You know that one movie? The one with that one actor who wears Texas on his sleeve? I think he has…read morea catchphrase with something along the lines of "For sure, for sure, for sure." I'm pretty sure that's what he says. Anyways, he eats at this burger drive-thru place called Top Notch. Thanks to this movie representing Austin so well, the movie and the restaurant became a cultural touchstone of the Texas capital. Fifty years later, Top Notch opened their second location in the middle of Hutto, Texas. I've been to the Hutto Top Notch location three times now. Once to try, once because of its convenience during an event, and once for lunch with co-workers. Each time, I've left with the same impression: it's alright, alright, alright. That's what the quote was. I remember now. I've only had their burgers. Twice, their cheeseburger, and yesterday, the Top Pick Burger. All things considered, it's a decent burger. There is nothing obscene or wrong with the burger. It's just a burger. The Top Pick Burger seems like it could be fun and special, but it's really just a worse burger compared to their cheeseburger. It's not bad, but I didn't find it a better replacement for a cheeseburger. Their menu has a lot more options than just their charcoal-broiled hamburgers. They have fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, seafood combos, and their Top Dog sandwich. Two hot dogs in a sandwich. Something I'd whip together if I was seeing stars off Benadryl. Their fries are pretty good, though pretty simple: skinny, crispy, and salty. Good fries. Their shakes are thick without it being a fight for my life to drink. I don't know if my lack of intense enjoyment was thanks to recently having Johnny Rockets and being more impressed with their attempts at crafting a retro '60s burger joint, but Top Notch is more or less Middle-of-the-Pack Notch.

Food was good Flame broiled…read more Service was nice not busy inside at all Music was great 50s stuff Ambiance was good Retro Cheese burgers Fries Rings-were over cooked Not a bad experience We did eat inside

Drove into round rock from Houston and had some chick fila on the way but we wanted to try…read moresomething new for dinner. I think the default is you should never order burgers for delivery and I'm going to start with that. We got 2 buddah burgers regular and small, fries and they gave us some chicken tenders. SCORE! Again this was a delivery order so the review is based on this specific experience. Initial bites in everything , flavor is bursting. Good quality beef , not super fatty (which I love- only want a greasy burger if it's thin), the quality of Ingredients over all were great. I think if I had gotten the burger without cheese and no lettuce I would have enjoyed it more. The melted cheese texture with the soggy lettuce did not last the trip, and I felt like they took away from the burger overall. The sauce was quite good it reminded me of a cross between egg salad and potato salad. The fries I think had like gochujan powder or something were good but if I had it fresh would probably have enjoyed more. Initial bite of tenders were really good but after bite 2 it was like too much bullion in the batter. But in a samich with some coleslaw to cut through the salt I think it would have been great. The only problem I had with the meal overall was the sodium level which had me feeling kinda bloated and sick (could have been from driving and eating a salty spicy chicken earlier). But I will definitely give it another shot and I would go in person for sure it's not a delivery type item and I would probably tweak my burger or samich a bit.

It's a Friday night and my buddy and I decided it was time for a little adventure. He saw a video…read moreon social media talking about Buddha Burger having some of the best smash burgers in the Austin area, so we made the trek to the Valero gas station in Pflugerville that houses the burger joint to give it a shot. As we walked in, we were surprised to see a pretty long line. Mere seconds later, the entire line dissipated because it was all delivery drivers. The amount of DoorDash and Uber Eats orders coming out of Buddha Burger is insane, and for a burger joint, they seemed pretty on top of getting orders out in a timely manner. My buddy placed his order first, getting the California Classic and their Chocolate Toffee Cookie. I ordered the Big Buddha with their poutine purely out of curiosity. In about 10 minutes, both of our orders were ready. Inside the gas station, there is one large kitchen island style table where everyone can sit. The Big Buddha was good. It didn't wow me by any means, but it was solid. I think the hype around it being the best smash burger in the area led to some disappointment because it was fine. It didn't make me melt or blow my taste buds away. The California Classic my buddy ordered was also good, but nothing extreme. As for the poutine, I do not see myself ordering it again. Ever. The cheese curds were not as melty as I would hope, even with hot gravy poured on top, and by the time we got to it, the fries were completely soggy and lacked any crispness. I know poutine is inherently soggy, but this just did nothing for me. Maybe I'm not a poutine guy and that could be on me, but I'm just being honest. Neither of us cared for it. We split the cookie, which was huge but toothpick thin. We both thought it was okay, but a little too sweet. Not worth ordering again. We decided to dine in because I think food is best eaten immediately after it's ready. While waiting, we watched the kitchen operate and it honestly felt like a new hire was being berated at every given moment. The staff seemed to be working like they were under Carmy from The Bear. As someone just sitting and waiting for food, it felt awkward to witness and made me a little uncomfortable. I know most of their business comes from delivery apps so this probably isn't seen often, but for a place called Buddha Burger, there was no awakened state from the staff. There was no peace and no compassion. It felt weirdly hard-ass while we were there. I hate feeling lied to by a social media video. I've become weary of most especially if they get special treatment and don't talk about the plus and minuses. Everything is a lie these days. At least they didn't put generative AI in the burgers. I'll drive for good food, but the 20 minute trip didn't make this feel totally worth it. The burgers are good, but nothing exceptional, especially at the price point. If I lived closer, I'd probably return, but I don't have a strong urge to come back. Still, it's worth a shot. RIYL: Smash burgers in ten minutes or less.

