Any time I'm in Austin in the AM, I try to make my way to Counter Cafe. I love the diner type ambiance of the place and the staff are always friendly and kind. Never had an issue with parking but their lot is small so just be aware. This time around I ordered the breakfast tacos and an apple cinnamon pancake to split with my sister. Tacos were the standard eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheese on flour tortillas - yum! The salsa that was served was merely for flavor, no heat to it. The real star of this place are their huge pancakes. They have smaller ones if you don't think you can tackle their Texas sized ones alone haha but I wouldn't judge you if you opted to solo one, they're delish! read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Apple Cinnamon Pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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One of the all time fav breakfast spots in Austin. The place has been around forever, the staff is the same, the inside gives you modern diner, and the food is excellent. Typically, I go for the steak and eggs except when the apple cinnamon pancake is on special. The edges are caramelized and delicious! If I had to knock anything on this place is the coffee is just basic diner coffee. Please please please get some espresso based drinks! They have a strict policy about not bringing outside drinks in either so you're kinda stuck with what they serve. 4.5 stars highly recommend! read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Apple pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

I had not been to counter Café for quite a while, so when my friend suggested we go there for brunch,I jumped all over it. Even on a Tuesday late morning, the place was very busy. We got what was apparently the last parking spot in the world, and chose to sit at the bar rather than wait for a table. But sitting at the bar was fun and we got to watch the kitchen staff who were really working hard all the while, laughing and joking, and having a good time, which I always love to see. Our server was fun and engaging and, most importantly of all, wore a really cool hat. Our fresh squeezed orange juice was wonderful and my friend's coffee smelled really good as we studied the menu. These days, I'm trying not to go overboard on carbs, which is easy to do at breakfast and brunch, but I found a good menu item, the southern style poached eggs, which consists of two poached eggs on a pile of bacony collard greens and cheesy grits. My eggs were perfectly poached, and I could feel pretty good about my choice. I wish more breakfast places had options like this one. My friend ordered migas, which looked wonderful. The only problem was that sitting there watching the cooks make all that wonderful food made me wanna come back and try all of it. read more

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Needed a place to answer a few emails and eat some breakfast, so I found this place nearby out AirBnB. I wanted to eat something I usually don't, so i ordered some chocolate chip pancakes. I figured I would work it all off during the rest of the day. It was very tasty and nostalgic. I also rinsed the pancakes off with a nice and generous serving of a cold brew. That was quite refreshing. Plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. I'd recommend coming back in the future. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Cold brew - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Craving a good pancake, I wandered in here thinking I was about to treat myself. The only treat was my server, who was an absolute doll -- attentive, sweet, and the highlight of my visit. Unfortunately, the food and the vibe in the kitchen? Whole different story. The place wasn't busy (just two tables, both clearly regulars), so I figured that meant my pancake would be made with care. Nope. I ordered a chocolate chip pancake with whipped cream, and what I got was... burnt. Not "a little caramelized," not "extra crispy edges," but genuinely burnt -- the chocolate chips charred into bitterness, and the pancake itself had no flavor outside of, well, burnt. How do you make a pancake with no flavor AND still burn it? The whipped cream didn't save it either -- it had a sour tang that screamed "past its prime." When my server noticed I hadn't touched it, she checked in (bless her) and I told her the cream tasted off. She let the cook know, and instead of maybe checking it, he loudly snapped back where I could definitely hear it, "It just needs more sugar for her." Buddy... sugar doesn't fix sour. Sour is sour. Sheesh. At that point, I quietly packed up my pancake, paid, and left -- only to toss it in the trash when I got home. Bottom line: Fantastic service, but the food? A hard pass. If you're coming here for pancakes, I'd recommend finding another spot where "flavorful" and "edible" are part of the recipe. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Chocolate chip pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Always great service and excellent food! Love sitting at the bar, bar seats can sometimes be uncomfortable, not here. One of my Austin favorites. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Nice bar setup! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

My fiance and I tried to come in for breakfast in this winter storm but we had brought in coffees with us that we were finishing. They were about half full and the staff was very rude to us and told us we couldn't set foot in there with an outside drink and he then wanted us to finish them outside in 30 degree weather. We often go to the counter on E 6th and have never had this experience. I was truly in shock by how rude they were to us and we decided to just leave and go to Snooze where they had no issue with our coffees. Very disappointed. read more

