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Austin, TX

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Hoover's Cooking

3.6 (1.1k reviews)
Closed • Closed
Updated over 3 months ago

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HOOVER'S COOKING ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Hoover's Cooking

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Chicken-Fried Steak Cutlet (1) & 2 House Mates
Pax S.

Well, the chicken fried steak might not be completely dead! My friend and I went to a KUTX show (ATXplained) and learned that this dish is slowly fading out of the city. Wild! Yes, chain restaurants serve a chicken fried steak but are they doing it this well? Not at all! I ordered unsweetened tea, okra, and mashed potatoes with mine. Everything was perfect with the addition of some more cracked pepper. Our server was nice (a little rushed for only having two tables) and he made sure the drinks were full and that we ordered dessert. Lord have mercy--the praline bread pudding is otherworldly. I remember eating it cold out of my fridge the next day...it was that good! Only thing I was underwhelmed about was my friend's jalapeño creamed spinach. It didn't have a jalapeño bite to it and the bitterness took over. My okra was warm, not hot. The ambiance felt like an after-church service dining room -- super cozy. I will definitely be back to keep this place on Manor Rd. It was cool to see Mr. Hoover himself! Support this business!

Gumbo Cup
Fellman B.

Hoover's has been an Austin staple for Southern soul food cooking since the late '90s. It's very sad that they will be closing after 30 years in June. I went there this week for a sad event: a memorial to celebrate the life of Jamie Breaux, the husband of a friend of mine, who was a manager and chef there for 20 years. Owner Hoover Alexander and other friends and relatives shared heartfelt memories of Jamie. After the speeches, Hoover's opened a buffet line featuring some of their famous dishes: brisket tacos, barbecue wings, fried chicken, gumbo (Jamie's famous recipe), and étouffée (a classic Louisiana dish meaning "smothered," featuring shellfish like crawfish or shrimp in a rich, savory sauce served over rice). And the desserts!: banana pudding and a fig cake, (À special combination of churro and another ethnic dessert I forgot.) À band featuring Jamie's friends played a few songs. Milford Milligan, À local favorite blues singer, joined for an appropriate song: "À Good Day for the Blues." It made me cry! The restaurant is cozy, and it was specially decorated with flowers on the tables and images of Jamie throughout. Hoover Alexander was so welcoming and personable. Austin will miss him at this restaurant (though he may have another restaurant concept up his sleeve after the closing). He is too committed to serving great food to stop now! Before Hoover's, he owned a restaurant called "Good Eats." Hoover's Heals: "I have long sought to live in a state of gratitude and love, believing as l do that love-love for community, love for neighbors and friends, love for oneself-will deliver us from the obstacles and difficulties in life. Now I am bringing love into Hoover's Cooking in a new way that embraces everyone through Love Rocks Texas. We all know that Love Rocks our world, but Love rocks are a physical expression of all we hold dear. I hope you will join us in creating and sharing Love Rock by painting or posing with a Love rock. The permanence and stability of a rock lends its strength to becoming a Love The Love Rocks will, in part, be used to sustain the Hoover's Community Fund. 33% of the sale of Love Rocks will go to the Hoover's Community Fund to be disbursed to nonprofits focused on our community. This is one way that we spread the love. At Hoover's Cooking, we know that Food is Love. We invite you to share the food and love with us.".

Small cornbread serving with fried catfish in the background.
Sherrill J.

Great location and environment. Authentic down home menu. Great service and great food. L ordered fried catfish with collard greens and fried okra. I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes (gravy), fried okra and a small cornmeal. Everything was outstanding. Comfort food at its best!

Meatloaf
Rich M.

Hoover's has changed. The restaurant that was an absolute GO-TO for years seems to be in decline. The food was OK. The service was OK...except that our server didn't seem to have any clue about the menu. Low energy, a lazy vibe and paint-by-numbers food. What was spectacular is now just average. It's sad.

Buttermilk pie
vonnie v.

