Best restaurants/bars/coffee houses in Waco: 2018-19?

5,493 Views | 38 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by PartyBear
Edmond Bear
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Ran across Pinewood Coffee Bar a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Made me wonder what all of the cool new places were in Waco.

So, wadda you got? What are the best new places since the start of 2018?
hodedofome
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The new Common Grounds/Slow Rise pizza in Woodway is constantly packed.

Milo All Day has good breakfast.

baylrballa
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Slow rise started out with some great beers. Slacked a little lately but great to have a place like that on this side of town.

Dichotomy is good even if its a weird vibe sometimes, not super new.

I wish i liked milo more. It's just not run well. Love the mezcal selection though.

Zs on the curry is awful.

Blue dog is awful.
Brian Ethridge
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Staff
Had a good experience at Milo's. Have heard of others having delays, but we had a table in 15 or so minutes.
jumpinjoe
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Passing thru Waco we were told of a restaurant just north of town called Cafe Homestead that we stopped to eat at noon. Short wait, but when our order came it was delicious. Everything that they serve they say is grown locally, and I had the delicious chicken fried steak, fries, and garden salad. Their dessert tray is to die for. A little bit on the expensive side, but worth it.
Joined BaylorFans in 1999 under username jumpinjoe. Have always been Jumpinjoe. Proud 4 Year Baylor letterman and 1968 graduate and charter member of Quartermiler U, produced school record in 400 IH.
Brian Ethridge
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Staff
jumpinjoe said:

Passing thru Waco we were told of a restaurant just north of town called Cafe Homestead that we stopped to eat at noon. Short wait, but when our order came it was delicious. Everything that they serve they say is grown locally, and I had the delicious chicken fried steak, fries, and garden salad. Their dessert tray is to die for. A little bit on the expensive side, but worth it.
That is out where I grew up. The cheeses they make are quite good as well.
Edmond Bear
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Has anyone tried Mariscos La Perla that opened over in the Marketplace at 340 and I35 a few weeks ago?

IASIP Rocks
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Edmond Bear said:

Ran across Pinewood Coffee Bar a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Made me wonder what all of the cool new places were in Waco.

So, wadda you got? What are the best new places since the start of 2018?



I started trying to answer this question but it's basically impossible, because essentially none of these places that I could think of are very good. So instead of ranking what's best, here's my rating of the "newer" places. And I have to give a disclaimer that I don't know exactly when all these places opened, so if I post about a place and someone comes back and says "oh well that opened in October of 2017, he only asked about 2018 forward" well ... sorry in advance, I don't know what to tell you.

Restaurants:
- PF Chang's: Sadly this is a very exciting event for Waco, and is one of the top choices for Mrs Rocks and I for date night. Not bagging on PF Chang's, I just basically would never have gone there for dinner when I lived in Dallas and Houston because there were roughly 500 more interesting restaurants to choose from.
- Los Cucos: Solid Tex Mex, a welcome addition to Waco, I eat there a lot and really like it, but we need more Tex Mex places like New York needs more delis.
- Walk Ons: Yet another place that's an "exciting" addition for us Wacoans that I would probably never eat at if I lived in a city with halfway decent food options. Someone please put me out of my misery.
- Hecho en Waco: This may pre-date 2018 by a bit. Think Gloria's in Dallas but half as good food, service, and atmosphere. The pork carnitas and bean dip are good though.
- Cajun Craft: This also might pre-date 2018 a bit. Pretty decent Cajun food imho.
- Milos: Wants to be a Austin/Dallas/Houston farm-to-table restaurant. I really like the fact that Waco is trying. The food is not bad, some of it is pretty tasty. The atmosphere is also not bad, in fact, relatively well done. Words that come to mind when I think of the service: Chernobyl, Titanic, 3 Mile Island, ***ushima, Hindenburg, Carrot Top.
- Union Hall: I was cautiously optimistic about this concept but that has been tempered somewhat upon learning that Capt. Billy Whizzbangs is a vendor. Now I like me some Capt. Billy's, but that's almost exactly the opposite of what I was hoping for. Still holding out hope that this turns out well but I have a feeling that we're going to Waco up the place.
- Harvest on 25th: I have no clue how new this place is but it's new to me so I'll pretend like it's new. Ate there with Mrs Rocks the other day. The food is pretty darn good, and I'd love it if this had been made into a legit dinner place with a slightly expanded menu and service instead of fast casual style. Atmosphere still pretty Waco, but kinda hipster Waco. So there's some ironic instead of unironic mustaches.
- That's about all I can think of if we're not including new stuff like Mod Pizza or Torchy's in Hewitt or Hat Creek in Woodway or the new McDonald's in Las Colinas...

