Abacus

12/10/09

great place

by StrongMD at Citysearch

The service is great. The food is wonderful. The people are friendly. What else?

• Pros: The menu is great
• Cons: none.

10/14/08

Eclectic five-star dining in a stylish atmosphere on McKinney.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
The open layout includes plush indigo carpets, champagne-colored walls and burnt-orange ceilings, creating an urbane and chic canvas. Miro-inspired fabrics cloak semicircular booths. Fresh orchids, sexy lighting and noise-effacing fabrics make for intiate dining, even on a packed Monday night.

The Food
Lobster-scallion shooters are a signature; fried lobster dumpling and warm red chili-coconut sake sauce, downed in one shot. The ahi tuna roll is presented in a beautiful yin-yang pattern. Corvina sea bass on vegetable couscous excels; the crisp outer edge and delicate meat sing with chive oil and crisp vegetables. Beef with lemongrass is spicy and sensuous, marrying skinny rice noodles with chili-basted prawns and asparagus. Mac and cheese with truffle oil and prosciutto is mandatory.

06/18/08

Great food and service

by scarletmars at Citysearch

I called for a last minute reservation for an hour later. The hostess asked if it was for a special occasion and it was for my husband's birthday. We were seated promptly and the waiter was very nice. We had the lobster shooters (which are ok) but the Duck 3 ways was the best dish I've ever had. I would go there just to eat that (but I just saw on their new menu that they don't have it). even my husband who hates duck, loved it. It's been awhile since we were there so i don't remember what the entrees were but i know we had no problems with them. the service was attentive. then they bought out a free dessert for my husband's birthday and also they printed a menu with "happy birthday Kevin" on it with Trey's signature(he was the chef who was on Top Chef). I thought it was a very nice touch, since a month before we went to Shinsei, where the other Top Chef contestant works, and it was such a horrible experience.

• Pros: great food, great waitstaff
• Cons: it's pricey, but not for fine dining

05/30/08

Great food, good service

by mkwright4 at Citysearch

This was a very solid dining experience. We had several appetizers, including some interesting salads and really good foie gras. The steak I had was very tasty, with a truffle mashed potato that was good, but the texture wasn't quite where I'd want it. Their lamb was out of this world and the other sides were top notch.

Service was very good, if once or twice a little inattentive. But nothing we had any problems with. Great help with the wine -- they actually gave us a bit better bottle for the same price as the one I ordered. It all made for a very nice night out and highly recommended.

• Pros: Great food, with a few outstanding highlights
• Cons: Pricey

02/28/08

The best in Dallas

by br549007 at Citysearch

My wife and I ventured to Abacus after seeing Trey on Top Chef. It was an instant for winner for us. We especially loved their nine course wine pairing, which was phenomenal. We love it considering it is high end, the food is fantastic and we can dress to the nines if we want, but we can also dress down a bit as well. This is one of our staples when we want to be pampered.

01/12/08

Old Standby

by wjbii at Citysearch

My wife and I have been going for many years and it is always good. We have never been disappointed here. Of course you have to get the Lobster shooters.

• Pros: Consistantly great
• Cons: far from home

11/03/07

Wonderful evening!

by lexxi71 at Citysearch

We're new to the area and our favorite thing to do is to go out to eat. This restaurant was recommended from our waiter at Truluck's (which I don't recommend) who used to be a concierge. I always look up a restaurant before I go and read the reviews. I have to confirm that it was sensational! We usually go to five star rated restaurants as well as the other reviewer and I don't know what she's talking about when she says, in so many words, that it doesn't live up to it's reputation. The ambience was elegant, the server was knowledgeable and very discreet, and the food was delicious. We had the Sunday roll for appetizer. As a lady, one of the things I hate about sushi is that the pieces are too big for my mouth and it's usually hard to cut the pieces. I could cut these pieces in half with a fork with ease and put it in my mouth and actually enjoy it and feel like the lady that I am instead of looking like I'm eating a golf ball. My husband ordered the recommended ribeye with blue cheese, and since I believe you should always order something different so you can try more of the menu, I ordered the seabass. Both were presented well and very, very good. The meat was tender and juicy and the seabass was light and filling. Neither needed more seasoning which is always a sign of a good cook. The atmosphere was not too loud and it felt like we could talk without the table next to us hearing our conversation. Even though we were sat in the corner, we didn't feel like we were apart from the restaurant and forgotten about. I definitely recommend Abacus for an elegant evening knowing that you're going to get what you pay for.

