Rick's On the Square

This was a delivery order and the food was still hot when it arrived. We ordered the Fried Catfish, Chicken Fried Pork Chops, Chicken Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, greens, cornbread muffin, purple hull peas, banana pudding and peach cobbler. Out of all of that, the peach cobbler and the purple hull peas were the star of the show, the rest was mediocre. The pork chop and chicken breast were ok just lacked flavor. The catfish wasn't cooked throughly, we threw it out. I was expecting the greens to be homemade and they were canned greens. The mac and cheese had potential, it was a little bit overcooked. The mashed potatoes and muffin were ok. The banana pudding wasn't good at all, the bananas that were in it were super dark and old plus the wafers were mushy. Disappointed to say the least because we spent $100 and only enjoyed $20 worth.

We made a reservation for 9pm and drove over from Shreveport, La Our waitress Elsa and the rest of the staff were very nice but sadly our food experience was nothing short of terrible. We received drinks and appetizers an hour after we arrived. My fiancée ordered their Swoon special, asked for her ribeye to be med rare and it came out well done. When the second ribeye came out it was not only rare but was thin and looked more like a skirt steak than a ribeye. They were also out of baked potatoes so she had to pick another side I ordered chicken fried pork chop. It came out raw and my grilled vegetables tasted like lighter fluid and balsamic, as well our au gratin potatoes tasted like they had white gravy on them. 2 hours later, we are driving home hungry and very disappointed. I will say they “helped” with our check, as they put it. Overall, I will most likely never go back to this restaurant.

Needed a place to put my brain on ice today. The patio at Rick’s on the square was perfect. The heaters were on, the vitamin D felt amazing, my gumbo was fantastic and my extra dirty martini was the best I have had in a very long time. Thanks for the perfect break in my day!

Have to say, rather disappointing to be honest. Server was not very attentive, nachos were missing pico, the breading did not stick to the chicken fried steak and her “medium rare” steak was well done. Why they put the steak on that big of a plate I couldn’t tell you but it made it look even smaller. WAY overpriced for what we got.

The kind of older restaurant and bar with character, quality service, and good food. This venue is just on the square of Tyler and with the construction improvements, this hangout should become an even better destination for lunch or dinner.

In town for the weekend and stopped by because my said it sounded good, glad we did. Great atmosphere, great food and prices are good as well. Our server, Ryilee was amazing! Very friendly and attentive, she couldn't be better. Will definitely come back the next time we're in town. Thank you for a great meal and experience.

We had a great experience here for lunch when we were in town for a short stay. We ordered sandwiches. I ordered the BLT that comes with half a pound of bacon! Wow. I could hardly take a bite. It was stuffed. Delicious. The hand cut steak fries were perfectly seasoned, not too salty. Our waitress was very friendly and prompt. The patrons next to us were rude to the waitress, and she handled it with grace and continued being cordial and prompt. They have a large selection from the menu for just about anyone's taste - steak, seafood, salad, pasta, sandwiches, street tacos, and more.

We had a large group for a joint birthday party. Sam and MJ did an excellent job taking care of us. I can assure you if we go back, I'll request to be seated with one of them. Our food came out timely, they kept our drinks filled and they're just delightful people! Heath was very kind in rearranging our tables to accommodate everyone. The atmosphere was great and the food was good.

The ambiance is very good. The food has always been reputable but the service is the best and can only be found at Ricks.

A must stop! We stopped in at 6 on a Friday had the best meal! Heath was our waiter and had the best recommendations! We had the crawfish beignets and they were AMAZING! Also, we got the shaved ribeye sandwich (with bacon, onions and mushrooms like Heath) and it was so good. I would describe it like an Arby's roast beef sandwich if they used high quality beef and ingredients. So tasty! Thank y'all for the great service and food. We will be back!

Food was egregiously expensive and not catered to those of a specific palate. It was very bland and I was served with a frown. The shrimp Alfredo only had 3 shrimp for $25. Any issues you have are greeted with an annoyed look by the one waitress they seem to have working at the time. Would not recommend for African Americans. Server didn't seem to be very friendly or efficient at her job the experience was very slow to the point to where entrees were cold and checks even took long to arrive

I took my clients to dinner at this place, and so glad I did. When we walked in, the old style, dark wood and comfy atmosphere made it seem very inviting. The staff was prompt and friendly, which is always a bonus when you are entertaining. When it came to the food, everyone was completely satisfied. I ordered the red fish with the crawfish topping...YUM! I highly recommend this place, it hit all the boxes for me!

