Kitchen employee blew his nose and kept making salads with his bare hands for the rest of the night. I put this in a review three weeks ago along with other failings of this restaurant and no one has responded. Get a new manager. read more

Went for my anniversary dinner and couldn't have been happier with my decision. From the moment my wife and I walked in, the staff was super welcoming. However, the highlight is the food and presentation. Chive puffs with caviar and Wagyu Bavette were out of this world, but the beef tartare stole the show. Can't wait to come back!! read more

Hestia - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Awesome spot. Really utilize cooking on a hearth without you feeling like everything is done the same way. Very different and tasty dishes. Definitely something for everyone. Beef carpaccio was a table favorite. All the desserts were great. Kakigori was #1! read more

Hestia - Beef carpaccio 5.24 (likely subject to change) - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing service and amazing food. The scallops were the best I've ever had. The halibut was cooked to perfection and my husband's steak was as well. The only thing I didn't like was the mushroom rilette they served with the awesome fresh baked bread. read more

Hestia - Halibut with herb butter sauce - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My boyfriend and I came here for the $120 set menu during Covid season and it was a great experience. They easily make food preference/allergy accommodations and the service is fantastic. Most of the dishes were unique, well presented, and well cooked but I wasn't necessarily blown away by the flavor profiles of most of them. The wagyu was one of the best prepared wagyu that I have had but the lions mane sauce it came with was okay. A few of my favorite things were the scallops, crab and s'mores dessert at the end. We also tried 3 drinks that I would also give 4/5 stars. Overall, I would recommend Hestia and it was worth the price point given the ambiance and service but I think i was hoping for a little more in the dishes themselves read more

Good spot downtown. Great service. The food and drinks were ok for what you get. We tried the tasting menu today and left underwhelmed. Creative dishes with very small portion sizes. I have been to many tasting menus and was not too impressed by what you get specially for how much you are paying. I would say its a good spot not my favorite. read more

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This was a really great experience. I love that that chef and the staff interacted with guest and make the experience extra special. Try everything you can not go wrong but the Japanese inspired dessert was my favorite. read more

Hestia was incredibly disappointing. Lets start with our table not being ready because the party in front of us "arrived late for their reservation." After about 15 minutes my friend mentions to the host a glass wine or something while we continued to wait would be nice. She says she would have to talk to the manager and then proceeds to do nothing and ignore us. The other host that sat us about 30 minutes later mentioned she would let the manager know about our inconvenience. Ok cool. So...the noise. I generally roll my eyes when people complain about how loud a restaurant is but when we were greeted by our server and she went into her spiel - I actually could not hear a single word she said. This was true of everyone who talked to us at our table with exception of the chef (more on that later). That brings us to the whole silverware drawer choice. Who would think putting a drawer where you were sitting you had to access throughout dinner was a good idea? I cannot even comprehend this design decision. My friend asked exactly how thin she would have to be to actually be able to easily reach her silverware. Making silverware hard to get? really? For food - it ranged from good (not great or special) to bad. Bites Potato - consensus was "weird texture" and not good Caesar - I ate this and if you can imagine squeezing a strip of mustard onto a lettuce leaf and rolling it up - thats all you need to know. Small Plates Broccoli - this was one of the best things Potato - ok Rolls - tied for one of the best things Cabbage - so I took a bite of this and bit into something that likely should not have been there. It was a whole peppercorn or mustard seed or something up that alley. My tongue burned for a good 10 minutes and my pallet was blown. We didn't touch it after that and let the server know. Mains (fish, chicken and beef) - they were well cooked pieces of meat. I can get well cooked pieces of meat a lot of places. They were not special in any way. Also, the sides served didn't match the menu and no one even said anything about it. Either change the menu to say seasonal vegetables or update your menu regularly. Also, the chef was the only person who came to our table we could hear! He crouched down so he was on the same plane and spoke very loudly - basically all of your staff needs to do this or we can't hear a word they are saying. Desert - we had 3 and wow what a missed opportunity! You have live fire and there is this thing called fruit - the magic that could be created is endless. But instead I'm eating a sweet potato cake that is so cold its almost frozen and has actually zero taste - how is this even possible with tamarind ice cream and those little jellies on top??? So, now lets get back to service and the customer experience. Did a manager ever speak to us - no. Did anything including the dish we returned get comped - no. I will always give a place (especially a new one) a pass on food but I will never excuse bad management and customer service. Edit: I had some follow up texts this morning. My friend's husband was apparently super unhappy she came to bed wreaking like a campfire and suggested all people hose themselves off after they eat here. Also, thankfully, I wore clothes I can throw in the washer. Unfortunately, my friends didn't. So keep these things in mind if you're hoping for a little something-something afterwards or had plans to wear your favorite fur. read more

