las brisas

it's a splurge. this is not aplacethat we eat at frequently, but we last ate here for my hubby's birthday. i order the raspberry filet, and he ordered the beef wellington (definitely a splurge and would be interested in trying some other options that might be more cost efficient, and change my perception). what absolutely sold me on the experience was the bananas foster as it is what made the celebration one to remember, and is not something you can get at just any other restaurant. the service was great, and the vibe is one of the most sophisticated in lubbock. it is a little more formal for our everyday lifestyle, but it lends the opportunity for a future business meeting or other special events.

the prices are inflated for the quality of the food, but overall i do like thisplacefor their patio in the summer. there is an extensive wine list and we come after work for cocktails and friends and there is full menu service outside if you want dinner - there's also usually live music on weekends. atmosphere is nice.

this was my third trip to las brisas. i have friends that rave about it but i have found the food and service to be above average for lubbock, but not reflective of the prices or on par with recognized chop houses.

i have had the kurobuta pork chop in the past and while a large portion and cooked well, i have had equally good pork for far less.

this trip was my first to try one of their steaks. i had the 8oz raspberry filet. while it was cooked to order and seasoned well it was rather tough and stringy. not a $40 cut of meat by any means. my worst filet at a ruths chris beat this hands down.

service was ok. not overly attentive. the wait staff have at least received training and didn't act like they were hired earlier that day like one finds in most lubbock establishments.

my overall impression is it is pretentious and priced well beyond its performance. for lubbock, it seems to fill a niche as aplacethe trendies can go to brag that they spent over $100 for an above average, but not stellar meal. i will probably give it a pass in the future.

its few redeeming features are the well stocked bar and the smoking patio where you can enjoy an after dinner cigar and drink. a rapidly disappearing feature in lubbock.

not at all what i was expecting, but exactly what i had heard.. hubby made reservations for anniversary dinner. at 6pm we were just in time, because theplacewas full by 7. the first thing we noticed is that we were sat at a nicely pre-set table with dirty wine glasses. we placed them on the dirty table next to us. our server, patrick, was bored waiting, i think, because he was at our table every 5 minutes. the good part is our drinks never went empty. the bad part ~ well, he asked twice if he could remove our appetizer plate. ummmm? no? we're kinda still working on it. but like, his hand was on the plate both times when he asked, and hubby commented that he was going to stab the guy's hand with his fork if he touched it again! so right there, we were feeling like we were being rushed.
that appetizer? calamari diablo ~ fried calamari mixed with black beans, pico de gallo, and jarred jalapenos. the calamari was a little underdone, but whatever. we ate it to spite our server.
looking around the room...wrinkled uniforms & dirty tennis shoes on all the servers....hmmmmm....hey! all these tables have a bread basket? can we try one? patrick brought one, but it seemed like he didn't want to....huh?
salad course ~ we kept it simple with caesars. the crushed colored tortilla strips on top are nice to look at, but otherwise it was just...meh.
on to the steaks, which is why we came. i got the 10 oz filet medium, and hubby the prime ny rare. the temps were right. food came out sizzling on hot plates, so that was a nice touch. except when placed in front of us, the sizzling butter (i think) they top their steaks with was all over theplaceand turning brownish. it made the plate look like it was a dirty plate. i ordered the chef's vegetable, which was explained to me as a medley, but was only green beans, and the truffled potatoes. there was so much garlic in the potatoes that i couldn't eat them. i love garlic, but, wow! they also looked like they had been sitting out and then microwaved...not good presentation at all.
hubby chose the sauteed shrooms and a loaded baked potato. the shrooms were good! the potato barely had any cheese or anything, and we didn't get the butter we asked for, so whatever.
we're about half-way done with our entrees when here comes patrick again...wanting to pick up our plates! arghhhh!
we ended with dessert ~ creme brulee. it was ok. the kahlua in the custard is a nice touch, but could have used a bit more sugar for the brulee. there was no "crunchy part" on it. when i asked patrick if there was a liqueur in the dessert, he said, "no. but there is a little kahlua in it."
$175 for dinner for two. seriously bad service. the steaks were tender, but in all honesty we've had better at other local spots. for the money, we'll have a better meal...and a movie...next time we go out.

i enjoyed the red wagyu ribeye. the service was pleasant and the portions were generous. compared to chicago chophouses thisplaceis moderately priced but the smoker friendly patio added an extra layer of comfort. if you think 20 dollars is an expensive steak go to golden corral.

