Javier’s

[ocugolf 1214]

I haven’t been in quite a while but always thought it was good. Going with a group Friday evening. Any recommendations?

[DalTxHornFan 3119]

Great place, but I always end up hanging out in the cigar bar drinking whiskey, eating from the bar menu and never setting foot in the restaurant proper.

Interior Mexican food -- not Tex-Mex.

[C-Man 27285]

Never been my favorite. I have enjoyed some fun nights there with large groups. Apparently, it's for sale.

[conVINCEd 21470]

It’s been a while, but they used to have a filet stuffed with cheese and covered with a tomato based sauce that was phenomenal.

[C-Man 27285]

6 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

It’s been a while, but they used to have a filet stuffed with cheese and covered with a tomato based sauce that was phenomenal.

Pretty sure that's Javier's most popular dish. The name escapes me.

[conVINCEd 21470]

Just now, C-Man said:

Pretty sure that's Javier's most popular dish. The name escapes me.

Well, with good reason.  I can’t recall the name either.  I couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve eaten there.  Probably 5 years ago at least.  Heard from several people whose opinion I trust that the quality had dropped off and it just kind of fell out of the rotation.

[C-Man 27285]

1 minute ago, conVINCEd said:

Well, with good reason.  I can’t recall the name either.  I couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve eaten there.  Probably 5 years ago at least.  Heard from several people whose opinion I trust that the quality had dropped off and it just kind of fell out of the rotation.

It was never worth the final price tag IMO. I hopped over to the Javier's online menu to see and I think it's the Filete Cantinflas. There's also a snapper dish that is most popular. I'd forgotten how expensive that place was. Again, it makes for a fun night but it's never worth the hit to the pocketbook in the end. (I used to live up the street and I'd occasionally walk over and have a margarita or two during HH and snack on chips.)

[conVINCEd 21470]

8 minutes ago, C-Man said:

It was never worth the final price tag IMO. I hopped over to the Javier's online menu to see and I think it's the Filete Cantinflas. There's also a snapper dish that is most popular. I'd forgotten how expensive that place was. Again, it makes for a fun night but it's never worth the hit to the pocketbook in the end. (I used to live up the street and I'd occasionally walk over and have a margarita or two during HH and snack on chips.)

Pretty much agree.  I can certainly think of better ways to drop a couple hundred bucks on food.  2015 was the last time I was there.  I had just met my wife and one of her cousins, who was in town for a day, and also happened to be a food critic for a popular magazine, insisted that we go there.  Her magazine also picked up the tab, so I was completely fine with it.

[Skipper 6209]

I went this summer for the first time in a few years.  Still a fun night out.  The Red snapper dish I had was solid as were the nachos we had at the bar while waiting for a table.

[Landomatic 3813]

I've just never gotten the love for this place.

Every time we've gone (the first time over 10 years ago), wife and I have both just thought it was really meh. And every time, we've gone with people who love it and can't wait to show us how great it is...because, obviously we "must have ordered wrong" or "didn't go with the right people" or something.

And every single time, it is meh.

Went about 2 months ago, just the wife and I (hoping maybe our company just sucked all the other times) with the hookup of a mutual friend of Javier's. Mutual friend eats there all the time (and is very close with Javier), and just like all the others, swears to me that we must just not be doing it right. Mutual friend tells us exactly what to order, made sure Javier knew we were coming so he could take extra special care of us..."you're going to love it doing it the way we do it, blah, blah, blah."

Food was very meh (maybe even more-so than the previous times), decor was really really dated and tired. Place needs a remodel badly. Service was just okay, nothing special, and certainly nothing that felt any part of "hookup from some of his best friends" level. Javier was nice enough, but his interaction with us amounted to not much more than maybe getting us seated a little quicker than normal. Mutual friend said, "Be sure to have Javier get you one of his special margaritas that his (Javier's) wife always drinks." Javier said he had no clue what our mutual friend was talking about, but that he'd try to get us something special. It showed up and it was just a margarita.

