Knife

Meat party! Took the bf here for his birthday and we really enjoyed our meal. 4.5 stars but i’m rounding up because it’s been awhile since I’ve had a steak at a restaurant that I definitely couldn’t recreate at home.
The couple negatives to get out of the way: the hostess looked bored/​annoyed and was not a very welcoming start to the evening. (Our waiter was great, however.) Also, for a place with such a high-​end menu, I really don’t feel like the design of the restaurant lives up to it. it’s not closed off and just kind of feels like an extension of the lobby. Meh. Ambiance could be better.
But regardless, the food was great! You start off with complimentary crudite and several bread options. We ordered pork belly and collard greens as a starter and then split the boneless ribeye au poivre. I’m not a big fan of sauce on my steak, and hopefully if i were to have it again I could get it without (although I guess that changes the dish). Despite that, the steak was cooked perfectly. Wonderful sear, wonderful medium rare-​ness, wonderful flavor. Definitely up there for me on steaks. And it was enough to split. Didn’t care for the frites that came with it (I think frites should be skinnier and crispier and sheesh ease up on the salt) but the mac n’ cheese was super. They also brought a complimentary dessert of our choice for his birthday after the meal (peaches and cream was light and tasty… we couldn’t have handled anything richer!) and the waiter made mention of it at the beginning, which I thought was nice.
I’m also dying to come back for burgers. The Magic Burger when Cedars Social first opened was my favorite burger for a long time. Yay Knife!

We chose Knife for a quick dinner before a Summer Musical performance. The services was good and attentive. The steaks were cooked perfectly and had great taste. Definitely a place to visit again.

This is the best steakhouse in town. The dry aged Wagu ribeye for two should be required at least once in every lifetime. The complimentary birthday dessert was a lovely touch. The ambiance is elegant and the noise level is good for conversation.

I’ve been yearning for a nice steak for quite some time. I recently broke my hand, so being physically powerless to cut my own steak made it even more desirable. As a celebration of sorts for getting my cast removed, my wife and I decided to leave the little one at home and hit Knife for a splurge dinner.
It did not disappoint.
We were promptly seated at the bar/​chef viewing area without a reservation. We’d much rather have an overview of the kitchen than being seated at a regular table.
Shortly after a complementary crudite tray arrived with a green goddess dip. Nice touch.
We ordered the yellowtail appetizer to start. The combination sounded so weird it had to be good. Yellowtail, grapefruit, avocado, sriracha.
Next, the moment Ive been dreaming about for the last 8 weeks, my ribeye arrived. Hands down the best piece of meat I have ever had. Flavorful, cooked perfect right in front of my eyes. It’s one of the more affordable options of the menu, just shy of 50 bucks, but it sure does not skimp on flavor.
Great service. Cool atmosphere. Easy parking. I think I’ll be back…

Absolutely recommend Knife for 5 star menu and service ! Our server Ryan suggested the 45 day aged ribeye.24oz. It was AMAZING! The Bacon tasting appetizer was delicious. Knife sent over a BEAUTIFUL dessert for our anniversary, a Coffee dark chocolate ganache… sinful. ;) My husband preferred a different table after our server greeted us and Ryan was so understanding. He went above and beyond on everything for us. The cocktails were perfect and refreshing. We will definitely return.

Upscale, yet not stuffy. Attentive service, yet not overbearing. Great wine list, exceptional sommelier. Great burger for 13 bucks, great steaks for up to 180 bucks. Monster crispy onion rings, decadent cream spinach. Selection of excellent breads and Crudité brought out on the house to start, desert bites to finish. Pig head is a fantastic treat to share among the table.
Seafood and chicken options, too. Salads rock. Winner.

They’re fancy but not stuffy. There is a very nice gentleman who walks around with a bread basket and offers you a variety of breads– my fave was the pretzel bread. I got the flat iron steak. I was supposed to get the chimichurri sauce with it but the waiter must have forgotten it– no big deal though because the steak didn’t really even need the sauce. The food was excellent and the customer service deserved 5 stars! I would definitely recommend a visit especially if you’re from out of town!

Go to the bar, sit down, order an Old fashoned from Tony. You won’t regret it. He is a true mixologist who takes pride in his craft. Dony know what to order? Just tell him things you like and he will guide you through a beverage expedition worth telling your friends about! He made a great weekend awesome.

