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Abacus
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Cajun/Creole American (New), Cajun/Creole [Edit]
4511 McKinney AveDallas, TX 75205
Neighborhood: Uptown
(214) 559-3111
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 6 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 6 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
227 reviews for Abacus
Review Highlights
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"We started with the lobster shooters - amazing." In 100 reviews -
"Red chile + coconut + sake + lobster = pure genius." In 9 reviews -
"The moment we walked in we were greeted by Chef Rathbun." In 9 reviews
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227 reviews in English
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Review from Rachel B.
Oak Lawn, Dallas, TX
2/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
We did the 6-course chef's menu tasting and got the lobster shooters as well. AMAZING!!!
The best course was by far the bison tenderloin... I could eat that everyday. -
Review from Kristin F.
Dallas, TX
Updated - 5/15/2012
Sadly, I have to downgrade my rating. I've stopped writing reviews on here but my experience so disappointed me that I had to at least get it off my chest before I drive my husband crazy bitching about it.
We went here for our first wedding anniversary last weekend and if you expect anything special for you to be done at a "5 star" restaurant on your wedding anniversary, I say to you...go elsewhere. Maybe our server wrote us off because we don't look like the typical clientele, maybe they were just so busy that they didn't care about our experience, maybe a lot of things. But not maybe on my decision to never give them my business again.. Thank you to our smug asshat of a waiter for irritating me so much that I had to write this and putting a damper on what was supposed to be an amazing night.
We will be taking our money elsewhere. Hell, Capital Grille gives you dessert, takes your picture and puts flowers on the table just for a birthday. You get zilch at Abacus. I don't even care about getting free anything, it's the gesture that counts. They only get the extra star for the black truffle risotto still being one of the best things on the planet.
BAH
I realize this is a rant and you can treat it as such.
Now I feel better.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/2/2008
Writing my review of Charlie Palmer made me miss Abacus. Oh how I love this place. It's pricey. It's… Read more »
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Review from Arash M.
Addison, TX
5/15/2012
Start with the lobster shooters and champagne. Some people complain about the lobster being overcooked, but that's a small detail (and a bit nit-picky for fried food) that detracts from the clever presentation, excellent sauce, and fantastic flavors of the starter.
Rathbun's vision for fine dining bring together a variety of flavors, textures, and ingredients. Keep in mind that the dishes here are not pretentious, the focus is on the ingredients and the combination of flavors. So if you're seeking extraordinary complexity, you wont find it here. What you will find is a focus on letting the ingredients shine in clever and natural ways.
Lovely presentations, appetizers and larger plates are excellent but their desserts are not their strong suit. You could skip dessert and not have missed much.
Service is outstanding, as would be expected.
i'd give it a 4-4.5 overall. -
Review from Alex R.
5/8/2012
So....it was good. But not great.
I finally got out to Abacus, which is a bit ridiculous given the fact that I could walk there from my house. Long overdue.
I went with my mom and sister, and overall we had a solid experience.
To start, the valet was friendly and quick.
We were shown to our table immediately, and we had a wine list, stat. My sister noted that we should have been given a menu with the wine list, because she would have liked to have been able to choose her wine to suit the entree. (Told you, total foodie.) After the wine was ordered, we were given menus, and then we saw that you could order the tasting menu with wine flights to accompany the meal, which my sister and mom regretted they hadn't known before ordering wine.
So for her that was a bit of a fail.
Other than that, our server was great.
On to the famed lobster shooters-- well.....they were fine. The lobster was deep fried in tempura, so it could have been shrimp for all I know. That was disappointing, and the sauce was too sweet. They were okay, but certainly not worth raving about.
The scallops were nice, but kind of got lost in the bread/cracker bottom and salsa topping.
Meal- I had the white fish special (I forget what it was called), and I liked it. I wouldn't order it again, but it was good enough. Everyone seemed happy with their meal.
We ended with two desserts for the table- the apricot cake and the chocolate caramel tart. This was absolutely the low point of our meal.
The apricot cake, I kid you not, tasted like a dessert you would get at a hotel conference center. It was a little gummy, and the whole thing-- from the crust to each of the layers, tasted exactly the same. It looked and tasted pre-prepared. The chocolate caramel tart wasn't better. The crust tasted like mashed up Teddy Grahams, and the inside was runny and tasted like sugar, not like chocolate. Total miss. To his credit, our server noticed that we weren't too pleased and comped the desserts.