The place was packed every time though, and without fail, I'm sure I'll get plenty of people telling me how great it is and how we're just not doing it right, etc.

I don't get it.

[C-Man 27285]

11 hours ago, Landomatic said:

I don't get it.

I'm with you. (But I've had some fun nights in the cigar bar in my younger days.)

[South Austin 52633]

I view Javier’s through the lens of a 24-year-old fresh out of law school in 1999, living not too far away in Uptown with too much disposable income and whose idea of fine dining during his life up to then was Applebee’s. 

So I have a fondness for Javier’s, and maybe the nostalgia and lack of a developed palate outweighs the actual quality. But I had some great fucking times there. Pretty sure my last time was 2005, after I had moved back to Austin and was in Dallas for OU.

[Landomatic 3813]

8 hours ago, C-Man said:

I'm with you. (But I've had some fun nights in the cigar bar in my younger days.)

 

46 minutes ago, South Austin said:

But I had some great fucking times there.

Yeah, the one and only time I've ever enjoyed it was boozing on the patio with a group of friends. But we just drank and ate chips, so we could have been pretty much anywhere. Can't really credit the restaurant with that.

[ocugolf 1214]

Well this thread has dampened my nostalgia excitement. 

[South Austin 52633]

1 hour ago, ocugolf said:

Well this thread has dampened my nostalgia excitement. 

Don’t let us assholes do that. I imagine that whenever I might make it back up to Dallas I’ll hit up Javier’s. I’d probably go to Bob’s as well.

Same reason that with all the great restaurants in Austin, people still dine at Matt’s El Rancho when they’re in town for a visit. I think the food is C- quality, but I don’t begrudge someone who wants to go back in the time machine.

[C-Man 27285]

54 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Don’t let us assholes do that. I imagine that whenever I might make it back up to Dallas I’ll hit up Javier’s. I’d probably go to Bob’s as well.

Same reason that with all the great restaurants in Austin, people still dine at Matt’s El Rancho when they’re in town for a visit. I think the food is C- quality, but I don’t begrudge someone who wants to go back in the time machine.

Ha. I'm going to OG Bob's tonight. We are taking one of Mrs C-Man's best friends out for her birthday. Haven't been in years.

[TwiceHorn 31577]

Javiers is old enough that there wasn't much fine dining in Dallas to outshine it.  And the "interior Mexican" was pretty unique, both in comparison to Tex Mex and to other "exotic" menus.  And, of course, none of that is true today, or has been true for 10-15 years, maybe more.

And notice that no one has said it was flat bad, just meh and overrated.

So, it was probably better 20-30 or more years ago.  It was certainly more unique.  And the nostalgia factor is huge.

It's like if Il Sorrento was still open.  

Edited September 15, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[C-Man 27285]

9 hours ago, C-Man said:

Ha. I'm going to OG Bob's tonight. We are taking one of Mrs C-Man's best friends out for her birthday. Haven't been in years.

We had a really fun time but my KC-style NY strip was absolutely embarrassing. The taste was good but it was thin AF and they WAY overcooked it. My go-to fancy steakhouse move is to order medium rare-plus and it works beautifully when it's a thick-ass cut as it normally is. My wife's friend's fiancee ordered the same cut and his looked much thicker. Like I said it tasted very good but I do a better job on choice NY strips from Central Market at a third of the cost.

[DalTxHornFan 3119]

10 hours ago, C-Man said:

We had a really fun time but my KC-style NY strip was absolutely embarrassing. The taste was good but it was thin AF and they WAY overcooked it. My go-to fancy steakhouse move is to order medium rare-plus and it works beautifully when it's a thick-ass cut as it normally is. My wife's friend's fiancee ordered the same cut and his looked much thicker. Like I said it tasted very good but I do a better job on choice NY strips from Central Market at a third of the cost.