Decided to go to Knife last minute Tuesday night because their kitchen is open later. Our server was the only one on but he was absolutely amazing and probably one of the best servers I’ve ever encountered. He was very knowledgeable of everything on the menu and even helped us pick out every course! His recommendations were perfect!
We shared the dry age, bone in, ribeye and it was the best steak I have ever had!!!
The Mac and cheese was to die for.
Not to mention the avocado fries were an amazing touch.
We ended up staying a little bit after close but our server was kind and happy for us to be there. He treated us equally as if we were the first table he had that night.
I would 100% recommend Knife to anyone in the Dallas area.
Thank you for making our night perfect.

I went here with clients for a good steak.
Vibe:
Good lunch place inside of the highland hotel. Modern vibe. Wouldn’t go here for a date or group dinner w friends. Location is not ideal.
Food:
Sirloin — ok
Pea tendrils — ok
Mac and cheese — ok +
Fries — dripping w grease — ok–
Tomatoes — no one ate it
Service was fine. Average. She didn’t know the drinks available but was nice and attentive.
Glad I tried it because of the reputation of the chef. However not my first pick to impress anyone. For business lunch it was okay.

One of the best burgers & steak in Dallas!!! Bar is killing it most steakhouses focus on pour overs, not here a cocktail enthusiast would be excited to order a drink!!!
Love the dining room Spacious yet comfy setting! The chef is a Dallas icon & concepts like this would only hatch from a brain like that!
I’m in luv

By far one of the best restaurants in Dallas. I enjoyed it just as much (and for a few, more so) than dinners at Filament, Oak, Stephen Pyles, Abacus, FT33, Stampede 66, Chamberlain’s and many others in NYC.
THE VIBE:
The place is chic/​cool but not overkill. The portions are perfect, refined but not tiny. The menu is inventive and delicious. The service was amazing and the staff was not pretentious.
THE FOOD:
I suggest you share everything to try more!
The Sriracha Pork Belly Toasted Steam Bun was amazing, try it to start.
The 44Farms Beef Tartare is delicious, but nothing out of the ordinary, just high quality.
The dry aged 28oz ribeye for 2 — the size was impressive, but the taste — perhaps the best steak I have ever had. Perfectly medium rare but not bloody all over. We split it and had leftovers still.
Penne & Black Truffle Essence pasta was also a star, with a measured black truffle taste.
The mac and cheese is great, if you want it, you won’t be disappointed; rich and creamy.
Avocado fries were a heavy side, but tasty.
I cannot recall what we had for dessert but it too was good. The point is, make sure you check it out and make sure you go hungry!!!

Knife is truly a unique experience, different than your typical steakhouse. I took my boyfriend here to celebrate his birthday. From the start, service was amazing. Our waiter took the time to explain the menu since there is a lot more than what you would expect from a typical menu. Essentially, since there is so much you can order from, a lot of the dishes are meant to shared. We decided order the dry aged bone-​in akaushi ribeye for 2, half order of penne & black truffle essence, and the pimento cheeseburger (per recommendation from our waiter) with a side of avocado fries.
To start off the meal, they bring you a side of fresh cut vegetables with dipping sauce in a bowl of ice. Definitely the fanciest presentation of vegetables I’ve ever seen. If that wasn’t enough, someone walks around with a variety of bread that you can choose from. The rosemary one was my personal favorite.
We got the pasta first which was probably one of the best pastas I’ve had. The truffle essence was so rich, and the pasta was perfectly creamy. I almost wished we ordered the full order instead of the half. After a while, the steak and cheeseburger came out. Maybe it was the lighting, but the steak looked more medium rather than medium rare. Nevertheless, the steak was seasoned perfectly, and meat was extremely tender. Not your average ribeye, that’s for sure! The cheeseburger was good but honestly something we could’ve passed on. The avocado fries were delicious because they’re avocados, but we somehow still got a side of their regular fries, salsa verde fries, which were just as delicious.
For dessert, we got the chocolate & coffee. It was small but a good way to end the night. It was also complimentary because of his birthday! And if that wasn’t though, they serve one final dish with tiny, bite-​sized desserts to complete the meal. And if ALL of that wasn’t enough, they gave 2 complimentary rosemary muffins to take home.
I have to comment on how exceptional the service was the entire night. Our waiter was always so quick to attend to us, clean up the table after every dish, explain things to us, and just make sure we were having a good night. Even as we were leaving, he thanked us again. We stopped to look at the room where all the dry-​aged meats were in, and he came back AGAIN to explain all of that to us too. I mean, when are you ever going to find a waiter follow you of a restaurant like that (in a non-​creepy way of course). Thank you Knife for a such wonderful night!