Coasting on "Location" while delivering sup-par, over-priced food. Great location in a wonderful old building. Good service. Food on New Year's Eve was terrible. Bland, under-seasoned, over-priced. Tiny portions as well. Maybe they had an off night, food has been immensely better in the past. But I'm not interested in paying that much for a mediocre meal, not matter how cool the surroundings are.

Loved this place. Food was excellent. I had the Reuben sandwich. But everything looked amazing. Great cocktails. I will be back to try other menu items.

Rick's On the Square is one of my favorite places to eat in East Texas! The food and the service are both top notch! If you find yourself in Tyler, Texas, check out Rick's On the Square. You won't regret it!

The kitchen messed up my food (a taco) so I sent it back to be remade. By the time it came out, my side (which I paid extra for) was cold, and my date was finished eating. We also asked for salt and pepper but also seasoning for his salmon because it tasted as if nothing was on it. When our bill came, over $70, I asked if anything could be done about my food being wrong, then very late (not even mentioning the bland food). The manager came over and immediately was confrontational asking what do I want done about it. I said whatever he thinks is right. He said they fixed my taco so everything should be good. (I never said I want my meal free or even discounted, I simply asked if he could do anything to make it right. I even said I didn't know how much my food even cost.) He was insistent he fixed the taco and we should be good not seeming to care about how long it took to get my food correctly. He eventually said he'd take the cost of my taco ($7.00) off our bill after repeatedly saying he fixed the taco. We are very disappointed. This is definitely not the treatment I would expected from such a wonderful establishment like Rick's on the Square. I noticed the manager walking around and going outside the front door at least twice while we were there. When an order is messed, I would think the manager would want to, if at all possible, apologize and ensure the customer they are fixing it and getting it out correctly asap and appear to give a crap about how we are feeling about the situation. This manager absolutely did not give a crap about us. Incredibly disappointing.

Great food and fast friendly service. Easy parking. I would recommend for business dinner or date night

I usually like to try a place more than once before reviewing. After our first visit, I would have probably given Rick's 4 stars. After our second visit, I'd be inclined to go with zero stars. We were seated quickly in a fairly empty dining room, although it got busier during our meal, and our waitress was very nice, but not overly helpful. There were six of us dining and five flies that buzzed around throughout the whole meal, which was super annoying. On top of that, the food was mostly terrible. Everything was overcooked - a steak, the chicken nugget appetizer, the chicken in tacos, the chicken in soup, the shrimp. The only thing thing that was good was the hot dog I ordered without the toppings for the kids, that was actually one of the best hot dogs I've ever had. In fairness to Rick's, we did not send anything back. It was about 45 minutes between being seated and getting our appetizer and at that point we just needed to eat and get out of there.

My son's rehearsal dinner was held at Rick's on the Square this weekend. The room, food, and drinks were fabulous. Most of the guests enjoyed delicious prime rib which Rick's hand cuts onsite. Working with Rick and his staff was a great experience. They were very accommodating and helpful. Very nice and large venue for a rehearsal dinner. Thank you to the staff for making it such a wonderful evening.

The food is pretty good, and the service is what you would expect from a bar type atmosphere. Often, there is live music playing music playing and the crowd is cheerful. Definitely worth a try.

First time visit to Rick's. We were attending an event at nearby Liberty Theater so it was the perfect location. We were seated promptly and greeted by our waitress Jessica. I love the fact that they prepare their food from scratch, and there are a lot of choices. My husband had oysters on the half shell as an appetizer and I chose the fried mushrooms. So good! He had the catfish dinner and I had the Large Smoked Pork Street Taco. Jessica let me know it was very spicy. It had thin fried onion strips that will set your mouth on fire. When I asked why they were so hot she told me they are battered in a Tabasco sauce. Next trip, I would cut those. The pork was tender and delish with a sweet honey sauce to complement. We ordered a banana pudding to bring home and it didn't disappoint. It had a Flan rich filling and my hubby enjoyed most of it. It has a great atmosphere, fair prices and we enjoyed their music playlist.

