If you're looking for one of the best Asian dining experiences in Austin, put 1618 Asian Fusion at…read morethe top of your list. I came here on a word-of-mouth recommendation, and I was intrigued before I even sat down. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a beautifully designed waiting area showcasing the restaurant's many awards and accolades. It immediately sets the tone that you're in for something special. We came with one goal: try as many things as possible. Saturdays are perfect for that because they offer dim sum. We started with the Pho Xiao Long Bao (Wagyu beef soup dumplings) and the Korean pancakes. The soup dumplings completely stole the show. Perfectly cooked, delicate wrappers, rich and flavorful broth, and with just a touch of chili oil...absolute perfection. I've had soup dumplings in many places, and these are hands down the best I've ever had. I say that with my whole chest. The Korean pancakes were also outstanding. Crispy on the outside, tender inside, with that perfect balance of savory and just a hint of sweetness. Every bite had great texture and flavor. For our entrées, my husband ordered the Banana Salmon. It was spectacular. It's one of those dishes that makes you question whether you've ever really had good curry before. The spice wasn't about heat, it was about depth, warmth, and layers of beautifully balanced flavor. I ordered the Crab&Shrimp Tom Yum Coconut Fried Rice, and this dish deserves its own paragraph. The presentation alone is stunning. The fried rice is served inside a fresh coconut, surrounded by banana leaves and topped with a beautiful orchid. But thankfully, it tastes every bit as incredible as it looks. The coconut adds a delicate sweetness without overpowering the dish. The crab was plentiful, sweet, and incredibly fresh, while the shrimp were perfectly cooked, not a second overdone. Dishes like this require impeccable timing because every ingredient cooks differently, and somehow every single component was flawless. It was one of the best fried rice dishes I've ever eaten. The service was equally impressive. Everyone was warm, attentive, and happy to offer recommendations based on their most popular dishes. They even told us about their live music nights, which immediately gave us another reason to come back. The table next to us was having Pho and needed with the mango sticky rice and I am coming back for that. Overall, 1618 Asian Fusion delivered on every level, beautiful atmosphere, exceptional food, and genuinely welcoming service. It's one of those restaurants that leaves you planning your next visit before you've even paid the bill. Highly recommend!

Their lychee martini is to die for. I'm not a big fan of lychee as fruit but combined with…read moremartini, it turns into something else, so gooood!!! The lunch was delicious and the interior is modern and cool. They have some live concerts on some of the evenings and that's when I want to come next time.

I usually don't like leaving bad reviews, but wow--that was FOUL. I ordered the rice medallion…read moresauté with the recommended pork belly as my protein and asked for no mushrooms. The girl taking my order was friendly and even double-checked if it was an allergy--I told her no, I just really don't like mushrooms. But when I got home and started eating, everything in that dish tasted like mushrooms--or at least had that same gross, slimy, squishy texture. Even the pork belly (I think?) was soft, squishy, and honestly disgusting. Pork belly can be amazing when it's grilled or fried and crispy, but this was the total opposite. I don't get the hype around Koriente at all. The only good thing was the friendly and honestly super fast service.

I've ordered from Koriente through Uber Eats before and have really enjoyed the food--it's…read moreconsistently flavorful and satisfying. I recently visited in person and got my usual order, the shiitake tofu, which was just as delicious as I remembered. That said, the overall dine-in experience could be improved. I tried the tea for the first time and, unfortunately, it wasn't quite to my taste. That was the main reason my rating is a bit lower this time. Also, a small note on the bento box: it typically comes with a tea included, but this wasn't made very clear during ordering. My friend didn't realize it was complimentary until someone else in our group ordered, which led to some confusion. It might help to clarify that more up front to avoid any misunderstandings. Still, I really appreciate the quality of the food and will definitely continue to order again!

Great food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and came…read moreout quickly. I'll definitely be coming back!

One of my friends and I had a meet up at Azure, a Vietnamese restaurant located on North Lamar in a…read morestrip mall. I suggested this restaurant because it had 4.9 / 5.0 rating (67 reviews). This charming Pan-Asian café is warm, welcoming and with quite a lot of personality. The menu captures unique tastes such ascreamy udon, crispy chicken karaage, pho dip banh mi, croffles, bingsu, and Vietnamese coffee. The atmosphere is relaxed and laid-back. Neon signs, cute décor, and a laid-back vibe with cats as its focal point bring this restaurant to life. The store manager and staff were super friendly and welcomed any questions regarding the menu. The vibe was familial. Also, the music playing in the background was quietly intoxicating. My friend ordered the Banh Xeo Tacos, which she enjoyed very much. The bonus was they were gluten-free. I was not very hungry at the time, but I can always find room for dessert...so, Mango Bingsu was my dessert de jour! Mango Bingsu is when mango marries shaved ice (milk-based) and sweeten condensed milk. It reminded me of the desserts I had in China. Yummy! Azure is a whole vibe...it is the real deal! Definitely returning...

