Cork And Pig Tavern Allen Ridge, Abilene — Restaurant in Abilene

Every few months my wife and I each travel 4 hours to meet in the middle in Abilene while I work away from home. This is our 3rd visit to this location and each time before was great, except this one. Upon entering we waited at the hostess stand in excess of ten minutes. There was no one to be found or helping seating customers. The line for to-go orders was unnecessarily long. I say that because I witness a gentleman that had to wait for a manager to take his card on a prepaid order because he wanted a side condiment that they wanted to charge him for. The cost was .87 cents! I know this feeling, standing in line, ashamed and waiting because you know you better not come back without that favorite dipping sauce or topping. You just hand your card over thinking how petty but it's easier then letting someone at home down. Only for the manager to come back several minutes later with several declined receipts stating that their system won't allow them to charge that little of an amount.

Once we finally made our way to the front to be seated, we asked for a table for 3 indoors. (Myself, my wife and our 2 year old) At this point I'd like to point out that suddenly out of nowhere there were now THREE people helping seat at the host stand and they all arrived at the same time. There were many tables open. Three tables in particular within view. We were told we'd have to wait and when we inquired about those tables we were told two different answers at the same time. One being they were for a table of 2 and one being that they were reserved. I appealed to the young lady that said they were for a table of 2 and explained our toddler wasn't big enough to need anything bigger. We were still told to wait.

After waiting for several more minutes several other couples that walked in after us were sat at the tables we inquired about. After being seated I couldn't help but know the truth. So I got up and asked the couples sitting at the tables if they had reservations or if they were walk-ins. They all claimed they were walk-ins.

This review would be one star if it wasn't for our kind and professional server who was very attentive and had so much attention to detail. The pork was over cooked but the sides were great and his drink recommendation was spot on after I discovered they were out of both Dr. Pepper and Coke products.

The two young ladies and one young male that originally sat us were later seen sharing playful banter and flirting from afar in the back of the restaurant. This place clearly lacks...

Didn’t exactly meet the standard that was set by its Odessa counterpart.

You cannot just walk in for a casual dinner, you have to call in, in advance to have any experience. Not a complete turn off, but okay. Rescheduled for the following weekend. Returned the following weeklong with a reservation, was seated by the bar, without formal waiters/waitresses, service interval was low for sure. My fiancé was NOT please to have had a reservation made and to be sat in the bar section, to which felt to her to have lost a “intimacy” that could have existed.

The drinks, my fiancé and I both ordered sweet teas. •now, I COMPLETELY understand if you do not SERVE sweet tea, but, please say so. Do not just bring unsweet tea that is iced and expect a sugar packet to dissolve. But I digress, not the end of the world.

(+)[appetizer] My fiancé and I both ordered salads, the salad wasn’t to my taste, but my fiancé and sister in law both seemed to enjoy the salads. They came within a reasonable time and presentation was predictable to reputation of the tavern.

(-) [entrée] I myself ordered a “cowboy ribeye” and my fiancé ordered the “roasted chicken”. Once ordered, there was a quite a bit of time that had passed before our food arrived. Again, pleased to see the presentation of the food meeting very fond memories of the Cork and Pig Tavern. I dissected my steak (ordered medium rare, little more to the bloody side) and I was met with a medium well steak. NOT what I ordered. The restaurant wasn’t even “busy” by any stretch, and the preparation of my steak felt very rushed and not held to a quality standard. My mashed potatoes were cold as identified by my fiancé. I asked the waitress to have the steak redone, which she without hesitation took the steak back. Out came the second, upon inspection, COOKED PERFECTLY! Mashed potatoes were still cool, and I didn’t eat much as they weren’t of temperature to be becoming.

(I will not speak on the behalf of my fiancé and her experience but after a conversation between us, we both feel around the same way of the place.)

Overall, 2 stars, food was okay after the steak was made right, again, the bar-side seating was not a hit with my fiancé. We definitely don’t feel real compelled that we had a $150 experience. In my opinion, this could be as great of a place AS my recollection of Odessa’s “Cork and Pig” but there needs to be attention to detail. And I’m really not too excited for...

This was my first time at the Cork & Pig Tavern. I found it to be a bit on the pricey side as I was looking through the menu. I mean a pizza for $17...geez. Then again, I know that we are living in inflatious times so, I guess it's right. The hostess was very nice. Although, I thought she would turn me away because I didn't have a reservation. I heard u had to have one of those to dine here, but she didn't. She asked what kind of table I would like to be seated at or if I wanted to sit at the bar since I was dining alone. I chose a booth table. The restuarant itself is very nice. The ambience wss very pleasant. I think the owner must be an 80s kid because that was the kind of music playing. Not that I mind. I grew up in the 80s and 90s as well. Once, I was seated my waitress came right over with the menus and took my drink order. She was very nice and attentive. I ordered the Truffle fries as an appetizer. I had no clue what they were and she eplained to me that they are a shoe-string french fry tossed in olive oil and lighty coated with parmesan cheese and what looked to me was basil. They came with three different dips. The spicy mayo, ketchup and a garlic aioli. The spicy mayo was a little too spicy for me but that garlic aioli and the ketchup was hitting! For my meal, I ordered the fich tacos which were fried salmon and peanut coleslaw. I had know idea u could even fry salmon. The peanut coleslaw was a bit on the spicy side as well as the fish tacos but they were still good. For dessert I ordered the three nut brownie and OMG was that thing good!!! 😋 I look forward to going back but perhaps on a date. That way he can pay for it 😉 Hope y'all enjoy the pics. Sorry, I 4got to take one of the brownie. I do suggest it if u aren't...