Knife is now the steakhouse I will judge all others by.
Just finished eating here and I’m truly in awe of what just occurred. The passion for curing and serving the best meat here is beyond impressive. The details. The service. Everything was spectacular. A trifecta of the 3 best dishes I’ve had in years.
Best steak = aged akaushi ribeye (and I don’t even like ribeye usually)
Best pasta = penne with black truffle
Best chocolate dessert = coffee chocolate dessert
If you like bacon, don’t hesitate to order the bacon sampler appetizer too. It includes a strip of Iberico Bacon from Spain that will leave you speechless.
This place is just insane. This is truly fine dining that you won’t regret splurging on. A memory completely worth ‘the damage’ (as it cleverly says on your guest check). Going to an ‘old school’ steakhouse like 3 Forks, Del Friscos, etc. will now seem like such a non-​event after seeing what a modern steakhouse like Knife has pulled off. Enjoy it.

We came here for my wife’s bday.
Food ordered. Bacon sampler. Sloppy joe sliders. 10oz filet and 24 oz bone in ribeye. Onion rings /​Mac n cheese. Apple dessert .
We have eaten at pappa Bros/​Del frisco/​most of the popular places and this was best steak so far. Lots of reviews about seasoning. I disagree, it was great. Sliders need more publicity, also really good. Great service.
Price is as expected for a high end restaurant. Will return.

Knife is located inside The Highland hotel. This review is not for steaks or dinner. We had dessert here after dinner else were, got drinks at the bar, and had breakfast come up to our room one morning. The service was great. The tables real close together and you can hear people’s conversations next to you. Coming in for the night we wanted dessert. The coconut lime verrine for me and the chocolate and coffee for him. Mine was kind of like a parfait of sorts. His was ganache and cake. I think he was really expecting like a chocolate bar and actual coffee. lol. Breakfast wasn’t bad. I had an omelette and forgot what he had.
It was a little too uppity for me really, so not sure if I would be back to try the steaks. Maybe one day.

How do you screw up a steak???
The place is very nice staff are friendly, but the food though. Ordered house made morcilla, teresa salad, 28oz dry aged bone in rib eye, avacado fries, bone marrow and caviar.
The Morcilla was very tender but bland very little flavor it was difficult to believe it was Morcilla as in nearly every restaurant in every country I have eaten Morcilla there is a consistent flavor that somehow this chef has managed to remove.
Teresa salad was oily but not with a good olive oil the flavor was more like canola, I took 2 bites only made me feel like an idiot for making the same mistake twice.
Avacado fries not sure if its the mixture of the mushy avocado or the bad oil it was deep fried in but also not edible.
Bone marrow, ok the way they prepared it was to create like a mousse topped with caviar this was like eating a salt pie ontop of salt with a salty icing and washing it down with salt water. Make sure to keep bottle of diuretics on hand for safe measure.
Grand finale! Ah the steak here we go it was for 2 people ill give them that more like 4 huges bone in rib eye. Dry aged it was dry alright not a drop of liquid on the plate. I think the chef didnt flavor it. When I asked the waiter if they maybe forgot to season or something he said no it looks prepared correctly. I ordered a couple drinks and skipped dessert for all I know the dessert would have been the best I have ever had Im not telling any of you not to go here but when I left heading down the road i would have chosen a number of fast food over this any day.

Phenomenal steak and other great meats. You will pay a lot for a little, and this is one of the most expensive steak restaurants I’ve been to, in any city.
The sides and other dishes are decidedly less impressive, and still with the high price tag. But certainly good and serviceable all around. We didn’t have anything that disappointed.
Service was very, very good, but I think that may have been the result of us being a larger group that ultimately dropped over $ 1000 before the night was over.
If you’re willing to splurge, the steak and atmosphere are great.

