Food always great& service excels! I've hosted parties here and everyone from all over the country loves it! read more

This place is so beautiful! Came here for a team lunch and tried the fried chicken, salmon tartare, biscuits, and pot de crème. The salmon tartare was very good, as well as the biscuits. The pot de crème was very heavy, but incredibly tasty. I wasn't that much of a fan of the fried chicken in the end but just a personal taste and felt like it didn't have a super crispy skin like they usually do. Overall, this place is so beautiful for events (such as a wedding or private party) and feel that it is an Austin beauty with an old charm. I hear the brunch is amazing so go check it out! It is super super cute and great for a date read more

Green Pastures Events - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Green Pastures made for the perfect Sunday brunch wedding. The venue pays homage to the home's heritage and the natural beauty of Austin, along with a family of peacocks roaming the premises. An historic space with fine details at every turn, from woodworking to the tiling and lighting, all with tasteful updates and modern standards. The food and drinks are top-notch, and a special nod to the vibrant staff who provide the true spirit of this establishment. read more

You must try the milk punch! You must try the milk punch! Once you have done this feel free to walk across the room and sing a long with the pianist. Trust me if Jacque is playing she will not mind and is willing to take a few requests. This place is adorable with a capital A. You drive up in a very unassuming neighborhood turn in and find yourself in a sort of oasis. If you are lucky the first thing you will see is the Green Pastures sign and a few peacocks meandering about. Once parked you start your short stroll to the historic Victorian home. If you are like me you will get side tracked looking at the landscape and take a moment to snap a few photos. We were lucky because the Sunday morning we arrived there was a wedding complete with a duet. We walked up and a lovely young lady opened the door for us checked for our reservation and quickly handed us off to be seated. At this point our waiter introduced himself and then offered us a glass of the milk punch. The right answer is YES and once you taste it you will understand why. It's an adult beverage that seems to have ice cream, milk and maybe some rum or bourbon in it. The point is it's yummy and will quickly put you in the mood for a wonderful afternoon. Oh one more thing yes the punch is included in the price of your brunch! On Sunday morning they offer the breakfast brunch buffet and it's best to walk around and look to see what is offered so you can be strategic in your selections. Down the middle of the room there is a offering of various salads and cold veggies (they have a great kale and tofu dish I suggest trying it) and pasta dishes. Next you will see small meat offerings meatballs, skewers and cold soups. This is when things really get interesting this is when I spotted the amazing smoke salmon, shrimp, mussels and seared ahi tuna spoons I suggest you take full advantage of this area. At this point you move on to the hot veggies and side dish area I will be honest I skipped this and move forward to the nice gentlemen at the end of the buffet slicing prime rib.The prime rib was tender and flavorful and they have a trio of various horseradish and au jus to accompany it. Once you fill your plate and begin to walk back to the table that is when it hits you the whole back wall is filled with various desserts. I could list the types of desserts but honestly there is no point. There are so many you WILL find one of you favorites. I even noticed a chocolate fountain and some amazing bread pudding. All in all we had great time, the staff made us feel welcome, the atmosphere was inviting and the food was really good. once we were done we took a little tour through the home and around the grounds. Keep an eye out a few of the peacocks have little ones. read more

Green Pastures Events - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

I always feel like I'm walking into a fairy tale whenever I stroll through the blue lights and blossoming grounds towards the entrance. The peacocks were out on this particular night and now albino peacocks are strutting their stuff. One unfurled his tail as we walked by. A peacock welcome signal? This was an event for friends who are retiring from work. Imagine it. Retiring. I like that word but unfortunately will not be able to say it for a number of years. Upon entering, we were escorted upstairs to the bar to order drinks. Across the hall, there were about 60 people in a large private room at tables adorned with rose petals and glowing candles. I was shocked and thrilled when the host introduced the Kyle Sisters for the pre-dinner entertainment. Those gals can certainly belt out a song! For dinner we enjoyed an incredible buffet of roasted vegetables, salads, prime beef and my favorite: chicken breast with goat cheese and red pepper sauce. The meal ended with several people roasting the guests of honor and a variety of dessert bars, cookies and coffee. The food was delicious and service was spot on with attentive servers graciously offering more wine, dessert or coffee to each table. read more

Is there a sixth star on this thing? Seriously, add one for Green Pastures. Thankfully between five stomachs, we managed to harf down every single thing on the menu. When we weren't licking our own plates in a blatant display of appreciation, we were busy stealing off others. "Is that a peacock?" WHERE? "Oh nevermind, it must be the drapery". Of course, in the meantime i grabbed two butter poached shrimp and swig of her wine. There's a sucker born every minute. But I digress. In the end, I had the trio (soup, brie sammy, garbanzo patty), the flatiron steak (double super amazing) and the cheesecake (light as air, totally healthy). I envied the lobster tail and the gnocci -- both were incredible and if I had to do it over again would seriously consider them. If you're doing ARW, do GP and get that $25 bottle of wine the chef recommends. read more

