TL;DR: Repeated issues with unanswered phones, extremely slow service despite an empty dining room, defensive staff, and inaccurate gluten-free labeling. Kitchen does not seem to understand their own menu. I won't return and don't recommend trying it. I made a reservation at Goodall's after a matinee at Austin Playhouse (it's only ~300 ft away). My husband got sick, so I tried to cancel, but no one answered the phone despite several minutes of ringing. I got a reminder day-of and finally reached someone. When we rebooked for our new reservation, the play ended early so I tried to call to move our time up. No answer. We decided to show up anyway and found the restaurant completely empty; we didn't see more than one or two people enter the hotel during the entire 2 hours we were there, so why no one answers the phone is a mystery. We ordered House-Made Arancini and Crispy Brussel Sprouts as appetizers. I am gluten intolerant, and because the crispy Brussel sprouts were not marked gluten free I did not have any. The Arancini was very good, however I saw in a Google photo that another person got 5 and we only got 3. The service was EXTREMELY slow. It took a good 45 minutes for us to get our food, despite us being the only table. My entrée, the "Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad" (marked gluten free), arrived as a 9" bowl of deep-fried brussel sprouts. It was the exact same dish as the appetizer that wasn't labeled gluten free; same sauce, same prep, just a larger portion. When I pointed out that it wasn't shaved or a salad, the waitress got defensive and insisted "that's how they always make it." The only place a 9" bowl of deep fried Brussel sprouts would qualify as a "salad" is at a state fair. I mentioned that if the entrée was gluten free, the identical appetizer should be too. She checked with the kitchen and confirmed it was gluten free, which only made the labeling more concerning. The chef offered to remake the dish sautéed instead. It's worth noting that the "Harvest" and "Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese" salads are not marked gluten free on the menu, despite having no ingredients in the description that would indicate gluten. I debated asking about these other salads vs just accepting a bowl of sautéed Brussel sprouts, and opted for the latter due to fatigue with the waitress' poor attitude. After another 30-45 minutes (my table had already finished eating), I received a new bowl with actually shaved sprouts, sautéed, with cheese and the same maple/balsamic glaze that is listed under the appetizer description, not the salad description. Meanwhile, we had almost no server check-ins. No drink upsells, no mid-meal check, nothing. In a completely empty restaurant, that doesn't make sense. I left with very little confidence that the kitchen understands the menu or gluten-containing ingredients. Between the unanswered phones, slow service, defensive responses, inconsistent portions, and misleading gluten-free markings, I see why we were the only customers there on a Saturday night. Unrelated to the dining experience itself, the Goodall's menus are hidden within an expandable section on the website while the bar menu is not. This makes the menus very difficult to find, and the content is not long enough to warrant being in an expandable section anyway. Maybe they actually don't want people to come to Goodall's, which would be why they hide the menus from users. Don't bother with this place! read more

Ordered poolside at Hotel Ella - service was great but overall the food was just average. I got the fried chicken sandwich which came with fries. The sandwich was huge and the portion of fries was generous, which made sense because of the $17 price. The breading on the sandwich however didn't taste very good or seasoned - just tasted like frying oil and I think overcooked. The fries were seasoned well but tasted kind of dry and hard which surprised me because I pretty much like all French fries I've ever had. Probably wouldn't go again since there's better food in austin but was worth the try since Hotel Ella is so iconic. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Lunch menu - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

We stumbled upon Goodall's while in Austin. The hotel is very charming and the staff were friendly! It is a great photo opt property. My husband and I ate dinner at Goodall's and it was amazing. The short rib with the risotto was amazing. I got the pumpkin ravioli and it was also very tasty. We had cocktails at their parlor lounge before dinner and it had such a great vibe. We ordered the pretzel bites and short rib quesadilla-- which was also very tasty! The chimichurri sauce served with a quesadilla complimented the meal very well. I will be going back! read more

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Quiet with excellent food! My GF allergy was addressed and taken care of in a delicious manner.

