It pains me to do this because I remember a Hoover's that was worthy of praise. However, my meal there last week was so bland and terrible that the image of my plate of unedible food will most likely remain at the forefront of my mind. The food, as usual, looked delicious when it came out, but I quickly learned that looks can be deceiving. The chicken fried chicken? Tough and flavorless. The gravy? Incredibly mealy and the flavor resembled the smell of dishwater. The mac and cheese? Like rubber. The okra? I've had better in school cafeterias. The butter beans? Tasted fermented. The only object on our plates worthy of our tastebuds was the sweet potatoes. I'm just hoping that maybe this was an off night, but since it had been months since my last trip there, something tells me that there must have been some sort of change between now and then that was not a change for the better. On a positive note, I will say that our server was absolutely superb. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Chicken fried chicken, gravy, mac & cheese and fried okra -- a super healthy meal! - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

When a friend suggested Hoovers for a late lunch after a meeting, I looked forward to it all week. This visit (there will be more to come) I will be reporting three Wows, one hmmm, and two ehhs. Wow 1- chicken freaking fried steak! The meat was juicy and not overcooked at all. The crust was crispy with not a single morsel soggy. Also, the crust wasn't just flour and no-flavor. I could have eaten it like chips. Wow 2- gravy. It was thick and creamy and should be awarded some kind of gravy awesomeness trophy. I plan on ordering an extra side of yummy to go over the cornbread next time. Wow 3- praline bread pudding. Now that was just a big hunk of (insert thesaurus matches for tasty) It wasn't sickening sweet like one would think seeing how it was drenched in gooey toppings. Between the two of us, we still couldn't finish the massive portion. Hmmm 1- mac and cheese. People talked and wrote about this stuff and I wasn't impressed. I was expecting exploding cheese flavors within baked macaroni. I guess they were out that day and hit up Luby's. It was on the runny side. So many people couldn't possibly think that was great so I plan on trying it again. Ehh 1- jalapeno creamed spinach. I did not like. It was too spicy to blend with anything. You couldn't taste the spinach at all. Ehh 2- I understand its a million degrees outside but geez it was hot in there. We sweated through the whole meal. One of my favorite comfort foods is chicken fried steak and by far Hoovers fills that desire. Too bad there wasn't any left over to take home and enjoy the next morning. And that gravy... read more

Solid five stars for Hoover's. This place has been around for a while. It is the first time I have eaten here. I heard about Hoover's from my father-in law. This is not you cliche let's eat at Austin type places for the tourist. This is a hidden off the beaten path place that serves off the charts bbq. They make the run of the mill bbq and also some Jamaican jerk bbq. Their food is made perfectly. I had jerk ribs and chicken. The service could have been nicer but the food made up for it. They had a great selection but only had those items. Waiting to go back again. read more

Awful Awful wait Awful disgusting salty food Sent the drinks back Awful food Don't go. Seriously I don't know who is eating here and ever going back. It's wretched. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Nasty cold rubbery chicken - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

No seasoning. Only thing good was bread pudding. I DO NOT, will never, recommend coming here. This made my grandmother turn in her grave. This is not soul food. It's healthy weight watcher version. It's really sad. I have to take my food home and re cook it to make it edible to my taste. Corn bread was a joke.the gravel saved the chicken fried chicken. But the bread pudding will make angels sing. This restaurant caters to the "new east Austin" crowd, which is fine I guess that's what brings in the money. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Disappointment. Cabbage has ZERO seasoning - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Dude, really. How could you not like the King Of Comfort Food in Austin? Hip interior, amazingly friendly wait staff, huge portions, great food. I went for the Ultimate Comfort Food- Chicken Fried Steak, and I was NOT dissappointed! the dessert, too.. amazing. You'll love this place. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

We were promptly seated and greeted. Appetizer, artichoke spinach dip with garlic bread came out fresh and hot which was great. Garlic bread was tasty. However, our food: chicken fried chicken with sides, fried catfish with sides, pork BBQ with sides came out cold. Very disappointed on the food quality: chicken fried chicken's crust fell off the chicken, collard greens were extremely bitter and oddly sour, mac and cheese was grainy and didn't taste like real cheese, green beans were flavorless, potato salad was bland, BBQ ribs was smoked but didn't have much flavor, and fried catfish was a finger width size (skinniest and barely much fish in it). The French fries, okra, and mashed potatoes were good. Large portions and a lot of options on menu but taste wasn't on point (bland). Disappointed in the waiter's over hyped about every item on the menu being freshly homemade. :/ read more

