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The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
32 reviews for The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro
Review Highlights
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The GF and I had a pretty good time dining and drinking at this Tim Love establishment. Our table provided a nice view of the cooking line and the pinot noir we sampled was excellent. His rabbit/rattlesnake sausage appetizer was as good as we hoped it would be and will probably have to be ordered next time as well.
Both our entrees and the chocolate dessert we shared were on par with his reputation. I guess the 4 star rating is a product of personal preference.
Visited on a Monday night -- kind of quiet, but most tables were full at one point. We had a group of 8, so a good selection of items to see & taste.
Atmosphere was kind of that Texan chic look -- with a long saloon type bar and rustic decor. The kitchen was open at the back of the restaurant, and a few people went up and watched from time to time, but not a true 'open' kitchen format by any stretch.
As I said, we had a group of 8 -- so the waiter suggested an appetizer sampler -- we picked the lobster hushpuppies (great flavor, a bit chewy on the consistency); bacon wrapped figs stuffed with blue z and an almond (yummy) and the Buffalo meat Sliders with foie gras & lindenberry (or was it loganberry??) jelly (tender & juicy, they were the table favs). My fav was definitely the figs, but that's me.
Second courses around the table were either one of two salads (both were excellent -- I went with the wedge) or the summer squash soup (delicious). The seared scallops looked great too.
Entree courses were a nice selection of proteins -- tenderloins, ribeyes, veal, buffalo, duck, elk, red deer from Australia(?), etc. I went with the seared duck breast with duck confit dressing on the side -- delicious. Hubby had the stuffed tenderloin on a bed of "western plaid hash" -- a great combo of simmered cabbage and peppers over a bed of shoestring potatoes -- stay with me here -- it was wonderful!!
Prices were pricey, to say the least -- $10 - $15 per plate for the appetizers; second courses - salads $9, soup $10, scallops $14 or so; entrees $25 - $35, or order your steak by the ounce $3.50 or so depending upon the cut.
Didn't see the dessert list -- too full --
Had a couple of bottles of decent wines -- didn't see the wine list b/c we were guests -- had a Rutherford Hill that was fine and a St Suprie (sp?) that was excellent. Didn't see prices on the wine or the total bill - guessing it was easily $100 per person plus tip.
Great service - knowledgable waiter, yet not uppity. Nicely paced meal. Great job of replacing silverware in a timely & appropriate manner (one of my pet peeves when done poorly or not at all). Traded out wine glasses when we switched wines. Kept up with water refills, clearing plates, etc. Didn't offer to refill wine glasses when empty. But, no deal breakers for sure.
We would definitely go back -- not sure why I'm not giving it 5 Stars -- but I'm really only feeling 4 stars. Maybe we were sitting too close to the kitchen . . . maybe it was the flavorless endive on my plate for apparently no reason . . . would have preferred aspargus to the endive . . . but now I am being picky.
My bf and I had dinner here on a Friday night. There is valet, paid parking ($5) lots, and free street parking. We ended up parking in front of the rodeo area and taking a short stroll to the restaurant. We arrived a little early so we took a seat at the long, saloon style bar. I started with the jalapeno and cucumber margarita. They muddle the jalapeno and cucumber together, add Midori tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime. This is such a great tasting, inventive cocktail. It was spicy and perfect in every way. I moved on to the blood orange cosmo. It was very sweet. Orange vodka, blood oranges, and cranberry I believe. This drink reminded me of something I might really enjoy at breakfast time. I tried the Manhattan. Man this is a manly drink! It made me feel like I needed to wear cologne and own leather bound books. Too manly for me so I move to the Texas Martini. The Texas Martini was another amazing drink. Since it was my last round, I'm having a hard time remembering exactly what was in it. Whatever it was, I could have another.
I got to see Chef Tim Love walking around the restaurant while I was guzzling down drinks at the bar. He was working the line, checking in with the hostess and showing off that he looks even better in person than he does on TV. Not only can the man cook, he is a delight to look at. My bf told me to stop having Chef Love lust.
The restaurant is laid out with a bar in the front area and a small dining section to the right. The garnish line is an open area facing the front dining area. There is a second dining area to the right of this first room. It looks like Chef Love had to buy the place next door to accommodate his expanding business. I was seated in the second dining area. It was nice. Exposed brick wall, table cloth, candlelight, western style servers.
For the appetizers, they let you design your own sample platter if you 'd like. We ordered the elk and foie gras sliders with the rabbit and rattlesnake sausage served with creme fraiche. If you order sampler style, they prepare a single serving of the meal for each table member.Chef Love has completely changed my mind about eating gamey meats. The elk sliders with foie gras has to be the best appetizer that I have ever tasted. Love is a culinary genius. The sausages were so unique and I would never think that I would want a second helping of rattlesnake.
For the second course I had the "bacon" and egg salad with chili vinaigrette. I asked why bacon had quotation marks and the waiter stated its because its actually sliced pig ear. The egg was lightly cooked and served over the pig ear and kale. Normally I think of pig ear as a treat for dogs but now I think of it as a delicious human treat too. The salad was perfect in every way. The combination of all the elements was perfect and I enjoyed every bite.
I ordered a buffalo ribeye with a side of white truffled mac and cheese. My bf had the duck breast with the shepards pie. Normally I order buffalo because it is such a lean cut of meat. Unfortunately the word ribeye usually lets you know the cut of meat will be fatty. The steak was cooked perfectly but I think I needed a sharper knife. I had to really work to get a bite of this buffalo. If I could just substitute this steak for Abacus' buffalo cut, the meal would have been the best thing on earth. Also, if you are ordering a la carte like I did, there is a 14oz minimum for the steak. I can eat about 8oz of meat max so there was a lot left on my plate at the end of the meal. The truffled mac had a beautiful flavor. They use orzo pasta and a light cheese sauce. They serve the mac almost at room temp (I'm guessing so the white truffle doesn't break down?) and it was good. I just wished it was served a little hotter. I sampled some of my bf's duck breast. Fabulous!
