Cullen's

My husband and I had dinner at Cullen's and were looking forward to a nice, quiet evening at this beautiful restaurant. However, we were seated right outside the kitchen door and were barely able to have a conversation over the chefs and cook staff yelling out table orders. There were plenty of other tables available and plenty of wonderful wait staff. There is no door to the kitchen so if you sit on the one side there, it's rather noisy. Our food was outstanding, as was our waiter. We called for reservations and were told the time we wanted wasn't available so we went earlier. During the time we originally wanted to come, we noticed the place was still rather empty and there were plenty of tables that we could have gotten at the time we wanted to come. That was really disappointing. I guess next time, if there IS a next time, we'll tell them we ARE having a special occasion instead of ""just dinner"" and maybe we'll get seated in a nicer area, or at least a quiet area, and be able to come when we want. Cullen's really is a wonderful experience. We will probably give them another try one day. Pros: Goat Cheese Salad, Filet Cons: Tables in/near the kitchen more

This was our first time going to Cullens. We were in a group of 10-12 people. The service was great. I have read several of these reviews that said other wise and I do not agree. Entire wait staff was great. The cocktails were delicious. I had a Sangria drink well work $8. The food was good in taste but the portions were not all that- expecially for the cost. I had the chicken fried rib eye and I really dont think it was rib eye. It was the thickness of 2 credit cards put together. It was good, but not $18.95 good. My husband had a stuffed chicken breast that was probably the size of a tennis ball, again not work $18.95 in size but good in taste. I would have loved to taste the $149.99 steak they were offering as a specail, but for $149.99, it better serve me for a week. I would recommend this place for a special occassion. They have the Grille @ Cullens that seemed to be more in my range and the food looked good. Pros: Great Drinks & FREE bread & Butter Cons: portions small for the cost more

We've been twice and both times were totally disappointed in the food. Everyone ordered something totally different and the best thing on the table was the bread. The Prime Rib was the worst I've ever tasted and the fried shrimp was unbelievable horrible. They were kind enough to not charge for part of the meal but honestly, they need to fire the chef and start totally over. Pros: Beautiful establishment with excellent wait staff Cons: food is barely Mediocre more

I have to say the set up and decor is beautiful they spared no expense. The staff really seem to want to please customers; we were acknowledge by the manager and were given a tour of the facility including the kitchen. But sadly the food was just barely ok. We had the lobster rissotto and lamb. I could smell the lobster shell before it to to the table which arrived luke warm and mushy. My husband had the lamb and could barely eat half of it. He said it was overcooked and tasted like soy sauce. We had heard the grits were exceptional and ordered them as a side, they were wonderful. This is such a cool place I hope they work on getting the kitchen up to par. Note to chef: as in ""Hell's Kitchen"" did you taste the food before sending it out? Pros: Beautiful restaurant, great service Cons: Food is mediocre at best more

There were three of us. I ordered the chicken fried ribeye. The gravy was over salty almost ruining the entire entree. The potatoes were very good and the spinach was fresh but also over salty with about 20 slices of garlic in a half cup serving. One person had the goat cheese salad and said that was real good. Her pizza looked okay and was very large for an individual serving. The other person had the pasta entree on the lunch special and she said it was very good. The desserts were plain awful. It took over 45 minutes to get ours after we ordered them. We came to the conclusion that they ran to Kroger to pick them up. I had a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling with a side shot glass of vanilla milkshake. The cake was pathetic to say the least. The mousse was ok. The milkshake was barely cool and thin like sugary milk. How easy is a milkshake that they screwed that up so bad? Someone else had the fried apple pies and blueberry ice cream. The pies were ok but the ice cream was really good. The third person had the pecan pie sundae and said the pecan pie was one of those frozen ones and awful. She said the ice cream was good though. The service was spectacular and the building is beautiful. I may try it one more time and no doubt about it, I'll skip the $8 dessert from Kroger. -------------------------- I have since returned to Cullen's with a party of 8. We got there at noon, it took a few minutes to get our table set up even though I'd had a reservation. Our waiter was very nice but geez, you had to ask him for every single little thing. Lemon for the tea, a teaspoon to stir it with, butter for the bread that took one hour to come out. It was on a weekday at lunch and we were there several hours and only 4-5 other tables had anyone at them the entire afternoon. Someone said the service at night was good and they put their experienced staff on at night and leave the trainees for lunch. That would explain a whole lot but even a trainee should have not had to be asked for every little thing. Ok, I knew better than to order the ribeye again so I got a burger and WOW, it was great. The fries would have been great too but they were ice cold. Funny since there weren't 25 people in the entire restaurant and we could see them in the kitchen and it wasn't busy AT ALL. But it was a great burger. Someone ordered a cobb salad and said it was gritty like it hadn't been washed and it tasted funny. The chicken tasted stale and dry. She ate one bite and pushed it away. The waiter didn't even mention the uneaten salad. Two of the diners ordered soup and sandwich and said it was just okay and they wouldn't order it again. Everyone that got a burger agreed they were really good. I like the atmosphere at Cullen's so I was relieved to find something on the menu that was good. I will not vary from the burger and NEVER order a dessert there again. The margaritas were decent too. The first one was weak but the second one had alcohol in it. Pros: Beautiful building, excellent service Cons: Lots more

