It can't for the life of me understand how everyone working at the Texas State Capitol doesn't weigh 5 billion pounds. Each. I mean, c'mon, really delectable dishes. They have something called a Texas SOS: Two pieces of toast with sausage, peppers, onions, jalapeños, and gravy for only $4 ... 5 bucks if you add a fried egg. Made to order omelettes, breakfast bowls, biscuits and gravy, none of which will cost you more than a Lincoln. This cafeteria-style eatery joins (IMHO) only the Cheesecake Factory as having found a way to do a variety of food genres well. And they do it in that big, heaping, succulent, Texas-sized way. And they serve lunch, too! I had the best BLT of my life for $4.50. Another in my group had a GIGANTIC club sandwich...from my rogue bite I can say, YUM! Other rogue bites were of a build-your-own ham sandwich, chopped beef brisket ($8.50 with two heaping sides and a roll), Lone Star Taco Salad ($6.50), and a $5 stuffed baked potato that should make TGI Friday's want to give up and go get a real job. All making me wish I had multiple stomachs. While I don't have much to say about the intellectual vacuum that has put Rick Perry and Dubya in charge in the halls of Texas power, I can say BRAVO the the Capitol Grill. Amazing prices, great eats of all types. I'd recommend making your way to the Texas State Capitol ... just to get breakfast or lunch! read more

Capitol Grill - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Used to work across the street from the capital and went to the Grill often. Hadn't been in a couple years since I got a different job but I was close so I took a couple buddies. I was floored at how expensive it had gotten. A chicken sandwich (daily special) and fries for $18!!!! No drink and my buddy got nachos with a drink for $18. For premium lunch prices go somewhere premium and at least enjoy a nice ambiance and food with flavor. read more

This place is a shame. Just because you have a captive audience/clientele base, doesn't mean you should serve them terrible food and charge through the roof. I had the worst chorizo bf tacos ever, the place is very disorganized, overpriced, and just overall a poor representation of Texas. Worse than airport food court experience, that says a lot. Maybe, place signage at the different troughs, since y'all treat it like mass feeding farm animals. read more

New management and the one meat entree with two veggies is gone. Sad. The daily menu is just that, the same dull things day after day. Breakfast is pretty reasonable, but lunch? Yikes. read more

I gave it a third star simply because it's in the Capital. Bill J and I took a walk to the Capital today to give their cafeteria a try. He had been before, I had not. The special was fried chicken. It was tasty-ish, but not the best fried chicken you've had. It had certainly been fried at least an hour previously. The mashed potatoes, also tasty, were cold. The whole meal was just over $10. Not a bad deal for downtown. Be better if the food was better. They also have BBQ, tacos, and a sandwich bar. The tacos looked pretty good. It is located on the E1 floor on the north end of the Capital. You do have to go through security to get in the Capital now. read more

Capitol Grill - Fried chicken special. - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

This cafeteria is the most convenient place to grab lunch inside the Texas Capitol building, which means if you're coming here, it's likely not by choice. The menu's more diverse than I remember it as a kid, but knowing what to order goes a long way in enjoying your food and visit. There are several serving areas with different menu items: Capitol Grill - Hot dogs, hot sandwiches, and burgers (beef, chicken, fish, veggie, and even the vegan Impossible burger!) The grub's a bit greasy - my fish sandwich was pretty dry and too brown for my liking - but it's sure to satisfy a junk food craving. Skip the soggy fries and buy a separate drink instead of the $2.50 fries & drink combo. Capitol Deli - Cold deli sandwiches and wraps, made to order. I haven't tried any of these since I have higher trust in a cafeteria's hot food, but they look pretty good. Texas Favorites - Perhaps the best of your choices, this line serves BBQ plates. I've had pulled pork and chicken, which were honestly quite decent given the location and convenience. Plates come with two sides and a roll. There's also baked potatoes with all the fixin's and taco plates for the vegetarian-inclined. read more

The Capitol Grill is temporarily closed for business. Once COVID has subsided, the doors should reopen for folks who want to stop in for a bite to eat. read more

Surprisingly good tuna salad sandwich. Long lines but they staff function as a well oiled machine. The wait was nowhere near as long as I expected. Regrettably the Potato Corn Chowder was not as good as I hoped but again the Tuna Sandwich was so good I didn't even care. read more

Yes, I agree with the other comments. Pretty good food for a cafeteria-style menu setting. We all had a club sandwich and between my husband and I, we barely could finish it. Pretty expensive as well. Glad one of the guards told us about this place. Make sure to visit and head downstairs for the cafe. read more