Green Pastures Events - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I met up with several other ladies for brunch this past Sunday and had a wonderful time. I'd arrived early and enjoyed sitting out in the gardens watching the peacock's, seeing all the beautiful roses and snapping pictures with my camera. Right in the middle of South Austin sits this gem, a former mansion turned restaurant. How absolutely beautiful. There were traditional Indian Blue peacocks as well as White peacocks! (White is a color variation of the Indian Blue peacocks, not albino's). My brunch ladies arrived and we were seated in the sun room. The buffet had a lot of different items, not your typical brunch fare but surely enough to tempt everyones palate. I found the smoked trout tastier than the smoked salmon. The blue cheese pepper-steak was fantastic and so was the prime rib (although I would've liked some au jus). The green lipped mussels seemed off but the purple potato soup (served chilled) was delightful. The milk rum punch was out of this world. I may have had about 7 glasses of it myself. Our waiter didn't quite keep it flowing but I made sure to let him know I could use a bit more anytime we passed each other. I didn't try any of the chocolate desserts but the strawberry trifle was my favorite dessert. And all of it (including rum punch or some other alcoholic breakfast drink) is included in the $35 charge. Fabulous! We'd meant to go and look at the bar upstairs ( I heard a rumor it's haunted) but we had been looking at this white peacock who had his feathers raised the whole time we'd been eating, as he turned in circles... so we forgot. We did get some great peacock pictures, I'll add them to the pictures. I'll certainly need to take the family here when they come to visit. It gives you a chance to step back in time and have a relaxing brunch in a southern atmosphere. read more

Green Pastures Events - White peacock - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Guess what? Austin Restaurant Week is amazing! By some grace of God, this place did a $25 three course menu that sent all five of us into a massive food coma. Also, they offered a $25 bottle of red wine for the evening that the chef recommended to go with the food. What a deal?!! Luckily, with all of our powers combined, we ordered all of the menu items and were fully amenable to sharing. Between the trio, soup and two AM snack, and the tempura lobster tail, the lobster was the clear winner. All of them were heavenly but I should have known that anything with the name Vegas in it is the clear choice. For the entrées I went for the flat iron steak. Although it was HUGE, that's what she said, I tried my darndest to eat as much as I possibly could. They even let me slide on the no substitutions rule so that I could try the lobster-brandy mashed potatoes....YUM. Second place was the trout with the gnocchi not far behind. Then it was dessert time. As we were all grunting around the table with bellies stuffed to the brim, our beautiful desserts arrived and were impossible to resist. I had the pecan ball because ice cream with hot fudge and pecans is my fave but the cheesecake was a definite tie for 1st. Bread pudding is not my style but everyone else seemed to like it. In other news, the place is BEAUTIFUL! Even though I'm not even considering the "M word" I definitely made references to checking it out again if I ever get there. The huge trees were lined with sparkling blue lights, while the inside was so delicate and well preserved. Not to mention the service was incredible! One of the girls in our group is determined to go back again during ARW, it was THAT good. Check out the menu below. http://restaurantweekaustin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ARW-Green-PasturesSpring2010.pdf read more

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I heart Green Pastures! I have been twice and is cheesy is this may sound, the experience each time seemed surreal. Green Pastures sweeps you away into a brief fantasy, where there is a white Victorian house, inviting porch with a swing, mesmerizing peacocks, majestic tangled oaks..oh and yes, there is food. We took my MIL, Mother in Law, here on Mother's day. As we were seated our waiter offered us punch milk. This wonderful concoction consists of 3 liquors (I believe bourbon, whiskey and rum), melted ice cream, a little milk and a hint of added vanilla. The buffet tables seemed endless. The dishes creative. I loved the strawberry salad, tuna tartare, pea and bacon soup, salmon and the cheese samplings. The dessert table was equally impressive, I went straight to the chocolate fountain and the Jim Beam bread pudding. The bread pudding was well worth the calories! And all this wonderful gluttony to the sound of a beautiful piano playing. I would highly recommend Green Pastures for a special occasion. Mother's Day was a total win, MIL grinned the entire time and said it was the best Mother's Day ever. read more

Green Pastures Events - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Ah, Green Pastures. What a wonderful venue for a restaurant! A historic house surrounded by fabulous grounds, huge live oak trees and beautiful peacocks. The better half and I had a lovely dinner here during Restaurant Week. Tempura lobster tails for starters. Saloon style steak and Texas bbq redfish for mains. Chocolate duck fat cake for our desserts. The food was delicious. The helpings were huge. The service was good. The ambiance was suitably cosy and romantic. But the evening not a five-star experience, unfortunately. An obviously wobbly table that escaped notice by the staff. The red wine that was served cold. As in hold the wine-glass-in-your-hand-throughout-dinner-to-warm-it-up cold. And all the hot food items that were just on the acceptable side of warm... when food that is supposed to be served hot isn't, that is a legitimate gripe for me. When the cost of a nice meal is over $100, I do expect more than if I were eating out for a tenth of that at a casual joint. Better attention to detail is essential. The small stuff does matter, as a lot of little things can quickly add up. Just ask the hapless king who lost his kingdom, all for the want of a nail. read more

This used to be my favorite brunch in Austin. My last visit was in early 2015 when it was still delicious. But this time after the purchase by some other company, I swear the food has gone down in quality. I was much less impressed with the buffet today. The ribs which were awesome last time were hard and way too salty this time. The desserts were good but with less tarts and less appealing choices. I'm disappointed. It's still a beautiful place but the food is no longer great. read more

