Fearing’s Restaurant

It’s a beautiful venue. My wife and I went there for our anniversary. The food was terrific. We had the foie gras, ribeye and antelope. Its expensive but worth the occasional splurge!

This place is very pretty and not pretentious at all. Our waiter was great and service was overall even better on a large scale. You could really tell that they take service seriously here. That was a huge surprise considering that we were at the Ritz Carlton in Dallas. The soft shell crab was just fantastic. The bread that came with the meal was made in house with very unique combinations like cranberry jalapeño cornbread with honey butter. OHHHH, the honey butter — how I love you!!! We split the White BBQ Glazed Lockhart Quail and Cider Braised Pork Belly with Crispy Iceberg «Wedge», Marfa Tomatoes, Cornbread Croutons, and Mississippi Comeback Dressing and the Maple/​Black Peppercorn Soaked Buffalo Tenderloin on Brazos Valley Jalapeño Grits, Tangle of Greens and
Butternut Squash Taquito with Smoky Chili Aioli. Both were so very good, but the soft shell crab was the show stopper. It was the night’s special and I ate most of it off my client’s plate!!! Keep in mind, portions are large here. The only thing that was odd and not very tasty were the odd chef’s «complementary» shots — black beans with a frothy top in a shot glass– no thanks! The desert «comp» shot was pretty tasty though, coffee with toffee nubs. Yum.

An great dinning experience for our 5 year anniversary! I really enjoyed their veggie tortilla soup and the mocktail with Taijian chilli! The restaurant is beautiful and the servers were very attentive and nice!

It is one of my favorite restaurants in North America. Watch the movie «tortilla soup» then come to Ritz to enjoy Dean Fearing’s tortilla soup with a new level of appreciation. He has the recipe published on his page but I’d rather fly to Dallas to have the soup than attempting it at home. Of course the other items on the menu are remarkable as well.

Right when you walk in the whole place is just so beautiful! Such a romantic setting, lit candles, and dim lights.
My bf & I went here for our 6^th anniversary. Overall it was a good experience. However our service wasn’t as good as I would have expected for a place like this and the money you’re paying. I think because we were the youngest looking couples there that maybe they thought we were just kids? But we barely saw our server, he took quite some time to get to our table to get our order, didn’t even get refills for drinks, and when he dropped off our check he didn’t say a word to us. So that was a little disappointing.
Another server saw our faces and I guess he knew we were a little upset with our service. He started a conversation with us asking about our dinner etc. he was so nice that he made us leave feeling good about dinner. Wish we could’ve had him as our server.
But don’t get me wrong, the food was spectacular! I got the pan seared George’s bank scallops and my bf had the steak. Everything was so good! Just wished we had a Better first experience

Wow. This place is amazing. Dined here while visiting from NYC and it exceeded all expectations. I had the buffalo tenderloin which was cooked to perfection. For dessert I chose the banana pudding. SO.GOOD. The menu was only a week old so there were several complementary tasters sent out to our table. Also got a gift bag of mini brownies to go!
The chef came out and was genuinely hospitable and keen to answer any questions we had. It is pretty expensive (main course averages $ 50) but it is so worth it.
If you’re going to Dallas, you must eat here!

The outdoor space is ideal for a business gathering or a large group of friends. Private bar, fireplace, multiple seating options and great service. It is easy to transition into the private dining space next to the terrace. The meal was a hit with the crowd, inventive, diverse and delicious.

