Surly Bevo
25+ Posts
Buy a pony keg, take them to Salt Lick....not the best food, but definitely a different experience
If you don't like them, lose them in the woods
If you don't like them, lose them in the woods
Best Austin Restaurants
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1990txgirl
250+ Posts
Look, here's the thing about Uchi. It's not just about the food, which is outstanding, but the whole experience. It was recently featured in the snooty home magazine Veranda for its interiors. Tyson Cole has national recognition, most notably Food & Wine's America's Best New Chefs 2005. There will be eye candy a-plenty.
It has everything that would appeal to a jaded NYC food snob, yet it still retains an Austin vibe. You'll see hippies dining alongside the $200 jeans crowd. It is a mistake if your associates do not check it out.
For another excellent "worldly" Austin experience, they should have Sunday brunch at Fonda San Miguel. But if they want to go to another steakhouse--albeit a good one--guess I can't stop them...
It has everything that would appeal to a jaded NYC food snob, yet it still retains an Austin vibe. You'll see hippies dining alongside the $200 jeans crowd. It is a mistake if your associates do not check it out.
For another excellent "worldly" Austin experience, they should have Sunday brunch at Fonda San Miguel. But if they want to go to another steakhouse--albeit a good one--guess I can't stop them...
random horn
250+ Posts
crayon1973
500+ Posts
Here is the thing with Vespio - It IS a very good place, but its Italian. If you're coming from NY to Texas, Italian seems like the wrong direction. Its like coming from SF to Austin to have Dim Sum.
TexasTower
500+ Posts
Italian, Steak, and Sushi is the WRONG answer. I love all of these things, but someone from NYC is going to laugh at the quality that we can give them in these arenas.
Focus more on Tex-Mex, B-B-Q and Austin Original-type places. You know, **** they can't get in NYC.
I would say these fit the bill and you can pick from any of them:
Salt Lick, Chuy's, Enchilada's y mas, Hula Hut, Magnolia, Kirby Lane, 620 Cafe, Oasis (strictly for cocktails), Hut's.... etc.
Just my opinion but Austin's steaks, italian, hotdogs, chinese, etc suck balls next to what they can get in NYC.
Focus more on Tex-Mex, B-B-Q and Austin Original-type places. You know, **** they can't get in NYC.
I would say these fit the bill and you can pick from any of them:
Salt Lick, Chuy's, Enchilada's y mas, Hula Hut, Magnolia, Kirby Lane, 620 Cafe, Oasis (strictly for cocktails), Hut's.... etc.
Just my opinion but Austin's steaks, italian, hotdogs, chinese, etc suck balls next to what they can get in NYC.
RollingwoodHorn
500+ Posts
Another vote for Ranch 616. Great food and definitely uniquely Austin.
G
gobears92
Guest
el chile/jeffreys/salt lick...I cant wait to try Uchi's- soounds ******* great....go to magnolia cafe for breakfast
bevosayshi
250+ Posts
Cele (General) Store for BBQ would by my choice. This is a little something I copied from google about the place:
"It's a small old general store, close to nowhere, sort of somewhere between Taylor and Manor. There's rusty farm equipment in the back, and bottles of hair tonic on the shelves and a basket of bolts for carriages.
They only serve food on Friday nights and Saturday lunch. You have to have reservations. They offer barbeque brisket, sausage, and ribs. No sides except onions, pickles, cheese, bread, jalapenos and bbq sauce. All of it dumped in the middle of the table on butcher block paper.
None of the chairs match, the floor is slanted and there is plenty of dust. The beer is served behind a huge old saloon esque bar.
Has anyone else heard of this place?"
I've personally been there and it is solid BBQ that I would put up against any of the "best" BBQ joints in the state. When I went there several years ago, they had some czech dudes playing some mean accordion czech songs. Ice cold Shiner Bock too. Good times.
"It's a small old general store, close to nowhere, sort of somewhere between Taylor and Manor. There's rusty farm equipment in the back, and bottles of hair tonic on the shelves and a basket of bolts for carriages.
They only serve food on Friday nights and Saturday lunch. You have to have reservations. They offer barbeque brisket, sausage, and ribs. No sides except onions, pickles, cheese, bread, jalapenos and bbq sauce. All of it dumped in the middle of the table on butcher block paper.
