Brass Ram Reviews

Looking for a prime rib alternative now that Lawry's is closed. The prime rib was very good but unreasonably expensive. The popover was good but cold, and they have no butter. They brought me drawn butter. I just laughed. No iced tea?...........yep, it's Texas and they were out of the drink of Texas. Then, miraculously, iced tea showed up, or at least some odd version. You'd think they could run downstairs to National Anthem and get their tea recipe, or at least borrow some. The service was great. The lay-out is great. I was expecting better.

Must have been an off night... We had a business dinner here on a Thursday night. We got there early around 5:30 and it was pretty empty, as expected. Service was excellent. The server knew his stuff. He told us about the specials, and there were so many. I wish their menu had fewer cutsie things that aren't descriptive, and had a menu for all the daily specials. It was hard to to remember all the items they had (and how they were prepared and paired) plus read through the silly descriptions on the printed menu. "Scripted Fish" (WTF is that?), "bowl of fresh pasta" (help here?), "Lobster of the night" (again, what is it exactly?). It's annoying. They are known for their prime rib. The 2 other guys ordered that, and I ordered a red snapper that was apparently from New Zealand. We started with the crudo appetizer. It was outstanding. The ahi melted in your mouth and the other fish and items in it were so good, along with the sauce. When dinner came out, the guys with prime rib had a yorkshire pudding with it. Each of us agreed (I tried theirs) that these were overcooked, dry and very disappointing. They were not chewy and were clearly overbaked. They loved their prime rib, and my fish was good too. I think it's silly to import a red snapper from NZ when gulf snapper is going to be fresher and more local. The only thing odd about my dish was this finely shaved greens that was fluffed up on top. Honestly it looked like green pubes and didn't enhance any flavor. The dish was oversalted, both the fish and the sauce. For sides we ordered the mac and cheese as well as the mushrooms. Both were very good, however both were also over salted. For dessert we shared the donkey roll. The roll itself was again overcooked and dry. You needed a knife to cut it. The apples and the sauce around it were tasty, and loved the dollop of ice cream on top too. Overall we liked a lot of it, give it an A for service and decor. The menu is a turnoff as far as how they have listed their items poorly and have too many daily specials to just rattle off by a server. The baked goods were poor for the night we were there, and the heavy salt use disappointing. Unfortunately expectations are at the highest when charging premium prices for fine dining, and these misses are why it's not rated higher.

Staff are fabulous, friendly and chatty! We decided to share the Pops steak.. It was heaven on earth! The decor is lovely, eclectic pieces around the place and little things like the napkin rings being pipe clips and the bill delivered in an Alfred Hitchcock book I just loved! Food is outstanding... Even the Brits could learn how to make a Yorkshire pudding here!! It is very, very pricey, but as a treat, worth every cent! Thank you so much for a fabulous dining experience!

My wife and I went to Brass Ram on our wedding day because I have experience with Flavor Hook restaurants and they have never disappointed in service or food quality. It was just the two of us for dinner. The host staff, our server Sera, and manager Dennis, all went out of their way to congratulate us and make us feel welcome. We were welcomed with a couple of glasses of bubbly, and the menu was described, in detail, to us. I ended up changing what I had planned on getting because of the menu description, and I realized I had not had the Voodoo Sauce in a very long time. Our cocktails were perfect and the food was as fantastic as we knew it would be. At the end of our meal, we were surprised that some of our friends had found out where we were going for dinner and covered the majority of our check. We were truly caught off guard, and it was expertly hidden from us until the perfect moment. I expected the highest quality of food and service from Brass Ram and they still surpassed my expectations.