Well… The food is great and I really, really wanted to love Fearing’s but… We had an 8:00 reservation and didn’t get seated till 9:15. I understand being a little late but an hour an fifteen minutes from your reservation time? Since I was already weary of time I decided to set the watch and see how long till someone greeted us at the table– 18 minutes of us sitting along and finally the waiter came by with water. My girlfriend ordered a drink, I asked to see a wine list and we also ordered the meal. We had finished the second course and my girlfriend still did not have the drink she ordered and I had yet to see the wine list. I finally went up to the bar and paid for one there and then found the waiter to tell him. He said he’d bring another one on him but by then it seemed like a very hollow gesture. While the food was fantastic I can see why they never get that top star that places like FT33 and Lucia earn– the service and execution kills them. The Ritz is known to have amazing service, but Fearing’s service was less in tune with the Ritz excellence and more like a waiter at chili’s whose a week on the job with 50 top. The amount of fine dining choices in Dallas is high and I can’t see Fearing’s cropping up on my return list ever. I’d save your money and go to Perry’s, FT33, Hibiscus, or Abacus instead.

Ok so let me be the first to say that I have been here for lunch and had a fabulous experience. This review is based on Valentines Day dinner last night. V-​Day has got to be one of the busiest nights of the year, and my husband and I usual stay in, but it fell on a weekend so he booked reservations a while ago. Now when you come to a place where you are spending well over $ 60 per person to eat you expect not only the food to be perfection, but the service as well, the short of the long is they fell short.
We arrived early for our reservation and were promptly seated by the friendly hostess in a fabulous dress. The room was filled with couples enjoying dinner, which is standard, but I also noticed a lot of waitstaff running around aimlessly, along with some managers who were trying to help handle the load. It was quite chaotic. We were offered a drink menu and the bread basket. The bread was AMAZING! I haven’t had a carb in a month and a half and it was well worth the splurge. I honestly should have ordered another round of the jalapeño bacon cornbread and cheese crackers, yum! I decided on the Peppercorn Soaked Buffalo Tenderloin on Jalapeño Grits while my husband opted for the Wagyu Beef Fillet and Chicken Fried Maine Lobster. Our main waiter told us they were excellent choices and some of his favorite, I always like to get insight as to what they enjoy.
Within 15 minutes two plates came out by someone who was not our waiter. She dropped the plates on the table and turned around to walk away. Um whaaaaaaaaat? I was a little put off by this and she seemed annoyed when I called her back to tell her that my husbands order was not correct. She said it was, that they were both buffalo. They looked great, but one was not what he ordered. She took up both plates and said she would bring back the correct order with another Buffalo dish for me so that we could eat at the same time. Ahhh, yes that would be great, it is Valentines Day after all. Five minutes after the drop off a different waiter came to deliver two more dishes, both buffalo. He was more pleasant when my husband told him he ordered the Wagyu Beef w/​Maine Lobster, not the Buffalo.
At this point Dean Fearing is making the rounds which was pretty cool to see. He is quite pleasant, and asked if we had any questions about the menu. He tried to corral the waitstaff who at this point were returning incorrect dishes from slightly annoyed patrons. It was quite chaotic, and honestly one of the reasons for the rating. 20 minutes later our food came out, FINALLY! Now the only criticism I have about my dish is that my meat was a little overcooked, but still delicious. I could have eaten those jalapeño grits all day long, they were superb, and honestly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, and this northern gal really isn’t into grits! My husband found his beef to be way overcooked, and the lobster to be a little on the salty and greasy side which was a real shame, as he was looking forward to this for months. He was underwhelmed :(
Will I come back, yes, for lunch. It’s a lot more calm, relaxed, and the people watching is much better during the day ;).

A great restaurant for a special occasion or even just a nice dinner date. Ambiance is cozy and elegant. We started with the tortilla soup and it was delicious. The surf and turf and shrimp/​lobster enchiladas were also fabulous. The restaurant manager and the wait staff were friendly and attentive. Would definitely go back! Worth a visit if you’re in the Uptown Dallas area.

Incredibly outstanding brunch, all four of us raved about the tastes of our entrees, Granny Fearing’s Paper Bag Shook Fried Chicken, Wagyu Flank Steak and Dr. Pepper Braised Short Ribs. Dean’s Bloody Marys were served in glasses appropriately, with a western boot with flaming racing emblems. Tasty with zip.
Wait service was flawless.