My bf and I used to LOVE Hoover's. Their breakfast menu on the weekends was amazing especially their hoe cakes and cheddar garlic grits. Their ribs and creamy jalapeño spinach was the main attraction on the dinner menu. Then their breakfast menu was discontinued. Then the jerk ribs disappeared from the menu. My bf and I stopped going. We heard Hoover's was closing its doors forever on May 31, 2026. We decided to go back for old times sake's. We started off with the wings as an appetizer and those were delicious however we didn't get them until much later. The server apologized and said there was a mixup and offered us a free cornbread on the house. I never tried their world famous chicken that's boasted about on their t-shirts. I got two housemates (sides) so I chose the fried okra and mashed potatoes. My bf selected the jerk chicken and butter beans and creamed spinach. The cornbread arrived and was dry. The highly anticipated fried chicken had no flavor at all. The mashed potatoes were dry. I asked for gravy but it never came. The okra was hot and fresh. My bf's jerk chicken was also flavorless and a small serving. No seasoning whatsoever although the sauce that came with it made it better. His sides were good. We had never tried their pies so got two buttermilk slices and two peach pie slices to go. They were very disappointing. The buttermilk didn't taste like buttermilk and was full of nutmeg, we thought for a second it was pumpkin but pumpkin wasn't an option. The crust on both pies tasted old and was soggy in texture. We were charged for the cornbread so we called server over who corrected it. The servers were friendly. On the way out we decided to buy some t-shirts to remember Hoover's. We talked with the cashier and he said the head cook who smoked the jerk ribs left and they couldn't get them right after that so that's why they were discontinued because the quality was no longer there. We wanted to support Hoover's and pay tribute to the restaurant but the quality of the food has definitely declined although I'm sad to see its doors closing after 30+years. A lot of good memories there but this last visit isn't one of them. Bottom line: good sides and appetizer but flavorless main entrees and sad desserts is why I gave it 2 stars.

Ambulance Delivery
Paul D.

Hoover's Cooking is all about serving the local community with southern comfort food much of which is locally sourced. I have dined here before a few times in the past and was excited to return. It is located in an area full of new popular eateries, but this place is a landmark. There was plenty of parking and was easy to find. It is all table seating except a few booths. I noticed the staff took their time to seat and serve you. No rushing which made me feel more like being at my parents. It was very calm. I also noticed the "Love Rocks TX." slogan all over with a huge collection of painted rocks to spread love which remind when I myself painted a rock during Covid. There was a charm about this place watching an older man painting away. I ordered the 2PC Fried Chicken Dark with 2 House Mates, Macaroni & Cheese and Green Beans, and Sweet Tea. From looking around this place it displays local Austin history all around including items from the Frisco Shop. Once our heavy plates of food arrived the fried chicken looked very good. The food was very hot. I tried a chicken leg and the crust was crunchy and tasty. The chicken was also very delicious. The mac & cheese was great along with the green beans which had chunks of brisket in it. Overall it was really good where it was not spicy at all and perfect for older folks. Really good fried chicken. Planning to return to try the fried catfish or BBQ chicken.

Interior
Calondra B.

Texas home cooking at its best, owned by Hoover Alexander. There's a great culinary bio of this African American Austin native on their website. There's a hostess stand as you enter, then you are led into the dining area. It has a clean welcoming interior with a large chalk menu on the wall. No wait, with several customers streaming in during our visit. Delicious reasonably priced entrees and certainly a neighborhood gem. It is clearly visible from the street with parking in front. This one is a keeper. Not far from the restaurant, in this well known East Austin neighborhood is the Dr. Charles E. Urdy Plaza tile mural great for selfies.

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Is there better fried chicken in Austin than at Hoovers? Nope. Just wish I lived closer.

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Page 5 of 27

Hoover's Cooking Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Hoover's Cooking

Mr. Hoover, Why have you stopped serving breakfast? Best cheese grits I've EVER eaten!

I heard it had to do something with staffing. I miss those pancakes :(

Has Hoover's stopped serving breakfast on Saturday mornings?

Yes

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Moonshine Grill - White chocolate bread pudding

Moonshine Grill

4.4(6.4k reviews)
1.8 mi•Downtown
•$$

Amazing Food, Incredible Drinks & Fantastic Service!…read more What an absolutely fabulous experience at Moonshine Grill in Austin! From the food to the drinks to the service, everything was fantastic! Jessica took great care of us and made our visit even more enjoyable. The ambiance was also really nice, with cute rocking chairs out front and lots of mirrors all over the walls. We had the grilled cheese sandwich with burnt ends, and WOW! The combination of the amazing onions and gooey, delicious cheese was out of this world! We also ordered the sweet potatoes, and I cannot say enough about how good they were! Perfectly sweet and absolutely delicious. Seriously, SO SO good! And the drinks? The lavender lemonade was AMAZING! Refreshing, delicious, and the perfect complement to an already fabulous meal! Between the incredible food, fantastic drinks, and Jessica's wonderful service, this place was a winner all around! If you're in Austin, Moonshine Grill is definitely worth a stop! We loved every bite and sip!