I'm only reviewing high tea for this. The hotel and Goodall dining area is charming and the hotel front desk person was relaxed, kind, and helpful. I came for high tea with my teen. They only offered three kinds of tea, not close to 5 like listed on their menu online. And no jam/preserves to go with the drop biscuits. But OMG, those biscuits and scones were amazing. The table set up was lovely. Service! They delivered the tea and 3 tier tray and Never Came Back to check on us. To pay I went to ask the hotel front desk for help and they sent someone out. Not that it matters, but the bathroom has no charm for such a great old building. read more

I didn't know they did an afternoon tea service. It wasn't too popular an option amongst others, who all seemed to be there for lunch. It was good presentation, good service. As a vegetarian gluten-free option, they presented macarons, cucumber cheese sandwiches and bon bon chocolates. I enjoyed the Moroccan spice mint tea. I do wish they had more tea flavors to choose from for the second pot. It's not the fanciest tea in town, but at that price, a good casual option to experience the traditional setup. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Afternoon tea - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

***NOT good for groups*** I made a reservation for 14 people more than a week in advance. We were offered a smaller menu due to the size of our group, which I was fine with. The servers seemed unexperienced but nice. They were so slow and seemed shocked to be asked for the drinks menu when our group came in. The appetizers were good, but the charcuterie board seemed skimpy for the price. Our food didn't come out until more than an hour and a half after we arrived. We were literally the ONLY people in the restaurant and it still took forever to get our food. One person's food didn't come up until 20 minutes after the rest of us received our dishes. The food was very tasty, but I wouldn't say it was exceptional. If I were to go here with one other person I'm sure the experience might have been wonderful. But it was excruciating for our group. read more

We ordered room service because we wanted to eat in! Plus there was a huge wedding party outside and we didn't want to crash it lol We were also celebrating our anniversary with this dinner! We didn't realize the burgers came with fries, so this is why we ordered an extra set of fries. One thing they don't mention is a 22% room fee charge when they deliver it to your room! We had no idea until we got the bill. They took about 30 minutes which wasn't too bad and everything was fresh! The man carrying it was super sweet and the burgers were super flavorful! We definitely had fries for days!! We really enjoyed it and look forward to trying other items on the menu soon! read more

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This unassuming restaurant in Austin is attached to the Hotel Ella which matches it's theme very well and seamless. I had breakfast and lunch and the seasoning was perfect. For breakfast I had the breakfast sandwich which was large portioned and yummy. For lunch I had the Ella burger is really good but always seems to come out well done. The crispy chicken sandwich is made out of dark meat chicken which is super juicy and I appreciate that and the chef adds a sweet but not too sweet additions like the pickles and sweet sauce. The cafe mocha, both hot and iced is a great treat after dinner. Also don't get me started on the Goodall Fashioned. One of the best old fashioned I've tasted. read more

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Restaurant is located inside Hotel Ella. When you enter, the people at the desk wouldn't be able to seat you so just walk to the restaurant door and someone will be able to seat you. Parking: there's onside street parking (download the parkatx app to make your life easier) Food: everything tasted really good. I ordered the Chamoy Fruit Salad and the Masa Sope Benedict. The fruit salad was good, nothing to write home about but would order again. The best part to the Benedict was also very delicious and VERY filling. Don't be deceived by the portion. Service: our waiter was attentive. However, don't go there hungry because by the time you get your food you'll have gone through phases of hangry, circle back to not hungry and work your way back to hangry because it took forever to get the food. We had three simple breakfast plates (eggs, toast, potato) and what I ordered and we must've waited at least an hour. Ambiance: very cool decor. I loved the artwork. Be forewarned, if you decide to bring your kids, the room is covered in naked drawings. It's nothing crass they're just everywhere. Overall: I would give this place another try. The food was pretty good and who knows, maybe the slow service was just a fluke? read more

Great brunch spot. This restaurant is at the Ella hotel. It's in a charming historic building. Service was great. The menu is not long but there is something for everyone. Our food was perfectly prepared and tasty. They offer complementary valet too. I want to come back to have a drink in their bar and to try their burger. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Austin breakfast - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This is a lovely location and it photographs well, if that's your thing! Only 1 star because: Our group of 5 wasn't acknowledged by anyone when we came in - although a man in a suit behind the desk was on his phone. We were seated and given menus, and when we explained we'd made a reservation for tea, they told us there had been a mixup. 2/5 teas on their menu were out. It took 45 mins to get tea to our table and another 45 for the triple tea trays. No clotted cream, which is odd to me. The space doesn't have any soft furnishings to absorb sound, so it's very loud. The food was excellent but I would never recommend. read more