Knife is fantastic! My party of 6 went here on a Monday evening. The restaurant was nearly empty. We were sat as soon as we walked in; the table was in the back corner with a great view of the glass-​walled kitchen.
Our server, a woman whose name I never caught (my fault, not her’s), greeted us and took our drink order. She was very friendly, knowledgeable, and gave great suggestions. After giving us a minute to decide, we ordered.
My girlfriend and I got a few appetizers: half a dozen oysters, spicy meat balls, and the bacon flight (mmmm… bacon). The bacon flight was given to us first. There were no labels saying what kind each was, which was a bummer. They all had very different flavors and I didn’t dislike any of them. The meatballs were good, but nothing special. The oysters were east coast; smaller with more flavor. They were served with the normal extras. I’m not sure if the bacon was still controlling my mouth, but the oysters seemed a bit bland. The flavor was good, just was a bit too subtle for me.
For our main course, we just split the 10oz filet between us. The table shared the sides: mac and cheese, smashed potatoes, spinach. The steak was perfectly cooked, and had fantastic flavor. The girlfriend got the Au Poirve (spelling?) sauce on the side. It was decent, unnecessary, and not worth $ 5. The Mac and the potatoes were delicious, but the spinach kind of left me wanting something different. Something about the way it was prepared didn’t mesh with my tastebuds.
All in all, a great experience, a great server, and a great meal. It wasn’t cheap, but you do get what you pay for. I’ll be back I’m sure.

May be a decent restaurant. But, considering the way chef/​owner Tesar talks, I won’t spend a dime to go in his pocket.
There are better and more deserving places to eat in Dallas.

Not impressed by Knife. Came here with a group of friends and tried a number of things like the Bacon Crusted Bone Marrow & Caviar (W/​Uni), the Crispy Pork Belly W/​Collard Greens, the Heartbrand Ranch Dry Aged Bone, and the Avocado Fries. All dishes were good, but nothing memorable. I expected more out of the Heartbrand Ranch Dry Aged Bone since Knife prizes themselves on being a great steakhouse. The atmosphere is nice and intimate, but food is mediocre. Service is excellent. I would suggest going to other restaurants in Dallas that are worth the $$$.

Every town needs an iconic steak house, to celebrate promtions, engagements, pregnancies, and the like. For Dallas, this ain’t it. They claim to be among the top ten steak houses in Dallas. Dallas, if this the best you got, I feel your pain.
Other than an undercooked steak, overly pretentious salad there was not much to brag about, unless you think it’s ok to allow the line to cook without hair protection and to rub their bare hands on their face, nose and mouth without washing between handling your steak is a good idea.
$ 87 for a $ 25 meal at Outback is not what I would call worth the trip.

Great experience!
Amazing service, very tasteful and well seasoned food, and a classy atmosphere… but with a price.
Got the avocado fries, truffle pasta, and 8oz filet. All were brought out in a timely manner with a smile, and all were incredible. Especially the filet… SO GOOD. Don’t get me wrong though… this place will set you back $ 200 easily with a date, but damn its money well spent.

The concept of serving fine cuts of meat is certainly here but I can’t say that the flavors in such great meat can be entirely appreciated.
For starters, the fried avocado is a great reminder of what the Texas State fair offers. Although there isn’t much to any flavor other than the avocado and fried better itself — BLAND.
The brussels sprouts were overcooked and lacked flavor, even salt. The 40 aged strip served medium well was nothing more then what I would normally find an Applebee’s.
The dessert was OK but not enough to win me over or enough to compensate for what the main meal lacked.
I can certainly check this one off my list but not worth coming back to. The damage here was equal to what I experienced at Spoon.

I need to preface my review to say that I ate in the bar rather than the restaurant. I thought the food was good but not extra special. I had a great Caesar Salad and some great soup but I was very disappointed with the sliders we ordered. Pork was overly salted and inedible. We sent it back.
Breakfast was solid and well prepared. Nice menu but pretty expensive for what we got. I have to say that just because I was in Texas I didn’t find the beef or menu to be any better than on the East coast and the steakhouses there. Frankly Ruth Chris is just as good and a better value. For a high end restaurant not all that great.

