There's one piece of the Antlers Lodge at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa that visitors will remember above all — bet you can't guess what it is. But the restaurant space around the huge, three-tiered antler chandelier was in need of an update.

After significant renovations to the surrounding space, the dining room is looking less like a hotel event room and more like a chic, modern restaurant. Along with the visual changes, the San Antonio restaurant is also debuting a new chef and an updated menu.

Previously cloaked in brown and beige, the semi-rustic dining room looked a little more country before the renovation, but the hotel walls were unmistakable. Now with a cool gray carpet, gray and floral seating, and much darker walls, the space has a more wintery upscale look without fully leaving the woods behind. The mounted deer head pops much more on its white mantle.

The chandelier pops more against the darker tones.Photo courtesy of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa

Most eye-catching are the patinated mirror tiles above the open kitchen, which continues to display its copper cookware and the hard work of the kitchen team.

The rustic look pays homage to the more than 100-year-old Rogers Wiseman cattle ranch that was previously located where the ranch stands today. Now the award-winning resort is keeping up with its luxurious

Native San Antonian Joseph Lambert is the new chef de cuisine in charge of making sure the food matches the chic new atmosphere. Having worked his way up the ranks from washing dishes, he's been with the Hyatt Corporation for six years, according to a press release.

"I am excited to join the incredible team at Hyatt Regency Hill Country’s Antlers Lodge,” said Chef Lambert in the release. “My goal in my new role is to foster an environment of creativity and passion for the food our team prepares for our guests. I look forward to helping guests make lasting memories through delicious dining experiences.”

The open kitchen keeps the culinary excitement up.Photo courtesy of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa

Some of the new menu is reserved for exactly what diners would expect in a restaurant so fully adorned with antlers: center cut filet mignon, Lone Star bone-in ribeye, and a variety of creatively prepared game like bison meatballs, chili-rubbed elk tenderloin, chili coffee-crusted elk carpaccio, and South Texas antelope.

But not all the dishes are from so far inland, and they don't all center around meat. Lighter fare includes vegan garden ravioli, seared haibut, and elote shrimp from the Texas Gulf. Of course, any restaurant with such outdoorsy inspiration must include s'mores, which in this case sandwich the toasted marshmallows between brown butter graham crackers, chocolate ganache,and a whiskey chocolate sauce.

This renovation is part of a much broader, multi-phase project that's transforming the resort as a whole. In 2023, it completed a $50 million phase that updated the rooms with hardwood, better tech, and walk-in showers.

More information about the Antlers Lodge and reservation links are available at antlerslodge.getbento.com.