Best Fine Dining Restaurants In Waco
Waco’s need for upscale restaurants is immense. There are just a couple of spots that currently qualify for what I would call “fine dining restaurants in Waco that are actually worth the money, and I’ll share my honest thoughts on them here. Since Waco is still just barely graduating from a small town and becoming more of a tourist destination and foodie town, the majority of restaurants here are casual. But….if you have a fancy date night out or a graduation to celebrate and you want to splurge, here are the best fine dining restaurants in Waco.
(Hint: if you’re thinking of opening a restaurant in Waco, maybe do a fine-dining spot?? There’s a hole in the Waco market!)
About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheAustinThings.com!
Best Fine Dining Restaurants In Waco
1. Opal’s Oysters
Opal’s Oysters opened in late 2024 from the team behind Terry Black’s BBQ. (This is actually Terry Black’s first non-bbq restaurant ever!) They serve oysters, coastal cocktails, and seafood dishes, and everything is fabulous.
This is a small-yet-fancy restaurant in downtown Waco. They have an impressive wine list, some excellent cocktails, splurge-worthy starters like a rotating daily credo plate and white fish citrus ceviche, caviar service, and a wide selection of seafood entrees.
The service, ambiance, and food all feel fancy and celebratory, yet it’s just casual enough to not be too stuffy and overbearing. Opal’s Oysters is one of my all-time favorite restaurants in Waco right now, and it’s perfect whether you’re dining solo and getting a martini and a rosy pink burger at the bar, or you’re splurging on a celebratory meal with a bottle of wine, caviar, and Chilean sea bass. Opal’s is a winner.
WEBSITE | 228 S 8th St Suite B, Waco, TX 76701, United States
2. Red Herring
Another new(ish) restaurant in downtown Waco, Red Herring has instantly become a favorite among both local Waco residents and travelers visiting the Magnolia Silos. It’s an upscale restaurant on the ground floor of the stunning boutique Herringbone Hotel. This is an absolutely GORGEOUS art-deco space inside a 6,000 square foot warehouse with a grand piano and live music every week. It’s truly the most original restaurant space in the entire city of Waco.
Red Herring specializes in Coastal-Mediterranean cuisine, but the menu is much more vast than what you might find at a typical hole-in-the-wall Mediterranean restaurant.
You could make a date out of their fun cocktails and the raw bar menu alone, if you’re just looking for a cocktail experience. They have a pretty big selection of raw oysters, crudo, and Mediterranean accompaniments like hummus and babaganoush and an insane sourdough pita. (Yum.)
But the full menu is worth exploring. It’s all served tapas-style, making this an excellent option for a group dining experience. Plates like grilled broccoli with a smoky muhammara dip, pork belly skewers with date caramel, and an impressive Texas wagyu ribeye served with the most amazing za’atar beurre blanc sauce will all “wow” you.
WEBSITE | 319 S 4th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States
3. The Butcher’s Cellar
We’re venturing down to the neighboring town of Woodway for this one. (See, I told you that there’s a hole in the market for fine dining in Waco!) The Butcher’s Cellar is a classic steakhouse experience that is absolutely one of the best high-end restaurants in the Waco area. Except…it’s not really a “normal” steakhouse experience. At least for Waco.
For starters, they hired two celebrity chefs to oversee the menu. Alejandro Najar and Alyssa Osinga are up-and-coming chefs who both competed on season 21 of Hell’s Kitchen, and they moved across the country to work at The Butcher’s Cellar.
The menu focuses on classic steakhouse favorites, but everything is amped up a notch. From the 1,000 Layer Potato to the house made focaccia with a Wagyu tallow candle to the delicate sushi rolls and classic steakhouse cuts, everything at The Butcher’s Cellar shows that they clearly go the extra mile here to make sure that the food is impressive.
Also, the ambiance at The butcher’s Cellar is a bit more elevated than what you might find at some of the other older steakhouses in town, like Diamondback’s or One Thirty Five Prime. If you want something new and modern, The Butcher’s Cellar would make a worthy date night destination in Waco.
WEBSITE | 13701 Woodway Dr bldg 5, Woodway, TX 76712, United States
4. One Thirty Five Prime
Similar to The Butcher’s Cellar, One Thirty Five Prime is an excellent steakhouse experience in Waco. (This one is actually in Waco, not in Woodway.) Of the two, the Butcher’s Cellar is slightly more experimental, modern, and interesting, and One Thirty Five Prime is classic and timeless.
And 135P really knows how to prepare an excellent steak. People have been coming back here again and again as regulars for years.
Also, One Thirty Five Prime has a pretty big seafood component on their menu, so if you’re looking for grilled halibut, lobster tail pasta, or chicken carbonara, this is the place for you.
WEBSITE | 1201 Hewitt Dr Suite 110, Waco, TX 76712, United States
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