rooftop bar

Okay, on a whim, we stopped by after a Firefighter pension conference. The place is clean, relaxed,…read moreand the people are friendly. We ordered the buffalo chicken fries and the bratwurst. We also had the Wayfinder beer and a double express (yes, I had both). The fries were perfectly balanced with a touch of heat and a hint of blue cheese flavor. With the Wayfinder Pilsner, it was AMAZING! The bratwurst was traditional in its meat, with sweetness added to the onions. Mustard was mild but added the right amount of flavor. Altogether, I would eat here once a week if I lived in the community. Delicious and highly recommended!

I can't think of anything bad to say about Texas Flaming Grill. They definitely have one of the…read morebest hamburgers in town, and I absolutely love their Philly cheesesteaks. My neighbor, Susan, absolutely loves hamburgers, so I took her to Flaming Grill for the first time last night. She loved it. And, I noticed something new. Their french fries are absolutely fantastic! I'm really picky about my french fries, and these might be the best in town. They have some specialty burgers that will knock your socks off! You really need to give them a try!

Everything was so perfect! We walked in and were greeted by the gracious and hospitable Kissu. I…read moreordered the green chile hamburger because my walking partner was raving about it. I'm a vegan and don't go off rail very often, but this was wonderful!! I ordered my burger juicy-but you could do medium rare if you wanted. The fries and onion rings were crisp and hot. The place was bright and clean.

Everything went well. Marvelous atmosphere. Great service and even better food. We had the Prime…read moreRib Dip. Fabulous. More than enough to satiate a hearty appetite. Two dipping sauces. The only bad thing was that we were too full for a dessert. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, "We'll be back!" (Oh yeah, they had a super looking bar as well!)

Cork and Pig is a trendy spot in Abilene near Abilene Christian University. It's one of those wood…read moreslat, metal sign restaurants that have no character besides being in a generic shopping center that pretends to be fancier than it is, so it just ends up looking like a cold soulless shell. The interior is that frigid, lifeless faux fancy industrial aesthetic that chills your senses and has no character of its own. The menu is what you expect. Nothing special or original just benign takes on traditional fare, like Blackened Ribeyes. We were In Abilene because my family gathered to watch my nephew's football debut at Hardin-Simmons University. My wife ordered the Caesar Salad and Truffle fries. The salad was limp, and the dressing was tangy like it was mixed with Dijon mustard Her Truffle Fries had an okay flavor. The dipping sauces were good but nothing great but the nail in the coffin was the fries were cold. Not cold as in sitting in the warmer cold, we're talking OUT ON THE COUNTER FOR 10 MINUTES OR MORE COLD!! I got the Waygu Smash burger. The burger patties, pickles, and everything inside were good but it was served on a fancy bun that was also cold. Not sitting on the counter for 10 minutes cold, we're talking RIGHT OUT OF THE FRIDGE COLD. Fancy buns should be lightly toasted to make the dense bread bearable. It totally failed my bun to juiciness ratio, and to top it off my fries were also COLD. My daughter got the Ahi Tuna Ponzo. I didn't taste it because I was busy eating my cold bun, cold fries. Plus my wife's Dijon Caesar Salad because she despises mustard. But she seemed to like it, that's why this review is three stars instead of two. She said it was "Slightly nutty and the vinaigrette is sharp and fresh without being overwhelming the tuna is seasoned nicely and it's a fatty cut not fishy at all." Listen, you could say "if it's cold send it back. Make them fix it." But the truth is that it doesn't matter. They sent out two batches of cold truffle fries (my brother in law also ordered some), my cold fries, a fancy bun that was right out of the fridge, and Caesar dressing spiked with Dijon mustard. Sending it back just would have made the experience worse, like being in a chilly hell where all the heat has been stolen so all food is served COLD.

I saw a special the BCBG was running. Every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at lunch, sandwiches…read moreare BOGO free. Off we go! The dining room and full bar are very nice. A large covered patio and outdoor stage are great for live music. Some Sunday nights are blues jam, which I intend to go to! Anyway, the food was great. We tried the club, chicken sandwich, and the Bahn Mi. Excellent! We will definitely be back!

What an expense for the owner(s). 5 (FIVE) girls behind the bar and we can't get waited on. There's…read morereally no one here One man eating at end of the bar. Can see the servers standing at the bar snacking. So weird. Music so loud we couldn't hear waitress. Wish I had read the other reviews before we went. Training desperately needed. No handicap access found. Waited 30 minutes to place order. Decided to pay for beers (brought by a different server at 15 minutes in) and left.

Food is consistently good. Always clean! Employees are…read moreconsistently pleasant , polite, and professional. This is no joke. This is a well run business. There only two decent restaurants in Abilene that I feel will not make me sick and the food, employees, are consistently cooked and good. They understand what eating out is about.