We ended the meal with the Tuaca cake with chocolate ganache. It was served with a raspberry glaze. It was good. Not the best cake I've ever had but its still a good one.
One note I would like to add is that this place is not as dressy as I thought it would be. I wore black pants, a black top, and a long, layered necklace. I walked in and I thought to myself, wow I am way overdressed. People in the main dining room had on jeans, flannel shirts, polos, and sweatshirts. Once we walked into the second dining area, we did see a couple of tables that were a little dressier. So just a tip, wear whatever you'd like!
Our overall meal ended up coming out to about $240 for the two of us. That is pretty much what I expected for this type of a restaurant. I think it was worth every penny. Even though there were a couple of things that I did not like about Lonesome Dove, I think it is now on my top 3 restaurants of DFW along with Abacus and Tillmans.
Lonesome Dove offered OK food at higher than average prices. I started with the rabbit and rattlesnake sausages, which were quite good. While they sound rather exotic, they're available at many sausage kitchens around the US, making me think LD purchases theirs from the same restaurant supply, rather than make their own.
I followed with the carpaccio, well executed and flavorful.
Slow-cooked goat over lentils was my entree, but the goat tasted less like goat and more like beef. The texture was correct, but I do order goat to taste its unique flavor. This dish might impress someone scared of goat, but a lover of game foods like myself would be disappointed by how much of the natural flavor of the meat went missing.
Our dessert was the ancho chile chocolate cake with tomatillo sauce. The cake did not taste of chili and the sauce did not taste of tomatillo. As with the goat, the identity of the cake was in question from these missing flavors. It could have stood out as a culinarily interesting and tres Texan dessert, but instead it lacked depth. It was expensive chocolate cake.
Some have complained about the decor here in light of the pricing, but I assume much of the restaurant's business is for out-of-towners like me, who enjoy the restaurants Texas-kitch-gone-upscale.
The jalapeño margarita was excellent.
But, for the price, I expect more of the food.
Howdy From Ft. Worth! That's right Ft. Worth.
The MIL was in town for her birthday and wanted to go to Lonesome Dove for Restaurant Week. Uh oh! She tells me 2 weeks ago that this is THE place she has to go for her birthday dinner. So being the good DIL that I am, I get on the horn and tell my plight to the woman who answers the phone...and she totally hooks us up: 7:30 resos on the Saturday night of Restaurant Week! I am already loving this place.
Housed in the Texas Stockyards this place is kitschy Texas. It has the cowboy boot decor going on, and looks like you might be able to hitch up your horse outside. But don't let the quintessential Texas surroundings fool you, this is stellar dining experience. And coming from an uber-foodie, I'm a tough sell. Their RW Menu was fantastic. You could even get their Signature Steak, normally $34 without the first and last course. This was quite possibly the best steak that I have ever had. In fact, 2 days later I'm still thinking about it and wondering when I can afford to go back.
The service was fantastic. And the Chef/Owner was even walking the floor talking to EVERY table in the dining room. That's impressive.
Get yourself a TRE schedule and take the train, or make it a weekend and grab a hotel in Ft. Worth. Either way you will have a good time...Texas style.
So here's the breakdown:
Roasted garlic stuffed beef tenderloin, western plaid hash, syrah demi-glace= Out of this world
Grilled pork chops, smoked cheddar grits,agave carrots= Really Good
Roasted summer squash soup, shaved gruyeré =Wonderful
Butter lettuce, applewood smoked bacon lardoons, chili pepitas, citrus vinaigrette= Pretty darn tasty
Strawberry Shortcake= Not my favorite. In fact, it's the one thing that kinda sucked.
Great Service, Great Atmosphere, Fantastic Food. Save your money and get there asap. It's pricey, but worth it.
I was contemplating a 2.5, but after scrolling over those stars this is definitely closer to the "Meh, I've had better" two rating than the "A-OK" three star. This is based on a Restaurant Week experience, but there was absolutely nothing about it that would entice me to return and sample more of the menu. I would go back if that is where the gang wanted to go, but would never choose this again on my own.
The place is near the stockyards, and that area was hoppin' on a Friday night. Though up-priced, the decor is not upscale.... very western, saloon feeling, western art, horns, etc, lots of wood. People were dressed mostly in jeans, though quite a bit of shorts and t-shirts around also... I had on a casual sundress and was overdressed - go figure! at a place where we dropped $70 a head sans tip during restaurant week (we did tip, didn't mean it that way!). The place is split up into smaller dining rooms which is nice, that usually serves to make it slightly quieter and more intimate... but here, the music (country of course) was playing loud enough that it defeated the purpose, making talking difficult - I spoke to one person at our 4 top most of the evening as the other 2 were hard to hear.
The food was average, except for the steak which was very tasty. We started with the Lobster Wontons with Serrano Vinaigrette - these were OK, but not very different than what I can get better at most Asian inspired restaurants near my house in Dallas. BTW, they would not honor the CM 4th course coupon for this. I have been doing RW for 3 years here in Dallas, usually 6-7 places each time, and this is the first time this occurred. The waiter took the order, but then returned and said he was informed they would not take the coupons on a Friday night - hmmmm....sorry, but that was just plain BS and very bad customer service. No one in our group chose to question it, but there is no mention of this policy on the coupons, menus, or website - truly BAD FORM, Mr. Love!!!
For a first course, I had the Butter Lettuce Salad with Spiced Pepitas and Red Chile Buttermilk - nice salad, not phenomenal, but enjoyable enough. I ordered the Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Western Plaid Hash and Syrah Demi-Glace as urged by the waiter for my entree - he said this was his fave of the 3 and is considered the restaurant's signature dish. It was a good steak... I have had better, but this was cooked perfectly to medium rare and was tender, and I will say that this was a huge chunk of meat. The hash that came with it was good, and my companions liked it, but I didn't find it all that satisfying... just blended in with the steak without any zing, or contrast with the rest of the meal. I tasted the pork chop with cheese grits, and I think that was much more interesting than my steak.
