Wow, Austin has some major burger contenders and Id place Hat Creek right up there with them. Pricing is the same as Mighty Fine. My total was under $8 but that is because I added an extra patty to the burger, which is a must because as my friend had, without the extra patty it is kinda thin. With the meal came of course fries and a drink. I'm not a huge fan of hand cut fries but you definitely cannot have one without the other. The burger was just right, not to greasy and not to dry. I'd go back in a heartbeat. read more

Burgers were very tasty and fry portions generous. We tried both the regular fries and the sweet potato fries. They have several sauces to choose from but nothing too exciting here. Staff was very friendly. We realized after leaving that we were charged for an extra drink and fries and returned about an hour after our visit. They were helpful and reimbursed the difference without hesitation. Great customer service. Also pleased that grilled onions or jalapeños added to the burger is free. My only reason for the 4 stars is the price. A burger with cheese, fries, and a drink was about $10. I think the food was delicious but I'd rather eat Mighty Fine for about the same price. read more

My current review still stands but want to make people aware that the food is not on the cheap side. It is fresh, natural, and tasty but you are going to pay a premium. The 3 Flashers "chicken nuggets" are gluten free but are tiny in size and cost $3 so basically $1 each. One of my daughter's Flashers were just a little larger than a quarter. Everything is a la carte also so you buy fries and drink separate. My Grain burger was really good but it cost $6. No complaints with friendliness, taste, or cleanliness of the place. All is excellent. Just know that even though it is fast food, it is priced higher than most fast food chains. read more

Hat Creek - Small but fun play area for the kids - Burgers Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing food! But what impressed me was how the cashier Ann Anrie gave such exceptional service! Greets you with a truely genuine caring smile that showed straight thru her soul! Very sweet personality. She deserves top doller in pay because she truly represents the HAT Creek Burger Company very well!! read more

I don't know why I chose Hat Creek Burger Co. as my first burger review for Yelp but I did. Maybe because I appreciate the fact that they repurposed the original old school Arby's sign for their logo. Is Hat Creek the best burger in Austin? No, it's not but it is probably the best burger of any of the fast food style restaurants out there. It's not fair to compare Hat Creek to Hut's or Phil's Ice House but totally fair to compare it to Wendy's and their ilk. In that comparison it wins hands down. The burgers and fries are delicious and fresh and a small combo is plenty for even a grown-ass man like myself. One unsung characteristic about Hat's is the ice they use for their drinks. It's the small pebbly kind that tastes like it was gathered from a hailstorm where the elves live. It's the little things. read more

Ok I slammed Top Notch a couple of days ago. So because of that disappointment we decided the next day to try a direct competitor in the same neighborhood. HatCreek wins hands down in all categories. Employees, Cleanliness, Burgers, Fries, Price, Soda Machine, Beer Availability ----- Great Job Hat Creek you have new fans! read more

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Wow. That's almost all there is to be said. Get there before noon for awesome, fresh, hot fries and great burgers. They just updated their menu to include combo meals - $5.19 for a burger, fries and a soda - almost $2 less than it used to be. It's a trailer, but don't let that fool you - their food is amazing. read more

