50 Best American Restaurants in Waco

“This is a gem in Waco. Food you can't find anywhere else, and executed at a level no other restaurant is doing in Waco. This is hopefully going to set the tone for chefs in Waco to realize that high class food, presentation, and flavor development are important! We loved every minute of our meal, the atmosphere, and small touches that made this meal the best in Waco!

This is a Michelin star caliber meal. You have all the eclectic ingredients, and the talent to reach the upper echelon of restaurants. I enjoyed every part of this meal, and the little touches like decor, silverware, and drink ware were unparalleled. It felt like New York City in Waco Texas and I am in love. Keep pushing the envelope with your menu, and I can't wait to come back as well as see where you go!

Kid-friendliness: Leave the kids at home for this one! Date night!“

“A bit of a wait but so well worth it. Our server told us they were short staffed but indeed did her absolute best and made sure we never needed to top our drinks off, made sure our meals were to our liking and did it all with a bright sincere and pleasant smile. Well enjoy this restaurant, the food, the fabulous eye candy set up and the incredible dessert.

Highly recommended if you travel through Waco. You won’t be disappointed.“

“The views were great and the food was delicious. The atmosphere was cozy.

Service could have been better. We ordered appetizers and they took long to get us small plates for them. They also forgot an entree for one of us in the party and had to rush the order.“

“Perfection. Excellent menu“

“I live just outside of Waco and Cafe Homestead is hands down the best restaurant in the Waco area in my opinion! High quality food made from recipes that all taste like something, your grandma would make for a special occasion. Excellent, friendly service as well. If you were in the Waco area, you do not want to miss an opportunity to try it.“

“Great food, great atmosphere and great service. I will definitely be returning for the Wagyu Steak Enchiladas (Iron Table Steak Enchiladas).“

“We would love to say Thank you Sammy and to all your managers for coming over to our table to wish my mother a Happy Birthday and our server was just so awesome your staff members were so nice and helpful Thank you again George's
God Bless from the Hernandez/Lopez /Ramon Family
I forgot the food was amazing
Thank you ?“

“Definitely had a blast here, the food was fantastic and you couldn’t ask for better service.“

“So Amazing!! The food was the best I’ve had and the staff was even better!“

“Food is great, service is spotty . Granted they're usually pretty busy , but staff kinda disappear upon arrival and when ya want to tab out . George's Burger & Onion Rings Rock !!! Nothing has disappointed .

Parking: Can be a task

Wheelchair accessibility: Accommodations“

“I went today in light of Black History Month. Not being around the area and wanting some GOOODDD FOOD!! Baby they didn’t disappoint!! Catfish was fried hard, fresh and well seasoned. The baked Mac and cheese had these smoked cheese taste!! It’s truly is amazing and definitely will be returning!!This is definitely a family owned joint and they live up to just that!!“

“My mom and I enjoyed breakfast here. I had the Eggs Benedict with a lavender cold brew and my mom had the Eggs, bacon and biscuit meal. The biscuits were great and the hollandais sauce perfect. The strawberry butter is to die for!! The service was excellent and everyone was so welcoming! Such a great experience. Highly recommend.“

“I go 3 times a week. I love the generousity and compassion shown. Very good nice clean and freshly made food. Excepts all, I thank God for blessing their hearts ? to think of every human I in need of a meal with much love. ???I ask that God continues to bless them with the patience and strength to continue this gratitude.“

“Awesome waitress. Membership benefits are amazing. We go to BJ’s several times a month.“

“While traveling through the area, we found ourselves at Dave’s Burger Barn. We love to eat at local restaurants instead of the chain places. When we walked it, I was impressed with how clean it was. We went around 5 pm so there was only one other family there. I was surprised and discouraged that we weren’t greeted by staff when we walked in. Our burgers were excellent but the lack of friendliness of the staff will run a small business into the ground.“