We got a side of mac and cheese with truffle sauce - this was good, made with orzo instead of macaroni... really very tasty, but no better than Hattie's or Tillman's (actually Tillman's may be a tad better).
For dessert, there was only one selection, strawberry shortcake - dry dry dry dry dry and bland shortcake, whip cream that tasted like ready-whip from a can, and 3 slices of strawberry - I tasted it and it was so pathetic that I did not eat it - wasn't worth the calories.
The company was good, the service OK, the food average. I am sure there are some better items on the menu, though I did supposedly have their "signature dish, has been with us since Tim opened the Dove" and was quite underwhelmed. Having said that, like other reviewers have stated, this is essentially a steak place.... they can call it cowboy cuisine, but it is just a steak house with a big name chef - steak houses are not my fave eat-out experience, so maybe they were doomed from the start. I had expected better, and was sadly disappointed.
I guess I'm one of the few that wasn't impressed with this place. Maybe it's because we just went for lunch. Regardless, if a place is going to be open and serve lunch, why shouldn't the food be as good as dinner (albeit a different menu, of course)?
Anyway, so I'm rating Lonesome Dove based on lunch:
Food: 3 stars
Service: 2.5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
That averages out to 3-ish.
So Hubs and I walked in and the place wasn't exactly hopping; there were some empty tables at 12:45. Almost every other place we saw while walking around the Stockyards was packed since there was an event happening there that weekend and it was an absolutely gorgeous day. Maybe people think this place it overpriced? Or maybe they don't know it's only a few steps as you turn the corner onto Main St. Whatever...
The first problem was our waiter. While he wasn't unfriendly or unpleasant, he wasn't particularly friendly and seemed distracted like he didn't want to be there. And he mumbled. He was getting our drink orders and talking about the $9 lunch special: "mumble mumble quesedilla mumble mumble tortilla soup". Neither of us were really in the mood for a quesedilla, so we didn't ask for a repeat.
I ordered the squash soup and the buffalo burger. Hubs ordered the elk sliders and the shaved tenderloin sandwich. The soup and the sliders were the stars of lunch. Both were absolutely delicious. The sandwiches were just OK. I was vacillating between ordering my burger medium-rare and medium and was about to go with medium-rare when our server offered the info that medium-rare has a cool red center and medium has a warm red center. That sounds more like rare and medium-rare to me, but I took him at his word and went with medium since I don't like cold ground meat. So of course when the burger came out there was nothing remotely red in the center. Or pink either. I didn't feel like sending it back, so I ate it. It was just OK. Even if it had been cooked as advertised, it would have been just OK. It was meat on a bun with a little cheese and a tiny bit of pickled vegetables on the side. More of the pickled things would have been nice to give the burger some help in the flavor department. It also came with something they call bistro fries. These are the thinnest fries I have ever seen and surprisingly, they were pretty tasty. Somehow as thin as they were they managed to get them crispy on just the outside while maintaining a bit of softness in the center. They were just so darn hard to eat. They were too crispy to stab with a fork and too short to be comfortable eating them with your hands. When I tried eating them with my hands, I felt like I was actually eating out of my hand since these things were so short. Weird.
Hubs' starter, the elk sliders, were really yummy. He said his sandwich was just OK. I think if we ever go back for lunch, we'll stick with the long list of appetizers they offered. Of the two we tried, they were both winners.
My family and I came here on Friday night, and everyone left very happy. Lonesome Dove had an experience and flavor on par with Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's Las Vegas/New York steak house) in fact perhaps a little bit better.
The appetizers we had were wonderful and included Blue Corn Lobster Hushpuppies and Grilled Shrimp with Cheesy Grit cubes. Both of these were fantastic, with the hushpuppies being particularly memorable.
For the main course, I had the Kobe beef tenderloin with cheesy grits and my wife had a 14 oz New York Strip with chile-lime butter and a side of Mac & Cheese with White Truffle sauce. The kobe tenderloin was absolutely incredible, just melting in my mouth with a perfect taste and texture. My wife's steak was awesome too, although the star of her dish was the Mac & Cheese. YUM.
My parents had two dishes that may have eclipsed even ours -- 5 hour braised goat with lentils and a fettucine with wild rabbit. The braised goat was divine and a quite unexpected complex yet smooth tasting dish. The meat was unlike anything I'd ever tried. The wild rabbit fettucine was also incredible.
The thing that makes it this restaurant such an amazing experience is the way they mix southwestern flavors and bring out the uniqueness of the the cuts of meat, as well as the flavor profiles of game and unique meats. I'm not generally a big game fan, but this restaurant made me rethink that assessment, because the complexity and smokiness of some of the flavors were fantastic.
For dessert we had another set of all-time favorites: warm mexican doughnut with chocolate dipping sauce, espresso flan, and ancho chili chocolate cake. DON'T skip dessert. Every one of those desserts were candidates for best dessert I've ever had.
Lonesome Dove is by far the best restaurant I've ever eaten at in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Dinner there was a memorable experience that my family is still raving about. An absolutely wonderful restaurant!
I was so excited to try this place after seeing Chef Love on the Iron Chef and Top Chef. I was really disappointed with the food. The restaurant is cozy and very cowboy. I did not especially enjoy any of my selections, but my husband loved everything he got. So maybe I just picked the wrong stuff?
For starters I had the shrimp with jalapeno cheese grits. I was really let down that the grits were baked/fried into tiny cubes and the shrimp was over seasoned. For my entree I had the halibut with crawfish stew. The halibut was cooked nicely but again, nothing special. The "crawfish stew" that accompanied my fish was pretty bad. The crawfish was really dried up and the stew was like an after-thought.
We let our guests choose a dessert for us to share and our friend picked the churros. Again, I've had better at sporting events vendors.
In hindsight, I should have probably gone with the steak or something gamey, as my husband did. He had the venison steak with elk sausage and it was nicely accompanied by a hen of the woods mushroom.
I'm willing to give the place another chance someday.
