The Most Delicious New American in Austin

Emmer & Rye

★★★★☆ 4 (945) • $$$

"Emmer and Rye (E&R) restaurant was recently awarded a Michelin Green Star and Bib Gourmand in 2024. Of course, my Yelp friend and I were anxious to try this restaurant. I did not realize that there is a E&R group of restaurants some of which I love like Canje and Ladino (located in the San Antonio Pearl District, where we lived for two years.) Hestia is also part of the E&R group, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2024. E&R menu changes daily dependent on seasonal, locally sourced food finds. E&R has a modern, contemporary vibe with architecturally clean lines. Although the restaurant is spacious it has a minimalist feel. Both indoor and outdoor seating (not last night because it was too cold) is available. Gary Jean did some magic to book us a table inside due to the cold weather as we originally booked for outside...much appreciated! We sat near the window with a full view of the restaurant and outdoors. In full transparency, I am the ultimate people watcher. So, I had the best of both worlds. Notably, E&R is located on Rainey Street, so I immediately had some angst about parking. We ended up using Public Parking costing us $33.00.We had six courses:First, we had the sourdough bread that was accompanied by three butters (sea salt, Greek yogurt flavor and blue cheese flavor all with extra virgin olive oil.) We both LOVED this bread and butter!!! Ashley, our server, said that this bread was from a starter over 10 years old. The Greek yogurt flavor was my personal fav.Second, we had the Johnny Cakes made with yellow bolita corn, shishito relish and lira rosa picante. The relish was especially tasty. While the first four courses were considered small plates, they had generous portions. In fact we had leftovers to take home.Third, we had the Cacio e Pepe, one of their signature dishes. The Pepe was comprised of blue beard Durum spaghetti, black pepper (lots of black pepper) and challerhocker. I've had spaghetti all over the world and this one was quite unique.Fourth, we had Carpaccio with wagyu beef, tonnato, pickled mustard seed and cured egg yolk. This was another unique and delicious course. It was superbly executed. The carpaccio was tender you could cut it with a fork. All the other ingredients made it texture heaven!Fifth and final course was the Carnitas - smoked lamb and pork, dirty farro, cucumber, and herb yogurt. I love the different textures and the layering of flavors. This was another fav!While the restaurant was not extremely busy, our food came to our table quite slowly. Ashley did a great job letting us know what stage of preparation we were in. It reminded me of being in Europe where a meal is savored with no time limit for dining. In America many restaurants have strict time limit allocated per party and they give you indirect and some direct signals when they are ready for you to leave. I had a long, leisurely conversation with my friend which I personally enjoyed.This was a great dining experience trifecta - fresh and impressive dining environment, excellent food and personalized service. Highly recommend Emmer & Rye...."

URBAN Eat.Drink

★★★★☆ 3.9 (922) • $$

"Really cool place. Some friends and I needed a place to go for brunch this past Sunday. We used open table to get a reservation because we were unsure if thee would be a wait which by the time we left there definitely was.So the space. Amazing / Stunning/ Great LayoutYou walk in and you are immediately in inside their vibe.The staff all greeted us as we walked in which was very nice. We asked for an outside table. They didn't have a lot of unbrellas out so it got a little warm. Yet we asked our server and he immediately was yes of corse.After that it was perfect.We ordered drinks no app's coffee to start. All were amazing. Coffee had great flavor and the milk sub they had was almond. ( I had asked for oat but no luck)Table had a espresso martini, bloody Mary their (house version), mimosa.All were amazing. Took a bit to get out but like I said the place was getting busy. Now the food.We ordered a few things.from French toast to a burger. Everything was amazing. The star of the show was the potatoes for every plate we had them on. You know how some times you order them as a side and they are mushy or soggy. NOT HEREthey were all amazing. from little cube kind to fry sized all cooked to perfection.I would love to give this place a 5 start but like I said they didn't really have a lot of options for milk alternatives, but that could have been a day thing. We will definitely be going back to check out their sister space URBAN Rooftop."

Velvet Taco

★★★★☆ 4.4 (690) • $$

"Great spot to stop for lunch. The birria tacos were like cheesy shredded beef quesadillas with this yummy dip. The elote corn was cheesy and delicious. Guac good too. Margarita was tasty too. Liked the 2 taco and side combo."