Came in on a Tuesday around noon, plenty of seating, no waiting…read more The onion rings are so good!!! I got the fried chicken sandwich. The chicken was well seasoned and breaded, with pickles and a jalapeño sauce. But the onion rings. Get them. My friend said the fries and chicken tenders were also very good.

The fried burger and fries were pretty good and cooked at medium. The staff was nice and fast…read more Only complaint I have is that the breading on one side of the burger was really salty. Other than that, the rest of the burger was fine.

Excellent burgers! One of best burgers I've found around here! Cooked perfectly,toasted buns,good…read moresized and super tasty!! We got the double meat bacon cheeseburger. The fries and onion rings were also some of the best we've found around here. We will ABSOLUTELY be ordering from there again!

Been here several times. I need to try their other burgers but I'm so hooked on the Jalapeño popper…read moreburger! One recommendation, try their seasoned fries. I chose the Cajun fries this go around, so good (salty and little spice) which complimented the burger well. Service was great, our sever was friendly and quick to deliver our food and carry out our orders correctly (my wife got the chicken burger modified for her needs and it was dead on). The chicken burger was really good as well. But I'll stick to the beef ;) The feel of the restaurant is that of a bar/restaurant, dim and cozy. Music filled the air which was pretty chill country music. No need to rush here!

The service was bad. We had ordered drink waters and then a kids sweet tea and a sprite took…read moreforever to get those. We also had ordered a spicy watermelon margarita that was all ice and maybe 4 sips worth. Then they didn't even get our food order right and they didn't even get our child her food until we said we needed the check and to bag it up and it ended up being the wrong thing anyways. The waitresses attitude sucked she couldn't memorize the order like she thought she could and then just overall experience was not good. Will not be going back.

The service is always top tier like going to your local diner they are the sweetest!! This is my…read moreguilt pleasure burger it's always juicy and delectable!!!! I can say I miss the old buns.... It just gave it unique flavor and messed so with the juicy-ness of the veggies on top of my burger.

It was one of the better burger stands I have been to. This place has some delicious double…read moreburgers. We also had some Buffalo fries... now those were amazing. They have a small little canopy with a fun basketball game and a small arcade with old school games. It was so much fun. They also had some pay per view ucf fights on their TV. They bring your food straight to your table outside that you are sitting on. Great service. Guys have a great attitude, and this place is so much fun. We will definitely be back to try more on the menu.

Incredible good, hospitality and cold beer! Best else could anyone want ! Great for lunch or fur…read moreafter work Beers. Great place

Ordered the special through Uber Eats. Asked that they not obliterate the hamburger patty, (they…read morehav a tendency to smash the hell out of them)and that it be pink. I think that their buy one get one free was because they cut the amount of meat in half. It was over cooked , and so salty I had to throw it out. Used to be one of the best burgers around. Won't risk it again.

There is something so right about a restaurant who has "pie" in their name…read more I am so thankful for this sweet spot in my life. Great dinners, awesome desserts, comfortable & easily accessible. At Texan Cafe & Pie Shop you CAN HAVE IT ALL!!

