The Nicolett

Very pricey and smaller portions but decent food. Greenhouse is a cool idea and would probably be the main reason I would eat here again

I went in this figuring I wasn't going to be happy. I've been to a lot of the "this place is the best" restaurants and have been disappointed. NOT this place. Everything was great, EXCELLENT. Most places like a lot of decor but not really this place. It lets the building be enough and it works great. The food was amazing, the way great restaurants should be. Had the bao buns, fry bread, the beef belly, antelope, schnitzel, bread pudding, chocolate sorbet. Everything was great.

This restaurant has a nice vibe and the food and drinks were awesome. Enjoyed the margarita and matcha cocktail. The beef belly appetizer was to die for. We also got to try the fry bread with honey butter and it was so delicate and fresh and delicious. We also tried the carbonara and it was good. Would love to come back and try more entrees!

A very unique restaurant experience for Lubbock. A little off the beaten path at the end of Broadway, but delicious and creative dishes. The vibe is really cool too. Looks like an old house with cement floors and a greenhouse off back. We had lamb brisket, crab dutch baby, seared Fois Gras, and the Farm cheese ravioli. All were great, but the Lamb brisket was superb. Delicious desserts too. Oh, almost forgot about the Fry Bread with honey butter. Wow! Yes, it's a little pricey, but you will find nothing like it in Lubbock.

The service was amazing. A small place great food. Totally didn't expect this. The food was great. Would go again.

A lot of people are going to be impressed by this restaurant, and they have every right to be, but for me it's a big miss for its claim. I remember coming to the Nicolett early when it first opened and the service, menu, feel of elevated cuisine was all there. I've been twice since ( mostly because of the exorbitant pricing ) and it's become shades of its former glory. I think there's a unique vision to the menu; illustrating the power of local(ish) ingredients through New American cuisine - but this restaurant feels a little soulless in its flavor. Hoping the chef remembers the joy and purpose of cooking, because the Nicolett could certainly be more for this community.

My wife and I stopped in for some drinks and an appetizer at 5pm before checking into our hotel at the Pioneer Pocket Hotel just down the road. We had excellent service and enjoyed the vibe of the courtyard outside the main dining area. My cocktail hour priced Marzen draft beer ($5) was outstanding, and my wife loved her Cremant d'Alsace Brut. Our heirloom bean hummus was plated nicely and was served with crisp crackers, but it needed seasoning. If you like fine dining, I'd recommend dinner.

We were really excited to try some local exotic fare...unfortunately we didn't enjoy the meal. The service was impeccable but the food was not. First the desert salad and kale chips were so salty they were inedible. I ordered the boar schnitzel, something about it was off, we both tried a bite and didn't eat any more. Eric had the antelope which was just "fine". I told the waitress I didn't enjoy the meal and I ate only 1 bite and Eric had one bite and they still changed me full price $40 for a plate that wasn't eaten. It was worth a shot but not for us.

All courses were delicious! The tomato in the salad is the best I've ever tasted. Waitresses were perfection! Beautiful entryway and outdoor seating.

Very unique, outstanding menu, with local influence. From Wagyu tartar, to caviar, to antelope, all world class! And very reasonably priced. Drink menu with great local influence. Chef should get his own Michelin star for everything here!

Food was excellent. The fried bread melted in my mouth. The service was wonderful. Katelyn made wonderful suggestions. The house red wine was very good blend. Not to heavy. The Ribeye for 2 was excellent. Worth the wait as it is huge and takes some time to prepare properly. Meal was expensive but worth the expense. The place is very nice. Will come back again

The food and the service were excellent. The server was not quite as knowledgeable about the menu and wine as I expect in a restaurant of this caliber. Over all, it was a memorable experience.