Came here several time for brunch and we always get seated pretty quickly. Love that on a Sunday because I hate having to wait. Service is always impeccable. Bloody Mary’s are strong! :) food is what I expect from a restaurant like this. Oh I LOVE their bread basket. I have a hard time stopping myself from eating way too much before the food comes. The only thing I can complain about is the cold stone bathrooms. Maybe it was just super cold that day!

Since the very first time I visited Fearing’s over a year ago and received extremely slow and unprofessional service from the hostess, each and every other time I’ve gone since, its gotten better and better. The wait time to get a table during our reservation time has improved and the new hostesses they have at the front desk are a lot friendlier and professional. I’m so happy about this because Fearing’s food is so phenomenal, that my fiancé’ and I frequent the restaurant a few times a month, but I was almost turned off completely from this restaurant.
As far as the service inside of the restaurant, it’s great. The waiters are very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. It doesn’t hurt either that almost every time we’ve come here, Dean Fearing’s himself made his way to our table. He is extremely personal and loves to make his diners feel right at home.
I appreciate the fact that the menu changes here so often. Each time I’ve come, I’ve ordered something different, and its all been stellar. I can’t imagine a more eclectic plate of food that have so many different flavors that I could have ever dreamed of pairing together. But, aside from all of the great food, there’s nothing better than being able to make slight substitutions without the kitchen saying no. This is how you know that you’re dealing with top chefs when you can request for substitutions and they get it right without any hesitation whatsoever.
From the delicious cornbread muffins, to the broiled oysters, to the chicken fried lobster, to the amazing desserts, to the iced carrot cake, my love for Fearing’s grows stronger each time I sit to partake in an adventurous meal.
Fearing’s is by far my favorite fine dining restaurant. But, even though its considered fine dining, it’s the last thing but stuffy. It’s good food of huge portions, with big smiles from the wait staff. My taste buds are in love!

I’m a Fearing’s loyalist, but I’m glad this wasn’t my first visit. Only the Amuse Bouche was pure Fearing’s. A penny-​size quince was mildly sweet against savory from the celery root cream and unmistakable horseradish finish. Unfortunately my bouche was not as amuse by the rest of the meal. My ribeye was thinner than I expected and chewy. The «mop sauce» was salty as though it had been over reduced. Creamy Cornbread pudding was under seasoned and certainly not creamy. Crispy Asparagus was fried tempura-​style and oily. My dining companion had salmon (two small pieces) with three small lemon ricotta ravioli and (very little) butternut squash cream. It was tasty overall but had no real flavor, although snap peas and radishes that accompanied it were delicious — bright, crunchy and really flavorful. Barbequed Blue Point oysters on a bed of creamed spinach (Rockafearing style) almost shocked me. My oyster was chewy and the creamed spinach was soggy and bland. I hoped dessert would be a home run. It wasn’t. Banana pudding was ok but didn’t have much banana flavor. Bananas Foster sauce was grainy and the beignets were too sugary. The entire meal was ok, just not at the level you’d expect at Fearing’s. Having said all that, I will definitely go back. The food I’ve had in the past has been spectacular, but this was a three star meal with a five star check.

Brunch or Dinner? Both are top notch experiences and rate among the top in Dallas.
Dinner is always a great experience starting with the service which doesn’t disappoint at all. Food is exactly what you expect Classic Dean/​Southwest flare with a ton of elegance. Buffalo, Pheasant, Steak are always a good choice as is the seared fois gras.
Brunch– Good luck finding a better menu from Granny’s Fried Chicken to the endless stack of pancakes it’s a treat.