None of the chairs match, the floor is slanted and there is plenty of dust. The beer is served behind a huge old saloon esque bar.
Has anyone else heard of this place?"
I've personally been there and it is solid BBQ that I would put up against any of the "best" BBQ joints in the state. When I went there several years ago, they had some czech dudes playing some mean accordion czech songs. Ice cold Shiner Bock too. Good times.
babysdaddy
100+ Posts
God, I could rock out with my cock out on some fried oysters from Ranch 616 right about now. Also, go get some migas at Ciscos for breakfast on Sunday rather than an ******* brunch at the Four Seasons
3rd Degree
100+ Posts
My foodie NYC relatives went crazy for all the Texas cuisine in Austin - not Italian or whatever. BTW, Jeffrey's was in the Watergate here in DC for a while and was superb as always. I think Austin places can rate with places anywhere, as long as you choose right. My vote is with Fonda San Miguel (Mexican), Jeffrey's (American), and County Line or Salt Lick. Those folks won't know good BBQ from bad, so the County Line is safe and not "adventurous" but Salt Lick has ambience they can't get.
bozo_casanova
2,500+ Posts
For a town this size Austin doesn't have many really good restaurants- but Fonda San Miguel is one of the few. Provided you want to stay in Austin proper you should also take them for BBQ at RuBy's (29th and Guadalupe). And actually I think they'd be favorably impressed with Vespaio and also with the Clay Pit unless they are thenselves Indian.
Take them to Jeffrey's if you want to see some real disappointed New Yorkers. The emperor has no clothes.
Take them to Jeffrey's if you want to see some real disappointed New Yorkers. The emperor has no clothes.
Fonda San Miguel would be a good spot for the yankees, some mexican better than anything in NY, great drinks. you could try the gospel sunday brunch at subb's if they still have it. i did it on sunday with a group after a wedding. i was impressed with it and the music was great. being from Ny they could use some churchin up.....
crayon1973
500+ Posts
VoodooChi|d
500+ Posts
Vespiao is a bit different from what most people in NYC would probably get for Italian.
Andiamos (which I think is a better Italian restaurant than Vespiao although I like them both) is probably more of a NYC kind of Italian and I actually think there might be one in NY.
Seeing as they're from NYC Vespiao would be a better choice as it is in a more trendy and scenic part of Austin and different from most things they have up there.
Moonshines isn't a bad suggestion either. Some very cool and delicious entrees.
I like Eddie V's a lot but it's not really an Austin (or gulf coast/Texas) style seafood restaurant and probably isn't too different from what they could get in NYC.
Definitely go for some Tex-Mex. BBQ as well.
Andiamos (which I think is a better Italian restaurant than Vespiao although I like them both) is probably more of a NYC kind of Italian and I actually think there might be one in NY.
Seeing as they're from NYC Vespiao would be a better choice as it is in a more trendy and scenic part of Austin and different from most things they have up there.
Moonshines isn't a bad suggestion either. Some very cool and delicious entrees.
I like Eddie V's a lot but it's not really an Austin (or gulf coast/Texas) style seafood restaurant and probably isn't too different from what they could get in NYC.
Definitely go for some Tex-Mex. BBQ as well.
crash_davis
250+ Posts
whoever recommended cool river should be shot.
III forks is good, but not worthy of the immense praise that some are giving. when i lived in dallas, i ate at III forks about once a month for 5 years. every vendor that came in town, it was a running joke that we would make them take us to III forks. don't get me wrong, they have great food, but for being a steak house, they sadly have only good, not great, steaks. the filet is great, but the ribeye and strip are just good. i liked the ribeye that i had at roaring fork much better than the 30 ribeyes that i had at III forks.
and i would recommend uniquely austin places, as others have suggested. they won't remember the food, as long as it's good. they'll better remember the austin vibe and type of cuisine.
take them to restaurants where hippies are dining next to untucked striped shirt guy. that'll confuse them. and take them to places w/ good scenery of the female kind. if they are guys, they'll thank you for it and wish that they too lived here. if they are girls, they will get jealous of the hot texas women and that will elevate your status w/ them because they'll think you date and bag said hot women on a daily basis.
