The Holy Grail Pub

MyName

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Staff is great and knowledgeable about beers. Very good selection of beers and the prices are very reasonable for what you get. Food quality is way above average for typical pub food, in fact it rivals many chain restaraunts. I recommend the cheese fries with Gruyère cheese and gravy. If your in the area and are into beer and/or food I recommend you check the place out. I seldom take time to write reviews - but you wont regret spending your $ there....and your business will help vote with your dollars to ensure they will still be there next time I can make it by!

06-02-2012 04:51:51 | More by MyName

ipahophead

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Amazing food; great beer selection; always awesome service.

The only downer is the noise -- they have worked to reduce yet it is one of the loudest pubs I've visited. Too many hard surfaces, concrete floors, tall ceiling, etc. I would visit more frequently if it was not so loud.

Probably the best pub food I've ever enjoyed.

This pub typically wins people's choice award for best Dallas (or at least North Dallas) Pub.

Patio is reasonable but often full of smokers; sadly loud outside with road noise.

As others have noted, this is in a nondescript strip mall broadly on the Southeast corner of Preston and 121. There is TONS of parking in the back; drive through the porte-cochère to access.

05-10-2012 16:03:51 | More by ipahophead

kareng412

4.78/5  rDev +9.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

In a strip mall along Preston, just south of 121, this place is easy to miss. Don't. It is well worth the stop, especially if you like beer. It is not a full bar. Beer and wine only. No fru fru umbrella drinks. There are a couple of TVs but this is not a sports bar. It is a great place to talk, enjoy a few beers and good food.

The beer menu is two pages of small font, with an additional seasonal list. Imports, microbrews and the mundane. But seriously, if you like American mass produced swill, you'll be overwhelmed! The servers know their stuff. If a particular seasonal is out, they'll come up with alternatives and have never steered me wrong. If you aren't sure, they do give sample tastes.

The food is a step above bar food. I've never been disappointed.

04-24-2012 22:44:29 | More by kareng412

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev -4.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

I was quite happy that I found this pub and that it happened to be located close to where I had to be in the DFW area.

The beer selection was quite good, a large variety of styles available both on top and in bottles as well as a good selection of local (Texas) beers.

The service was good but not great - fairly knowledgeable but not overly attentive. Helpful with recommendations on local beers but i waited for a while between orders.

The food was excellent - I had a great pork belly slider appetizer that has a nice amount of spice and was well prepared. I would consider ordering it again (but might get distracted by a number of other good looking dishes on the menu).

The crowd was nice and diverse, people in business attire to casual and hipster - so a little bit for everyone - and a good gender mix as well.

Beers were well poured and fresh with appropriate glassware.

Only downside to the place is that it is a little small, so when it is too cold for the outside seating area it is cramped.

02-17-2012 00:48:32 | More by dbrauneis

txbrewer

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

This place is nice just too small!!! That is my only real complaint about them. Should you happen to be in, you must try the ghost chili, believe it or not - it is worth it (they make a really good recipe that stands up to the heat of the peppers - ask for extra bread or just get a side of fries to go with it!)

I enjoy a good beer and whisky selection and they have both (even had a bottle of Stranahans well after not being able to find it at the local liquor stores). They are quite well versed in the flavors of their beers and know more than a thing or two about all the bottles up on the shelves (and they do not mind sharing that knowledge either).

Stop in when you can - it is well worth it.

12-11-2011 22:26:36 | More by txbrewer

Mora2000

Texas

4.18/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Nice little place located on Preston Road near the intersection with State Highway 121. One of the few beer-centric bars in Plano. Features a very nice tap selection and occasionally has hard-to-find, rare beers on tap (the most recent was Duvel Green). Also has tap nights where you keep the brewery's glass. Food is above average for bar food and the menu is fairly extensive. Prices are about the same as other beer-centric bars. Definitely one of the better beer bars in the Metroplex and the best in Plano.

