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$$$$ | North Austin |
Reservations are essential at this intimate eatery (and can be made a month in advance), but there are also a limited number of communal tables available for walk-in patrons. The strictly seasonal, locally sourced daily specials blend the artistic style of Japanese sushi with the familiarity of Southern comfort food. Be sure to list any food allergies when reserving as dinner comes in the form of a fixed daily menu of chef-selected small plates ($105 per person). Chef/owner Bryce Gilmore delivers innovative dishes like duck-blood crepes with sweet chiles and pear-and-turnip soup with apple cider and chanterelles. Trust the servers for expert beer and wine pairings.
6555 Burnet Rd., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA
Known For
- Bougie vibe for an elevated date night
- Fixed menu of chef-selected small plates that gives serious street cred for adventurous foodies
- A beer list for the true aficionado
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | East Austin |
This Manor Road hot spot hangs their hat on seasonal local cuisine, with an emphasis on farmers’ markets, Texas beer and wines, and even ingredients foraged by the chefs themselves. A butcher-shop display-case greets patrons upon entering, showcasing various charcuterie and house-made canned and pantry goods. The cozy dining room, accented with exposed brick walls and reclaimed wood fixtures, is down the hall. Their initial prix-fixe “supper club” menu quickly expanded to include nightly à la carte items and a breakfast and lunch service (only on the weekend). Chefs and servers are passionate about their carnivore-heavy cuisine, and it shows. Charcuterie plates are an obvious staple, and daily creations span wide-ranging territory, from venison ceviche to turkey tamales. Try the refreshing house libations, like wild persimmon sodas or sparkling peach jam cocktails.
2406 Manor Rd., Austin, Texas, 78722, USA
Known For
- Hyper-local offerings focusing on meat
- Outstanding cocktail program
- Servers with encyclopedic knowledge of the menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays
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$$$$ | South Austin |
Bouldin Creek’s best date-night destination might have limited dining space, but the seasonal prix fixe selections and shabby-chic decor is worth the hype. In addition to the nightly menu offerings, diners can indulge in a chef's choice menu ($64) with five courses that could be creations like striped-bass crudo and bowfin caviar, green curry fumé, seared antelope heart, or jerk quail with pecan butter and watermelon radish. Menus change weekly, and single off-menu dishes are available. An impressive European-focused wine list elevates the experience. The shady backyard wine garden has additional seating for weekly happy hours and dinner service. Walk-ins are accommodated.
1807 S. 1st St., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA
Known For
- Exceptional service
- Romantic atmosphere with delicate interiors and decor
- Inspiring prix-fixe menus and wine pairings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | South Austin |
This food truck turned brick-and-mortar was an early trailblazer of the city’s farm-to-table movement, thanks to chef Bryce Gilmore’s inventive take on locally sourced, modern American cuisine. Gilmore and his team’s artistic approach to Southern seasonal fare comes in tapas-size portions, so servers recommend a few dishes per patron. All the better to sample their variety of rotating dishes, from charred eggplant baba ghanoush and fried whole quail with peaches and squash puree to buckwheat crumpets and beer-battered sweet potatoes.
1201 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA
Known For
- Rotating menu of highly inventive, bite-size creations
- Heavy emphasis on locally sourced ingredients
- Popular daily happy hour
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$$$$ | Sixth Street District |
A gem in the midst of Dirty Sixth, Parkside’s austere interior features exposed brick walls, a shotgun bar, and bare light bulbs suspended by black cables. Celebrated chef Shawn Cirkiel has created an equally simple menu, but delivers on taste with fresh oysters and ceviche-style offerings from the raw bar, in addition to a meat-centric array of bone marrow appetizers, savory grilled lamb, and shareable portions of steak and (perfectly crisped) fries. Floor-to-ceiling windows look onto 6th Street for ideal people-watching while lingering over desserts like homemade doughnuts, served warm and sugar-dusted in paper sacks. Dinner can be pricey, but the daily happy hour (5:30–7 pm) is one of the best bargains in the city.