Welcome to the capitol. It's nothing special, but the grill provides sustenance to those here to protest, work, or just check out the pink dome. A combo of vegetable sides is the most economical at under five dollars, but if you don't mind using the microwave (they have one), get the mac and cheese with green chiles. Just avoid the ratatouille or the soups. They're sooo salty and most likely made from leftovers and the expiring vegetables from the salad bar. If you need something Texan, get the chicken fried steak in the afternoon or the made to order breakfast tacos in the morning. Thursday is sundae day. During the session, make sure to eat slowly because the staff will kick you out as soon as you're done. read more

As the name says the Grill is inside the Capitol. Not many people know about this. Its the most convenient place for food/Coffee for me since i work at the next State building. The staff is very friendly and always ready to help. They have special Ice cream/Sundae bar setup on Thursday's. Food is Ok not too great but they have a lot of choices to select from. A very nice salad bar and 2 Soups, daily specials, ready to go sandwiches meals fruits etc. Love their Taco salad and baked potatoes. Happy that everyday they have a vegetarian soup option. Prices are real cheap under $10. read more

I think they make one of the best and least expensive (hello Starbucks) Dirty Chai's in Austin. And I noticed this legislative session that there is a healthier and tastier menu. The stuffed baked potato is an inexpensive deal with cheese, chives, seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, and sour cream. I'm a big fan of the salad bar that features many delicious chopped veggies, chick peas, hard boiled egg, cheeses, and more. Two soups are offered every day. But they really need to make one soup gluten free and this is not always the case. I also think the grab and go section could be improved by adding a small serving of the chicken salad and another protein choice without gluten. It's very difficult to locate anything gluten free. Thursday is still the day for frozen yogurt with your favorite toppings for $2 and change. read more

I heard great things about this restaurant. I treated five coworkers to lunch at Capitol Grill. The food was decent, the service was fine. The environment catered to business professionals. Our bill came to $280, included two appetizers, two desserts, and a meal for each. Honestly, over all experience was a little underwhelming and yet a nice meal. read more

Here's the deal. The food here sucks, but the crowd is kind of fun. I like watching lawmakers and staffers interact with really awkward tourists. There is a decent selection...I like having one place to go to get my jumbo soda, candy bars, Mexican food, chips, soft pretzel, etc. No but seriously, the daily food selection pretty much is always awful and calls to mind visiting Grandma at the old folks home. The burger is just ok and the fries are usually soggy. The Mexican food is really bad, but I guess its edible if you're really getting a hankering... The salad bar is a great deal. There are a ton of different things to put in your salad and its always fresh. All in all, the place has some big negatives and some big positives. It kind of balances out. Give it a try, but just know that you run a 50/50 chance of your food being crap. read more

In the lower level of the Texas State Capital Extension, just north of the rotunda, is the Capital Cafeteria. It's a bit tucked away but is open to the public. It has ample seating, even for large groups, and serves solid but standard fare - grilled to order burgers, salads and deli-sandwiches, along with a decent selection of daily entrees (pork loin in herb sauce was one the last time I was here - it was surprisingly good). You can eat on china with metal flatware or get your stuff in a styrofoam box. The prices are fine. Not expensive, not cheap, but good for what you get. The Capital Cafeteria is a funny mix of things. It really is a cafeteria, so sometimes you'll see groups of school children there, but it is definitely a government installation, and you'll see lawyer-y looking guys in suits, too. It is really quite a bit nicer than it should be. I guess if Gov. Perry gets a hankering for a BLT and a Dr. Pepper and goes down there they don't want him to feel like he is eating in a rest area. If you go in the main doors to the capital, head back to the elevators, go down a level and through the tunnel towards the extension. Capital Cafeteria is the first set of doors on your left on the extension side of the tunnel. If you see the gift shop go back. It's in the round part. There are signs, but it still is a little tricky to find. If I recall correctly they have a soft-serve machine, too. read more

Pretty darned good lunch with an excellent variety. They always have sandwiches, burgers, BBQ, and chicken fried steak as well as a rotating entree selection. The prices are reasonable, especially considering that they have the "lock" on food service in the Capitol. The chicken fried steak actually tastes like the real thing as well. I'm especially impressed with how quickly they can serve a large crowd. read more