But how was your carrot?

[Fondren & Main 6742]

21 hours ago, South Austin said:

Don’t let us assholes do that. I imagine that whenever I might make it back up to Dallas I’ll hit up Javier’s. I’d probably go to Bob’s as well.

Same reason that with all the great restaurants in Austin, people still dine at Matt’s El Rancho when they’re in town for a visit. I think the food is C- quality, but I don’t begrudge someone who wants to go back in the time machine.

Amen to Matt’s…never been impressed.

[Hate 20147]

Is that the place on Lower Greenville that was next to the Million Dollar Saloon?  If so, they had some awesome sour cream chicken enchiladas. 

[South Austin 52633]

2 minutes ago, Hate said:

Is that the place on Lower Greenville that was next to the Million Dollar Saloon?  If so, they had some awesome sour cream chicken enchiladas. 

The Dallas Matt's is a spinoff from the Matt's in Austin.  When I lived in Dallas from 1999-2003, I believe it was located on Oak Lawn or thereabouts.

[Hate 20147]

I was talking about Javier's. 

[South Austin 52633]

4 minutes ago, Hate said:

I was talking about Javier's. 

Ah.  No, not in Lower Greenville area.  North of Uptown right where McKinney Avenue ends.

[Landomatic 3813]

11 hours ago, C-Man said:

We had a really fun time but my KC-style NY strip was absolutely embarrassing. The taste was good but it was thin AF and they WAY overcooked it.

Why didn't you send it back? I usually hate doing that, but when it's at that price-point, I don't hesitate anymore.

Quote

My go-to fancy steakhouse move is to order medium rare-plus and it works beautifully when it's a thick-ass cut as it normally is.

That used to be my go-to as well, but I've found it less and less effective lately. I've decided it just confuses the line cook these days. Probably 9 out of the last 10 times I've tried that, it's been fucked up...either way over or way under. Lately I just go with medium. Apparently these new covid restaurant workers can only handle so much.

Quote

I do a better job on choice NY strips from Central Market at a third of the cost.

Finding this to be the case more and more lately too, unfortunately.

 

[C-Man 27285]

1 hour ago, Landomatic said:

Why didn't you send it back? I usually hate doing that, but when it's at that price-point, I don't hesitate anymore.

That used to be my go-to as well, but I've found it less and less effective lately. I've decided it just confuses the line cook these days. Probably 9 out of the last 10 times I've tried that, it's been fucked up...either way over or way under. Lately I just go with medium. Apparently these new covid restaurant workers can only handle so much.

Finding this to be the case more and more lately too, unfortunately.

 

I should have in retrospect. I don't think I've ever done that honestly. Perhaps if I'd just ordered medium rare and they blew it that bad, it might've occurred to me. I was more disappointed in the thickness of the steak. I thought I was at Dunston's or something. Damn thing cost $66.

[Esque 135]

On 9/14/2021 at 10:00 AM, C-Man said:

Never been my favorite. I have enjoyed some fun nights there with large groups. Apparently, it's for sale.

Source?

Was just here a few weeks ago.  It's an established restaurant that has outgrown its location.  Wouldn't mind a new, larger location with better access.  It was as busy as ever and a mess to get in and out of.  Food is solid, as always.  Not the Tex-Mex most expect.

[C-Man 27285]

2 minutes ago, Esque said:

Source?

Was just here a few weeks ago.  It's an established restaurant that has outgrown its location.  Wouldn't mind a new, larger location with better access.  It was as busy as ever and a mess to get in and out of.  Food is solid, as always.  Not the Tex-Mex most expect.

Don't have a source, just something I've heard. (And it's not even remotely Tex-Mex despite having fajitas, bean-and-cheese nachos and margaritas on the menu.)

[Esque 135]

39 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Don't have a source, just something I've heard. (And it's not even remotely Tex-Mex despite having fajitas, bean-and-cheese nachos and margaritas on the menu.)