I was blown into a fairy tale passing through Lubbock for the night. From the absolutely beautiful atmosphere to top notch service and incredible food.... I will go out on a limb to say this is my favorite restaurant in Texas. Atmosphere: We arrived early for our reservation in the Greenhouse. While waiting we decided to have a seat at the bar. The main restaurant is very open and updated with touches of history peaking through. The main show, for me, is the Greenhouse. Beautiful and romantic this is the perfect spot to take your loved one. With only a few tables, white lights and the moon showing through the glass ceiling it does not disappoint. Tinder dates beware. I think I would fall in love if taken here Food: sitting at the bar having a fantastic Paloma the bartender suggested the fry bread. Please. Get. The. Fry. Bread for the love. Delicious! Dinner we ordered the crab starter. Great for sharing and yummy. I had the Agnolottis.... And will forever dream about it. And my Mr. ordered the Pozole and said it did not disappoint. Service: the bartender and waiter were top notch! This was 5 star service. The bartender took the extra time to give suggestions for an upcoming trip to port A. The waiter was very attentive and super nice. Tip: Again, fry bread

What a beautiful gem in Lubbock! Bartender was amazing, service was spot on. Everyone was very knowledgeable and welcoming. The food was as delicious as it looks. Might be the best Ribeye we've ever eaten.

This is a fine dining experience and the prices are commiserate. Our waitress Sara was lovely, helpful without a note of condescension. Her pairing recommendations were spot on. Proprietor and head chef Finn is lovely and a wealth of information. The ambiance is great (when the weather cools check out the outside dining options). The food was fantastic! We very much enjoyed it and left full and satisfied. We will return for sure!

Found Nicolett's for our 28th anniversary....what a wonderful find! We are from Houston, but have children in Lubbock and are in the area regularly. This time happened to coincide with our anniversary, and when another reservation fell through we were able to get into Nicolett's, and we couldn't have been happier! Our waitress was wonderful, just perfect in outlining the courses/recommendations/etc. We had appetizers, full courses, the works. Everything we had was wonderful! Not a bad course one, and one had me overwhelmed with call backs to my grandmothers French cooking....wow. My wife even took notes for next time! Compliments to the chef/owner (whom we met), the staff, and the kitchen....and thank you for making our anniversary memorable! We will be back for a Fall birthday....can't wait!

Fantastic food yesterday at The Nicolett. Chef Finn and his team are true artists! Yes it's expensive but it is next level. The seared foie gras was out of this world. And I loved that lavender Japanese milk bread, too. Every bite of our dishes contained so many subtle, yet complex flavors, we enjoyed every one very much. If you consider yourself a gastronome, then this is the place for your next palate discoveries.

The Nicolett is lead by Chef Finn Walter, James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas. I would recommend coming on Thursday night for the 5-course chef tasting. If not, I'd go with one of the homemade pastas or lamb dishes. Great restaurant that Lubbock has been needing. My server Colt and the hostesses Lauren were fantastic! Of the tasting, my favorite was the yucca stuffed pappardelle. Great ambience in this quaint restaurant. They also have a brunch on Sundays with some delicious bread. I'm a fan, thanks Nicolett!!

Absolutely beautiful and serene place to dine! A must if you are looking for a fine dining experience. The property and buildings are full of history and just gorgeous. The food from start to finish was a 10 for our group of four. Our server, Colt, was outstanding. Polite, professional yet charming, and well informed on every item and ingredient on the menu. I highly recommend!

Amazing service, great food and gorgeous atmosphere, next time I am in town not only will I go back, but I'll need to go back. Service was fantastic friendly and very attentive. When once of our entrees was slow the server provided us a sample of their handmade pasta. So very incredible, it'll be my entree next time. We had heard the bread was great so we tried both, fry bread was scrumptious. I also have the kale salad with pine nuts, easily the best preparation of Kale I have ever had. Minimal bitterness but more "pinion flavor" than I have ever had. I knew I would be full by then so I split my entree, poussin. Perfectly done. The restaurant itself had a very old southwest meets modern look to it. A converted industrial space that later was a home has been redone in stone, wood and brick making it very inviting. They cook in an open kitchen so the the table next to the kitchen must very entertaining on busy nights. I will say parking is a little tricky. The space is at the edge of town. There is a bit of street parking in front but ample parking in the back. You'll just have to navigate a number of one ways to get there. Do yourself a favor when In Lubbock and make yourself a reservation.