“I had an outstanding experience at Fish City Grill, largely thanks to Linda's exceptional service. Her warmth and attentiveness made our dining experience truly memorable. She was knowledgeable about the menu and made excellent recommendations that suited our tastes perfectly. Linda's friendly demeanor and efficiency ensured that we had everything we needed throughout our meal. I highly recommend Fish City Grill, especially with Linda on staff, for anyone looking for delicious seafood served with top-notch service!“

“Omg the lemon pepper wings..I mean there aren’t enough words to describe how good they were and the shrimp fried rice was amazing as well!! So glad I went!“

“We're from Germany and spend our vaccation in the US. Our motel is next to la Fiesta. We went there for dinner and it was perfect! Tavia and the kitchencrew behind her made a super job. It was so delicious! Next time in Waco we'll definetely come back.“

“The food was absolutely amazing. I enjoyed the entire experience from the beginning to the end.“

“Excellent beer and pricing! Cool, informal and comfortable!“

“Two friends of mine and I went to Cheddar's today for lunch. We arrived shortly after noon and we expected to wait quite a while for a table because of the church crowd. No! We were seated immediately.
Our waitress was Kayla. This lady was on the ball and brought us wonderful, hot croissants to start. That freshly baked bread was delicious.
The third member of our party arrived and we ordered. Lunch did not take long at all to arrive. I ordered the bacon barbecue burger and my friends ordered chicken fried steak and buffalo chicken fingers. My burger was cooked to a perfect medium and my fries were hot and fresh. My friends' meals looked amazing as well. Kayla had obviously gotten busy but she checked on us constantly for drink refills and dirty plates. She chatted briefly with us but didn't overload us at all. She really did set a great pace without making us feel rushed.
Midway through my lunch, I felt like a large Bud Light! When it arrived, I immediately noticed it tasted sour and smelled rank. My friends smelled the beer and they too said that it didn't smell right. Cheddar's had this very same problem in 2008 when I was working at this restaurant. Clean your beer lines!!

Kayla didn't question my feedback and immediately removed the beer for my tab. Great job, Kayla. She dropped our check at the perfect time and gave us a wonderful afternoon meal together. We will definitely go back!! $60 for all three of us was a perfect price to pay for the Waco market.
You should definitely go here soon, just smell your beer first!“

“I love Cotton Patch. It is my favorite restaurant serving the local neighborhood. I am always greeted warmly and the manager, Christie, always comes by to make sure food was served in a timely manner and temperature. Her crew is very accommodating to any guests I bring...dinner at Cotton Patch is a real treat!

Dietary restrictions: I try to eat fish but hate to cook it at home. I was eating their Chipotle Maple glazed salmon, then got hooked on the Pecan crusted flounder. Now I eat the blackened tilapia with a serving big enough that now me and my dog are eating better. Now, thanks to Cotton Patch, my Fritz loves eating fish as much as I do.“

“I get Dickey every chance I get! It’s always amazing service and delicious food!!! I especially love that sweet barbecue sauce!!! I can just drink it with a straw!!! Lisa and Jonah are always bright faces that are so helpful and informative of their menu!!! It’s always because of their amazing attitudes that I keep coming back!!! 10/10 highly recommend!!!“

“Delicious cheese burgers with spicy Cajun fries. Old school burger very good!“

“Excellent, just how to hydrate a power or Gatored but how delicious ? eat

Parking: If you search you always find a place

Kid-friendliness: Excellent

Wheelchair accessibility: As long as they help a person on wheels they will be satisfied“

“We were so impressed with this place! They have a great selection of different tacos and the sides we had (elote, queso, guacamole) were all delicious! Do yourself a favor and order their combo meal. It’s $12.95 and you get two decent sized (not the mini street taco size) tacos, pick whichever flavors you want, and then you get a drink and a side dish. The three of us shared the sides and we still didn’t finish them all, and we are not light eaters. The side portions were enough to share. The ambiance was really cute, we ate outside. The painting of the woman eating cake inside was fantastic. We didn’t try the red velvet cake, but it did look good! We will definitely be back when we are in town.“