I first heard about OKO about a year ago and never got a chance to visit until recently for a…read moreValentine's Day dinner. Leading up to it we were pretty excited since we've seen a lot of online buzz about the place Man...we were super disappointed. I immediately knew we made the wrong choice when I ordered a "Banana Old Fashioned" and the only thing "banana" about it was a tiny banana chip that got tossed in a normal old fashioned (no joke, see pics) The prices on each of the items are also way too high for what it is. And the amount of food they give you is like ordering a side dish. You could get better bang for your buck at a food truck, and I'd argue that you can probably get better tasting food at a food truck too It's not even about the amount of food. If the quality was good, the price can be justified, but just because a waiter tells you how to dip your food in the sauces that it comes in, doesn't make it "fancy" You can tell this place loves their fish sauce, cause that's the only flavor you're going to get here Dessert was an absolute joke. Two scoops of blue bell ice cream with fruity pebbles sprinkled on top. Something that also bothered me at the end is that they pass on the credit card fees (3%) onto the customer. It'll say on the receipt. Even fast food restaurants don't do this. Waiters were very nice. Vibes were okay except for the "Valentine's Day" paper menu having a lot of food smeared on from previous diners. It was just another classic "let's charge NYC prices in Austin" type restaurant. Absolutely joke.

I took my partner here to celebrate a birthday and it was perfect. The restaurant is dim, moody,…read moreand elegant. Also loved that I could take him here without breaking the bank. We ordered the hamachi, the pork belly, and the kare kare, and had the halo halo for dessert. I also got the karaoke girl cocktail. I would say the portion sizes are in the small side but for everything we ordered between the two of us, we did end up being full enough, not belly hurting. Every bite is well balanced with yummy flavors and textures. Leanne was our server and she was awesome. I love when servers describe the dish and recommend how to get the best bite. Can't wait to come back!

Mom's Special Cooking IS actually special. As far as I know, it's the only place to get Burmese…read morefood in Austin, and it is wonderful. The restaurant itself is clean, bright and welcoming, the decor is nice with a good selection of those Burmese puppets and other charming doodads, and the people who run the place are lovely. Of course, the real test is the food, and judging from the lunch I had there today, this place should be a winner. My friend and I shared a tea leaf salad as appetizer, and it lives up to the best I had in Myanmar. We both tried variations on the Shan noodle entree, dry (as opposed to a soup-based version) and both the chicken and pork types were delicious, with a wonderful complexity of flavors and textures. So far, the only concession I noticed to American tastes was in the portion size. The entrées were huge, which is OK by me, as I am already looking forward to dinner and maybe breakfast! The service was very friendly, and we got to chat with mom, the genius behind these great flavors, and she is as wonderful as the food she cooks. If you're familiar with Burmese food, you're in for a treat. If you're not, give it a try - - because I selfishly hope that this restaurant will be around for a good while.

If you were anything like me when growing up, you always looked forward to your mom's cooking. Her…read more"special cooking" was not about elaborate dishes. It was a simple meal made with love and basic ingredients such as rice, vegetables, and meat. When she cooked, the kitchen became the focal point of the house. You could smell the aroma wafting through the entire house and enveloping you like a warm winter coat. Mom's Special Cooking restaurant is based on this same principle...really good food made simply. I got a chance to meet "mom", and she was the quintessential mom figure...warm, friendly and welcoming. Also, the restaurant feels lived in and homey. I ordered the tempura shrimp and was more than pleased. The shrimp were served on a wooden skewer in an oblong shape. This was not your typical shrimp skewer. First, the shrimp had an oblong shape. Importantly, the tempura was extremely lite and enjoyable to eat. In addition, the shrimp skewers were bursting with flavor.

Went to Qi for dim sum brunch and overall had a really enjoyable experience. Qi is know for…read morecombining western and traditional Chinese cuisine by using local organic farming. Did not have a reservation on this occasion, but they always make me feel welcome and manage to fit us in. Sat on the outdoor covered patio that was cool and shaded. The atmosphere is modern and lively, making it a great spot for a weekend brunch. Started the meal with cocktails including Lycheetini with Deep Eddy Vodka, Giffard Lichi-li. lemon, cranberry, I cut the cranberry. Also had a Fresa Paloma with Socorro Reposado Tequila, Contratto, strawberry, lime, grapefruit, five-spice that was very sweet and garnished with a flower. You are given a card where you can mark your dim sum selections. I ordered the Shrimp Pancake, Snow Crab Ball and Chinese Sausage Sticky Rice. The standout was the shrimp pancake that had a really great texture and flavor. The snow crab ball had a strange texture with shrimp surrounding the snow crab claw. The Chinese Sticky Rice is always a favorite. Also ordered the Truffle Egg Fried rice and Birds Nest with Seasonal Vegetable. The Truffle rice is so flavorful like a flavor explosion in your mouth. The Birds Nest is made with fried potato shreds which contain the a variety of vegetables including cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms and asparagus. The nest is also edible and has a crunchy texture. The presentation of the food is amazing and everything came out hot and fresh. The flavors were on point, and you can tell there's attention to detail in the preparation. Service was attentive outdoors and the pacing of dishes felt just right for a relaxed brunch. This restaurant is truly a gem whether you come for brunch or dinner service. Will definitely be back.