Let me begin by saying we visited during Restaurant Week on Friday night. That being said the place was not at all what we expected. Hole in the wall look from the outside, when entering the restaurant felt like I was walking back in time a bit to some western saloon. Long saloon style bar, the only thing that would have made the feel more authentic was if the hostesses had been dressed as old west saloon dancers with boas and the guy behind the bar had on a straight collar and an apron and was drying a glass. You know the picture I am talking about!
We were seated in another dining room, thank goodness because the music in the front dining area was so ridiculously loud that you had to practically read the lips of those with you.
There were four of us and we stuck to the RW menu. The optional course was actually the first appetizer course -- Lobster Wontons with Serrano Vinaigrette. Come to find out after ordering, they do not accept the Central Market coupon on the weekend for this course although nothing is noted on the coupon about this possibility and we have never experienced this before at any other. We opted to go ahead and pay the $7 each and just split two of them between us. Very good, sweet lobster and the vinaigrette was tasty but nothing memorable.
The next course was a choice between Butter Lettuce Salad with Spiced Pepitas and Red Chile Buttermilk or Roasted Yellow Squash Soup with Shaved Gruyere. The salad looked good and I have always been attracted to the softness of butter lettuce but as my dining companion did not really comment on it, had to assume it was just a salad. Three of us had the soup and it was tasty, a wonderful smoky flavor upon first tasting but after a few bites not so noticeable. The waiter had described it as cream based but did not seem so creamy as unstrained.
Two of our party ordered the Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Western Plaid Hash and Syrah Demi-Glace for their entree as suggested by our waiter. Two of us ordered the Pork Chop with Chile Grits and Agave Nectar Carrots. Both were very good and even though the beef dish is considered the standout for Tim Love, I believe that the pork chop far outshone it that night. The taste that I had of the hash was delicious! We also split an order of the Mac and Cheese with White Truffle between us and it was absolutely the most wonderful thing I put in my mouth that evening. Keep in mind this is not traditional mac and cheese made with elbow macaroni but instead was made with orzo. The creaminess of the cheese and truffle winding its way around those little orzo pasta made me want to turn everything else in and order a huge bowl of this stuff.. yummo!
Unfortunately, the waitstaff was sketchy at best. Seemed like we were always being hovered over to pickup an empty or near empty dish but when you needed or wanted something, no one was around. Two of our party were over half way through their entree when they were finally brought the wine that they had ordered paired with it after they had to ask for it.
Only dessert offered was Strawberry Shortcake. While we knew this going in, one of our party is not fond of strawberries and so asked if something else could be substituted. I will have to say that on the menu there are numerous other desserts of the same price point that could have been substituted at no cost differential to them, in my opinion. (and what about an offering for those allergic to strawberries?). However, the waiter offered the shortbread with whipped cream only. I on the other hand, count strawberry shortcake as one of my top desserts that I will take hands down anytime. Unfortunately though, when the desserts came out they were exceptionally small for the $8 price on the regular menu, mine was about 1 x 1 1/2 inch square and had three slices of strawberry... the shortcake was exceptionally dry. I took one bite and did not eat the remainder. Honestly, as I told my friend, my shortcakes made with bisquick while not considered gourmet are lightyears better.
We had attempted to visit Lonesome Dove last year during RW and were unable as reservations were full so were excited to be able to make it this year. I have watched Tim Love many times on Food Network and have great respect for him as a chef. But really, not so much after this visit. This was not what I consider a five star dining experience. Very disappointing and will probably never make the time to try it again. Would only give 2.5 if I could.
Sweet Jesus this is the coolest restaurant in Fort Worth hands down. The owner /master chef is an Iron Chef. Yes, you heard me, an iron chef. For all you newbs to the food industry, this means that he can basically take anything, and i mean ANYTHING and make it taste and look amazing. And the even cooler part about this restaurant is that the menu is never the same. It changes from day to day. The menu is very different and exquisite, but it still has that Texan twist to it.
Have you ever had deer sausage wrapped in rattlesnake? Or have you ever had kangaroo nachos? Didn't think so, but I have and it was the coolest and best tasting thing ever. C'mon Texans, put your stetson and lucchese's on and give this place a shot.
Hostess: Hot
Appetizer: Strong
Entree: Stronger
Desert: Sweet
Bring your friends and bring your wallets because it's going to be an interesting and expensive trip. . .but definitely worth it.
I've been here a couple times, with family and with friends, but my last visit definitely tops it. There were 6 of us ready to stretch our notions about various meats as well as our waistlines. We didn't waste much time doing either one. We started off with:
Wild Boar Ribs - Lean, but cooked well for what I've always considered a particularly gamey meat. The little bit that I was able to get was moist and tender and had a rustic (for lack of a better word) flavor that wasn't overwhelming and balanced well with the bbq sauce.
Kangaroo Nachos - Say whaaaa? I'll admit I ordered these just so I could say "I ate a Joey before a dingo ate my baby" (I know, I'm hilarious). . .the fact it tasted great was just an added bonus. Our waiter let us know that kangaroo's a tough meat to cook because it can easily be overcooked and dried out leaving a nasty piece of meat. Fortunately, the chef was on the winning side of the battle because the meat was cooked perfectly. It's a rich meat and something I wouldn't enjoy in large quantities but it was great in a small dose.
The other 2 appetizers we got were fried artichokes and the lobster hushpuppies. They were good, but nothing compared to the ribs and nachos.
For my main course, I ordered the garlic stuffed beef tenderloin (not making any lady friends after that). I like my meat bloody as you can get it and the tenderloin was seared to perfection. Still hot and crusted on the outside, but with a cool center. . .much like myself (yea, I said it). The potato hash that came with it was a good side, but I honestly don't remember it too well.
A tablemate tried the red deer chops and they were good, but not as good as other venison dishes I've had. Maybe it was the cut of meat I was given because the guy that ordered it had no problem finishing it off and wouldn't shut up about it the rest of the night. He also had truffled mac and cheese but refused to share so it's safe to assume that was a winner. I also tried the pheasant and foie grais ravioli. That is an intense, rich and heavy flavor that I was not ready to handle after already being full. Definitely a meal I would like to try again now that it's winter and I'm starving.