I love this place everything from college coeds to old Austin business men to professors to student students and their parents having breakfast after a college event. The food is great. The service is attentive and friendly. They remember you from the last time you were there I would highly recommend this for brunch or lunch. read more

There visits for breakfast, always great food served fast. Nice staff, the place is immaculate, and prices are reasonable. read more

The food was fresh and flavorful. I had the southern poached eggs and a hotcake, and both were really good. Service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. read more

Counter cafe was soo good! The veggie sandwich was ridiculously delicious. I don't how the cook in the back made the peppers so perfect and the bread was toasted great! The woman who seated us was so friendly with a smile that it made me feel a little easier having this be the first time I went there. After answering a lot of questions and giving us some suggestion we got the veggie sandwich and the biscuits & gravy. The seats were very comfortable and despite looking like all the tables were very close to each other we had ample room seat and not feel cramped. The outside seating too was very comfy and for the price it was perfect! read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Breakfast menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Wish I could give zero stars *** the short version is do not ignore automatic gratuity that is added. It shouldn't be there. The business owners do not care about you and allow their server to add tips before you even get to touch the check.*** I called in and To Go order and went to pick it up. When I walked in, I let the woman (blonde in her 50's) know I had called the order and she said it wasn't ready yet very rudely. I said that's fine and I was going to ask if I could pay ahead But she had already moved on to her tables. Some more people walked in. She greeted them nicely and asked them if they were dining in. They said oh, she was waiting first referring to me. The woman said she's waiting for To Go order aggressively again. At this point, I said I'd like to go ahead and pay, so I can leave when it's ready. She sat the table and got me the check. Here is the thing that I find to be very offputting. When I receive the check, there is an automatic gratuity already added for almost 6 dollars. The woman was so busy. I could not ask her about it. At this point I was just wanting to leave. I took a photo of the check and crossed off the blank area as I'm not going to double tip on an order that she didn't do anything for. I emailed them and they never responded. I emailed them again and still no response. My boyfriend works nearby and sees the owner very regularly and asked him about the gratuity and said that that's not something they do. I also cannot find anywhere on their website about automatic gratuity apply or any service fees. I know that there are places in Austin that do but they always advertises it. The owners wife ended up throwing a fit when my boyfriend went to get his own To Go order another time and asked about the automatic gratuity and referred to my experience that they already knew about because of my email. She says she responded to my email. Which she did not. Then she yelled at the woman server that she needs to stop adding gratuity to peoples checks and that she keeps getting asked questions. All of this outside and inside the business in front of customers. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - I did not dine in. I called in. See $5.96 gratuity? I did not put that there. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Food was standard cafe/ diner food. We sat at the counter at the kitchen and it was so cool to watch the chefs prepare the meals, but after 20 or so min, we were sweating because of all the ovens (so heads up if you sit at the counter) read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Chocolate chip pancakes and potatoes. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place is genuinely the closest thing we have to heaven on Earth ~ I don't even know where to begin. This is my go-to hangover spot and I even came here for my 20th birthday!!! If you do not order the chilaquiles with a chocolate chip baby cake on the side you are out of your ******* mind. I could quite literally consume that dynamic duo for every meal until the day I die. (Brownie points if you ask for cold brew with milk and caramel syrup). (And you know they got that guuuud crunchy ice). Everything is perfectly flavored and I swear they use cake batter in the pancakes. !!!NO COMPLAINTS HERE!!! every bite is better than the last. Each and every staff member is loyal, witty, and thoughtful. My guy, Victor, always prioritizes my friends and I to the snazziest booth with a million dollar smile on his face. The ambiance is nothing short of perfect with classic 70s and 80s rock tunes every minute. I am so thankful to even exist at the same time in history as this marvelous establishment. a piece of my heart chipped away when, to my dismay, CC was closed during the snow days but I am equally grateful that the staff was protected during those trifling times. Anyways I'll be there on Sunday morning. It is worth the wait each and every time. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - The t shirt I bought for my birthday!!!!!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Counter Cafe is a fantastic spot! From great, home-style brunch items and items with a twist , you are sure to find something to hit the spot! We've been several times and have not been disappointed. read more