I wasn't as blown away by the service and menu as I hoped- but continue to hear great things so…read moreI'll be back. Can't recommend the truffle fried rice or soup dumplings enough. The chicken basil pot stickers and pork belly were good.. but a bit dry for my taste. However, the sauces they offer were all good. Martini was a jump scare in color but taste was on pointtt! Service was fine but we were out front on the patio and though our waiter was attentive while we ordered, we ended up finishing and waiting 40 minutes for someone to come by so we could grab the check. I ended up just heading inside and the maître d' was able to close us out. Tables around us were open so I'm not sure what had them held up, and it could've been a one off, but definitely not ideal at this price point.

Great spot! These were some dishes I've never really tried before, and they packed a lot of flavor…read more I'm glad I got this introduction to Malaysian food. Malaysian Spiced Wings - Big juicy wings, with some curry-like sauce, really delicious. Curry Laksa (vegetables) - I've only ever Laksa noodles in store bought ramen packs, and I thought they tasted very similar. EXCEPT, the curry laksa here just had much more depth of flavor. The kind of broth that tastes like its been stewing for hours rather than the ramen kind. Nasi Lemak (chicken) - Tasty dish, but wasn't the fan of the texture. I like a curry where there are different ingredients and textures, but this one was a bit too mushy. I still enjoyed the dish overall and the pickled veggies were a nice addition, but I'd proably try something different next time. Kaya Pandan Jam Toasted Croissant - I can't exactly describe what the kaya pandan jam tasted like, but it's really nice. Creamy, not too sweet, maybe a slightly earthy flavor. I really enjoyed it though.

Visited this local grocery store around the corner from my hotel, and noticed that there was a…read moreMalaysian food pop-up there called Wee's Cozy Kitchen. It piqued my attention enough that I decided to come by several hours later to get my dinner there. Bit of a unique setup as it's literally just a desk at the front with a menu you can order off. You put your order in on Square and wait. And then someone comes to bring your food out all nicely wrapped up! This is probably because the person who would take your order is actually also making the food in the bank/ Ordered the Beef Rendang, since I wanted to try something that was uniquely Malaysian. The beef was very tender and paired well with the sauce. It also had an unexpected spicy kick to it, but it wasn't overwhelming. Did not expect to find Malaysian food in a downtown Austin grocery store, but here we are!

Loro was one of the highlights of our trip to Austin. It's an excellent spot for large groups…read morebecause there's something for everyone. The menu has a great variety of Asian-inspired barbecue, smoked meats, shareable plates, and sides, so everyone in our group found multiple dishes they loved. Everything we ordered tasted incredibly fresh, and the quality really stood out. The combination of barbecue and Asian flavors was unique without feeling overdone. Although I would reorder everything again, these are the following things that I still dream about: crunchy sweet corn fritters, char siew pork belly, smoked shishito queso, and smoked butcher's cut. The laid-back atmosphere made it easy to relax, share food, and enjoy good conversation. If you're visiting Austin with friends or family and want a place that offers delicious food, plenty of variety, and a fun, casual vibe, Loro is an easy recommendation. We'll definitely be back.

This is really disappointing because we genuinely love Loro and eat here pretty regularly…read more I currently have a hip injury, so we ordered curbside pickup. After receiving the notification that our order was ready, I waited in the designated curbside spot for about 10 minutes. Eventually I had to painfully get out of the car, only to find our food sitting on the pickup shelf while employees were standing around talking. The much bigger issue came when we got home. We were eating dinner while watching a movie in dim lighting when I happened to notice my boyfriend's chicken was completely undercooked. It was still pink throughout, with some areas even appearing bloody. By the time we realized it, he had already eaten quite a bit of it. He ended up spending the night very sick. Undercooked chicken is a serious food safety issue, not just a quality issue. Mistakes happen, but serving raw chicken can make people extremely ill, and that's exactly what happened here. I'm posting this because I hope management takes it seriously. We have always enjoyed Loro, which is why this experience was so shocking. I hope they improve both their food safety practices and their curbside service so this doesn't happen to someone else.