This was just wonderfull. . . .I have been sitting hear thinking of the right words for this amazing experience and thier are just not words to discribe how nice this dinning was. This place is as casual as blue jeans and a nice blouce or a prom dress & you would not be out of place thier is a place in every part of this resturant to swing from one mood to the next. It was my B-day, My hubby took me here, from haveing are car parked to entering already impressed by the seen.We walked in were plesently greeted then Quickly seated, It was a Monday night so the two of us were more than excited to have the all you can eat, Main Lobster for just (49.95 ) it was to die for OMG... Ladies I also had the Cullens Martini with my meal this I half to say was an all time fave not to sweet not to tart & deffinetly not overbearring by alcahol flave, yummmmmeee...... after owr food we were told all about the the restuaunt & even given a grand toure by our waiter then to the bar for one more Cullens Martini. Lol . . . NO not to get drunk but just to sit at this very inviteing lounge area and cuddle up to conversation with my hubby.. I WILL be returning, this is now a fave of mine and the hubbys. .. I dont know if it makes a differance but IM 28 & hubbys 47 we loved it here guess its good for all ages, all accassions & all food craves. I hade a greate B-day, my hubby really did his homework this time (Thank you Babe mwaa) P.S. sorry about the spelling to all readers. 1 to many Cullen's Martini's LOL.. Pros: to good to be true Cons: thier is not one in my back yard more

This was a really fun place to go to before seeing a movie. We sat at the (main) bar and split a bottle of wine. After drinks we were seated and had the snapper and sausage and mash which was delicious and the presentation was beautiful. Everything was very fresh and tasty. The wine was very light and refreshing and paired perfectly with the seafood. The waiters were very attentive. Excellent experience overall! Pros: attentive service, great wine list more

Went with my husband for a Sunday dinner. We have been here about a half dozen times previously, and enjoy the classy atmosphere and great drinks. The food is absolutely top notch and often overshadowed by the cool ambiance. We started with the goat cheese salad and mini crab cake above average dish, huge portion! We also had the steak with mash potatoes and rock shrimp. The portions are very generous, and the service was spot on. They take reservations online too a plus! Overall, a great place for fun cuisine and great drinks! Pros: warm friendly service, ambiance, food, free valet more

I have been to Cullens 3 times. Each time the food was more of a disappointment.\r The service was slow every single time but they were friendly.\r The food has GREAT presentation but it just doesnt taste devine. Its ""okay"".\r \r Now, here is what has really turned me off:\r Notice that when you go into the restroom there is that room before it breaks into mens and womens restroom. This room smells like sewage! My friends noticed it as well. I thought maybe it was just a bad day but on my third visit to Cullens it still stunk. They now burn a candle to try to hide the smell. Also notice that there is a vent in that area. I beleive the smell is coming from the vent because you will also notice the smell again as you exit the main dining room and see the Macys table menus on the wall, look up when you get a whiff of sewage and you will notice another vent!\r \r I dont feel comfortable eating not knowing why that smell is coming from the vents. But judge for yourself.\r I will not lie, I love the ambiance so much I may go back for a 4th time. Pros: Nice setting. Nice service. Excellent Presentation Cons: Overpriced food. Not the best food around. Smells like sewage. more