This is a solid little cafeteria that tries to be a lot of things to a lot of different people. The food ranges from pretty good to certain things you want to stay away from (chorizo and eggs taco - the eggs aren't scrambled with the chorizo, they just sprinkle chorizo on the eggs -- I got serious tummy cramping after one of these). The best thing is the tuna fish sandwich. They have magical tuna and real rye bread. Its like being in a new york deli, seriously. They also have lots of handy snacks like yogurt, lots of different power bars, little cups of fresh fruit and cottage cheese, whole fresh fruit. They also have a little salad and soup bar. The ambiance is interesting. You have a combo of people who look "important", mixed with tourists and lobbyists and young people who work for congresspeople. Its good people watching. Oh -- and they have good free wifi and clean bathrooms, not the mention the history lesson you get, along with the feeling of awe every time you walk into your glorious state Capitol building. It never gets old. read more

I like to come here when I'm in a mood because you get to walk through the Capitol and there is plenty of seating so I don't have to get pissed off looking for a place to sit down and eat. The food is typical Sysco or Ben E. Keith cafeteria fare. They have a grill which is supposed to be great, but served the same burger I got every Friday in school; daily specials that aren't as pleasing to the mouth as they are to the ears and eyes and a decent looking salad bar that I've never tried because salad bars are a little icky. They seriously have a ton of food options in here, but unless you're reminiscing about your high school days, you're not going to be too thrilled with the options. In all fairness, this place should be 1 or 2 stars at the most, but I like the nice people here, the prices are good, they have frozen yogurt and all that noise, and the seating is spectacular. They also always have chicken fried steak everyday I think, but again, it's more like Dairy Queen steak fingers CFS rather than gramma's CFS. Go with low expectations, enjoy the walk through the Capitol building and you'll almost surely enjoy your meal. read more

The most common access is by entering the state capitol and then taking an elevator down to E1. As you enter you can grab a tray and silverware and you will encounter the hot food line which always has BBQ, Chicken Fried Steak, taco Salad, etc. Then there is a deli/sandwich/burger line where they will make you a burger. In the middle is a nice salad bar that I assume they do by weight. There are premade salads and sandwiches in a refrigerator case. They have fountain drinks but no refills on soda (only tea I think). There are also plastic knives and forks by the cashier if you dont want the fancy silverware. Prices are a bit on the high side. My taco salad was $6.50 and my large drink was $1.85. Chicken Fried Steak is a preformed patty but was decent for $6.95. You check out with a cashier and I never found it to be crowded yet. The dining room is nice large tabes but you can move tables together? There always seem so be some important people eating like lawyers, etc. They like you to bus your own table and there is a conveyor to place your tray and silverware on and trash cans for anything disposable. It's decent but can be pricy. I hadn't been to the capitol in awhile so you need to be aware that everyone who enters will be run through a metal detector, meaning you have to empty your pockets, walk through and then gather your items on the other side. It's pretty painless but can be a hassle if there is a line of school kids. There are always school kids in the capitol If you are lucy enough to be a CHL holder, then all you have to do is show your CHL to the guard whereupon they will swipe it in their reader and less you go around the metal detector. That's more like an express pass. There is a nice gift shop right next to to the Grill. read more

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Michael was fabulous ! Best service and wonderful meal . Michael was so very attentive , professional , and PERFECT. Eat here while In Austin . read more

While working at the Capitol I learned a lesson that many folks don't ever realize: a government job is almost never going to come with a great paycheck, but the benefits are often significantly better then anything in the private sector. One of the perks (it's not really a benefit, I guess) is the ability to walk downstairs and eat at one of the better dining spots in downtown with very little fuss. The Capitol Grill features a rotating menu and some very talented chefs. The breakfast tacos are fantastic (try the chorizo, egg, and cheese) and the lunch items are consistently good and rotated regularly. You can do a lot worse in the area, and if you're on the Capitol grounds, it makes very little sense to eat somewhere else. read more

I love the selection you get here. I know, I know, it's just a government-run cafeteria. But if you're downtown, and you have the hankering for Luby's, or Furrs, or the smell of a nursing home lunchroom to bring you back to visiting grandma as a child, then this is the place to be. Good salad bar, soup bar, the daily specials are always above average (and sometimes all you can eat) and on some days they have a sundae bar. I love to drag my co-workers here that, even though they complain, still go over and over again. read more