What great ambiance with extremely nice wait staff. Great service. The food I hate to say was lacking. We tried multiple items and everything was off. Lacking in flavor and tenderness.

Insufferable wait. Took over 90 minutes to get our food. Party that arrived after us got their food first. Food was burnt. Get it together

Fabulous fine dining in Lubbock!!! So thrilled to FINALLY find a restaurant of this caliber in Lubbock!!! We had the fois gras to start for our first course and for our second we ordered the Colorado Lamb chips and the Beef Cheek which was incredible. For our third course, we selected last bites. They also brought out an eggplant dish for us to try compliments of the house. The papparadelle was out of this world. I was reading some of the previous reviews and tried not to laugh. Please take note.. This is FINE DINING!! It is NOT Chilis..ok? You will not be served one giant plate of mass produced food and fried, ok? If you want a giant plate of mediocre food...go to Applebees. They have a cheap plate of slop you can stuff yourself with there. This is a fine dining experience with courses that are meant to be savored and experienced and I'd you are accustomed to fine dining you will not be disappointed! We are from the Houston area with some of the top restaurants country and this place was fantastic! The people of Lubbock are lucky to have a place like this!! We will definitely be back! This is the perfect place to celebrate your special occasion or celebration dinner! Handcrafted food made with artistry and love. We took our daughter to celebrate her exceptional first year at Texas Tech and she enjoyed every last bite! She said she can't wait to go back.

Great dining in Lubbock. Five stars are not nearly enough to express my satisfaction with the ambiance, the charming service and the sophisticated food. This place could hold its own in Houston or Dallas or Santa Fe but you lucky folks in Lubbock got the brass ring. I live in Alberque but i would drive over there in a heartbeat just to have another glorious dining experience. God I envey yall!!

Very nice inside with large wood fireplace. Cold as Nome Alaska inside.... DRESS WARM or you will leave quickly. Very nice staff. except wouldn't bring the chef to me when I was not satisfied with the unsatisfactory effort on the Salmon. He should be easier to approach. Elk. 5 stars Salmon 2 stars Take in that it's tough area and you might pass until they get better.

I came here for my dad's birthday. The staff was incredibly friendly, the drinks were great, the food was fantastic. The finish out and history of the building is also very cool. Coming from Austin, this restaurant is just as good as any high end dining in ATX. Lubbock is lucky to have this restaurant. *this is not a Dennys or Outback Steakhouse, there's nothing wrong with those restaurants, but I've read a lot of 1 star reviews complaining about portion size that seem to want to compare apples to allen wrenches.

The atmosphere of the restaurant ......is very calm and relaxing. The staff's uniform is well done! (Blue denim) I also appreciated the bartender giving drink suggestions and liquor tasting. The bathrooms are very clean and beautifully designed! Overall a great experience! Highly recommended!

I wanted to love this restaurant and I do love the idea of it. The building, the garden, and the decor are fantastic. And the food is okay but I feel it is a bit pretentious. Not because it's Lubbock, but because it tries too hard and doesn't feel authentic. The posole in a broth is interesting but seemed to lack depth. Service was great...I hope it's just growing pains.

Food was okay but not worth the price. At least for the brunch menu. It took for ever, around 45 minutes to get our food. Our waiter was excellent and the ambience is pretty nice.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Nicolett. Cool spot off the beaten path, buildings on the property are really cool, the dining room space is very nice with an intentional Texas feel. We did the Chefs tasting menu, which was a really cool journey through fun, well plated dishes. Flavors were really good and well prepared. Pace of the courses coming out was perfect and both my wife and I were impressed that the sum of all the courses were the perfect amount of food. This place has done an excellent job creating a great dining experience all the way around. To my knowledge there is nothing else like this in Lubbock. Certainly a destination restaurant as the owners intended.