Since this location's the original (they have three), & since they usedta operate under another name (they told me; don't recall), My guess is the moniker "Hat Creek" may have "something" to do with that they could use the old EXISTING Arby's sign, & save buttloads of MONEY compared to gettin' a new one. While being the "Genius" that I am (in my dreams), I wonder if I'da thought of that? No replies necessary; it's a JOKE. I'm not sure, but even before this location was an Arby's, wasn't it a Roy Rogers? If anyone knows, please write me. And yes, THAT Roy Rogers; he delved into Restaurants, and had more success than Dick Clark, with his American Bandstand places. I do remember eating at (a RR's) in Houston, a long time ago. But I digress; this is about Hat Creek, huh? As a first-timer, I didn't know what to expect. I know they support PBS; I've seen their ad on "The Daytripper", a show which is another good source of ideas as to where to go & what to do in and around Austin, besides Yelp. Really good show, locally-produced; Chet Garner (host) gets sorta corny sometimes, but it's OK. The Burgers, Larry, the BURGERS. The place is nice & clean, w/ pictures of the "Hat Creek Hat", traveling all over the place; it's been to the Mountains, and beyond. Staff is cheerful, & courteous to a FAULT. They appear to understand that promptly-bussed tables reflect on the cleanliness of the place, and quite frankly, if the employees are LAZY (they're NOT). Maybe I'm too critical, but I tend to downgrade if I walk in & see several tables that have been sittin' long enough to have been attended to, ESPECIALLY if it's a table where I would have sat. I ordered the "Double Hat" which was, you guessed it: a Double-Patty Burger, with cheese and all the veggies. Me, I'd put a TRIPLE-patty offering on the Menu, and call it a "HAT TRICK" (you guys can use that if ya want). Me so CLEVER! I heard 'em calling out orders, but mine got delivered to the table. The "called out" orders may have been "to go", that would make the most sense. But then, maybe I'm "special"; after all, I DID ride the short bus to school. So I get my Burger, which I had ordered w/ Sweet Potato Fries. The Good News is that they're probably the BEST Sweets Fries I'd ever tasted. They were "Rustic Cut", instead of the shoestrings I've seen elsewhere. So while they were done on the outside (can't call 'em crunchy), they were still moist and sweet inside. Combined w/ that salt on 'em, they had this sweet-salty flavor that just makes ya wanna keep on eatin'! The Bad News about the fries is, VISUALLY, they were more like Sweet Potato Fries PIECES. But given a choice of a fry that looks good & tastes bad or vice-versa, I'll take taste every time. I did have a problem w/ the ADDITIONAL 70 CENTS to upgrade to Sweets, just like I do with Jack for charging more for Curlies. There is already an OBSCENE amount of markup on restaurant potato products; besides Fountain Drinks, probably the most PROFITABLE item on a menu. If restaurateurs don't think the Public knows, they should get a clue. So, somewhat of a demerit for that. The Burger was VERY tasty, but to me, on the smallish size, considering the price ($9 for the Combo, incl tax). And it was just yer basic Burger, one like I can get a lot of other places. For roughly the same money (and about 5 minutes away by car), I can get a Black Bean Burger at EZ's, and ya can't get one of THOSE anywhere else ('cept my house; I ripped 'em off). Yeah, EZ's Sweet Potato Fries are the aforementioned shoestrings, but they also have Sweet Tater TOTS! And a more comprehensive menu; check out their site, and read my review. I'm feeling bad about now; I hate to give less than stellar reviews when the folks that work there are so NICE, and everyone at Hat Creek was/is. I'm a nice guy, & I hate to steer people away from a good business. So I WON'T. Is Hat Creek gonna be my fave Burger joint? No. But do they deliver a tasty meal? YES. Would I eat there again? ABSOLUTELY. Again, THEY SUPPORT PUBLIC TELEVISION. That has nothing to do with the FOOD, but by doing so, they are supporting not only PBS, but the LOCAL ECONOMY. And they appear to support shows for "regular guys" like ME, not just the highbrow stuff. THAT gets 'em an additional star from Moi. Put it all together, and you have a FOUR-STAR Burger Joint here! I didn't take any pictures; I didn't have my "good" camera with me, and after looking at what's already posted, I didn't think I could add to it. What ya see there is a pretty good representation of what Hat Creek has to offer. Damn, I gotta say TASTY again! Your tastes may be different than mine, and Hat Creek seems to have a lot of devotees. So it's not out of the question that YOU may find it to be your fave, and like I said, they DO have a "mighty fine" burger (and actually better than "that" place, IMHO). larrythediner . read more

I've been dropping in here frequently over the last few months because it's near my work. The first time I went, I ordered a single-patti burger with cheese topped with tomato, lettecue, onion, mayo, and ketchup, with a side of fries. The patti was tiny, and lost in the toppings and bun. A co-worker ate with me and we were both disappointed (I suggest first-timers get a double-patti to avoid this). The fries were delicious. Thin and cut from fresh potatoes, they were perfectly fried. Those expecting McDonald's fries will be disappointed, the fries are not as crunchy as their frozen counter parts, but I much prefer the softer texture. The burgers are too small for the price even though the size has increased slightly since I first ate there, and a double is just too expensive for me. There is a blurb in their signage that talks about how the "all natural fresh Angus beef" and can be farm verified. I expect that's why the burgers are so expensive compared to the amount of meat you get. I wish that the meat quality would go down slightly, and the patti size would go up. It's strange, I keep eating there because it's so close to work, but I don't think I would recommend it to a friend. read more

