One Lazy Lizard

My husband and I had Sunday brunch and the experience was, by far, one of the best I have had at a restaurant.  I have been in the food service industry for 15 years and am very picky about where we go to eat on the rare occasions we do anywhere.
The atmosphere felt very comfy but yet industrial/contemporary with stainless steel  tables, exposed piping, and uber cool artwork accented with purples and bright green.  
Our server was Herman and he was super fabulous!  Very attentive and informative about menu choices.  The food was promptly delivered to the table after ordering.

The entire menu sounded delish and I was having a hard time deciding between a build-your-own omelet or the french toast.  Herman suggested the Apricot Stuffed french toast and I was glad that he did!!!  It was super amazing and tasty, I didn't even need to use the syrup!  It came with fresh cantaloupe, grapes, a pretty strawberry and 1/2 an orange.
My husband had the Leapin Lizard Breakfast which was 3 eggs cooked to order, bacon or sausage (he chose sausage), seasoned home fries and 3 pancakes.  This is a normal breakfast that he orders no matter where we go, but he usually has to have picante sauce to dump into the mix.  Let me tell you, he didn't even think to ask for picante sauce because the food was so well seasoned.  Now, on to the pancakes.  Oh. My. Goodness!  These were some of the tastiest pancakes we have ever tasted.  They were thin, but not crepe thin, and crispy on on the outside.  These pancakes tasted like fluffy sugar cookies!  You didn't even need syrup for them.  A small smear of butter (if any at all) and they were good to go!
I had asked to see the wine list and was very impressed at the selection and prices.  I opted for a split bottle of Mumm Sparkling Wine and it's fruitiness complemented my meal with such excellence I literally had tears in my eyes.  I also noticed that they keep Ch. St. Michelle "Eroica" Riesling on the menu and was very tempted to order a glass.  Maybe next time.
Herman informed us of the Happy Hour specials during the rest of the week and Thursdays sound like the day to go.  They have a Crown and Down Special and ribs that he says are "to die for".  We will definitely be back to check out the lunch and dinner offerings.  If it is anything like the Brunch, One Lazy Lizard can expect 5 stars from me in the very near future!  
Awesome brunch and wine selection, comfy atmosphere and great prices!  Who can ask for much more?  I can't wait to go back!!!

We live in McKinney and had heard about "One Lazy Lizard" being a bit DIFFERENT from the other options around the McKinney Square - that is, that it has a funkier, edgier, more "urban" vibe - and we'd been wanting to give it a try.

We finally had a chance this weekend, when we went there for Father's Day brunch.  We were VERY impressed, and will definitely return.

The environment felt very contemporary and industrial, with bare concrete and exposed piping, accented in purples, electric green, and metallic tones.  Our kids loved that metal piping was used for interior door handles and the foot rail along the bar.  The artwork that was displayed was in-line with the slightly steam-punk ambiance of the place, which reminded us of so many "locals-only" intimate neighborhood restaurants in San Francisco, where we recently moved from.

Our brunch selections were OUTSTANDING, especially considering the price.  We started with a lovely bread basket of fruit breads and sweet scones served with whipped fruited butter, then moved on to entrees of pancakes (very light, with a pleasant zing of buttermilk), both of the signature breakfast combos (various combinations of nicely-done eggs, meats, cubed potato hash, and toast), and the huevos rancheros (which were very tasty as well - but note to the huevos rancheros addicts out there, this version is topped by a single roasted ripe green/red chile - seeds left intact for heat - instead of the more usual salsa mixture.  I would definitely ask for MORE of the roasted chile topping next time, but it was still very tasty).

We also sampled an absolutely fantastic plate of fluffy biscuits covered in redeye gravy - the base of real bacon grease was tastily apparent in the Lizard's gravy, not that vegetable oil-based crappy white pepper gravy that so many local restaurants try to pass off with their hockey puck biscuits!  Yuck.  The Lizard's gravy and biscuits was the REAL STUFF, people!!!  We could have easily made a meal of this dish alone.

While the food was all very fresh and well-executed, perhaps the BEST element of our brunch experience were the $3 mimosas and bloody mary's!  And not the CHEAP version, folks, like you might find at other brunch places - these were well-done, with a small-bubbled cava or prosecco in the mimosa, and a good-quality mix and several fat stuffed olives in the bloody.  There's no other brunch place in McKinney that can meet the quality of these drinks at this price, AND THEY SERVE BEFORE NOON!  (And trust me, coming from San Francisco we've been searching for a local place that will satisfy our mimosa/bloody brunch craving before the apparently magic hour of 12:00 p.m. ...)

We have absolutely no complaints or suggestions for the food or drink at One Lazy Lizard - our only suggestion for enhancing the ambiance (which is why we give it 4 stars vs. 5) would be to place a bunch of lounging couches and cocktail tables in the open front space of the bar area (because the place looks a bit "empty" if you just look in the windows as you walk by, which does not feel very inviting if you're unfamiliar with the establishment), and to advertize more effectively outdoors, again to welcome customers inside - add a sandwich board outside the front door, or at the busy corner of the McKinney square a half block north.  The type of customers who will gravitate toward this place need to be educated about its existence more effectively - it will only become even more fun to visit the Lizard when the crowds are a bit deeper inside!

In closing, whereas we'd gotten into the habit of going to Spoons for our Sunday brunch (which is also on the McKinney Square), since experiencing the Lizard we will definitely be GOING BACK!  We can't wait to try it for cocktails and dinner one of these nights...

WOW!!! LOVED IT! Didn't even know this place existed. The inside is very modern and cool. We started with the Brie and Ceviche. Great  size portions, nothing skimpy. Tasted great. For dinner we had the Salmon, Santa Fe Chicken and Bourbon Chicken. All 3 were very good, and good size portions. The waiter was extremely attentive, and even suggested that the Salmon mustard sauce be put on the side. I am glad he said this as the sauce was good, but would have been over powering if it were on the fish. This was a great experience, and this place can hold its own in a downtown square peppered with other great restaurants.