I think Chicken Fried Steak is one of the best defining dishes of Southern cuisine. I think Chicken…read moreFried Steak is an item that has kept the people of the Southern United States together regardless of interests, jobs, intelligence, and opinions. It is a unifying meal of blue-collared and white-collared people alike. It is a food that unifies the vast cultures of the south. There is no debate when there is a Chicken Fried Steak. Soul food and southern food are so severely important to people who were raised in the south because the overall feeling of those cuisines is that it feels like their Grandma is cooking dinner. Now if you look at my Yelp profile picture for a fraction of a second and maybe stereotype a little, you can accurately assume that my Grandma's cooking would fit in the latter and you would maybe wonder if my grandmother knows what seasoning is. If you have had her chili, you would say no. The famous Texan Cafe & Pie Shop in Hutto is a classic Southern diner that is always a perfect pick-me-up meal and is a truest staple of the area. When I first visited Hutto before moving I looked for places to try, and the abundant and sheer quantity of reviews for Texan Cafe made it clear that I had to try it. That was just over a year ago, and I still remember parking my car in the lot across the street and walking into the cozy diner with wood chairs and booths, red tablecloths, and so much decor on the walls it might be a museum, and I felt right about moving to Hutto. I was seated immediately and almost instantly ordered the Chicken Fried Steak smothered with white gravy, of course, with sides of Fried Okra and Mashed Potatoes. It was not long before the beautiful plate hit my table, and I destroyed everything on that plate. When I thought it was over, I was handed the dessert menu that was two full rows worth of pie and other options. I was mesmerized by the length of it and was overwhelmed by the options. I texted my parents to tell them and suddenly I was going back to San Antonio with slices on slices worth of pie for them to have. When my parents came up to help move me in, they wanted to go to the Texan. They were impressed with how great the meal was alongside the pies. Pies that they bought extra of to take back with them to San Antonio. When I started my job, the first meal they took us new hires to was the Texan. I tried their Blue Plate Special and found out that Chicken Fried Pork Chops exist and fell in love with that. When my brother came and visited meeting my parents and me in Hutto, we went to the Texan. We enjoyed their appetizers and everyone had to have a slice of pie. Options for everyone. When a friend came and visited, she took a solo trip to the Texan while I was at work then told me she took the best nap of her life after. My buddy and I decided to go randomly one day after work to try their Hot Pie with Brandy Sauce. That thing is a tank and is worth a visit to try alone. What a sweet creation. When my girlfriend visited me in Hutto, I took her to the Texan and she will randomly text me about how much she misses the pie. I try to get her a slice every time she comes and visits. It is her favorite thing. It is clear to see why it is a favorite to so many because everyone I have taken to the Texan has left a fan wanting to come back. I brought my grandparents home a full Blueberry pie from the Texan Cafe which my grandma told me "was the best I have even since I was a little girl. Not too sweet with a great crust. Just right. A blueberry pie is my favorite." I know this review is less of a review and more of a collection of vignettes of many stories built inside the walls of the Texan Cafe, but that is what is so beautiful about southern hospitality and southern diners. That is why there is so much decor about the extensive history of Texan Cafe and the culture of Hutto on the walls. I went back this afternoon for the first time in a short while, but I find myself continuously impressed by the quality of the food, the efficiency as a whole, and just how welcoming everyone is inside. Their pies are just truly next level. Today, I went for the Chicken Fried Pork Chop Blue Plate Special which is truly heaven sent, potato salad, fried okra, and a slice of their cherry pie. It is a meal you feel blessed to eat and a restaurant you love supporting because of it. Every pie I have had at the Texan is better than any other pie I have eaten. They could be a full time bakery and still be the monument of Hutto. It just happens they have food that warms your heart too. RIYL: Grandma's cooking if it was not dry

Delicious pastrami sandwich! Scarfed it down. So great to have access in an area without many…read moredelis. My one note is that the bread gets soggy fast. If the owner could leave the sandwich open and serve the top piece of bread on the side, I think that could easily fix that.

amazing. delicious. food was quick and tasted perfect, hit the spot with some good beerread more

Not a quiet place, very busy but with that our server came back four times to check on us and was…read morevery pleasant.Food was good as well!

Sometimes you go to a place and feel like you have been asleep your whole life, and today you just…read morewoke up. That is what it felt like to visit Hippo Cafe for the first time. I have heard high praise from locals, and at the end of the day, nothing beats a city's local diner. It is one of those places that closes by 3 pm every day and feels perfect for brunch after a Sunday church service. I came in a little after 11 am with the man who is basically the face of Hutto at his request. He has lived in Hutto for years and has countless stories of the city to share. We sat as he shared stories with my co worker and me about the history of the city. He is a wonderful man, and if he thinks Hippo Cafe is a must visit, DAMMIT, it is a must visit. The place feels ripped straight out of the 80s with artwork of musicians including Elvis and Willie Nelson, along with Alf, ET, and Gizmo. It is definitely dated, but in the best way. Looking at the menu, they have everything you would expect a diner to have. Everything is decently priced and affordable. I ordered two breakfast tacos and a tea. One was bacon, egg, and cheese. The other was chorizo, egg, and cheese. They were not winning any awards, but my god they were like an omelet on a tortilla. They were filled with eggs. With a little picante sauce, they were great and felt like a classic diner meal. The service is great. Our lady was attentive and very friendly to us. That seems to be the vibe here. There's a lot of 1 stars here, but trust the guy with the Yelp Elite badge and the essay of a review, it's not a 1 star establishment. It's more. This place feels historic and gets plenty of love from regulars in the city. You know what you are getting into when you visit, but what does that really mean? You are getting old town love. A classic meal. A feeling like you have been standing your whole life and you just sat down. That is Hippo Cafe. RIYL: Your classic cafe or painting of 80s icons (Alf)