Stephan Pyles

I just had a truely remarkable experience at this restaurant in the private dining room and had planned to simply report my pleasure and contentment for a job well done. Then I saw the review from the unhappy person (""no customer service"") who had a dinner in the same room but apparently had a much different experience than I did. \r \r I was told when I reserved the room that it was normally seated publicly and the charge of the room was comparable to what they would recieve in revenues were it not private. They told me it was the same price for 10 or 36 and to think of it as a room charge. As it turned out, we had 24, not 36 but I fully understood the concept and would never have asked for food or drinks ""to go"". How inappropriate!\r \r Anyway, the whole point before I saw the critical review was to say that the private dining room here is the most unique setting in town. Most of my guests had no idea that the wall opened up and ""voila!"" there was a demonstration chef's kitchen. We had our very own chefs for the evening. The efficient, friendly wait staff was marvelous and every bite was absolute perfection, from the amuse bouche to the after dinner chocolates. Chef Pyles came to the room to check on us personally and was very charming. \r \r I've never had such a good experience anywhere in Dallas. It's hard to believe I was even dining at the same place this reviewer described. Pros: Unique and beautiful private dining room Cons: Was hard to get in on Valentine's more

WOW, went to Stephan Pyles for my birthday and was blown away. there were six of us and we felt special from beginning to end. all of my friends really loved the food and the service was outstanding. We cant wait to go back!!!! thank you Stephan!! more

I went there with a group and was outraged at the treatment. The food was mediocre. The soup was very spicey. But the dissapointment was our treatment by the staff. There was a minimum amount of money that had to be ""guaranteed"" to get the private room and we met about one third of it. We asked to have ""take home"" dinners prepared to make up just some of the difference and was told no. Our representative spoke with everyone up to the owner about what arrangements could be made to help resolve the issue and was told ""nothing could be done. They had our credit card information and would bill the $3000.00"" and we would not be served anything further; that the bar was closed to us and no more food wood be served unless we wanted to pay extra. We paid $3000.00 for a $900.00 bill and was denied even drinks. I for sure will not be returning. Pros: very upscale Cons: They are in for the money, not customer service more

My dinner last night at this restaurant was remarkable. It was 5th dining experience here (all pleasant) so I wanted to testify to its consistency. I was utterly shocked to see some of the negative reviews when I came online to record my experience. It was like they were at a different place altogether. I know a restaurant can have have off nights but I have had nothing but stellar food and service each time I have been here. \r \r I had forgotten it was restaurant week, but once we got there and saw the special menu, we decided to try it. Each bite was to-die-far. We had a salmon that was wrapped in a minty flavored leaf with a coconut and serrano sauce and a very creative black bean and roast banana puree - stunning! All the food was superb but that dish was the best I have ever had. I hope they put it on their regular menu. The short ribs and corn pudding tamales were wonderful too. \r \r Our service was outstanding as usual - professional and friendly without being overbearing or snooty (like the Mansion). The room is perhaps the most beautiful in all Dallas, cutting-edge crisp, yet warm and inviting. \r \r For my money, this is the best restaurant in Dallas. Pros: great food, service and atmosphere Cons: weekends hard to get reservations more

I swear I think they served me choice angus beef. Honest to Pete. Jack won't use the stuff in his burgers anymore (he won't even point to the angus area of a cow), but it's on the plate here. And the first time they brought me my steak, it was room temperature. They just warmed it up, bringing it back warm but overcooked without an apology. I would have sent it back, but I realized this was the best they could do. The foie gras was small and had an unpleasant texture and flavor. The empanada was adequate (the standout of the meal!). Coffee and donuts were overcooked and altogether shabby. The restaurant's ""bold flavors"" (undoubtedly chosen in hopes of masking the sad cuts of meat) were only mildly pleasant at their best. I wouldn't eat here at half the price. So you can learn from my review, or purchase a lesson of your own. It's up to you. more