So I'm glad I tried Abacus. It's one of those places I've been meaning to go to forever, and just never did. Now that I've tried it, I have no desire to go back. Good enough, but I'd rather be at Bob's. -
Review from K D.
Thousand Oaks, CA
4/6/2012
Abacus was one of the better restaurant experiences we've had since moving to Dallas.
The small plates were excellent. We had a Kobe beef carpachio, braised short ribs and crab salad. The presentation and taste was refreshing and unique.
Dinner the marlin was a refreshing Asian style with spectacular small beef dumplings. The lamb was spectacularly cooked, even with the blue cheese (I'm not a fan of) it tasted great.
The only thing preventing the perfect score was the dessert, we may chosen poorly with the kumquat tangerine dish. The waiter wasn't the most helpful but very nice.
As expected the price was steep almost 300$ for the two of us including four glasses of wine. It was a nice dining experience and we would do it again. Enjoy! -
Review from Kate S.
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh, I had such high hopes for Abacus. The ambiance is classy and cool, the service is polite and appropriately apologetic for their mistakes (more on that later). But the food...just three stars. The two of us wanted to try a little of everything, but consistently found that the top notch ingredients used were reduced to 3 star taste in the way it was prepared. The lobster shooters were a great idea if the lobster wasn't so fried that it could have been monk fish for all I know. The small plate of scallops (that was not what we ordered but got to eat anyway) was a great idea with the quail egg but the bacon marmalade was so over powering it lost any other flavors in the rest of the dish. If it had been an $8 starter at a trendy diner I'd be happy with it, but not here. It went on and on like this; each plate we ordered was ultimately just okay, considering the price and reputation of the restaurant. In addition to poorly made martinis and flubs with our order, we didn't even order dessert.
If I have the money to spend on a nicer restaurant, I will probably won't return here. -
Review from Ariza S.
4/23/2012
5 stars alone for Abacus' insanely delicious lobster shooters. After sampling my first one I wanted to cancel my entree order and replace it with 2 more orders of the shooters. I can't put in words the amazingness that was sliding down my throat (say and do what you will with that line). Unfortunately, we couldn't catch our waiter in time so our duck confit and pork tenderloin came out shortly after we finished the shooters. I'm not a duck person at all but the BF insisted that I try it out and I have to say it was pretty yummy. My tenderloin was perfect, their bread basket is awesome and my drinks were incredibly strong. Our dessert was some bacon and maple ice cream concoction which was ok, I wasn't wanting to lick the plate off or anything. I can't say the same with the lobster shooters...I wanted every single drop in my belly!
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Review from Mimi P.
Dallas, TX
1/11/2012 6 photos
I really enjoyed my visit to Abacus. Service was impeccable and food was amazing, even their complimentary bread basket with truffle butter. The lobster shooter was fantastically flavorful and it was a magical combination of sweet, sour, and savory. The black truffle risotto was a little on the salty side but we still ate every creamy morsel of the rice. The foi gras appetizer plate was split in half for me and the hubby even without us asking for it! Attention to the smallest things by the wait staff is what makes a great dining experience. The duck entree was the most tender piece of meat I've ever eaten. The lamb was great, while not as great as the duck.
Everyone was extremely friendly there. When I asked one of the waiters to take a picture of us inside the restaurant, instead of being annoyed he posed us in different lighting and made sure to take a few pictures until he got a great one! Plus, where else could you get a free show of one of the cast members of Dallas's Most Eligible dining across your table like we did??? HAHA!
Yea price is high, but you already knew that before going there, didn't you? It was definitely worth it to us, that's for sure. Now I know why he beat out Chef Flay on Iron Chef. :) -
Review from Dee M.
Dallas, TX
4/14/2012
One of the best restaurant in Dallas. love their 6 course chef's menu.
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Review from Katherine S.
Dallas, TX
4/11/2012
This is the place for a decadent meal and service that will make you feel like a million bucks. Flavorful foods that pleases almost every taste. I love the decode of the restaurant and the bar area. The staff I have grown to love and they love what they do by how they serve you. Love the lobster shooters and the mini desserts. Hi Tamara, Ryan, Mike and Kent. Thanks for all the memories.
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Review from Mark B.
Dallas, TX
5/11/2012
I always love Abacus!!! It's always a real treat ...but be ready for a hefty price tag. Honestly the food is not the best Dallas has to offer but the ambiance is way cool. Lobster shooters are a must.
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Review from Arika S.
1/22/2012
This place was phenomenal! Prices are high, but the food was well worth it.