Hideaway Kitchen & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (876) • $$

"Been here twice in the last three years. Food here is GOOD! What is off and could be better is the service. The wait time has always been long and once seated you won't be greeted by a waiter/waitress. You scan a QR code and order everything from your table so if you have questions or need modifications...GET UP and go ask them up front. You can also order at the front which means you get seated and once you know you have to go back and place your order with the workers up front. While ordering, it also asks you to leave a tip which bothered me so much. Once the food came they dropped it off and that's when I remembered you have to go get your own utensils and water. They also only have plastic "to-go cups" which is a big waste and so bad for the environment. Would I come back? MAYBE. I just don't like not having a server so probably not."

Juniper

★★★★☆ 4.2 (717) • $$$$

"I can't believe it took me so many years to finally dine-in at Juniper. I had ordered take-out here during Covid and fallen in love with their cacio e pepe. I was excited to return for my birthday. I loved everything about this place - what a hidden gem in Austin. This place has elegant and minimalist decor, with a large open kitchen which is delightful to watch, and excellent service with attentive staff through and through. Our food was incredible - every dish we tried from the appetizers to the entrees to dessert. The only one aspect they could improve upon was their cocktail menu but I'm guessing their bigger focus is on their wine selection. And oh, I was a bit surprised at the dog seated inside (hygiene and all). That pea risotto was out of this world and the puffy potato fritters as well as the eggplant appetizer were mouth-watering delicious. The cacio e pepe was also as good as I remembered it to be. Once again, I renew my request to add a fresh vegetable side (the asparagus was not vegetarian) to complement the carb loading. But, hey, I'm not complaining when the carbs are this gratifying."

Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile

★★★★☆ 3.8 (826) • $$$

"My friend and I came here for a bite to eat before a ghost tour. She had made reservations online, which is highly recommended.I showed up first and was annoyed with having to pay $6 for valet parking. The attendant backed my car into a spot right near the entrance which I clearly could have done. Also, what was weird was that Venmo was specific to him. For starters, my friend and I got the deviled eggs with bacon. Why was it three pieces instead of four? It is annoying when restaurants use odd numbers. Is there some weird science behind that? The eggs were good and I loved the spicy hot sauce. However, I do not think they were worth the price.For my meal, I ordered the steak fritest. The steak was overcooked, and my meal came out just warm. I would never complain about this in a restaurant, but I was disappointed. I knew the steak and fries would have been better cooked med rare like I had asked, and coming out to me hot. That is why I am not changing my review rating.My friend had ordered the shrimp and grits and Brussels sprouts. The sprouts never showed up with our main course, and we had to ask about them. We ended up getting them complimentary, which was appreciated. The Brussels sprouts were amazing, the star of the whole meal!!! They were a fresh batch, flavorful, and just amazing overall.I had tried two drinks while here. The Marfa margarita was tasty, and the flavor was great. I would recommend getting that. The spicy Texan...I don't know where to begin...they must have run out of jalapeno peppers and subbed red bell pepper; it lacked both booze and spicy. Overall, I would come back here. I know my review does not sell it but I felt like maybe some of the issue was due to how busy it was the night I went.One thing to note is food allergies. They are great in accommodations and labeling the menu. It was clear I could have the deviled eggs, steak frites, and Brussels sprouts."

Lenoir

★★★★☆ 4 (598) • $$$

"THE BIG: Wine patio and indoor house restaurant in the south 1st street neighborhood. Rustic interior with a tasting menu available. Parking is available in their private lot.THE BLACK AND WHITE: The wife and I came here on a Sunday afternoon after we finished up with Barton Springs. Very laid back atmosphere and fortunately was able to grab a table.They had a tasting menu available for $79 with a wine pairing option for $65. However we decided to go a la carte and got the Pullman bread with pimento cheese and crab fingers to start off with. The Pullman bread was great! Literally a loaf of bread with pimento cheese and beet. The crab fingers were alright, little meat but the leche de tigre sauce is great.For the main course, we got the chicken fried eggplant and the half chicken. The half chicken was a little overcooked, however the sauce it was served with was bomb. Chicken fried eggplant was nice and fried with a hunkin meat of an eggplant.THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall the damage done was around $120 for four dishes and a glass of orange wine. Pretty good meal with fantastic service and presentation."

Olamaie

★★★★☆ 3.9 (614) • $$$

"We dined at Olamaie for our anniversary and had a great dinner. We were greeted with an anniversary card and small complementary drinks. The space is small and I enjoyed the intimate dining room. Our waitress was working her first night there but it didn't show, she gave great suggestions and provided good service. While we were mid-meal there, they were officially awarded a Michelin star, which was a cool experience. I expected more celebration but the staff played it cool. We ordered three apps, the biscuits, and two entrees which was probably one app too many. My favorite were the fish dip appetizer and the catfish entree. The rabbit was great but a bit salty for me. Overall I thought the food was good and different but not quite in my top meals in this city. The cocktails were good as well, the Fringe Contender was a stand out."