Came for lunch and we were feeling burgers so we got the Magic and the Ozersky. Is it just me (and a few people I asked) or do the burgers look like a McD’s cheeseburger and a fancy McMuffin??! Of course they tasted much better than McD’s but they sure did bear a striking resemblance. I would’ve expected a little more presentation from such a highly acclaimed restaurant. I guess they were the cheapest things on the menu though.
I wasn’t as impressed with either of the burgers or salsa verde fries as I thought I would be, considering the Ozersky got the #2 spot in the D Magazine burger issue. I wanted to try at least one of the steaks so we shared the 10 oz New School Culotte, which was alright. The steak was cooked perfectly, but there wasn’t much flavor. I should’ve gone with the filet! Did I order the wrong things? I mean, according to the internet I ordered at least one right thing. I don’t know.

My husband and I came here last night for dinner after reading that they had the number 2 burger in DFW. Knowing the reputation of Knife, we came knowing and willing to pay a little more $$ for a more quality burger. Man oh man were we disappointed.
We arrived around seven and were told that the dining room was filled and that the bar was full service if we chose to stay. My hubby and I gladly grabbed a seat at the bar. Ten minutes later we were finally greeted and given a menu and an iPad (drink menu). An iPad? This really confused me. Why was the iPad used for drinks and not then entire menu? It seemed really unnecessary.
My hubby and I stuck with our waters and mentioned that we read about Knife in D magazine and were here for the burger. Our waitress didn’t hide her disappointment that we were simply drinking water and ordering the cheapest thing on the menu. Then entire night we experienced the worst experience and made to feel like we were second class.
A family sat next to us at the bar and ironically, they were brought out silverware and placemats and their drinks were always filled. We had to flag down a random server to bring us silverware. And our sever didn’t even check on us until our burgers has already disappeared in our bellies.
The burger, where do I start? They were cooked perfectly! Like complete perfection. And the fries were super unique and completely delicious. However, the burger lacked seasoning of any sort. It didn’t even seem to have been sprinkled with salt and pepper. The pimento cheese was almost nonexistent and again, lacked seasoning.
I was surprised that they only supplied one tiny container of ketchup — which I quickly used and no one was there to ask for another ramekin.
We won’t be back. For the burger and the experience, I was extremely disappointed.
D magazine, explain yourself…

Local celebrities in Dallas? You got your Dirks, your Erykah Badus, and your Peter H.‘s, but in the food scene… John Tesar’s name stands above the rest (probably not true but he’s pretty high up there)
Knife has been on my bookmarked list ever since i saw the sample menu during it’s soft opening… 240 days dry aged ribeye? John, that’s just dirty bro…
Soon enough, it happens to be my bday and where else could we spend an overpriced meal for the occasion then at a steakhouse? You walk in and immediately to your right is the prized possession of any legitimate steakhouse, the dry aging chamber. Racks of glorious USDA Prime grade beef rotting in a controllable manner. the flavor intensifying every minute while deepening in color to almost a perfect aggie maroon color
The dining area has a great view of the open kitchen, a concept that I’m a fan of. You’re able to see the talented line cooks with their tattoo-​sleeved arms and manbuns work in synchrony while they plate your food… which reminds me, on to the food
Once you sit down, you’re presented with a nice veggie sampler (three different types of carrots, radicchio, celery, and some other one that i forgot) accompanied with a nice green tinted aoili (either house made parsley ranch or something similar) The vegetables were thoroughly chilled and crisp resulting with a nice bite
App — Beef Tartare — Mustard flavor was prevalent in the tartare. The egg yolk which topped the tartare added a richness to the tartare that gave it a great mouthfeel, portion could have been better in my opinion (take a look at the picture i uploaded, there’s more negative space on the plate than a minimalistic painting
Entrée — 28 ounce Bone in Ribeye for 2 — unfortunately, the only available option was a 20 day aged ribeye (any noticeable distinguishable changes in flavor and texture usually occur at a 28 day mark or after) Regardless of it being 20 or 21 920 days dry aged, the steak was cooked well and had a great sear with awesome char :-)
Side — Creamed spinach & roasted shallots — Steak and creamed spinach is a classic combo like denim on denim. you just can’t go wrong. The creamed spinach did not fall victim to being too goopy, it was seasoned well and the shallots added a nice sweetness
dessert — Knife was very kind and gave a complimentary dessert and sampler. We opted for the carrot cake with cream cheese gelato and carrot sorbet. Visually, the plate was stunning and thankfully it was mighty tasty as well
The Whale and I enjoyed Knife :-) The meal was solid and also the interior is a great place to take pictures due to it being located inside a hotel (Got like 80 something likes on the pic Holla acha boy)

