Counter Cafe East

This place was jamming on a Sunday morning brunch. We waited for a little bit just to sit two of us, but that's Austin for you. The staff was very nice and management seemed to be doing a really great job with their staff and patrons.The inside had the hometown diner feel. We sat at barstools at the counter.I ordered the Counter Benedict and let me tell you that was some of the best hollandaise I've ever had. I'd probably order the same thing again because it was just so good. The eggs were cooked just right. We'll be back!

Wow!First of all, our server was AMAZING!! Super friendly and attentive. Genuine.Cute and updated version of a classic diner with a pleasant vibe.I love that everything is farm to counter.The chicken tortilla soup was some of the best I've ever had. It tasted like I was eating it in the kitchen of a grandma. Home style perfection.The boyfriend got the burger and he said he rivaled burgers that he's had at places that boast having the best.

The wait here can be long during peak hours as the interior is kind of small. After a couple of attempts, I came here at 10am on a Saturday, and our group of four was seated in 10 minutes. I ordered the hot cake, which is a large pancake that comes with packaged butter and maple syrup. You can add whipped cream, blueberries, strawberries, pecans, or chocolate chips for an additional cost. It is large, but not enough for a meal unless you are child sized or on a caloric restriction. It was really good and fluffy. I also ordered the breakfast taco, which has eggs, bacon, cheese, potatoes, and a mild salsa. It was a good, very standard breakfast taco, albeit a little bit small for the price. I only ordered it so I wouldn't be hungry with the one pancake.My friends enjoyed their egg sandwich, breakfast potatoes, fruit and granola, and counter burger. The counter burger ranked the 2nd best burger out of 50 in Texas by Texas Monthly Magazine in 2009. This was quite a long time ago, and I haven't seen it in more recent rankings, but my friend who ordered it said it was a really solid burger. We agreed the fries were great too. The prices are reasonable with normal portion sizes as we all finished our meals and were satisfied.We were told at the end that they couldn't split the bill by item. This was surprising because this is a nice and modern restaurant in 2024. It was inconvenient, but I didn't think much of it until I read other reviews and found out that they can split the bill, but apparently the waiters don't like to do it because it takes a long time. Fair enough (although I suggest that they upgrade their antiquated system), but I felt very deceived that she told us that they "can't" split the bill. The service was friendly and relatively attentive. This isn't a restaurant to linger in when it's busy as there is limited seating with a long line. There is parking in front of and behind the restaurant.

First time here with my partners. Absolutely enjoyed. Amazing blueberry hot cakes as well as the amazing migas, their salsa is to die for.

There was a wait about 20 minutes on a Saturday afternoon. The food was just okay. We had the pork chop & eggs and Joe's special (would've been great if sausage was crumbled instead of whole) Our waitress was very nice

Counter Cafe is well priced. This place has some of the lowest brunch prices I have seen, where entrees will run you from $9-$22, with most being around $12-$15. All that said, my group went when it was a weekend and we were seated in their supposed heated patio space. The heater by our table was not working so I asked if it were possible to get it turned on. The host said that he thought it was warm enough in the space. I wasn't entirely sure why I would have asked for it to be on if I thought it wasn't warm enough. That aside, the food was decent, the portion sizes are small, with none of us bringing home leftovers. We spent with coffees, right around $22 per person. Food is really average, nothing spectacular, but it is a nice little restaurant to have brunch with friends.

Counter Cafe East delivered a five-star experience thanks to the stellar service from our server and the bussing lady (whose name I unfortunately forgot), who went above and beyond to pamper our dog and take great care of us during brunch. Despite the toasty summer morning, the fans outside made the al fresco space quite comfortable. I enjoyed a Baby Cake--a smaller version of their Hot Cake--topped with bananas and homemade whipped cream, along with a refreshing cold brew with milk. Highly recommend for both the excellent service and delicious food!

Our server was superb, food was fresh, great ambience. The cafe was clean and the menu had a wonderful array of choices!

For a decently long wait on a Saturday, Counter Cafe is a average choice for a brunch in Austin. My group of three was seated in the patio area of the restaurant. Typically, this seems like a nice environment, as the restaurant provides blankets on the chairs for the outdoor seating as well as heaters that placed every two tables. Being a chilly day, I asked our waiter if he could turn on our heater and he said "no, we're out of fuel for that heater, but the temperature is great out so I think you'll be fine." Not off to a good start. Later, I saw the next table try to turn on their heater as well to no success. The food was very average, and overall not very flavorful. The biscuits and gravy were okay, and the biscuits were slightly overdone. Will not be returning here.

Great food and service. The crab cake Benedict is definitely my favorite! It gets a little bit tight sometimes and can be pretty loud and sometimes the service outside isnt as reliable.