We are relatively new to the Waco area and have been trying to visit different establishments and broaden our horizons to new flavors in the city. We were greeted warmly and promptly seated. Our server was quick to approach our table to get our appetizer and drink orders. These were on our table at lightning speed. I was not sure of which sandwich that I wanted but I definitely wanted onion rings as soon as I noted that they were on the menu. I chose the grilled brisket sandwich to go with the rings. The sandwich was amazing but the onion rings were not what I expected. They were huge, 2-3 inch thick, breaded and very difficult to eat and no dipping sauce was ever offered. There may have been 5 or 6 rings on the platter. My hubby chose a large salad that had grilled Brussels sprouts and he loved it. The atmosphere and staff were amazing. The food, with the exception of the onion rings, was awesome. We will definitely return for other tastes of their menu items. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - Nice place. - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

Visited Crickets for lunch after going to Magnolia Market because we wanted to try a local restaurant that wasn't tied to the Gaines empire and I do NOT recommend. PROS: We were sat immediately & the prices were reasonable. CONS: Our waitress was as bad as it comes - when she brought out appetizers she didn't bring out any flatware or plates. Upon requesting them, she told us it was finger food and she didn't think we needed them. After waiting and her not returning, we finally just got up and picked up some from the service table we spotted from our booth. The food was sub-par bar bites. I ordered a chicken sandwich that was cold upon getting to the table and missing the ranch I ordered with it. My dad was missing the fries he ordered. My mom had no complaints. read more

environment was amazing! our server was so attentive and sweet. food was delicious, got the club house and mac and cheese as well as fried pickles. The cocktail flight was good too, my favorite was the swimming with sharks. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - Cocktail Flight - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

See all

The food was great! However, the service was not the best. It took 15 minutes for the waitress to get a to go box and the check. And then, once the waitress we felt rushed. read more

Really enjoy Crickets for good food and friends. They have a large menu and fun atmosphere.

This place was pretty cool as far as entertainment goes. There was a large area for shuffle board, pool, and different games. My bartender, I believe her name was Callie, was exceptional! She was on top of it when my drink was almost empty seeing if I needed another one. That's my personal favorite thing about a good server! She gave me some good recommendations as far as food. Get the Queso it's the bomb.com! I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5 because it was extremely crowded, and I am simply not an overcrowded type of person. Yeah, naur. read more

Stopped in while in town with family. We like the convenience of the location to the hotel and decided to try it. They have many beers on tap which was perfect for the evening after a day of travel. I ordered the brisket burger and was slightly disappointed with the brisket flavor. The burger was perfectly cooked; however, the brisket didn't have much flavor unfortunately. Also ordered the cheese fries and chip with salsa for the table. The queso was tasty. I'd recommend to anybody staying in the area that wants a quick bite to eat that's a walk away. read more

Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich is made with crack! Im sure of it!! Just couldn't stop eating it, so deliciously satisfying!! A definite stop and enjoy!! Us Alaskans shall definitely return! Thank you for the great visit :) read more

Came in for dinner tonight because Ninfas Mexican had too long of a wait . The food was ok. The cocktails were so bad we barely drank 1/4 of either of them. And our server Shawn was awful. Not friendly , took forever for everything , no dirty plates were ever removed from our table and he barely checked on us . read more

Food was ok, service was slow considering their was hardly anyone there. Will give it another try but wasn't overly impressed with it. read more

This is a great college bar! Great for freshly 21 year olds. I came here to get a good meal and received the compliment opposite. Appetizer's were cold, burger was a hockey puck, fish was dry and the chicken tenders were over cooked. The young lady that was our waitress was super nice but they over booked her area and it was tough to get service from her. Wouldn't recommend this place for anyone over the age of 25 years of age. read more

The staff was so lovely but honestly there was NO food. First there was no beef left, then there were no French fries. Also we were told there was a back up in the kitchen so it would take a while for the food to come. We ended up leaving after a couple of drinks and went to another restaurant, where we saw the family that was in the booth next to us. We both left - yikes read more

The food is pretty solid. The Brussels sprouts are delicious and the brisket grilled cheese is awesome. The peanut butter/bacon burger is surprisingly good and a "small" one is perfect size. I give their food a 3/5. However, their beer selection is 5/5 stars! $9 for a flight which includes 4 5oz beers of your choice. Great way to sample all sorts of beers! Will definitely go back for the beer! read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - $9 beer flight. 5oz of each beer! (This is 2 flights) - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

