Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar

Waited for 45 minutes. Worth it. Grace was our server and was the best one we have ever had. Period. Great personality and went above and beyond. Excellent recommendations on the desert and very attentive. 10 out of 10 stars. Can't wait to come back. Best burger in the State!

My family and I found this little gem in New Braunfels, TX. It has great potential, but the kitchen needs some work.Ambiance: The ambiance was quite nice. The building and general area have history. The huge fireplaces and taxidermied animals adorning the walls make it feel like you are in an upscale hunting lodge. We went during the cold season, around Christmas time. When you check in, you are taken down long halls and through various seating areas. The halls were quite drafty, as the raging fireplaces wrestle with wide open doors allowing the cold air to flow in from outdoors in an attempt to regulate the temperature. Oddly enough, it adds to the rustic charm. The seating area itself was comfortable and not drafty at all.The waitress was very nice and helpful, albeit a little frumpy in appearance, looking more like a waitress you would encounter in a roadside diner than a restaurant that was attempting to offer an elevated dining experience.For my order, I wanted something light. I ordered their, "award winning" tortilla soup. The waitress suggested a side of garlic bread. I'm glad she did. The garlic bread was absolutely delicious and quite possibly the best garlic bread I've ever eaten. The menu didn't state what award(s) the soup won, but if it was the same soup I was served, then I can only imagine it won an award for being the most bland soup in Texas, and/ or possibly the most confused soup. Mind you, I am scrutinizing the food with a chef's eye. Firstly, the soup had absolutely no seasoning whatsoever. On top of the soup were big, clunky, bland chunks of avocado, tortilla strips stuck in where they could fit them; the presentation was a mess. This soup could be award winning if they just change a few things. Flavorless raw avocado does nothing for a flavorless soup. If they season the soup properly, and rather than throwing chunky slices of avocado on top, make a guacamole purée out of it. A dollop of the purée next to a dollop of crème fraiche with tortilla strips placed with a bit of finesse and some seasoning in the soup itself would transform that soup. Then it might actually win some awards.My adult children ordered steaks. One medium, one medium rare. Medium was cooked fine, but the medium rare is something that average restaurants very rarely cook properly; the better establishments know how to properly cook their proteins. This is not a better establishment. The waitress offered to take it back and get a new one cooked. Having worked in the culinary world for as long as I have and seen the things I've seen, me and my family have a rule that we never send food back. The steak was at least not dry, but did not have the flavor or texture you get with a proper mid-rare cook.Then there were the "original round cut fries." These are thin-ish slices of potato. They were all different sizes and thicknesses. This of course meant that they all had different cook times. As a result, smaller thinner pieces were burnt to a crisp and the thicker ones were soft and had as much flavor as chewing on a piece of styrofoam. What does this place have against seasoning? If they coated these in a light, seasoned batter and cut them uniformly then they would have a good product. As they are, they simply taste like they don't care.My son said that the mashed potatoes were good.My wife ordered a cheeseburger with the same, unsatisfying round fries. There was nothing good or bad to say about the burger; it was your basic cheeseburger.Beer is all bottled; nothing on draft.Pricing isn't bad. If they can improve on the quality of the food they could really be great.

Thank you for a great lunch!I grew up up in San Antonio and have eaten at the restaurant before when visiting old friends. This time i brought an out-of-town friend with me and thank you for a great afternoon!We came during the week on a cool drizzly day, shopped a bit in Gruene, then settled in for lunch. We got a great table overlooking the river. Everyone was so nice. the ambiance is so homey. Our waiter was so friendly and shared some great stories with us.Since we have light appetites, we thought sharing an appetiser and a couple of sides would be about right. Holy moly! We could only eat half the pasta salad and bean sides. Both were delicious, well seasoned, and satifying, but when paired with the sausage appetiser... we were out matched. "Falls City, Texas Polish Wedding Sausage with Gristmill BBQ sauce." It must have been nearly 3 pounds of sliced sausage with onions and sauce and something else... i was overwhelmed. The sausage is crazy good and reminds me that the settlers in this part of Texas came from sausage-making traditions in Europe. I no longer live in Texas and miss its sausages!!Plan to spend a bit of time here soaking up the chill atmosphere.

Food was decent but nothing anything to go out of your way for. The spicy queso is awesome, though! Came with a big group of friends and the main complaint was that the breading was too thick on all the fried items and that the same breading is used on everything. Drinks are very reasonably priced! I liked the Gruene (green) beans and sautéed mushrooms, but both dishes were very salty.

Always amazing. I love getting away to this historic little town. This restaurant sits in the river with beautiful views. The staff is is very friendly, and accommodatingas well; I asked for the heater to be on, and without skipping a beat our waiter had the heat lamp keep us warm. The food is always amazing as well. Big portions, fresh and reasonable prices. If you want to visit a historic little town, and get away for all of the noise, visit Gruene, and stop in to the Gristmill restaurant. You will not be disappointed

Squash is really good with vinegary sauce. Fish is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and still well cooked.

Great location for food and good ambiance. The chicken fried steak had nice texture and was tasty but somewhat chewy. The fries were crisp and seasoned well. Vast amount of items on their menu.Plenty of indoor and outside seating. Service can be slow given how busy this place is. It took around 15 minutes to receive our food. Staff are super friendly.

Everything was excellent! The service was great and very friendly from everyone, the area is so cute and I can imagine it's lovely for night life. We went for a Thursday lunch on our way to Austin.My fiance got the chicken fried chicken and enjoyed it- he said typically at other places the chicken is dry but not here. I got the chicken fried steak- it was delicious. The green beans were just okay- nothing to hoot and holler over.Overall was delicious!

I've been to this historic restaurant twice, and it has not disappointed. The restaurant is beautiful, and I love walking around to admire the decorations and the ambiance. The menu offers a wide selection--more like elevated bar food--and everything I've tried has been tasty. The service has always been great, from the host to the server. We will definitely keep coming back and bringing visitors to enjoy the experience. It's a perfect spot to spend time on the weekend!

Gristmill is a historic cotton gin! It's classic with rustic charm and hearty, flavorful dishes made the lunch experience worthwhile.We couldn't resist trying the Big Crispy Onion Rings! The batter was light, flaky, and seasoned just right, keeping the onion inside tender without getting greasy. They were served golden-brown, providing a satisfying crunch with each bite. Perfect for sharing or indulging on your own.Next was the Caesar Salad, topped with pico de gallo. The crisp romaine, grated Parmesan, and creamy dressing made for a fresh and satisfying bite. The addition of pico added a unique blend of tang and spice, which gave a nice kick but didn't overwhelm the classic Caesar flavors.Due to limited vegetarian options, I opted for the Mushroom Spinach Quesadillas. The quesadillas were packed with sautéed mushrooms and spinach, creating a warm, savory filling with the perfect hint of earthy flavors. The tortilla was nicely crisped, making each bite a delicious. Overall, Gristmill is a fantastic spot to enjoy good food and soak in the Texas Hill Country ambiance. Definitely worth a visit if you're in New Braunfels!