301 E. 6th St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA
Known For
- Extensive raw bar
- Lively downtown location that makes dinner reservations a must
- Happy hour specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations recommended
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$$ | South Austin |
This casual Bouldin Creek neighborhood bistro with a breezy back patio is a refreshing respite for a leisurely happy hour or a midday meal during a day of shopping around nearby South Congress. The French-inspired cuisine is light and straightforward, with a wonderful wine list and craft cocktail selection.
1417 S. 1st St., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA
Known For
- Strong reputation as a "from-scratch kitchen"
- Spacious outdoor patio that's popular with the brunch crowd
- Generous portions
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$$$$ | Downtown |
Lady Bird Lake views stun at this flagship endeavor by Top Chef 10 winner Kristen Kish within the LINE Hotel. The elegant presentations of French- and Italian-inspired dishes, made with seasonal Central Texas–sourced ingredients, are impressive but pricey. The burrata with pear mostarda and grilled sourdough and a crispy rice dish with crab and saffron aioli are standouts. It might lack on authentic local flavor, but it's certainly a luxurious on-site amenity for hotel guests; the sleek dining room is also a great spot to view the Congress Bridge bats.
111 E. César Chávez St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA
Known For
- International spotlight thanks to Top Chef winner
- Constantly rotating crowd of locals and guests at the LINE Hotel
- Patio seating next to the small outdoor pool
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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$$$$ | South Austin |
Austin is known as a laid-back capital of style, whether it's food or fashion, but this swanky spot injects a lot of glamour into the South Lamar scene. Honoring Angelina Eberly, a storied local innkeeper who helped preserve Austin as the capital in 1842, the contemporary restaurant takes inspiration from its courageous namesake with an ambitious slew of snazzy dining areas, like a beautiful interior "atrium" room and an inviting rooftop terrace. Menu highlights include New American mains, such as braised oxtail ragù and mushroom mafaldini with black truffles, and a popular brunch service includes a range of oven-baked pizzas.
615 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA
Known For
- Various private dining options in intimate settings
- Glitzy decor and elevated level of service
- Historic Cedar Tavern bar centerpiece, deconstructed and restored from its original home in Greenwich Village
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays and no dinner Sun.
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$$$$ | Clarksville |
Homegrown restaurateur Larry McGuire has revitalized Clarksville’s beloved Jeffrey’s steak house, with rave reviews for the French American haunt that haven't stopped rolling in. The chichi vibe starts curbside, with pink seersucker-clad valets, and extends to the lavish interior and menu, with accoutrements like martini carts and Petrossian caviar service. Find a seat at the bar during happy hour (4:30–6 pm and all night Monday), when all bar food is half-price. The crispy fried Gulf oysters are still a hot ticket—and a mainstay of Jeffrey’s past—and the Wagyu burger is succulent. Plus, it’s a treat to watch the bow-tied bartenders whip up elaborate pre-Prohibition classics and other whimsical (oft times, off-menu) libations.
1204 W. Lynn St., Austin, Texas, 78703, USA
Known For
- Unmissable crispy Gulf oysters
- Ultra-glam setting that's ideal for special occasions
- Pre-Prohibition cocktails with a whimsical flair
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations recommended
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$$$$ | North Austin |
On the glamorous grounds of the Commodore Perry Estate, this chic garden restaurant seems far removed from the casual daily aesthetic of Austin. The hotel's Italianate mansion lends to the restaurant's Jazz Age vibes, with opulent, floral decor and a decadent menu of Texas heritage cuisine to match. The atmosphere of an exclusive soiree hangs over the artful presentations of signatures like barbecue scallops and Delta Blues rice with halibut and smoked trout roe.
4100 Red River St., Austin, Texas, 78751, USA
Known For
- Exclusive, glamorous location and interiors
- Romantic sunset views over the country estate grounds
- Instagram- and swoon-worthy bathroom
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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$$$$ | North Austin |
Hyde Park's best date-night destination might just be this neighborhood seafood restaurant and raw bar. Chef Shane Stark opened Mongers in 2015 (in the former home of wine bar Vino Vino), and it's developed a reputation for some of the freshest and best seafood in a town that doesn't necessarily have a coastal reputation. Don't miss out on the fully loaded lobster roll or Gulf red snapper. Even straightforward classics like fish-and-chips pack a punch.