Dessert consisted of a round of shots courtesy of and accompanied with Chef Love (if I was a stronger man, this would have been the moment I professed my love to him on the spot but instead asked him if Iron Chef Mario Batali is even bigger in real life. . .he is).
At the end of the night I ended up spending a lot more money than I had planned, but am definitely glad that I did. I say Lonesome Dove's definitely worth a shot, but wear elastic.
This place I've gone to plenty of times, so I've been through most of the menu. With that being said:
When you walk in, there's a dark saloon feel- if anything it's kind of "cowboy chic". Despite how some people dress to come here, this is a pretty casual place. I'm not someone who cares so much about the atmosphere, but rather the food. After all, that's what you're there to do.
Now to the food:
I've had a few mixed opinions about some of the inconsistencies I've noticed about this place. During my lunch trips for one of the sandwiches, the tenderloin was very good the first few times I had it, but then there was an occasion where it was over seasoned, and another time that it was overcooked and tough. Those are the times that cause me to just pick at the truffled mac n' cheese- which is also sometimes inconsistent by not tasting or seeing any signs of this beautiful and tasty fungus. The bistro fries I tend to stay away from- always too salty for my taste.
What a lot of people don't know about going for lunch are the prices- much cheaper if you're looking to save money or do an occasional splurge if you don't have much money to spend in the first place.
For dinner services, I've mainly stuck to the deer chops which have always been medium-rare (a good thing). The accompanying sauce, though, just tends to taste rather bland which makes it pointless to the dish. However, the 5 hour roasted goat and roasted lentils tends to be a better option. I loved the texture, the sweetness, and how it just falls apart to the fork. Sadly, it was over seasoned once. The lentils, my favorite part, are full of flavor, but were also once over seasoned. The buffalo ribeye tends to be cooked to my liking and thus far, never over seasoned (we always order rare to medium-rare depending on the protein).
I think this place would be much better if Love was in the kitchen more often to catch the inconsistencies and put the rest of his team in check.
Everything good that people say about LD is true; but for those with short attention spans:
- Kangaroo Nachos, Lobster Hush Puppies
*Now I've had the rabbit-rattlesnake sausage and the scallops. You HAVE to get the sausage. If you had to choose 2, do sausage and nachos.
- Whatever salad tickles your ginie
- Red deer chops, garlic-stuffed tenderloin, sweet-potato-chorizo stuffed trout; it's all good, by then your taste buds will be so overworked and underpaid you won't care about your entree but if you don't want red meat, the trout is f-ing ridiculous. I know what you're thinking... "trout?" yes, trout.
Keep in mind there are no wrong answers here, but these stand out.
Over-rated!
The wild boar ribs and the surf-and-turf are both musts for appetizers. The ribs were moist, tasty, and falling off the bone. The scallop in the surf-and-turf was one of the best I've ever had. I gave away half before I started because I thought I couldn't finish the whole thing. The regret was instantaneous as I took my first bite.
Three out of five of us ordered their signature entree - the roasted garlic stuffed beef tenderloin. It was nicely done, but it was beef tenderloin. As a steak lover, I wish I had ordered a proper steak.
An aspiring vegan insisted on coming to dinner with us, and she was also able to piece together a good looking meal. She had the yellow squash soup, truffled mushrooms that looked delicious, and I believe the mac and cheese.
The dessert menu looked awesome with multiple chocolate options. Unfortunately, no one else wanted dessert, so I chose to pass as well.
The waiter was very patient with us and reasonably attentive. He did forget our requests a few times, but overall, he provided good service.
Maybe Lonesome Dove was once a good place, but I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone. It was suggested to me by a person that used to live in Fort Worth, but when I asked my texas friends they all seemed "whatever" about it.
Upon arriving I realized that I had actually been there once before but I didn't remember being impressed. First the service was decent. The server was very attentive. When we sent back the wine because it was corked they quickly provided us with a fresh glass from a new bottle. My only real complaint was the food; which is the most important part.
The best part of our meal was our appetizer - Duck, Duck, Sauce
The duck was cooked nicely and the grape sauce complimented the flavorful duck nicely. Not a big fan of the Foie Gras. Unfortunately this first course is $15 which would be fine but it is tiny (approx. 3 bites).
Blue Corn Lobster "Hushpuppies" - for hushpuppies these were okay. Not fantastic. I don't think the lobster and corn bread flavors compliment one another very well, but the watercress butter did help tie the flavors together.
Grilled New Zealand Red Deer Chops - OVERCOOKED
The outside was way overcooked and it was very strong in flavor. The sauce did NOT compliment the flavor at all. Actually the Fried Artichoke and White Truffled Mac and Cheese sides also did not compliment the flavor. None of it tied together or balanced out or anything. I did like the truffled mac and cheese but i haven't seen any place mess that up.
My boyfriend had the Pheasant and it was pretty much the same problem for him. Overcooked and slightly dry. The pheasant was overly seasoned and then there was a fruity sauce that tasted like it belonged to another dish.
If you want real fine dining and not some place that is as overly hyped as it is overly priced then go somewhere else. But if you've run out of places to try out and plan on going then I suggest the Duck, Duck, Sauce and the White Truffled Mac and Cheese and perhaps a main course from someone else's review that is positive.
To top off the night (which didn't factor into my rating) the valet driver was sweaty and sticky and everything he touched in my car was too. But the valet guys were also very nice.
Incredible Steak, great atmosphere. Tim Love is greatness and I like his adventurous side. My last meal would be prepared by Tim. Skip Double Eagle and Ruth Cris, this is the place for steak.
Great atmosphere, wife loves the cowboy waiters.
I had been thinking about dining at Lonesome Dove for a while. Lonesome Dove is my favorite book and miniseries, so of course, I thought that I should try the restaurant. I was a little worried about the hype - I mean seriously, does Tim Love really cook in a cowboy hat? Sure, winning Iron Chef is cool, but does it translate to a dining experience?
YES AND YES
Maybe I'm just a little homesick, but there was something hot about chefs in the kitchen wearing cowboy hats. And the meal was superb!