My husband and I love this restaurant so much, we look for any excuse to go. The ambience, whether you choose to dine in the courtyard, in the greenhouse, or indoors, is artful, simple, and stunning. It is enough to make you feel cozy and relaxed, ready to eat a perfect meal, but it does not distract from the food, drink, or company. We always start with a cocktail, and I haven't had one yet that I didn't love. Although, I find myself always wanting their old fashioned as it is extremely well-balanced. The fry bread with honey butter or the blue cheese bread starters are marvelous. One of my personal favorite menu items is the pinon salad. It has such a bold and unique flavor. My absolute favorite menu item is the agnolotti. If it is on the menu, I have to order it every time. The beef cheek brisket with a glass of house red wine has become another go-to of mine. The service of the Nicolett is how I wish every dining experience could be. Our meal, from cocktail to dessert, is perfectly timed, every time. I never feel rushed to finish what's in front of me, and I never feel liking I am waiting on a wait staff. Water is always filled before I know I needed more. The wait staff are intelligent about the menu and have an intimate knowledge about the food. They are always reliable for a suggestion if you find yourself torn. I could go on proclaiming how special and elegant this dining experience is. It is so different from any place you've been to in Lubbock, and it is better than most of my fine dining experiences in Dallas or Austin.

Went here for Sunday brunch for a special occasion. Sat outside in the green house (perfect temperature even though it was cold outside, they did a great job with heaters). This was SUCH a good dining experience. Food, drinks, service were all quality. We had the Orange sweet bread and it was flaky and perfectly orange. Then we had the cheese plate, which was the perfect amount to split. For mains, we ordered the Pain Perdu which was like Crème brûlée French toast, the Latkes and the crab Benedict. We ate everything!

We are lucky to have this gem in Lubbock. It's a lovely restaurant with delicious food and drinks. Do yourself a favor...

Sublimely infatuated with a pulsing bzzz of titillating rumors Hope resided in dream of a mercy upon West Texas to alight a beacon of light to signify time for more non chain surges above mediocrity leading into a hallowed light of luscious sauces, marinaded, choices of beef & celestial puff pastries & pastas on the celestial scale!!!!! Reservation made two days prior because they are extremely laden with other excited guests!!! Extremely polite on the phone, I received a courtesy reminder of the reservation & an offer to move it up by 30 min or an hour which, I thought wry considerate. You must park behind the building & it is at end of the street before you get to the bridge. Tiptoed gingerly, yet heart bounding & simultaneously marveling at the fairytale like Victorian green house with vibrantly, hued & etched panes with warm, twinkly lights to adorn & guests seated inside. The entrance as at the end of this charming path with almost a garden party courtyard area with dainty botanicals & lights. Inside, I marveled at the decor being a metal warehouse with lavish, expansive maybe Spanish looking light fixtures which added to the warmth the ambience & the eclectic vibe. The hostess was cheery, eager to seat & our waiter with similar, engaging disposition took drink orders right away! The house wines are ones which the owners collaborated with McPherson & white was crisp, rounded & delicious & the Paloma was also on point!!!!! Each section on the menu are course selections which we chose the fry bread with honey butter!! Puffs of golden warm heaven & then slather it down with creamy, melting butter... This quite a delectable treat! I chose the kale salad for the second course & it was not palatable for me personally bc, it was more reminiscent of a seaweed salad & just was to wet & very salty for my taste but, managed to pick out the piñon nuts! For the main, I got the quail, brioche & risotto. I adore quail & was truly excited as they said it was a limited time selection on the menu! With a valiant effort & a well poised, gleaming fork, I tried each selection on my teensy alabaster plate & concluded the quail texture seemed & tasted like a bland boiled chicken with the risotto, although cooked perfectly, only tasted of chicken broth & lemon. The brioche was alright but, felt the overall effect of the dish was underwhelming... He got the cullote of beef which I demanded a bite of and chewed several times but, so chewy & really devoid of flavors I could detect... One bite was more than sufficient to know it was not what I yearned for.... Waiter, was such a gem though & comped my wine bc, I did tell him I did not like the salad. I had not the heart to disclose the displeasure with the mains. My suggestion is to sit in their cute greenhouse & have cocktails & frybread!!! I hope they revisit selections & have unbiased patrons sample menu items to tweak & refine. It is a lovely place & could be stellar if the food matched the ambience & exceptional service! Adieu! Until my path winds West Texas way again!