Green Pastures Events - Buffet - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

A very elegant experience. Came here for brunch for a birthday and there was live music, a peacock show, and a buffet with something for everyone. Such a great brunch. For me, LOTS of protein options. Prime rib, smoked salmon, smoked trout, eggs benedict, flounder with crab, truffle egg salad... Oh, and the milk punch! Super rich and creamy milk beverage with bourbon and rum. I think there were veggies too. Can't remember since my plate was all meat and lemon cookies. The service was great and servers were quick to refill your milk punch and clear away old plates. After stuffing ourselves, the pianist insisted on singing for the birthday girl. We enjoyed listening to her special requests. We then walked outside and said hello to the peacocks. Quite a good deal for $35. read more

Green Pastures Events - mama bird - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I got married here. Yes, I've been for a meal or three there also, but I GOT MARRIED THERE TOO! It's great. The staff is unbelievably incredible. Tanya is their on site wedding coordinator, and she couldn't possibly do her job better. So helpful. So patient. So CUTE! The food was amazing. Whoever designed my cake - holy crap! good job! exactly what I requested. We had a blast. We got married under the sweeping oak branches, and danced the night away to Magnifico. It was awesome. read more

Green Pastures Events - Don't tell me this cake isn't amazing... - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

Have been to the Sunday brunch 5 times now. It's the best brunch buffet in town hands down (not counting Fonda's Sunday brunch which is equally awesome but completely different style). Get milk punch and then sleep the rest of the day. read more

I have to second the comments about this being the best brunch in Austin. The selection isn't quite as extensive as Four Seasons was when they were around, but what they had (which is still quite a lot) was better cooked. The restaurant itself is really nice, and the grounds are beautiful. There's nothing like sitting in the patio room eating a leisurely brunch while looking outside at a beautiful spring day. Edit: Was just back there for brunch this Sunday (6/8/08), and the house and grounds are as beautiful as I remember. The food was also again incredible, both in the bread of their selections and their quality. However, I have to deduct a star for poor service. We were seated in the music room, and our waiter was atrociously inattentive. Not only did it take 10 minutes to get our drink order in, he was slow to clear plates, failed to replace silverware he took and away and refill coffe, and to top things off he he brought our rolls out as we were finishing off dessert??? Hopefully this was just a fluke and he was a temp filling in because of the ceremony taking place. read more

W-o-w. Espresso cocoa ribeye with jarlsberg, pecan green beans, and vanilla carrots? Who came up with this crazy wonderful deliciousness? Of course everything on this menu looked delicious, but I couldn't resist the aforementioned. Green Pastures was perfect for our first anniversary dinner. It's romantic and has a special, celebratory feel to it. I can see why they host weddings here. At $40 an entree, it's definitely a "special occasion" outing. But the portions are substantial and the price is worth the quality. Watch for peacocks on your drive in! One pure white peacock jumped into the road right in front of us as we were arriving. Later that night, as we looked out the Victorian window at the old arching trees outside, that same peacock jumped up on a branch and looked back at us. We had the mushroom martini for an appetizer, which consisted of a variety of mushrooms in a delicious cream sauce, served in a martini glass! When they offer you bread, say yes. They will bring you each one fluffy roll with a small cup of whipped butter. I was glad they limited me to just one because I would likely have inhaled them otherwise. Their sommelier is very knowledgable about their wines. Get a bottle. Just go all out when you go there. It's that kind of place. And do go there. :) read more

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I can't believe I've lived so close to GP and never knew it existed until recently. Delicious food - I had the ribeye and it was divine. The lobster bread was also out of this world. I loved the old-timey historic feel. Felt like stepping back in time! Totally charming and delicious. Easy parking and beautiful grounds as well. read more

Green Pastures Events - Ribeye! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

When looking at this location on a map, or even driving there at dark, the fact it is nestled into a quiet older neighborhood is extremely deceptive: don't miss this opportunity to appease your food loving tastes (or your taste for visually appealing atmosphere)! The property, building, interior--everything! --is everything one could dream of for a lovely, romantic dinner! The atmosphere was very elegant, though we felt a little out of place; elegant dining (formal dinner settings) is not what we are used to, yet we are VERY glad we stayed! The food, while on the more expensive side, was not as expensive as it could have been. To start we each had an avocado salad (avocado, goat cheese, tomato, a vinaigrette drizzle, topped with lettuce and spinach). It was an amazing, fresh way to start our meal. For my entrée, I ordered the expresso-cocoa steak with portobello mushrooms and greuyere [sp] cheese, and was EXTREMELY pleased. I order my steak medium rare and it came out perfectly cooked. We finished off with the perfect cheesecake. This is excellent for anyone, whom, as we were, celebrating an anniversary, or even a romantic date. This is the perfect way for one to win major points in the relationship! We WILL be coming back! read more

Green Pastures Events - The side of the restaurant, from the side parking lot, taken behind some of the many oaks - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