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NYE 12/31/24 must have been a hard night for Hestia. Arrived at my reservation at 7:30pm, on time, and was told my table wasn't ready and to wait at the bar. I was never asked by the bartender if I needed anything. Also, no valet parking on NYE in downtown Austin is criminal for a Michelin starred restaurant. 30 minutes later they finally sat my husband and myself (after seating multiple parties before us that came in after us)....no explanation, no FOH management presence. Once we were sat we realized the music was so loud everyone was having to yell (and even with that you could still hear the lyrics to the music over all the people)....service was mediocre. Again, there was no finesse with the staff, some dishes were not even explained or told what they were. The food was very mid for a 1 star restaurant as well. We are frequent diners at the other Michelin star restaurants in Austin, as well as many 1,2 and 3 stars around the world. This restaurant had no fine tuning to their service staff, no management to ask how your meal is, nothing. Many dishes were too salty or completely bland. The duck skewers were overcooked and dry, the fermented daikon that accompanied the smoked duck leg tasted like spoiled fish. (completely inedible) We were serve something with caviar on top that was not a listed item. We were not told what it was, nor how we should eat it. It resembled a bread with caviar on it, but was rock hard (from being completely charred and burned on the outside) and when we cut it open and took a bite it tasted like burned marshmallow with caviar on top...very odd. The beef dish was lack luster...no flavor....again service was weird. It is accustom for the female to be served before the man which didn't happen (at the very least for everyone at the table to be served at the same time...which again didn't happen)...for a restaurant with a Michelin star its pretty much a standard thing. The cutlery was sat down wherever the server saw suit. No FOH training and unity to it. We started talking to a couple next to us, the check was delivered and I paid it (600$ for 2 with no alcohol) and once I received the check and signed it...5-10 minutes later we were told that if we wanted to continue our conversation we could do so on the couch but the tables needed to be cleared...so not only was I sat 30 minutes after my reservation time with absolutely no apology, you're now basically booting me from said table I waited and extra 30 minutes for. I feel like Hestia overbooked NYE....I have seen many reviews with the same issue. My halibut dish was dry (like it sat under a heat lamp too long), it was unbearably loud, every part from the food to the service seemed forced and not cohesive. This was my 3rd and final trip to Hestia....if they continue these kind of issues they very well might lose that 1 star, but they definitely will keep losing customers. Get you FOH management under control....they kinda suck for what kind of restaurant you claim to be. read more

Hestia is definitely a place for a special occasion (unless your company is picking up the tab). But we decided to try it for my husband's birthday. The short of it? It was an experience worth the time and the splurge. I love a dish with a story, and man, everything here from the ice they use in their cocktails to the ash-whipped cream sitting alongside the crusty bread risen from the 100-year-old starter to the 60-day aged wagyu dug deep. It all sounds pretentious (it is), but they delivered. What I also loved is that each person who brought out the dish was knowledgeable and happily shared the backstory on the ingredients and the cooking process. What we didn't love? The server. Our server was by far the least informative and helpful. He was annoyed by our questions and didn't bother checking in on us until we were well into our meal, at which point he clearly gave up pretending to care. A shame, considering he was at odds with the caliber of the food served at Hestia and the warm service provided by everyone else who visited our table. But all in all, Hestia offers a pretty unique experience I'd still recommend. read more