Tried Counter Cafe after seeing a DDD episode. I was super impressed with their vegan options! I ate their veggie burger, and their house made veggie patty was super, super delicious. It was beet & quinoa based. DELICIOUS! More importantly, the staff at Counter Cafe were all super kind at this location. Even the fellow diners were very kind. Great energy this location has going. Will return soon! read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Counter Chicken Burger Lunch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Came after a concert the night before and would love to give a better score than 3 stars, and I was really debating giving a 4 because I had good, attentive, and quick service (I should have asked for my server's name before I left to give her a shout out), and the majority of my meal was good. Eggs were cooked perfectly, bacon was good - a little more done than I prefer but still tasty, and I ordered homemade whipped cream (which was great) for my pancake. However, all this is overshadowed by the fact that my pancake (while perfectly cooked and delicious looking) had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. The only flavor to them was the chocolate chips I added (and paid for) along with the syrup which also was watery and left me wanting. I'm also a fiend that asked for extra syrup from the server who delivered my food, which I was charged $2 for (which is fine I would have ordered it anyways but it would have been nice to have a heads up), pancakes should have some kind of fat element and salt to give it some kind of character because even the box stuff you just add water to at the store is better than this. Had the pancake been up to snuff with every other aspect of my meal this would have been an easy 5 stars, however I walked out having paid $31 (with tax and tip) for essentially 2 eggs and 2 slices of bacon and having wasted a bunch of calories on a flavorless 3rd of a pancake. Had I ordered something else this review likely would be completely different and I would be excited to come back another time, but unfortunately I probably won't be back considering all the other breakfast options available nearby. In conclusion, this place is probably still worth a try and could be a big hit for you, just avoid the pancakes like the plague. read more

I used to love Counter Cafe. It was a weekend treat, especially the one on Lamar before it moved. The staff knew me. I went in recently by myself. I had to wait a few minutes, nbg. It was 1:30pm. Past rush. Then a couple got in line next to me. After a few minutes, they called them in before me. I went in to ask why and they said it was because it was a 2 top. I said I would like to be seated. They refused and offered me the counter. They could have offered me the empty counter when I arrived. It was infuriating and humiliating that I mattered less. The staff were rude and insistent about it while everyone looked on. The couple felt bad. The tables were turning over quickly. The tables have turned. A far cry from when they paid for my breakfast when my dog died. I thought about going in today and didn't. Truly disappointing. read more

Highly recommend Counter!! This is a place my family and I always return to every time we are in Austin. I got the Joe's special and recommend getting the biscuit with it because it's to die for! It's kind of a small place so in prime hours the line gets pretty long but love it as a little walk in place. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Joe's Special - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Food was mid! The eggs were either microwaved, or they were just super overcooked. The restaurant itself is nothing out of the ordinary for west campus. It's got a dated diner-style interior going. Service was pretty bad too. After I paid in cash, I asked her to hold on to the change. I was going to tip more on top of that, but she got offended and told me to keep it. Okay, no problem. Picked up the extra cash I had left on the table and left. Definitely won't be coming back! read more

Eggs Benedict is my to-go breakfast/brunch dish, and Counter Cafe makes it so well. Their Counter Benedict includes a side of fried potatoes (unfortunately quite heavily salted). I'll remember to ask for less salt next time. The restaurant is clean and inviting, and they use organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Service is friendly and attentive. Parking in the small strip mall lot is limited but free. I'll be back for more of that delicious eggs benny! read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Counter Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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It's a nice cute little spot to enjoy brunch that's nearby the UT Campus! The crab Benedict was great, but a touch bland. Aside from that, the service is kind and warm. Perhaps a nice little date spot Cheers read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Crab Cake Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Burger and steak are great. Service was friendly and everything looked very clean. Would go back to try more of the breakfast stuff.