This place is trying to convey it is a five star restaurant but it behaves like a three star.
The service is ameturish, no one knew the wines, they bring the food way too fast and try to rush you (we were there 45 minutes when they brought the check!), they hand the menu to you before you even sit down and are struggling taking off your coat, they don’t refill water, they leave the huge wine glasses on the table, etc.
I had a delicious appletini, with this dark red cherry on the bottom. I don’t think there was any vodka tho!
The lobster that comes with the wagyu steak was our favorite dish. It also had a spinach enchilada that I enjoyed, The steak was served very rare despite asking for it medium rare and the server stating «they cook to perfection». Uh no, it was cold in middle.
The tortilla soup was very delicious. We both enjoyed it and they split it for us; but, it wasn’t so special, that I would order it again.
We also had a sampler plate of crab cakes, lobster tacos (could only taste the guacamole) and the short rib enchiladas. All good, not great
We flew in from New York City and so we are used to excellent dining and in NYC i woild give this place three stars, in Dallas I think it gets four stars, but it needs some major fine tuning.

There is a reason Dean Fearing is a rock star five star chef! From the first dish to the last it was one mouth-​watered WOW after another. Can I just say the Carpaccio was breathtaking! Literally! I feel like any words I might add wouldn’t be sufficient to describe this delight of all senses. This dish alone made up for the 45 minute wait past our reservation! The Fearing Margarita was so delicious, you’d think he was the inventor behind this Southwest classic. My out of town guest wanted to try the Elk Corny Dogs while we waited. I’d pass in the future — although an interesting turn on Fletchers classic — I think my recent visit to the State Fair worked against me. Of course the Tortilla Soup is a must to order, (like having a corny dog at the Fair) but our server didn’t let us know there was a cup size available. The bowl was a meal in itself but we wanted to try it all!
When Dean Fearing walked up to the table and greeted us I was shocked. It’s like having an introduction to Adam Levine (well in the foodie world). He was friendly, engaging, talked to us about our selections (the lamb and the buffalo) which was a down home touch that impressed my guest.
The buffalo is above and beyond. If it’s stays on the menu make that your choice. As the man himself said, «You’ll never have buffalo like this anywhere.» He did not understate this elegant exceptional tenderloin.

Fearing’s is located in the Ritz, which is (surprisingly to me) a pretty happening place to be, not stuffy at all as you might expect for such a fancy hotel. We arrived early and had drinks at the bar in front of the restaurant, which was bustling with people, many dressed pretty casually, having likely just come from watching college football. We had been a bit worried about the dress code, but my bf was fine in jeans and a button up shirt (no coat), however I would personally recommend dressing up a bit, as it is a nice place.
The chef, Dean Fearing, known as «the father of Southwestern cuisine» has a show on the Food Network and opened Fearing’s after 20 years as the executive chef at The Mansion at Turtle Creek. Mr. Fearing himself was roaming around the restaurant the night that we dined, and stopped by the table more than once to make sure we were enjoying our meals. I definitely appreciate the personal attention that he gives the restaurant, rather than just lending it his name as some chefs do.
The meal started off with a complimentary bread basket, which is worth mentioning because the mini jalapeño corn muffins were amazing. There was an assortment of other breads in the basket, but don’t mess around with those and go straight for the corn muffins.
Next came an amuse bouche — a coconut shooter — although I don’t think it’s meant to be «shot». Sip it slowly, and enjoy the rich flavor.
For a starter, I had the foie gras with figs, which was a very generous sized, perfectly seared, piece of foie. Delicious. I enjoyed the fig accompaniment, as the sweet flavor from the fig complemented the foie perfectly. My bf had the oysters, which to his surprise were completely fried (they are described on the menu as «crispy»). Not a bad thing, but just be aware. They were served with barbecue sauce, which is that Southwestern flair that Fearing brings to these traditional American dishes. Definitely something different, and worth trying.
By the time the mains came out, I was already nearing the point of being full from the corn muffins (I admit I had two. or three) and foie, but dove right into my scallops. I usually shy away from ordering scallops since I find the portions to be rather small, but that was not the case here. The scallops were very large and served with calamari, polenta, and vegetables — a very hearty meal to say the least. While very flavorful, the scallops were a bit on the salty side, my only complaint about them. The calamari weren’t my favorite — a bit limp and not quite crispy enough — but I had plenty of other food on my plate.
Funny story — my bf ordered the buffalo and his uncle ordered the wagyu beef with chicken fried lobster — and they mixed up the order, which no one noticed until we were all done eating. Both were very happy with their meals, so no harm, no foul!
For dessert (not that we needed more food), we had the carrot cake and banana pudding — both of which were nice sized desserts, beautifully presented, and very good. Good but not «must gets» so if you are full, don’t feel the need to push yourself to eat a dessert.
After dinner, we headed to the outdoor patio next to the restaurant for an after dinner drink, to find another very happening scene. I guess the Ritz is the place to be on a Saturday night — who knew?

