Ford's Garage Plano — Restaurant in Plano

On Friday, December 27, around 7 PM, I made plans to enjoy a meal with a close friend at the Ford restaurant located in Plano. As we entered the bustling establishment, I observed three hosts engaged in conversation with a manager, completely absorbed in their discussion and neglecting to greet us. While I found this somewhat disappointing, I acknowledged that it was a busy night for the restaurant, so I brushed it off.

Once one of the hosts finally paid attention to us, she asked how many were in our party. I replied that it was just the two of us. In response, I noticed her glance at the manager and whisper something to her. She responded quietly, and then the host asked if we would be comfortable sitting at a high-top table. We agreed, not realizing that this seating area was tucked away behind a wall, somewhat isolated from the main dining area.

Upon being seated, we discovered that we were the only patrons in that corner of the restaurant, while the central dining area had numerous tables that were still available. It was an odd choice, considering the more vibrant atmosphere and the buzz of conversation happening just a few feet away, but we settled in and tried to make the best of it.

Another mixed couple and Hispanic couple were seated shortly after us, which left me feeling quite uneasy about the arrangement. This situation raised significant concerns regarding the potential biases that the restaurant might harbor in its seating policies. While some might view this as a mere coincidence or refer to it as "luck of the draw," I found it troubling. It felt more like a reflection of a subtle, low-level, passive-aggressive practice embedded in their approach to how they seat guests.

To clarify, my critique is not directed at the overall quality of the restaurant, which I genuinely admire and hold in high regard for its ambiance and menu offerings. Instead, my concern lies specifically with the unexpected seating practices we experienced on that particular day. It was disconcerting to witness what appeared to be an arbitrary decision regarding who gets seated where, which prompted me to question the restaurant's commitment to equitable treatment for all its patrons. This experience, among others, leads me to hope for a more transparent and fair seating policy in the future, as the rest of my visit was enjoyable and enjoyable.

Our waitress, Jes, truly exceeded our expectations with her exceptional service. I also have to mention that the brisket sandwich she recommended was absolutely delightful—tender, flavorful, and perfectly dressed. Arkansas and Texas Tech...

I dined at Ford's Garage tonight for the first time with my wife. Unfortunately, it was a terrible experience. Service started off decently good then plummeted as dinner service progressed.

I ordered half a rack of ribs with Mac and Cheese, and my wife ordered the grilled sirloin steak with mashed potatoes and jalapeno cream corn. My ribs had flavor, but it was bland. The bbq sauce I didn't like, because it has a heavy vinegar base. The macaroni in the Mac and Cheese was undercooked. I brought this to my waitress's, Lilly's attention and she did let me swap it out for the included side of mashed potatoes. The Mac and Cheese was an additional cost.

My wife said her steak was okay and side were just okay nothing to write home about. She did notice that her steak was larger than an 8 oz center cut sirloin she had ordered.

We ate quickly, because we didn't enjoy our meal and this is where service flatlined. Our waitress passed us several times our plates were never picked up. I had to wait about 15 minutes in a slow night for a different person to come and get one of our plates and offer a to go box . Then another 10 minutes or so for the waitress to come back with the check. The check had a 28.99 ribeye instead of the 19.99 8oz center cut sirloin that was ordered. Lilly told us that the ribeye and the center cut sirloin is the same price but she'll go and check. I brought it to her attention and after 15 minutes of discussing this with her manager she came with a receipt that had a $7 discount. This took 15 minutes. There was no apology and 28.99-19.99 equals $9 not $7! This felt like a switch and bait, because Lilly mentioned they were out of sirloin steak later after I pointed out the price difference in the amount. It would have been proper customer service to let us know that instead upgrading us to the more expensive steak and charging us for it without our permission! Lilly only apologized when I brought the price difference to her attention by pulling up the cost on my phone from their menu. She also charged me for the Macaroni and Cheese I took one bite off because the macaroni was undercooked. It was removed but the price was left on the receipt. I couldn't afford another 15 minutes to get the remaining $4 they overcharged me.

Needless to say, I won't be back, but I hope anyone else has a much...

Let me start by saying my whole family loves Ford. So there may be a bit of a bias here. But the story of how Ford's Garage came to be is neat, and I was excited to hear they were putting one local to us. Ford's Garage is a "must go" for any car enthusiast.

Your experience starts before you even enter. The decor outside helps set the tone for what you'll experience inside. Classic vehicles and gas pumps are visible from the front of the restaurant, and gas pump handles act as your handle to open the doors. We went a couple weeks after their grand opening, and they had a sign to be sure to check out their bathrooms - photos of that are included for your entertainment / appreciation.

Inside, you are transported to a glimpse of Ford history, with all sorts of decor around the entire restaurant. Walls, partitions, signage - all either Ford or vehicle/highway themed. The centerpieces being the car above the bar area, and historical models in the middle of the dining areas.

Once seated, the automotive theme continues, with clever little touches: silverware wrapped in a "shop towel" styled napkin, held shut with a worm gear clamp. But don't worry, no mechanical expertise is required :)

As the restaurant is an homage to the American car maker, the menu offerings are aptly American style food, with a broad selection that surely would accommodate any palate. The portions were generous, and the food was overall good. My burger was lacking a bit of flavor - but nothing some condiments couldn't fix. The fries had great flavor however.

While the food was nothing to write home about, it's nothing that the fantastic ambiance, friendly wait staff, and overall experience can't overshadow.

I look forward to returning to try out some other items on their menu, and make some purchases of Ford themed merchandise they have available in the...