I have passed by Hat Creek Burger dozens of times and I only remember it because of the large and unusual sign and name. Hat Creek came up as a Groupon so I decided that for $3 it was worth a shot to try it. I decided to go all out and get the double burger with cheese, lettuce, pickles, and tomato. I really enjoyed the meal and the service was fast. I would also recommend the sweet tea. It was just the right amount of sweet. I went back to use my second Groupon and it was just as good as the first time!! I am a fan! read more

Hat Creek, darlin', don't change a thing. I occasionally CRAVE a burger. (I tell myself it's my "O" type blood, but we all know its from being raised in Texas.) I can't bring myself to consume a burger with pink slime as an ingredient. Knowledge can be power but it can also be a pain in the ass when you just want a burger and you know most of the ones nearby have that plus other nasty additives you don't want, like antibiotics, hormones, etc. And then there's the price tag for a "clean" burger. Ouch. And that's why I love Hat Creek. Great food for decent prices. Not as cheap as say, McDonald's, but danged near. I really, really, really love the fries. I got a small cheeseburger (they have two sizes), an order of fries and a drink for just over $6. To top it off, they have a drive through. Not the fastest in the city, but definitely not the slowest and my food is always HOT. Try the cherry limeade. Nice alternative to soda, although they carry sodas that don't have HFCS. (Another plus in my book.) read more

I like to imagine that the owner of Hat Creek was just sitting on the edge of his seat, waiting for the day Arby's was going out of business so that he could take over their building on Burnet (that's one "t," folks). I mean, he wouldn't even have to re-decorate! He could just slap some Christmas lights on the big hat-shaped sign and open for business. And that's exactly how the new Hat Creek feels. You walk in, the walls are stark white, and the menu placard's in a just awkward enough distance from the counter such that you can't speak to the cashier and read it comfortably at the same time. It's like they just replaced the roast beef with all natural beef patties, the curly fries with regular fries (not bad, but you can't eat 'em without ketchup), and horsey sauce with Blue Bell ice cream shakes. It's fine. Not great, not bad. Just A-OK, like the Yelp rating system says. read more

don't bother with the fies - egular or sweet potato - as dy, wimpy, and flavorless.

We come here fairly regularly because it's food my kids will eat + beer + an enclosed playground. Plus the people who work here are always super nice. But today they went above and beyond: my kid dropped a book in the crack of the deck and cried tears over it. When one of the workers heard, he recruited two other guys who had just finished doing some renovations on the property to pull up part of the deck so my kid could get his book. I mean, who does that?!? We are customers for life. read more

Hat Creek - These are the three guys who pulled up part of the deck so my kid could retrieve his book he dropped. Next level customer service, y'all. - Burgers Near Me - Austin, Texas

Another day, another burger... Just another joint to throw into my Yelp archives so I don't forget that I've already had that same-ol' burger in the same-ol' atmosphere with the same-ol' PGA GOLD BLACK ANGUS BEEF. Yeah... many places seem to advertise that now, and I've come to realize that everytime I've had Angus, it hasn't tasted quite as good as USDA chuck.. but I digress. Onto the burger. The bun was grilled nicely. The burger was really juicy and fresh... but it just seemed to lack that burger greasiness and flavor, which seem to be inseparable. That fatty mouth-feel is almost necessary in MOST burgers, even small ones like at Hat Creek. It appeared to be very well seasoned; in fact, you could see the pepper grindings all over the patty... but it was just so bland for some reason. If it's not going to have its own beefy and fatty flavor, there better be some saltiness to it. Nonetheless, the burger was good enough, the service was quick, the place was clean... another day, another burger. read more