We were very excited to visit Fearing’s for my wife’s birthday. We were looking forward to a unique dining experience and memorable flavors.
We found Fearing’s atmosphere to be very pleasant and the service was excellent. They even brought us a surprise cake since it was my wife’s birthday.
We were somewhat disappointed with the food. At $ 50 an entre, I expect to be blown away by the flavors. The food was just average. They could use more creativity at this place.
We will be going elsewhere to satisfy our fine food cravings.

Sooooo good!!! Stuck with all the signature dishes and they were all incredible. The tortilla soup was the best soup I’ve ever eaten. Thick and creamy, with an array of flavors and textures that blended seamlessly. The shrimp taco appetizer was also delicious.
For entrees I had the filet and fried lobster. Amazing! Practically licked the plate (mostly for those potatoes). This has been bookmarked for almost 7 years, glad we finally made it. Perfect meal.

QUICK HIT (Must Go vs. Consider Checking It Out vs. Pass/Don’t Bother): Consider Checking It Out!
In short, I was impressed with Fearing’s Restaurant. How could I not be when the chef, Dean Fearing (great guy), visited our table (and every table for that matter) to ensure we were comfortable and having an enjoyable dining experience. Due to the upscale atmosphere (though not pretentious), excellent food, and mostly spot on service, I would definitely consider Fearing’s for a special occasion when trying to choose among the several excellent Dallas dining establishments.
Tips:
–Located at the Ritz-​Carlton
–You will be valet parking unless you live in Uptown and in walking distance (street parking is within 0.2−0.4 miles though scarce)
–Most folks in the restaurant were dressed in business casual to business formal attire
–Each table receives a basket of in-​house baked breads. All were delicious.
–Appetizer price range $ 14 – 30
–Entrée price range $ 40 – 65
–Dessert price range $ 10 – 12
–Portion size is excellent and appropriate for cost
The new menu is excellent — great variety, New American/​Southwestern cuisine, approachable.
What I ordered:
–Lobster Coconut Bisque with Lobster Pot Sticker and Ginger Sizzling Rice — Phenomenal. I wanted three bowls. Seriously. Recommend splitting with someone else at the table.
–Flash Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Texas Honey/​Lavender Glaze
on French Toast Biscuit with Caramelized Black Mission Figs — Also, excellent. Great combination. Not gamey. Even non-​foie lovers would likely enjoy this.
A Bar N Ranch Wagyu Beef Filet and Chicken Fried Maine Lobster
on ‘Loaded’ Whipped Potatoes and Soft Spinach Taco with Smoked Tomato Gravy — Another winner. Both cooked as asked. Good flavor.
Dark Chocolate Stack with Sour Cherries and Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream — Unique. Flavors meshed well. Probably the best dessert on the current menu.
Service:
Service overall was very friendly and prompt. At times, however, the service was a bit too casual (which is fine with me, but others may expect a bit more attentiveness). Very little time between courses, but the waiter did take about 15 minutes after seating to obtain our drink orders. Sommelier was supposedly present but unsure if he made it to our table.
Overall, I had an excellent dining experience at Fearing’s and would not hesitate to come again.

