Don Artemio Restaurant — Restaurant in Fort Worth

Made reservations for dinner with my partner for our anniversary. We were looking forward to eating at this restaurant after learning that a place so close to us was nominated for a James Beard award. We normally don't indulge out so it was an extra special occasion.

They do reservations online and over the phone. They text you the day of to remind you about the reservation and asks for you to let them know if we are running late. My partner texted them that we will be about 30 minutes late and we got a response saying "okay".

They have valet in front of the restaurant for anyone wishing to park their car that way. There is limited parking since the restaurant shares parking with other businesses. We did find one for free for that was a perk.

Everyone that we interacted with was so polite and kind to us, from the hostess at the front of the restaurant, to the staff who weren't responsible in handling us, to our actual waiter. 5 star customer service. We felt very well catered to.

The menu was a little overwhelming just because we weren't Hispanic. The entrees and categories are in Spanish with English descriptions. Our waiter was happy to explain what everything was and how to eat them.

We ordered the Top Shelf Margarita and the Vaquero (?) (old fashioned) for our drinks. The Vaquero is slightly more on the sweeter side but still good. The Top Shelf Margarita was smooth but very strong. Both drinks were very strong. We had a good buzz going the entire night.

For appetizers, our waiter recommended the Nopalitos Fritos (fried cactus) with Guacamole but we ended up ordering the Nopalitos Fritos with the Ceviche Tatemado. Presentation came out great. The Nopalitos Fritos was great, salty, definitely different. The bacon pieces that come with it gives the taco that you're supposed to make with it some flavor but it's tastes just fine if you skip on it. The blue corn tortilla that comes with it is to die for. Soft, warm, superb flavor. 10/10. They will give you a tray of red and green sauce to put on the taco. The Ceviche tastes great, had a complimentary acidic (like lemon or lime) taste to the seafood bits that come with it.

Our waiter came by our table after we were almost finished with our appetizers to ask if we'd like any main courses. We got the Rib Eye Al Carbon and my boyfriend was going to order the Costillas de Cabrito but our waiter recommended getting Cabrito Braseado al Horno Lento en Salsa de Tomate since the Costillas would be mostly bones (ribs) and the Cabrito Braseado had more meat.

When they came out, presentation looked amazing. They were on decently sized plates. The ribeye came with whipped mashed potatoes and a small side of beets. It was amazing. Tasted so juicy, tender, full of amazing flavor. The whipped potatoes was so light and airy. The beets was an amazing addition to the dish. It gave a nice complimentary cleanse to the rest of the dish so it didn't feel so "meaty". It was the best steak that my boyfriend has ever had. It even beat the steak we've had in the Bahamas. The Cabrito was good too but my boyfriend didn't like how tough the goat was. I explained goat is a little on the tougher side and it's lamb that's softer. The Cabrito came with the blue corn tortillas and he said the tortilla made it more bearable for him. The goat overall had a few areas that are more tough but overall I think it's made tender for how tough goat could be. We both agreed the rib eye was the best tasting plate.

We ordered the Tres Leches for desert. It was the best tasting tres leches we've ever had. Presentation was beautiful. The spongy cake part was great. The milk potion was not too sweet. The fruit was fresh. The icecream shell was an amazing addition. It felt more like an experience than a tasting dish to be a part of. 10/10. Highly recommend.

When we ended our night, we asked for pictures and the hostess (photo expert) was nice enough to take them for us with good lighting. She was such a sweet person too.

Overall we had an amazing experience at this restaurant and had a...

Worst Valentines Day Dinner I've had at a "nice" restaurant in a long time!

I made a reservation on RESY for Valentines Day a month or more before the big day. I live in Houston and was traveling to Ft. Worth on Feb. 14, so we wanted to be sure we had somewhere to eat on Valentines Day. I called a couple of weeks before and asked if they would be able to accommodate my son (10 years old) as the items on their set Valentines Day menu were not "child friendly." When I called they assured me they could accommodate and even said they sometimes make chicken fingers for kids.

I called again on Feb. 14 to confirm the reservation and the ability to accommodate my son. THIS TIME they told me that we would only be able to order off the Valentines Day set menu and that no special accommodations were possible. So my wife and I ended up leaving my son in the hotel (we weren't far away at all...) while we had dinner.

Aside from taking almost 20 minutes to bring us the first drink we ordered, and aside from completely messing up both of our main courses (they brought out fish when neither of us ordered it and completely forgot the steak we did order), both of which could be forgiven, we saw other diners ordering items that WERE NOT on the Valentines Day set menu. This really upset me because we had left my son alone based on the restaurant saying that only the set menu would be served that night. When we voiced our concerns to the waiter, a manager came over. Instead of admitting to a mistake and apologizing, he made me and my wife feel unwelcome because we were not "regulars." We paid over $400 for the meal and left upset and never wanting to return.

Then, to top it off, the restaurant apparently is trying to avoid me leaving them a review on RESY. They apparently "cancelled" my reservation even though I dined there and paid over $400 for the meal. Their refusal to list my reservation as "completed" or "done" on the RESY.com app prevents me from completing a survey on RESY to warn other diners about our treatment and experience at Don Artemio. So, I'm starting with a google review. WE WILL NEVER GO BACK.

Since management has chosen to respond, perhaps they want to explain why they falsely listed my reservation as "cancelled" on the RESY platform instead of completed? And my statements above are all factual. There could be no "accommodation" to my requests because I had already left my son behind because of the restaurant's statements to me that only the set menu could be ordered and that no special requests would be...

Oh my…. This place is phenomenal! What a treat.

We took my parents here to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom and wife. For some reason I thought it was super high-end Tex-Mex, but I was extremely pleasantly surprised when we walked into one of the coolest, classiest restaurant settings in Fort Worth—and took a peek at the menu. It’s as authentic as it gets, and the flavor profiles and creativity are out of control!

We started with the Nopalitos Fritos Para Tacos, which were divine. It’s honestly one of the coolest food preparation’s I’ve ever had. The cactus shavings are perfectly flash-fried and oh-so-crispy, and the bacon is mouthwateringly good. Pair that with the homemade blue corn tortillas and duo of salsas and you have one of the most delicious things you’ll ever put in your mouth.

We also ordered the Cazuela de Chorizo, which paired perfectly with the cactus tacos. Pro tip: Order extra blue corn tortillas if you try both of those starters—you’ll want extras.

For our entrees, my dad and I both got the Filete de Res Asado. Oh my god… one of the top five steaks I’ve ever eaten—and I used to expense a lot of really good steaks at work. The ancho-pasilla herb black bean purée is out of this world. I will dream about that steak tonight. It’s THAT good.

My wife had the Mejillones en Salsa de Chipotle (mussels), which were fantastic. Again, the flavors were refined, inventive, and complex, and the portion was very generous. My mom had the Sopa Tarasca, which she loved. She’s a huge tortilla soup fan, so this was like the most elevated tortilla soup imaginable. The presentation for that soup is really cool, too! The chefs were even kind enough to make our 6-year-old a chicken and cheese quesadilla, which was excellent. She crushed it and was quite pleased—and she has a history of being a tough customer.

To recap, we have a great location, ambiance for days, and some of the best, most inventive and flavorful food in Fort Worth.

In addition, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the service: it’s on point! Our server, Alexi, was amazing. He was highly attentive and gave the best recommendations. I don’t think anyone in our group’s water glass ever got empty before the staff refilled it, and plates, glasses, and silverware were removed and replaced promptly.

In short, Don Artemio is nothing short of incredible. We’re already planning...