Out on Opals

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CorsicanaBear
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8:47p, 10/22/25
I'm out on Opal's Oyster House. They insist on reservations through Resy and want a credit card to secure the reservation. I'm not giving Resy my credit card. F them. I'm out. Went once, it was pretty good, not great, wine list way over priced (although not at ludicrous levels like Diamondbacks). They are apparently for the touristas, not the locals. I'll go to 135 Prime (also pretty good, not great but can call and get a reservation) and have cow fish.

This online reservation thing is ruining dining out. No more snap decisions to go out, hey dear, whatta ya say ve go to dinner tonight. Have to plan weeks in advance. Nope, nope, nope. I'm not a week in advance kinda guy, I'm a what are we doing tonight when I'm driving home from work kinda guy.
Illigitimus non carborundum
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baylrballa
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In reply to CorsicanaBear • 8:49p, 10/22/25
CorsicanaBear said:
I'm out on Opal's Oyster House. They insist on reservations through Resy and want a credit card to secure the reservation. I'm not giving Resy my credit card. F them. I'm out. Went once, it was pretty good, not great, wine list way over priced. They are apparently for the touristas, not the locals. I'll go to 135 Prime (also pretty good, not great but can call and get a reservation) and have cow fish.
opals is the best place in town. They get to be a little selective.
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CorsicanaBear
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8:58p, 10/22/25
They are not better enough than 135 Prime, Morosso's, DiCampli's or Red Snapper to be choosy. They may be more popular at the moment but things change. I'll wait. I'd rather have a steak anyway, wife wants seafood.
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baylrballa
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9:03p, 10/22/25
Red herring but yes, all of those are really good. Pretty crazy for a place like Waco after so long. Opals is the best. They won't miss you.
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hill02
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9:37p, 10/22/25
Making a reservation even 2-3 days in advance beats the crud out of rolling up and waiting 60 minutes for a table. Resy is super easy to use.
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RightRevBear
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In reply to CorsicanaBear • 11:49p, 10/22/25
I have been to each of these restaurants, and I like them all. If it is a special occasion and the wife wants to go to Opals, I will make the reservation, but I prefer usually making reservations that afternoon. I am glad we have a much larger selection of good places to eat. I have been basically everywhere except BLVD. They will probably be next.
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whitetrash
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In reply to CorsicanaBear • 7:04a, 10/23/25
CorsicanaBear said:
I'm out on Opal's Oyster House. They insist on reservations through Resy and want a credit card to secure the reservation. I'm not giving Resy my credit card. F them. I'm out. Went once, it was pretty good, not great, wine list way over priced (although not at ludicrous levels like Diamondbacks). They are apparently for the touristas, not the locals. I'll go to 135 Prime (also pretty good, not great but can call and get a reservation) and have cow fish.

This online reservation thing is ruining dining out. No more snap decisions to go out, hey dear, whatta ya say ve go to dinner tonight. Have to plan weeks in advance. Nope, nope, nope. I'm not a week in advance kinda guy, I'm a what are we doing tonight when I'm driving home from work kinda guy.

I believe Golden Corral still accepts walk-up diners.
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Big12Bear
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In reply to baylrballa • 8:14a, 10/23/25
baylrballa said:
Red herring but yes, all of those are really good. Pretty crazy for a place like Waco after so long. Opals is the best. They won't miss you.

I think the place he is talking about is somewhere in between Red Lobster and Red Herring.
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SteamedHams
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In reply to hill02 • 8:28a, 10/23/25
hill02 said:
Making a reservation even 2-3 days in advance beats the crud out of rolling up and waiting 60 minutes for a table. Resy is super easy to use.

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Biscuits_and_Gravy
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8:54a, 10/23/25
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CaptBruisin
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In reply to whitetrash • 9:53a, 10/23/25
whitetrash said:
CorsicanaBear said:
I'm out on Opal's Oyster House. They insist on reservations through Resy and want a credit card to secure the reservation. I'm not giving Resy my credit card. F them. I'm out. Went once, it was pretty good, not great, wine list way over priced (although not at ludicrous levels like Diamondbacks). They are apparently for the touristas, not the locals. I'll go to 135 Prime (also pretty good, not great but can call and get a reservation) and have cow fish.

This online reservation thing is ruining dining out. No more snap decisions to go out, hey dear, whatta ya say ve go to dinner tonight. Have to plan weeks in advance. Nope, nope, nope. I'm not a week in advance kinda guy, I'm a what are we doing tonight when I'm driving home from work kinda guy.

I believe Golden Corral still accepts walk-up diners.


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Robert Wilson
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In reply to baylrballa • 11:23a, 10/23/25
baylrballa said:
Red herring but yes, all of those are really good. Pretty crazy for a place like Waco after so long. Opals is the best. They won't miss you.

I was at Opal's last night (Wednesday), and it was packed. Place is slammed all the time. Last time I went was a Tuesday, mid summer, Baylor out of session, hot boring stretch of early August in Waco, place was slam packed. Whatever they're doing on reservations is working.