Don't sleep on Moonshine Grill! We've been here a number of times and recently returned for dinner…read moreafter an event at the Fairmont Hotel. We somehow snagged nearby street parking and a table for two with no wait despite it being a busy Saturday evening after a UT football game. Make a reservation if you have a large party or are on a tighter schedule. It's a bit loud for those seated in the lobby/entrance area, but totes a vibe. For food, we ordered the blackened catfish, brisket burnt ends quesadillas, and harvest bowl to share. Everything was delicious and served quickly, even with the aforementioned dinner rush. 10/10 would order the same items again. I was so appreciative of the server splitting the entree over two plates without us asking. Did I mention the complimentary popcorn and cornbread? Twas a FEAST. I'm already thinking about the next time we're going back! If not for Moonshine, definitely for the speakeasy downstairs.

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Moonshine Grill - Dining area

Dining area

Moonshine Grill - Garlic appetizer

Garlic appetizer

Moonshine Grill - Bourbon pour

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Bourbon pour

Paperboy East - Cheddar Hashbrowns

Paperboy East

4.5(1.5k reviews)
1.2 mi•East Austin
•$$
Locally owned & operated
Free parking

The food was fantastic. The service and ambience are very good. We loved the rooftop patio.read more

Best biscuits and gravy I've ever had. Hint: order the fried chicken and biscuits with gravy, minus…read morethe chicken, with two eggs sunny-side up. ~~~~~~~~ I'm from the Boston area, where biscuits and gravy aren't something you see on menus very often unless you seek out a Southern restaurant. But I went to school in Oklahoma, where I first discovered them, and whenever I'm south of the Mason-Dixon line, I sometimes seek them out. A friend recommended Paperboy, and I happened to be staying near the East location. I can only describe what I had as "Elevated Biscuits & Gravy: delicious house-made biscuits, perfectly seasoned sausage gravy, and perfectly cooked eggs. The guy next to me highly recommended spreading a little of the honey butter on the biscuit before adding the gravy. I was skeptical, but that sweet-and-savory combination was amazing. Take his advice. The place was hopping on a Saturday morning. As a solo business traveler, I was able to grab the one open seat at the counter. I'd describe the decor as upscale diner, and the staff were friendly, helpful, and impressively efficient. The dining room and outdoor seating were full, with plenty of people waiting for tables or takeaway orders, but the team kept things moving. It was so good that I'll probably be back before I leave Austin.

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Paperboy East - Bar seat/ kitchen view

Bar seat/ kitchen view

Paperboy East - Empanada and Pop Tart

Empanada and Pop Tart

Paperboy East - Outside

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Outside

Phoebe's Diner - French Toast

Phoebe's Diner

4.6(991 reviews)
1.6 mi•Downtown
•$$
Locally owned & operated
Gluten-free friendly

My partner in crime and I met up with our daughter for an early morning breakfast at Phoebe's…read moreDiner, and our first visit definitely won't be our last! We started with the fried green tomatoes, which came with buttermilk ranch, and they were absolutely delicious! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of flavor. I'm a big breakfast person, so I ordered Phoebe's Benedict, and it was out of this world! Everything came out hot and fresh from the kitchen. The hash brown casserole, one of my favorite morning dishes, was great, and the biscuits were flavorful and definitely fresh. Our server was so friendly and helpful as we decided what to order. As a matter of fact, everyone made us feel welcome from the time we walked in until the time we left. Delicious food, friendly people, and a great breakfast with family. We're already looking forward to coming back!

Servers & service were good. Workers were friendly. Nice, clean diner vibe…read more It's located across the street from a courthouse downtown so there's a lot of reserved street parking & not as much immediate parking in front but you can get lucky & find street parking around the corner. There's a sign by the front door that gives you parking options. I was really torn with what choices to make... Pancake vs French toast: Pancakes were a little mushy/gummy for my taste. They are light but less sweet than many other pancakes. I'm typically pretty light on the syrup but I added more syrup for the sweetness. They are good, just less sweet. Next time I'd try the French toast which is made with thick brioche bread. Bacon vs sausage: Bacon is thick, not greasy you bite it like a piece of chewy pork, it's good; the smoked sausage is great! It's a little spicy, full of flavor. Eggs with onion added were quite flavorful. It was a good breakfast diner experience.