Things to try:
Lobster shooters!! Be sure to blow on these suckers... they were scalding hot.
VIP Roll - Pineapple sushi roll... so great!
Black Truffle Risotto - heavy but delish
Beef Tenderloin - mashed potatoes were delish, meat was cooked to perfect temp... the veggies were a tad undercooked
The service was a tad off, but that wouldn't deter me from going back. Bartender was a bit rude, and the waiter just seemed a bit cocky... overall, I would recommend trying this place for a special occasion. -
Review from Slowsteady S.
Plano, TX
2/23/2012
After much raves about this restaurant, we had to try it for ourselves. So we ordered the 6-course menu. I understand that the 6 course menu changes daily. Thus, you will not be able to find it in the menu. I highly suggest that the restaurant have a print-out daily and place it as an insert so that guests can read for themselves exactly what will be served.
So I had to ask our waitress what those 6 courses were. She was not sure herself either!! She had to look at her little chit over and over again, mumbling and fumbling. I could only hear key words like fish, clams, duck, ribs...but served with what? I could not understand her. I thought this was really unprofessional. There is a requirement for ordering this 6-course menu, either all of the table orders it or none! So everyone is forced to eat the same thing, which I don't think is a very good concept.
Six courses may sound like a lot of food but one of the courses are sorbet and of course dessert. That leaves you with only 4 course of real food, but it only comes in bite size pieces. For a small eater like me, I wasn't 100% full after the six course. So don't expect too much.
The lobsters shooters is to die for! I agree with many of the yelpers that that's the best dish there! So we had to order that as an appetizer on top of our actual dinner.
Service is excellent. I cannot rate the food as excellent, just good. Half of the six course was good, not all. But then the menu changes daily so it depends on what you get. It's hit or miss. Remember your reservations!!!! -
Review from Jerrold S.
Brea, CA
2/15/2012
Was recommended to come here by a trusted food lover. It seemed like a pretty expensive place for Dallas but a very fun and interesting menu. We had a bunch of items we had to order and they didn't disappoint.
lobster shooters - loved the spice and Asian influence. A great shot of food with soup.
ham and eggs - great rendition of this dish, very upscale and love the play on this breakfast dish. Good balance of flavors and not overly salty with the ham.
sushi - had a few orders of sashimi and was much better than I thought it would be in Dallas. Nice spice and sauce accompanying the yellowtail.
duck duo - liked both preparations of duck but the breast was better. I wish there was more confit and less of the other mixture. It took away from the confit but a nice dish overall.
venison - very well cooked and tender. Not a lot of flavor and the sauce was a little too sweet for my liking.
desserts - great ice cream and chocolate dish
High end food, great room and definitely a place I'd visit again. -
Review from Tisha B.
Dallas, TX
11/25/2011
From our first glass of champagne, to our last glass of wine with dessert, this was an exceptional meal... near perfection. The bread basket contained some wonderful in-house baked treats. We noshed on those while enjoying our champagne. Service was very good. Our server was friendly and knowledgable.
She recommended the lobster shooters. They were unremarkable. The lobster was dry, chewy and actually didn't even taste like lobster. The sauce that was poured on top was so spicy I could only eat two out of six. This is a signature dish here? If so, it's tired and needs a rework. A novelty maybe, but novel and cute only work if the kitchen can pull the dish off every single time. Overcooked, dry, rubbery lobster equals bad lobster. This was different, but basically a fail.
We had a wonderful dish of pan roasted nantucket bay scallops, cauliflower puree, chicken of the woods mushrooms, and balsamic brown butter! Food-gasm! Every scallop was crusted and buttery. We had a side order of the black truffle risotto. This was the best risotto I've had in many years, maybe since I lived in Italy. I could have eaten a second order of this risotto. Fabulous texture with the perfect balance of flavors. My mouth is watering as I'm remembering it.
This left room for dessert. We had one order of the apple crisp with cornmeal crumb topping, bacon-bourbon sabayon & caramel cotton candy all of which lo looked and sounded more impressive than it tasted. A bit of a let down after the scallops.
The second dessert was the vanilla creme brulee with salted caramel, toasted honey whip cream and almond lace tuile. This wasn't regular creme brulee. It had a softer texture and a liquid salted caramel layer! Oh yes! My mouth was very, very happy! I share a bite of this, but no more! This dessert looks less impressive than the first one, but is more complex.
The scallops and risotto were exceptionally good. I could have eaten more of both and certainly more of the creme brulee. Yowzer!