Never again. We sat there for 30 minutes waiting for service. Three waiters and a hostess came by apologizing for not taking our order but still did not take our order. We only got water and when we tried to order they told us they couldn't take our food order, just drinks. We ordered shots and it took an additional 20 minutes. It was very disrespectful.

I wish I could give 0 stars. We waited for 30 minutes before anyone even came up to our table. We only wanted drinks. People just kept walking up to us and apologizing and telling us they would be with us in a minute. They weren't even busy as you can see. We never got a waiter, we never got a server. Completely ignored.

I have frequented Rick's several times. Today we stopped by for a mid-afternoon cocktail and dessert. The restaurant is always clean and staffed by pleasant employees. The bar appears to be well-stocked with spirits and a variety of beer choices. I have always enjoyed my food experiences at this restaurant. A free parking garage, located on Broadway Avenue, is a short walk from the establishment.

The ambiance was fantastic, but the food was mediocre at best, drinks were great when they got to us. Our waitress lacked attentiveness, despite there being only six other occupied tables. She only had two of the seven tables, but was notably quick and attentive when it came to delivering and collecting the check.

Service was good! Steak with crab and crawfish sauce was good. The au gratin wasn't that great! The Texas Chicken was phenomenal!

My family and I ate at Rick's today for lunch. My mom raves about this place, and I can see why. It is located in a neat building on the corner. The ambience was quiet and enjoyable. It felt very clean and well organized. The service was on point, short wait for our food, and the food was SO yummy! The food tastes fresh, and the portions were pretty good. I had the club sandwich, and it was fabulous. My daughter had the burger and it was delicious! I loved the meat and brioche bun. My daughter really liked it too. My mom's shrimp quesadillas were amazing! I am from Dallas, but I will definitely eat here again when I visit my parents.

Well it's downtown and the building gives off a cool vibe, but the food is very hit or miss. I went here for dinner with my family and it was pretty average to say the least. Deep in the heart of East Texas and they didn't have sweet tea, this may not seem like a big deal but again it's East Texas and a Southern Restaurant at that. We did have good service so that made the experience better, our waitress had a good attitude and was very helpful. I ordered grilled chicken, Mac and Cheese and steamed vegetables. The vegetables were very sweet for some reason and the Mac and Cheese needed more salt. Most of the menu consists of fried food, so if that is not your personal preference I would not recommend. I wouldn't personally choose to eat here again, but considering the small choice of restaurants in Tyler, TX it could be an option for large parties/ events.

We found this on Yelp and I read good reviews so after the concert around 11 pm, we tried to find a place that is still open. This is one of those recommended by some elites, so we tried. I must say,. The reviews are spot on. We went there and noticed a band playing but you have 2 choices, either you go to the bar with a live band of which you have to pay for the cover charge or to a sit down dining place. And because we are starving, we preferred the dining room. The waiter recommended few dishes and we ended up ordering calamari and Red Fish stuffed with crab (unique to me) and topped with mushroom and some sauce. The calamari is good (we love it) and what I love most is the recommended redfish stuffed with crab and a side mushrooms and an interesting sauce kinda like teriyaki but not thick and not so sweet. I love it and I'm not sure if it's on the menu but that was the best meal I had. I made it four stars because I still have to get back to taste other food that they offer in the menu. But I love the fast service and the time of the waiter to recommend good food and explain what they have in the menu. I would recommend you to try this one. Although I'm not sure how they do in a peak time as we went there with not much people around because it's almost close to midnight. I will definitely go back to try other dishes once we visit Tyler again. By the way the place is so romantic especially at night. I think a very good place to celebrate anniversaries or a Valentine's Day date

Smack in the middle of downtown Tyler is Rick's, a cozy yet moderately upscale southern restaurant in the heart of East Texas. I made reservations for two, but at 6:30 on a Saturday it seemed they still had plenty of seating available (although it did fill up well as the night progressed). I had the Rick's Classic Cheeseburger with everything on it, cooked medium and my date had two of the street tacos. The burger was cooked beautifully, and while it was somewhat difficult to eat due to its stack of toppings, I was happily satisfied with the entree. However, the house-made potato chips arrived cold! Kind of a bummer, but the burger and outstanding service from Hayley (sp?) made up for it. My first time in Tyler, TX did not disappoint. Will likely return.

Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not. Tonight it was not. I got grilled shrimp with bernaise sauce Mac n cheese, okra. Mac was barely warm. Bernaise was cold and not even pourable. Okra was hot. Shrimp were large and grilled fine. I sent bernaise sauce back and asked for melted butter. Butter was barely liquified and opaque. Melted butter is clear and warm folks. Gave up and used the cocktail sauce. Oh and no sweet tea. Hello.... this is texas. We drink sweet tea!

We had a group of approximately 42 people and were seated in the patio area, which was very nice. Considering the number in our group, and the fact that we ordered off of an extensive menu, the wait staff gave us great friendly service. My hubby and I split the fried catfish that was excellent as were the sides. Everyone's food looked really good. We will go back.

We were in Tyler on a Monday and there weren't many restaurants open for lunch so we ended up at Ricks. We had a big group of 13 of adults and kids. They don't have a kids menu but we made it work with fries and chicken nuggets and burgers. They got us in right away. Everyone had a little something different fried chicken, street tacos, sandwiches, and soups. Everyone enjoyed their food. I had the voodoo chicken street tacos. 2 were very filling and had good flavor. The service was slow at times but a very pleasant lunch.

Worst restaurant experience since we moved to Texas. They have valet parking and a chandelier in the entrance and that's all they have going for them. Apparently, they are content to rely on their location and ambiance. We went there because the internet said they were serving corned beef and cabbage for St Patrick's Day. They weren't. When we walked in the hostess was on her phone. She didn't look up for a good 30 seconds. We should have walked our right then. The service was slow. The food was the worst. The "street tacos" were cold and tasteless. I've had far better at taco trucks. The Margarita was good but not great. Go to BJ's instead. This place is pretentious and overpriced.

I often have competing thoughts in my head. "Be good to your body, Monica!" "Eat everything in sight!" Upon being seated at Rick's and taking a first glance at the menu, it was clear that the voices in my head were going to go to battle. It certainly didn't help that one of my colleagues ordered the chef salad with fat free dressing. So I toyed with the idea of getting soup, but only briefly. Then my eyes fell on the right hand side of the menu.... Labeled "Down Home." Um, yes please. I ended up getting chicken fried steak, with mashed potatoes and mac&cheese. Everyone at the table had a grand old time mocking the little girl with the big appetite, and they were sure that I'd knock myself into a food coma. And then it arrived. Oh. My. Goodness. Just the plate had my mouth watering. The CFS was as big as my head, perfectly crisply breaded. There was a giant scoop of mashed potatoes with gravy on top, and then some of the most delicious mac & cheese I've ever had. And then a big slice of garlic bread to just make the meal. I wish I had taken an after picture of how I demolished that plate of food. It was definitely delicious, and a gem of a lunch spot in downtown Tyler. The service was fast and friendly too. After some initial confusion, where we didn't seem to have been assigned a waitress when we were seated, the service was super friendly and fast. Drinks were always kept refilled, the food came out pretty fast, and all questions about the menu were answered. I will be spending a lot of time in Tyler for work in the coming weeks, and with Rick's being so close to the courthouse, I'm sure I'll be back again!

Was a good place. Great portions and definitely worth the money!! But god damn let me tell you bout them mashed potatoes... you chunk them at someone and they're dead instantly. I was able to pick them up and eat it like a Popeyes biscuit. Never in my life have I had mashed potatoes like that and quite frankly if I was the creator of the wonderful potato I would be very offended. That's it

My favorite old fashioned in Tyler and one of the best Grilled Salmon plates in town. Salmon is sushi grade and can be cooked medium rare. Girlfriend loved the Fried Catfish. All the sides we've had were really good as well. The Bluebonnet And Animal Style cocktails are also good. We like the ambiance of the outside seating at night (when it's not summer), I enjoyed the old brick wall and its seclusion when it's not busy out there.