Burger at the bar.
I know, it’s a steak place but it’s a lazy Saturday afternoon and we are sitting at the bar drinking cider and beer. It’s a burger day. And I heard stuff…
We had the Magic AND the OZERSKY. Both were amazing. I mean seriously. Even the pickle was amazing. The bartender was fantastic.
The atmosphere is swank. And I love that if I get totally drunk I can just get a room.
They could use some extra parking – other than that, I think we have a winner!
AND AFTER THAT I saw that they had the number 2 spot in the D Magazine burger issue. And I’m all «I called it!» and what not.

Three cheers for the most hated chef in Dallas. I’ve had this place bookmarked for a while and we decided to pop in for my birthday. We hit a bit of traffic coming from Fort Worth so I called to let the host know and they were very accommodating. We used the hotel valet.
In the future I think I would request either the corner booth or a free floating table. The booth sided table we sat at was very deep, so talking to each other was a bit difficult, plus the family on the left and couple on the right were all up in our conversation.
The food was stellar. I had called ahead to ask on the 240 day dry aged Niman Ranch rib eye and I was told that the chef would decide if he would be cutting any of those that day. I basically took that as a no and got confirmation when we tried to order it. Apparently they are only sitting at 170 – 80 days right now and also trying to stock up for the holidays. I guess that means I need to call back in another 2 months and then figure out how to reserve a cut of this beef. Sigh. Disappointment aside, everything else we had was delicious.
There was an amuse bouche of veggies with a green goddess dressing. Nothing impressive but a nice thought.
We shared the watermelon and heirloom tomato salad with feta. It was simple and light.
We also had to get the bacon board. It was delicious and of course we preferred the fattier/​thicker cut pieces to the thin ones.
We opted for a ½ portion of the oxtail wagyu ravioli as a side instead of the massive portions of veggies I saw rolling out. The pasta was perfect. I could have licked the plate.
Then we shared the dry aged Akaushi rib eye from Heartbrand Ranch 32 oz for 2. I usually shy away from fatty cuts of beef but this was perfectly marbled and had a thin layer of fat around the edges. It was trimmed and sliced very well and I savored every bite.
We shared the pretzel caramel dessert and the carrot cake. The pretzel was amazing. It stole the show. Though I did love the carrot sorbet on the cake! I could have just done with a scoop of that. The cake was rather dry. We also received a small plate of complimentary pastries — one chocolate cookie that was hard as a rock, a lovely mini macaron and a tasty mango jellied chili creation.
We washed everything down with a round of specialty cocktails and then wine — my favorite being the old fashioned– the house made cherries are so good. The sommelier was so friendly and came by a few times to check on us– seeing not only how we were enjoying our wine choice but also how our dinner was. My hubby had mentioned it was my birthday and he made sure to let the rest of the staff know. Nothing crazy happened– just a wee chocolate with Happy Birthday on it and a few well wishes– but who doesn’t like to be told Happy Birthday :)
I will certainly be back. I cannot say enough good things about the service! I’m excited for these elusive holiday cuts they are setting up. See you again Knife– Hopefully soon and when they are slinging those 240 day aged rib eyes.

If you’re looking for a legit steakhouse in Dallas, Knife is your spot! I made reservations and my friend and I were seated immediately after we checked in. Our waiter brought over a basket of bread ranging from sour dough, wheat, pretzel, and a few other different types of bread. I was impressed with their bread selection ha! Waiter was friendly and checked up on our table every five to ten minutes making sure we had bread and drinks at our table at all times.
We started off with the sriracha pork belly, mac and cheese, and creamed spinach. The pork belly was crispy but too salty and the sides were comparable to any other steak house.
For our entrée we decided to order the exotic dry aged Akaushi rib eye. When I took my first bite, I was speechless! The meat was so buttery that it melted in my mouth instantly. This is probably one of the silkiest and flavorful meat that I ever had! This will run you over $ 100 easily but worth every single penny! We split the 32 ounce steak between us two and we still had leftovers…(Recommend to share with 3 – 4 friends)
Before we received our check, our waiter brought over some dessert samples for us. There was macaron, cookie, and a few others. I didn’t think too much about the dessert since my mind was still on the Akaushi rib eye but I appreciated it nonetheless.
Overall, this is a great steakhouse. Appetizers and sides can always be hit or miss but the steak was PERFECT! Service was top notch and even provided us with some pastry to go. If you’re into steaks, the Akaushi is a MUST!