Solid 3 stars. This is the cafeteria inside the Capitol building. Basically this is my work cafeteria, as I work nearby. They have breakfast and lunch and stay open for grab and go until 5pm. The breakfast bowl is the best value for breakfast, but a little heavy and calorie-laden for this mama. The breakfast tacos are decent but a bit salty. The potatoes taste frozen and mushy, so lately I've just been eating egg and cheese tacos, as those taste a-ok. Their bagels are super cheap, under $1. I like their yogurt parfaits too, from the grab n go case. For lunch, they have a decent make your own salad bar and two soups each day, as well as an entree of the day, bbq, and a hot sandwich grill and cold sandwiches. I mostly stick with the salad and the sandwiches in the grab n go section. Their chicken salad and blackened chicken salad are both really tasty. I usually get the slider and at $2.49, it's pretty full of chicken salad and enough for me when I get a small salad to go with it. I like their Green Cart sandwiches too, and my vegetarian friend likes their Tom's Tabooley plates. They have an impressive selection of bottled drinks (including Dr. Pepper in glass bottles made with Imperial Sugar). Some of the prices are a little higher than what you'd pay on the open market (like at 7-11), but they do have a captive audience and if you choose carefully, you can get some reasonable deals. Thursday afternoons are frozen yogurt sundae days, all the yogurt and toppings you can handle for $2 plus tax. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here if I wasn't already going to the Capitol, but it does the trick, and it has grown on me over the last year. read more

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Pretty good stuff. Clean, and you know it's good enough for the (less well-heeled) senators and other state bigwigs, so it's good enough for us common proletariata. One thing that shines out is the all-you-can-eat fried catfish on Mondays. You just takes your receipt back to the line and shows it to the lady, and she gives ya another fresh batch of not-too-oily, tasty catfish. Yum! And they have tartar AND marinara sauce. Great choices. The rolls are really good too. I've also had the spaghetti, the baked fish, and pecan pie dessert. Very tasty. A little pricey (esp. with drink) as compared with other state gov'n fare, but it's a wonderful way to end a short tour of the Capitol when you have some friends over. Would be 3.5, almost 4, if it wasn't such a hike from my building (LBJ), and if it were a little cheaper. But a good restaurant for sure. Plus, you feel all "Mission Impossible"y when you realize you're in like a public underground bunker. Fun stuff. I always like to exit via the doors that sit apart from the Capitol, makes it more mysterious. read more

I work on the Capitol Block and this is a staple for me when I forget my lunch or am voraciously hungry after an a.m. workout before work even starts. *Their tacos are delicious! There's soups, a nice salad bar, hot plate items, cold or hot sandwiches. Plus, the people who work there are super sweet and take good care of you. read more

I love the pancakes in the morning, They are huge and one will fill most people. The tacos are taste and the price is reasonable. I have had a mix experience during lunch. I guess it all depends on when you go, I would recommend that you go early. During my last visit I had the taco salad and the taco shell was not crispy. The salad it self was okay but I would not order again. I will stick with the capitol club sandwich. read more

This cafeteria really is pretty good. The food is nice and very affordable. I go here often to get a sandwich. The BLT is really good. The philly cheese steak is also really yummy. I would not recommend the coffee, which as cold when I purchased it in the early afternoon. read more

Lets be honest, this is clearly the place of politicians. It is run inefficiently with poor line management and layout, cost way more than it should, and is really only mediocre but everyone there claims it is great. It is almost funny. I will say that Mondays all you can eat catfish, and Thursday ice cream days on one thing this place does do right. to explain: On Monday they have all you can eat catfish.... hopefully that explains it well enough. It taste good and is a decent price (just don't go during session, it get way to crowded and you ended up waiting for more catfish every time.) On Thursday they have a soft-serve ice cream bar. for $2 you get a cup and can try and fit as much as you want into the cup for yourself. I personally have worked out a system to maximize space and improve profit ratio (something rarely seen at the Capitol). I start with coating the bottom of the cup with hot syrup. Then a low level of ice cream. I use a spoon to push it down and take up all the air bubble. Than a thin layer of small toppings, such as sprinkles. Finally more ice cream. Use the spoon to make a hole in the middle where I place larger toppings, followed by more hot fudge and finally seal it all in with fresh real whip cream. So next time you are around the capitol on a Thursday go down and play with your ice cream creation a bit. Try and found out what combination and strategy works best for you to maximize flavor and space. Have some fun. read more

Carrie pretty much nailed the description of this cafeteria. "The food is typical Sysco or Ben E. Keith cafeteria fare." However, I really enjoy walking to the Capitol and this cafeteria smells better than the one in my office building, so I like going here once in a while. They have a lot of options, and the layout was well planned. The best thing I've had here was chicken and rice soup, which also happened to be really cheap. The snack food options, like Clif bars and chips, were a bit overpriced compared to what you'd pay at HEB, but you're paying for the convenience, so I guess that's fair. read more