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Hestia is maybe my fave restaurant in ATX. Great location. The service is the exemplary. Lucas the sommelier is the bomb. Best Halibut I have ever had. Perfect texture, flavors, and presentation. I came with my girlfriend; we felt very welcome and like the world was our oyster. So many tasty options. It did feel difficult to order, as in we didn't know how the food would guide our night (size, taste, theme) etc. We felt a little pressured to get chefs course tasting. Its not a typical order one thing for your dinner and thats it. No matter what, you're trying 3-4 things over the night. You want to be satiated and full. We were after our waiter(s) guided us. I visited again a month later and got the tasting menu. It was great but felt no theme. Just like all their best stuff one after another, I didn't mind lol. 10/10.. recommend to all. Go here! read more

I have never been more blown away by a restaurant, its food, its staff and its ambience in my life. I love amazing food, but I love a warm, professional and lovely staff just as much. We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary this past Sunday night. I cannot say ENOUGH about this place. I felt like crying the food was so perfect, tasty and complex. The scallops and the delightful broth they were sitting in on the pretty scallop shells was so good, I felt like I had found something like a pot-of-gold broth at the end of a rainbow. I mean REALLY! Plus, what restaurant has ever written a hand-written "happy anniversary" card, placed it on your table and every single part of the staff signed it and drew the cutest little pics!?! I am getting goosebumps while writing this! Ha! I cannot wait to go back and when I do, I will be gushing over with love love love AGAIN! read more

Hestia really deserves a 4.5 stars but that is not an option! As much as I would like to give a 5 star rating, it was not perfect. The restaurant doesn't open until 530 but Hestia owns the bar inside the front of the restaurant that was open, Kalimotxo, so we had a glass of wine while waiting for our reservation time. They serve Spanish tapas/small plates and Spanish wines. FYI, wine is not on happy hour...boo... only cocktails, I believe. The space at Hestia cool. It is dimly lit with hard wood surfaces and exposed air ducts in the ceiling. This did make the acoustics very loud but you can't seem to get away from this in Austin or anywhere else anymore. Adding insult to injury, however, was how loud they played the music in this environment. We had to strain to hear each other over dinner. Even the server struggled a bit to hear us when asking questions. An interesting feature/gimmick, the tables were solid wood with a drawer on each side that contained the silverware for the meal. It was very difficult to open on both sides, I presume because they had not been used much yet. The table on the other side of our partition had the same difficulty and when they did get it open, it was loud and our whole table shook! Also, I am thin and could barely open it enough to get the silverware out. I do not think this is going to work for most people. Now for the most important part, the menu and food. The menu is broken down into snacks, crudo, small plates and entrees. We had what he called himself a "beverage server" that went over the drink menu and snack menu. He suggested ordering 2-4 snacks per person, 1 crudo for two, at least 1 small plate for two and an entree a piece or possibly share. That would be a lot of food! As much as I wanted to try something from every part of the menu, it was not possible for my appetite. From the snack menu, we had 2 beet & avocado, the potato tart, 2 oysters with dried tomatoes in jalapeño oil and 2 scallops in between basil leaves. Everyone of the snacks were an absolute 5 stars! After the beverage server (Justin was ours and was wonderful) did his part and prior to ordering entrees, your chef will come over. Ours was Oliver. He explained the concept of the restaurant, the kitchen, the cooking style and what they are going for. They want the chef involved in your dining. Everything is cooked over a 20 foot fire grill. I believe I was told that there was no gas or electric in the kitchen and that everything is cooked over fire. They strive to be creative and delicious. They really hit the mark. Service was 5 stars all the way around. For entrees, we had the chicken which was roasted and sliced with charred potatoes. The chicken was very moist with crispy skin. It was possibly the most fork tender chicken breast we have ever had...5 Star! There was a beet sauce on the plate that was fantastic! The potatoes, on the other hand, fell a bit short. They were delicious with smokey flavor and the char tasty BUT they were under done. And I don't mean al dente. They were hard in the middle, like raw potato. The potato is served cut into pieces. The smaller pieces were a tiny bit better, but the larger pieces were raw in the middle, like a raw potato. I'm sure this is part of the learning curve for a new restaurant. I really would not expect this to happen a second time. The other entrée we ordered was the Halibut. It was not exactly as described on the menu. It had green peas and white beans, not green beans. It was in an Almond oil cream sauce and topped with chili oil. The fish was cooked perfectly and was very fresh. I could eat this every week! This also was a 5 star dish!!! The wine list is short but thoughtful and we enjoyed our bottle very much. I cannot speak to the cocktail list. Oh, they also gave us some complimentary Parker House rolls. If you're into bread, these are to die for! Dessert was delicious as well. We had the chocolate mousse concoction but I'm not sure what all was in it now. This place is a strong 4.5 stars! I believe once they have found their groove, it will be 5 stars all the way. Their creativity works! It is a must go and be sure to make reservations. It is also extremely pricey, one of the most expensive fine dining restaurants in town, so make sure you take a card with a large available balance....sometimes some food is just worth it! read more

