Barley Swine

Barley Swine was on my list way before their much deserved Michelin, however, we live by SoCo and with their move up north, it was not a priority to go until their status changed. I love Michelin restaurants and I know all too well how the status, while incredible, also makes it very hard to secure a reservation. I finally got on the band wagon and was able to secure a cool spot at the chef's counter. When I dine at the Chef's counter, I prefer to watch the chef's in action, however, we were at the end of the counter in front of the fire. Lucky for us, it just so happened to be in the 20's outside , so our seats were perfect!We were immediately seated at our reservation time and throughout the evening, we enjoyed a lovely service from Katricia Short. Prior to our experience, I was able to submit my dietary restrictions and the day prior, I received a text confirming the restrictions which were also repeated by Katricia as she got us prepared for our delicious meal.Every bite that we consumed was amazing and I love that the vegetables are grown in the chef's garden ensuring local and fresh ingredients. Although the menu changes seasonally, we enjoyed the following:Hiramasa, turnips, fish-n-chips, blackened cod (simply to die for), duck carnitas, scallion roll, akaushi ribeye, tarragon pavlova and sun choke olive oil cake.In addition to our meal, we were presented with additional add-on's that I am glad we decided against because we were quite full by the time we left.

Dined here on February 16, 2025 to enjoy their Valentine's weekend menu. Not one dish was "eh". The chefs truly knocked every single dish on this menu out of the park. Course after course, my taste buds were delighted. Their n/a drink offerings are fantastic. They carry the spirit of a well crafted cocktail minus the spirit, of course. The euphoric bite? The Shiitake dumplings with soft scrambled eggs. Lucky for the world, this dish is a staple on their ever-changing menu. This was our fourth or fifth time dining here. I'm absolutely thrilled to see they have earned a Michelin star, awarded in 2024. They simply never disappoint. I'm always on the hunt for my next euphoric bite. (But I love coming back here)@bellatastes :IG

Did you know that Barley Swine was featured on an episode of No Reservations in 2012? No, well neither did I and I'm an Anthony Bourdain fan. When we had decided to go to Austin for a family wedding, I started researching places to eat. Barley Swine popped up in my Chase Sapphire Dining under Austin and I did a quick search. Michelin Star? Check. Tasting menu? Check. Best restaurants in Austin? Check. I decided to make a reservation for the weekend of the wedding when we would be in town. I used points to made the reservation for the Chef's Counter aka deposit on Tock. Our reservation was set. We were going. We arrived via Lyft from our hotel and were greeted by the hostess. We were seated at the bar adjacent to the kitchen where we could watch the kitchen staff execute the tasting menu throughout the evening. We were celebrating and our server was nice enough to bring us some complimentary zero proof champagne. The Hiramasa dish arrived first. The fresh fish was delicately paired with the carrots and shiitake mushrooms. It was a refreshing start to our meal. The Turnip and mushroom bite came out next and it was served with a preserved lemon goat cheese. Truly delightful in the contrast of different flavors. The fish-n-chip bite was an interesting take with the crunchy seaweed and uni tartar sauce combination. Not my favorite. Next, we had the Cajun spiced blackened cod with fennel and sunchoke butter was a hit with my husband who welcomed the flavors. The pig faced carnitas with sweet potato mole was a delicious interpretation of a homey dish. The Akaushi ribeye and the Donut with rib cap skewers came out simultaneously. I started on the donut with the beer cheese and skewers first and was delighted in the uniqueness of the dish. The Akaushi ribeye was just as I expected, tender with the broccoli sauce bringing brightness to accompany the fatty meat. As we were moving into dessert courses, we were asked if we wanted any coffee or tea. I hesitated for a second until she said they had cappuccinos and lattes. I ordered a cappuccino to have with dessert. They brought out the Sunchoke and olive oil cake and the Tarragon pavlova. Both were really tasty but the pavlova's different textures won my tastebuds. The sourdough stroopwaffle was a surprise addition to our tasting menu. Almost everything was really good and we really enjoyed the tasting menu. We did not add anything onto our menu other than the cappuccino. There are additional items you can order should you want them. The tasting menu is a set price and you have to make a deposit when you book a reservation. Pricing seems to have increased since they received their star. If you're willing to eat within the first half hour of opening on Sundays, you'll get happy hour pricing with $30 off your bill.

Grabbed a reservation for my birthday, and it was the perfect evening!They have valet parking so even though there is a small lot, you don't have to worry about parking.Even though we arrived a bit early, they were able to seat us right away. We sat at the chef's counter which is always so fun to get to watch the team cooking and plating all the dishes.I always get a bit nervous about tasting menus with small dishes, but the order of the dishes and the amount of food was absolutely perfect.The dishes themselves were each unique and nothing like you'd get in another American restaurant. Perfect pairings of flavors and textures, fun to eat, and plated beautifully in unique little dishes.We added one of the additional options to our set menu, plus drinks. Glad we did that, and service was SO nice & informative. Would recommend for a nice occasion where you don't want white tablecloths but just great food and service