lipstick on a pig.... when lb first opened, they were primarily just a mexican food restaurant. i was ok with that for a bit, they weren't trying to pretend to be something else. then i got food poisoning from their chili relleno's, bleh thank lb, now i can't eat them again! then they made the big switch to being a "high class" steak house, too bad they forgot the high class part, and the good steaks part....all they changed was their prices. it's one thing to add a little spice or a little upscale to your menu, but stop trying to be something your not. thisplaceis a joke, and i have no desire to drive 10 miles out of my way for an over priced, poor service steak house. if you want good mexican food you can go somewhere else, if you want a good steak you can go somewhere else, if you want good service you can go somewhere else... easily 2/10

good times. we went on a saturday night. very crowded, but they got us in - next time we'll make a reservation. the server was polite and antentive. the menu is pricey (but i wouldn't say overpriced), and from the reviews on this site i'm going to say they may have changed the prices recently. steaks come with one side, which is one side more than you'd get at pappas or any of the other big steak houses, and are less expensive than at these places. i'd say the quality is on par. i had a filet. it was cooked perfectly with a nice char on top - a rarity in lubbock. a friend had the bone-in ribeye - the biggest i've ever seen. my wife had the sea bass - cooked perfectly and actually a nice sized portion (and fresh, as opposed to frozen, i might add) - both, once again, rarities for lubbock. salads were good. we all had house salads, and there was some flair to them as opposed to the same mundane brown lettuce, cheddar cheese, bacon, and tomatoes you typically get in the area. the wine selection makes you feel like your in a big city (500 selections, maybe - all quality). overall, a very nice experience. i've eaten here in the past, but it's been a while. this visit seemed better than i remember it being. looks like thisplaceis on the up-and-up. be prepared to drop a pretty penny, but it won't disappoint.

thisplacehas gone slightly downhill. they used to be great at pleasing the customer and making sure their steaks were cooked perfectly and the food was hot. we got the stuffed avocado and the middle was cold. first they gave us a new one...and it was cold, too. then they said well it is supposed to be cold on the inside. even though they brought us a new one because at first they said it was supposed to be hot all the way through. make up your mind. the waiters are a little snobby because they don't try to go out of their way to please the customer.

still not good. this is my second review and theplacestill hasn't improved. my family and i made brunch reservations for 11:00. we ordered by 11:30. our food didn't arrive until 1:15!!!!!!!!! it took almost two hours!!!! we complained repeatedly and all we got was the excuse that the kitchen was "slammed" but everybody around us was getting their food quickly. i realize that every restaurant can make mistakes but the kitchen is slooooooow - consistently. our server was busy and frustrated - i don't blame him. my ribeye steak was nice and tasty, but everybody else didn't finish their meals because the food was either cold or rubbery.


-----12 sep, 2011-----

yuck. i've been forced to eat here a couple of times because some people i know like to "be seen" since this is a fancy, junior league kind of place. my husband and i have never ordered anything that we were happy with and the food is totally overpriced. service is sloooooooow. i didn't like it when it was named firewater cafe and i still don't like it now. their parent restaurant harrigan's is so much better.

great service!!!!. i am a stickler when it comes to customer service. thisplaceis awesome! food was very tasty and the atmosphere was superb. a little pricey but i like the fact that because of it, it kept the clientele to a little higher standard. i did not see people wearing shorts, sandals, sun dresses, tank-tops, etc.. bravo las brisas!!!

in bone ribeye. the steak was not that great .. maybe the resterant is going for ok


-----11 jul, 2011-----

in bone ribeye. i think the steak was ok but nothing like mortons or ruth chris ,. the streak is not aged . the price is high and not really worth what you pay .. i have been a round the world and no one in lubbock will do a good aged steakplace.. i think that the service starts to hurt brcause the lack of staff. i think it is over priced and there cooks need to slow down and make my steak right.

go eat here right now. we would like to think of ourselves as regulars here and try and eat here at least every couple of weeks. it was always good but the past couple times we have been it seems to have gotten better. the specials have gotten better and the feel of theplacejust seems to be better. i guess the new management has their heads on straight because it is definitely showing in everything they are doing.

thisplacehas gone down hill in a hurry, used to be good... won't ever be back


-----30 jan, 2011-----

something has changed

great steaks!. thisplaceis the best you will find for a classy atmosphere and great food. my boyfriend and i go every valentine's day. it is well worth the wait. the staff is always friendly and personable. a greatplacefor a nice party/ wedding reception. table side dessert is fun and delicious. i always get the filet mignon and i am always pleased. for those of you who thought the steak was dry or tough i recommend not ordering your steak well done. in my opinion, if you order steak well, you are deserving of what you get. learn how to eat a steak appropriately. thisplaceis the best in lubbock and a breath of fresh air in this culture-less and class-less hell hole.

fantastic. my wife and i eat here anytime we can. we love the patio when they have live music. i have had steaks all over and have had trouble finding one as good as theirs. love the selection of good wines all the way out here in west texas. i would recommend thisplaceto anyone who asks.