We had a decent bottle of wine for a reasonable price on the restaurant's economic incentive menu (or something to that effect).
Service was good: attentive but not intrusive.
We had dinner at Fearing's the night after Abacus. Abacus wins for me. I get the distinct impression Abacus is more about the food; Fearing's is more about being seen and saying "Chef Fearing came by my table ... again." Uh.. okay.. whatever floats your boat.
Personally, I found even the music at Abacus was better. I read in a recent review that Chef Fearing plays his own ipod music in his restaurant (after eating there and listening to the horrific screeching 80's guitar rock during dinner it seems likely). That seems the height of self indulgence. At these prices the restaurant should be meeting my needs, not stroking the chef's ego. We'll be returning to Abacus - very soon. -
Review from Maximo L.
Dallas, TX
Short and sweet- The margaritas are great and that addicting DYNAMITE ROLL!!!!!! OMFG... just do it!
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Review from Theo H.
1/20/2012
Last night's meal was absolutely delicious. We had the lobster shooters (of course), the foie gras, the scallops and the bacon and eggs. It's really hard to say which one was my favorite as they were all amazing. Our waiter was helpful and extremely efficient. This is certainly one of, if not the best restaurants in Dallas.
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Review from T S.
Duncanville, TX
2/18/2012
Omg! Why do people think this place is good! Will not be going back. Waste of money. Service sucks! We waited for our entree about 45 minutes. Only good thing about going to eat this day was being with husband and friends.
Comment from Donna T. of Abacus 3/13/2012
TS, I sent you a PM and did not hear back. Would love to… More » -
Review from Tiffanie L.
Dallas, TX
7/11/2011
First of all, I love how this place is a block from my boyfriend's apartment! All the more likely that we can just drop by for a quick snack of LOBSTER SHOOTERS. Ha. I feel like I can *hear* him rolling his eyes. Followed by a "Psshhh, in yo dreams, woman!" It is unlikely to happen, but I will keep dreaming.
Yeah yeah yeah, so to the food! I took my bf here for his birthday today, and he really seemed to enjoy himself. The breadbasket was pretty impressive. I think I counted 5 different kinds of breads, all of which we managed to sample. I'm a eat-bread-so-you-can-take-the-entree-home-for-lunc h-tomorrow kinda gal, so the bread selection here at Abacus did not disappoint. It was served with sweet butter, sprinkled with what I think was some sort of black salt. So good.
We started with the famous lobster-scallion shooters. Fried wontons with bits of lobster - flavors of lemongrass, red curry, a hint of coconut in the sauce. They bring the sauce out in a separate sake bottle, and each of the wontons are in a sake glass with a little fresh scallion at the bottom. You pour the sauce over the top, and knock it back just like a shot. Delicious. My bf doesn't even like curry, lemongrass, or coconut all that much, but he loved the shooters! Afterwards, we had some sauce leftover... and I drank it. No lie.
For our entree, we shared the pork tenderloin poached in duck fat. So tender, and cooked perfectly. Served with this... crunchy hashbrown thing with goat cheese inside. I'm sure it was named something more sophisticated, but that's the gist of it. Yummy, as well.
We also ordered the wood-grilled copper river salmon with English pea agnolotti. Salmon, again, cooked perfectly! Most well-prepared salmon I've had in awhile. I wasn't too fond of the meyer lemon pan sauce that came with it. It was a little too sour for my taste, but I can appreciate the flavors of the dish as a whole. The agnolotti was slightly undercooked, as the pasta dough was a little too al dente, but the filling was fresh and tasted of spring.
I told the waiter that it was my boyfriend's birthday, and even though we ended up not ordering dessert. He was nice enough to bring out these dark chocolate peppermint truffles! They even stuck a cute little candle it in for his birthday. They were oh-so delicious! I would totally pay good money for them if they were on the menu. *hint hint to Chef Rathbun*
All in all, it was a wonderful night. Excellent food (GET THE SHOOTERS!). Great service. Wonderful atmosphere. Awesome company! Happy 23rd to the best bf in the worlddddd!
(Here's hoping that he'll see this, and my shameless brown nosing will result in some more lobster shooters...) -
Review from Tieu X.
Cedar Park, TX
2/27/2012
European fusion... is very sexy. I remember having a risotto mac and cheese a long time ago, and I always love their chef specials for the evenings. I am looking forward to restaurant week at your place again. The British/Italian/French combinations leave a pleasant taste in your mouth and the lighter desserts, when they have them, bring a nice close to your evening!