III forks is good, but not worthy of the immense praise that some are giving. when i lived in dallas, i ate at III forks about once a month for 5 years. every vendor that came in town, it was a running joke that we would make them take us to III forks. don't get me wrong, they have great food, but for being a steak house, they sadly have only good, not great, steaks. the filet is great, but the ribeye and strip are just good. i liked the ribeye that i had at roaring fork much better than the 30 ribeyes that i had at III forks.
and i would recommend uniquely austin places, as others have suggested. they won't remember the food, as long as it's good. they'll better remember the austin vibe and type of cuisine.
take them to restaurants where hippies are dining next to untucked striped shirt guy. that'll confuse them. and take them to places w/ good scenery of the female kind. if they are guys, they'll thank you for it and wish that they too lived here. if they are girls, they will get jealous of the hot texas women and that will elevate your status w/ them because they'll think you date and bag said hot women on a daily basis.
Fonda San Miguel for Sunday brunch, if that is on the itenirary.
I'm partial to Gumbo's and if NY isn't a cajun hotspot, you're like not going to catch flack.
I like S. Congress Cafe as an altenative to Vespaio on S. Congress. I don't think the level of quality is going to knock their socks off, but it won't be food they get in NYC. The fundamental problem here is everything is spicy when it doesn't necessarily need to be. However, it was on the food channel a while back. The S. Congress atmosphere is nice and they have a fun brunch menu as well.
Also, there is a little wine bar/cafe connected to Vespaio that's pretty solid, can't remember the name.
Vespaio is awesome, especially when their garden is producing. They make their pasta by hand, so if italian is on the menu, this should be at the top of the list.
Uchi is the ****, nothing more needs to be said and if sushi is on the menu, don't go anywhere else.
I'd stay away from mediocre non-TexMex establishments like Shady Grove. I love that place, but the food really is pretty crappy. Mediocre needs to be saved for BBQ and Tex-Mex with atmosphere.
I may be the only one, but after eating at Jeffery's a dozen or so times, I think it's overrated for the price and NYC will have similar establishments that will kick the crap out of Jeffery's. That said, it's still a solid choice, just not immune from NYC snobbery.
All in all, I'd say Uchi, Fonda San Miguel, Vespaio, Gumbo's, a BBQ or Tex-Mex tourist place, and maybe a Texas style steakhouse, but whoever said you'll want to punch them in the face is right, they'll go on and on about NYC steak.
I'm partial to Gumbo's and if NY isn't a cajun hotspot, you're like not going to catch flack.
I like S. Congress Cafe as an altenative to Vespaio on S. Congress. I don't think the level of quality is going to knock their socks off, but it won't be food they get in NYC. The fundamental problem here is everything is spicy when it doesn't necessarily need to be. However, it was on the food channel a while back. The S. Congress atmosphere is nice and they have a fun brunch menu as well.
Also, there is a little wine bar/cafe connected to Vespaio that's pretty solid, can't remember the name.
Vespaio is awesome, especially when their garden is producing. They make their pasta by hand, so if italian is on the menu, this should be at the top of the list.
Uchi is the ****, nothing more needs to be said and if sushi is on the menu, don't go anywhere else.
I'd stay away from mediocre non-TexMex establishments like Shady Grove. I love that place, but the food really is pretty crappy. Mediocre needs to be saved for BBQ and Tex-Mex with atmosphere.
I may be the only one, but after eating at Jeffery's a dozen or so times, I think it's overrated for the price and NYC will have similar establishments that will kick the crap out of Jeffery's. That said, it's still a solid choice, just not immune from NYC snobbery.
All in all, I'd say Uchi, Fonda San Miguel, Vespaio, Gumbo's, a BBQ or Tex-Mex tourist place, and maybe a Texas style steakhouse, but whoever said you'll want to punch them in the face is right, they'll go on and on about NYC steak.
Thanks again for the suggestions. I don't think anyone would say that any of these recommendations were bad. Its more of an issue of going across the country to eat something that's marginally better than something I can get around the corner from my house any day of the week. But if someone really wants a steak, Italian or Japanese food Ill be quick to suggest these places. Plus these are music industry people so as long a there are bathroom stalls big enough to do some blow in they'll be fine.
BolivianBulldog
25+ Posts
If you were to take them to Cele, they would think they were being kidnapped. That place seems like it is in the middle of nowhere. It is rather awesome though, and would be a fantastic choice for barbeque.
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