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Phoebe's Diner - Fried chicken and grits with a fried egg over medium

Fried chicken and grits with a fried egg over medium

Phoebe's Diner - Eggs Benedict & corn bread

Eggs Benedict & corn bread

Phoebe's Diner

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Phoebe's Diner

Phoebe's Diner

4.5(2.1k reviews)
3.8 mi•So-Fi (S. 1st St. District), 78704 (South Austin)
•$$
Locally owned & operated
Gluten-free friendly

My husband and I came in today and the service was phenomenal, as was the food!…read more My husband got the Brisket Burrito... and it is life changing -- it is now a favorite and a pregnancy craving. Their fried chicken sandwich was audibly crisp with fresh tomato and lettuce that I made two meals out of. To end the perfect meal... my husband actually coordinated with staff to create "Gender Reveal" pancakes! I didn't realize what they were until I got to the yummy surprise! Their cream is delicious! The pancakes were soft and sweet! The experience, unforgettable. It brought happy tears to my eyes and we really appreciate the thought and care put into our day. We will DEFINITELY be repeat customers!

In the true anthony bourdain spirit, I will give an honest review…read more I went here with my family over the weekend and the food was just meh. The chicken was cooked to perfection but that was the only thing we truly enjoyed. The biscuit was seemingly made in a sheet and cut. Even when we ordered a side it was split in half, so you never really got that satisfying bite of biscuit with the flaky top. Everything we had (the badass bacon and eggs, brisket breakfast sandwich, chicken sandwich, chicken and biscuit sandwich, and biscuits and gravy) were okay but not super. I was disappointed in the gravy which was just a little odd. The side of red potatoes was interesting but not our favorite. No hate to the place, just not at all what I was expecting. The service and /decor were great. The food was just not to our taste.

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Phoebe's Diner - Cheeky monkey, fried French toast, eggs Benedict and slab of bacon

Cheeky monkey, fried French toast, eggs Benedict and slab of bacon

Phoebe's Diner
Phoebe's Diner - Just starting the day...

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Just starting the day...

Oddwood Brewing - Meatballs

Oddwood Brewing

4.3(181 reviews)
0.9 mi
•$$

I went on a Saturday, expecting to have nowhere to park. It was after a UT football game (Florida),…read moreand the place was just busy enough to be interesting. I'd been here before and liked it, so I made it my second and final stop for the day to get my ATX Ale Trail passport stamped and pick up a sticker. A cold WC IPA in a clean glass was just what the doctor ordered. In fact, it was just right and I ordered a pizza (knowing it wouldn't disappoint). It took a while for one of the bartenders to come over to me with two drink vouchers and an apology. "I am really sorry, man. I went to check on your pizza, and it was not fit for a dog. It was a little bit... you know..." I offered, "Over ambitious distracted cooks? No problem. I've been one myself more than once." The pizza finally came out after the poor cook's second try, and I decided to wash it down with a cold Pool Dad (this one is underrated, and for a Pilsner is very yummy!) I offered to pay with one of the vouchers, having realized that I got distracted myself when I ordered the pizza, and didn't leave much in the way of a tip, so I wanted to make it up. The same bartender served up the suds and said, "Keep them for another time. This one is on the house. Thanks for being cool." So like any sane beer-liking person being offered a beer on the house, I graciously accepted. But that still left me wondering how to make up for my chinsey tip. So I finished what I could of the perfectly crisp second-run pizza (5/5 highly recommend), and finished most of the beer and smiled, satisfied. "Could I get a growler of Pool Dad to go?" Tip problem solved. My poor tip prior got made up for, and I was feeling better about the world than when I walked in. We said farewell and I was on my way. Atmosphere: 4/5 Customer Service: 6/5 Beer: 5/5 Will I be back? Did St. Arnold boil beer over plague-tainted water? You betcha. Even if the St. Arnold thing is fake news. I'll be back.

I never thought I would be here writing a five star review for Oddwood Brewing but here I am…read more.. I have been ordering from this Brewery on DoorDash for the last two months and the food has arrived fresh, fast, and absolutely delicious. As someone who is lactose intolerant, Oddwood has vegan cheese options that don't taste like cardboard and still have the texture of regular dairy cheese. My favorites have been the Buffalo Chicken pizza, the OG Pepp Talk, and the Build Your Own Calzone. Jeez, these have been spectacular. The Buffalo Chicken one I did risk it all on (with Lactaid of course) and I didn't get sick. What a delicious pie! Unfortunately, I have to knock one thing. The wings arrived undercooked and really disappointing for the price. I truly don't understand how they could be so rubbery -- they were worse than a fast food pizza joint. However, I will continue to order my faves. You've redeemed yourself, Oddwood!

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Oddwood Brewing
Oddwood Brewing - Meatballs

Meatballs

Oddwood Brewing - Froze' on 07/05/2024

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Froze' on 07/05/2024

Hoover's Cooking - southern - Updated October 2026

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