Cellar 55 — Restaurant in Amarillo

I have been so excited to eat at Cellar 55 featuring Executive Chef Shelby Swindell. I recently found out that Shelby has been the chef at all my favorite Amarillo restaurants, so I knew this would be a great experience.

The restaurant is very open with gorgeous tables and a bar area that is fancy enough for a date, but relaxing enough to have a drink with a buddy.

Another draw for me was the specialization in whiskey. They have everything from a $35,000 bottle to a $30 bottle of Buffalo Trace.

I didn’t have a reservation, so we sat at a high top table in the bar. The bar servers, I only remember the female server’s name (Sara) were fantastic. They knew the whiskey’s and the menu, were fun, happy, and added to the experience.

We started off with a glass of Merlot and the bacon sampler which was phenomenal. It’s a Very clever app with five different pieces of bacon ranging from maple to sriracha each hanging from a wooden dowel. They provide scissors to cut pieces off as you eat. The bacon melts in your mouth and the flavors were nicely balanced. The bacon came with a port wine reduction sauce that was out of this world.

Next we had the gumbo which was very flavorful with a bit of spice but not overwhelming.

For entrees, my date and I both ordered the 6oz filet. Both were cooked perfectly and accompanied by roasted Brussel sprouts and creamy mashed potatoes. There are a trio of sauces you can get for your steaks - chimichuri, au poivre, and the port wine reduction. We tried all three but loved the au poivre which is a cognac and cream sauce to pour over the same steak which is pepper crusted.

By then we were full but decided to sample a couple whiskeys that were recommended and not too expensive. I can only remember one - the Eagle Rare which is a dry, oaky, Kentucky Bourbon with hints of cocoa. Not as smooth as Buffalo Trace, but very good.

Total bill was $125 and it was worth every penny. I’m excited to go back for a lunch to try the smoked Philly Steak and for another dinner to try the tuna...

My hubby and I are truck drivers from the west coast. We were driving thru Texas and wanted a steak. Found this spot and went based off reviews so I'll get right to it. NO I WILL NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYBODY I AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT RETURN. ● Steakbites- Asked for well done but got them cold, UNSEASONED and more on the rare side. Sent a few pieces back because they were way too pink, when waiter brought them back THEY WERE MICROWAVE AND STILL PINK AS HELL😒🤦🏾‍♀️. ● Chicken fried steak- cold as hell, cooked in old grease I knew because it TASTE JUST LIKE OLD GREASE and the crisp on it was a dark dirty brown color not light golden. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SEASONING AT ALL🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️. I kept adding salt because it was completely flavorless. I had a huge CFS with a tablespoon of mash potatoes under it. The Brussel sprouts were the only thing good. ● Snapper tacos- my husband said were cold and flavorless🤦🏾‍♀️. Like nothing was seasoned. Not even salt and pepper. He said the only thing that he had that was good was the filtered water and the avocado that was on the taco😔. Why didn't we send it back BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW ITS ALWAYS SOME TROUBLE/BS WHEN TRYING TO SEND FOOD BACK BECAUSE IT DONT BE RIGHT. AND DIDNT WANT TO SEEM LIKE WE WERE COMPLAINING. THE FOOD WAS POOR AND SERVICE WAS BLAH. Every time l ask my husband if we can eat out somewhere he looks at me sideways because he knows the food be trash even in a nice looking restaurant. I'll be cooking at home permanently now. Eating out is just not worth the funds...

Perfect date night spot!

Food- We ordered the steak bites appetizer. It was delicious! We are very sensitive to spice and it was not at all spicy since we didn’t eat the grilled peppers it came with. My husband ordered the prime rib with brussel sprouts and it was also very good. I had the Cajun pasta and the chicken and shrimp were both overcooked but the dish had good flavor. Based on reviews, we ordered key lime pie but didn’t find it to be anything special. I thought the prices were reasonable for being such a nice place.

Atmosphere- There is a formal dining room that is very nice. Honestly, I would not recommend bringing a child into this room for your sake and out of respect of other guests. However, there are dining booths outside of this room that I would request if I were to bring my child.

Happy hour- I couldn’t find anything in writing about the happy hour.. maybe the specials change? It was 4-7pm at the bar only. I believe it was $6 house wine, $5 buffalo trace, like $6 or $8 buffalo trace old fashioned, $2 Michelob and Coors. If you grab a happy hour drink before dining, you’ll have to finish up at the bar and tab out before you’re seating. However, there are high top tables near/at the bar with full service and full access to happy...