3 /5 Gary Brustie: This is more of a HEADS UP than a review. I had to experience it in order to understand it. Let me explain….
First, I’m NOT a “member”. I went here for the Thanksgiving Brunch. Prior to this, I normally Thanksgiving Brunch at the Gaylord Texan each year. Their brunch is $100+ per person and I wanted to give the Constellation Club a try.
PRIOR TO GOING: I made reservations over the phone. No credit card needed. Dress code expectation is business casual/ Sunday’s Best. I was also told they validate parking.
THE LOCATION: Easily found in the Irving/ Las Colinas area in the tallest building there. You’ll know you found it because of the Mustangs statues in the front. Quick hint… valet is in the rear of the building. I parked in the garage area and took my ticket with me… to get validated. The club is on the 26th floor. Security is there to make sure you go to the right elevators.
THE PLACE: Coming off the elevators (26th floor), you’re greeted by folks at a table. The place has very modern decor and nice views of the city. On a clear day, you can see downtown Dallas, Arlington, and downtown Fort Worth. If you really know your city, you can see the 635/75 area and City Line in the distance. Great spot for taking selfies or taking in nice views.
Anyways… Someone pulls your reservation. I was asked to pay ahead of time. Four people at $60 a piece, I paid a little over $300. Apparently there was a service charge that I wasn’t told about over the phone. I ask about parking validation and was told that it was for members only. After some back and forth and back and forth and even more back and forth, they made an exception and validated my parking. Keep in mind, I was told they were validating parking for Thanksgiving (over the phone). I’m big on accountability. The gratuity was technically included but you get the option to tip additional. I would have tipped additional had there not been a service charge. The way I see it, if I can be surprised about a service charge, they can be surprised that I wasn’t spending additional money. To me, the service charge was their tip.
THE FOOD: After finding a seat (you sit anywhere), you go to the brunch buffet. VERY DISAPPOINTING. Scrambled eggs that look like they were made with powder. Bacon, apple sausage, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, ham, turkey, and bland chicken wings. There was a separate room for deserts…. pecan pie, pumpkin pie, cookies, etc. Overall, the bacon, mashed potatoes, and turkey were winners. Everything else was either bland or average.
STAFF: The wait staff were friendly and very attentive to our needs.
OVERALL: It was a decent experience I did ONE TIME. It was also cool to find out what was in that tall building that I’d always drive by. WAS IT WORTH $60 ($300 for four people)? NO. Absolutely not. You have to keep in mind that besides the food (which was nothing to write home about), and the views of the city, there’s nothing else to do. You’re there to eat and leave. It’s Thanksgiving and the area is a ghost town. It’s not like you can take a walk and get into another activity.
Coming full circle, this is why I mentioned the Gaylord Texan as a measuring bar. The Gaylord Texan validates parking if you eat the Thanksgiving brunch. You don’t have to be a member. You can walk the resort and appreciate the decor… or participate in other activities. It’s festive. Yes, the Gaylord is $100 per person but the food options are endless and taste amazing.
I wouldn’t do the Constellation Club again. I certainly didn’t see the value in joining as a member. Definitely a one-time experience for me.
I recommend going there for a drink (if they’ll allow it) and checking out the views of DFW. If they want to keep it exclusive, let them have fun with that. It’s not worth it.