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We are hard core foodies from the PNW and Hestia was an amazing dining experience. The food was creative and the use of heat both low and high was executed to perfection. Our highlights were the oysters, smoked crab tart, bavette steak with croissant potato and the slow cooked halibut. The wine list was extensive and the service impeccable. Our evening at Hestia was remarkable! read more

Amazing food and different then what we currently have in town. Went in on a Wednesday night and the place was packed (reservations encouraged but they have a great bar to eat at). Much like the first time we went to Emmer and Rye (their first restaurant), we were blown away by the innovative flavors and the menu. Kevin and Tavel are creating something special and this will go down as proof that they something special. **Note - you will start to see these open flame cooking styles coming to Austin this year as they have already been established in NYC and SF. The group we went with was from SF and they have been to a few, they thought this was better. If you like new concepts for Austin using traditional methods, then you should make a reservation for this place. Decor and parking - amazing layout with a view of the library above the Shoal Creek bike path. I would recommend getting there before the sun goes down. You are on the street level but feels like you are up on the third floor. Valet parking is around the corner on Nueces south of 3rd street. Appetizers - the crudos are amazing and they have a similar "dim sum" style to some of their appetizers. Kevin's style and experience is very well suited for crudos and he understands how to use micro-greens to the fullest. Main - We don't eat red meat but our party loved the short rib. Given that they have a 24ft. open flame grill for cooking, I would think that their red meat and pork dishes would be outstanding. Had the chicken and the fish - both were some of the best we have had in town and were perfectly cooked and complimented. Dessert - we took the advice of Tavel and headed to the bar for the Basque Cheesecake - it is like regular cheesecake but cooked a little higher temp so had a crust on the outside. Amazing and like nothing we have had before. Drinks and Wine - Great Spanish list and like Emmer, they have really fun stuff without going overboard on price. I would recommend the bar for a drink before or after. They have some very interesting gin and mezcal drinks with a lot of house made syrups (Sunflower oil in a gin martini....I know sounds disgusting but for a gin drinker I was blown away. Also have a good wine list by the glass and fun spanish style cocktails. read more

Very impressed with this restaurant. Food was amazing and so was the service! Had the tartare & waffles appetizer, bread service, halibut and pork chop. Halibut was probably one of the best I've ever had. Also had a very cool vibe and decor. Modern without being too pretentious. Will definitely be going back! read more

How does one write a review for food that felt like it was gifted from the gods? Seriously, incredible. Definitely a price tag but 100% an experience that should not be missed. Highlights: lions mane mushroom, Murray cod, sourdough ice cream. read more

Could I be anymore obsessed with a restaurant? Chef Adam's menus never disappoint and the entire experience is 100x worth booking a reservation. read more

I will start by saying Hestia was probably one of the best dining experiences I've had in Austin, and probably overall, so I cannot praise them enough. To start we had the Beef Carpaccio (the GREATEST beef carpaccio I've had in Austin, also my favorite dish of the night), the Oysters which were good and dressed in delicious, and the Scallops which were incredible - the jelly and broth on these were a powerhouse of flavors! We also got the Tuna which was simply beautifully plated and generously cut. On to the entrees - and I can't stress this enough - no matter what else you order, get the Halibut. It's absolutely delicious a MUST. I can eat that everyday and still be blown away by the flavors. We also got the Lions Mane Mushroom, I wasn't a fan of the texture but the flavor was outstanding. Dessert was a hit as well, somehow we managed to save room for it! Lucas our server was PHENOMENAL - incredibly knowledgeable about the menu & wines, and answered any questions without it feeling like a lecture. We also got a round of cocktails to start - both strong & refreshing - and split a bottle of Brunello with dinner. Great wine list btw. Hestia, thank you for an incredible evening, will 100000% be back soon to try everything else on the menu. read more