Bars and coffee shops to come.
Pam Manhart
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baylrballa said:

I wish i liked milo more. It's just not run well. Love the mezcal selection though.
I thought Milo's food was good, but it took forever to be seated and then there were so many dogs in the restaurant. I just don't like eating my expensive syrup covered blueberry lemon biscuits next to a shaggy animal. It's too pricey for that.
joso54
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If you are in Crawford, check out Chaney Bros. Coffee. Solid breakfast and better coffee than Pinewood.
Pam Manhart
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I don't know about coffee but you can get a great NY bagel at the William Hoyt food truck behind Heritage Creamery
BaylorGuy314
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Coffee
----
Pinewood
Common Grounds
Dichotomy


Bars
---
I'm too old and rarely go to bars anymore... I typically go to Barnetts for a slightly upscale (still casual) pub experience, the Backyard to drink beer and listen to music, or George's to drink beer and socialize.

Best bar in Waco you've never heard of? Big's Mayberry Tavern. Absolute dive bar but the food is pretty dang good and the beer is cold and cheap. Live music on weekends. Basically, it's what George's was 50 years ago.
Volunteer
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John Lillie's Steakhouse (at 18th and Lake Shore). Might not be new but I only heard about it a couple of months ago. Solid, but not great.

Knife and Cork (actually in Gatesville). It's a 30 minute drive but the food and service were both excellent. Small place with only maybe 12-15 tables.

Eagles Landing (Bruceville). Don't think it's new but very few people seem to know about this place. Atmosphere is a little sterile (very clean and but not an interesting environment), but I had the best chicken fried I've had in years.
WILLIS
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Lakeside taverns got the best spicy pickle shot in the world
3rd String Kicker
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My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.
BaylorHistory
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Sounds really cool. Lord knows Waco is an Italian food desert.
“People who live in glass houses...have to answer the door."
Edmond Bear
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3rd String Kicker said:

My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.

This is an exciting project. I first heard about it from my daughter who had your English class last year.
CammoTX
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If a place like Oxford, Mississippi can have a bunch of amazing restaurants, why can't Waco?

Seems like you either get a mediocre chain restaurant or a mom and pop that has lousy service and/or inconsistent food.
IASIP Rocks
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3rd String Kicker said:

My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.
Wow, just thumbed through your website and read the article in Eater Dallas. That building is beautiful. I'm really excited about this!!
baylrballa
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3rd String Kicker said:

My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.
post here when it's getting close to opening, will definitely check out.
CammoTX
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IASIP Rocks said:

3rd String Kicker said:

My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.
Wow, just thumbed through your website and read the article in Eater Dallas. That building is beautiful. I'm really excited about this!!
Indeed.

One of the best restaurants in Houston (Marks American Cuisine - just recently closed) was located in an old church. The ambiance was very cool.
bularry
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CammoTX said:

IASIP Rocks said:

3rd String Kicker said:

My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.
Wow, just thumbed through your website and read the article in Eater Dallas. That building is beautiful. I'm really excited about this!!
Indeed.

One of the best restaurants in Houston (Marks American Cuisine - just recently closed) was located in an old church. The ambiance was very cool.
Mark's closed more than 3 years ago, and now the One Fifth concept uses the spot.

It is a really neat restaurant building.
Banned BarleyMcDougal
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IASIP Rocks said:

Edmond Bear said:

Ran across Pinewood Coffee Bar a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Made me wonder what all of the cool new places were in Waco.

So, wadda you got? What are the best new places since the start of 2018?


- Cajun Craft: This also might pre-date 2018 a bit. Pretty decent Cajun food imho.

I'm also not trying to bag on that place, but...

What they serve ain't cajun nor creole.

And excellent takes on all other joints. This isn't a problem limited to Waco, but I've found that a high percentage of people who open places in the area have no fundamental idea of what it takes to be a restaurateur. And it can be tough to sell a new idea there.

It's really not a difficult concept in my eyes. Have a small menu that you can knock out of the park, particularly if it's conceptually different from your standard Texas fare. Find a cheap space/truck and save, save, save until you've taken off.

Also, the best cajun eatery is Friday's over off New Dallas HWY. Very good.
TechDawgMc
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IASIP Rocks said:


- Walk Ons: Yet another place that's an "exciting" addition for us Wacoans that I would probably never eat at if I lived in a city with halfway decent food options. Someone please put me out of my misery.