Geraldine's

★★★★☆ 3.7 (583) • $$$

"Geraldine's at the Hotel Van Zandt is an absolute gem! I recently attended their jazz brunch, and it was an unforgettable experience. The classy atmosphere, combined with live jazz music, set the perfect vibe for a relaxing and enjoyable brunch.The drinks were exceptional - the espresso martini was rich and smooth, while the French 76 was perfectly refreshing. The Caesar salad with garlic dressing and chicken was a standout dish, fresh and flavorful, complementing the upscale dining experience. The staff were super friendly and prompt, even with a packed restaurant!Whether you're a local or just visiting Austin, Geraldine's is a must-visit for a sophisticated brunch with fantastic live music. Highly recommend!"

CARVE American Grille - Barton Creek

★★★★☆ 3.9 (498) • $$$

"My coworker suggested Carve American Grille as a halfway point to meet up and I'm so glad we picked this spot! Making a reservation was simple and easy, and I'd highly recommend it--when we arrived on a Wednesday evening, it was busy, but thanks to our reservation, we were seated immediately.The service was exceptional. Our server was amazing--knowledgeable, attentive, and helpful with menu and drink recommendations. I tried the Orange You My Favorite Mule and the Daiquiri Down Under, and both were absolutely delicious. For starters, we had the gruyere topped popovers and the filet tenderloin toast, which came highly recommended by our server. Both were excellent choices! The Gruyère was so big! Thankfully it's hollow inside. I didn't want to get stuffed from bread. The tenderloin toast comes with five pieces. It's an explosion of flavors; bacon jam and horseradish cream. We also shared the Cheffy Whipped Mashed Potatoes, which were creamy and flavorful. You can definitely share this as the three of us shared it. The capers in the mashed potatoes was an interesting choice. It was good. They know what they are doing when combining flavors and ingredients. For my entrée, I had the Fireworks Chicken. It comes out with a sparkler on it. The chicken was very tender and easy to cut, and the potatoes it came with had a nice spice and kick to them. The restaurant itself was clean and inviting. The bathrooms were spotless, and I appreciated the separate family bathroom--thoughtful details like that make a difference. Parking was a breeze, which is always a plus!Knowing that Carve is a sister restaurant to Perry's Steakhouse (which is on my list to try), I was really impressed with this first experience. I'll definitely be coming back again for the great service, drinks, and atmosphere."

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Domain Northside

★★★★☆ 3.7 (548) • $$$

"I had the pleasure of going to Perry's steakhouse again for a Friendsgiving. I have to say the service and the food and the price was amazing.Jason, our waiter was super attentive got all of our orders correct it was a large group plus he was always coming back to see if we needed anything else and cleared our tables and then packed our leftovers because it was a big group. They did charge us an 18% gratuity but because Jason gave such great service, I went ahead and gave him another 10% on top of that . Jason was a super awesome waiter.We got the big pork chops that they only serve on Fridays and I have to say it was cooked perfectly great smoke flavor and was very tender. I got the fully loaded mash potato and it was great. I also got a side of their grilled veggies, and I have to say the flavor and the texture the veggies was super great.This restaurant has superior ambience, even though it was busy everyone there could hear each other talking without a lot of unnecessary noise Perry's is always packed so if you're going to go there, please make a reservation. This is fastly becoming one of my favorite steakhouses.The manager came by our table and welcomed us, which was an extra added touch. Great food, great service and wonderful ambience. Perry''s steakhouse is now on the top of my list."

Yellow Jacket Social Club

★★★★☆ 4 (447) • $

"Why have I been sleeping on the Meze platter all these years? It's the perfect thing to eat slowly while sitting at their picnic tables under string lights. It's light enough you can keep grazing for a long time, but also flavorful enough to satisfy. My favorite part combination was topping some pita with hummus and the carrot mint salad. The pickled jicama was a little spicy, so the cool tziki complemented it well. This isn't my usual type of order, but I highly recommend this dish!"

The Well

★★★★☆ 4.3 (366) • $$

"My inner LA girl was screaming with delight.Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, super clean menu? Smoothies and coffee drinks made with matcha and adaptogens? A beautiful, bohemian interior? Count me IN!I was surprised at the high quality of the salmon in the Salmon Tartare ($15). The Revival Smoothie ($13) and the Vanilla Maca ($8) were earthy and delicious.Staff were knowledgeable, attentive, and polite. Loved this place all around."