There seem to be many hamburger restaurants poppin' up all over town recently and a whole lot of them seem to be in between 38th and 183 on Burnet. It's difficult to differentiate many of these places and most of them have their own niche. Phil's Icehouse has a kid friendly environment, Billy's on Burnet has many beers on tap, Waterloo has history in Austin, etc... Hat Creek is the latest burger joint to pop up in this area and it is nicely situated right smack in the middle of the "Burger Corridor." I walked in one early evening and to my amazement, the place was empty! That's never a good sign. I took a quick look at their simple menu and ordered the #1 burger combo with complementary jalapeños and grilled onions to go. The burger tasted made to order and the ingredients were fresh too. The fries were a bit over cooked, but seemed to have a nice salty zing to them. I prefer thin fries over the "steak," "curly" or "crinkle cut" varieties. Anyway, as I was eating away at my burger, the strangest feeling fell over me. I forgot where I had brought my burger from! I guess that sort of personifies Hat Creek--it tastes pretty good but it also tastes like so many other places in town. There was not much to distinguish this burger from the overly saturated burger market that's out there. If you're nearby and craving a burger, this is a nice option, but not the best. read more

Hat Creek - Hat Creek - Burgers Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Hat Creek seems to understand that their two biggest competitors in Austin are P. Terry's and Mighty Fine. Their burger and fries are very close competitors to those two chains, but what makes Hat Creek unique is that they don't just serve up burger clones. The Hat Creek Burger has mustard, pickles, purple onions and some fancy fresh lettuce (I don't like tomatoes on my burgers, so I have no idea what their tomatoes look like). The American cheese was thick and fresh (if adding cheese is your thing). It's a tasty burger with a bit of a kick. The fries are good and most important is that they serve crushed ice with their soft drinks. The new location is immaculate to the point of sterile. I'll go back and try some other variations on their burgers (free grilled onions!). read more

Good atmosphere and setting-- not the best burger I've had and it's really nothing special in my opinion. I don't think I'll go out of my way for Hat Creek but it's a solid option. Definitely better than your normal fast food burger! read more

Tried Hat Creek for the first time at lunch last week because of a Twitter deal, something "mention this tweet to get 50% off your burger with cheddar cheese today." So I got the little burger (half hat maybe?) with cheddar cheese, fries and a water. The burger was very tasty, and the fries were just right, not too thin, not too thick, not too salty. The only snafu was the water spigot was broken, so the kitchen staff got me water from the drive-thru in a styrofoam cup and it was the worst water I've ever tasted. Don't get the water! Spring for a soda or tea! Anyway, I will definitely be back! Yum! read more

I'd driven past Hat Creek's hard-to miss giant 10-gallon hat road sign on Burnet many times without stopping in - assuming it was just another solid but unspectacular local burger joint. But Hat Creek is a notch above the various local burger joints (at least those I've tried)... Burger - Comes in two sizes - Little Creek and Big Creek - which amounts to one or two thin patties. According to their site, the beef is natural Premium Grade Angus. The burger was very good but not great. They grill onions on request and I'll have to try that next time. Fries - Fresh-cut, thin, salty, more chewy than crisp. Really liked them. Shakes - Vanilla, chocolate, and cookies-n-cream are avaialble (where's the strawberry and black-n-white?) using Blue Bell ice cream. I had the chocolate shake and it was fantastic. Prices aren't cheap (burger, fries, shake will cost around $11) so be prepared - they're nice but I don't think they'll fall for the Whimpy routine from Popeye (i'll gladly pay you tuesday for a hamburger today....) read more

Eh. With so many good burger places in north Austin I don't see any point in visiting Hat Creek again. The burger was mediocre. Besides the fun sign outside, you lose all character inside. It looks like a fast food restaurant.... it feels like fast food. It reminded me of Whataburger.... not a fast food burger, but it's still fast food. Not bad... but not good. I agree with everyone that the Blue Bell shake was good... but honestly, that's stars for Blue Bell. Hat Creek didn't make that ice cream... they just blended it up. Don't waste your precious calories here... save them for a really good burger. read more

This was my first time here. I met up with a couple of Mocha Moms for a "Fun Lunch" with the babies. We had a nice time. When it was time to place my order I was greeted with a smile, that's always a plus! The Grilled cheese was the best even after it got cold. The chicken nuggets and Sweet potato fries were very tasty. I like how the play area was safe, I wish they did have more to the playscape but it was fun to watch the little ones play. read more