A downtown bar for college students and adults to come to. Lots of seating and game playing in the back! If you want to play the shuffle board, claim a table earlier in the evening or get on the waitlist. They even have outdoor patio seating which is nice during the cooler months. Fair priced on beers and cocktails! read more

See all

Two stars because the pool area was really fun. But once our table was ready and we sat and ordered drinks... my mom has been sober for 6 years and asked if they had o'doul's and the server laughed and said no and handed her the beer list. We then ordered 3 appetizers and after 30 minutes they came out and each was cold. We ordered the nachos with guacamole (extra $2 for guacamole which came to us brown), cheese pizza bites with tomato soup (cold and flavorless) & Brussels sprouts. The server was a complete jerk to this point so we didn't feel comfortable sending them back as we wouldn't put it past him to sabotage what he brings next. read more

Ambience is cool. Service was okay. BUT our food came out COLD - out of the fridge cold, not even room temp - not once but twice. Third time was almost the charm but then it was just burnt (see pic). No manager came by to ask about the experience or see if there was anything they could do and no discount for cold food. Definitely don't recommend this place if you want to eat. If you just want drinks it's worth a try. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - Cauliflower mashes potatoes - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

Host was not friendly, from the time we walked in. We waited for someone to approach the front, when she did we were told immediately the kitchen was going to close and we're not welcomed with the option to stay for drinks. We decided to leave and go elsewhere. read more

I'm bumping this noble three star up to four in my review due to the high quality beer selection. I stopped in a few weekends ago to have a pint and some snack while my wife was shopping next door. The bartender was very nice and moderately knowledgeable about their extensive beer selection. I ordered the chips and queso with a side of salsa. I thought these were very good for the setting. The pints that I had were all good, and I was able to hit several local Waco breweries that I had not tried before. At least for the beers I tried, it tasted like they did a pretty good job of keeping their tap lines clean as none had off flavors. I finished up with the (ghost pepper or habanero) burger which was a tasty but otherwise pretty standard bar burger. All told, if I find myself back in Waco, I would definitely stop in. I think if these guys were in Austin, they would be three star, but there were enough positives to justify a 4. read more

We had one night to spend in Waco and found Cricket's and knew we had to give it a shot. The staff was friendly. Our waitress, Bianca, was very personable and incredibly nice! The food was really great too. It has been years since I had a peanut butter bacon burger, and to be honest, I forgot they existed until I saw it on the menu. SO GOOD. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

You gotta understand that there's two sides to Cricket's: you're either visiting Cricket's the restaurant (lunch and dinner hours) or Cricket's the bar (evening hours to 2:00 am). As for me, I'd give the restaurant 4 stars and the bar a rousing 5 stars. But overall, this is a Waco gem. Let's start with Cricket's as a bar. It's great. They have the biggest draft beer wall in Waco by far, filled with both well-known national beers as well as a huge selection of Texas craft beers. Their cocktails can be pricey, but there's something for everyone. The bartenders are quick, professional, and friendly. And it's a GREAT PLACE to hang: darts, shuffleboard, pool tables galore, plenty of space, plenty of TV's to watch the game. It's clean, it's spacious, and it's comfortable. If you and your friends want to hang out, shoot some pool, have a massive selection of beers, and stay up late, Cricket's is your spot. This is one of my favorite go-to places in Waco to hang out with the guys and enjoy an evening out. As for Cricket's the restaurant, let me say that I haven't always had great service from the waitstaff, especially if it's really crowded, so the complaints on that end are valid. However, the food is surprisingly good. The cheese fries have been the best in Waco my whole life: hand-cut potatoes, overflowing with toppings, plenty of cheese (make sure you order them "old style" so they don't have nacho cheese on them, a new twist as of 2019). The burgers are solid, the monte cristo is a local legend, the quesadillas are filling, the avocado toast is fantastic, and the hand-cut sweet potato fries are my fiancée's favorite. I would highly recommend Cricket's as a bar, and recommend Cricket's as a restaurant if you aren't in an extreme hurry as the food is very good. As a bar it has no real competitor in Waco in terms of space and pool/shuffleboard, and as a restaurant the food is good enough to keep me coming back on a regular basis. read more

Good food, service is slow sometimes. The only thing I hate is the parking. That whole area is a nightmare for parking.