Fine dining experience in Lubbock you will not be disappointed. Excellent wine parings, food could not have been better. Servers left no stone unturned extremely attentive with out hovering or being intrusive. Love the open kitchen design. Watching Chef Finn in action, was an added pleasure. Scott Herron

If you are searching for an experience to elevate your palate. I encourage you to end your search and share a glorious evening with friends, family or your significant other at The Nicolett. Their menu seamlessly highlights West Texas cuisine with brilliant flavor compositions. I recommend starting with their mouth watering fried bread served with honey butter. Take your time looking over the menu and don't be afraid to ask your waiter/waitress for recommendations. I had the red snapper and it was exquisite. (Pairs perfectly with your favorite choice of white wine) The other guests at my table had the beef cheek. (Pairs perfectly with your choice of red wine) Save room for dessert because the options are killer.

I met the owner and he shared his passion for cuisine and his struggles to stay open during Covid! A beautiful venue for any occasion!

We would not recommend. Although waitstaff was wonderful during our last visit, that fact could not make up for overwhelmingly dismal performance at every other turn. First, we canceled another reservation in favor of The Nicolett because we thought the venue would provide an intimate setting for conversation. It did not. This restaurant should assign someone to monitor the music volume. What might be an acceptable volume for a restaurant full of diners is not acceptable when only four diners in the restaurant are trying to enjoy their meals while conversing with one another. The menu---I am sorry, but the menu is simply lacking, and I hate that for this restaurant. It is limited and, although, there was an attempt to offer innovative items, everything fell short. This was not our first experience at The Nicolette. It was our third and last dining experience. Placing a few fennel seeds in yeast bread and topping it with shaved sea salt and carefully entitling menu items to include herbs and vegetables that may not be included in homestyle family meals simply does not do it. I hate to write this review bc we want restaurants to succeed in Lubbock, but paying hundreds of dollars for a meal that falls short every time is not acceptable. We stopped trying happy hour after our fourth visit. During our third and fourth visit, we asked to order bread (not gratis but per item) and were essentially told: "Too sad, too bad; we have it, but you must wait another 15 minutes for dinner service." Successful restaurateurs never tell their paying customers "no."

This place was amazing!! So excited that Lubbock has this new addition! The portions are small, but it's designed that way so you can taste many things off the menu. Service was excellent! Our waitress was constantly checking on us and refilling our water. We sat inside the dining room. The greenhouse looked so charming, but it is detached from the main restaurant so dress appropriately for the weather as it is not insulated. The menu in the restaurant is slightly different than what is online. Will definitely be returning! Parking is located on the side of the restaurant or street parking if available. To access the free parking lot, enter through the back alley. Parking lot is unpaved with gravel. Then follow the path passing the greenhouse through the courtyard to the hostess stand. If you enter off the street, the hostess stand is to the back left of the restaurant. - Fry bread with honey butter was spectacular - a must order (5/5) - Black pepper popovers with blue cheese butter was good. Didn't taste much of the black pepper and the butter has a strong blue cheese if you love that (3/5) - Crab with sunchokes was good. It was heavily dressed with a cream sauce (3.5/5) - Butter poached lobster was excellent - a must order (5/5) - Agnolloti with cauliflower and parmesan was excellent - a must order (5/5) - Rancho Gordo heirloom beans was great. It is a dish with all beans and crispy kale on top (4/5) - Beef brisket was ok. The mashed potatoes were delicious but the beef was too salty (3/5) - Blackened cod was delicious - a must order (5/5) - Brioche dessert was amazing - a must order (5/5)

This food here is amazing. The environment is eclectic and woodsy with an large fireplace in the middle and a gorgeous intimate greenhouse out back. Our waiter, Brock, was very knowledgeable about the menu items and gave us great service. We started with the fry bread with fermented honey butter and pan au lait with house cultured butter. All of it was to die for! The Ranchito cocktail (their version of a Ranch Water) was delicious as well as their House White Wine. They have beautiful dinnerware that makes the old cabin house feel modern and upscale. We had the triple-seared aged prime rib was the perfect balance between rich and tender. The garden chicken was thoroughly enjoyed - "best chicken I've ever had" - paired well with the rancho gorro heirloom beans and the agnolotti with cauliflower and sherry. To top it off we also had incredible desserts: the chocolate ganache filled with white soy and cocoa nib sabayon, honey fluff, and cocoa nibs (so so so good). Highly recommend coming here! It's unlike any other place in Lubbock.... Although do bring a jacket during the colder months because there's quite a draft.