Perhaps I was also satisfied because for the same price I ate at Nopa in San Francisco and was extremely disappointed. I couldn't even write a review because I couldn't remember it, but Lonesome Dove proved to be memorable.
To sum up the meal, it was somewhat exotic food meets local with a Texas flare.
We started with rattlesnake and rabbit sausage and kangaroo nachos. The sausage was OK, but the kangaroo was delish! I would have enjoyed more kangaroo and will add it to my list of foods to explore.
My mom had a squash soup, which grew on her. It started OK, and with every bite grew a little spicier and more delightful. My salad was OK - I enjoyed the little jalepeno surprises.
Now, for the main course: Of couse, we sampled each other's dishes and I honestly would have a hard time ranking them. The roasted garlic stuffed beef tenderloin was perfectly cooked. It was well done on the outside with a subtle spice that complemented the meat. The garlic pieces gave an essence of garlic. The red deer from New Zealand was the best deer I've ever had and I will likely order the deer during my next visit. The buffalo was perfectly cooked and terrific.
One side dish deserves it's own review - truffle oil macaroni and cheese made with orzo. It wasn't too rich or overwhelming. It was just the best macaroni and cheese ever, and I've had some damn good mac and cheese.
We did not try the desserts. Ummm, how could we?
My husband and I ventured over to FW to celebrate our anniversary and get some down home grub and game from Iron Chef winner Tim Love. Well, I guess it is not really down home since he uses amazing ingredients such as white truffles, foie gras, lobster and dayboat scallops...And that is just for the apps and sides. The decor of restaurant fits in with cowtown, but is still upscale. It is important not to be hokey when paying $40 plus an entree and they pull it off nicely.
We arrived early to grab cocktails at the bar and I requested the special cucumber and jalapeno margarita with salt, of course. It was one of the most creative, unique and tasty cocktails I have had the pleasure of consuming. It had the spice of jalapenos and taste of cucumber but no one flavor was overwhelming. It was a great way to start. Also, this gave us the opportunity to get suggestions from the super friendly bartenders.
All of the appetizers looked wonderful and much to our surprise and delight, we were told we could pick as many as we wanted and they would give us samples. So, we took him up on that offer and they charged us about half price for each appetizer (except the foie gras b/c we received the regular portion). We ordered the following:
1. Australian Lobster and Poblano Wontons with Whipped Parsnips and Serrano Chile Vinaigrette - while the lobster pieces were quite small, the flavors were fantastic and worth ordering.
2. Pion and Chile Caribe Crusted Dayboat Scallops with Sweet Corn Sauce and Micro Green Salad - the staff raved about the scallops so my expectations were high. I thought they were good but my husband thought they were great. The scallop itself was cooked beautifully but the accompaniment did not beat out other scallop dishes I have had at Hearthstone in Breckenridge and Alize in Vegas.
3. Boursin Stuffed Kangaroo Carpaccio Nachos with Avocado Relish and Spicy, Sweet Habanero Sauce - we had to try kangaroo while we had a chance. I found the flavor to be wonderful and the avocado relish to be the perfect accent. I would order this again.
4. Seared Foie Gras Tacos with Tomato Jam, Caramelized Poblano and Onions - pure unadulterated heaven.
5. Rabbit Stuffed Empanadas - I do not like rabbit but my husband devoured these with pleasure.
For our entrees, I ordered the Grilled New Zealand Red Deer Chops with White Truffled Mac and Cheese, Fried Artichoke, and Morel Mushroom Demi-Glace'. I ordered it chef's choice of medium rare and while it came out a little rarer than medium rare, the flavors of the meat were fantastic. The fried artichokes were dipped in a catfish style breading and were a wonderful accent. The white truffled mac n cheese was more like a risotto and was fabulous. However, it was so rich that I literally could only take about 5 bites. It is one of those things worth trying but the richness is overpowering.
My husband ordered the house special Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin (9 oz.) with Western Plaid Hash, Grilled Asparagus and Syrah Demi-Glace but substituted the hash with the Purple-Chipotle Mashed Potatoes, since he is not a fan of cabbage. His steak came out steaming and was cooked perfectly medium rare. It was a phenomenal piece of meat and the potatoes were also quite good.
We were too full for dessert but they had several options that looked wonderful. Our server was quite young, but friendly and accommodating. We loved this spot because it is not the least bit stuffy yet it is full of delicious ingredients and combinations. If you are in FW, give it a try.
We went for drinks and appetizers... it was expensive but so worth it! We had kangaroo nachos that were delicious! Macaroni and cheese that was outstanding and (forgive me) some shrimp appetizer. They change their menu daily (I think) and I forgot what it was called but it was also flavorful. I will surely come back for dinner!!
Incredible place! We stumbled upon this restaurant by local recommendations and the chef, Tim Love, we found out while we were there, beat the original Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto.
Atomosphere is great and the service superior. The Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin is a favorite and we fournd out why! They also make an incredible fried spinach side dish that melts in your mouth. The surf-n-turf with kobe beef tenderloin is also a great choice!
Go with an appetitie to be impressed!
So, we flew into the "Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex" for a conference on DUI law, and one of the places we made reservations for dinner was the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. Now, skeptics among you -- myself included -- may wonder just how Chef Tim Love doesn't get sued for (mis-)appropriating the name of Larry McMurtry's most famous novel. Maybe he got paid off. Maybe he's a silent partner. Maybe . . . ah well, whatever.
Virginia and Lynn both had the special cucumber and jalapeno margarita with salt, while I opted for a glass of Charles Heidsieck Champagne.
We began with appetizers of Seared Foie Gras Tacos which were truly outstanding; Smoked and Braised Rabbit Empanadas, that were more empanada and not much rabbit; and Lobster and Blue Cheese hushpuppies that -- although delicious -- could have used a bit more lobster.
Then we had a red and gold beet salad with goat cheese and watercress; a salad with butter lettuce with chile buttermilk, goat cheese, spiced pepitas and candied jalapenos; and a spicy quash soup -- all very good.
