What is the standard for a casual, bar type restaurant? It needs to be distinguishable from other restaurants so that people know exactly where they are going. It needs to maintain a certain atmosphere that costumers want to be a part of and is enjoyable so that they come back. So then with those conditions, George’s does not fall under the traditional bar/restaurant feel.
Walking into George’s, one is immediately cramped for space. The entrance into the restaurant is literally two feet, so in the case of waiting for the rest of your party to arrive, space is limited. Right as you walk in, you are bombarded with chairs. If they were all occupied at once it would probably cause a fire hazard. I am unaware with what they do with large parties due to the absence of effective space. What if I don’t want to eat with only three people? Oh well, find somewhere else to dine sufficiently and because of this it will not be on the list to go for my birthday.
Also, the atmosphere of the restaurant is both confined and peculiar. One is constantly making sure that they do not back up into the next person and repeatedly having to remember their manners. I don’t want to be confined when I’m dining but free and not constricted. It makes things uncomfortable for everyone to fully enjoy their meal. And for me that is something that I highly take into consideration.
Now, if you can get over all of these important details and do not feel that you’re experience is necessary to enjoy great food, then be my guest, George’s is the best place for you. But for me, I care about those things and my experience did not have me thinking that I wanted to attend again.
George’s Restaurant and Bar, established in 1930, is a popular place for Baylor students to congregate whether it be to relax with friends over a “Big O,” keep up with sports games thanks to the numerous televisions available in the restaurant and bar, or escape the hectic lifestyle that college creates by drowning yourself in the grease of its famous onion rings. Regardless of what brings patrons, George’s will meet and exceed expectations, in spite of the wait time required, because of the variation the menu offers and the atmosphere that has enticed people throughout the decades.
People may think they cannot wait to sink their teeth into George’s tasty morsels, but wait they will, beginning with parking. Though George’s is surrounded by a small parking lot and offers a decent-size lot next door, there are simply not enough spaces for all its customers. When parked, then begins the long wait for a table.
Fortunately for George’s, it offers a wide selection of food and drinks ranging from American to Mexican, burgers to catfish, and sodas to the Big O’s, eighteen-ounce alcoholic beverages, which erases all memory of the unpleasant delay. By supplying a wide range of foods, anyone, regardless of age, can find an item that meets one’s dining mood; therefore, there is no need for a fight to break out between family when trying to decide on a specific type of cuisine, for George’s offers a variety.
It takes more than an assortment of food to keep the crowds. People must not only be pleased with the food served but also need to enjoy the overall experience. George’s serves up an “A” in this respect. The atmosphere at George’s is top notch whether one is looking for a family-friendly eatery or a place to “chill” with buddies as the bar is completely separate from the restaurant.
Furthermore, the various televisions available throughout not only the bar, but the restaurant as well, offer the perfect location to dine for a sports addict who cannot eat without watching a game. Not only is it the perfect place to enjoy a game, it is also the prime location to be after a Baylor football game.
Through George’s menu variation and welcoming atmosphere, the wait for parking and a table is hardly noticeable. Individuals will continue to visit George’s Restaurant and Bar because it is the perfect “hang out” for all ages.
From Home-cooked To Sports Bar: George’s Has It All
Looking for a place for friends and family, with a large variety of food, good atmosphere for a casual get together, and moderately good service, George’s Restaurant is the place to go.
One of the best things about George’s is their variety of original recipes with a home-cooked flavor. From American to Tex-Mex and Seafood, George’s offers it all. Even though George’s does have an extensive menu, their menu is not made with the health conscious or vegetarian guest in mind. Unfortunately there are very minimum choices that would fit their needs.
What is good food without good place to enjoy it? George’s has that too. They offer a casual atmosphere for every type of customer. There are three areas at George’s: a dining room, the bar, and the deck. For a laid back family dinner, the dining room would be the best option. Not only is George’s a good place to go out with the family but also a place to grab some drinks with friends at their full service bar. The most exciting place at George’s would be the “Big O Deck”, made especially with rowdy sports fans in mind.
Although George’s does provide great food with a fun atmosphere, quick and efficient service is not their strong suit. Due to such popularity there is always a significant wait to get seated during dinnertime and all day on weekends. Along with the long wait time the staff, although very amiable, is not very efficient. The restaurant is always so busy that the servers have more than enough tables to attend to and cannot lend any one table all or even a sufficient amount of their attention.
So, if a large variety of good food and an up beat and personal setting is higher on the list of priorities than getting waited on hand and foot or quick service, make sure to visit George’s Restaurant and bar.
George's is the place to be for a big game, or just wanting to grab a few drinks with friends. It has everything from salads to extremely unhealthy amounts of chicken fried steak. The 3 sitting areas really help out what type of adventure your wanting to have. The family sitting area, lame if you want to have fun, good for families. The next is the "bar" area. Smoking is allowed there, and it is more "rowdy" considering everyone that is out there has had a few Big O's. The next is the Big O deck, the rowdiest of the bunch. Fun for having a rip roarin' good time and watching the big games on TV. Overall, George's has to be the best establishment in Waco to go and have fun, which is one reason I go at least once a week and tear the place up!
George's has ended up being one of my favourite restaurants in Waco. Their pulled pork sandwich is excellent, their burgers are great, and according to my wife their chicken jack sandwich is amazing. Their chicken fried steak and margaritas are pretty good too. The beer selection veers towards the mainstream - it'd be great if they had a wider range - but all in all I would recommend George's to anybody who wants unpretentious, delicious comfort food at a reasonable price.