07-28-2011 03:36:58 | More by Mora2000

ranger7

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -6.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

My girlfriend and I finally decided to check this place out. We've frequented a lot of the establishments in the same strip shopping center, but had never tried this place.

The atmosphere inside was a little on the loud side. We went on a Friday at about 7pm and it was fairly packed with the music turned up - not as laid-back as we were hoping. The outdoor patio area is nice, however. The patio is inside a sort of breezeway constructed in the shopping center and makes for a nice, quieter place to sit without being out in the sun.

Service was quick and friendly. We both wanted fish and chips (British-style pub after all!) and asked what out server would recommend. He steered us in the right direction (Dogfish Head 90 min IPA on-tap!) and we were very pleased.

The food was tasty, and although a bit on the pricey side, I would eat here again, just maybe not real frequently. Fish and chips were very good.

Overall, I like this place. The outdoor seating is a nice touch, they have tons of beer to choose from (approx. 150), some interesting stuff on-tap, some local brews (Franconia), and a friendly and helpful staff.

05-07-2011 22:01:03 | More by ranger7

Jeff450

Texas

4.83/5  rDev +10.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Very friendly staff and owner. A good selection of tap and bottle brews. After all, do you really need 150 different beers on tap? The food is excellent and a lot of it for the money. The TV's aren't blaring at you (only two or three of them). Nice atmosphere and clean throughout. My wife doesn't like bars but she will go to this one with me. A genteel clientele. The owner and staff are very knowledgeable about beer. The also have a good selection of Scotch. My go to place in the Frisco/Plano area.

12-11-2010 21:18:27 | More by Jeff450

rtepiak

Poland

3.58/5  rDev -18.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$

the place is about a quarter mile south of one of the north dallas malls in the area. sort of has that commercial feel in the atmosphere with everything so tidy yet attempt at vintage. sort of has the alternative yuppie feel similar to a lot of beer bars that have popped up in the area in the last few years here. i went on a sunday and the clientele was mostly younger people that drink local texas beer or mixed drinks. place is treated like a bar with beer perks really. beer selection was ok with a lot of americans... some german hammers and some beligan hammer. the draft selection was pretty good. aventines, three different somewhat rarer dogfish heads. 512, franksconia, more exclusive flying dog, live oak and old rasp on nitro. employees sort of knew what is going on but i felt pensive asking advice when i saw the way in which the beer menu was divided. light and dark beers for the draft including triples and kristelwiess for the light... and moosedrool and aventines for the dark... with bottles nothing really stood out as unique or out of the range of local liquor stores.

overall, if you're local, it was a place to stop by for two beers about once a month try the drafts and go to your usually places. feels like the fillmore but smaller. almost a sports bar... but almost alternative.

08-03-2010 22:43:30 | More by rtepiak

Dixonian

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

The Holy Grail is my favorite North Dallas pub for many reasons. They have a remarkable selection both on tap and in bottles, the food is easily the best at any pub in the area if not anywhere I've been, and the staff is both knowledgable and friendly. All of these factors weigh heavily when I choose where to frequent and spend my hard earned cash. They have my standard "go to" beers on tap like 90 minute IPA and Arrogant Bastard but also rotate out an excellent selection of seasonals and specialty brews. They also have a full bar with a decent menu of signature cocktails-my wife loves the raspberry martini which has some framboise lambic in it. The staff is extremely friendly especially the owner and head chef-both of who I've talked to on several occasions about our mutual love or beer and food.

My personal favorite thing is the monthly beer pairing dinners they have. For $50 a person you get 5-6 courses of delicious and what I like to call fancy food paired perfectly with rare and wonderful brews. I've been using these dinners as a way to introduce my friends to the many styles and flavors of beer.

If you live or are ever in the Preston/121 area DO NOT miss this pub. Truly a class act through and through.

04-17-2010 19:29:53 | More by Dixonian