Hoover's Cooking - Bbq pork ribs $14.99 with 3 sides. - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great place for some southern comfort food. Friendly staff. Only had 1 issue with them, which management quickly corrected. My usual order: chicken fried chicken or chicken and waffles!! Side of Mac and cheese and tators. The sweet potato biscuits are really good and hard not to fill up on before main course. I do try new things every other time I visit, have not been disappointed yet. Almost forgot, you must order good for nuttin desert. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Chicken fried chicken, Mac and cheese, mashed tators and Arnold Palmer - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Hubster and I were up early on a weekend morning and popped into Hoover's for some breakfast and hair of the dog. We were not disappointed. Hoover's is owned by a gentleman who learned about the restaurant business from the fellow who owned the Night Hawk (think Frisco's on Burnet now) and I'd say Mr. Hoover was an excellent student. The food here is straight comfort BUT because Mr. Hoover was raised farm to table (before it was hipster) he understands about bringing wholesome, real, fresh food to his diners. Vital Farms eggs, hand crafted nitrate-free sausage smoked to perfection, and Texas Fair Trade coffee are just a few of the offerings on the menu. I strongly recommend Hoover's for breakfast on the weekend (sadly, the only time breakfast is served is on the weekends from 8am-11:30am) with people who appreciate home cooking the way it should be! read more

Hoover's Cooking - Clean dining room. Good eats. - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

From the minute you walk in, you know this place would be the real deal. They specialize in authentic southern comfort food. There were so many options to choose from that I ultimately decided on the Chicken Fried Steak. I got a side of the Cowboy Beans, Fried Okra, and Jalapeño Creamed Spinach. First off, the fried steak was really good. It was cooked perfect: juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. The gravy is made in house and goes very well with it as well. I was craving some dessert too, so I got the Apple Cobbler. I enjoyed this because it had a lot of flavor! I added ice cream to top it off. All in all, I had good service here and the prices are pretty good as well. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Apple Cobbler with a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We got takeout from Hoover's, and I wasn't as satisfied as all of my friends made it out to be. The entrees were incredibly great. I would go for the entrees alone. The sides were very bland which we got the beans, veggies, and macaroni. The wait time was short and parking was reasonable as well. read more

Mr. Hoover. I wish I had the opportunity to meet you and just thank you for all of your delicious foods. Countless times after times, sometimes you just want a meal that feels like a good Ol fashioned home cooking and will leave you wanting to roll comfortably into your bed. I've been here multiple times with numerous others and it's always the same reaction, "yum". You got your meats such as their savory meatloaf, their go to chicken fried chicken, you got some super fried catfish, and ofc your dark and white chickens, Jamaican jerk spices, Oh boy the list goes on They're all delicious. Seriously. I've tried about 60% of the menu. Sides are plentiful and hearty, the meal portions are just spectacular for the price. I mean $12 can get you a happy stomach and an option to take it home and do it again later! Location is not bad, parking is available, they got a mini bar and friendly service. Man, I love this place. Mr. Hoover you da best! read more

Hoover's Cooking - How to get the itis - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

When I come to Austin I always visit and always have great food. I like Hoovers, because you don't have to eat fried food . They have a wide variety of fresh vegetables and baked fish. Their banana pudding is to die for. Service was great and the staff was friendly. read more

Not sure what has happened here, because it use to be good. We had the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy; the steak was tough, the batter separated from the meat at once, the potatoes were not fresh, and don't even get me started on the gravy! Also they charged us $2 because we shared the meal! Won't be going back. read more

I went on the suggestion of a friend. The customer service was great the waiter was knowledgeable on suggestion of menu items and provided history of the restaurant. I ordered pork ribs, fried chicken breast, butter beans, mac and cheese, greens. I thought it was just okay. I've had better country cooking. A friend of mine ordered the fried catfish and yams and he enjoyed it. I would suggest other places but the highlight was the customer service. read more