“They have the best chicken Fried steak in Waco fresh American Fries with skin on !!! The owner and crew are great folks !! I highly recommend them“

“Just went back today after our previous bad experience. It was great. Ribeye tender and juicy. Owner definitely takes care of his customers if aren’t happy with your experience. We’d definitely recommend it“

“Their food was amazing! Great place for date night!“

“Excellent food, good people, fun environment“

“they treat me like royalty“

“Good food and beverages at reasonable prices. Great service and very friendly staff. Fun place.“

“This was our first time to Black Bear Diner and it was amazing. My husband had the volcano pancakes and said it was the "best pancake he has ever had". I had the California Bacon Benedict and it was perfect. Neither of us could finish out plate, there was so much food.“

“Great ambience and delicious oyster Rockefeller’s best we have ever had! Everything we ate was fresh and delicious!“

“Recently I came here to celebrate with my family. We had a big group (10+ ppl) and we only had one server/ waitress and she was very nice and attentive towards us the whole time we were there. Because it was so many of us, our food wasn't that quick to come out, but regardless of speed my food was fresh and accurate. I ordered the Cajun chicken & sausage Alfredo with a'Tropical AF' drink. The Alfredo was good, but it didn't taste Cajun (to me). It's definitely not spicy or seasoned very heavy. I did really enjoy the garlic cheesy bread, it was perfect. Also, I loved my drink it was the perfect balance! I would like to try more from here.“

“Excellent venue for concerts, great food, cold beer! Biggest TV in central Texas. Watch the game, try the chicken fingers (must be some big scary chickens)! Stay for the music!“

“Great live music in an intimate & energetic environment. Good drinks and a variety of food.“

“Amazing place! Food, drink, atmosphere and service.....All fantastic!“

“Awesome little Big,Bar! Friendly, kind, courteous folks, Always fun atmosphere. Stop by have your favorite cocktail, are Beer, they will hook you up.

Parking: Lots of parking. Gravel lot to side, beyond that there's a grassy meadow.“

“Ate there today. Wonderful food. The bathrooms were disgustinly filthy. Griffs please clean your restrooms. I want to recommend you to my friends.“

“We came in for an event and the staff were all amazing, Brooke did a great job at our table as well as Jacey! Drinks were quick and well made. Food was delicious! We will definitely return, great vibes and totally recommend!“

“Everything is always excellent! The service is always fantastic. Great atmosphere and location.“

“My family and I love this restaurant. Every time we come to Waco we stop for breakfast here. The food is delicious, the waitresses are very attentive and friendly. They also make the bread there in the restaurant so when you walk in in the morning it smells like freshly baked bread. Our favorite bread is Campechanas stuffed with cheese and freshly made sponges. . I recommend it 100%“

“Excellent service and the food was great. Our waiter was hunter and he was superb.“

“Great place dont understand all these bad reviews on staff Renee is the best and Al at counter is also great .food also is great“

“Awesome spot in downtown Waco near the Dr. Pepper museum! Service was quick and genuine. Good was great with big portion sizes. It’s a huge venue with pool tables and an arcade room. My only complaint was that the temperature was quite warm indoors.“

“I am no golfer by any stretch but this is FUN. All ages, all skills. Heaters overhead on a cold day. Great staff. Food and drink quality was excellent. Will def be going again“

“My wife and I went and had dinner. It did not disappoint. We started with a spinach artichoke dip. I had the fried catfish and my wife had Ahi Tuna salad. My dish came with the best hush puppies I've ever had to compliment the amazing fried catfish. We both finished off with an order of beignets that were amazing! I highly recommend if you haven't gone already. And try the catfish!!“

“The food was excellent, and our waitress Kayla was outstanding: friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.“

“Went to have a drink with my family and have some great food. Sort of let down as the menu says hog balls (really great food) is served with "spicy BBQ sauce". The last few times we have gone there it was served with Ranch. Other than that, the waitress was alright with her demeanor. Great food at a great place to grab a drink.“