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Review from Abra B.
Dallas, TX
9/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have only been to Abacus twice in participating in Restaurant Week. Some places I've been to usually bring out a typical menu with little to offer towards their normal menu; however, Abacus not leaves us out in the cold. The menu featured amazing items found daily in addition to some new ones making you wish you could eat it every day.
The best thing I would suggest to a new person venturing to Abacus is to try the Lobster Shooters. The most amazing thing I've tasted in...ever. So delicious that I might go there just for that.
The staff is more than help and the location is so well done. Tables don't feel onto of tables and everywhere in the restaurant feels like an intimate spot even for groups.
The offer complimentary valet parking, but be sure to make a reservation before you go! They are VERY well liked and you may have a to wait a while to get in. :) -
Review from Scott M.
Palo Alto, CA
2/25/2012
This place does not need another review, but here is another. Flat out, this place is worth the massive amounts of cash that are required to dine here. If you want to impress a date, live it up, celebrate your unbirthday, or whatever the case may be, this place is the place to do it.
I was a little shocked by the size of some of the dishes, but the small amount in the appetizer was more than enough to satisfy. The quality of taste makes it easier to eat less. The service and the ambiance were excellent. GO HERE! -
Review from Jennifer M.
Dallas, TX
9/19/2011
My husband treated me to a wonderful meal prior to our engagement trying to woo me. Abacus offered the perfect romantic dinner. The prices are high for most people, probably closer $50-$100 per person with all the courses and wine, but it's worth the price. Everything from appetizers to dessert was what I would expect from a gourmet dining experience. The service was impeccable. I am a creme brulee fanatic and quite picky when it comes to this dessert. We dined here more than six months ago, and I can still remember the mouth-watering creme brulee dessert with a unique layer of caramel on the bottom. I would go back just for the dessert.
I recommend making reservations. My husband had told them this was a special occasion upon making the reservation, and at the end of our dinner they presented me with a personalized menu page. It didn't list exactly what we ordered, but it included my name with a sample meal and was a very nice touch.
I've dined at a few other fine dining restaurants in the Dallas area, and this is still my favorite since moving here this year. -
Review from Andy A.
Dallas, TX
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing Valentine's Day dinner. They even made their black truffle risotto for us on the DL since it wasn't in the menu. Can't wait to go back!
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Review from Diana M.
Temple, TX
10/17/2011
My first experience at Abacus last Friday night left me feeling perfectly full and satisfied. We were able to get a late night dinner reservation with no problems. After debating over the appetizers, we decided on the beef carpaccio and the pressed tuna sushi. The beef carpaccio was perfectly tender and the sushi was the exact right size that you can eat it in one bite the way it's meant to be eaten. Interestingly, the sushi was stacked fish/rice/fish/rice in a little double decker sushi construction, which I've never seen before.
For entrees, we had the lamb chops and the duck, and the duck was the big winner. For dessert we had an excellent creme brule with a pistachio crust over sea salted caramel and also a wonderful sour cherry sorbet that tasted just like an iced natural dried cherry. The portions were perfect for me, but my boyfriend did leave happy but slightly hungry. It was a wonderful dinner in a beautiful restaurant and I would definitely return in the future! -
Review from connie c.
Austin, TX
7/25/2011
I would have enjoyed my experience a lot more if the food hadn't taken so long to come out. We were seriously playing the guess-if-that's-our-food game. Yes, the service was impeccable, the bread basket was delish, the cuisine was top notch, but we were there for nearly three hours. Three hours! This wasn't a ten course meal. Just appetizer, entree, and tea.
End rant.
We started with a spicy salmon roll, which was artistically crafted and tasted divine. I had the halibut and the bf had the ribeye. Probably some of the best ribeye I've ever tasted. So juicy and tender, just melts in your mouth. My halibut was rather small and came with a sour cream like dollop, which I did not care for. I ate more bread..
I do like their artisan teas. It's like luxury teas for people who like paying for overpriced things because it makes them feel sophisticated. (cough, Teavana, cough) I didn't want anything too sweet so tea was a good guilt free finisher.
Nice place to impress a date for some fancy wine and dining. Just be sure to go with good company and good conversation because that's mostly what you'll be doing-talking and waiting. Complimentary valet. -
Review from Jenna H.
8/19/2011
AMAZING FOOD, SMALL PORTIONS.