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I'd like to preface this by saying I've never written a negative yelp review. That being said this was probably the worst meal I've ever gotten off of DoorDash. Chicken fried steak was 70% batter, and the steak had the consistency of rubber. The mac and cheese tasted like it had been made several days ago and tasted watered down? Okra was bearable, but probably because it barely tasted like anything. Extremely disappointed read more

So I order the meatloaf, mashed potatoes and country gravy & bacon. The meatloaf was covered in a marinera sauce. The mashed potatoes had brown gravy on then and the green beans were cold. I'm no Top Chef but I have sense enough to know that country gravy & bacon does not go with a red sauce. Again WFT Austin! read more

Hoover's Cooking - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Ran across Hoovers while searching Yelp for a place to eat while hanging out in austin for the night. My husband and I love home cooking and the promise of home cooked soul food got his attention. From the second we walked in we were greeted by a very friendly man, who was also our waiter. He was very personable and knowledgeable of the menu and specials for the day. There were plenty of booths and tables and for 330 on a Monday afternoon (also the 4th of July) there were still a handful of customers, which is a good sign. There is a variety of art for sale from local artist decorating the walls. I ordered chicken fried steak, okra, mashed potatoes and green beans. My husband had the Jamaican jerk chicken, potato salad, jalapeño cream spinach and black eye peas. Mine was very good. CFS was crunchy with a good flavor. The homemade gravy was also the perfect compliment to the steak. I'm very picky on my green beans and don't just want the straight out of the can taste. These were far from. Seasoned with bacon and onions they were fantastic. The homemade mashed potatoes and gravy and Okra were also very good. On the other hand my husband's chicken was good with flavor and the sauce was something spectacular, unfortunately the chicken was a little undercooked. He did really love the jalapeño creamy spinach and it lived up to the previous reviews. It was a large meal with a main dish and 3 good size sides. I recommend trying Hoovers at least once. The food has the home cooked taste and the service was great! read more

Hoover's Cooking - Chicken fried steak, green beans, fried okra and mashed potatoes - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I was not very impressed with the 'comfort food' I purchased for over $50 for my family and I. I have not eaten here in annum er of years (5-6) and thought I'd give it a try since my pregnant daughter requested greens and yams. Once I arrived I asked about desserts and more specifically about the makings of their banana pudding. I guess it's my fault that I'm used to my home made banana pudding from scratch being made with pet milk or something similar. I didn't get that taste. Nor did my family and I get comfort from our food. There were jalapeños in my cornbread. Not sure if that's standard or not but if so would love for them to be called so. We all agreed that our food had minimal flavor. Then when I really made my mind up that I'd do this review was after I ordered a single jerk rib for $4.49 and got two bites of meat from it. I'm guessing I should stick to my old source of soul/comfort food! But I did try...again! read more

I've been eating at Hoover's on Manor Rd since the first week it opened. When I was a police officer assigned to East Austin patrol, I ate at Hoover's 3 or 5 times per week. Hoover Alexander, his staff, and their food were wonderful. Haven't been there in a few years since I retired. My daughter and I wondered in there last week as we were in the area. We were immediately greeted and seated. Same old smells of home cooking. I went with the locally made Texas sausage, cowboy beans, 'Amazing' creamed jalapeño spinach, and fries. My daughter had the ham steak with Jezebel sauce. Food was even better than before. In all these years, I have never had anything on the menu that was not superb. My compliments go out to Ron who was our waiter. I remembered him from visits to Hoover's Anderson Mill restaurant. I can tell when someone is a 'professional' waiter. They are rare but Ron is definitely one of them. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Locally made Texas sausage, cowboy beans, fries, and my absolute favorite which is the creamed jalapeño spinach. - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Southern comfort food at its best. Friendly service. Generous Portions. Delicious Food. Possibly the best pecan pie I've ever had. read more

Love Hoover's! Their cajun blackened catfish is really good and I really like their sides and rolls. I usually get their green beans, mustard greens, and broccoli. The sides menu alone has so many options, you'll be able to find something you like. Be sure to check out their daily specials as well, since there's a new one everyday. They've added online ordering now and the process is super simple, I was able to quickly order and pick up my food for dinner seamlessly. read more