Love the menu which is based on seasonal food items they can get on any given day. It's an nice menu and my favorite thing on the menu is the goat cheese salad. Fabulous. Also have a great brunch and optional indoor patio for nice days. Seems like a perfect date spot too. Pros: plenty of choices for lunch, great wine list more

The ambiance was upscale and the food was very good. Service was also great . I had a really good French Dip which was wayyy too big to finish. Would definately eat here again. Pros: quick service time more

This is a nice looking place, and the food is not bad, except that for the price it should be great. This restaurant is more like a Monterey House than a truly upscale restaurant. The staff was too young and poorly trained to do justice. They did some of the things that pretend to be upscale, like use a million difference pieces of silverware, and charge a lot, but the rest was a joke. The designer added the touch of ever-changing art on HD screens, but the only one I could see just had Vista on it. The web site would lead you to believe that there was live music, but the reality was that for a cover charge you could go down to the bar and listen to top 40 cover music. They could at least have had a piano player in the dining room. Again, that would have actually been upscale, rather than just named 'upscale'. For this price range there are many better restaurants within a few miles of Cullen's. and no, it is not worth the drive from across town.\r I would like to see them get their act together. It would be nice to have a restauraunt that is what this one claims to be. It is nice to get a table and keep it for the night, but the wait staff needs to understand the difference between giving the patron space, and simply being inattentive. It is okay to charge for great food and service, but only if you actually provide it.\r Here is a brief synopsis of how our evening went:\r We make reservations and met friends there. We were asked to enjoy the bar while our table was made ready, but when our table was ready, we were told that transferring the tab to the restaurant would be too much of a hassle (not unusual for a restauraunt unless it is ""upscale). We were lead to the table to find service for three instead of four, and promptly waited fifteen minutes to be greeted by a waiter. The rest of the evening had the same flavor. We were attended to on the waiter's time, and if we used the bread plates for the appetiser because the was late with the plates, well ... Pros: Nice Atmosphere Cons: Pretending to be Upscale, but only the cost is upscale more

We have only dined at Cullen's twice, and only on Sunday brunch, so we can't speak to the night life. But on those times, we have found the service to be outstanding and the food options good for a Sunday. The first time we dined there, we had really, dare I say, ""obnoxious"" people sitting next to us, visiting from out of town. A child stood on his chair to summon the waiter, and his parents thought it was funny. It went downhill from there. Nothing can ruin a meal faster than really badly behaved children. Our best wishes to that poor waiter, he was at his wits end, as were we.\r \r The second time we went, it was much more civilized, and we enjoyed a brunch near the kitchen, where we could see some of the things going on. We ordered wine (Proseco) from the computer wine list (what fun!) and enjoyed amazing local pork dishes, salads that were so flavorful, waiters that were very attentive. We will be back again (sans brats!)\r \r Excellent food. Pros: Fabulous, tolerant wait staff more

My first visit to Cullen's was on Mother's Day with my family. I was taken away by the entire restaurant. The atmosphere was very alluring. The staff was so nice, all of them had kind and gentle smiles. I could see that every intricate detail about the restaurant was thought of. Everything was perfectly placed. I ordered the Tokyo Mojito Sake which was wonderful! We ordered the ""Frito Pie"" as a starter, on the advice of the waiter, and we were so glad that we did! It's ""The Best Frito Pie"" in all of Texas! I ordered the ""Wedge Salad"". The lettuce was fesh and crisp. The mixture of ingredents was so tasty and delightful! My husband ordered Pizza and the taste and texture of the crust alone was so incredibly delicious! The waiter had informed us that Cullen's had a very unique and special oven they used to cook it in. Since Mother's Day we have returned on many occasions to the same distinctive, superior, world-class, unlike no other, service. We have tried the Rib eye, which was well-seasoned and so tender. The lamb was just as delectable! And for dessert..... I believe we have tried every single one of them! My husbands favorite is the Bourbon Pecan Pie! If you love chocolate you have to try the ""Chocolate Odyssey""! It is chocolate heaven. I absolutely enjoy going to Cullen's with my family. I have an occasional ""Girls Night Out"" on the weekends at Cullen Live. My hat is off to you Mr. Munz, you have perfected the whole dining experience. I would also like to give praise to all the hostess, waiters, the managers and especially the chefs for making Cullen's what it is today. I will continue inviting family and friends to dine with me at Cullen's! Once again, to everyone at Cullen's, thanks for making my experience awesome!!! \r \r Pros: Atmoshpere, Eco-friendly, Friendly Service, more