I give this place 5 stars because the taste of the food is impeccable. Like everyone else said, LOBSTER SHOOTERS ARE A MUST! You will pay $20 for 6 shooters, just FYI. The bread, soft shell crab, steak, and beef tenderloin are wonderful. Every single bite I took all evening was perfect.
However, be prepared for small portions. Granted, we went to Abacus for Restaurant Week, so maybe they cut back portions because of it, but I went to Al Biernet's a few days ago for Restaurant Week, and it is just as good with huge portions (in fact, we are going back there again in a week), so shame on Abacus for being snooty with its portions.
The atmosphere is classy, wait staff was friendly, and kuddos to our waiter who recommended a bottle of wine that was actually $5 cheaper than the other two bottles I was debating on ordering!
I would love to eat here again, but not if the portions are normally that size. This is definitely a place you must try once! -
Review from Benoit D.
Manhattan, NY
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK, I went to Dallas for business and luckily a friend of mine was there too.
Both of us living in NY and used to go to nice restaurants we decided to go to the best rated $$$$ in Dallas. It was Abacus with 4.5 stars.
We both did not like our experience at Abacus.
Service : Very nice, but so slow ! seriously, 25 minutes to bring the appetizers...
Food : I had a caprese... was fine, nothing crazy. My friend had the watermelon salad. I had half of it because he did not like it and to be honest it was just ok.
I had the Scallops... very good, very tasty... but we had to wait an extra 15 minutes after our appetizers were finished so....
Atmosphere is very cold inside. I mean, maybe i'm used to NYC restaurant but i did not feel any vibe in this place... it's like going to shop at Costco. -
Review from Elizabeth R.
Gainesville, FL
1/27/2012
I really really love Abacus. I don't know why its taken me so long to write a review!! Everything here is great, their appetizers, entrees, sushi, dessert and cocktails. Its also really fun to sit at the bar on a friday night after 9 and get an appetizer and some half priced sushi. I'm really really picky about the raw fish that I eat, it scares me a little. But this is the only place in Dallas that I eat raw fish, so thats saying something. The tuna press is my favorite. The soups are always amazing and the fish entrees are so wonderful. The service is also impeccable.
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Review from Lauren L.
5/28/2011
What an exceptionally memorable meal.
I generally despise traveling to Dallas, which I consider to be the land of ridiculous suburbia. There are things that you forget about when you live in a rural town in the mountains but grew up in a city like Dallas.
First of all, Dallas is ridiculous mostly because it thinks so highly of itself. To top it off, it's in Texas. So not only do you have a bunch of people that are proud Dallas-ites, you compound that with the fact that Texas is the only state that markets itself to it's own consumers. So they're all running around super proud to be from Dallas and even more proud that Dallas is in Texas and we're all just really full of ourselves wearing ridiculously high heels to assist with our second grader's classroom art projects. Then, add to that a city whose primary things to do is take kids to their soccer games, go to the mall or eat at a chain.
Thankfully, however, Dallas has jumped a bit on the local bandwagon and smaller foodie-centric chains have been popping up over the years. Add the growth of Central Market north from Austin and there's finally things here that I will make an extra trip (in my car, because it's Dallas and it's so freaking hot that you just drive from AC to AC).
Abacus has been on my radar for a few years as a one of the places I would love to try. We had a large party of 4 adults and 7 kids (yes! kids! they eat sushi! and prime rib!)
Lobster Shooters were inventive, swanky and entertaining. Love.
The watermelon salad was just spicy and just sweet and just salty and just perfect. Love.
My salmon was cooked to perfect and included morel mushroom wontons. Love.
The dessert was, as the waiter said, to die for.
The wine was great, though I didn't even look at the list. The service was exceptional. Having an open kitchen really adds to the atmosphere.
I highly recommend this place to foodies everywhere. I completely and totally forgot that i was in Dallas.Listed in: The Best Meals I've Ever Had
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Review from Paige E.
Berkeley, CA
8/12/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Oh my lord in heaven.
I don't live in Dallas, and my Texan friends couldn't decide on a place to eat, so I yelped it up and found Abacus. Let me preface all of this by saying we were pretty tipsy by the time we showed up, but I'm pretty sure the food here actually IS this awesome.
We got the lobster shooters to start, which were a little more curry-based than we expected (and from what I've been told, they are not normally so curried out). Really tasty though.
We ended up having tuna tartare, the applewood bacon shells & cheese, and a ton of other stuff. Frankly, I don't even remember (maybe I had more wine than I thought...)
However, it was all really good. Pretty pricey, but if you're looking to drop some cash on a great meal, this is the place to go. -
Review from Nawvid A.