I went to Counter Cafe with a group of friends this past week and really enjoyed the food. Everyone's food looked super yummy. I ordered the Joe's Special which had breakfast potatoes, spinach, and scrambled eggs. I subbed avocado for the sausage since they didn't have any turkey options. It came topped with parmesan and two slices of toast on top. They gave me butter and jam for the toast which was nice. The portion size was great for brunch and was pretty filling. I thought my meal was super flavorful and I had enough for lunch the next day. I also love how close it is to home the restaruant is. It's just a short drive away and I could definitely walk there. Maybe I'll stop by on a walk in the future. read more

Great folks that work here waitresses are absolutely awesome super nice the food is excellent as well. I sometimes come here for coffee coffee is always amazing thanks y'all. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Great coffee great place for breakfast got a check them out folks - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

As many have already said, food is mid and that's likely giving them considerable grace. Last couple trips has been poor quality steak and overcooked both steak and eggs. In a town with a lot of very good breakfast options, this isn't one of them. Drive the mile down the road and enjoy a far better experience at Snooze or the like. read more

I actually really like this place! Parking is TERRIBLE, lol! But the staff is very personable, it's like an old style diner... and best of all, I thoroughly enjoyed my counter porridge! I was wanting something completely different from a typical breakfast, and I never thought I'd love a sweet quinoa-based "oatmeal." It is pretty heavenly! read more

Their is a women here name Jacqueline who should never be employed in customer services in her life! She is the most rude person on the planet and has no respect for anyone or herself! She treated me like trash from the second we stepped foot in the establishment. She is incredibly ill -mannered and doesn't have the decency to treat customers with class. It's a shame because I looked forward to eating at this place but she made the experience terrible. I hope the owners or whoever is in charge here understands that she doesn't have any regard for the environment of the people here. It's a shame that such a great establishment has to be ruined by horrible staff. I won't be returning and I don't recommend anyone spend their hard earn money here on people who don't have the respect for it. Phoebe's Downtown is a place I would recommend. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

We visited the Counter Cafe today. It's a nice place. Here's what you can expect. The cafe is located in a small strip mall along side other eateries. There are very few parking spaces in the tiny parking lot. Upon arrival outside the entry door, there is a sign directing one to wait to be greeted. A greeter welcomed us swiftly and took our party name. We waited on a bench outside for a short while. Once called, we entered Into to an immaculately-clean open dining room. Instrumental music played softly in the background. Patrons packed the room. The kitchen is along the back wall. The dining area opens to the right with tightly packed tables and half-booths. We followed the greeter through the tables and past a dividing wall. The bar is to the left behind the dividing wall. We sat at the bar for breakfast. It was comfy there. The table top is richly stained butcher block. The walls are all white. We were quickly offered coffee, juice, etc. We chose coffee with cream. A large coffee maker was in the bar, and bags of beans were neatly assembled below the counter. They use local Anderson's coffee beans. I am a sucker for a great cup of coffee, and this coffee was yummy! I highly recommend it. We both ordered the Joe's Special. I was delighted that gluten free toast is available. Also, they offer several options for hot sauce. The food was scrumptious. It was perfectly seasoned too. The sausage was particularly delicious. The spinach was cooked just right - really tasty and fresh. We were quite pleased. A notable item of Texana hangs near the bar: a large and beautiful picture of two beloved ladies together, Governor Ann Richards and Dolly Parton. Good stuff. read more

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I LOVE this spot...I know that it's been around since 2006, but my wife and I just started visiting in 2024 even though we live in way south Austin. I am pretty sure we have gone at least once a month in 2024 alone (if not more). Each time, we had the same guy as our waitstaff and he's spectacular. My wife tends to get the Migas Plate and I get one Strawberry Baby Cake with one Bacon, Egg, and Cheese taco. It's the most adorable diner spot with quick service, amazing food, and good people. I feel like Austin is overrun with tourists and posers, so it's nice to see a spot filled with [kind locals. I will add that today was the first mediocre experience we had, but only because the food was stil bangin'. There was a woman who waited on us who seemed like she was a manager. She was inattentive, never refilled our waters, didn't check if our food was okay or anything. If we had her the first time we went, she mighta killed it for us. My parents were visiting town and we raved about it and then got crap service. Luckily, it's been so amazing every other time, that they don't lose a star. read more