After scouring the downtown area in full blown adventure mode my co worker and I worked up an…read moreappetite. I will say our food was excellent. We shared the loaded fries and each got a salad. My shrimp salad was SO GOOD! Our server was having a bad day. She could not hold anything and dropped several things, and the restaurant was very crowded so We think she was just really overwhelmed. It was difficult to get drink refills and condiments. Neat photographs and history throughout the restaurant.

Met some family to watch the World Cup. Lots of TVs & they put the game on! Food was delicious &…read morecame out quickly. See Bekah at the bar for fun fast service. Had an experience with another diner but Eric stepped in & controlled the situation in a kind but forceful way. Had a wonderful time!

Outsider I got in to town late and was looking for some good…read moreeats on a Monday evening. Blue Barrel was close by. When I pulled in it looked like they were closed due to little signage and low lighting. There are a few people dining and I grabbed a spot at the bar. Ordered a drink to start and it was so-so. I got the carnitas fries as that seemed to be a popular item. They were mediocre as well. Staff was friendly but not too attentative. Service was quick. I'd check out other spots if back in town.

Easy access off I-20, with parking by the door, Plenty of…read moreseats available and room enough for more. We got there early, but soon the place was packed, Clean as a whistle, and the service was on track. They kept my iced tea filled, never let it run dry, With choices on the menu stretching side to side. Everything we ordered tasted mighty fine, Or so I'm told, I was feeling pretty good at the time. The food was delicious, the service was great, But what we actually ordered, I just can't state. I'd eaten a couple gummies an hour before we came, Now asking me what I ate is a fool's kind-a game. So five stars for the place, if this is where we ate, The food must've been good, 'cause I cleaned my plate. But if you ask me where it was, I'll tell you without fear: I highly recommend it... wherever the hell we were!

If you have kin in the South, there is someone who makes fried chicken to die for, like my…read moregrandmother. Belle's satisfied a craving I have had forever. Four piece dinner (1/2 bird) with an ample serving of corn, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh, and one of the best dinner rolls I have ever put in my mouth. McKenna gave me A+ service. The ambiance is what you expect in a place that serves outstanding southern cuisine. Prices are reasonable considering the size of the portions. And they play real country music. Nothing recorded after 1970. My only suggestion is change the name of the street to Cluck.

Get the ribeye! One of the best cooked steaks I've ever eaten and I help run a cattle operation…read more Great service and atmosphere as well. Very impressive.

Came here for an anniversary lunch and it was a great experience. The service and ambiance were…read moreamazing. They even had a " happy anniversary" placard set out and gave us complimentary champagne. Joshua was our waiter and he was extremely friendly and very helpful. We had the calamari and cactus for an appetizer, the cowboy club and chopped salad for our entrees, and the almond praline dessert. All of the food and beverages were great. I also had an espresso martini and it was amazing, best I've ever had. Definitely a great establishment & will be back.

I recently stopped by The Biscuit Bar for brunch, and it did not disappoint. First off, the…read morelocation is beautiful--set in a charming part of town with outdoor seating overlooking a lake, complete with fountains and a walking trail. I tried both the Monte Cristo and the Philly biscuit sandwiches, and they were fantastic. Especially the Monte Cristo with the sweet and savory balance. Great food, great atmosphere. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu

Oh my goodness what can I even say. The atmosphere was so relaxing and the natural sunlight was…read moregorgeous, there amount of space is incredible on top of the back patio with even more room. The service was amazing, we were greeted as soon as we walked in and immediately taken care of with no wait, as well as bid a fond farewell on the way out. The food was semi quick and absolutely delicious, the biscuits were so fresh and re-freshing. As a first time try I cannot wait to go back!

Traveling through town and searched for "best burgers" and Rockin Rollerz came up. And they were…read moredefinitely AWESOME burgers! We had the Old Fashioned and the B1 Bacon Burger and both were cooked to perfection. The fries were excellent, too. Iced tea was fresh brewed and, though we don't drink beer, there seemed to be a wide array of craft brews on tap. Employees were friendly and helpful, we were greeted promptly, assisted with selections, and food arrived quickly. Restaurant was very clean! Oh, and it was only 1 mile (or less) from I-20. We will be back!

The service was good, the food was exceptional, and the atmosphere was perfect. But I judge a…read morerestaurant the same way I judge a hotel, by the bathroom. The seat was clean. The seat was dry. There was plenty of toilet paper. The latch on the stall worked perfectly. At that point, I realized I had found a five-star bathroom. So I sat there a little longer to enjoy the peace and quiet and because apparently this was the only place in town where nobody needed anything from me. While contemplating life, I noticed writing on the stall wall, it said, "If you want the job done right, call Martha." I thought, Well, Martha sounds confident. So I thought I'd give her a call. Turns out it wasn't Martha. It was Bob's Construction. So I gave this place 4 stars. They need to occasionally confirm the numbers on the wall.