I don't enjoy my review of this place, but its the truth . \r \r Lets start with the food. The pork dish one of hte members of my party had was amazing. It deserves a ten out of 5 stars. The ceviche,definiteloy 5 out of 5 stars. The steak....well, that was probably 4 out of five, but due to the price, that drops it down to 3 out of five. This is texas, so your steak better be 5 out o\r \r However, there are a few intangibles which stand outwhich will cause me to never go there again. We had made a reservation for the early evening, however, we were made to wait. However, going through the restaurant, there were many tables we could have sat at, but and were empty. During the time we were waitining 2 other groups who were older and more ""hauty tauty"" were saided ahead of us, and they did not have a reservation when asked. \r \r Mind you the place was empty.\r \r I thought he job the watier did was great, because we were slighted, it was painfully obvious, as if the maitre d' was seeing if we would just leave - if she didn't seat us.\r \r And so with the look that she gave us when she sat us down, I give the whole dining expereince the same adjective, \r \r ""Disappointing.""\r \r Given that the whole dallas fort worth area has so many tasty places to eat, both more expensive and less expensive, I must urge you eat somewhere else and enjoy your dinnner.\r \r Pros: There are nice cars parked up front. Cons: Yes, it was a con. more

Loved the food, loved the service, loved the entire experience. I didn't realize how much I missed Stephen Pyles until I finally ate here last weekend. The only reason it took me so long was that I am bad at planning ahead and the popularity of this place makes planning ahead imperative. Despite the beauty of the place and implied formality we were greeted like old friends at the door and spent the evening having a great time with our server (who had been with Pyles for 10 years) selecting our choices for dining. She was a true professional, with just enough advice to help without overdoing it. Ceviche is as wonderful as everyone says. Our sampler of the salmon, sea bass, and bronzini ceviches was a perfect starter. Each very different but wonderful in their own way - the bronzini with fennel and vanilla was my personal favorite.\r \r The meal continued at this high standard with the gazpacho a standout! The Heaven and Hell cake is all that I remember it too be from Star Canyon. Only commment is that it could be much smaller. That is a giant piece of cake even for two people to share. Pros: Ceviche, Service, Atmosphere more

My husband and I dined here for our 18th wedding anniversary last week and have spent many previous anniversaries with Chef Pyles over the years (Routh Street Cafe, Star Canyon). We were absolutely delighted to be back in the ""Pyles magic"". We thought the meal was superb and the menu typically creative. Thank goodness he kept the tamale tart from Star Canyon. It was better than ever - creamy roast garlic custard under tangy and spicy Peekytoe crab. The lamb with coriander cure was one of the best dishes I have ever eaten anywhere. I want to have the Heaven and Hell cake at my last supper. The service was truly remarkable - warm and professional without being too familiar or condescending. This is our new favorite restaurant in Dallas. The decor and atmosphere make for a very unique dining experience. Pros: creative, well-executed menu/incredible ambience more

Make reservations and wear something nice. IE) no jeans. My girlfriend and I went there for our anniversary. I thought the place looked somewhat snooty for my taste but we ordered the ceviche scallops. The lime and pairing of the tomatoes are excellent. Usually, I don't go with the ribeye but the waiter made a reco of it and I'm glad I listened to him. The ribeye was flavorful, tender and just a great cut of meat. The onion rings, although spicey, were a perfect blend with the meat. I really enjoyed the corn in the bean sauce that accompanied the dish. Pros: Nice bathroom, ribeye, openness of the kitchen Cons: Smoking in the outdoor patio area, parking more