Came here for the tasting menu experience and it was very good. The beginning portion, like first 3-4 courses plus the compliments I added on, were incredible. Everything was bursting with flavor, creativity, and sophistication. My favorites were the shiitake dumplings, pig face carnitas, and the fish-n-chip. When the meal got to the ribeye course, I was disappointed to see that it was overcooked. My steak pieces were a medium throughout, with the end tips being closer to a medium-well, which is obviously not where it should be. Multiple different courses came out too hot (in terms of physical temperature) and burned the roof of my mouth when I ate them. These courses were both one-biters, so I didn't realize it would be too hot until it was already in my mouth. There were no warnings of it from the server. For the shiitake dumplings add-on compliment, I did a half-order of them and also added on Uni for this course. The dumplings were half of the listed menu price since I got a half order, but the Uni up charge was the same as it would've been if I got a full dumpling order. That didn't make sense, because I did only get half of the Uni that I would've gotten if I had chose the full regular dumpling order. The only dish that I think could've done without was the last one -- the eggplant olive oil cake. It didn't do much for me at all. Otherwise, aside from the few issues I noted, most of the dishes were incredible. Definitely a good spot to try out,

We had such a fantastic time here I can't even begin to describe it. We went here for our annual tradition of doing a very fancy dinner for my birthday. We did the traditional wine pairing as well and it was incredible. The food was all so delicious. I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of each course but I got a couple. All of the wine pairings were incredible and really did add new dimensions to the food. I loved how intentional every component on every plate felt. I was also having a lot of fun having the menu right there and expecting something from the description and then being absolutely blown away by the actual food. Chelsea our server was incredible she made us feel so special and she somehow knew literally everything about every ingredient that went into every dish and every wine it was so impressive. I walked away from the meal thinking about how the level of service Chelsea and the rest of the team provided was what we were paying for and so worth it. Personally service plays a huge part in my experience and they all knocked it out of the park. I also loved that they had a paper menu with the wines that we had with the meal because I feel like I immediately forget everything. The ambiance was absolutely gorgeous. I loved all of the decorations and how the plates were often mismatched but still the same vibe. It felt very curated from top to bottom, even the bathrooms! I also loved that you can see into the kitchen which is always a fun time. Overall we had an absolutely incredible time and the price tag was totally worth it for us. This is definitely a once a year type of place for us but so so worth it.

We've been going to Barley Swine long before they got their fancy Michelin star, and have always enjoyed the food. It's one of our go-tos for special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, just because - you name it). Food is always good and sitting at the Chef's counter watching the magic happens is always our preferred way to enjoy the atmosphere here.Food is great, the courses are timed well, service has always been good - no wonder why they got that star.Parking available at the front and some in the back - limited though since there are others spots that share the same lots, so at certain times can be tricky if too crowded.

We came here for my husband's birthday as Barley Swine just got a newly minted Michelin star. The restaurant is a tasting menu only, which is great if you often feel indecisive about what to order. The waitress we had was great and she made us feel so welcome the whole time we were here! Food wise I'd say my favorite was the naan and beef as well as the cod. Everything was pretty good, but I didn't feel particularly wowed by any dish. I felt like the flavors were a little bit lacking despite everything being cooked well. They do throw in a couple extra dishes that are complimentary which I really loved. All in all a solid meal.

Crossed off another Michelin! I was a bit apprehensive because I went to another recently-awarded Michelin in Austin, and it was a terrible experience. I was really starting to doubt the criteria, but I'm glad that Barley Swine set my expectations high again. Right off the bat, service and attention to detail is incredible. My friend and I came in with a late celebration, and they helped us celebrate from start to finish. With glasses of sparkling wine on the house, one of our servers congratulated my friend in the beginning of the meal and he also did so at the end. Incredible service! My friend opted for the premier wine pairing, and he said the sommelier was very experienced and obviously knew a great deal about the wine and the plate that came with it. I love how dishes were immediately cleared within seconds and minutes, and timing was relatively consistent throughout the entire experience. The vibe is intimate, and the interior is slightly rustic but still offers a really nice high-end dining experience. I will say that I wasn't a fan of some of the plates and felt like overall, food was okay, but I definitely do think Barley Swine has that next level ingenuity and creativity it takes to receive and be considered for a star. My money was well spent here. I really enjoyed the desserts, naan plate, and cod dish. The cod dish had a sauce at the bottom that instantly reminded my friend and me of queso (not very elevated of us, I know), but I didn't mind it at all. It was actually one of my favorite cod dishes I've ever tried, and the fish was cooked so perfectly that it almost melted in your mouth with every flake. The sorbet plate was also one of my favorite desserts I've tried anywhere, and I thought it had such a unique texture profile!

THE BIG: Located in Central Austin and nestled in the middle spot between two other stores. Beautiful indoor/outdoor area with an open flame grill and focus on fine southern comfort food. Complimentary valet parking available.THE BLACK AND WHITE: We came here on a Saturday afternoon at 4:30 to take part in their summer special pairing. It was priced right at $85 for 9 courses. We additionally did a wine pairing of 6 wines at $65 and a glass of pinot noir.The pacing and service here was impeccable and smooth. The highlights included the hiramasa tostada that had a nice crunch and neutral fish taste. Then the halibut was nice and flavorful with its dashi. The Muscovy duck paired really nicely with the wine pairing and the pinot. Lastly the ribeye done 3 ways was a nice way to say, hey we ain't done treating yall yet.THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall damage done for 2x summer special tasting menu, the wine pairing, and a glass of pinot noir was around $310. Great pricing for the tasting and if you're interested in the wine pairing, they had some great pairs, otherwise a bottle never hurt anyone ;)