Took couple of important guests from overseas.
Summary.
1. Food was horrible, everything was WAYYYY TOOOO SALTY.
2. Service was slow/​bad.
The food was one of the worst i’ve ever had in Dallas. This includes, not only 4 star or above fancy restaurants but just a normal everyday type of restaurant… It was just awful. Everything was salty; from the salad to the main…
The servers were bad. they were not being particularly rude or anything but they just didn’t do their job… Had to wait for like 5 minutes or more for a water refill and beer took ten minutes etc etc etc…
Will NEVER RECOMMEND OR GO BACK.

I have eaten at many good restaurants and Fearing’s is one the best. Hands down! Everything from start to finish was seasoned perfectly, beautifully presented, and priced reasonably. The service was phenomenal and the cocktails creative. I highly recommend going here.

We only went for Dessert, but it was amazing!
Staff was very attentive. Only bad thing is you have to valet.
We tried 5 or 6 desserts and split them among 4 or us. The waitress brought over several wines to pair with our deserts free of charge. Overall great experience!

It’s a complete package! The waiter calls you by your last name throughout the entire evening and is very quick on drinks. The margarita was interesting and strong. I only needed one :) The mojito lacked a little bit for me. (I think it was missing some agave.) My husband enjoyed it though.
We didn’t order an appetizer but we did enjoy two good size meals. I had the chicken fried lobster with a mini filet. The chicken fried lobster was fried to perfection. It was a light golden brown and the crust adhered nicely. I was surprised the lobster was still incredibly tender. The filet was flavorful and cooked to my liking. I had the jalapeño corn bread pudding as a side and ohhh my was it delish! It was moist and full of spicy jalapeño. The mashed potatoes were nothing special… sadly they needed salt and pepper. Everything else was seasoned well. My husband ordered the buffalo tenderloin which was cooked to a nice medium. It had a really nice texture and flavor.
My only complaint is that they were not very good with scheduling. We had a reservation for 7:45 and were not seated until 8:15. This was probably only really bothersome because we were starving and didn’t want to drink on empty stomachs.
I would recommend this place for something different. I would say it’s American with a Tex-​Mex fusion. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but you can come fancy or casual.

