(From May 2012)

This is old-money Lubbock at its finest: dark booths, elegant linens, leather chairs, and classy fire-grilled steaks, plus all the football memorabilia you’d expect from a country club in West Texas. Dainty mugs of French onion soup, salads with homemade dressings, and a basket of signature cheese rolls and blueberry muffins still kick off every entrée. The tenderloins are center cut and lean, and even the chopped sirloin is mouthwatering. And when they say loaded baked potato, they mean it: ours was overflowing with chives, sour cream, cheese, and crisp bacon. Bar.

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(From January 2011) Everything’s made from scratch at this unpretentious local cafe. The chicken-fried steak earns its reputation with thick, tender, well-seasoned beef in a hearty crust, and the hand-cut steaks are deliciously cooked to order and bargain priced. Friday night’s seafood buffet is heavy on the fried stuff, but the Southwestern salmon is flavorful and fresh. Sides include outstanding yeasty dinner rolls and country-style veggies; the green beans simmered with bacon are wickedly good. Skip the peach pie and have a slice of the decadent Jefferson Davis coconut custard topped with pecans. Beer & wine.

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(From March 2012)

Executive chef Ross Burtwell exceeds the hype with his version of haute home cooking. Starters are deliciously diverse, like a velvety blue-cheese fondue with house-made russet potato chips for dipping, a savory chowder of curried pheasant and apples, and a piquant salad of spinach, Rio Grande grapefruit, and Gorgonzola. Entrées are fresh and local: oak-smoked pork tenderloin, grilled quail stuffed with jalapeños and wrapped in bacon, and even a reimagined (and how) CFS starring Angus ribeye smothered in chunks of lobster and napped with green-chile gravy. Bar.

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(From November 2011)

Every city needs a restaurant like this upscale national chain, with its clubby atmosphere, art deco chandeliers, oil paintings, and expert service from bow-tied waiters. A hunk of grilled swordfish—not the most neutral-flavored fish in the sea—was transformed by an assertive lemon-shallot relish; a side of creamed spinach revealed why it’s a signature dish here. Dessert was coconut cream pie better than any that Grandma ever made: airy sponge cake, thick custard, and whipped cream festooned with toasted coconut. Bar. 

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(From June 2011) All-you-can-eat catfish draws loyal locals to this unpretentious surf-and-turf spot, where combo platters pair the name-sake fish with everything from jumbo shrimp and stuffed crab to ten-der frogs’ legs and oysters (a succulent delight, and just as good tucked into a po’boy sandwich). There’s also a respectable selection of grilled seafood, hand-cut steaks, and CFS, as well as a 21-item salad bar and a bottomless pot of bacon-infused pinto beans. Be sure to save room for a slice of Tootie’s Buttermilk Pie. Beer & wine.

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(From December 2010) Cowboy. Steak. House. That pretty much says it all. The cozy interior, with Western memorabilia adorning just about every inch of the walls and tabletops, takes you right up to, but blessedly not over, the line of kitsch. More important, smoky aromas from the indoor mesquite grill will start your mouth watering the minute you walk in the door. Choices of steaks include all the cuts you’d expect, and there’s also buffalo, chicken-fried steak, and chicken. They even offer grilled seafood (but—really?). Bar.

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(From February 2012)

Chef Molly McCook’s preference for the produce of local farmers translates into well-articulated, always interesting seasonal menus. Squash was on our radar, with a roasted-squash-and-ricotta tart served with arugula, a cheesy squash fondue topped with buttery bread crumbs, and young, tender spears of fried okra. We still managed to consume every last bite of cornmeal-crusted redfish with crawfish étouffée. Beer & wine.

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(From December 2010) Kudos to chef Tiffany Derry, of Top Chef fame, for taking a stand and refusing to serve overfished Chilean sea bass and bluefin tuna. There are plenty of other fish in the sea for her to put her stamp on; we loved the Hawaiian ono, a meaty grilled filet glazed with salsa verde. For an appetizer, don’t miss her creative layered salad, which combines mild mixed greens with salty blue cheese, crunchy candied wal-nuts, and tart Granny Smith apples. Bar.

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(From May 2012)

Grady Spears has set up shop at this ranch-style restaurant, where rodeo attire abounds and there’s a porch with views of the setting sun. Even better, the food reflects Spear’s famous attention to detail. Bob Armstrong Dip gets an upgrade, with layers of beef tips, cheese, and guacamole served with house-made flour tortilla chips. Chicken-fried steak (not in need of a knife) is buttermilk-and-beer-battered and served with wilted spinach and mashed potatoes. Chicken and dumplings come in a warm crockery bowl with carrots and corn and a bonus fried chicken wing. The star of our evening was the marvelously tender Dr. Pepper-braised short ribs. Bar.

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(From May 2012)

This most romantic of steakhouses goes the distance, holding on to eighty years of tradition in its rock cottages, dramatic oaks, outdoor fire pit, and top-quality meats and fish. And these days, it’s also embracing a modern, lighter, and more nuanced version of its standbys; the squash casserole is still famously seasoned with cumin, and the sour cream double-stuffed potato is almost a throwback, but on this visit, they were both plated and served with welcome restraint. As for the meat, it remains on our top chop list; our peppered ribeye was both flavorful and tender. The wine list here is renowned, so take time to peruse. Bar.

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