Public House — Restaurant in Amarillo

I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding the experience my Latina partner and I had during our visit to Public House on January 13th around 3:00 PM. We have been loyal patrons of your establishment for quite some time, including before the ownership change to Jay Brent. Unfortunately, this incident was unacceptable and has made it clear that this will be our last visit.

Upon our arrival, the host greeted us politely and professionally, informing us we could seat ourselves. We selected a table near the center of the dining room, informed the host of our choice, and received acknowledgement before sitting down. Within minutes, our server came by, and we placed our order.

Shortly thereafter, a middle-aged woman with gray hair—who was not the host—approached our table. In a loud and stern voice, she told me, “Next time you need to wait to be seated.” Her tone and manner were unnecessarily harsh and condescending. I explained that we had informed the host of our seating choice and received approval, but she showed no willingness to listen, and her demeanor remained rude and dismissive. The interaction was humiliating and disruptive, especially as it occurred in full view of other patrons.

Upset by this treatment, I approached the host stand to address the situation directly with this woman, whom I now refer to as “Karen” due to her unprofessional behavior. I told her that no one has the right to speak to us—or anyone—like that in a service establishment. I also made it clear that her comment about “next time” would, in fact, be the last time we visit. She said nothing in response, showing a complete lack of accountability. At that point, I decided to cancel our order and leave. I left $20 to cover the coffee we had received but walked out feeling deeply disrespected and unwelcome.

This is not the first time we’ve experienced discomfort at Public House. During a visit last month, while seated near the bar, my partner and I endured unwelcome stares and whispers from other patrons, which made for an equally unpleasant experience. These repeated incidents have left us feeling singled out and unwelcome.

Following this most recent encounter, we chose to take our business to Sa•vor Tapas Bar instead, where the concept of hospitality is genuinely understood. The contrast in how we were treated there was night and day and served as a stark reminder of what excellent service looks like.

We’ve also noticed a decline in the overall atmosphere and management approach at Public House since the ownership change. While your servers consistently provide excellent service, the menu has remained stagnant, and interactions with management often leave the impression that customers are doing the establishment a favor by dining there.

This type of experience is unacceptable in any business, especially one that should pride itself on hospitality. It’s even more disheartening to see similar complaints from other People of Color who, like us, felt unwelcome or unfairly treated. Our money is worth the same as anyone else’s, and all guests deserve to be treated with respect.

I hope you take this feedback seriously and address these issues to improve the experience for future guests. If not, I fear that this approach will inevitably lead to declining business and a difficult future for your establishment. Respecting and welcoming all patrons is not a big ask—it’s the...

This Valentine’s Day, my husband pulled off the ultimate surprise—reservations at The Public House in Amarillo. Neither of us had been before, but after this experience? We’d gladly make it a weekly tradition.

From the moment we walked in, everything was perfection. The service, the atmosphere, the food, the drinks—it all worked together in effortless harmony. The dim, intimate lighting, the elegantly displayed wine collection in the center of the restaurant… it was simply stunning.

Water was served from crystal-clear carafes, our waitress recited the specials without hesitation, and the manager was personally making his rounds—checking in, chatting with guests, even bussing tables. Now that’s leadership in action.

Appetizer

We kicked things off with the pimento cheese-stuffed armadillo eggs. If you’re not fluent in Southern eats, that’s just a fancy way of saying bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeños. And while they weren’t spicy at all, they packed a serious punch of flavor. The smoky bacon, creamy cheese, and subtle heat from the jalapeño? Chef’s kiss.

Drinks

I started the evening with a glass of Moscato, but once I saw they had Honey Mead, there was no turning back. It was smooth, rich, and exactly what I wanted. My husband opted for a Yellow Rose beer followed by an Old Fashioned, both executed to perfection.

Entrées

Kevin went with the prime rib special, cooked to an impeccable medium-rare and paired with creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and drunken mushrooms—which he’s now thoroughly obsessed with.

I had a harder time deciding, so I went with two entrées (because why not?). First up, the elk tenderloin, rare, topped with jalapeño hollandaise and served with creamed spinach and roasted potatoes. It was hands-down the best elk I’ve ever had. My only critique? The plate had a lot of empty space, which felt a little odd presentation-wise, but flavor-wise? Flawless.

We also shared the shrimp and grits, which came loaded with red-eye gravy, bell peppers, shrimp, and jalapeño sausage. While the flavors were bold and comforting, the dish leaned more towards a soup than a creamy grit dish, and the bell peppers were abundant. Not a deal-breaker, just a personal preference.

Dessert

Of course, we couldn’t leave without dessert. We couldn’t decide between the turtle cheesecake or the one topped with berry compote, so naturally, we got both. The turtle was my favorite, while Kevin fell for the berry—a perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Now, let’s be clear—this is not your standard two-dollar-sign restaurant. We came prepared for the check, and let me tell you, it was worth every single penny.

Whether you’re planning a romantic date night, celebrating an anniversary, or looking to impress the in-laws, The Public House delivers.

A huge thank you to the entire staff for an unforgettable...

Not impressive at all.... We went on a Wednesday night not busy at all, we sat at the bar waiting on our other guest to arrive. While we sat there I noticed copper mugs on the shelf. Knowing what they were for anyway I wanted to see how knowledgeable the cocktail waitress was, so I asked her what those were, she said "I have no idea?" I said ok well would you mind asking?? Not sure why she didn't do that in the first place, when she came back she said that its for a Moscow mule. Which again I already knew but wanted to see if she did, so I asked oh what is that? Again she didn't know.... So then our party arrived and we ordered 5 appetizers to start off with Cheese platter- Could have bought the dried out ham and crackers at sam's, hobenero cheese was good. Lamb chop lolly pops- Good Smoked salmon cakes- OK Sliders- Meh Shrimp cheese grits- tasted like fajita meat on top of grits Then we ordered entrees.... Chicken fried steak- nasty, gravy was like glue, the meat was super tough, and Im assuming the gravy smothering the chicken fry was the reasoning for the limp, soggy texture of the breading. Elk- was very good cooked wonderfully Meat loaf- its deff not your mommas meat loaf, but it was ok. tasted like lipton onion soup mix with some meats. Pork sandwich- Not impressed, again the same dried out ham was on there with pickles and pork .... thats it nothing else. And heres where it gets good, the other guest that was with us was a chef as well and to see how chef here would react they ordered what the chef would suggest.... bad idea The chef gave her the bone in ribeye, of course the most expensive thing on the menu, cooked med -med well, when she said rare, nothing special. Sent it back to get a rare one and by that time we were all done eating. Our server, Stuart, was wonderful. Through out everything he did a wonderful job and was very professional about everything. Manager/Chef never came out to see what the problem was, they compt it off our ticket which we didnt want in the first place.

So all in all this was our first and probably last time to be visiting here, due to the lack of knowledgeable people, lack of uniqueness, and lack of customer service...besides our server. Possible a good place to go grab a few apps and have a few drinks but...