Ranch 616

Everything we have tried here, entree wise, has been excellent.The jalapeño crusted trout is fantastic!!Highly recommend the shrimp ceviche and the chicken fried steak!Service can truthfully be hit or miss. You may wait for somethings but the ambiance makes up for it!Would love to see them improve their tequila selection?

"Home of the original Ranchwater." Sorry, that's simply untrue. Mexicans (and Mexican immigrants in the States) have been drinking tequila, Topo, and lime long before Ranch 616 existed (and for, as far as I can remember...). I remember restaurants giving this to us as kids in Matamoros - with a side of Peptobismol - so we wouldn't get sick. Ha. Simply said, it wasn't invited here, but guess they were smart enough to trademark the name (maybe the recipe?) in 2017, and call it their own. And according to Ranch 616's website, they also claim to help "popularize" Topo Chico. "The restaurant's eponymous cocktail helped popularize the sparkling mineral water that was once such a little-known commodity in the United States..." No. Ick. Stop. That's not okay. Topo Chico has been around since the early 1900s, and it's a delicious sparkling water that grew in popularity because it's damn good. Topo Chico "made" Topo Chico. ......Aside from having *that* discussion at our brunch table... my dining experience was ok. This was my first time at Ranch 616 (never went there 15+ years ago as an Austinite), and we went there to watch a UT game on their patio. We started with crispy oysters (Texas Gulf fried oysters, jalapeño remoulade, green goddess, charred lemon) and an off-the-menu special: Chicken nachos. Both good. The beau especially liked his banana bread puddin' old fashion - do not knock it until you try it. That was very good; the beau doesn't like sweets and he ordered two. It's made with Still Austin rye whiskey, Giffard banane du bresil, black walnut bitters, chocolate bitters... Happy hour: Mon-Thur 5-6pm; Fri-Sun 3-6pm

Ranch 616 is kitschy! The ambiance is a bit absurd. The place is packed.My friend and I made a reservation. We sat at a nice window and I felt like I was transported to New York City.I ordered their homemade limeade & my friend had a few cocktails.Service was friendly, fast and prompt.The food was nice portioned and way overpriced for what it was.We ordered the Maria was a 3 dip plate. All decent, nothing WOW! We were asked if we wanted more chips and veggies since it came with a small portion and we were a bit annoyed that there was an up charge for that which should have been mentioned.I ordered the Divorced Quail. The fried quail with the red sauce was amazing. I loved that red sauce so much that I ate the grilled quail with it, too. I didn't care for the green sauce. It was served on top of a pile of mashed potatoes and vegetables including beautiful Romanesco broccoli. My friend ordered the smoke salmon which paired nicely with the couscous.Ranch 616 is a funky spunky spot with decent bites, over priced food and downtown vibes.

4.2/5 Went here for dinner on Thursday evening and it was a good time! Although the restaurant wasn't busy, we were told we could only be seated outside (even though there were several empty tables inside), so other than the heat, it was a good experience. The food was really good, I loved the Jalapeño Chicken, I also had a 616 Margarita which was okay. I will say that this restaurant is a little expensive for what it is, the Jalapeño chicken I believe was $24 and the chicken fried steak $28, I feel like for a basic dish it was a little much. Overall we had a good time at this restaurant, it's a great spot to go to if you want to bar hop after dinner like we did, there's lots of good bars in the area to explore!

We had a super fun time eating here when visiting Austin- we ate all kinds to TexMex and frog legs and fried oysters - we leaned heavily on fried food and cocktails - a bit retro and fun, we enjoyed the food but had way too much of it lol - the place was hopping and folks seemed to be hcing fun - appeared to have locals and tourists, and the weed van was parked just outside - a phenomenon I haven't seen elsewhere. This place was fun and the ambience was lighthearted and joyful - having trouble loading images but you get the gist - fun and tasty

The place was fantastic. The staff were friendly. The ceviche was great, the drinks were amazing and the vibe and energy were grandiose. I highly recommend anyone to come here

Great brunch and drinks in a cute spot with friendly staff! We arrived when they were quite busy (brunch time during ACL) but quickly got a spot at the bar. I had the hash and a prickly pear margarita and both hit the spot! We sat inside because it was quite toasty out but the live music on the patio was great too!

This is our 3rd visit and again it did not disappoint! My husband had the chicken fried steak with mashed and green beans $28 and I had the tenderloin $65 with broccolini and I sub'd grits for mashed; both were outstanding. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with the outdoor covered and heated during the winter. We both had the prickly pear margarita (very delish) and then I had a glass of red with my meal. The wine selection is good, but limited (def not a complaint). Our service was good and the waiter attentive. Attire was everything from Christmas party dress to jeans and t shirts. Will definitely be back again!

For those privy to Ranch Water, welcome to its birthplace! The drink was created by the late Kevin Williamson (former owner) who enjoyed a similar mix during his hunting trips with his dad. While you can now find Ranch Water in cans or behind the bar, I highly recommend trying it at the original location for the full experience!FOOD: The food isn't exceptional or mind-blowing, but I would say for those interested, not bad. However, the prices are incredibly overpriced for no reason. A Fried Chicken Steak for nearly $40? That's insane. I came for a girls' brunch date, and we shared the "Hungry Rancher" Burrito ($18) and the Divorced Chilaquiles ($16). Despite its intimidating name, the Hungry Rancher Burrito is just a mix of three meats (chorizo, sausage, and bacon) with eggs, cheese, and potatoes. The Divorced Chilaquiles was a great addition to our order, offering a crunch and a variety of flavors to mix things up. The dish is split into two sides: one with crisp corn tortilla chips mixed with house ranchero sauce and the other with verde sauce.

Went in on a Saturday morning around 11 and got seated right away. The inside decor is very southern/texan. Our waitress was amazing and provided amazing service. We had the following:Divorced Chilaquiles - this dish comes with house chorizo and fried egg , however I asked for chorizo to be on the side and got scrambled eggs instead. It's a big dish and so filling. The verde sauce that is used is very tasty. Overall this dish was amazing and highly recommend it.Husband tried the "Hungry Rancher" Burrito - this burrito sure has a lot of meat & flavors were on point. We will be back to try other breakfast and lunch menu items.