My friend Amy got married this weekend in Grapevine, Texas, so that's where this review is coming to you from. It's nowhere near Houston, but it's Labor Day weekend, so maybe you're travelling. Or maybe you're starting to plan your holiday trips, and you're going to be flying out of DFW. Either way, the Embassy Suites on Bass Pro Drive and the attached Uncle Buck's restaurant are worth a look-see.
The hotel and restaurant are attached to an impressive Bass Pro Shop, so therefore the entire place has an outdoorsy theme. We ate at the bar, located upstairs from the restaurant. Going up we noted big vats of Uncle Buck's home brewed beer. The seats were fashioned out of plastic deer antlers, and the Dallas Cowboys game was playing on several large-screen TVs. As someone who loves the outdoors, I felt right at home.
I had to try a home-brewed beer. I went with "Buck Naked", a light beer advertised as a "gold medal winner" (who or what is awarding those medals remains to be seen). Buck Naked was good but not great. It's taste and consistency were much like a Bud Light.
The food sticks with the outdoorsman theme. Lots of game meats and fried foods. My husband and I shared the venison stuffed mushrooms and a Big Sky burger. The mushrooms were stuffed with ground venison and cheese. They would have been delicious, but were served too hot for my little mouth and I scalded myself. Thankfully I had a giant glass of beer to cool my burns and ease my sorrows.
The burger was more successful. It was made out of bison meat, which is similar to beef in flavor but much leaner. Bison can tend to be a little dry, but the very good barbecue sauce lent this burger plenty of moisture, while french fried onions gave it a little crunch. Overall, a decent meal at a very affordable price.
Our bartender acted as our server, and he did a good job. He was available but not pushy and everything arrived quickly from the kitchen. Overall, Uncle Buck's is decent food for the traveller who wants something other than Whataburger on the road. It's low priced, accessible, and filling. Worth a trip to Grapevine? No. Worth it if you're in Grapevine, particularly if you're staying at the Embassy Suites? Buck Yeah.
