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!

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 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.

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!

The menu was just right as in they offer a perfect amount of choices. The food was absolutely…read moredelicious. We had an appetizer, main course and shared two desserts. Our waiter was very attentive and management also checked in with the tables making sure we were all having a good experience. The decor was elegant. I loved the long leather booths and the tables are spaced appropriately apart. Their wine wall looked amazing with all of the choices.

For starters the menu is great, there's a lot to choose from and the pictures online make it hard…read moreto choose because everything looks amazing! Since I was undecided, I asked our waitress what she'd recommend and she didn't disappoint. I got the stuffed avocado with chicken salad and wow, the flavors between the chicken salad and hot sauce on top were perfectly balanced 8/10. I also enjoyed the prickly pear lemonade, it was so fresh for the hot summer days. Definitely a nice spot for lunch or even for dinner, plus the service was so good. Everything came out quick and our server was very attentive, even while bartending. Highly recommend and I'm definitely going back to try the dinner menu.

Monterey restaurant is one of the best kept secrets in town. It's also one of the best hole in the…read morewall restaurants in town. Trinidad has owned it for years, and he and his staff do a really good job. Their prices are pretty cheap compared to other places in town, yet the food is fantastic. I guess I would describe it as homestyle Tex-Mex. Definitely a place you need to try if you want some good old style Tex-Mex.

Great food and great service their hot sauce is great Our…read morefavorite is the cheese enchiladas!

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.

We live in Florida and our daughter and son in law are stationed here and we have to say these are…read morethe best jalapeños poppers we have ever had

Interesting place......fun atmosphere, excellent wait staff. Launa was our server and kept our…read moredrinks full like a champ! Very friendly and helpful on drink and food menu. We ordered the cheese curds which were good, no issues and the burger with bacon and egg was pretty dang solid! Fries were as fries should be as well! Salads leave a little to the imagination. All the Mixed greens were a bit much and needed a better variety of veggies with the salad. Overall a fun hangout so it seems.

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.

We went to Abilene for a night and stopped at The Taylor County Taphouse since this place was…read morerecommended by locals on various social media. Ambiance: Bar/pub vibes - heavy wood decor. Casual. We sat at the bar and our bartender was amazing! He was funny and attentive despite being very busy! Service: The restaurant was so busy with diners even at 8:30 PM on a Saturday evening. I did not expect it to be this busy in my head. My husband and I sat at the bar since that was open seating and there were no sit down tables available inside or on the patio. The restaurant will add you to the waitlist if you'd like! Food: My husband and I shared the deviled eggs appetizer, and "the burger" with grilled jalapeños and pepper jack cheese. The deviled wggs (satan's huevos) were good, and spicy because we chose the "hellfire" option. The burger was huge! I'm glad my husband I split it because there was no way I'd finish that burger on my own! We both left content and not stuffed.

Decent place. The food was good but not exceptional. The quail was dry, but the meatloaf was good…read more The drinks were just fine...service was run of the mill, nothing out of the ordinary. I would go back, but probably not become a regular....