I would love to give Hat Creek more than three stars. It's a local joint (despite the place's look) and the burgers are excellent. Organic beef, lots of toppings and probably the best "skinny fries" around. I like it better than P. Terry's or Terra Burger. The shakes are good too. Problem is, the men's room is outside, around the back. And nobody is cleaning it, from the looks of it. There were wads of used tp on the floor, a huge roll of tp lying on the floor (apparently for customer use!) because it didn't fit the regular-sized roll on the wall. It's pretty appaling. I understand why the dudes wouldn't be welcome at the women/children restroom inside (the whole seat up/down situation) but even cavemen like a clean restroom. Seriously, Hat Creek, address this situation and I'll come back a lot. read more

just average and not great value for the money. Top Notch has a better tasting burger and Casino El Camino even more so. Decor is very sterile - they really need to breath some life into the place. Shake was thick and cost $2.99 more for a regular size to upgrade with the combo. it was $3.49 by itself so if you do the math since you don't get a soft drink, it's really not a good deal. Staff was nice enough. I see potential to make it a great neighborhood place- Phil's/Amy's down the street has done a good job of doing just that. business looks slow . on a subsequent visit we were the only people in the place and the staff of about 6 looked bored to tears- but apparently not bored enough to even crack a little smile :) they just weren't into serving at all- could be that the clock is ticking on this one. read more

One day I was hungry on UT Campus and I saw a sign for Hat Creek that was located inside the stadium. After venturing into the north end zone, it was right there. Unfortunately it is only open for lunch, but they may have some of the best fries in Austin. When you are on campus, the fast food joints are mostly limited to the national chain variety, but Hat Creek provides freshly made hamburgers, turkey burgers, and fries. Yes, you have to actually wait five minutes or so before your food is ready, but this time is well worth it. The kitchen was spotless, well staffed, and well stocked with condiments. The only negative about Hat Creek is that it is not centrally located on UT campus. read more

I had 30 minutes for lunch and Hat Creek seemed like a convenient option. I'm glad I stopped by. Used the drive through and received my order in less than 5 minutes. The staff was friendly and smiling at the pick up window too. I had a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a drink. The burger was tasty and full of flavor from the beef which is important to me. The bacon is just a bonus flavor and texture. Now let me tell you about the fries. Get them! I ate them all before I started the burger. I couldn't stop eating them. They're Hot, skinny and salty. Just as good as Americas favorite fries. I'll make it a point to visit this local chain more often. read more

Milkshakes: 5 (I tried peanut butter) Friendly service: 5 Burgers: 2 average fast food pattie Bun on the burgers: 5- toasted buttered and delicious All in all, not a bad place to stop if you're in the mood for a milkshake, but don't go in search of the best burger. read more

Hat Creek - Thin pattie but great bun - Burgers Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Dropped by Hat Creek for a Tuesday night dinner fix. It was a satisfying burger, not too filling (only went one patty). I liked that the meat had a really nice char-broiled colour to it and that I could have grilled onions at no extra charge. The fries were "rustic" style reminiscent of P.Terrys, and unlike other reviews, mine stayed crisp the whole meal. It was a good burger as far as take-out fast food burger joints go, but I feel there are other joints in town who go further to satisfy a "OMFG I WANT TO MARRY THIS BURGER" craving. Also found the dining room to be a little sterile compared to so many other places in town with a quirky flavour. Reminded me of a huge national chain, rather than a locally conceived business. read more

Hat Creek - burger n fries - Burgers Near Me - Austin, Texas

Loved how kid friendly the restaurant was. The play area was perfect for my kiddos. The food was good, though, I was expecting not such a "fast food" experience. The food was similar to fast food, but was not necessarily fast. The milkshakes took longer than the food. Cleanliness was probably my biggest issue. We were there as soon as the restaurant opened and it just wasn't as clean as it should be. Especially the restrooms. I know this can be problematic when servicing families, however, it's an important aspect. Additionally, there was a lot of ignorance in their product. For example, I have a corn allergy, but they had a lot of trouble telling me what the chicken nuggets were breaded in. Maybe my expectations were a bit misguided. Based on reviews I saw and pictures of the food, I was expecting a different experience. It wasn't a bad experience, but it was not a 5 star experience by any stretch. read more

