I’m going to be in the Ballinger area after new years and checking to see what restaurants y’all recommend in the area. Thanks in advance.

Lowake steak house in Rowena,Texas west of Ballinger app. 12 miles

Hunted that area for a decade, that said havent been back since 2019.
A few that we would frequent-

Beefmaster Steakhouse - https://www.beefmastersteakhouse.com/
Alejandra's - https://www.yelp.com/biz/alejandras-mexican-and-american-food-ballinger
Lowake Steak House (was Turnrow before) - https://www.lowakesteakhouse.com/

San Angelo is just thirty minutes down the road. For Mexican food Henry's is pretty good.

Haven't lived in San Angelo since 2015, but Henry's was my go-to. The table side guac.

I hunted near Balinger and ate at Alejandra's and Lowake Steak House both. The Mexican food was my 1st choice and better than Lowake`s if you ask me. That was in 2006 though.

Was that the original Lowake’s location?

This was in 2006. I didn`t know there was any other location. It was just OK.

The original Lowakes was a hole in the wall type place, nothing like the newer location.

When we fished O.H.Ivie a lot 15 years ago we drove to Lowake and the food was great, there would be 8 of us and we ordered Sirloin for 6 half med and half med rare and got doggy bags and had steak for lunch on the lake next day. Good salad bar and spuds.

Was at lowake sat. Is good, lot of food for the money.

Beefmaster better burger then steak, Alejandra has great brunch menu

Lowake is fair at best, nowhere close to what it used to be.
Beefmasters is great home cooking, they offer their steaks cooked two ways, grilled over mesquite or grilled on a flat top.
The steak done over mesquite is much better in my opinion , and the Butterfinger pie is awesome.