An Ode to Lawry's Prime Rib

Having heard about the impending closing of Lawry’s The Prime Rib, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and try to squeeze in one last visit. Sometimes we lose restaurants with no warning, and it is a shock. Luckily, upon the sale of its  building, Lawry’s was able to give Dallas about a six-week notice before closing its doors on March 2. What ensued was an outpouring of last visits, goodbyes, stories relived and chances for closure for the staff and the customers. Reservations filled up, as did the dining room, and as always the staff responded with grace and efficiency.

Before choosing a place to go out to dinner, there are many factors to consider. But what makes you want to go back again and again? Become a “regular”? This is the ever-elusive goal that all restaurants strive for. For Lawry’s, it starts with the people. Lawry's had an impressive number of staff members who worked at that location for decades. The consistency and professionalism made the difference and kept the people coming back.
The semi-swanky dining room remained largely unchanged from when the restaurants opening in the '90s. The setting at Lawry’s had always been high-end but approachable. On weekdays the lunch crowd consisted of businessmen looking for a quick but impressive lunch to impress clients. Many deals got done in that dining room over the years. Nights and weekends were full of birthday parties, anniversaries and all types of special occasions. The iconic silver carts came rolling out to each table. The beautiful prime rib was carved at the tables and plates were filled with the best mashed potatoes you ever tasted and creamed corn or creamed spinach. The experience of getting served this way never gets old. The spinning salad bowl was also a presentation to behold.
On this trip, we managed to snag an early lunch reservation. Our server gave us quick instructions on how to walk through the carving station and order. The station was quick and efficient. We just let them know what size slab of prime rib we wanted. There was no measuring or weighing; they just know. Au jus? Gravy? Yes, lots of it, please. The prime rib was well seasoned with a nice mix of fat on the edges and a perfectly medium rare center. We ate around the edges of the mashed potatoes and dipped each bite into the oasis of gravy in the center, never letting the gravy escape its pillowy bowl.

The meal was over before we were ready to go, so we took some time to look around and observe the dining room. It was quickly apparent that just about everyone in there knew our waiter, and he knew them. His manager later told us that his following in the restaurant was like no one else's. Many diners would come in only when he was working. And we could see why. The mere mention of the closing of the restaurant almost brought him to tears.

As the final weeks wound down, the business just kept growing. Were diners there to get one last taste of delicious prime rib? Sure, they were, but that can be found elsewhere. What they really wanted was one last chance to remember all of the celebrations and fun they had there. One last chance to tell the hostess, the servers, the carvers, the chefs and the managers how much they have been appreciated over the years.

Farewell, Lawry’s The Prime Rib. You will be missed by many.