We really really wanted to eat a Knife before chef/​owner/​founder John Tesar grew bored of the concept and decided to move on.
Our birthdays were a perfect time to get fancy and cross another goal (and a tasty one at that) off the list.
Our server brought us a dish of chilled crudités to enjoy while we waited on our appetizer. The vegetable selection was unexpected and delicious — a very nice starter. We split the bacon sampler as an appetizer. Five types of bacon plus bacon jam (our favorite was the thick cut Spanish bacon — meaty with no aftertaste). For our main, we enjoyed the dry aged bone in 28 oz rib eye. It serves two (as you’d expect) and arrived neatly carved and ready for eating. The meat was tender and rich, with intense flavor. It may be the best steak I’ve ever eaten. We had creamed spinach and roasted carrots as sides. The carrots were perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful.
We’d snapped a photo pre dinner and I’d shared it on Twitter. The restaurant noticed, and brought us both birthday desserts of our choice. That’s social media power used for good!
And speaking of good — the dessert was good. Very very good. I ordered the caramel pretzel. That came with a caramel cake and panna cotta ice cream with crumbled pretzels. Yummmmm. Just as yummy was the husband’s order — dark chocolate. That was a chocolate flourless cake, topped with vanilla ice cream and different types of chocolate. I should mention the desserts came with a happy birthday message was actually an edible mint.
I loved the slighly sardonic approach to delivering the bill: It came in an envelope marked «The Damage.» Indeed, dinner wasn’t cheap but it was worth every penny!

For a well over a year, I was confident that Dallas staple Abacus (
) would stay atop my upscale five-​star throne in Dallas indefinitely. All that changed one weekend when I had the pleasure of experiencing both Knife and Gemma, both of which give even Abacus a run for their money.
Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere?
While Knife is on the bottom floor of a hotel, the atmosphere is truly spectacular, with a nice upscale hotel bar (ipads as a menu?) meshing nicely with a formal dining area. Servers are friendly, highly knowledgable, and very professional, and service is extremely quick. Star Granted.
Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost?
While I’m typically a value hawk, which is something that uncommon at establishments with $$ or more, I make exceptions at fine dining establishments so long as the atmosphere and quality match up to what i’m paying. With that in mind, while I often wouldn’t be all too pleased to pay $ 21.00 for wild mushroom risotto, I was fine with it here considering both the quality and what was actually significant quantity. Sure, if you order a top tier steak you’ll fork over $ 50+, but that’s to be expected. Relatively speaking, there’s good value here. Star Granted.
Stars 3 and 4: How was the food?
Risotto is without question one of my favorite dishes out there, and as a result I can be pretty critical of it’s quality and components. I’ll admit at this point that I was a bit hesitant when my dish first came out, and you’ll get an understanding of why when you see the picture below. Why is the risotto a dark blue purpleish color? Why is it all sitting in a pool of broth? This was unusual, but it all came together the second I took the first bite. Wow. Perfectly cooked, wonderfully flavorful, and brought together by the perfect amount of mushrooms, cheese, and what turned out to be flavorful broth. With quality like this I didn’t care what color it was, and I’m pleased to say that this was among the best risotto I’ve had. Dual Stars Granted.
Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could?
I can’t say with confidence that Knife has usurped Abacus as my favorite high end dining option in Dallas, but it certainly matches it trait for trait. I had a wonderful dining experience, would recommend it in a heartbeat, and can say that it is certainly as good as it gets. Star Granted.