The food was good. Probably a little better than I expected. The onion rings were really good. Drink selection was great. Service was fast. Inside was nice and well kept. If you're craving burgers and sandwiches, def a must try. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - Table area - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

Good food, friendly service, cool atmosphere, BUT 2 pet peeves... Nothing comes with a side so you pay $7-$12 for a burger or sandwich then another $3-$5 for fries or whatever. AND they only put mayo or mustard on ONE bun. So, when I ask for more for my other bun, they charged me for it without telling me up front! Place had a lot of potential and seems like a fun place to hang out, but give me a break! I guess Waco has so many tourists now that they don't care about repeat business. They just want to make all their money up front. read more

We had a few drinks during late night happy hour. Super huge bar! Lots of options. Pool tables too.

After I waited 1 and a half hours after being told 40 minutes the manager then tells me it would be 40 minutes for food. An hour later (2 1/2 hours total) we have no food. First time I have ever walked out of a restaurant after a long wait with no food. Menu is a very limited with a handful of greasy options (if you even get the food). I've eaten here before. 2 star food. Only reason to go here is beer selection but you can get beer anywhere. This place is a disaster. read more

Great place for drinks and games! Lots of entertainment and good music! The downside would be the food and staff. Our server left her shift in the middle of our dinner and didn't tell us which was really confusing. The gentleman that took over was very nice and accommodating to our needs. Food was not great but we did come for games anyhow sooo wasn't too disappointed. Also, I had to tell the staff 3 times before they put soap in the restroom. The manager working that evening did not come to the table once regarding any issues however he did come over to us at the pool table (with the soap dispenser about 2 hours later) to show me he physically put soap in the soap dispenser. Weird read more

I do not like the mac and cheese or the pretzels because they are dry. However, I like the burgers, fries, boneless wings, and bar service. Tracy and Tay are amazing. I come in once a week just to see them. They take care of me and I hope their company takes care of them because they're the reason I keep coming back to this place. Thank you Crickets for making my work week better. read more

Fun spot in Waco! We played pool and shuffle board. Great beer selection. We came here twice during our long weekend visit. Snacks were tasty, but definitely bar food. read more

See all

The food was your typical average bar food. Wasnt great, wasn't terrible. The service was good and the beer list is excellent. I would go back to hang with friends and drink beer. Unfortunately we were there because we were starving. read more

The food & beer selection are amazing. I had the Bleu Pig Burger...delicious beef with bleu cheese, bacon, guacamole, red onion, & stingy lettuce on a sweet bun. It was amazing & didn't last long enough for a pic. The sweet potato fries are really good too. Service & wait for a table for 2 were slower than you'd want (hence the 4 stars)...I think they were understaffed today. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - Chicken tenders & sweet potato fries - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

Been here before and had great service. Beware, you can buy Balcones for 45$ a bottle and this place up charges for 15$ a pour. Over priced and mixed drinks are watered down. read more

Excellent beer pints - so many beers on tap that you're sure to find one you like. Tasty burgers snd fries. Just $4.50 per 1/2 hour for pool. Fun time with sports on the TVs read more

I came here while at a work retreat. I'm used to a very small scaled Crickets back in Lubbock from my college days at Texas Tech. Sadly during those times I never came here for the food only for the drinks haha. Anyways. We were a large group, about 15, and we were seated quickly. Our waitress was sweet but really slow sadly. I ordered the brisket grilled cheese and a side of fries. Every was delicious. The brisket was very tender and juicy. Although the cheese wasn't the best cheese to complement the brisket. I'll probably just stick to this place during later hours for a beer. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

See all

Christian, our server was one of the nicest, polite and easy going servers I have ever experienced. He kept checking on us for the entire 3-1/2 hours we were there. This place was across the street from our hotel, the Hilton Waco and very convenient for us out of town Husker fans to watch our game against Ohio State on ABC. Christian made sure the flat screen nearest us was tuned in right on time. Now this is a good establishment so I guess I should mention the food drinks. We both had mules with call liquor. My wife Grey Goose and mine was Makers Mark and both were so good we had more. Now I ordered a classic cheeseburger with the usual rabbit food atop it and was pleasantly surprised at how good and juicy it was. Definitely one of the better house burgers I have ever had. The wife enjoyed their fish & chips which came battered in tempura and deep fried. Not greasy like a lot of places and very thin coating with a generous portion of cod. Fries were hand cut and very good as well. All in all a great place to watch a game with plenty of screens viewable from all angles and seating. read more