We had lunch at Cullen's Grill on several occasions and we have always been extremely satisfied! We always try to select original items on the menu and have been impressed with the talent of the Chef. He does not hesitate to blend flavors that I would not have thought to use together and the result, so far, has always been extremely successful, according to my taste. I am sometimes surprised but have always been fully satisfied. We have recommended it to several friends and they have all reported to us that they had a good experience. They did return several times, which to me is a vote of satisfaction! Pros: gift cards, big restrooms, friendly staff more

i love the food at cullen's, its good for special occasions. i must recommend the ziti pasta. also, the tuna tartare...just right. the service is great, professional and welcoming.\r \r the atmosphere is very elegant, and will keep your eyes wandering while you wait. definately a pleaser. more

i've been wating tables for almost 3 years now and i know more or less how an upscale restaurant is supposed to run. i made reservations for my mom's birthday. normally a good restaurant takes note of that to make the occasion memorable in some way (i would only expect more attentive service). yet when we arrived early we were told to wait at the bar filled with those who were interested in the party scene. we're a family with a couple of kids so this was an awkward waiting room...especially when there weren't any seats available. next, a server took our drink orders but our real server arrived 20 minutes later saying that he wasn't used to the rush (there really wasn't one). we were deciding on some menu items and told him to check back in a couple of minutes (don't get the scallops because it only comes with 3 and they aren't even jumbo-sized). 15 MINUTES LATER he comes to finally take our order. a manager tosses us bread as he passes by. at this point i was too lazy and turned off to order wine for my mom's birthday. after we finish our bread basket they bring out the butter that was supposed to go along with it. great, so we ask for more bread but the cheese didn't come out with it becaues the waiter explained it was still cooking (we never got it). then he tells me that the kitchen just ran out of rib eye so i had to order something else. after we all receive our sub-par meals, my brother discovers his buffalo steak was well done when he specifically asked for medium rare. this is an amateaur mistake for a high-class restaurant. finally, we complained. they offered us free dessert but if you work in the restaurant business desserts are the cheapest items on the menu and marked at a premium. we declined and the most professionalism we got out of cullen's was from the manager who took $75 off our $235 tab for four. Pros: butternut squash soup, lobster risotto, sweet dining area Cons: the flounder special, any pizzas (not unique for $12), service, kitchen more

Great 3 course menu which includes appetizer, entrees, and dessert. Will definitely fill you up. The food presentation was excellent. Great friendly knowledgeable staff. Steak was made as ordered. Service was nice too. Pros: easy Christmas present (gift cards are available), Ice tea never went dry, wi-fi more

Even though this is a bit pricer than average, I would say it is well worth it. The quality of the food and the presentation is great. They gave us some complementary mousse prior to our starters and I almost wanted to lick the bowl... or maybe I was just starving. \r \r I would definitely come back. The best is the desserts which they served in sample sizes so you can taste 5 different types of ice creams.\r \r Also make reservations as this place seems to be always full. It would be nice if you could make reservations online. Pros: Dessert selections, wine tablets easy to use Cons: Valet took forever more

Me before Cullens entered my life:\r o\r \r /|\r \r / \r \r And afterwards:\r o\r \r /O\r \r /\r \r What you can't see in my second person is a gigantic smile with chocolate smeared on my teeth from my chocolate odyssey. That's right, pure chocolate heavenly bliss.? more