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Unreal. Booked a large party reservation, so we were set up with the prix fixe menu, which I don't see why you would do it any other way. Everything was incredible from start to finish, and there just aren't enough adjectives to describe the experience other than memorable. Food 10/10 - We loved every bite, but the standouts to me: beef tartare with the drool-worthy hearth waffles, the king salmon, roasted beet, halibut, and Texas wagyu bavette. Service 10/10 - We had a LARGE party, and we genuinely felt taken care of at every level. Food was perfectly timed, consistently received excellent drink recommendations, and every dietary need was accommodated. One of my favorite meals of 2021 and likely will be my favorite meal of 2022. Thank you, Hestia! Looking forward to seeing you again :) read more

Everything about my dinner here was perfect. I made a reservation for a friend's birthday. They had the table ready to go and had a card everyone signed for her. The service was amazing from everyone from start to finish. And the food.... PHENOMENAL! Every bite was amazing. They were very knowledgeable about gluten free modifications for us as well. read more

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All I can truly say is WOW. From the scallops, endives, pork to the most interesting desert of sourdough ice cream. The flavors were truly outstanding and if you enjoy a solid meal, please run to Hestia. Staff from the hostess to the waitperson go out of their way to make you feel welcomed. I can't wait to return! read more

Could not recommend highly enough! Our anniversary dinner could not have been more special. From the moment we entered the staff were friendly, congratulatory and accommodating, and the server James, the kitchen, bartender and front of house went above and beyond to make our night one of our favorite experiences at a restaurant. Everything was delicious, the steak, scallops, and dessert were divine, and the atmosphere was extraordinary. Thank you for an incredible dinner and menu. read more

This is probably be the fastest I've ever written a review but it's only because it's so well deserved. We went to Hestia yesterday for our anniversary and boy did we pick a great spot to celebrate. The restaurant itself is elegant and intimate and the perfect date night spot. Every single person we came into contact with wished us a happy anniversary and asked how long we've been together. They even had a cute little card waiting on our table signed by the staff, a much appreciated gesture! To start, our waitress came over to pour us a complimentary glass of champagne but I had to politely decline since I'm pregnant. She then brought me one of their signature mocktails and it was delicious. To start we had the smoked crab tarts, milhojas and scallops. Every dish was better than the last but the scallops were *chef's kiss.* We both got the 8 oz wagyu bavette cooked medium rare and it was excellent. The potato croissant was the perfect side, and the jus was delicious! For dessert we ordered the sourdough ice cream and it was one of the most creative and delicious things we've ever had. I can't wait to go back postpartum and be able to try all of their offerings! read more

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We had a great experience at Hestia! As soon as you walk in, the atmosphere and decor are astounding. The views are also spectacular. The menu was easy to navigate and our waiter was very helpful with recommendations. They also had the menu creator/chef come out and explain each main item in great detail. He was super friendly and helpful! All the food was very tasty and served quite quickly. I can't wait to go back! read more

Sometimes, you run across a meal that takes you by surprise and completely makes you think, "this food is expensive, crazy expensive, but somehow, it is worth it!". That was my first (but definitely not my last) experience at Hestia. I highly recommend the Halibut (which I am pretty sure is a foreign word that loosely translates to, "AMAZING") was blended with a sweet and tangy corn and mixture of spices that was just short of glorious. Now, speak of rising to glory, the cocktail completed the effort! Get yourself a "Sincerely, Anonymous", you can thank me later. read more

The food and service were 100%!!! Oysters, scallops, crab custard, beet pear, Berkshire pork chop and kakigori... I mean read more

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Honestly just picked this place randomly! Honestly the best meal I've had in Austin! If you have the time this is a must try! read more

Hestia - Scallops. Omg these are amazing!! - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Hostess told us they are understaffed and their is a virus outbreak amongst the employees. Gave us the run around. Not sure what is going on here. Too political for my taste. read more