Great food for a nice night out. Great atmosphere and service. I got the beef cheek/brisket with truffle topping and it was melt in your mouth, perfect sides. My friends ordered the prime rib which was also delicious and salmon. Everything we ordered was amazing. If you're looking for a nice night out/somewhat pricey, better than Table 82 and other high end food you will encounter in Lubbock.

The staff and chef are amazing. I was blown away with everything we ate. You definitely need to try this for your next date night or celebration. The chef knows what he is doing. Can't wait to go back!

Really neat concept very tasty but you will probably be hungry afterwards. For the 4 of us it was over $300 and we went to torchys after lol...for what you pay for the portion sizes are super tiny! I think if the portions would be better you would have happier guests.

Came to town from Dallas to see my daughter. Wanted a great meal. We ordered the fish. It was a fillet served 1/2 portion of fish. Nothing else on the plate but 3 garlic cloves. Literally. 45.00 I live in Highland Park in one of the most expensive areas in our state. The nicest restraunt is Bilboquet. You get a plate of fish. The whole thing. Sautéed mushrooms, risotto, and a lovely sauce. 32.00. This place last night was a joke, we were the only table for 45 minutes. One other couple came in towards the end. Great concept. But you missed the boat and the email. You will not survive. The price equated to zero value in your servings. We were starving after our 200.00 dinner. 2 drinks, 2 salads. 2 fish entrees. Not even entree because it literally was 3 inches of fish. Sadly you will close.

Any idiot that rates this place as less than a 5 just can't afford to eat here, or doesn't know good food when they eat it. The Nicolett is one of the very best restaurants in Texas, or the U.S. for that matter! Every item of food and drink is coddled by a world class chef. If you don't get it, just zip it up so you don't throw people seeking world class cuisine off track!

This newish restaurant makes great food. They are emulating a specific style of French cuisine and I think they do it justice. The building is amazing but hard to locate your first time there. Parking in back through alley. My only concern is whether they can survive serving such tiny portions. Anywhere else in town, $35 gets you a meal. Here it is 4 bites of meat (cooked perfectly, but it's a taste rather than a meal). We ordered almost every starter on the menu and still didn't leave full. Maybe I'm just too uncultured for such a place, but spending $250 to leave hungry makes it unlikely we'll frequent this place. If you are a grown man, I recommend snacking before your $100 worth of food. Great staff, great food, but if I'm paying this much I would like more than a taste of the food.

It took them forever to serve the food. They do not have bottled water and they try to sell sparkling water to you. I needed to take my medicine and that was not a good option for me. Everything is super fancy , look good but doesn't taste right. We ordered 3 different salads and only one was ok. We ordered 5 different dishes for 3 people and the brisket and fish were ok. They forgot to bring stake knife and we had to wait a long time for our waitress to ask her for a knife. They have a fried bread that is really goid and i an giving this one star only to that item. For a $500 bill it was not worth it .

Underwhelmed and overpriced. Food was good, but don't go if your hungry. Portions are very small and pricey. Bread plate with 4 small rolls was $10. Bread was good but not worth the money. Food was good but not outstanding. Had to send salmon dish back because it wasn't cooked as ordered. Service was good but not very knowledgeable about the wine list. Our server didn't even know what varietal the house labeled wine was or anything about any of the wines on the wine list. Won't be back any time soon if at all.

Do not go here if you are hungry at all. We spent $180 plus tip and the entire meal could have been placed on a saucer. $42 for 1 scallop!!!! Yes you are reading this correct!!! If you want to spend a ton of money for 4 bites of food over 4 courses then this is for you! Not for West Texas!!