Came in on Mother's Day so it was pretty busy but the staff was friendly and things seemed organized and the wait wasn't crazy. We sat at the counter which was a nice ambience and I ordered the crab cake and eggs which sounded unique and it totally was. The crab cakes were big and definitely made with real crab meat and the curried peanut and lemon aioli was so good - a little tangy and sweet. I'm not a big breakfast food person so I highly recommend this order and felt it was a good value. The blueberry pancake I shared with my friend was also really good, though it seemed comparable to other brunch places, but again I'm not a big breakfast food person. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - counter spot - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The food was good but for the portions and price it was ok. I think the pancakes are the best thing about the place. I got the chicken biscuit with fruit, and I tried the pumpkin pancake which was really good. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went to UT wish I knew about this place sooner! Super homey diner style cafe The server was really nice & made sure we had everything we needed. I got the counter benedict & it was delicious. The hollandaise sauce was rich & creamy, paired well with the perfectly poached egg, pastrami, and biscuit. I swapped out the potatoes with the homemade sausage & it was amazing. Wish I would've gotten more sausage. Great quality food all around! read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Counter Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

The best pancake I have had, ever. Their homemade biscuits and homemade strawberry preserves was the perfect breakfast. Everything is made fresh and served hot. The eggs Benedict was also some of the best we have ever tried, they allow you to customize it. The service was great, everyone from the kitchen staff, to the servers, to the owner, was top tier. Everyone was so pleasant and friendly. read more

Counter Cafe West Campus - Blueberry pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

I live in the neighborhood and used to eat here regularly. The folks who work there are wonderful and my 1 star rating has nothing to do with them. My issue is the owner of this place contracted Central Parking Enforcement (do a quick Google review) to manage the parking situation around the business and they are the scummiest guys you'll run across. While Door Dashing Cabo Bob's (literally right across the street, away from my car less than 5 minutes), I received a $100 parking ticket. Explained my situation to the enforcement guy and got nowhere. I hope the owner of Counter Cafe wasn't aware of who was hiring when he decided to use Central Parking enforcement. As I mentioned before, I used to love this place but now I can't support this business considering who they've decided to work. Having a parking enforcement company is fine but use a different company please read more

The food at Counter Cafe is pretty good. It is apparent that everything is made fresh and in house. We had the chicken burger which was excellent. Great seasoning and juicy. We also had the regular beef burger. It was good, but nothing special. The bun was the best part. Very soft and pillowy. Fries were okay. We preferred the regular fries over the sweet potato fries. We also had a biscuit on the side. Slightly dry but still more than edible. Service was very friendly. read more

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Super clean. Nice staff. The food, so so. Wasn't impressed by the food. It was ok, most likely won't come back again. read more

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I eat here often but at the other location. I placed my name on a waitlist and there was an older blonde woman who was very rude with the everyone standing outside. She pushed me out of the doorway when I went in to go check the status after 30 minutes and she shut the door in my face. Not a good vibe. The hostess man was super sweet but she was very rude. read more

Great cafe, quick service. Hostess,/waitress, Hollie, was very attentive and friendly. Seated right away, no wait. Clean tables all ready for customers, place settings on the table -set up. Great selection of fresh squeezed Orange juice and lemonade. Delicious hot food. Had the chocolate chip pancakes or "Hot cakes" as they call them here. Huge! (I mean, huge!) plate size pancakes, very filling! Freshly cut strawberries accented the chocolate chip pancakes! Yummy!! Also order their breakfast potatoes-so good and very large portion! Two people could definitely share the breakfast potatoes! are nicely seasoned! Cold brew iced coffee was excellent! Definitely recommend this little gem! Great menu, huge portions! Will come back for sure!! Support local! Support small businesses!! Great atmosphere, typical Diner environment. Clean handicap accessible, unisex bathrooms available for restaurant customers. Parking lot out in front of the building. Small, but practical. Go early to get a parking space! Great restaurant overall! Hands down an excellent culinary experience for "Comfort", down-home, classic diner style food. Plenty of choices for both breakfast and lunch since they close at 3:00pm. Will definitely be back again! Great experience & food! read more

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The wait times are long but if you got the time it's really worth it! I believe the wait time is due to it's popularity and the food is prepared fresh. This is a regular spot for me, and the best tip I can give is to check out their specials on the chalkboard. Also if you are vegetarian, they are kind to work out substitutions. This restaurant introduced me to a good coffee brand and we love it! I love the coffee so much here that I sought out the coffee brand to buy for my home. read more

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