Well after hearing rave reviews from friends when we moved to Dallas we thought, were else would we go for our anniversary?! Let me start by saying that our server and the entire staff were amazing! They made our night. Whatever the food lacked the server off set with his charm and wit. The atmosphere was great as well. With all that being said the food left a large amount to be desired. We started with the sea bass ceviche which was average. The prawn app was pretty good. The tamale tart lacked flavor and intrigue. The ceasar salad was very good, and the best thing we had all night. Mostly because of the parmesan cheese taco it came in. I had the lamb and my husband had the ribeye....both were way below average. The lamb was under seasoned and the ribeye over seasoned. The ribeye tasted like chili. And at $30 to $40 a plate, very disappointing. The coffee and doughnuts dessert was very good. All in all our meal with the above and a bottle of average priced wine was just at $200., which is what we expected and had intended on spending. The disappointment was not the bill it was that we spent that much on food that left us looking at each other puzzled. Could this really have come from a world renowned chef? As a cook and someone who has eaten all over the world, I could have made better and have absolutely had better at other restaurants. Pros: Excellent Service Cons: The Food more

As a New Yorker who thinks he has eaten in some of the finest restaurants, I was absolutely wowed upon my recent visit to Stephan Pyles. Everything from the atmosphere to the friendly service to the unbelieveably tasty and well-prepared food was incredible. As I was in Dallas on business, I dined alone at the ceviche bar (which luckily was serving the full menu on a Monday night). I started with the tuna ceviche which was such a great mix of flavors: sweet coconut milk, spice, mint, and tender tuna. It was amazing. But my entree was literally one of the best meals I've eaten. I can only think of one meal that can rival it, and that was my visit to Gotham in New York. I had the beef tenderloin which, again, was served with the PERFECT combination of flavors. The sweet potato puree was so perfectly paired with the cheese-stuffed and battered chili. The beef was served exactly medium rare and the smoky flavor penetrated every ounce. As a dessert lover, it was tough to refuse many tempting desserts, but I was so satisfied, I didn't want to ruin it (and the sweet potatoes were so sweet, they were almost dessert themselves). I'm sure this review sounds too scripted to be true, but believe me, this place is incredible. Too bad I have to take a four-hour flight to eat here! I'll be back. Pros: Atmosphere, Service, FOOD more

Chef Pyles has done it very right! The combination of decor, service, and top-notch preparation won me completely. We were fortunate to be able to experience a chef's tasting, and sampled ten different dishes each prepared for us by the Chef himself. All were excellent; I peaked with the Lobster, Crab, and Calamari ""Parfait,"" the Peach Empenada with Roasted Suckling Pig, the Barbecued Beef Short Rib with Tamal Criollo and Chipotle Salsita, and the dessert selection: tastes of a wonderful Lemon Meyer-Blackberry Upside-down cake, ""Coffee and Donuts"" with Cajeta (the full dessert is served with an amazing cappuccino creme brulee), and Gianduja foam with Choclo Ice Cream. \r \r Some of the names are longer than the tastes, but we spent over two hours sampling and tasting a different wine selected by the staff with each of the dishes. Frankly, I have never enjoyed a meal at any restaurant more than this. Pros: Subdued, tasteful, artistic decor. Attentive more

I was shocked to find, after I had already made an 8:00 reservation for Restaurant Week that SP was not honoring Restaurant Week except between the hours of 6:00 and 7:00. Since it says nothing about that when you make a reservation on-line, I expect they'll have some pretty upset people showing up that week unless they change their plans. Good thing I called to confirm the reservation instead of just expecting that I would get what I was signing up for.\r \r This is my only negative on the restaurant. It is beautiful. The food is fabulous. And if the manager had not been so rude on the phone I'd say their service was devine. Pros: It's great to have Stephen Pyles back in town! Cons: Meager participation in Restaurant Week. Pity, it is a chartible event afterall. more