Brunch at Green Pastures Restaurant is more than a meal; it's an experience. Ever eat in a beautiful southern manor house, while watching peacocks roam the grounds while listening to beautiful live piano music? Me neither...until I visited Green Pastures. No complete review of GP could overlook one of the finest creations to fill a glass: Green Pastures' Milk Punch. Is it good? How could it not be, with premium vanilla ice cream, brandy, bourbon and rum mixed in for good measure? The food itself was great and offered something for everyone from main dishes to sides to desserts, but the food is just a small part of the Green Pastures experience. For a big city gent like myself visiting Texas for the first time, this was a highlight I was not expecting. If only I could've taken a nap and stayed a few hours until dinner! Actually, with the friendly folks at GP, I probably could have! Why did I appreciate Green Pastures so much? Maybe because back home in Los Angeles, the closest thing we have to Gone With the Wind is lost in the smog. read more

My fiancee has been wanting to try this place for a while now, and we finally made it together to celebrate her birthday. The brunch was priced at $38 - not sure if she ate $38 worth of food, but I sure did. Great spread - I think I counted seven different types of salads, a salmon situation, eggs Benedict, and a roast beef carver towards the end of the "help-yourself" buffet line. The desserts were decadent, and I enjoyed the creme brûlée, a chocolate chip cookie (not too soft & not too hard, just the way I like it), and a blondie brownie slice. DELICIOUS. However, the milk punch (Amy's vanilla ice cream, brandy, rum, and another liquor I cannot remember as I write this) was like a dessert between sips of coffee, and was included in the brunch price. (We may or may not have spooned some milk punch into our coffee....) SUPER tasty, especially for someone that has a large sweet tooth like myself, and I believe I had three glasses. MMMMMmmm GOOD! Great experience overall -- we will be back! read more

Any time I have out of towners staying with me, I take them to Green Pastures. This place never fails on giving my guests as well myself a sense of being transported to another time. The ambiance exudes southern charm and the food is always stellar! I've had the Sunday brunch with the infamous milk punch (a dangerous concoction of Haagans-daz ice cream and bourbon) as well as their regular lunch - I was not disappointed. I've yet to visit for dinner which I imagine to be intimate and romantic. Highly recommended :) Tip: Make reservations for large groups. Trivia: Any fellow "Friday Night Light" nerds out there? Well they shot a scene here, you know, when Tim Riggins unintentionally orders raw pigeon? You're welcome. read more

Green Pastures Events - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

This restaurant has become one of my favorites in Austin! I went there for Restaurant Week (I know that's months ago, I just got around to writing reviews!) and had a great time. They have an actual white peacock for crying out loud (see my picture)! The food was also fantastic and comes in huge portions. I had the lobster tail tempura appetizer and steak. The lobster tail tempura itself could have been the main course. The steak was also cooked and seasoned to perfection. This deserves mention because steak cooking is a medium that is rarely well done (sorry, I couldn't resist!) My friends got ribs and fish appetizers that they both enjoyed greatly. We also liked our cocktails but at this point it's been so long I couldn't remember the names. This place isn't cheap, but totally worth it if you want a nice place for a wonderful meal for that special occasion. I'll be coming back for sure. read more

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I had been hesitant to try this restaurant for a while. The ambiance is amazing, and I was afraid it would be one of those restaurants in which you pay for a great atmosphere, but the food is overpriced and mediocre. Not the case! I visited to check out their private dining options for an event, but figured I might as well stick around for lunch to be sure this was a place I wanted to book for a special event. I chose a really basic dish- spinach salad. I figured, if they can make a masterpiece out of a staple, they're good! It was awesome! The combination of flavors- balsamic vinaigrette, roasted pistachios, bacon, and blue cheese, was so delicious. The spinach leaves were very fresh, too! I decided to order the prickly pear margarita as well. It had a kick, and the Grand Marnier added a smooth finish. For dessert, I had the bread pudding. Very warm and savory, and the sauce was creamy and rich as well! My server, Stefan, was very polite and helpful. I was just eating by myself, but he made me feel welcome and helped me pick out dishes that suited my taste. Thank you for the wonderful experience! read more

Green Pastures Events - Spinach salad off of the lunch menu - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Had no idea what to expect when I found Green Pastures as a "nearby" restaurant here on Yelp (didn't notice the $$$). I was in my everyday shorts & just wanted to try something new -- a bit underdressed, but.... it is Austin! :) Driving in I knew I was entering a fantasy. Large trees, white porches, dappled sunshine on the lawn with peacocks strolling about.... White table cloths at lunch almost intimidated me, but I was graciously seated. Tea with simple syrup, bacon-wrapped salmon & cheddar-maple grits. DELICIOUS! Can't wait to bring family for brunch & try the milk punch-- when I'm NOT the designated driver! ;) read more

Tried all of the top of the menu..the crab, crab cakes, I would pass on. Everything else was Great. Please add in a better appetizer selection please read more

Green Pastures Events - Big daddys day out - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

The best brunch ! Go here with my family almost every Sunday & it never fails ! The lemonade, pineapple , orange juice is to die for ! They do change there menu every week for brunch witch have there pros & cons because I go one Sunday & go back the next & they don't have the food I couldn't wait to try again , but all in all best brunch ! Beautiful view too ! Will be having my wedding here! read more