For our entres, Lynn and Virginia chose Tim Love's signature "Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Western Plaid Hash, Grilled Asparagus and Syrah Demi-Glace", while I ordered the "Grilled New Zealand Red Deer Chops with White Truffled Mac and Cheese, Fried Artichoke, and Morel Mushroom Demi-Glace."
Now Lynn likes her beef rare. Very rare. Blue. But -- understandably -- Lynn doesn't like her tenderloin COLD. Which it was the first time it appeared at our table. But after it had been properly warmed through, it was fantastic! The deer chops were also quite tasty, and the 2005 Ridge Geyserville was a perfect match to our meal.
OK, so what's the bottom line? Although we all enjoyed our meal, I'm not sure we'd go back. It's almost more of a "been there, done it -- only in Texas" sort of a meal. I didn't feel ripped off by the price, nor was the "cowtown decor" over-the-top to the point of being tacky. I mean, Disneyland it's not -- the food is MUCH better! -- but it does stretch the limit for this non-Texan.
Then again, maybe it's just because I'm a Californian, rather than a Texan, but I don't think the sign behind the bar warning customers that carrying a concealed firearm inside the restaurant is punishable by a $10,000 fine was a joke.
Or maybe it's just the kind of a place that grows on you . . . we'll see the next time we're in Ft. Worth.
Did someone seriously give it a 1-star rating when they didn't eat there? It's a fine-dining establishment...they shut down so they can prepare the dishes for dinner. If you want to eat at 2:30, find a Chili's.
Anyway, I love this place. Tim Love brought a jewel to Fort Worth - and the city is lucky to have it. When I hear people from New York and San Francisco ask "oh, you're from Fort Worth? Have you eaten at Lonesome Dove?"...that's special.
To avoid over-hyping it, I will warn people that are expecting a 5-Star, 5-course meal that goes along side those of French Laundry or Le Bernardin, please know that this is Texas. We don't do that. Well, I take it back, Dallas does that...but Dallas is up-tight and pretentious (if you're not from the area, this Dallas/Fort Worth battle goes back hundreds of years. But at least we have one thing in common...we all hate Houston)
I digress.
Lonesome Dove is the best you'll find for what it is - Western cuisine. From regular beef ribeyes to Buffalo (mmm) to Kangaroo to Elk, this is the type of place that will allow your taste buds to experience top-quality meals, but it won't be pretentious in doing it.
The first time I went for lunch and I had the Buffalo burger. Even though I'm a Kincaid's fan and have a list of beef burgers that I rank as "the best", I still remember that Buffalo burger. And it, really is, the best burger I think I've ever had.
I went another time for dinner and had Elk. It was delicious, but I'd rather have beef steak. But again, this was for an experience, not something to "replace" my usual preferences. So you have to go here with that mind-set.
Tim does a great job representing the best in fine-dining, but staying true to Texas roots. This is the type of place that if you're not into the Stockyards scene - which I'm not - you can still enjoy the atmosphere and appreciate the work the chef put into your meal.
This place is phenomenal but can get expensive very fast so watch out. Kobe steak has been on my bucket list for a long time and my first one here I will always remember. It melted like butter in my mouth. The lobster mac and cheese with truffle sauce was a fantastic surprise even though the pasta wasn't macaroni at all but something that resembled risotto. The kale salad was a simple creation that was a big hit with a few at our table. The hallibut with yucca strips and creamy crawfish sauce was very tasty as was the trout stuffed with sweet potatoes. If you're looking for appetizers, skip the kangaroo nachos that only have a thin tasteless sliver of kangaroo meat...as well as the grilled shrimp that were good but forgetful. Instead go for the lobster hushpuppies or the rabbit/rattlesnake sausage...which is probably a little too spicy for some of you. Since we had gotten so much food already, our waitress was generous in bringing out a few free desserts. The chocolate cake with creamy layers and milk chocolate covered with a chocolate gonache was the table favorite followed closely by the chocolatey bread pudding. If you're a flan lover give it a try but we were surprised and disappointed by the topping of cappucino grounds. The chocolate covered cheesecake lollipops were good but a little on the small side.
Great place with a unique menu. Tim Love doesn't do chicken, and that's a good thing - he does about everything else from buffalo to quail. The food and service are great and the wine menu isn't too bad on the wallet.
We had our rehersal dinner there a few years back as well and they did a great job. Highly recommended for parties and events.
Chef Tim Love has apparently fallen in love with his reviews, as he is now planning to invade NYC with his "cowboy cuisine". Well, he'd better hope he has better luck than Reata did with Beverly Hills. As I see it, part of the problem is that the local Dallas/Ft. Worth dining scene just doesn't have much high-end competition. As such, restaurants such as Lonesome Dove get sparkling reviews from people who just don't know any better for pretty average food.
My wife and I were catching dinner before a show downtown. The restaurant is located in the Stockyards and provided a nice "cowboy" setting. The dining room was dimly lit, and the small open kitchen and cowboy hat-wearing staff were at the end of the room. We decided to start with the "Seared Sweet Lobster Cakes with Roasted Corn-Black Bean Salsa and Cilantro-Orange Butter Sauce" and the "BBQ Duck Spring Rolls with Sweet Hoisin and Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauces".
Well, the 2 lobster cakes arrived on a room-temperature bed of undressed black beans and roasted corn with a drizzling of citrus vinaigrette. Well, if we weren't told they were lobster cakes, we wouldn't have known. They were a tasteless mass of breading. The duck rolls tasted better, though for $10, it might have been nice if the 2 rolls were more than 2 in long. Though they had decent enough flavor, I couldn't help but think the the inspiration for this dish, Peking Duck, was superior, using the same hoisin sauce but at least adding some contrast with crunchy scallions.