Irving, TX
12/8/2011
My wife and I went to Abacus the first time for our anniversary, and it was by far the most perfect dinner anyone could have planned. We both tried the 9 course tasting menu and each and every item was flawless! Since we don't eat pork and I don't eat any seafood (and as both items are usually included in some part of tastings) it's usually difficult for us to do these 9 course meals. However, our server checked with the chef and was able to accomodate our tastings so that it did not include any pork and mine had no seafood. Their service and attention to detail is HIGHY commendable.
We've been back several times since then and Abacus has still continued to exceed expectations! Although my wife and I travel quite a bit and have eaten at 5 star restaurants in NY, San Fran, LA, and even the UK, Abacus continues to be our favorite! -
Review from Earl W.
Dallas, TX
7/30/2011
I went here for restaurant week 2 years back. Everything we had was great and surprising. I really enjoyed the dining experience and the service was top notch.
If i had to have one repeat meal in dallas. I'd go here. -
Review from Michelle E.
McKinney, TX
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's a fantastic place for a celebration. I was invited to experience Abacus for a friend's birthday on Saturday. We started out at the bar and they suggested "The Big Daddy" for a drink. I think it has Grey Goose (regular), GG Citron, triple sec, lemon and shaken up and poured into a martini glass~ it was a perfectly smooth cocktail with a kick! They quickly sat us, we had a reservation for 9 ppl. The decor is beautiful and modern.
Our waiter, I want to say his name was Michael, was great. You could tell he loves eating and enjoys his job. He was patience and navigated us through their menu.
We started out with the Lobster Shooters: fried pieces of lobster in a sake cup then they pour red chile coconut sake over them, you sip the liquid, then shoot the rest back. I had the Japanese Hamachi sashimi, Yuzu-olive oil, fresh jalapeno, togarashi as my personal starter place. What I loved about the Hamachi was the freshness and simplicity of the flavors.
My main course was the Wood grilled Copper River Salmon on the Jack Cheese grits, tortilla slaw, spicy smoked tomato butter. It was recommended to me to substitute the dish this way. It usually comes with: English pea Agnolotti morels, ramps, fresno chile-meyer lemon pan sauce. The salmon was tender and broke off into wonderful flakes that you scooped up with the cheese grits. My friends had the Beef tenderloin and the Buffalo tenderloin dishes. All So delicious!!!
For dessert we shared they homemade vanilla & dark chocolate, but what stole the show was the Vanilla Creme Brulee with Salted Caramel on the bottom of the dish and a toasted honey whip cream filling and an almond lace tuile on top for the crunch. I would come back just for this dessert and take one home with me. The Salted caramel on the bottom is to die for, I just love their take on creme brulee.
Over all a wonderful dining experience. Plan on spending some time & money here. We were there for about 3 hours, but enjoyed every minute of it! Even if your wallet is hurting after wards, your stomach will thank you. -
Review from Angie M.
Bellevue, WA
4/7/2011
My husband and I just moved to the Dallas area and Abacus was on our list of restaurants to try. We thought it was pretty good, but nothing too special.
I will say that the best part of the meal was our "Bacon and Eggs" appetizer. Who doesn't love a thick, chunk of lightly sweet pork belly along side the most amazing eggs topped with a few slices of black truffle? I have no idea how the eggs were cooked but they were light, fluffy and oh-so-yummy.
The rest of the meal was fine. I had the Japanese 7 Spice duck, which was pretty good. Hubs had the scallops from the daily menu. It was a tad on the salty side.
Abacus is a nice place but not particularly memorable. -
Review from Johnny S.
Chicago, IL
1/1/2012
Great presentation albeit the overall experience doesn't justify the $$$$.
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Review from Dana H.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2011
I was in Dallas for the first time for the LSU/Oregon football game at Cowboys stadium. Not wanting to waste a perfectly good meal in Dallas, I found Abacus on Yelp and was able to score a reservation for two. I checked out the page on Yelp and took a look at the menu on the web page and was excited to try what seemed to be one of the best spots in Dallas.
We hopped into the rental car and headed to Abacus, its location is in city, but in a portion of Dallas near several chain restaurants (a Chipotle was right down the street). I was surprised to find valet parking, but the valet staff, dressed in shorts, were very friendly. My dining companion and I were greeted by the host who told us our table was not yet ready but that we should wait in the lounge and they would come and get us. We began to sit in the lounge when we were approached by the hostess and told that unfortunately they could not honor our reservation in the dining room because my dining companion was wearing shorts. I was really taken aback by this rule since I had reviewed the website before coming to Abacus and did not see anything about a dress code. Further, it was over 100 degrees in Dallas and humid while we were there, with a low in the mid 80s at night, and their valet staff was also wearing shorts. Rather than eat this very expensive meal in the small cramped bar, we opted to leave Abacus.