This is where people would go if they were in a hurry and could not get to a resturant on Congress. Otherwise, there's really no reason to voluntarily eat inside the Texas Capitol (aka the address of this facility). Unlike my own work cafeteria--you cannot even bring your own food in from the outside?? Yes, this is correct. Legislators, officials and staff members can bring in their own concealed handguns. But for 'sanitation' reasons, this cafeteria polices a bunch of adults and tells us that you HAVE to buy their food in order to use this cafeteria for eating. This makes lobby day events much less cost and time-efficient. Lots of people standing in line to get very over-priced food from a very limited number of servers and cashiers. Not all event participants are from the Austin area, and some are on time-sensitive travel schedules, only being in town for the day. Not to mention if the dinners have a specific diet-cultural need. The staff did attempt to accommodate us. But their provided spread was quite limited in comparison to what the impacted dinners could have proactively provided for their vegan diets. Very disgusting conduct from a government facility, It wasn't at all sensitive to dietary need or 'safe' for their own digestive systems. And we all already passed the scanners at the Capitol entrances. We were already proven 'safe' for entry! With the exception of the tray, the dinning materials are all styrofoam and plastic anyways. I fail to see how this facility gennuinely worries about cleanliness and/or safety--when 99% of items are being disposed of immediately after customer use. It's not like they have to wash everything over and over again. Even a first grader knows that cafeteria staff is not going to serve another person food on a plate covered with bits of already eaten food from somebody else---regardless of if the plate is disposable or not. Whatever is overseeing this facility inside the Texas Capitol building is doing an absolutely horrible job. I hope the legislators (particularly the ones who claim to despise 'excessive government regulation') get a backbone and make LONG overdue changes. read more

This is a great to place to eat inside the Capitol! The food is always good, only problem, is it's a little pricey. Being that Funday Sunday was still lingering with me, I was there at 7:30 when the doors open. Badly in need of food, I opted for grits w/cheese, potato's, eggs and bacon, and yes I did scrape the plate. All was good, and I've never really been disappointed with the food here. The breakfast hit the spot, and somewhat got me back on track, so that I could try and function the rest of the day!!! read more

This place totally rocks! It's located inside the Capitol, on E2. It's kind of like a cafeteria, only the grill is really good. They have different menu items everyday, so it always changes, and you don't get bored with it. They offer sandwiches, Mexican food, desserts and various entrees. If you work downtown, this is one place to really check out. Especially after you've become bored with all of the other eateries on Congress. read more

They over charge for there food and drinks. Staff is not very friendly. Food is way to expensive. Something has to be done about them overcharging and scamming people. Call SPB and ask them to remove the current grill and have cheaper prices. There is no reason to over charge for the food. They don't even discounts to state worker or the military. read more

Stopped in today for a late lunch. It was pretty busy since session is almost here. Lines for the grill were 5-6 people deep. Ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. Nothing fancy but for $2.50 I can't complain. Out the door for $4.25 for my sandwich and drink. Their prices seem high for a lot of their menu in comparison to other state cafes. read more

Despite the convenience it's not bad but not very good either. Prices are a little high for what you get and service is "ok" Sorry guys but yall don't really bring anything extraordinary to the table. read more

The staff was incredibly friendly. But with all of the local places to eat nearby, I don't see a reason to eat here other than convenience. the food wasn't anything special or over-the-top. It's akin to what you'd find in a hospital cafeteria. Well, okay, maybe not that bad. But perhaps a step or two up. read more

The soup here is pretty good and lately they've been branching out with some curried soups. On 8/19 I had Mulligatawny which was very good except that the chicken pieces were gigantic. I also had the salad bar which I think has had the same ingredients since the 1990s. I love beets but these are canned and often on the verge of spoiling since I think I'm the only patron who eats them. But there's cottage cheese, hard cooked eggs and some good veggies. I just wish they would upgrade the big bowl of lettuce which is mostly iceberg and some tired ol' spinach from a bag that has probably been sitting at Costco or Sysco for a very long time. I would encourage the manager here to look to local produce. It's all around at all the restaurants in Austin and a few blocks away at the Farmers' Market. Or maybe the manager should try to get a patch of Capitol Grounds for a small vegetable garden. Maybe Michelle Obama would fly down and show us how to garden on public space. Anyway, it's a good place for a quick, reasonably priced mediocre quality lunch. However, be forewarned that the hamburgers are precooked and then placed in a hot greasy broth to reheat for your "custom" burger. Where is State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez?? read more