Positive: friendly, attentive, fantastic service, beautiful hearth, interesting menu with good concepts. Negative: I'm sorry to say, but does not deliver on the promise and definitely doesn't deliver on the price. Food was sparse, overpriced and sometimes not cooked correctly. Grisly, chewy steak that cost almost $60 but was unpleasant to eat. Scallop dish that tasted great but was served on a wobbly scallop shell that made it really difficult to eat. Halibut was also tasty but small and slightly over cooked. I can see what they were going for, but everything from the modernist, ultra-dark interior to the tiny overpriced bites seemed like style over substance. Being chic should not come at the expense of the diner. All in all, couldn't taste the soul. Hestia is the goddess of the harvest, goddess of plenty. Definitely did not get any of that feeling throughout. read more

This place has the most amazing food! We were in Austin, visiting friends, and they suggested we all go there for dinner. They had made a reservation, so we were seated right away. We had an appetizer that was a scallop served in a garlicy broth inside a seashell. It was probably one of the best scallops that I had ever eaten. So much flavor packed in a small shell! My husband ordered the chicken while I had the 6oz Wagyu. It was so tender, I could cut it with my fork. It was incredible! Love this place and can't wait to go back! read more

Amazing food. Two hours well spent. Highly recomendé for a date night . Daniel from Orlando

Very nice restaurant in the heart of Austin. The staff were kind, the smell of the place itself was indulgent and the food even better. Highly recommend the Japanese shaved ice dessert (would share it)! read more

Loved everything about Hestia! The atmosphere, the people, and especially the food! GO!

Service was impeccable. Friendly staff and supporting staff. The food was average at best. The restaurant seems more focused on the presentation then the taste profiles. They seem to try to hard to be different then to get it right. Some things can be a bit much in terms of flavors coming together. The ambiance is also very nice. My suggestion is to go somewhere else and let them get the food right. It's way too expensive for average food. read more

Impeccable service, unbelievable food, extensive wine selection, knowledgeable and kind staff... all in all, a perfect evening! The pork chop was easily one of my top 5 meals of all time, of all my travels. This place is amazing - highly recommend! Important note - this is a black owned business too, and I always love supporting diverse businesses. I can't wait to come back! read more

If you're looking for that perfect combo of delicious food and fantastic service, look no further. Hestia is a gift sent from the heavens above. (Seriously, no exaggeration) From the minute you sit down your every need gets catered. Fantastic wine selection as well. Now the food.... The food is unlike anything I can describe.... Every single plate has a purpose and story that just makes sense. I think I could honestly say love everything on the menu. read more

Just finished up a dinner here. Food is definitely above average. We ordered a great assortment of appetizers and entrees, a total of 5 dishes to share between the two of us. The crab tart was the first thing we tried and I have to say, the salt was overpowering. It was disappointing because I could tell the crab was really fresh, it's just that the salt was so strong, I feel like I paid $8 for a salt bite. The beet salad was excellent, and the scallops were excellent too, but there was only two of them for almost $30 and no sides on that dish. The steak we ordered was excellent too but the sunchoke side seemed overcooked and there just wasn't enough of it to be considered a side, more like a garnish. Overall for $65 a disappointing entree experience. We also got the maitake mushroom entree which was very good, just again, no sides and one giant mushroom on a plate for somewhere over $30. The bill came in at $185 (before tip), we had no drinks, just water and 5 dishes. We are both very small people and left still with room in our stomachs. For this amount of money, the food simply didn't do it for us. The servers describing the dishes was a nice touch, but they spoke too fast and it was too loud in there to hear anything. I left feeling like we were somewhat taken advantage of, which is a feeling I have not felt in a while. Will not be back due to food being incredibly overpriced for the portion size offered. read more

Our waiter Jackson was great. The other staff who brought us food and drinks through the night were also great; informative, personable, friendly. Scallops, oysters, bread, halibut all amazing. Tartare was forgettable but not bad. Sourdough ice cream was amazing and unlike anything I've ever had read more

So good....it's been awhile since I have been to a great restaurant with Covid that I almost forgot what is was like. Everything at this place has an inventive twist that will delight your senses. The appetizers and deserts were great. It's hard to find a restaurant that does both appetizers and desserts well. I have truly only been to one other restaurant that accomplished both. Worth you time and money if you are traveling through the Austin area. read more