We went on a Wednesday night that was our anniversary for dinner. I wanted prime Rib reminiscent of Lawry's, not no longer in business. I did quite a bit of research and picked this one for the menu and atmosphere. When we got there we were surprised to see a sign saying $7 valet and then added "that doesn't include the tip." What a turn off! Spoiler alert: when we left the restaurant the valet gestured to our car parked nearby and handed us the keys saying"It's over there." He did hold out his hand for the tip he clearly didn't earn. When we got to the restaurant we were seated at the back of the restaurant in the sun and glare. Also across from the wai staffs bench. The jazz music was LOUD!!! The speaker was right over my head. I was told that "it's just a loud song" Never the less she did turn it down marginally. We ultimately ask to be moved. The tables were stark. No candles, no flowers. A large plate and silverware. The center tables had flowers but I was told that the "flowers are only for the long table" We had cocktails but no appetizers. My husband ordered the 9- 8 ounce steak. I had the prime rib. When it arrived I was shocked at the size of my $79 prime rib. 2 slices no thicker than my finger. One slice had 3/4th fat in the center. After I cut around it I had 2 bites. The next on was also thin. I could not eat it due to the amount of gristle in the serving. It had a good flavor but was impossible to swallow. Upon complaining to the waitstaff I was told ( at the end of my meal) that I should have told her. Well she disappeared after serving us. My husbands steak was very dry and hard to cut. Not the caliber of a $79 steak tenderloin. We each got the Yorkshire pudding which was overcooked, dry and cold. We were given aujus that was so salty we couldn't stand it. I was surprised that for a place serving such expensive food that bread wasn't served. With the prime rib I got the Yorkshire pudding only I was expected to order side dishes. This restaurant sure does not give "the bang for the buck". I enjoyed my Martini and the free dessert. The manager came around at the end and comped by dinner. We will never go back and were so disappointed we picked this place to celebrate our anniversary. Bet it doesn't last long......

Brass Ram is the newest restaurant of an experienced and popular local restaurateur, Nick Badovinus. It is within an iconic building in a recently reimagined section of downtown Dallas anchored by small turn of the century buildings in what was called “Auto Row”in the day. In that vein, Brass Ram is an appropriate rendition of a Prime Rib steakhouse, evoking classics of yesteryear in a new light. You enter through a small street level door into a classy, comforting vestibule and are greeted by a well dressed hostess who checks you in and escorts you to the elevator. It transports you to an elegant space of long comfortable booths, tables, flowers, and oh yes, rams. Classy but not stuffy with modern elements. On the wall behind the bar, you will see the black letters KLIF, an homage to a local radio station who was one of many occupants of the building over the decades. The menu offers all the steakhouse classics (with a few tongue in cheek descriptions) but there are also choices of current popular favorites. Everything we ordered was cooked and flavored to perfection. An appetizer of rock shrimp in garlic butter with Parmesan and prosciutto gremolata was out of this world. The airy crispy piece of bread served with it was perfect to dip in the buttery sauce. The halibut was very moist, and the prime rib temperature exactly as ordered with all the standard accompaniments including horseradish cream and Yorkshire pudding. The creamed spinach was addictive….rich and cheesy in a good way. Warning, if you take some home, it might be difficult to stay away from! Mushrooms were tasty too. Our rye Manhattans were superb. Prices are on the high end but portions were huge by today’s standard, and shareable. On the night we dined, it was very easy to have a conversation, but this was early days since opening, so all tables were not occupied. I have read that their wine cellar is extensive, but we did not peruse the list that evening. If you want a special and modern take on an old standard steakhouse with awesome seafood, this is the place for you. They also offer a private room for groups, complete with vintage photos of Marilyn Monroe. This is comfort food at its absolute best. You cannot understimate the skill of this chef owner that trains his staff and actually manages to personally oversee the food that comes out of his kitchens.

Our expectations were encouraged by the pleasant nature of the bar staff and delicious cocktails while we waited for our guests and table. Our disappointment came with the meals themselves. The crab cakes were mostly filler and less like Maryland crab cakes and more like sawdust hockey pucks. The 12 oz prime rib was very thinly sliced and barely 8 oz although quite tasty. The ribeye steak was the best of the lot and well received. The sides were quite good but all over priced for the portions. The dinner staff was very attentive and well trained but couldn’t make up for the meal overall. They do have a decent wine list and very good cocktails but, alas we were there for a nice dinner and not just drinks. It is a lovely atmosphere and well appointed just don’t expect too much.

Our server John was attentive and seamlessly curated a fantastic, allergy-safe meal. We had an awesome experience and enjoyed the hospitality of the staff and thoughtful design. From the hostess stand, to the bar, and ultimately our table, every team member was welcoming and took great care of us. Will be back!