Corinne Austin

★★★★☆ 4.1 (380) • $$

"A Five-Star Serenade for Robert at Corrine - Where Service Sings and the Wagyu WinsSome meals are just meals. Others? A symphony. And at Corrine in the Austin Marriott Downtown, our evening was nothing short of a well-orchestrated masterpiece, conducted by none other than our server, Robert.From the moment we sat down, Robert was grace in motion--responsive without hovering, knowledgeable without pretension, and ever the maestro of making us feel right at home. We threw him a curveball with drink requests that weren't even on the menu, and did he flinch? Not a chance. With a knowing nod and a seamless relay to the bartender, our drinks arrived as if conjured by magic. Now that's service with a capital S.Then came the food. Oh, the food. The Brush Creek Wagyu Burger--a decadent stack of gruyere-laced, sauce-drizzled, perfectly cooked bliss--paired with shoestring fries so crisp, so golden, so utterly addictive that stopping was simply not an option. One bite in, and it was game over--forks down, taste buds up.Great meals leave an impression. Great service makes you want to come back. And Robert? He's the kind of server who elevates an evening from delicious to downright delightful. If you find yourself at Corrine, do yourself a favor--sit back, savor, and if you're lucky enough to be in Robert's section, trust that you're in the hands of a true hospitality virtuoso.Five stars, zero crumbs left behind, and a vow to return."

CRÚ Food & Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 3.5 (363) • $$

"Reviewing after first visit: *the Service: Good. They only had one employee during our visit. She was the hostess, waitress, and bartender! Felt bad for her but we were not in a hurry so we were patient although I did see people leave. Although she was trying her best this made for a very slow service. *the Food: we ordered a wine flight. Was told they rad out of one if the reds. apps: pizza, calamari, tartare, goat cheese-twice. portions were inconsistent. Knocked only one star for these 2 things We will definitely go back for the goat cheese! See pics."

La Plancha

★★★★★ 4.6 (189) • $$

"Super yummy, fresh and beautiful.Meat is juicy taste just right.Service super friendly.Hope i live next door."

The Lighthouse Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.9 (215) • $$

"Cute local spot with a airy patio overlooking the lake. We came for a weekday lunch (they also had brunch items available).We ordered the - Avocado Toast ($10.95)Migas ($13.95)Chicken Gyro ($14.95)Everything was homestyle-esque and wonderful. Awesome portions for the prices. Staff is super friendly."

Rockin Roadrunner

★★★★★ 4.5 (148) • $

"Very Fresh good served hot Great vegetables, Tasty noodles wonderful food service with a smile and helpful caring your food out to your car. Charming little house pleasantly placed in the neighborhood."

CARVE American Grille - Central Austin

★★★★☆ 4.1 (177)

"Enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinner menu! I have always had a wonderful experience and meal at Carve. When I saw they were having a Thanksgiving menu special, I made my reservation. Parking wasn't bad at all. There is a parking garage near by, but also street parking too. This is a residential kind of neighborhood, so it's pretty quiet. I checked in at the front desk. Since I'm single, they offered open seating at the bar or a table. I chose the bar area. It's such a beautiful restaurant inside. There is a large glass room where you can see a carver carving up the steaks just as you walk in. The bar is very nice too. High top, marble counter, very large area. Along the outside of the bar are lots of tables and a few TV's. Outside seating this time of year, is glasses walls with heaters. Otherwise, in the summer months the glass is gone and it's all open, just gorgeous in the summer. Today it was chilly and windy, so the glass protects you while you're eating. It is actually pleasant outside with the shelter glass walls. I looked over the cocktail menu while I waited. I decided on the Texas Tiki, which was suggested to me by the bartender. It's a rum based drink. It was really good. Nice flavor, and not too sweet. For the Thanksgiving menu, you can choose the turkey dinner or the prime rib. I decided on the turkey dinner. I also chose the butternut squash soup. The soup came first and wow, I make butternut squash soup, but it's never tasted like that! Soup was absolutely flavorful. When my meal came, I was so amazed how much food was on the plate. No way will I ever finish all that food. Turkey was nothing I've ever had before. Rich beautiful smoked flavor. Fresh cranberry sauce with a light tart flavor, fresh lightly steamed green beans and rich mashed potatoes and a soft fluffy stuffing. Remember when I said no way will I eat all that food. I did, and it was worth every single bite. I went happily home with a food coma. Service was fabulous too. I'm already looking forward to next Thanksgiving at Carve."