This place is going to be our wedding venue in a couple of months so we decided to check out the restaurant. The service here was pretty slow. Our waiter was very nice and I had an excellent bloody Mary there. Maybe two. My shrimp and grits were very tasty but I only had two shrimp in my grits. Two! My fiancée had a burger that was good but not $18 good. She had some rosé she really liked but after spending $100 on lunch (two drinks each) I was still a little hungry. Lovely venue but I won't be back after the wedding. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Dining room - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

The ambiance was nice, the service was great (which is easy to maintain when you're one of two entire tables eating), and the pan seared salmon was delicious. The cornmeal crab fritters were pretty good too. That being said, 3 large scallops from Maine, no matter how beautifully plated, should not be $34. That's ridiculous. It's also a bit backwards to me to have valet restaurant parking that is ten feet from where you pull up to the Hotel. I felt inclined to tip for a service I'd rather do myself. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Scallops - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Classy and elegant restaurant inside hotel Ella. Came for brunch and ordered the sunchoke soup while others ordered the deviled eggs and the shakshuka. The service was good and I enjoyed my time here. I had no clue what a sunchoke soup was but I highly recommend it. It comes salty and slightly sweet topped with a hazelnut crumble that is neutral in flavor and a creme fraiche that tastes slightly sweet and sour. The hazelnut crumble was amazing! I wish I could have gotten more of that because the crispness against the smoothness of the soup paired so well. Expect to pay a little more since it is a high end hotel. For reference, the sunchoke soup is $12, deviled eggs (5) is $10, and the shakshuka is $15. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Sunchoke soup - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

A girlfriend treated me to afternoon tea at Goodall's Kitchen to celebrate my birthday. The space is bright, light and airy - a marked departure from the stodgier decor that marked its previous incarnation Mansion at Judge's Hill. Unfortunately, the tea service was pretty terrible. Our server dropped off a menu of teas without speaking to us. Weird. He then took our tea order without any niceties or introduction to what to expect next. When our tiered tray of goodies arrived, he didn't explain any of the items, even when I asked if there was mango in anything because I have a severe allergy. Doubly weird. My sweet friend kindly sampled everything before me to confirm that they were mango-free. The food was lackluster. I've been to afternoon tea 100+ times all over the world and have never been served a savory cheddar scone. I thought it was paired with clotted cream, but it tasted strangely like greek yogurt. Shrug. The sandwiches were tiny, forgettable bites with little taste. The macarons were stale, so we skipped them. The only items worth mentioning positively were the cream puffs and the mini chocolate tarts, which were tasty. Sure, the cost seems reasonable at $25/person, but it felt overpriced given the quality of service and food. So disappointing. Thankfully, our afternoon was redeemed by good company even if the dining experience left a lot to be desired. read more

Really cute spot for happy hour. Met up with a girlfriend and found we were the only ones here till dinner time and then it turned into first date night. Drinks were great. I had something with Matcha and too bad they ran out or I would have had three more. read more

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Re: Afternoon Tea Goodall's Kitchen is located inside Hotel Ella. Now that the Four Seasons is no longer offering afternoon tea, Goodall's Kitchen is one of the few options left in Austin. They charge $25 for adults and $15 for children. A credit card authorization must be given a minimum 48 hours in advance. The kitchen executed well, but the management had poor attention to detail. However, they recovered well and went through great lengths to satisfy us. The first sales person my husband communicated with left the company. Three days before my birthday, my husband confirmed with Nick, the sales manager, a reservation for 10 people (9 adults plus 1 child). However, they only had us down for 9 people (8 adults plus 1 child). When we arrived, the manager assured us the kitchen had prepared enough food for ten people. My husband had communicated with the first sales person a menu of gluten and cow dairy free for me. The first sales lady had thoroughly presented a menu including gluten free bread topped with goat cheese and cucumbers. The goat cheese cucumber gluten free bread was missing when my three tiered tray came out. I asked the server and the kitchen corrected the mistake without extra charge. There wasn't enough food for ten people because the kitchen only prepared for nine. No biggie. They brought out two extra appetizers of ceviche and black bean dip from the restaurant at no extra charge. Everyone had enough to eat. For our inconvenience, they only charged us for nine adults instead of nine adults plus one child. I would come back again because of their customer service and food allergy accommodations. read more