I was really surprised at how good the etouffee was there. My main course wasn't as great, but that stuff was really good.

Overall, the impression I got was of a chain that was a bit too proud of themselves, but I'd go back for the basic cajun.
forza orsi
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3rd String Kicker said:

My wife and I (locals) are partnering with some restaurateurs out of LA to bring a significant food and drink experience to downtown called Chapter. This is a new concept. It will be a creative take on Italian and located in a historic church building by Hotel Indigo. Check out @2ndandclay or 2ndandclay.com. It's been a long road with planning all of the historic preservation work to go along with the restaurant, but it will be worth it in the end. Hoping to get building permits this month.
Hallelujah! It's been a long time coming. Would love to hear more on what you're planning.
CammoTX
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And, for the record, you can be an upscale chain restaurant and still be really good - even for the high brow critics. Just look at Hillstone (branded as Houston's in Houston). I'll even argue that Pappadeaux is excellent as a chain.
redfish961
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BaylorGuy314 said:

Coffee
----
Pinewood
Common Grounds
Dichotomy


Bars
---
I'm too old and rarely go to bars anymore... I typically go to Barnetts for a slightly upscale (still casual) pub experience, the Backyard to drink beer and listen to music, or George's to drink beer and socialize.

Best bar in Waco you've never heard of? Big's Mayberry Tavern. Absolute dive bar but the food is pretty dang good and the beer is cold and cheap. Live music on weekends. Basically, it's what George's was 50 years ago.
Have lived in Waco for 20 years and never heard of this place.

Went there Saturday as a change of pace for us.

It is a hole in the wall, but the food was excellent and they had a live band.

Maybe 50 people in there, but sometimes that's the best places.

I love exploring and this was a good find (have no idea why it took 20 years).

I'll be back for certain.
WILLIS
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A Houston's restaurant in Waco seems like a fantastic fit. Great joint.
Banned BarleyMcDougal
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redfish961 said:

BaylorGuy314 said:

Coffee
----
Pinewood
Common Grounds
Dichotomy


Bars
---
I'm too old and rarely go to bars anymore... I typically go to Barnetts for a slightly upscale (still casual) pub experience, the Backyard to drink beer and listen to music, or George's to drink beer and socialize.

Best bar in Waco you've never heard of? Big's Mayberry Tavern. Absolute dive bar but the food is pretty dang good and the beer is cold and cheap. Live music on weekends. Basically, it's what George's was 50 years ago.
Have lived in Waco for 20 years and never heard of this place.

Went there Saturday as a change of pace for us.

It is a hole in the wall, but the food was excellent and they had a live band.

Maybe 50 people in there, but sometimes that's the best places.

I love exploring and this was a good find (have no idea why it took 20 years).

I'll be back for certain.
Funny story about that place...which was just a bar (I think) 10-15 years ago. A couple of buddies of mine lived in Hewitt and had passed by a few times. So they decide to go check it out. Turns out it was a hardened biker stop, at least that's how one of them described it. Took two steps in and immediately turned around and went on back home.

I always thought it was a cool location. Glad to hear it's food and friendly now.
BearConvert
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Hands down, the best cajun/seafood in Waco is Friday's out on hwy 77. It is a total dive, but you cannot beat the food unless you are willing to drive about 4 hours southeast.
IASIP Rocks
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BearConvert said:

Hands down, the best cajun/seafood in Waco is Friday's out on hwy 77. It is a total dive, but you cannot beat the food unless you are willing to drive about 4 hours southeast.


My father in law raves about this place. I've gotta make it happen
BearConvert
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IASIP Rocks said:

BearConvert said:

Hands down, the best cajun/seafood in Waco is Friday's out on hwy 77. It is a total dive, but you cannot beat the food unless you are willing to drive about 4 hours southeast.


My father in law raves about this place. I've gotta make it happen
He's not lying...and you absolutely need to get there!
bularry
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That's a fantastic post
Gasmanctsv
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BearConvert said:

Hands down, the best cajun/seafood in Waco is Friday's out on hwy 77. It is a total dive, but you cannot beat the food unless you are willing to drive about 4 hours southeast.
Truth...their etoufee is amazing!!
baylrballa
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Got to put in a shout out to j-petal downtown. Their poke bowls are a step above any other sushi offerings in waco. Not that it was a high bar.
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