I spent about 2.5 hours at the DFW lounge yesterday with wife, kid, and a work friend. The lounge was great, looks just like the pictures online. The only problem I foresee is that it really isn't that big, and since this card is effectively free (with the $300 credit and the anniversary points) it seems like a no-brainer for anyone who travels through or from DFW. So I have to think it'll be crowded within 6 months.
No crowds yesterday though, just a dozen or two guests and lots of room to roam. Wife used the nursing room (which actually has diapers, bottles, wipes, and looks like it'll have a bottle sterilization unit soon --
amazingly well thought out). Next time I will plan to use the Peloton room. Wife also showered and said the water got plenty hot but the pressure was only "fine" not "amazing."
Bar is well stocked though the spirits are not as top-shelf as Centurion. They had a lot of accoutrements -- cucumbers and herbs for the cocktails, various bitters, etc., but unfortunately the bar staff was darn near clueless on how to make drinks. (Presumably they could make whatever was on the menu, but I heard people asking for things like a whiskey sour and being met with blank stares.) Maybe the actual bartender was just off yesterday, I don't know, but hopefully that was an anomaly. I had a glass of sauv blanc and it was perfectly serviceable (I forget what it was, but on par with what I'd expect from Centurion).
The food was
great, and the single-serve portions were a particular highlight. I sampled a bunch of stuff, but here's my first tray:
The white tagine had curried lentils; it was more like a small and simple curry-scented lentil soup but it was a nice light bite. The bibimbap was nice, with quality beef. It looked undersauced so I asked an agent if there were condiments anywhere, like hot sauce, and she offered to bring out some korean barbecue sauce (which is what's in the bowl on the left). It was fabulous--tangy, spicy, savory. I would gladly pay $12 for the dish at a lunch spot. The little paper cone on my tray was salami, cheese, and a gherkin. The mac and cheese (top-right) was decent, though I found it odd that the bacon was brown-sugar coated... it was sort of like having pieces of honey baked ham on the mac, which wasn't a bad thing, just a little sweet (again, I was left wishing they had the kind of hot sauce bar that the JFK centurion has by the upstairs bar).
There was a nice selection of desserts including pain au chocolate and baklava. The only oddity with the food setup was that in lieu of napkins there were stacks of the dark brown paper towels one finds in second-rate public bathrooms. Maybe the linen napkins haven't arrived yet.
The agents were wonderful and came by all the time to check on everyone. On the way out, they loaded us up with to-go bags with sandwiches, salads, cookies, and cake pops for the flights (we were flying DFW-CLT-PWM so it was great to have stuff for the day). They were actually glad that we took stuff because they said most people don't, and there's quite a lot of food in the grab and go case.
All in all, it's a great addition to the mix and I imagine I'll still use the Centurion for certain drinks (they have Botanist gin and Antica Carpano sweet vermouth, making for a great Negroni) and for the self-serve Theragun (or maybe some day if it returns, a massage). But the Capital One lounge is going to be my go-to lounge for the time being until it gets too crowded as I fear it will.