Agree we have a crazy good list of places to eat for Waco at the moment. I think Red Herring is the best place in town right now overall, but Opal's is great (and I still can't believe I can get North Atlantic oysters in Waco).
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PartyBear
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3:26p, 10/23/25
So are you charged something if you don't make your reservation and if so what is the charge?
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Lund Vernquist
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4:41p, 10/23/25
Opals is a gem (so to speak) that punches above its weight and holds its own against some of the best seafood in DFW. Hopefully Waco can continue to have nice things even if it means having to implement some big-city practices.
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Boernebear
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9:47p, 10/23/25
Love Opal's. It's by far one of the very best restaurant experiences you can have in Waco. I travel nearly every week of the year and eat at higher end dining establishments regularly in every major city. Opal's is at a level that can compete with restaurants in much larger markets.

And it's normal to have popular restaurants on Resy or OpenTable require a credit card to simply make sure that people don't walk on their reservations. Maybe that's not the norm for Waco restaurants but when you have this type of establishment with a limited number of tables, it's how they need to manage their business in the era of online reservations. It's no reason to write off a great restaurant.
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Bear_Fan254
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11:46p, 10/23/25
Obviously beating a dead horse here but Opal's is the best restaurant in town and we have some great ones that have been mentioned.

I've had seafood at several high end restaurants all over the country including the northeast and Opal's is just as good and probably better.

Absolute gem for a city the size of Waco no where near the ocean.
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GoldenBear03
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4:29a, 10/25/25
I'm a lifelong Wacoan, like many here, I know, and it makes me so proud to now have restaurants like this as an offering to our community and to make Waco a place people enjoy being when they are away from home. When my parents were my age, Steak and Ale would have been the destination for special date nights. Our options are becoming limitless now. Opal's is, in my opinion, the finest among them today. Excellent food and an even better environment.

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hodedofome
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5:22a, 10/25/25
I'm just glad Opals is in a small building. If it was a large one, I'd be concerned they wouldn't make it over the long haul. Being in a hot location but a small setting means they can have a lower rent all things being equal.

It is the new 1424 from back in the day. I said the same thing about them - I can go to NYC and pay twice as much money for the same food as that little place in Waco.

Just wish we still had Siete Mares.
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hill02
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10:13a, 10/25/25
Opals is owned by the Terry Black folks and I believe they own that whole block for both restaurants.

They did a fantastic job with it and they don't have to worry about a landlord jacking up rent.
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4th and Inches
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In reply to hodedofome • 11:17a, 10/25/25
hodedofome said:
I'm just glad Opals is in a small building. If it was a large one, I'd be concerned they wouldn't make it over the long haul. Being in a hot location but a small setting means they can have a lower rent all things being equal.

It is the new 1424 from back in the day. I said the same thing about them - I can go to NYC and pay twice as much money for the same food as that little place in Waco.

Just wish we still had Siete Mares.
Siete Mares was the best in Waco for a long time.. miss that place
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hodedofome
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In reply to hill02 • 3:17p, 10/25/25
hill02 said:
Opals is owned by the Terry Black folks and I believe they own that whole block for both restaurants.

They did a fantastic job with it and they don't have to worry about a landlord jacking up rent.


They do if it's a brother who owns the real estate and decides to be a jerk.

I was more referring to revenue per sq ft, keeping it small allows the economics to work much easier.

I am concerned Alpha Omega in Hewitt is just too big.

I was very worried about Shorty's in Hewitt, but they are killing it.
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bularry
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In reply to CorsicanaBear • 10:22p, 10/25/25
CorsicanaBear said:
They are not better enough than 135 Prime, Morosso's, DiCampli's or Red Snapper to be choosy. They may be more popular at the moment but things change. I'll wait. I'd rather have a steak anyway, wife wants seafood.


It takes 15 seconds to make a reservation using an app. Why not put your card in? You don't use your card for anything??

I'm a grumpy old man but this is serious yelling at clouds
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Yogi
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8:08a, 10/27/25
Ah, Shucks!!!
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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GoBearsGo
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9:57p, 10/27/25
I'm thrilled you don't want to go. Makes it easier for the rest of us.
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BylrFan
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8:38a, 10/28/25
Use a virtual card if you're concerned about it.

like privacy.com or apple pay.
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T-REX
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9:57a, 10/28/25
This rant is hilarious.
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GoBearsGo
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12:47p, 10/29/25
just grabbed a reservation Saturday for my birthday dinner.
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T-REX
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In reply to GoBearsGo • 1:01p, 10/29/25
GoBearsGo said:
just grabbed a reservation Saturday for my birthday dinner.

im glad to hear you survived such an ordeal
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Marlin3030
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5:58p, 10/29/25
But is it better than red lobster?
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jt888
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4:27p, 10/30/25
I liked it a lot. What is the issue with Resy? You could do virtual card even
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Yogi
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In reply to Marlin3030 • 10:50p, 10/30/25
Marlin3030 said:
But is it better than red lobster?


If you want to get a table at Red Lobster, all you have to do is show up.
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trey3216
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In reply to Yogi • 3:43p, 10/31/25
Yogi said:
Marlin3030 said:
But is it better than red lobster?


If you want to get a table at Red Lobster, all you have to do is show up.
they may pay you to get a table at Red Lobster
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4th and Inches
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In reply to Yogi • 6:56p, 10/31/25
Yogi said:
Marlin3030 said:
But is it better than red lobster?


If you want to get a table at Red Lobster, all you have to do is show up.
maybe.. sometimes you show up and there is no staff to serve more than a few tables so you still wait
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