What a joke this place is !! I was visiting in Tyler, TX. One of our family friends suggested this place. He claimed that it was comparable to any "big city" bar
( I guess there's something to be said for idealism ), so my curiosity getting the best of me, I visited "Cork".
Could they have found a more intriguing, original name ?? Too funny ! The atmosphere was stuffy. The food was COMPLETELY over rated; although I have never had Oysters Rockefeller deep fried and still haven't. No Cork kitchen, wrong !!
(Hats off to the gentlemen that posted earlier about this. Apparently a gentlemen of class and taste) The outlandish drink menu was drab and not very well thought out, but for complete rookies, what is to be expected ? Class of bartenders there I would give a grade of D at best. Especially one named Alex, I believe. She definitely had a very pretty picture of herself in her own mind, (so funny) and the cocktails she made were, how can I say this, horrible !! Sorry Alex, I hope your attending college because, tending bar is not your forte. The wine selection was somewhat par at best. I write reviews on these kind of establishments very seldom, because I reviewed for 5 of the top food and beverage publications in the U.S. for 16 years. I can be kind if harsh, but I know what I'm talking about. I apologize to the owners of this restaurant and bar
(I guess that's what it's supposed to be), but EXPERIENCE in these undertakings is impeccably of most importance !! I understand that this is your first endeavor and it shows, gentlemen. My apologies once again; I just "call em as I see em",
so to speak.
Disclaimer: This review relates to the bar only. Â Mrs. Scott B. and I came in here for after dinner vino. Cork is something that you really wouldn't expect to see in Tyler, and this is a good thing. The bar is rather large, and it seems to primarily focus on their wine (hence the name, cork).
We started with two glasses of Belle Glos Meomi. This Pinot Noir, is by far, one of the best (at least in this price range) that you can buy. In fact, it's not that common in many restaurants...yet. With an intent to come in for just a "a glass" of wine, we ended up staying much longer than anticipated. Why, you ask. Well, I attribute this to the little Asian dude bar tending. He's a good salesman, and when I noticed him making craft cocktails, I switched from wine, to bourbon, think back to wine, back to bourbon, and so on, and so on...
Now, as I mentioned- Cork does offer liquor, which is discreetly hidden, underneath the bar. Funny, because I didn't even know they offered anything other than beer and wine, until I witnessed craft cocktails being prepared. And, Cork seems to have trained their staff well at making interesting drinks- not just the plain Jane mixes you'll find at most bars, where bartenders are just too lazy, or dumb to come up with anything innovative.
All in all, this place seems popular, and it was packed by the time we left around 11:00. It's Tyler, so everyone seems to know everyone, and everyone's business. When I'm back in town, I'll try the sushi, and hopefully, will find a reason to up this to a 5 star review.
I don't ever write reviews but this restaurant definitely deserves my time.
This quality of the food here and service is very comparable to a big city restaurant. I have lived in Houston and Sugar Land all of my life and am glad to see that there is  place like this in Tyler.
I have always been a big fan of Wasabi and apparently the owner of Cork originated from there. Which I am glad to see. No wonder the layout, food, and service is excellent.
The food prices will range from affordable to expensive depending of what you are in the mood for. Sushi is comparable to a big city as well. The quality is excellent and fresh.
I have been there for dinner twice and brunch. I have had no regrets and is can be just as affordable as going to bjs down the street with better service and better food.
I did not expect to find a place like this in Tyler. Â I came in for lunch one day and dinner the next night while I was in town looking for an apartment. Â I was greeted with extremely friendly service from a staff that was proud of their establishment. Â Ace in particular was excited about the direction this place is heading and even offered some good advice on finding an apartment in town. Â
As for the food and drink component the lamb, quail, and shrimp were all excellent. One thing to note is they have a craft cocktail menu. Â As a Louisiana native I've grown accustomed to great cocktails and I am beyond excited to know that a place exists where I can scratch that itch in Tyler. Â Make sure you order a Basil Derby and an Apricot Julep. Â BRAVO!
Cork is a great place to go for after dinner drinks. The bar is large and will accommodate a crowd. All the girls in my party loved the large selection of cocktails. No draft beer (Boo!) but most domestic bottles and a few imports.
Although my fellow Yelpers love the food, I was not impressed.
Several in my group ordered Oysters Rockefeller. They were fried oysters served with a drizzle of a ranch sauce. Are you kidding me? Rockefeller is not served fried, rather on the 1/2 shell and baked with cheese. I took one bite of that greasy mess and stopped.
Cork's "biggie" is their sushi. Every roll our table ordered was sub-par, and was what you would expect from the sushi counter in a mall or grocery store.
After the very disappointing apps and sushi, I went with the Pub Burger. Despite being cooked to death ( I specified med-rare) it was not a bad burger.
Our server was friendly, but inattentive. He took our orders, but never served the food or drinks to our table.
If you are looking for good sushi, try Shogun instead. If you are looking for a nice hang-out bar for after dinner drinks, then Cork is your place.
Absolutely my new favorite place in Tyler. Â We had a reservation and were seated immediately. Â The service was excellent. Â The cocktail menu is by far the coolest in East Texas. Â We had tapas and enjoyed every bite. Â The lamb, short ribs and quail were cooked perfectly and the oysters and scallops were lovely. Â Fresh flavors and well balanced. Â Excited to go back and can't wait to try the sushi menu. Â (The valet parking is an awesome touch, especially on a rainy night!)
Review Source:Excellent food and service! We went for lunch the other week and the food was awesome! We tried a sushi roll as an appetizer, which is some of the best we have ever had (and we have eaten sushi all over the US). The server was very friendly and attentive, knew the menu well, and made excellent suggestions. Definitely recommend! We are actually going back tonight for sushi... the server told us they have some great specialty rolls!
Review Source:After my third time to have dinner there, I thought it was about time to give this place a review. The food is outstanding! The small plates are perfect for a night out with friends, just the right portions. The sushi is extremely fresh and creative. I have had wonderful service every time we have eaten there. I would recommend the filet, shrimp mezcal, tuna crunch and Mr. Phamtastic roll. All four were awesome! I love the small plate idea so you can order a few and share. My wife and I also went for brunch on Sunday and both loved it. The fresh squeezed OJ for mimosa's and great Bloody Mary's with homemade mix show that these guys take freshness serious. Give this place a try!
Review Source:We had dinner there with my family on Saturday, all together we had 16 people and it still had a lot of space in the restaurant. Â I gotta say that the service was excellent for a new restaurant. Â It was well organized. Â The tapas menu along with the sushi menu was perfect for a night out. Â It gives you the option to taste other items on the menu. Â The sushi were fresh and tasteful, Â I love sushi and it was by far the best tasting sushi in Tyler. Â You gotta try the lamb chops and the steak if you are not into sushi. Â Overall, prices were decent, drinks were great, services were excellent. Â Perfect for a night out with a love one or a large group. Â Highly recommend it to everyone!!!!
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