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It gets 3 stars because the biscuits and pate were almost the best ever. Service was excellent. However; they changed the milk punch, no ice cream, and they sprinkled nutmeg on top. Nothing like the original. We ordered ruby trout with hazelnut brown butter of which there was none. The greens were too spicey for us to even eat. Waiter was nice enough to bring the mashed potatoes where were Delish , but the pork belly on top was three teeny pieces. I think they should try to stick to authentic southern cuisine and not throw several spices that don't belong in southern food in to the mix. Thank you read more

It's the most elegant brunch in Austin, and I happened to be here with the most beautiful woman in the city. That's as good as it gets. Oh yeah, I got married here once too. Brunch is definitely better. read more

I came here for the first time for a Sunday brunch commemorating my birthday. They really nailed the old world feel, right down to the racism. Wait, let me take a step back before staunchly accusing this former plantation of racism. Perhaps it wasn't because we were the only table with non-white diners; perhaps we were simply underdressed. We didn't know that the attire was "Sunday best" or "funeral" as it seemed to be this day. (Don't listen to the other reviewers who say to come as you are unless you're ready to get eyeballs from old, rich white people.) Whatever the reason, we experienced exceptionally poor treatment throughout the dining experience. When we asked our server if we could pull up another chair to the table (we had 6, needed one more seat), he literally walked away while we were in the middle of explaining the situation. That must have been the first and last straw for this guy, because he was clearly fuming for the rest of the meal. He slammed everything around and poured coffee on me and another diner as he filled up our cups. Sorry, he was not sorry. Our milk punch took 30 minutes to come out. Later, when one of the diners at the table asked for creamer for his coffee, you would think that we had asked the server to euthanize a puppy. It felt like we were perpetually about to get kicked out of this place for not dressing the part. It was as if the waiter thought we were riff-raff and were about to try to leave without paying. Sure enough, as we were walking around the property to check out the peacocks (best part as the peacocks are not racist/classist), the waiter comes chasing out after me because we left 5 cards for 6 brunches. Did you think to maybe split the bill evenly? No, I guess that wouldn't allow him to imply that we underpaid. He said there was a balance after he put a brunch on each card. I explained that it was my birthday brunch, and the additional brunch was meant to be split onto all the cards. His response was that if we wanted to split it we should have said something. Perhaps, but perhaps you should have asked. I ended up paying for my own birthday brunch because he clearly wasn't about re-running the 5 cards and splitting that last brunch, even though the place was cleared out by this time. I wanted to leave the guy a 50% tip just to send a message like "screw off, I would literally never dine and dash," but the service was so horrendous that I didn't want to provide any positive reinforcement. I look forward to the chance of seeing our waiter in a non-restaurant situation. I'll politely ask him why he treated our table like dirt. Perhaps I'll see him at Barberella one night and just go 21 questions on him. Would you love me if all my friends were white? What if I were dressed in funeral attire? Why didn't you try to make us feel comfortable at all? I'll be on the lookout. read more

Two words: Extraordinarily Disappointing. After reading the reviews on Yelp, my husband and I were excited to go to Green Pastures for Sunday brunch. Brunch and I are good friends: nothing tickles me quite like pairing breakfast favorites (french toast, waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon...) with succulent lunch items. I like the juxtaposition. Except, that experience is completely lacking at Green Pastures, because the normal breakfast items are almost completely absent. The only breakfast item offered the day I went was Eggs Benedict, and unfortunately they weren't fresh. (A waiter assured me additional Eggs Benedicts were on their way, but during the 40 minutes we spent there, they never arrived.) I scoured the joint looking for scrambled eggs, bacon, or even a Belgian waffle maker with a pitcher of batter next to it, but to no avail. Call me crazy, but isn't brunch by definition supposed to be a hybrid of lunch and breakfast? This wasn't--I was adrift in a sea of appetizers (deviled eggs, tiny quiches, and finger sausages) and cold lunch items (smoked salmon, teriyaka beef, and seasoned tomatoes). This part is particularly important, too, as i am no fan of cold food. I recognize that many people don't mind cold dishes, and I also recognize that buffets usually have cold dishes because they keep better. But at $33 a head, I expect to have a few hot dish options, and on this score I was shit outta luck. The only hot option was the prime rib--and, unfortunately for me, I don't like prime rib. No breakfast food, almost no hot items. Okay, very disappointing. But the dessert would surely save me, right? Nope. I apologize to those who enjoyed the dessert options here, but I found them to be no better than the desserts you can get at any crappy buffet, from Golden Corral to Buffet Palace. In fact, I think I've had better cobbler at Golden Corral. The desserts weren't terrible, they just weren't good. And again, for $33, I expected something really delicious, really gourmet. Perhaps I set my expectations too high. Way, way too high. The one redeeming factor? The milk punch is good. It's really good. But delicious milk punch does not make up for an exceedingly average--even below average--brunch experience. Although not a buffet, I'd steer anyone looking for a good Sunday brunch to Chez Zee over Green Pastures. On the other hand, if you don't care too much about breakfast staples, and enjoy cold dishes and mediocre desserts, Green Pastures might be for you. I, however, will not be going back. read more