What can I say, this was a great surprise from start to finish. Fabulous ceviche, prepared and served before your eyes. Outstanding wine list with great mid priced selections. Tapas items tried three, all excellent with delectable mixtures of ingredients all fresh. plus four ceviche, and every item was better than described in the menu. Chefs knew origins of the food, and were willing to answer any questions, or take care of needs. Service very personal, helped work a path through the broad menu. Bartenders well versed on tequilas, premium drinks, and especially wine. Many splits making it easy for light imbibing, and a reasonably priced glass selection. Owner Stephan, very freindly but busy, staff 10/10. Made my evening, in Dallas, and would recomend highly. Decor tasteful, spacious seating, no negatives at all. Pros: everything more

Tried SP's for lunch last Friday, menu was very creative, portions were quite substantial, prices were a little high end but manageable, and the service was top notch! We had the foie gras stuffed ground sirloin (sounds better than it was), the chicken salad (high marks for this), grilled tenderloin - excellent flavor, grilled salmon (very good), orange and vanilla lobster salad (excellent, but big enough for two!), along with onion strings (best around!), and doughnuts with creme brulee (creme brulee..cappucino flavored, was terrific), and the tres leches cake (cake was dry and crumbly..not usually the case with the tres leches...three milks...and the sauce was nothing special). Desserts were a dissapointment but everything else earned a return visit. Pros: Atmosphere, Menu, Service Cons: Desserts more

Brought 11 of my beautiful friends from fashion, banking, executive management, etc. on Thurs night. After one week of negotiating reservations, they gave my group ONE menu to choose our meal. GM said all the menus were at OTHER tables (for 3 hours?)... Couldn't get a drink. Couldn't get dinner. Took 5 hours from sitting to settling bill. GM did come over to apologize, citing they were over-booked, when a local man interrupted. GM ignored me. I was done. I have NEVER been treated in this manner. We are all affluent, upscale, uptown people. ONE menu for eleven people? That's just crazy. They sent us desserts & champagne to apologize, but that didn't quite cut it. I'm afraid not ONE of us will go back. It was a disaster. ""Bad Experience"" is keyed into the computer (happens a lot?) Move on to the next ""big"" restaurant. HUGE disappointment. Pros: Cool ambiance Cons: Inattentive, Rude, Horrible Service more

Incredible meal in breath-taking decor. No wonder the Dallas Morning News just bestowed its highest (5 star) rating on the place. Best in town! Pros: food, decor, service Cons: reservations hard more

The food here is good, but not exceptional, and therefor a bit overpriced. The service is oppressive and we were constantly interrupted by everyone from the server, maitre D, and the chef himself (twice). We were not celebraties and everyone was getting similar treatment. more

*Had ceviche sampler - awesome combos: yellowtail and guanabana, tuna and coconut. *Ceasar Salad is the classic Star Canyon salad - flavorful SW dressing with Polenta Croutons and Parm tuile-thing...there is no pork on it - never has/never should. *Hojo Santa Salmon - cooked perfectly to medium/medium rare. Skipped the paella (had sausage in it and I don't do meat). Subbed a potato item and asparagus. Great pecan butter sauce. *Desserts - all amazing: Banana Brioche Bread Pudding, Coffee Creme Brulee with Doughnuts, Heaven and Hell. Lemon Pudding Cake was so-so, but loved the pistachio cookie on it. Tapas Bar has a seperate menu - we need to try it next time. Stephan Pyles was very obviously working in this restaurant that bears his name. I observed him all night in the kitchen, at the tapas bar and visiting with guests. I don't think he is merely a consultant. Pros: Great Flavors Cons: Expensive! more

From the time you walk in over the reflecting pond with the L.E.D. light sculpture, everthing reminds you how cutting edge this guy is and how he made his reputation being a stickler for details. The design is like no where else in Dallas. Trendy but comfortable and timeless, more was probably spent on lighting than most restaurants spend on the entire project. Then there's the state-of-the-art kitchen visible from every seat in the dining room. The food is typical Pyles...robust, perfectly prepared and incredibly attractive...every bite is a full-flavored, gastronomic delight. This is the restaurant to beat in the next five years. Pros: valet parking at door, polished staff, pyles visits all tabl more