We made a reservation for Goodalls thinking we would be in the nice downstairs area, but when we arrived they changed everything about how it was run for Mother's Day and they lead us to a buffet, even though it didn't say anywhere on the reservation that that was the plan. They also don't tell you the price of anything and the prices were OUTRAGEOUS. They offered my mom a mimosa for free for Mother's Day then charged her for it- they didn't mention that they already added a 20% so we tipped on top of the horrible prices. The buffet food was SO average and nothing wowed us. It came out to around $400 for the 4 of us and we will NOT being returning. No one should. read more

Food was mediocre at best and the service seemed distracted. This place is ass. The ambiance was old people and flies everywhere.

After waiting 27 minutes for our reservation at 8 we finally were seated. We decided to give our full order up front and after waiting an hour we were not able to get our food. Don't come if you have plans after. read more

It's such a lovely place. This place definitely needs more credits than it should be. Im intrigued by the menu and the food. The dishes are tasty, elegant, and creative. The atmosphere is relaxing, like many restaurants in South Carolina. read more

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We actually ate in the parlor during a HH event. We had an order of the peppers, they were different and delicious. The crab fritters were good, maybe a tad dry. The burger was really, really good. The ceviche was really good too. It was sixty bucks for a burger and three apps. Two of us split it, so $30 pp for dinner is ok, not the most reasonable meal you'll ever have, but the food was good, the Blunderbuss drink was great, also pricey @ $12 ea. The place was really neat and it would be worth a return visit. read more

Do not, I repeat, do NOT come here if you are vegan. They literally have no vegan options besides potatoes and toast. When I asked the waiter what could be modified on the existing menu to be vegan, he responded, "Ummm..." while continuing to look over my shoulder on the menu before pointing out a salad. My vegan folks know, if I'm coming out to brunch... I don't want to order a salad. On top of that, it was overpriced. The overall vibe I was not a fan of. I guess I should have expected this coming from a hotel restaurant, but overall I left super disappointed and still hungry. read more

This place gets 1 extra star because I had my wedding at Hotel Ella.... HOWEVER, had it not been for that reason alone, then they would've got 2 stars from me. Heres why: Pros: - Super cute - YUMMY coffee - Pancakes were yummy but then again, can you really mess up pancakes? I dunno Cons: - Waitress was very inattentive and there was only 2 other people there at the time.... so she wasn't super busy - Food takes FOREVER to come out... I think they have to go kill the cow first, then chop it up, then grill it, then serve it - The restrooms are outside - The cups weren't super clean which is kind of gross Overall, I would only come back if my meal was free OR for just coffee... Otherwise, just enjoy the beauty of the hotel and get some champagne. That's all you need from here! read more

Recently attended an event here and I have to say I was beyond impressed! Located inside the swanky and just gorgeous Hotel Ella (the sculpture garden by the pool is worth a look), this place is definite Austin fine dining in that you get all the quality in the cocktails, food, service, and ambiance without the pretension or pomp and circumstance. I highly recommend the Old Fashioned here, it is one of the few places that can do it properly and not have to pat themselves on the back or call themselves "mixologists" for doing so. The wine/scotch selection is on par with the menu offerings and at $32/glass, the Highland Park 18yr Scotch is most definitely worth the pricetag! Their menus are pretty diverse with a surprising number of gluten-free and vegetarian options. I did a tasting of some of their dishes off the dinner menu and the ahi tuna with avocado was a fantastic appetizer and just perfect to wet the appetite! The seared scallops with onion honey were a revelation and the red wine glazed prime rib eye (especially when paired with the malbec or cabernet sauvignon) practically melted in my mouth! However, the Chef's mac n cheese was the highlight! The flavor, the cheese and the bacon...if you share my love and appreciation for MnC, then this is not to be missed! And finally, the wonderful Nutella creme brulee was such a nice close to such a captivating and delicious meal...the sweet and salty balance was extremely palatable! I will definitely be back to investigate their other menu offerings and see what they have to offer for Happy Hour! read more

