excellent food, the finest spirits, superior service, perfect ambiance, and fantastic live music.
if you are searching for the best restaurant in the b/cs area, look no further than the republic. my wife and i are local residents who have been drinking and dining here for two years and have never had an experience we did not thoroughly enjoy. to begin, the decor evokes elements of the classic fine dining steakhouse, (dim lighting, rich mahogany, leather seating, candlelight, etc.) but with a swank, las vegas-esque feel. when you walk in and look straight ahead, it is impossible to miss what is known affectionately by locals as the whiskey wall. the tag line of the republic is "steak.wine.whiskey," and they certainly live up to the moniker, boasting what our server informed us is the second largest collection of whiskey, scotch, and bourbon in texas. they have an award winning 200-bottle wine selection, and, as if all this wasn't enough, they also brew their own craft beer, which is delicious. try the moonshine blonde, it was our favorite. they have a great selection of handcrafted, pre- and post-prohibition cocktails, and make an amazing dirty martini with goat cheese stuffed olives. the bartenders are friendly and well-versed, and love to talk about spirits and cocktail recipes.
as for the food, if you want the best steaks in the county, you've found them. great cuts, high quality beef, moist, tender, and packed with flavor. they also have phenomenal seafood, chicken, lamb, and pork. some of our favorites items are the 16 oz new york strip, steak tartare, crab cakes, grilled texas redfish, chicken fried filet mignon, and roasted lyonnaise potatoes. great dessert selection as well, try the homeade grilled apple french toast, it tastes as good as it sounds.excellentcoffee, port, and cognac selection for after dinner sipping. the service is the best you'll find in the area, the staff are friendly, well-trained, and extremely knowledgable of cuisine and spirits, without coming off as stuffy or pretentious, as is the case with most fine dining establishments. they have great live music 3 nights a week, with songs ranging from lounge to jazz to blues.
the republic is the perfect place for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, business dinners, recruiting, or just hanging at the bar and mingling with local celebrities and a&m alumni.
thanks and gig'em ags!