The Early Word On Filament, Deep Ellum's Trendiest New Hotspot

Filament opened its doors just over a week ago, and the rave reviews are already pouring in. Dallasites have been waiting more than a year for a more casual, more affordable option from Dallas’ hottest chef Matt McCallister, and it would appear that the culinary team that he’s assembled here is already knocking it out of the park.

Here’s what Dallas foodies, Yelpers! and even critics already have to say about Filament:

The Leslie Brenner Word: Brenner beelined to Filament to write a gushy opening report earlier this week, raving about the "buzzy, hot, ambitious" restaurant, its "appealing cocktails" and Chef Cody Sharp’s menu, where "every dish just seems to cry ‘order me!’" The critic did, however, grouse about a lack of valet parking options and the restaurant’s noise level.

The Burger Word: The Dallas Observer’s Nick Rallo scoped out the "super-secret" burger at Filament, calling it a "fun, exuberant mess of a burger." Rallo notes Chef Cody Sharp’s top-secret special patty seasoning, which he calls "gangster salt," a homemade potato-whey bun, and housemade pickles. This off-menu burger comes with a catch, though: "Filament will sell 20 [burgers] a night, seven nights a week, starting at 9 p.m," writes Rallo. "When they run out, they run out."

The Insider Word: According to Zagat, Filament will offer a secret menu of limited quantity, off-menu items "based on the whims of the chef." No word yet on whether you’ll need a secret password to access Sharp’s culinary whims, but you’re probably safe in just asking your server what’s up.

The Service Word: Commenter alyb803 penned a short review of Filament on D Magazine’s Food Feedback Friday last week, and praised the "polished and professional staff," saying that "[they] wouldn’t have known it was opening week but for all the press leading up." Yelper Angel S. echoed that sentiment, calling the service "out of this world," and noting that "everyone minus the kitchen staff came to say hello and thanked us for coming in."

The Cocktail Word: Reviews for beverage director Seth Brammer’s cocktail program seem to be overwhelmingly positive. Yelper Hiccup G. calls the drinks "balanced and intriguing," and compliments the reasonably priced wine list. The spicy and smoky Farmer’s Tan looks to be an early favorite, as does the bar’s Whiskey Smash.