Stag did great job with our entire baseball team and parents twice during a tournament weekend. Food was great and beer was cold. We tipped well bc it's not an easy party to accommodate. read more

In Waco doing the tourist thing walking & sightseeing & found this place using Yelp. It was a very hot & humid day & we wanted a place close by. Wife & I sat in a booth & John was our waiter. John was jovial, friendly & very informative. Wife ordered a "Bloody Mary" while I had one of the amber beers. They have a huge selection of various beers on draft. Well over 100 different types. The bar has hundreds of taps. Decisions, decisions! Gave me a sample that helped me to decide which one I'd prefer. Ordered the fish & chips with an order of loaded French fries. Fries covered in cheese, bacon, green onions & jalapeños! Yummy! I got the buttermilk fried chicken salad. Delicious. Pool tables are in the back, but we didn't play. Reasonable prices & music plays in the background, of course, but it wasn't exceptionally loud. If we lived here I could see us coming here quite often. read more

Everything in my previous review relating to their bar hasn't changed - still awesome! I came here a second time for brunch after a poor first experience. Courtney from customer relations reached out to offer a gift card for me to try their brunch again, so I brought my sister today with me. I was still a little spooked about the coffee and bananas foster french toast from the lsat visit, so I ordered the avo toast this time. It comes with one avocado sliced and arranged beautifully on a thick slice of buttered toast. While I say that the avocado was arranged beautifully, that and some green onions were all that were on the toast. I'm really repulsed by green onions, so I spent some time picking them off - this wasn't listed on the menu or else I would have definitely asked for my food without them. Our waiter came by to ask how our food was, but I hadn't tasted my food yet and told him why. To his surprise, he had no idea the dish even came with them. There are 5 food items on their brunch menu, so it seems pretty simple to learn what ingredients are in each of them. In addition, he asked if I wanted to add a fried egg or bacon to my avo toast as he was keying in our orders. He's lucky our table was right next to the register so he could do that. I decided to add a fried egg on top for an additional $1.25 or else I would have been hungrier after my meal. Keep in mind though that this menu items costs just over $10 if you add the egg. The cost of an entire loaf of bread, an avocado, and a dozen eggs still doesn't come close to this amount, so I would say it's a little overpriced. For the price, I feel that the fried egg should be included with the sliced avo arranged around the yolk. They could get very creative with adding seasoning and little toppings in the ring of avo and make the price a bit more justified. Our waiter unfortunately seemed more like a bartender acting as wait staff. read more

Cricket's Grill & Draft House - Avo toast. - American Near Me - Waco, Texas

We are very low maintenance. We don't require perfect service. However, we got pretty frustrated when we ordered Happy Hour drinks and had to flag the waiter down after 25 mins of waiting because our "ticket got lost." Went ahead and ordered food. 5 mins later, there was a problem with some machine. We needed up just leaving and going to Ninfas. Will never go back to Crickets - ever. read more

Came here during the first Baylor Football game. It was hotter than hell outside and I was very surprised there was plenty of space. The last time I came I was told there was a 20 minute wait even though they had fifteen tables open right in front of your face. There just really wasn't much personality from my waitress. I felt she was a bit curt in the non nice southern way. I don't know I can't explain it. Game Day menu, did she market us with the cheese fries saying the single serving was super small or would we have gotten marketed on the small size for next time. Either way I'm glad she did suggest I spend more cash on the larger size because they were delicious. I ordered the brisket burger, the menu clearly stated that the jalapenos were griddled, not a chance man. No char marks or blistering, I gave you a chance, and I hate jalapenos. To continue once I took those the taste of the brisket topped burger was divine. I don't know how I've never tried to make that at home but now I will. When it comes to game day Cricket's is pretty solid, good fare and great beer selection. And on a Friday night you can come to pool it up. If you're coming in the afternoon they have a straight arcade for the kids and the not so old in the mind adults. read more

See all

Excellent beer selection and friendly staff. Lots of games to play. Did not try the food, but the menu looked good.