George's is one giant Texas cliche in all the right ways, from the Baylor memorabilia on the walls to the food on the menu. The wait staff is friendly and always keeps my glass full. I can order a Big O for breakfast. This place is truly magical.
Whoever invented the Big O deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Someone must have realized that colder temperatures subdue the flavor in beer, and that cheap beer isn't so tasty. By putting cheap beer in an ice-cold schooner that can hold liquid at that lower temperature for a longer period of time, they've made it palatable. A delicious treat. Fine, fine, I usually get Shiner, which is yummy even at normal beer serving temperatures, but the Shinercicle that is a Big O is quite delicious.
The food is consistently awesome, too. I crave George's chicken fried steak. Crave. I'm also one of those oddballs who doesn't like gravy, either, so I love that George's puts it in a little bowl on the side. George's fluffy white gravy doesn't quite taste like gravy to me, though, so I actually eat it sometimes. It's more buttery, with less of that yucky peppery/lardy/nasty? (I can't describe it, but I hate it) taste that most gravy has. Butter is awesome.
I suppose that the most surprising thing about George's is the wide variety of stuff that they have on the menu. Unlike most hole-in-the-wall/comfort food places, there's a ton of stuff to choose from. Even the list of sides is extensive, so much so that even picky people like me can find two that I'll eat. One of the most surprising things I like here is their Caesar dressing, which I love because it's more like a vinaigrette than the thick, globby stuff that most places carry. Yummy salad. Here. Who'd have guessed?
Granted, the layout kind of forces you to compromise a bit. The smoking/bar side is more fun, but you end up reeking of bar stank once you're through, and it's a pity that it closes at 12 instead of 2. It can get pretty loud on the deck, but that's part of the charm, haha. The non-smoking/restaurant side is tame enough to bring your parents to, though, but it gets packed during certain big Baylor events.
All this being said, I don't think I've had a dinner here that I haven't loved, be it breakfast, appetizers or whatever.
I went to George's for the first time the other day. Service was good, our waitress kept the drinks coming and providing refills on water before we had to ask. The food seems decent. Nothing to specifically seek out, although I hear I need to try the chicken fried steak.
George's is one of the best places to eat in Waco in my opinion! They offer a little of everything from salads, sandwiches, burgers, and more. The best meal on the menu is the chicken fried steak, hand down! And if you go during lunch, they have a smaller portion for a great price. The appetizers are great as well and highly recommend the Baylor Bites!
It can be pretty packed for dinner, especially being so close to Baylor. The bar is great as well and is always packed. I go more for the food, not the drinks.
Patio? Small, awkward dining area? Party area with long tables? You know, I'm not quite sure where I wanna sit, but, like Rebecca Black, I'm pretty sure such a decision will not keep me from a bowl of cereal (metaphorically speaking, of course).
As an old fan of fine places such as Luby's, I was excited to try George's famous chicken fried steak, paired with delectables (yes, I did just make that adjective a noun) such as macaroni and cheese and fried okra. I ordered the aforementioned at George's and was not disappointed. I even had a little adult beverage with it, and the new addition to a childhood dish made it even better. The service was above par, the bread was pretty nice, and the somewhat honky-tonk atmosphere made me wish I were a rhinestone cowgirl. All in all, I'm not sure why I stayed away from George's so long.
George's is still the best in town at what it does.
George's is a mainline, old-school Texas eatery. The type of place that you went to with your grandparents when you visited them in whatever small Texas town they resided. What they do is very basic. It is fried and reasonably priced. Their burgers are great; greasy, thick, meaty, and tasty. Upstairs is for families, the Big-O deck is for hanging out with your friends, watching the game, and having a Big-O of Shiner Bock beer. Do not mess with their mixed drinks, they have no idea what they are doing with those. Saturday night you can hear some fun live music.
I have no idea why anyone wanting this type of food would go anywhere else in Waco. Hooters food is awful, the Salty Dog is awful and Buffalo Wild Wings is awful. George's has been doing this since the 1930s, and will outlast the others.
George's is very good, but don't expect to find anything healthy on the menu. Good comfort food though... excellent chicken fried steaks! The crazy wings are also quite tasty!
George's is the kind of American food that is familiar, mostly fried, and always tasty. If you're craving a big plate of heart attack, I recommend the El Nino. It's an entire chicken fried steak on top of two baked potatoes covered in white gravy.
All in all, it's a great place to get drinks, hang with friends, and watch sports. George's isn't breaking any new ground with their food, but it's a Waco institution for a reason.
The patio/porch/"Big O deck", what ever you want to call it, is the place to be (and you'll know it as soon as you walk in). With over 10 displays you'll find it hard to miss a game during college football saturdays. And there's live music sometimes too.
I voted the food average because it's your typical Texas fare. Chicken Fried Steak, burgers, jalepeño stuffed chicken, wrapped in bacon ("crazy wings") etc. Nothing too risky for a Bar and Grill.
My go-to meal is a few Big-O's of Shiner (always ICE COLD!) and an order of fried pickles and Bear Bites (crazy wings stuffed into home made rolls).
Eat too much at George's and you'll regret it. But you'll never regret the good times you'll have there.