Apt 115

★★★★★ 4.8 (117) • $$

"The chefs tasting menu was all good except for the crab tasting bun one when eaten you get a burst of crab flavor which over powered the dish in my opinion. Aside from that presentation was very nice and food was a good interactive experience. The desserts were all very tasty. The service was attentive for the whole night. The decor inside was old to modern looking in some areas but fun as well. Gave your eyes something to look at. Music plays from a vinyl record so it's really nice."

Brooklyn Heights Pizzeria

★★★☆☆ 3 (278) • $$

"Update May 16, 2024We had wings and Greek salad delivered this week. Not as good as last time, but still tasty! The issue we had was with the wings, not cooked quite as long this time around, more fatty than crispy. The sauce was good though, but we'd back up to medium buffalo sauce next time, the hot was a bit too much, even for us fire-eaters. Not BHP's problem as all. The wings came with the traditional celery sticks and blue cheese dressing, the blue cheese dressing was very good. We had the large Greek salad this time, which was plenty for the two of us, and is a better deal than the two small salads we got last time. As always, the Greek dressing was terrific. Recommend BHP for wings, salad and pizza!"

Industry

★★★★☆ 3.9 (151) • $$

"If you think Industry is just another sports bar serving typical American fare, you'd be mistaken. While they do have a full bar, a bunch of TVs, a ping pong table and corn hole, their food is what takes it to another level. Talking to the managers, they told us that they brought in a new chef 8 months ago and that's why their food game has taken off. We ordered the Industry Burger, which they make the patty in house, the Beef Cakes (pancakes topped with their smoked brisket, bacon and berry compote), and the brussel sprouts. Needless to say we were not disappointed. Add to that their specialty cocktails, (industry Old Fashioned with their in-house brisket fat washed rye) and the award winning Bloody Mary, you can't go wrong. This is a great place to hang out when you're in East Austin, complete with a laid back atmosphere and friendly staff."

34th Street Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.6 (177) • $$

"Love this spot. Service and food quality is always excellent, tables are clean, prices are reasonable. This is a gem of a spot that people don't often think about and it is a go-to spot for a good meal, served quickly for a fair price."

Champions Austin Restaurant & Bar

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (268) • $$

"If you are downtown Austen, want to watch sporting events on TV, and want pub food, then Champions hits the spot. The Loaded Nachos and the wings were excellent. While they were extremely busy, we didn't have any issues with our service."

Aussie's Grill & Beach Bar

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (232) • $$

"We had an amazing experience at Aussies today when we stopped by for their 35th anniversary party. It was early afternoon, the tournament was in full swing and the lunch rush was in overdrive. I've been coming here since the early 90's and I can't recall having a more attentive and knowledgeable waiter than we had today. Shout out to Cliff who not only got all of our orders correct, ran refills as needed. He was also nice enough to pose in our group photo. The food was delicious too! Two thumbs up, would recommend."

Chicknic

★★★★★ 4.6 (62)

"I make a phenomenal brined, roasted chicken so haven't had their roasted chook yet, but I was under the weather and too ill to make my own broth. Making bone broth is ridiculously easy. While I do think this one tastes pretty delicious, I think nine dollars for an 8 ounce little cup of soup is much too expensive. It should be closer to five dollars. That's over $1 and ounce. I realize everything has gotten more expensive, but that is insane. Not to self to keep homemade in the freezer. I can make a 1/2 gallon or more for the same price. They should rename the broth liquid gold since it's so spendy."

Counter Cafe West Campus

★★★★☆ 3.6 (91) • $$

"Great folks that work here waitresses are absolutely awesome super nice the food is excellent as well. I sometimes come here for coffee coffee is always amazing thanks y'all."