• Pros: The ambience and the food
• Cons: Had to rely on server for descriptions of Sushi rolls so you couldn't read, visualize, and ponder

08/29/07

Great food

by fireman77 at Citysearch

So my future wife and I venture out to this restaurant. I'm thinking this is a bit of a pretentious place, and as we enter the restaurant a whole sleu of people walk out so I guess I"m designated the door man for the time being. We arrive about 30 minuts earlier than our reservation, and we are PROMPTLY seated. Kudos for that. I end up ordering the crab cakes, which are to die for. Not overly dry and REAL crab meat. I have the filet medium rare, and I gotta say, it's one of the better filets I've had in the DFW area. Dessert I had the banana bread pudding. Was not too sweet just right. I would venture out there again.

• Pros: Excellent food, host staff
• Cons: Getting into trouble with the Mrs., Then the waiter giving me cain for getting into it with the Mrs, Not his business

07/28/07

WOW

by laury4201 at Citysearch

My hunnie took me to Abacus for my birthday this week, and I have to admit I was skeptical of the place. I personally avoid restaurants like Abacus simply because they tend to be pretentious and the staff is usually snobby.

When we got there, our table was not ready despite having made reservations. However, they were extremely busy, so we had a drink at the bar and let it slide.

We were seated and our waiter was promptly at our table, politely and professionally offering us drinks, menus, and suggestions. We took his suggestions and ordered all of our food then and there.

My first course was the Asian spring salad with crab meat. Words cannot describe the flavors in this dish, but let me just tell you I don't even eat shellfish. I loved this dish so much I ended up getting TWO of these salads (long story, you will see).

My boyfriend ordered the lobster shooters and they were good, but in comparison to my salad, they couldn't hold a candle.

My entree was the halibut special of the evening. When the waiter came by to check on our food, I had to tell him that I was not terribly impressed by it. He immediately offered to replace the dish and was practically begging me to choose something else off the menu. He promised it would be at my table in 3 minutes. I laughed and told him that it was really fine, that I would eat it, but it didn't tickle my tastebuds as the salad had. As he walked away, he was obviously distraught by the fact that I wasn't crazy about my dish.

In 5 minutes, the manager was at our table, removing my halibut and asking what they could replace it with. I had loved the salad so much that I asked for another, and in 30 seconds there was another one on my plate.

Bottom line is, if you don't like your food at Abacus and you don't tell them, then you deserve to be disappointed because you didn't give them a chance to fix it. This was the single best dining experience we've ever had, and we will definitely be back.

• Pros: Amazing staff and service, food equally as good
• Cons: *Extremely* loud if they are busy, which is probably all the time

08/09/06

Refined dining in a comfortable setting

by dubyavee at Citysearch

I've been to Abacus several times over the last few years and every time we've been very impressed with the outstanding food and service. The really incredible thing about dining at Abacus is that the standards are so high for the most important aspects of any dining experience, yet the atmosphere can be almost casual. The restaurant is appropriate for anyone seeking either a formal dining experience or for someone just wanting a nice dinner without having to get "dressed up". Either way fits into the relaxed yet reserved style of Abacus easily.

The Lobster shooters are obviously a signature but a new dish the last time there really blew me away, Duck Three Ways is quite simply one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere. If you like Sushi the Tuna Tartar with jalapenos is wonderful. Personal favorite is the Blue Cheese crusted Ribeye, but the Venison is also outstanding.

As for the service, I am consistently greeted cheerfully and made to feel very welcome even on exceptionally busy evenings. The wait staff is very attentive without being obtrusive. I've also noticed that very seldom is there any turnover in the waitstaff, these people are intimate with the details of providing excellent service and helping the guest to order the best possible meal. The restaurant is attractive and modern in its design and the atmosphere makes it easy to relax.

Overall, Abacus is the best restaurant in Dallas if you like great food and excellent service. I would highly recommend Abacus to anyone and have done so on several occasions. I do recommend going when it is not Restaurant Week though. The crowds can be overwhelming and can even cause some understandable delay in getting seated, and the atmosphere is diminished somewhat by the noise of so many people enjoying themselves.