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4 of the six dinner guests in my party for dinner this past Friday said their food was nothing spectacular but definitely wouldn't have written a review but the service was truly awful. Our server was unwelcoming and not willing to help like you'd expect a dinner server to do and progressively throughout the meal became more and more agitated doing their job. The food and drinks paired with the abysmal service makes this place a restaurant to avoid read more

Wow...the place was empty and a little over an hour before closing and they wouldn't allow us to sit at a slightly bigger table so Boo and I could sit side by side. The guy seemed annoyed with us like we were inconveniencing him. Boo asked him if they were expecting some sort of rush and he dryly said 'yeah'. Needless to say we turned around and left. read more

We celebrated our anniversary here last night, and everything was delicious! The charred octopus appetizer was was the highlight of the night. Highly recommended. The building and space were beautiful, and our waiter was really helpful, quick, and kind - he was the one that recommended the octopus, and it did not disappoint. Overall, it was a really great dining experience, and I can't wait to visit again! read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Charred octopus appetizer (octopus, roasted potatoes, golden raisins, avocado, olives, and a sauce underneath). Amazing! - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

OMG every morsel was simply amazing! Every bite was a unique experience in it self. Almost felt like we are eating art! read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Scallops - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Had brunch here with my family last weekend and it was spectacular: the menu, the service and the atmosphere were all top notch. The crab benedict was phenomenal. My dad is strict Leto and they were happy to customize a meal to his specifications. (I enjoyed the fresh biscuits he declined. :) Don't miss the lime pound cake with jalapeño ice cream (omg), or the house made watermelon sorbet! read more

My first visit to Goodalls Kitchen and Bar was about a year ago at a Yelp event. I was completely impressed with service, cuisine and cocktails at the event and have been wanting to come back since. This victorian style home built in the 1900s has a gorgeous lawn, elegant terrace and a warm and cozy atmosphere inside. The bar menu is very cocktail and wine centric offering only a couple of beers. I ordered their malbec and later the sauvignon blanc which the later complimented my beet salad nicely. Heather F. and I split the fried ricotta with white truffle served with rustic artisan bread. I loved the aroma of the truffle and the rich creamy ricotta on the slightly charred bread. For dinner I ordered a delightful roasted beet salad served with marinated leeks, creamy goat cheese, delicious spiced pecans and upland cress. I could eat this dish everyday! Make sure to checkout the courtyard of Hotel Ella behind Goodalls. The beautiful glowing blue pool is surrounded with a green oasis and sculptures created by sculptor Charles Umlauf. From the moment you arrive at Goodall and Hotel Ella you are surrounded by art. From the valet stand where their is a giant Chanel bag installation to the grandiose chandelier hanging from the trees of the lawn there is art everywhere you turn. read more

Goodall's Kitchen - Ricotta cheese with white truffle and artisan bread - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The bartender was great and the drinks were amazing. The food was good; however, ruined by the complete ineptitude of the waiter, and he was very condescending. None of the entrees arrived in an orderly fashion, and the last few people waited 20 minutes for their meal after everyone had already begun. When asked what the interesting looking appetizer was that placed in front of my friend, as one member of the group ordered every app a few times for the table, he said sarcastically "it's cauliflower, it's white, it grows in the ground." Then he later proceeds to explain what was slathered over the cauliflower, the spices, and how it was prepared (not described in the menu). Umm, that's what I would have liked to have known in the first place, not your sarcastic remark! After spending well over a $1000 on a business dinner, 3 of us were waiting for a while after the rest of the group had left, as the cabs were taking a very long time (being SXSW that weekend). At some point he asked if we would like any coffee. My friend asked if there was any drip coffee. He said no she wouldn't want it, as the coffee was old. He then suggested an espresso or americano. She said NO, I would only prefer drip coffee, no espresso, but please i don't want you to go through the trouble. He then brings her an Americano, which she was shocked that he did, and said "I didn't want an espresso, do i owe you something?" and then he said under his breath walking away "you can pay me in kisses (giggling)" and then BRINGS her a $5 bill for the espresso, which she did not want and did not drink! But payed for because she did not want to cause a scene in front of her colleague!! Unbelievable. read more