Poorly worded.  Meant, it isn't a Tex-Mex restaurant, like many would expect.

[C-Man 27285]

5 minutes ago, Esque said:

Poorly worded.  Meant, it isn't a Tex-Mex restaurant, like many would expect.

Gotcha. I doubt there are too many that just stumble across Javier's, though, and do not know what they're getting into before they go. It's pretty tucked away and with all the $150K vehicles parked out front, it's pretty clear this probably ain't Rafa's!

[ocugolf 1214]

Quail still fucks. The rest of the critiques are valid. Dated. Fine food. Not with the price. Got a free ride at Monarch tomorrow, so I expect more.

[Landomatic 3813]

19 hours ago, Esque said:

Source?

Was just here a few weeks ago.  It's an established restaurant that has outgrown its location.  Wouldn't mind a new, larger location with better access.  It was as busy as ever and a mess to get in and out of.  Food is solid, as always.  Not the Tex-Mex most expect.

 

19 hours ago, C-Man said:

Don't have a source, just something I've heard. (And it's not even remotely Tex-Mex despite having fajitas, bean-and-cheese nachos and margaritas on the menu.)

 

19 hours ago, Esque said:

Poorly worded.  Meant, it isn't a Tex-Mex restaurant, like many would expect.

Still poorly worded. Are you looking to buy it? Or hoping it moves because you’ll like it better if it does? Or what’s going on here?

[Landomatic 3813]

11 hours ago, ocugolf said:

Quail still fucks. The rest of the critiques are valid. Dated. Fine food. Not with the price. Got a free ride at Monarch tomorrow, so I expect more.

Had the quail a couple months ago. It doesn’t fuck. It maybe gets a hand job. Maybe. Definitely doesn’t fuck

[ocugolf 1214]

2 hours ago, Landomatic said:

Had the quail a couple months ago. It doesn’t fuck. It maybe gets a hand job. Maybe. Definitely doesn’t fuck

Lol. Might be the nostalgia factor. 

[bluto 4943]

Finding this to be the case more and more lately too, unfortunately.
 

Besides ambiance/night out factor with somebody else choosing, steakhouses are about last place in the pecking order of cuisine. Especially with sous vide you can do a 90%+ facsimile for a third of the cost. Then the damn sides on top of that, gtfo.

[Hate 20147]

On 9/16/2021 at 8:48 AM, Hate said:

Is that the place on Lower Greenville that was next to the Million Dollar Saloon?  If so, they had some awesome sour cream chicken enchiladas. 

Damn...I just now remembered that it was Rafael's, not Javier's. 

[DDD Dad 14356]

On 9/18/2021 at 10:26 AM, Hate said:

Damn...I just now remembered that it was Rafael's, not Javier's. 

Yes, Rafael's was on Greenville near Walnut Hill (not far from the old MDS).  Definitely not Lower Greenville (which is basically south of Mockingbird).  It's long gone as is the building it was in.

[DDD Dad 14356]

On 9/16/2021 at 8:52 AM, South Austin said:

The Dallas Matt's is a spinoff from the Matt's in Austin.  When I lived in Dallas from 1999-2003, I believe it was located on Oak Lawn or thereabouts.

Dallas Matt's has always been in East Dallas.  Originally it was on Ferguson Road near I-30 but moved to Lakewood in the 1990's.  Current location is on Skillman next to where the Tipperary used to be.

Edited October 4, 2021 by DDD Dad

[threesheets 1677]

On 9/18/2021 at 9:24 AM, bluto said:

Besides ambiance/night out factor with somebody else choosing, steakhouses are about last place in the pecking order of cuisine. Especially with sous vide you can do a 90%+ facsimile for a third of the cost. Then the damn sides on top of that, gtfo.

You can always go to Bob's and get a side "included" with your steak.  Went for the skillet potatoes last time and they were inedible.  Steak wasn't anything special.  I'm so fucking done with those places. 