First time trying Hat Creek Burger Company...so glad I did! Due to covid-19 restrictions I did not get the chance to eat at the restaurant, but I had it delivered via Uber eats. My order was ready and arrived earlier than the anticipated time, they provided me with extra dipping sauces, and the all American burger was so tasty! 5 stars! read more

I came here because I had a Groupon, and to be honest, I confused this place with a different independent burger joint. This place was unimpressive. First of all, they made my burger wrong. It wasn't busy at all, so there's really no excuse for this. What part of "lettuce, grilled onions, and jalapenos only" translates into "I want everything on my burger". So after I picked off all the pickles and tomatoes and did my best to ignore the mustard that they drenched the buns in, I took a bite out of the burger. The bun was soggy, and the meat was meh. Lettuce wasn't fresh, and the jalapenos were pickled. The only good thing about this meal was the fries. They taste just like Mighty Fine's, and how I wish I could say the same for the burger. In a city with as many great burger options as Austin, I say skip this one. read more

First impressions of this Burger from a trailer joint are kinda mixed. It's a fairly tasty burger. Although the burgers our crew got tonight were all way-peppery - like way too much black pepper. Aside from that, they seem a little light on the toppings. I like the fries here - fresh cut and thinner than most places. Perhaps a little on the oily side, but very very tasty. All told - it's a good burger, but not super memorable. They do get bonus points for locating across from Little Woodrows as you can take the food to-go and get beer at Woodrows for the win. However this does not bump them up to a full 4 stars. Lets go with 3.5 for now. read more

With the slew of new burger joints in town all reaching for the $10 mark for a burger/combo, it was a pleasure to discover Hat Creek on Burnet Rd. Formerly the Arby's location (if you squint, you can see how Hat Creek re-used the sign), Hat Creek has a great location, on restaurant row of Burnet. Great fresh ground beef AND turkey burgers, real cut fries, and friendly service. Best of all, they serve A-1 sauce to properly amp up any burger!:) Priced attractively as well. Hat Creek is currently my favorite burger place in town, thanks to the great food, friendly staff and very cool remodeling - you won't see any trace of Arby's! Hat Greek gives Mighty Fine Burger a run for the money without the crowds. Only down-side is the nasty little unisex bathroom that seems like a subway stop. But overall, Hat Creek is a wonderful addition to the eateries on Burnet. read more

I love this place! They have a vegan veggie burger (they serve the vegan Hot Dang patty) and a drive-thru, and you don't usually find both in one joint around these parts. (I'm looking at you, P. Terry's.) I also like the style of fries they serve, which are thin and greasy, and they offer tasty topping options for your burger like avocado and jalapeños. Also, the last time we drove through, both our dogs were in the car with us, and the person working the drive-thru window saw them and pointed them out to a different worker (the manager, maybe?), who brought us two plain burger patties fresh off the grill for our pups! He told us how cute our dogs are (the quickest way into my heart, for sure), and even asked if they're on a vegetarian diet before handing us the burger patties. So thoughtful and sweet! read more

Hat Creek was where I decided to have my first real burger in 3 years. I was sitting at work craving french fries when a co-worker walked in witha bag from Hat Creek....I had one of his fries and decided I needed to have a bag of my very own! I trotted over to Hat Creek and somewhat reluctantly ordered a single cheeseburger to go with my fries. As I was eating the burger, I realized that I would have really preferred a veggie patty ....the toppings were fresh and the bun was toasted and the fries were out of this world...fresh, thin, crispy and perfectly salted. Three stars because of no vegetarian option....I am not even a true vegetarian, but I would have preferred to have something other than the beef hamburger. read more