Yummy and unique! Purchased a variety of "mini" bundts for a reunion and my friends were delighted! The bundts were delicious and kept well for several days.

We stopped in for an early dinner on Saturday. Our waitress was Aubrianna. She was so friendly and when we asked her about the more popular dishes, she made several recommendations. She recommended the catfish, so I ordered the fried catfish which was delicious & quite a bit of food. My son & husband ordered the Chicken Fried Steak. We were all very pleased with our selection. While waiting for our plates to be served, We enjoyed studying the architecture of the building and even though it was dark inside, we found the ambiance to be very pleasant. The Staff were friendly & the music was not overly loud. It was comfortable, not like you're chewing to the beat of the music. We are traveling from Southern California and wanted to dine in a local restaurant, not a franchise. We were very happy with the food, our service. We will definitely be back the next time we visit the area. BTW, we didn't think our bill was outrageous. Compared to California prices, it was very affordable.

Had lunch here today. I had the chicken fried steak, my wife had the Friday catfish special, both tasty. The vegetables were especially good: I think I'll just have a 4 vegetable meal next time. I was disappointed with one aspect. We got a carryout box for some catfish. I waited up at the bar for several minutes before leaving -- just to ask for a bag to put the box in. No help on that -- stonewalled.

I visited Rick's during an overnight in Tyler. The menu is strong but failed to deliver in most respects. We had the gumbo, a red fish taco, crawfish beingets, and gorgonzola wantons. Nothing was bad, but only the taco met our expectations.

Order the French dip! It's delicious! One of the best I've had. Loved the deviled eggs too.

This is a tough review. First, the positives. The large room we reserved for 60 people was very nice. The tables were set up nice and it proved to be a great venue for our wedding party. The owner allowed us to bring our own screen & projector for videos shown, so that was generous. The h'ordeuvres were good; but just not enough food to cover 60 people, so we ordered more pre-dinner, which worked out fine. The room also was good for children to be in. Also, it was a very hot day and I appreciated the management keeping the AC high and comfortable for our guests. They also blocked out some parking spaces, which I appreciate. The negatives - We had really only (2) servers. Robert, who was working feverishly trying to cover everyone, and another female server. I saw a 3rd server, but not actively as I don't believe she was serving the room the entire time. Because there was not enough server coverage, the WAIT times between h'ordeuvres, salads and main dishes were intolerably long. I mean waaay long. Salt & pepper should have been added to the table, as some said their meal was very bland. I felt the servers were doing their best, but it actually got embarrassing the wait time between courses. The LAST tables to be served were grandparents and a pregnant mom. I felt this absolutely should not have occurred and wish more attention had been paid to this. I actually had to ASK when their food was coming, as we were nearly done with our meals. As mother of the groom, this should not have been my job. At one point, I went around the room, to make sure everyone had enough water to drink. I really feel this should be a 3.5 star review. It was good on the room, but average on the food (mainly because the wait time and no salt & pepper on the table). Those who ordered from the bar were told the server had to go downstairs to get it, so it would be a while. I had hoped for a better experience, but overall it was "good" in the sense that all guests were patient and gracious at the wait time. Tyler is a wonderful community and this could have been an amazing experience if only just a few things could be tweaked in the future for large groups!! Also, attention to the bathrooms were not made beforehand. Keeping in mind, we spent over $3200 for the night, more attention to detail & excellence should have been done.

Outstanding dinner recently at Rick's. Food was super tasty and service was top notch. We really enjoyed the deviled eggs, salads and steaks, which were cooked perfectly. Especially nice was the steak au poivre - fabulous! Topped it all off with white chocolate bread pudding, which was scrumptious! This was our first visit, but it won't be our last! Highly recommended!

Definitely a throwback vibe, and for sure some of the best fries I have ever had! Crisp and fluffy

I've eaten lunch here several times, and the food was fantastic and the portions were generous. I haven't been there for dinner though. It doesn't seem like a place I would take young children, although I think it's ok if you want to.

We ordered the chicken fried steak and neither of us could eat it. So much gristle. Had a good crust and was fried great but when u got to the meat!!!! Grilled veggies was lacking.