[TwiceHorn 31577]

On 10/4/2021 at 3:59 PM, DDD Dad said:

Dallas Matt's has always been in East Dallas.  Originally it was on Ferguson Road near I-30 but moved to Lakewood in the 1990's.  Current location is on Skillman next to where the Tipperary used to be.

There was a Matt's something or other on Oak Lawn from the late 80s until?  Matts Rancho Martinez, Mattitos. something.

Edited October 18, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[South Austin 52633]

17 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

There was a Matt's something or other on Oak Lawn from the late 80s until?  Matts Rancho Martinez, Mattitos. something.

Yes, and I thought it was the Matt’s el Rancho but apparently not. I recall they served a Bob Armstrong dip, so that’s why I thought it was affiliated with the Austin Matt’s.

[TwiceHorn 31577]

10 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Yes, and I thought it was the Matt’s el Rancho but apparently not. I recall they served a Bob Armstrong dip, so that’s why I thought it was affiliated with the Austin Matt’s.

It was affiliated somehow.  I think there were some family shenanigans at one time with multiple Matt's flying around.

There was also the YO Ranch thing in the West End.

Edited October 19, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[DDD Dad 14356]

There was a Matt's something or other on Oak Lawn from the late 80s until?  Matts Rancho Martinez, Mattitos. something.

There is still a Mattito’s in Dallas. It’s on Forest at Central. There was in in Oak lawn too (was in a couple of locations over the years).

Iirc Mattitos was a joint venture Matt Jr did with Gene Street, just like the YO Ranch restaurant in the West End.

[C-Man 27285]

5 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

There is still a Mattito’s in Dallas. It’s on Forest at Central. There was in in Oak lawn too (was in a couple of locations over the years).

Iirc Mattitos was a joint venture Matt Jr did with Gene Street, just like the YO Ranch restaurant in the West End.

Yeah, the Mattito's I first started going to was off Turtle Creek and ??? right by where Concrete Cowboy and Kung Fu Saloon are/were. It's transformed into several nightclubs/bars since then but nothing has stuck. Mattito's moved over into the building where Steel is/was but I'm not sure if any of those survived COVID.

[ztejas 43548]

27 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Yeah, the Mattito's I first started going to was off Turtle Creek and ??? right by where Concrete Cowboy and Kung Fu Saloon are/were. It's transformed into several nightclubs/bars since then but nothing has stuck. Mattito's moved over into the building where Steel is/was but I'm not sure if any of those survived COVID.

Mattito's still exists on Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs. That's where it was for my entire time in Dallas (2014-2020). I never went there nor knew it was affiliated with Matt's in Austin. It seemed to get poor reviews.

I will say the Matt's in Lakewood when I was there was more than a spin off - it was basically a recreation of Matt's in Austin. The bar was great especially when it was nice outside and they'd open the outside garage door. Good happy hour. Place fucked, honestly.

[C-Man 27285]

16 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Mattito's still exists on Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs. That's where it was for my entire time in Dallas (2014-2020). I never went there nor knew it was affiliated with Matt's in Austin. It seemed to get poor reviews.

I will say the Matt's in Lakewood when I was there was more than a spin off - it was basically a recreation of Matt's in Austin. The bar was great especially when it was nice outside and they'd open the outside garage door. Good happy hour. Place fucked, honestly.

Matt's in Lakewood is a good spot. Previous to that was Matt's No Place (or Snow Place, I can never remember) down in the development where the Lakewood Theater was across from Lakewood CC and the Whole Foods.

[ztejas 43548]

14 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Matt's in Lakewood is a good spot. Previous to that was Matt's No Place (or Snow Place, I can never remember) down in the development where the Lakewood Theater was across from Lakewood CC and the Whole Foods.

Before my time my man. At least - my time in Dallas. I think about coming back sometimes. Great, underrated American city.