Flower Child

★★★★☆ 4.2 (61) • $$

"I am a total Flower Child. No, wait. Let me try that again. I am a total fan of Flower Child. There. That's better.So until last week I didn't know this location existed. I was looking for a place to have lunch with a friend and I thought they'd be coming from their house in Central Austin. Instead they were coming from their place of business in West Austin. I was looking for a new places to try that were reasonably priced. I did not know this location existed because I've only gone to their Domain location previously.This is a much more open and airy location than the Domain. There is inside and patio seating available on the deck. It can be quite pleasant when the weather cooperates. The day I went it was a bit chilly so inside would have been a better choice temperature wise (and for another reason I'm about to explain).It's best to arrive early for lunch. When I first arrived about 12:30, there were still inside tables available but 10 minutes later the place was packed with a second wave of lunchers.I usually have the Ginger Miso Crunch salad but I decided to explore today and went with the Mushroom Bolognese. As usual Flower Child never disappoints. Topped with almond ricotta, the combination of squash zoodles and marinara was quite filling and delicious all at the same time. (Okay to be quite honest I would have liked a little more generous portion, but this was enough for lunch)That having been said, I take one quibble and it's a situational one with the outside seating. Even in early January, the bees are active. I almost made the mistake of swatting at one myself, mistaking it for a housefly that have been on the table a bit earlier. Unfortunately my co-diner made that actual mistake and got stung. This happened despite moving the cute bud vase of wildflowers to the opposite end of the table. Of course you can't cover all perils in an outdoor environment. It would be nice if the bud vases were filled with something less attractive to honey bees, because getting stung is a real bummer to an otherwise fun lunch. I ran in and got some ice in it to go container and luckily my friend didn't experience a reaction.That quibble aside, this is the place to go for lunch in the Walsh Tarleton and Bee Cave Road area. For the best experience, arrive early, and dine indoors.Highly recommended."

Urban Bird Hot Chicken

★★★★☆ 3.6 (82) • $$

"Ordered via Favor. Highly recommended on Favor so decided to try. Got the 2 tenders, Tennessee bbq with extra seasoning on fries. Super fresh. Very moist and cooked to perfection. Could not judge on ambiance but the quality of service in regards to the food is awesome."

The Well Westlake

★★★★★ 4.5 (50) • $$

"Parking was ample on a Saturday for brunch. The place is cute and clean. We had a reservation so was seated right away. The food was good! The chilaquiles was amazing as was the guacamole. Unfortunately the espresso Martini fell a little short for me because it was bitter and didn't have enough sweetness that I'm used to. The iced vanilla maca was OK. It just had a weird flavor profile that I guess I'm not used to. It was definitely one of the more expensive brunches I've had. I liked that they were health conscious and nothing was greasy or heavy. Definitely give the chilaquiles a try!"

G Bar and Bistro

★★★★☆ 4.2 (50) • $$

"Great place for really, really good late night food. In a Holiday Inn Express. No really, I mean it. Ok, I'll wait for you to stop laughing. Normally good food and Holiday Inn go together like squid goes with chocolate, but this place was one of the more pleasant surprises I ate at in Austin. We were watching some bands nearby and needed some food at 930pm. Looking on Yelp (what else would we use?), the only highly rated food places nearby were a few food trucks and a restaurant in the Holiday Inn. We wanted to sit down badly enough that we decided to risk disappointment and GI distress. Man were we glad we did! The good: the waitress, I think her name was Brittney, was very nice and welcoming. There weren't more than 2 other tables at that time of night, so she walked us through the menu. Everything was made on site including the ice cream. The restaurant itself is clean and open. There's a full bar. The menu has pretty good options for the vegetarian with us and for us carnivores as well. The sandwich I had was really good and the brownie waffle dessert with cookies and cream ice cream and hot fudge STILL HAUNTS MY DREAMS! The prices were reasonable, and the food was remarkably good.The bad: the reataurant is in Texas, and I'm in California.The mediocre: nothingOverall: This place would be my go to late might place if I lived anywhere nearby. It's probably best that I am not nearby because I would also weigh about 200 pounds more than I currently do because I would eat that dessert every day until I could no longer walk without assistance."

The Mill Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (39)

"The Mill is a nice, laid back place to relax and have a casual drink or meal. The ambiance ranges from dive to family! Some kids play pool there with their family."

Phoenix Grille

★★★★☆ 3.7 (17)

"Food truck came by our apartment complex today.I got the grilled wings, fries and the chicken wrap.Fries were fire! Chicken wrap was really smoky.Wings were good but I wish I had gotten the phoenix dust rub (cajun, garlic, phoenix). The cajun ones don't have a big kick.One thing to note, they were not wearing the masks at all times.Overall great, will come back again. Want to try the phoenix rub."

Barley Swine

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$$$

"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."

Roaring Fork

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant and appreciated the thoughtful birthday card from the staff, it was such a nice touch! Our waitress was very attentive, taking the time to answer our questions and offer great suggestions.We were especially impressed with the salmon presentation was beautiful, and the taste was even better, melting in your mouth with every bite. The green chile mac and cheese was just okay, and the drinks were decent, but overall, it was a good experience with good food."