Rowdy Creek Ranch Winery — Attraction in Texas

We visited Rowdy Creek Ranch on a Friday night with my family after making a reservation two weeks in advance. When my mom called to book, the person said she couldn’t find a pen but assured her the reservation was noted. When my parents arrived first, they were told there was no reservation on file—but were seated anyway. It wasn’t overly busy, maybe 10–12 tables at most.

We ordered drinks and appetizers first, and then later placed our entrée orders. Unfortunately, our appetizers—simple items like chips and queso, chips and salsa, and spinach artichoke dip—took over an hour to come out. We didn’t make a fuss, and we were polite throughout, even though the delay was excessive for what we ordered.

The entrées were fine. They were edible, so no real complaints there. The real issue came with dessert.

I asked about the cheesecake duo and was told it came with one chocolate and one strawberry slice. I asked if it could be made without the strawberry, and our waitress said no, so we went with pecan pie instead. Then she came back and said they actually could do it without strawberries, so I changed the order to the cheesecake duo with one chocolate and one plain.

When the food runner brought out a single piece of cheesecake, I kindly said, “Hey, we were supposed to get two pieces.” She looked at me, rolled her eyes, and said, “Well, that’s what the ticket says.” I was shocked by how openly rude she was. Our waitress then came back and caught an attitude about the same issue—also rolling her eyes right at me.

Let me be clear: I wasn’t rude. I didn’t raise my voice. I wasn’t demanding. But to be treated that way by not one but two staff members over something so minor was unacceptable. I’ve never been spoken to or looked at that way by service staff anywhere else.

The food wasn’t the biggest problem—it was the way I was treated. If this kind of attitude is how customers are responded to when they’re being polite and patient, then something is off. Either the staff needs more training, or they’re simply not suited for customer service. We still tipped, but if it had been my call, that tip wouldn’t have happened because rude waitresses do not deserve a $1.

Disappointed isn’t even the word. We...

Good wine, good atmosphere, but the dining experience is quickly going downhill.

The menu is not ever published anywhere so it's hard for anyone with allergies to kind of plan ahead, it used to be the same each time and I knew I could at least order tacos. The last time I went (April) the staff was very unhelpful. Why have tables on the patio if you're going to be put-out to serve people there? When I ordered my meal at the counter, I asked if she knew if it was gluten free, she said she wasn't sure but she would note it on my order and the kitchen would advise. I got a plate with an incredibly small cut of salmon and a handful of broccoli, no substitute for the rice. More broccoli or a garden salad would have been great, for a relatively expensive plate, that waas a set up for disappointment. The server also didn't bring cutlery. The second time we asked she responded with "you can get it inside!" So I went in and asked someone else, she had to get it from the kitchen. Our table had 8 meals and 3 bottles of wine, and we paid full price for no service at all. Extremely disappointing compared to years past getting great service and allergy accommodations.

My suggestions: work on hospitality, publish a menu on Facebook at least, do better with food allergy accommodation, and offer table service outside. It used to be a great place to unwind and...

The most unique Texas Winery experience for us, yet. We visited in our RV on a Saturday and stayed over night. This was an ideal facility where it is obvious a lot of planning and capital investment has gone in to creating a Texas-class multi-purpose venue. The restaurant service was plentiful and friendly. The food was delicious, creative, and very Texas (my wife had the Brisket Mac and Cheese and I had the Brisket Street Tacos - both could not have been better). Though some Texas wines can be sketchy, we tried the Chardonnay, the Pinot Noir, and their award-winning Cabernet and could hardly believe the truly smooth, superior quality. We will look forward to coming back with friends next time. Their lodging facilities are a small village of retro trailers and wood cabins scattered around each other with fire pits and complimentary firewood. Plenty of acreage to take a long walk with your leashed dogs or simply sip a glass of wine while enjoying the view of the regal white swans on the sizable lake. This was a true positive surprise for us and we can't wait...