Happy birthday to me! After a wild and crazy Totally 80s Birthday Bash, 3 of my bestest friends and I went here for brunch. We could see ourselves here years and years from now in our hats and white lace gloves. I know part of it had to do with the company, but really, what a fun place! For a bunch of people who love food and love choices, we couldn't have asked for better! We each visited the huge table several times. We tried everything. We sampled here and there. All delicious. Despite being stuffed, we bellied up to the desserts as well. Savory, sweet, it was all there. Of course we enjoyed the Milk Punch as well. Who wouldn't enjoy ice cream and rum? The peacocks served for some great photo ops. It's really a fun experience. read more

My response follows at the bottom of the page to Sandy L. who wrote the following review: "12/9/2012 We went this Sunday morning since Moonshine was packed. Lovely location, food mediocre for an expensive brunch. We had a 7 year old and a 4 year old and they were 18 dollars apiece and probably ate 2 dollars worth. Then a 32 dollar gratuity was added since there were 4 adults and two children. That would have been high for a buffet but food was very average. We felt totally screwed!!!!" Why in the name of all that is holy would you take a 7 year old and a 4 year old to this restaurant? This is not Denny's or McDonald's or even Hyde Park Grill. This is a refined, upscale restaurant. Restaurants of this caliber are not generally geared toward children of that age. Do your research next time. Green Pastures is arguably the best dining experience in Austin whether for lunch, brunch, dinner or a special occasion. Bar none! Your bad experience was entirely of your own making. read more

We took my in-laws to brunch this past Sunday. We had been looking forward it. However, after being seated we received the worst service for a nicer restaurant I've ever had. Our waiter was unresponsive, SULKY and rude. He's lucky my mother-in-law was there, because she's the only reason I didn't get up to request someone else. I've never been tempted to request someone else until I had this experience. My mother-in-law asked me not to say anything. I'm utterly confused as to how you 1-Come to serve a table and don't EVER ask anyone if they want refills (We were there for 2 hours). 2-How you serve a table and only give refills after we have to try for a while to catch your attention. 3-How you serve tables and don't ever make eye contact or smile at your table. 4-How you serve tables and don't ONCE say you're welcome or anything after we continue to be gracious for your lackluster service when you do decide to give us 5 seconds of attention. 5-How you work at a nicer restaurant and have such terrible service. 6-How you serve tables and look like you hate life the entire time. Thinking back, I wish I had excused myself to the bathroom and just went behind my mother-in-laws back to fix the problem while there. Seriously disappointed! He's also lucky we're not total a-holes and still tipped him 15%. We usually do 20%+ I think he deserved 10%....if that. read more

If I could give 2.5 stars, I would. I don't see what all the hub-bub is about Green Pastures. To me, this place is ripe for a Gordon Ramsey intervention. Sure the grounds are beautiful, and the interior is a cool old school throw back, but we were thoroughly unimpressed with our Sunday evening Austin Restaurant Week meal. For starters, The Man had the 2AM Snack which consisted of a very greasy brie/caramelized onion sandwich, a cup of rather bland cauliflower soup and an extremely bland garbanzo cake topped with avocado and on top of some sort of pesto that had a strong flavor that didn't even remotely match the other two components. My lobster tempura was yummy, and the pale, creamy sauce underneath was tasty, but the wasabi mashed potatoes and fried basil, along with some dots of an odd red sauce threw what could have been simple perfection off the mark. At this time, we were already feeling a little overwhelmed at all of the elements going on on just our starter plates, so imagine the overload that came next with our entrees. I chose the fennel pollen crusted trout with butter poached shrimp, lobster-brandy mashed potatoes, morels and asparagus. The trout was so overcooked that I couldn't eat it. The rest of the dish was just a mesh of bland with absolutely no distinction between flavors. Which, with as much as they had going on there, is just surprising. The Man ordered the Flat Iron steak with blue cheese, sausage, grains of paradise, and green beans. He asked for medium-rare and got rare. Normally, I love rare, but on a flat iron, it was too chewy. I had one bite of his and had a hard time chewing it. Also, the blue cheese was way overpowering, especially when combined with a peppery sauce. The two just didn't mesh. The sausage was way too salty (of course, this meant I really liked it!), and all in all, he ended up eating about 4 bites of his meal. We brought the rest home for the dogs. For dessert, he had the bread pudding, which was fair, while I had the cheesecake. The cheesecake, we both agreed, was the star of the meal. It was super light and the fruit puree was yummy. It just felt like they were trying to do way too much with all of this food. I could seriously picture Gordon Ramsey having a Kitchen Nightmares intervention with this place, getting them to simplify the plates and maybe bring their menu up to speed for this town/decade. I can honestly say I would not go back based on this experience. Especially after the amazing ARW meal we had at Fabi + Rosi last week. read more