Just FYI...my reviews are largely based on these factors....healthfulness of food, cleanliness of eatery and eco-friendly traits. Burger joints CAN be healthy to eat at and Hat Creek is trying by offering good beef.....hopefully that is just the start for them and not the only thing they plan to do. In my opinion...Hat Creek's only plus is the beef. It is vegetarian fed beef with no antibiotics, etc. However, they offer white flour Mrs. Baird's buns, non-organic toppings, and high-fructose corn syrup ketchup and sodas. The fries are touted as fresh cut and they were "ok." I did order my burger as lettuce wrapped, and was happy to see they used romaine lettuce instead of iceburg. And while the burger was pretty good...the restaurant itself was not very clean. Cleanliness of the Burnet Road location was "ugh!" The chairs were filthy, the floor awful and even the walls were yucky. The decor is a light blue, which is a really bad color to pick if you want to encourage people to eat. The chairs looked like they had never been REALLY cleaned. As far as eco-friendly.................... they use styrofoam cups! To me there is NO excuse for anyone using styrofoam! So, sorry Hat Creek, even if your food was the greatest burger on the planet, I cannot support any place that uses styrofoam. Keep improving and I might be back....until then, you are number 9 on my top ten list. read more

Okay, burger joints like this seem to be the new food fad in Austin, these days. Come in, read all about their hand-made pickles, "best bread you can buy" and other synonyms for "fresh" and "healthy" are plastered all over the menu. Each of these places tends to have some type of odd or different way to take your order, and then go on to charge you extra just to eat their food. But hey, you're buying from a company that cares, right? Sarcasm aside, this is just a burger joint. Regular "small hat" burgers are tiny... like McDonald's cheeseburger tiny. The "big hat" burger just doubles the meat. Think In-N-Out or P. Terry's in the size department. Fries are standard skin-on fare, with tons of (maybe too much) salt. Burger flavor was okay, but honestly you do not get a lot of the burger patty in a bite, as there is a lot of bread, and a TON of lettuce. Not enough of what I came in for, and that was BEEF. I paid just under $10 for a tiny burger, fries, and a 20 oz drink. For about the same money, I could have eaten at Twisted Rood Burger Co, which is just up the street. Twisted Root doesn't scrimp on anything, and so paying a higher price does not seem lame. However Hat Creek is just as expensive, and leaves you wanting more in the end. As a guy that grew up on a ranch, Hat Creek is "All Hat, and No Cattle", IMO. read more

Being on a medically restricted diet, as I have been for over a year, can be quite trying. I can't eat....most food. Co-workers alternately feel sorry for me and make fun of me. It really impedes the social life, as I can't eat at 99.9% of the restaurants out there. I definitely am NOT supposed to eat burgers, especially not with cheese and NO FRIES!!! I LOVE cheeseburgers and fries, so when I saw the Groupon for $3 for $6 worth of food at Hat Creek, I said, "to hell with it! I'm eating me a cheeseburger." FIrst impressions of Big Hat were that it seemed clean inside. The woman taking my order was not overly friendly, but neither was she unwelcoming. I liked her. I ordered the two patty Big Hat burger combo, which ended up costing me $1.07 (after the Groupon). They serve Coke products (points) and they have great crushed ice (more points). When I got my burger, it was really hot (points). I also noticed that the bun was toasted (more points). The flavor, however, was not my favorite. They had overseasoned with the black pepper. It should have been called a "Black Pepper Burger". The flavor stood out more than the others. I like black pepper. It's a fine seasoning. I just don't like it that much. The fries were hand-cut (more points), but a tad too thin for my liking. Still, they beat the "fries from a bag" that most places serve. Overall, I would say that I had a decent experience. Big Hat gets points off for the overseasoned burger. Plus, I'm not sure how I feel about the two patty concept. Also, the fact that they don't serve onion rings is a bummer. I would have loved some of those, while I was cheating. read more

Food is decent, but the drive thru service is so slow every single time we go. Even when it's not busy and no one else is in line there is a long wait. read more

THIS IS MY BURGER HEAVEN. Great, great burgers but the star of the show is how amazing the burger and fries become with the specialty sauces. I drown my burger in Hat Sauce and use it on my fries as well with some guest appearances from the fry sauce. I would consider the happy sauce amazing (Hat Creek's take on honey mustard) but the other two sauces are just so unique that I don't reach for the happy sauce anymore. Wish they would go back to the old brews. The Silent Ranch brews on tap aren't too impressive but not horrible either. read more