EVELYN — Local services in Dallas

Note that they somehow deleted his review from being seen so I had to post it again!

I visited Evelyn for my husband’s birthday. I informed the server clearly that I have celiac disease and absolutely cannot eat gluten. He assured me that all the appetizers we ordered — including the yellowtail and ahi tuna — were gluten-free. I later found out that they’re not, and I became very ill. I’ve been in the bathroom all night, I had to miss work, and I now have a doctor’s appointment. I’m also reaching out to a lawyer to explore whether I can receive compensation. This wasn’t a small mistake — it was a complete failure in food allergy training that seriously affected my health.

To be clear, the bread and mac & cheese were ordered for my partner, who can eat gluten — not for me.

Beyond the health scare, the rest of the experience didn’t measure up either. The appetizers (yellowtail, ahi tuna, cauliflower, and jumbo prawns) were drowned in coarse volcano salt. It was so heavy you could feel the crunch in every bite — completely overpowering the dishes. When I asked for the yellowtail to be remade without the salt, it took 30 minutes to come out (even though it’s a raw dish), and it still wasn’t great.

The bread came after the appetizers, and when we asked about it, the server said they “usually serve bread after apps.” That felt totally backward and threw off the pacing of the meal. I also asked for a Sprite with no ice, and it arrived with ice. When I sent it back, they told me they were out of Sprite and offered soda water with lime to imitate it. This was just odd for a new restaurant that’s only been open two months.

For our mains, I ordered the Wagyu tomahawk ($189), and my husband had the filet mignon. Note that the big bone is part of the 32oz if the Tomahawk. Both steaks arrived overcooked and lukewarm, not the medium temp we requested. Within five minutes, they were cold. The fries were stale, and the broccoli and mac & cheese (again, for my partner) were flavorless. The presentation was more dramatic than practical — the tomahawk was served on a giant plate that barely fit on our small bar table.

When it was time to pay, the check initially came to $510, which I paid. But when the receipt came to sign, it said $680. Someone had added items we didn’t order — a $150 drink, mashed potatoes, and two desserts. When I asked, the server gave a vague excuse about it being a mix-up with another table. He brought a corrected total of $486 and said the pending amount would fix itself. Still, the situation felt shady.

Even after everything, I still tipped the server $100. He may have been new, and I wanted to be gracious — but the overall experience was completely unacceptable.

The restaurant itself is beautiful — the decor and ambiance are easily a 10/10. But everything else? The food is a 6/10 at best, the appetizers a 5/10, and the staff is not trained on serious dietary needs. If you have allergies or celiac disease, do not risk eating here. This place is exactly what’s wrong with the Dallas dining scene: all aesthetic, over accountability...

Close your eyes and imagine you’re in Hollywood or Las Vegas in the 70’s having dinner at the hottest Steak House in town. This is exactly where this restaurant puts me. Upon arrival, the parking lot was filled with Bentley’s, Ferrari’s, Bugatti’s, Lamborghini’s and Porsche’s… I mean what else would you expect when you’re eating on Turtle Creek?! Keep your eyes closed because I’m about to take you through an amazing experience!

We were greeted by such pretty and welcoming hostesses dressed in these groovy black dresses and although we were running late they still had a table saved for us in room 7. Btw, this place is much bigger than it looks!! From the hostess stand, you can see the Ruby room which is in fact very ruby and very sexy! If you go to the left, there is a room they call the Piano room which is more for formal dinners. If you go to the right you’ll be in room 7 which has a disco ball, another bar, and a DJ! And beyond that is the Champagne room which is purple and super intimate. Our waitress Francine was not only kind, knowledgeable and gorgeous, but she was really patient with us as my friend and I hadn’t seen each other in 48hrs so we had a lot to catch up on!

Before we get to the food I need to point out how good looking and well dressed everyone was! If you’re looking to meet people this is definitely the spot! Influencers, models, finance bro’s and celebrities filled each room! Aaaaaaaand the staff was good looking too!!!

For appetizers we had the yellowtail sashimi (fresh, tangy, and a hint of sweetness), and oysters. I really wanted to try the steak bites because I heard how amazing they were but I didn’t want the carbs because I’m going to be outside all summer. Drinks, she had the Espresso martini and I drank an Old Hollywood (their riff of an old fashioned). Entrees, she had the lobster linguine (half of a lobster boiled, drizzled with lobster bisque and roasted cherry tomatoes) and I had the NY strip with sautéed mushrooms and Mac n cheese. Shout out to Chef Henry who curated such an amazing menu. This gingered fellow even stopped by our table a couple of times to see how we were enjoying everything. Then the sommelier Don, stopped by with some champagne, and the hospitality manager Louie stopped by as well! Let me take a moment to appreciate this man’s blazer! Word on the streets he wears a different sequined blazer every night!!

Now let’s talk about the DECOR!! One word, PERFECT! If I told AI to show me a picture of a Hollywood steak house in the 70’s it would show me EVELYN. From the windows to the walls this place embodied Disco vibes and sexiness!! Sorry for all the exclamation marks but this place was just so much fun and exciting that I can’t help but yell, lol!!

We accidentally lost track of time and stayed till they closed down. And even though we were more than prepared to pay for our dinner, a gentleman from across the room paid it for us! So ladies show up in your hottest dress because the men there might pay your tab too haha!!

In conclusion, i’m coming in 4 days a week because I enjoyed it so...

We finally visited Evelyn in Dallas after seeing it all over social media. The space itself is beautiful, with chic lighting, modern interiors, and a layout that gives off five star intentions. At first glance, it feels like you’re about to have a top tier dining experience.

But once we sat down, the cracks started to show.

The service was the biggest miss of the night. It honestly felt like it was everyone’s first job in a restaurant. Not just new to Evelyn, but new to the industry entirely. Our server came by to ask, “How is the food ?” when there was literally nothing on the table yet. No food, no drinks, not even water. Just super awkward … like he was using a script. Later, my filet mignon arrived, and I was provided a butter knife to cut it. I’ve had far better service at chain restaurants. And while the staff was polite, they seemed overwhelmed and totally unprepared for the level of service the restaurant is trying to achieve. It’s clear they’re aiming for fine dining, but right now the execution feels more like a training shift.

That said, there were some bright spots. The food had creativity, especially with the use of whipped textures. Whipped butter, whipped potatoes, whipped foie gras. It showed a clear theme and vision.

The wine list could use improvement. For a place this upscale, the selection felt underwhelming. No Oregon or Burgundy Pinot Noirs by the glass, just California offerings that didn’t quite match the vibe they’re aiming for.

Then there’s the valet. Even though the parking lot had plenty of space when we arrived, valet was required, and our car ended up just steps from the front entrance. It felt unnecessary, like a formality they included to feel more high end, but it just added to the sense that style was taking priority over substance.

Side note, when we couldn’t pretend to eat our food anymore, we laid our credit card on the table and pushed our plates aside, doing everything people usually do to signal they’re ready to leave. After waiting over twenty minutes with no response and no check-in from our server, we finally had to stand up and stop a man who appeared to be a manager of sorts.

Evelyn has potential. The space is stunning, and the food has interesting ideas behind it, although very odd flavoring choices.. literally ate 1/3 of our food and did not get anything to go. But until they build a stronger, more experienced front of house team, the whole experience feels out of sync with the luxury image they’re promoting. Right now, I’d give it two and a half to three stars. It could grow into something great, but it’s not there yet.

Please don’t give me a canned response of “contact us, we’d like to hear more about your experience.” I’ve read dozens of similar reviews already. Just be honest. You hired inexperienced staff and need to reevaluate. That would go...