We stayed at the hotel, so we wanted to experience everything during our stay. Goodall's should be called Mediocreall's. It wasn't good. My husband had the hash and I had the chilaquiles. Neither of us finished, which is extremely rare for us. His hash was bland af, and my chilaquiles was way too dry, and the eggs were way too undercooked. We both tried to salvage with hot sauce and just m...couldn't. The coffee and 'pop tarts' we had were very good. Everything else fell very very short. When my husband asked for a to go coffee, the waiter brought him an empty cup, with no explanation on where to fill it up. Why didn't he just bring a dang coffee? We won't be back. read more

We had breakfast here twice during our stay at Hotel Ella. Everything our group ordered tasted great! Our only issue was the slow paced service. Which would of made this a solid five stars. Servers were all very polite, it just was a little too slow. So if you're not in a rush and would like a great meal & cool atmosphere, I would definitely recommend. read more

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Visited this restaurant on Christmas Eve for dinner. They had a special Christmas Eve brunch that we missed so we ordered from the menu. The menu is not elaborate but gives you a decent choice. The portion sizes are manageable and the food has subtle though distinct flavors. They serve some good dessert and cocktails and wines. The service is personal though professional but not intrusive. You are not rushed and you could relax and have a great evening and not just a good meal. My only other comment is that unless they have a seasonal menu, you will soon try out everything on the menu and may not go back. read more

Ambiance is a 5 of 5, gorgeous hotel and cool setting for the restaurant. Food was mostly tastes but variety was small. My 4 is for two reasons. The woman at the back bar couldn't have acted more annoyed when we were waiting for our table and wanted mimosas. Maybe it wasn't open and she was getting ready, I have no idea, she just acted annoyed and unpleasant. That's not 5 star service at a hotel. Also, we ordered a bottle in the restaurant instead of buying drink for drink and ended up paying more than the people that orders individually. I felt slighted. Overall there were 12 of us and everyone likes their food. Our waitress inside was nice and attentive. Portions were not huge, which can be good or bad depending on what you're looking for. It was a great time with girlfriends but I'm sure it would be fun for couples too. Make reservations though! read more

We had a wonderful night in this historic place. The menu is pretty limited in terms of options, but it covers basically everything. The fish was well cooked and very flavorful, and the earl-grey flavored ice cream was a lovely end of the meal. read more

I went here for lunch with a group today. The service was pretty good. I thought it strange the waiter referred to my teenage son "your baby." My "baby" ordered the "Large Plate" of hanger steak. I am not sure if the waiter told the chef it was for a baby or what. The steak was enough for a baby....4 bites. It was also tough and sinewy. Perhaps he was given the worst cut and they were running out. I know I paid full price. I had fish. It was delicious and about palm sized for $20. Teh fellow across from me club sandwich. It was huge! And hte lady next to me had the house made linguini. For pasta and being a "large plate" I thought the portion was a bit small. Glad I did not even try the small plates. What would they have held? A crum, a taste? Who knows and I do not plan to find out. Winner today was a the Nutella Creme Brulee. We'll be back for that at least and possibly try another dessert! read more

Went there on a beautiful Saturday morning, made reservation online but front desk said you don't really need a reservation just sit wherever you like. Ah and they never checked me in... Restaurant is located in an old building in the hotel, everything was good, other than you may get mosquito bites at times... Food was good but service is meh... I think the kitchen is way understaffed, we waited 30 minutes for our entree (so did other tables), and the server was like "Eh I know we messed up so I better not talk with them.." she glanced us several times without come asking anything... Kinda understandable but can you come refill our coffee a little more or just keep us updated? :) read more