Went for restaurant week with a date. WHAT an experience! I could not believe this was one of the cheaper restaurant week places, because it was a freaking estate! I can see why this is a popular destination for weddings. Guarded from the outside hustle and bustle by hedges, there are what seems like acres of gardens, through which peacocks gracefully strut with their peahens and peachicks. A cheerful little gazebo sits in the back garden, ample parking in the front. And in the middle of it all is a stately colonial house that houses the restaurant. Be prepared for it to be upscale and maybe a little hoity-toity, not your typical urban casual. Decorated with stately wallpaper and sumptuous, Versailles-style floor-to-ceiling drapes on the huge aristocratic windows, the piano-and-saxophone music is low, the conversation sedate and dignified, the waiters dressed in white shirts, vests, and bow ties. Still, no one made us feel weird, even though I was a man in black nail polish and eyeliner. Our waitress was very helpful. A chef made rounds through our dining room (one of several, with four or five tables per dining room), helping people with wine selections and asking them how their food was. Great service and attention. They had a $45 cabernet sauvignon on special for $25, which I could see was too tempting for most people to resist. It was tasty. Not remarkable, but tasty. Again, I couldn't believe that this was a $25 restaurant week menu instead of a $35 or $45 one. First of all, like I said the place reeked of aristocracy. Second of all, the menu had CLEARLY been made with some love. The chef wasn't just dashing off heirloom tomato salads or steak frites au poivre because the rabble didn't know any better. Time, effort, and expertise was put into this sucker. The appetizers were little trios of amuses-bouche, grouped around a common protein. We did the quail trio and the brie trio. Quail sausage -- very gamey and slightly spicy. Quail wrapped in bacon with jalepenos -- tasty. BBQed quail legs -- even tastier. The brie plate ... be prepared for sweetness. My date was in the mood for savory and didn't like it as much, but I really did. Grilled brie sandwich over fig coulee -- quite yummy. Brie and porcini soup -- particularly scrumptious, sweet, good for dipping the sandwich. Waffle and syrup with brie, banana, and creme fraiche -- eat it last, cuz the others don't really follow it well. We got the steak and the trout. The steak was outstanding, a goodly-sized portion cooked medium rare and smothered with blue cheese and mushrooms in a puddle of red wine sauce. It was paired with onion rings, pepper-seasoned green beans, and grilled apple rings. The onion rings were tasty; the green beans were a little plain; the apple rings were too cinnamony for our taste. But what a piece of meat. My date loved the trout; I thought it was tasty, though I liked my steak better. The mashed potatoes the fish was served over were delish. Both plates looked beautiful. We got the cheesecake and the bread pudding for dessert. Bread pudding was clearly well done, but the cheese cake was the star -- fluffy, simple, beautiful yellow color, and classic. The inexpensiveness is clearly not a fluke -- they price this place so everyone can try it. For sunday brunch they do an upscale breakfast buffet for $35, including a famous milk punch made from ice cream, milk, whiskey, rum, and brandy (yowza). A similar brunch buffet in San Diego ran $85 a person. They made sure to mention that we were welcome to tour around the place at our convenience, and we made sure to do just that, checking out the other dining rooms, the back patio and gardens with the gazebo, and up a stately flight of stairs to a surprisingly swank and hip-looking (if unoccupied) dimly-lit lounge area that would be a great place to sip a cocktail. Seriously, there was no one behind the bar, could have snuck a scotch and nobody would have known. Definitely coming back. Too much fun. read more

The Good: :: the Sunday brunch. it's so awesome it borders ridiculous. you can come as you are OR if you want to have a little fun, dress up in your sunday/sunday-equivalent best. :: the peacocks. evidently when it's mating season they go to town on each other. it's like the discovery channel while you eat! plus they are really funny to watch run across the lawns :: the place is really old. not sure how old but it's awesome old. definitely lots of character. feels like i am in different times living in the deep south. love the rocking chairs, the porch, the lawns, the old trees, everything :: brian the manager. he is so awesome, friendly, considerate, and attentive that he makes me never want to go to other restaurants. he is also very knowledgeable about his wines :: charles the chef. he is extremely knowledgeable about his foods, whether it's dessert, wine, entrees, or cheese. seriously. the man is made of edible knowledge gold. :: the game-based dishes. their boar sausage is made IN HOUSE. they have a secret recipe and add beer to their sausage so that it retains moisture. simply delicious, as is the quail breast. mmmm mm mmmmm :: crab cakes. wonderful! :: dessert. try their new dessert, some kind of chocolate mousse that has habanero in it. AWESOME :: the regular mojito. simply refreshing :: the upstairs bar. very cool bar to have a conversation and relax. you will find no frat boys here, thank god. The Bad: :: i haven't seen a ghost here yet. I WANT TO SEE A GHOST HERE. just not while i'm in the bathroom by myself. The Ugly: :: none. Would I go back? Definitely. This place makes me feel warm fuzzies. Everything about it works and keeps me coming back for more. This place is IN. read more

As I walked up the stone path, through the blue-lit trees, up the wooden steps and across the porch of the restaurant, I couldn't help but think, "Wow, this place is so romantical!" The interior has an old world feel to it and reeks of class. The table linens are crisp white, the silverware beautifully polished, glassware of every kind, and the servers are all decked out in their precious bowties. I loved it! I tried the lobster tempura, the grilled flat iron steak, and the bread pudding off of the Austin Restaurant Week menu. My lobster tempura was delicious and so were the wasabi mashed potatoes that came with it. And although my entrée was much too salty for my taste, I was glad I hadn't eaten much of it because it left plenty of room for the star of the show, the bread pudding I ordered for dessert! The pudding was melt in your mouth perfection and was only made better by the delectable bourbon sauce that accompanied it. It was the perfect finish to a fantastic meal at a wonderful Austin institution. read more

