The story
For over a decade, One Thirty Five Prime has held its place as the premier fine dining steakhouse in Waco, Texas. Located just outside the heart of the city on Hewitt Drive, it strikes a balance that is harder to achieve than it looks: polished enough for a celebration or business dinner, comfortable enough that the formality never feels stiff. The room offers soft lighting, attentive table service, and private dining rooms for gatherings that call for something more intimate.
The menu draws from both American steakhouse tradition and French fine dining classics. Starters include escargot sautéed in garlic basil pesto herb butter with tomato bruschetta, blue crab cakes served with three signature dipping sauces, and braised Akaushi short rib gnocchi topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. On the steak side, the kitchen sources prime beef with an emphasis on Akaushi, a heritage breed prized for its marbling and depth of flavor — it appears across the menu from the sliders at happy hour to the main event cuts cooked to precision.
Seafood holds its own alongside the beef: Maine lobster tail, lobster thermidor, and oysters sourced from both coasts, with selections that rotate to keep pace with what's freshest. Classic French preparations like chateaubriand round out the specialties section. Desserts stay true to the steakhouse canon — a signature crème brûlée and Key lime pie close things out without overcomplicating them.
The wine program earned One Thirty Five Prime a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, recognition that reflects the seriousness with which the list was built. Bottles span California Cabernets and Napa Chardonnays through Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, and producers from Italy, Argentina, New Zealand, and beyond. The team is ready to suggest pairings, and the cocktail program — built on top-shelf spirits with the same attention to detail as the kitchen — gives guests plenty of options before the first course arrives.
Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., the happy hour menu brings the same quality ingredients to a more relaxed format: hand-cut truffle fries, Akaushi sausage stuffed mushrooms, and Akaushi beef sliders on brioche buns. For larger occasions, private rooms accommodate parties with the full service and care that defines the main dining room. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Recognition
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