4119 Guadalupe St., Austin, Texas, 78751, USA
Known For
- Great daily happy hour that includes bar food
- Limited lunch menu
- Fully loaded lobster roll
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$$$$ | North Austin |
Whether you're grabbing a cocktail at the bar, sharing a few appetizers with friends on the treehouse-like outdoor patio, or settling in to one of the elegant-yet-cozy booths for a romantic dinner with your honey, this Bryker Woods locale in northwest Austin serves up a satisfying lineup of fresh, Italian-inspired fare. Top picks from the popular picolo piatti (small plates) menu include scallop crudo with butternut squash and thinly sliced zucchini involtini wrapped around a decadent mushroom filling.
3411 Glenview Ave., Austin, Texas, 78703, USA
Known For
- Popular daily happy hour, especially on the shady patio
- Homemade gelato
- Very limited on-site parking
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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$$$$ | South Congress District |
Seafood, service, and panache are pretty as a pearl at this homage to yacht clubs in the Northeast. One of Austin’s original high-end patio destinations still delivers the city’s best fish, punched up with Texas style and zing. Case in point, the Crab Louie served as luscious lumps of crabmeat piled upon crunchy fried green tomatoes and served with lemony aioli. Market fish selections are ordered to preference and served with spicy garlic-herb salsa verde, house tartar, or red chimichurri sauce. Sit at the cold bar and watch the expert oyster shuckers at work. At night and weekend brunch hours, the patio is ideal for South Congress people-watching with a tropical cocktail in hand.
1400 S. Congress Ave., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA
Known For
- Exceptionally fresh seafood
- Wes Anderson–level attention to detail and decor
- Best patio to see and be seen
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$$$$ | West Austin |
Located in the former home of historic burger joint Hut's Hamburgers, on the western edge of downtown, Sammie's specializes in classic Italian cuisine in a lively setting. The cozy digs (restored to preserve the original art deco design) get loud during peak hours, but this homage to the great "red sauce institutions" of New York City is still a wonderful option for a modernized "Taste of Old Italy" date night. And the Friday happy hour (3 to 5 pm) is an ideal time to indulge in discounted small plates like roasted veal sweetbreads piccata and broiled clams.
807 W. 6th St., Austin, Texas, 78703, USA
Known For
- Noisy atmosphere
- Signature arrabiata sauce featured in most dishes
- Long wait-list for reservations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.–Thurs.
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$$$$ | University of Texas Area |
In 2014, executive Chef Josh Watkins left the Carillon—a stylish New American concept he helped launch in 2008—but the highly regarded fine-dining destination in the heart of the UT campus has retained its dedicated team of in-house chefs and fleet of exceptional servers. The four-course tasting selection ($50) is an artfully presented, well-proportioned sampling of any four dishes on the menu, diner’s choice. Menus fluctuate month to month, with seasonal standouts, like a creamy carrot risotto, Thai-cured hamachi, and crispy pork belly with peach butter and fennel slaw.
1900 University Ave., Austin, Texas, 78705, USA
Known For
- Expertly prepared prix-fixe menus
- Impeccable service
- Wednesday happy hour specials
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$$$$ | Downtown |
Pricey-but-excellent fish, shellfish, and steak are served in handsome surroundings that suggest a businesspeople's yacht club here at Truluck's, part of an upscale chain with restaurants in Texas and Florida. Every Monday is all-you-can-eat crab claw night, but you can get Truluck’s signature stone crab any day of the week at the downtown and northwest locations. Alaskan king crab is also expertly rendered, if expensive. Don't miss the jumbo lump crab cake and the hot-and-crunchy trout over citrus aioli sauce with a mango-jalapeño marmalade. The second-story dining area has floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding Warehouse District and skyline.
400 Colorado St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA
Known For
- Signature crab cakes
- Show-stopping desserts
- Special-occasion dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations required