On the Dallas Eater 38 List (as of 6÷29÷15)
Located in the Ritz Carlton, Fearing’s is definitely one of the most upscale/​classy restaurants that I’ve been to in Dallas, and I’d highly recommend business casual attire at the minimum when coming for dinner. I had on my usual work outfit (shirt, jeans, Onitsuka Tigers) and felt underdressed, but no one makes you feel uncomfortable about it. I was able to make dinner reservations for a party of 3 the day of, for a Thursday night at 6:30pm. They had an event that night so the patio area was closed off, but there was no impact to the service for the dining room. We were seated right when we arrived, and we tried:
–Complimentary Bread Basket (w/​Cheese Crackers, Jalapeño Corn Muffins, Focaccia?,
): Delicious– I liked the cheese crackers the best, which tasted like the sophisticated version of a Cheez-​It. The jalapeño corn muffins were also good, and the least favorite was just the focaccia, or sliced bread since it was plain.
–Complimentary Thai Coconut Melon Soup w/​Crystallized Ginger (
): Interesting, and my coworkers and I couldn’t quite decide if we liked or disliked it. Well, 1 disliked it and myself and the other coworker were borderline like.
–Tsukiji Market Yellowtail Hamachi Duo (Sashimi w/​Yuzu Aioli, Citrus Shoyu &
Miso Marinated Broiled Collar w/​Pepper Jelly, Charred Shishito, $ 26,
): Delicious, and highly recommended if you love hamachi kama. They give you a gigantic portion of the hamachi kama, and the glaze on it was really good. The sashimi was also really fresh.
–Sampler: Jumbo Lump Crabcakes on Tomatillo/​Corn Salsa,
Barbecued Short Rib Enchilada w/​Queso Fundido, Two Bite Lobster Tacos w/​Avocado Relish, $ 25,
): Just ok– the crabcakes were my favorite in the sampler, and they were solid. The enchilada and tacos were very average, and not memorable– I wouldn’t order this dish again.
–Wagyu Beef Filet & Chicken Fried Maine Lobster on Loaded Whipped Potatoes & Soft Spinach Taco w/​Smoked Tomato Gravy ($ 55,
): Pretty good! The filet was solid, although not spectacular, but the chicken friend lobster was good, and definitely something that I’ve never had before. I loved that they served it as a split entrée for us, and it was a huge portion! I liked the whipped potatoes, which were creamy and flavorful, but the spinach taco was on the bland side.
–Seared Sea Scallops & Jonah Crab w/​Ricotta Crispy Leek on Sunchoke Purée w/​Morel Mushrooms, House Cured Bacon, English Peas, Kumquat Marmalade ($ 46,
): Yum! I tried some of my coworker’s dish, and the scallops were cooked perfectly. I liked this dish more than the beef filet since the ingredients worked better together. Recommended!
–Complimentary Mango Limeade Shooter (
): Yum– this was a great palate refresher.
–Banana Pudding w/​Homemade Vanilla Wafers, Toasted Meringue, Bananas Foster Sauce & Warm Beignets ($ 10,
): The beignets stole the show here, and they were my favorite component of the dessert. The banana pudding was also good, but it’s really hard to beat the version from Hard Eight. However, I’d still recommend this dessert if you’re a beignet lover (although this version isn’t fluffy like the ones from Café du Monde, the chewiness really works with the sauce).
–Chocolate Coffee Toffee Pudding Cake w/​Baileys Crème Anglaise, Chocolate Covered Pretzels ($ 10,
): This is a good dessert for a chocolate lover! I liked the pudding cake a lot, but the flavor of Baileys was a little too strong for my liking. I wish we had asked for the anglaise on the side, as I really liked the dessert without it. Recommended!
I thought it was a nice touch that Chef Fearing comes out to greet each and every table, which really added to the ambiance. The service itself was interesting– definitely attentive, but I thought it was a bit strange that they had so many different people bring you your dishes. Overall, this is definitely a pricey meal, but worth it for a special occasion or business dinner. Parking is horrible around here but valet is available.

We came here for Valentine’s day and had a great night. Fearing’s is located near the entrance of the beautiful Ritz. You can either valet or find nearby parking uptown (which can be difficult if you’re not familiar with the area). We were seated promptly when we arrived 10 minutes prior to our reservation time. The waiters were all dressed in this weird rainbow-​colored untucked button-​down shirt, not real sure what they’re going for with that outfit.
They had a special prix fixe menu for Valentine’s day so we ordered one of those and then ordered 3 courses off the regular menu. We tried 7 dishes, some of which we loved and some of which we weren’t too fond of. They also gave us 2 different amuse-​bouches, one was some type of fried oyster dish which was delicious and the other was a tomato bisque shooter which was just average.
1) Duo of seared foie gras and diver scallop gratin: This was the best course of the night and was stunning in both presentation and taste. My girlfriend was essentially having a foodgasm, embarrassing us both! (j/​k about that last part) Both the foie and scallops were perfectly cooked with great texture and flavor. It’s worth every penny and I would come back for this dish alone.
2) Wagyu beef strip loin with green beans and foie gras/​black truffle hollandaise: This was perfectly cooked to medium rare with a beautiful sauce. The beef was both flavorful and tender. Definitely the highlight of the V-​day special menu.
3) Double chocolate strawberry parfait: They were kind enough to give us a dessert plate for both of us even though we had told them we could just share one. This was definitely the better of the 2 desserts (the passion fruit cupcake was just average) and we both devoured it. A perfect ending to a great meal.
4) Maple/​black peppercorn buffalo tenderloin: This had a great gamey taste and though cooked well, it ate a bit dry and could have used more sauce. There was a lot of stuff on the plate including some sort of weird enchilada or taquito, which felt out of place. Overall, the buffalo was tasty but the dish was a bit disjointed.
5) Fettuccine with lobster: The lobster was good but I think they skimped a bit. A bit more lobster meat would have made the dish a lot better. The pasta also ate a bit too dry and some more sauce would have likely made the dish better.
6) Sampler of crab cake, short rib enchilada and bite-​size lobster taco: I thought the lobster taco was the best of the 3. The crab cake was just OK but nothing that stands out; this is coming from someone who has eaten a lot of crab cakes around the country. The short rib enchilada was extremely heavy and over-​seasoned. It contrasted well with the light lobster taco but I definitely had to reach for my water glass after eating this.
7) Artichoke bisque with caviar: This was average at best. Maybe it just wasn’t my thing, but I’ve definitely tasted a lot better soups. This was the one dish that we left unfinished.
Overall, this was a great meal even if a bit inconsistent. Fearing’s is relatively pricey even for fine dining restaurants so expect to pay a pretty penny for the meal.