Last time wife and I were here, the place was called Paloma… we were driving by from Downtown and decided to check it out now that it serves The Highland Hotel.
First impression is the high-​end ambiance as you walk in. You are met by the hostess and led to a table. Since we did not have a reservation, we decided to sit by the bar, and were attended by the bar tender.
The restaurant was mostly empty since it was on a Monday at around 9 p. m when we visited.
The menu was provided on an iPad. Our waiter/​bar-​tender Tim was friendly and easy-​going and helped us with the menu selection.
For drinks, we ordered the Amaretto Sour, and the Long Island Ice Tea. Wife loved the Amaretto Sour. My Long Island Ice Tea was o.k. nothing too great about it to celebrate.
We then proceeded to the patio. It’s a nice area to hang out with a fireplace and gazebos to sit in.
For the food, we ordered the Steak Tartare and the Magic burger with fries which were DELICIOUS!
We’ll be coming back!

The chance to escape from a 4-​day long conference in Grapevine presented itself, and I knew I had to seize it! From the cocktails, to the bacon sampler appetizer, to the too-​good-​to-​stop truffle-​laced pasta, Knife killed dinner on a chilly weeknight.
Located just off the lobby of The Highland hotel, Knife has a very modern feel to it. There’s a dry-​aging room where you can spy some of the cuts of meat they serve up, and an open kitchen where you can watch the magic happen. There a number of large round booths perfect for groups as well. There’s a great cocktail menu and an extensive wine list, with
Our party of 4 opted to go the family-​style sharing route for dinner, and started our adventure with the bacon tasting (5 different kinds, with bacon jam on the side — a must for any bacon fan!), the sriracha pork belly (served on a steamed bao bun), and the beet salad. Everything was great, but the bacon tasting was the star — I could totally see myself returning just for this and a delicious cocktail.
We followed these up with a 10-​oz filet, which the kitchen sliced for us, the hand-​rolled penne with «black truffle essence,» along with sides of the avocado fries and the «something green & in season,» which just happened to be roasted brussels sprouts and cauliflower. The avocado fries were interesting — a nice crunch on the outside with The star here was the penne — the truffle essence just made it absolutely glorious. Definitely a must-​order.
Even though we were stuffed, we ordered dessert — the caramel pretzel, with liquid caramel cake, dulce panna cotta, and pretzel ice cream. Absolutely delicious, and the perfect way to end the meal.
Service was great, which is a nice change from the Miami dining scene that I’m used to. Prices are a bit on the high side, but to be expected for the quality. With a drink or 2, expect to drop about $ 100 per person. On future visits to Dallas, I’ll definitely plan to return!

Knife is an upscale, modern American steak house that offers dry aged beef, a modern setting, and a creative menu that separates it from other traditional steak houses. Knife is a restaurant I want to go to because it celebrates steak and modernizes it. In a city with so many great steak houses, Knife easily differentiates itself.
My Overall Rating — 5 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — Located in The Highland Hotel (formerly Hotel Palomar), Knife is a modern dining space with an open kitchen. There’s a comfortable waiting area, and like most steak houses expect dim lighting and heavy silverware. You’ll also see a room where the beef is dried, which makes for a great start knowing the quality that’s going into your meal. Make no mistake, the kitchen is the star here, and the dining area purposely runs parallel so you can see/​hear the action. It’s where you want to go to enjoy food. 1 Star.
Service — Great service begins with great knowledge of the menu, and the servers at Knife did a great job explaining the concept of the restaurant. We also received some great tips on how to order (family style) so that our party of six could maximize the menu on our one visit. We did have to give up our table to another reservation later that night, but in fairness to the staff we had been there for 3 hours and they handled it expertly. 1 Star.
Food — Knife easily separates itself from other steakhouses beginning with the appetizers. Yes, there is a Bacon tasting appetizer with bacon from different farms. No grease, just unique flavors of bacon. Honestly it’s still bacon, and you’ll also find a tender pork belly, rich bone marrow, and great salads. I’ll order pork belly when it’s on any menu & Knife did not disappoint. What about the steak? Our bone in rib eye was cut & served family style. It was a pure, robust, yet tender cut that I would order again. But it was upstaged by the lamb, which was a perfect medium rare. No sauce needed on either seared meats, just pure, unadulterated, melt-​in-​your-​mouth grilled perfection. 2 Stars.
Will I Return? — Yes, but hold the bacon tasting. I would easily come back to Knife because it’s a restaurant that celebrates food and ingredients. There are several high-​end, high-​quality steak houses, but Knife chooses to celebrate creativity. 1 Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.