The waiter was great. But, loosing the order & then telling us an hour later, not good. We were one of three customers at 6:00 pm being served. No excuse for a chef loosing one of three orders. We left & went to Cracker Barrel & got better service & food @ $$. It's was to be a 5 star dinner at $$$$ per plate.

I had a great time at Ricks. I don't come to Tyler very often but when I do I will come to Ricks. I went on a Saturday night. They had a live band playing outside. I am not sure if the same band plays here all the time but they were really good. They played all type of music. It felt like I was at a concert. Ricks has a restaurant on one side, a bar on the other and an outdoor patio section. It was cold the night I went but they have heaters outside. There is waitress service outside. Our waitress, Dana was amazing. She was on top of things. Her service was fast and attentive. The food here was good. The menu had something for everyone. I enjoyed the fried oysters especially. The prices were good to go. There was however a $10 cover charge. But for the live music it was well worth it.

Had dessert and cocktails with the girlfriend. Were both good. Charged my card a couple bucks more than I'd authorized them to on the receipt. Place also puts a $75 holding charge on your card just to open a tab -- thought I was getting scammed at first. Decent food and atmosphere, kind of shady.

Played there this past weekend with Mattison Live Band and enjoyed every minute of it! The bartenders are super nice and attentive and that kitchen knows how to make a killer grilled chicken sandwich! It's also a cool building with a lot of history. Check it out!

Ate there February 10th two week bout of food poisoning, stay away from the deep fried red fish tacos

Don't really believe the reviews, so disappointed this evening as we just drove in from Austin to explore Tyler, got dressed for a date night (Fri-Yay!) and nothing was impressionable (in a good way) after the valet. First impression- heavy smoke smell in bar area when we arrived 40 minutes early for our reservation, would have had a drink in the bar but happily chose to be seated early when it was offered by hostess... smelled better in the main dining room. Second negative impression- Gorgonzola wonton appetizer was still chilled on the inside and tough wrapper, definitely like they had been microwaved.. The ribeye sandwich was microwaved for so long it was one big overcooked glob of mystery meat that could not be helped with any condiments like ketchup, blue cheese OR au jus. Homemade potato chips were doused in So. much. SALT - could not eat. Saved me a few calories though. I love homemade potato chips. Seriously convinced they microwaved the entire meal, especially when the app (wontons) hit the table LITERALLY under 5 minutes after we ordered. Way too fast to believe they had been made fresh. Was not convinced the food was scratch made as advertised. I am so sorry. Three stars feels generous but things are tough these days, I totally get it! Just please don't microwave or over salt the food. We skipped dessert. Ambiance was lacking- as we arrived at 620, NO music anywhere, until 710... when a satellite radio made an appearance (on and off) while the band was still setting up. I was even joking with my husband about firing up the pandora radio on my phone lol. Trying to have a nice evening/date night in a super quiet atmosphere was awkward. Band could have been playing some pre recorded music while they set up. The crowd was really nice and probably felt the same at least about the quiet atmosphere if not the food too. Server did not pre bus any thing on any table. That should be a servers automatic do, as part of the "service "; unless in the weeds. Hope this review helps the owners. :)

Very friendly and attentive staff. The food was good. I would recommend the street tacos. I'd eat cardboard if it came with a side of their jalapeño honey sauce. Omg awesomeness. It's very dark inside bar area. Would recommend sitting in main dining area.

I ate there yesterday for lunch and asked the waiter what he recommended, he said the fried chicken, it was the special of the day, I took one bite, then noticed how red a juicy it was, I showed it to the waiter, he swooped it out for chicken fried steak, which was no home run either, I have been so sick all day, I hope this passes quickly, my first time ever to get food poisoning and it sucks real bad!!!!!

Nice place on the square in Tyler. Been here for lunch mostly. Relaxed atmosphere and good food.

Have you ever experienced a shaved ribeye sandwich served on a brioche bun with fresh, homemade potato chips? Well, I can say I have and it happened at Rick's on the Square! Probably just the best damned steak sandwich I have ever had. Absolutely stacked high with the shaved ribeye and served with a wonderful au jus to dip. They have many other things to chose from, but I don't know why you'd bother! Just get it, smile, dip, eat and then shove a homemade chip in your mouth - to die for!