I am giving Fearing’s 4 stars primarily because of the service. I don’t think the food quite lived up to the restaurant’s reputation. This isn’t to say the food wasn’t good, it was very good. But, I had heard from more than one person that this was THE place to eat a steak in Dallas. Also, given the price, I was expecting more. Perhaps it was built up too much. But, like I said, the food was very good, 3 star worthy, so let’s get into it.
We had reservations for 7:30 on a Saturday night. We arrived a little early and had a drink at the bar. Our table was ready right on time. We were immediately approached by a server to take drink orders. When we told him we were interested in having some wine, he sent the sommelier over. We dealt with him a few times during the evening, he was fantastic, had great recommendations, and was friendly. He added a lot to our experience, he’s an asset to the restaurant.
We started with the crispy BBQ bluepoint oysters and the appetizer sampler. The oyster was large and the breading was thin and seasoned well. It had bacon, which is never a bad thing. The appetizer sampler comes with 2 small crabcakes, 2 small lobster tacos with avocado relish, and a BBQ short rib enchilada. There were three of us dining, so it was annoying to find the size of the appetizer. We felt like the server should have warned us that it was a small sampler, so we could have ordered a second. So, we had to cut the enchilada into thirds, and cut the crabcakes and tacos in half. Of the appetizers, the crabcake was the best. It was sufficiently crispy and had a lot of crab, but wasn’t overly cakey. The worst was the lobster taco. I wouldn’t order this appetizer again.
To eat, I had the ribeye, which is served with corn bread pudding, crispy fried asparagus, and topped with mop sauce, which is basically a thin molasses based BBQ sauce. The corn bread pudding was served in a cast iron skillet which kept the dish hot the entire meal. But, it also burned the bottom. The dish was nice and sweet, it was liked by all at the table, except for the burnt pieces. The asparagus was fried crispy, and cooked perfectly. It still had some snap, but wasn’t overcooked. The steak was good, but it was just that: good. It wasn’t a $ 58 steak, which is what the dish cost. The mop sauce was all over the steak. I probably should have asked for it on the side, as I like to taste the beef, I usually don’t use sauces. This mop sauce was classic in flavor, but it didn’t add to the steak. It overpowered the steak. Again, I should have asked for it on the side.
My dining companions each ordered the chicken fried lobster, and I was given a sample. This was good, the lobster kept its succulence, so it wasn’t overcooked. The breading was crispy and adhered well to the lobster. This was a delicious dish, I regretted not getting it.
We had some dessert wine after our meal, which meant another visit from the somm. More great recommendations after our meal. Also, as many diners note, Dean Fearing walks around the dining room and stops by each table. He was super friendly and talked with us about each dish. Not only what we ordered, but why he constructed the dish. That was very interesting. It was great talking with him.
Overall, I enjoyed the evening and would return. But, like I said, I don’t think it lived up to its considerable hype.