I hate to rain on any parade, but here goes..... We recently had the brunch buffet here, but I can't really call it brunch. Nobody should. This is a lunch buffet. The only breakfast item was a tray of Eggs Benedict, which had been out way too long. The ham on it, however, was smoky and delicious. Speaking of ham, where was the rest of it? No bacon, no hot sausage, no pancakes, waffles or french toast. Please! These put the Br in Brunch! They could also use an omelet station. Or something eggy and warm! They did have other varieties of egg. Pickled egg and deviled eggs topped with Tobiko. They had some cold boar sausage, cold vegetables, mini chilled soups, lots of Asian inspired dishes, but we came for BRUNCH! The buffet line ends with a Prime Rib station. It left a lot to be desired as far as Prime Rib goes. But the carving station attendant was very nice. As were all of the staff we encountered, as well as the kind woman playing the piano. Salads start the other end, and in between lay all sorts of dishes, but no other breakfasty type items, save the smoked trout/salmon dishes. But even here, where was the traditional bagel and lox, with cream cheese, onion and capers? They had some rather inventive items, like the braised Pork cheek with Siracha sauce, and veal meatballs with an interesting green sauce. But these didn't really stand out. My favorite of the day was the pork loin with creamed cabbage, but again, I came for BRUNCH! Not lunch. Remember though, this review is based solely on the lunch buffet (I will no longer refer to it as Brunch). I have been to dinner here before the days of Yelp, and remember it to be very memorable. The grounds are indeed nice, and the house is charming. But we came for brunch and did not find it. Even the dessert table was humdrum. My wife thought the Milk Punch was worth the price of admission, though..... If they serve that at dinner we might just come back again. read more

You're in Austin, and you need a place to have a really good brunch? Lucky you! Green Pastures dishes out its delectable results in a historic house, complete with an ostentation of peacocks. (Yes, that is the collective noun for peacock.) The $30 all-you-can-eat brunch on Sundays from 11am - 2pm presents nouveau continental cuisine, a live pianist, and the drink that keeps me coming back: milk punch. "Milk punch, you say? Isn't punch usually made of fruit?" Punch doesn't have to have a fruit base to be good, you know. This one is composed of three different hard liquors (bourbon, rum, and brandy), whole milk, and Hagen-dazs vanilla ice cream. They say that one glass will make your day, but I will usually down about four since they keep refilling your glass! The verdict: Green Pastures is a definite brunch spot if you haven't been before. And probably if you already have. Disclaimer: I have never been for other meals, but brunch is a safe bet. read more

We visited Green Pastures during Austin Restaurant week, & the building is rich with character and history. For a building that was 114 years old (built in 1895), it was well-maintained over the years. In fact, post-meal, our waiter Chance took us on a tour of the building. We were told that the staircase and banister was ordered from Sears Roebuck. It is also just now that I realized that the inspiration of my Kahlua chocolate almond cake was from Green Pastures. The wedding I attended here 4 years ago served a sinfully delicious and moist chocolate cake with the rich texture and aroma of almonds. It is simply one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever had. To have a cake that impressed me for 4 years is quite a feat, as I've been known to eat and bake many cakes. We wound up ordering the Upland Game plate (A quail eating adventure), Tempura Lobster, Garbanzo Bean Dumplings, Grilled Flat Iron Steak, Cheesecake, and Green Pastures Bread pudding. For $25 per person, it was a steal. I have to highlight a few things about Green Pastures that impressed me. 1. The character of the building was charming and warm. It had a soul, and one could feel the rich history in the walls. Or it could just be haunted by ghosts, friendly ghosts though. Don't quote me on the ghosts. 2. Service at Green Pastures was well-polished like a Ferrari (a well-cared for Ferrari anyways). Service was warm, welcoming, attentive, yet not intrusive. The staff was so well trained that it only took a glance for him to notice that our table setting was slightly off. Our bread plates were on the lower left side instead of on the upper left side. Remember: bread on the upper left, drinks on the upper right. It is debatable whether or not the bread can be on the lower side, but formal settings call for upperside. Green Pasture service is on my list of places that will spoil you like Veruca Salt. Other places on that said list are Trio and Paggi House. 3. Southern and French cooking seems like an odd combination, but the foundation for both is butter and cream, in my opinion anyways. Do I need to say more? 4. The Jack Daniels sauce served on the bread pudding tasted like booze. It was not like those other restaurants that claim to put alcohol in their foods, but just a hint so that they could print it on the menu. This Jack Daniels was bold, like the chef intended it to be there. 5. The use of "non-traditional" ingredients in their dishes left me baffled. I've eaten many strange and exotic vegetables, but I had never heard of chayote. I almost mistook it for a green apple, but the flavor was mellow and subtle instead of tart and crunchy. I like it when I learn about new foods. The grilled flat iron steak not only had brandy, but also grains of paradise, a spice that is used in beer brewing. Sam Adam's Summer ale uses it. 6. Tempura Lobster. You only live once. Get it on your next visit. 7. The liberal use of wine and spirits in the dishes. Lobster-brandy mashed potatoes. Shiraz-Spiced apple ring. Jack Daniels Sauce. The chef, Charles Bloemsma, also chatted with us about a Guinness Punch (Guinness, condensed milk, and liquor over ice) as well as a Guinness Creme Brulee. Winner, Winner, Green Pasture's dinner! read more