Next, we had the "Mixed California Greens with Sherry-Caramelized Shallot Dressing and Maytag Bleu Cheese Crisp" and "Garden Tomato Basil Soup with Housemade Pesto". The "crisp" was a piece of flatbread spread with blue cheese, the greens could have been fresh out of the grocery-store bag and were accompanied with absolutely nothing else, and the dressing tasted nothing of caramelized shallots. The soup, on the other hand, was quite tasty, with the pesto adding a nice contrast to the not-too-sweet soup. However, I couldn't help but notice that the scarce amount of soup was served in a big bowl such that the spoon couldn't even be dipped in it. In fact, there was just enough soup to obscure the bottom of the bowl. You've got to be kidding!
Well, after the disappointments of the first two courses, we weren't expecting much from the entrees. And they lived down to our expectations. We had the signature "Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin (9 oz.) with Western Plaid Hash, Grilled Asparagus, and Syrah Demi-Glace " and the "Grilled New Zealand Red Deer Chop with Truffled Mac & Cheese, Fried Artichoke and Morel Mushroom Glace". The beef tenderloin was particularly disappointing since it seemed so promising. It looked to be a nice, 2in thick medium-rare fillet, perfectly crusted outside and done to a nice pink inside. However, it turned out to be the dryest piece of beef we ever had the misfortune of tasting. It seemed that the beef was somehow salted to drive all the juices from the meat. The accompanying sauce was very salty as well. The other dish was okay but nothing special. The deer chop was nicely pink, with a pleasant sauce (which had absolutely no essence, taste, or evidence of Morels at all). Tasting the cornmeal-crusted fried artichoke hearts was another dessicating experience. The truffled macaroni and cheese (with orzo pasta) was the best part of the dish, but lacking in any cheese flavor. The Smith and Wollensky steakhouses do a much better version of it.
Our dinner came to about $170 for the two of us, with no desert and a single glass of wine each. The problem for Chef Love is that when he goes to the big city, he'll have to play ball with the big boys, and I just don't think he has game.
So far, this has been the best place we've eaten in FW. While we thought the main attractions would be the steak, the seafood dishes were also staples of their main menu. The services was great and were accomodating to someone at our table who needed a gluten free diet.
At our table we got a mix of seafood and beef, and it was all flavorful. You'll have to be ready to drop some cash, but it is well worth it. Behind the restaurant is a suave little walkway with a waterway snaking through.
Not that impressed. Don't get me wrong the food was yummy, but I don't get the hype. The menu looked like a five star but when the food came it was not. I know its a tex influence restaurant but does everything need the same spice rub?? Also I felt a little ripped off. The Kangaroo nachos came with a tiny piece of Roo that prob didn't weigh more than an ounce. The Steak and egg salad was the same it came with the tiniest slice of carpachio. Aren't we in Texas??? My main was prob the best thing I tasted which was the buffalo tenderloin which was cooked perfectly and paired with a blue cheese endive salad that matched well. Sorry Tim Love you may have beaten Marimoto, but not my palate.....save your money....
Yelp - please get half stars!!!! I so want to give this place a 2.5, but alas, I will give it 3.
My husband and I were not overly impressed. When we walked in, I wanted to like this place. I really did. The atmosphere is way cool - sort of urban cowboy chic. It's warm and inviting, and they were playing Robert Earl and Pat Green. As we descended into the wine cellar room, I noticed small tea candles on each stair, which was a romantic and elegant, yet simple, touch. The furniture that adorns the rooms is rustic and upscale at the same time. Lonesome Dove's space screams casual sophistication.
However, the dining experience falls short on many levels. Let me start with the menu, which is a vegetarian's hell. I have no problem with inventive chefs serving interesting meats like kangaroo, rattlesnake, rabbit and venison, but don't forget that not everyone is that adventurous! It would have been wise to offer a chicken (boring, but always a crowd pleaser) or pasta. The pasta that was offered was stuffed with sweet onions, which is not everyone's thing. I just think the menu could have offered a few more "go to" items. Next let me touch on the service. I felt like we were in Europe. Leisurely dining is wonderful, but empty wine glasses are not. Slow paced meals are relaxing, but having to flag down your waiter is not.
Most importantly, the food fell short. The lobster hush puppies were basically all breading. My onion stuffed pasta was mediocre. I couldn't stand my husband's osso buco. The chocolate chip cookie in our ice cream sandwich dessert was burnt and way too crispy to cut with a fork or knife. The highlight of the meal was the salad course. I loved my salad, as did my husband. The salads were inventive, fresh and extremely tasty. Other than that, the food was underwhelming. And the wine was served a little too warm for my taste...not to mention, the waiter didn't even ask if we wanted it chilled in an ice bucket after the first glass was poured.
I guess I don't get the big deal. I love eating out, and I don't mind spending money on a good meal, but I am glad I wasn't paying for this one.
I'm not going to brag on this restaurant just because the chef has picked up some fame. I'll be totally bipartisan. I've been twice, and both times, the food has been interesting, but never anything out of this world. The first time I had the kangaroo nachos, wild boar rib, garlic stuffed tenderloin, and the deer chop with truffled mac and cheese. Of these, the rib was surprisingly the only thing I would bother eating again. The kangaroo nacho tasted much like steak; the deer chop was sort of like a less flavorful prime rib as it was not cooked to medium like I wanted; the mac and cheese was a short grained pasta that had more cheese cream sauce than noodles. The tenderloin was less than flavorful, but extremely tender. It definitely needed that garlic mash in the middle. On my next visit, I had the lamb sirloin, which was good at best, but the side of gnocchi was superb. My friend's minute salad was pretty awesome though, as the egg was perfectly poached. I would recommend checking this place out just to try some new dishes, but nothing is really excellent here.
This is a 5 star restaurant in the stock yard area of Forth Worth and the chef Tim Love is awesome. He's also has a restaurant in NYC. This is the place to go if you are looking for unique meats, like quail, deer, bison and of course beef and seafood. I've been here a couple times for client lunches and it was absolutely fantastic. I've shared the Grilled Quail Quesadillas with caramelized onions and goat cheese and its delicious..(so good I'm probably going to need to order them every time). Great Salads and all the entrees are great... The menu changes around a bit so you may want to check it out before you go. They also have an excellent wine list. Its a pricey place but its worth every penny. Enjoy