Perhaps it is my west coast sensibilities and the fact that there is only one restaurant in San Francisco with a dress code, but I was surprised by this impediment to dining at Abacus. Though it seems to be forgotten at times, fine dining is for people to enjoy. And while the prices at Abacus may be a hurdle to dining there, my understanding is that fine dining should be accessible to all. I have dined in the best restaurant in the country (the French Laundry) and thy make it very clear that their is a dress code, but the surroundings in Yountville, CA are certainly not the same as the surroundings of Abacus - lets just say their are no Chipotles near by. I would hope that if a dress code is enforced that it would be made clear by the restaurant either in the website or as a notification after making a reservation. In the end my experience at Abacus left a very bad taste in my mouth regarding the accessibility of fine dining in Dallas. -
Review from Mike C.
Atlanta, GA
6/16/2011
One of the best tasting menus I've ever experienced. Just as close to perfect as I think you could get. Everything here appears to have a heavy Asian influence in flavor and appearance.
Started with Lobster Shooters, which are great and highly recommended. Lobster wrappped in wonton wrappers and deep fried then dunked in what seems to be one of the best curries I've ever had.
The local quail was served two ways, but the most amazing was fried tempura style.
The 2 fish dishes were impeccable. I'm still trying to figure out how they cooked that copper river salmon.
The service verged on over attentive with glasses kept full, crumbs brushed away, and plates disappearing as soon as you finished.
If you're in Dallas, I wouldn't miss it for anything. -
Review from Sarah Y.
Dallas, TX
9/29/2011
I found Kent Rathbun's HAIR in my short ribs (or was it pork belly?...i was too starstruck by the hair to notice what was on my plate) as soon as the runner put down my plate!! I should feel good about this right? I couldn't believe it. Isn't this supposed to be one of the most prestigious restaurants in Dallas? So I pulled out the long hair and set it on the edge of the white plate for the runner to see. He was equally mortified and ran the dish right back. I must rewind and say that before finding the hair in my entree, my friends and I had two rounds of appetizers. The lobster shooters were pretty decent, but when is fried lobster not decent? Following, I had the softshell crab. I thought the tempura batter was a little unbalanced on the crab, which I remember to be not very crunchy, a little on the mushy side. Then the HAIR on my short rib (or was it pork belly?)! The dining room manager brought out another short ribs (or was it pork belly?) as soon as it became available and gave me a almost-sincere apology and offered nothing else before walking away and resuming her post near the kitchen window, laughing and joking with the runners. So maybe that's why they let a plate leave their kitchen which had a hair quivering on top of the garnish. I was dining with some friends so I didn't want to make a big scene or ruin their time, but in my head I was really disappointed and felt really put off that a really well established and pedigreed restaurant did not deal with this situation in a more professional manner (i.e. offered to take my entree charge off the bill, throw in a free dessert, offer a more sincere apology, or have higher management come back to check on us).
This is supposedly a 5 star restaurant. These things shouldn't happen. Wake up abacus! -
Review from Jenny M.
Dallas, TX
3/11/2011 1 photo
You know when you ask somebody how they enjoyed their dinner and they reply, "Oh, it was the best meal I've had in my life!" Well, most of the time, they've had better. I, on the the hand, can honestly say that my meal at Abacus last night...was the best I've had in my life.
Everything you hear about the lobster sliders is true. Prepared for a letdown after all the hype we had heard about Abacus' signature appetizer, we were far from disappointed. Battered and flash-fried bits of lobster served with red chili-coconut sake and chives, served in a shot glass- magical.
For small plates, we had the featured quail dish. It was served with polenta and a raspberry sauce that had a hint of barbecue flavor to it. The quail was very tender, and all of the flavors blended perfectly.
I chose the marlin for my main course, and my boyfriend had the wood roasted beef tenderloin. Neither fell short of perfection.
Dessert, we shared the chocolate and banana mousse cake and ate every bite. It tasted perfect with a cup of decaf coffee to seal the evening.
Everything else about the restaurant was perfect- nice ambiance, good service, and tasty cocktails. Our experience at Abacus deserves nothing less than 5 stars.