I've been a fan for 10 years when Hoovers was in San Antonio for a couple if years. Now it's only a few times a year when I'm in Austin that my family and I get the privilege of eating Hoovers. Yesterday my 14 year old son had a tennis tournament in Georgetown so we topped by for breakfast. It was delicious as always. 3 of us had the sweet potato pancakes, which I rate as top 3 I have ever eaten, and I also threw down the sausage breakfast tacos.... Fantastic! It was so good we stopped back by for dinner at 9pm. Still had a nice crowd. Our waiter suggested the CFS which my son and I had, it was one of the best I've ever had. Garlic new potatoes. Great! My wife and daughter had the meatloaf which I tried, excellent as well. My daughter even finished it , which is a rarity. We will stop by again whenever possible . I'm not stopping anywhere else in Austin. Thank you Mr. Hoover read more

Hoover's Cooking - Masons empty Plate at Hoovers - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Ordered this from Postmates- it was delicious! We ordered Mac and cheese, potato salad, the chipotle chicken sandwich and the fried chicken breast with gravy. Everything was phenomenal. I love how smoky and flavorful the chicken sandwich was and it had THE BEST bread roll for the sandwich. The fried chicken was seasoned to perfection and the gravy was a rich, perfect addition. I also really loved the sides- it was honestly everything I wanted. read more

I have heard about Hoovers for many years. It is supposed to have the best chicken fried steak in the area so, we decided to give it a try. we walked in and were greeted like we were interrupting the "hostess" - she told to go ahead and sit at any available table. The tables were clearly maked for Covid restrictions, 3 tables were occupied and many, were full of dirty dishes. Ignoring the stale smoke and dirty tables, we chose a booth. I used hand wipes to clean sticky feeling - and we waited for a server. After 5 minutes, a server came in, left drinks for a nearby table and she wouldn't make eye contact. (only server we saw)... After 14 minutes - we got up and walked out.. the "hostess" just looked at me - I said "I don't like being ignored" she said "oh, uh, ok" Bottom line - Hoover's may very well have the best chicken fried steak in the area but if the place is dirty and you cannot find anyone to wait on you - how would you know if it's the "best"???? this place needs people who actually give a rip.. read more

Website and front door both said ten o'clock but when we arrived shortly before 9 they said oh sorry covid hours were closed. When we mentioned website and we had driven some distance thg hey weren't apologetic at all just said it's been this way for months and they didn't see the point in changing the website. read more

Still the best southern food in Austin. I got the blackened catfish and it was fantastic along with everything else. I love their banana pudding and cobblers too. Hoover is an amazing man and a genuinely good person. Support black owned businesses and become a frequent customer like me. read more

Hoover's Cooking - Best banana pudding I've had in Austin - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

We were here on Tuesday 10/15 and it is what is advertised. Comfort food of big quantity at good prices. The place was clean, the staff very friendly, The food was good. Put this on your list when in the Austin market and try it. read more

Hoover's is the place to go for soul/comfort food. We went for Father's Day, and though the line was long, it was worth the wait. We had a big party, so we got to try a bit of everything. The chicken fried steak is tender, crispy, and generous. The sides are plentiful for two people, but you better save space for dessert because it's going to blow you away. The bread pudding and the cobblers are my favorite. They're not overly sweet, but they are warm, and when served with ice cream, it doesn't feel like an overindulgent finish to your meal. read more

Got my southern comfort fix as soon as I landed in Austin... fried catfish, mustard greens & collard greens... YUM! Thanks to the gal at National car rental for suggesting this place! read more

Hoover's Cooking - Fried catfish, mustard greens & collard greens... YUM! - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went over a month ago to dine in but they had some setbacks so they were only offering to-go. Really wanted some chicken fried steak, we ordered and waited at a table with a frozen marg. This was a particularly bad evening for the Hoover's staff because their online ordering system had crashed and they were struggling. People who had ordered and paid online were showing up only to find out the order was never received and they had to re-order and wait again. The Hoover's staff never faltered, and maintained as much of a hustle as they could. Sure we waited longer than normal but these are not normal times. Even tho I was hoping for a dine in experience, I have to say their food translated very well for to-go dining. Not for one second was I disappointed that we had to wait and then end up taking the food to go. A few weeks later, we did get to dine in for my birthday and it was just spectacular. I even tried something new that I would normally never get. Those Cowboy Beans are ridiculous. Thank you Hoover's, for never ever letting me down... consistency is paramount, even in these trying times! read more

Hoover's Cooking - Hoover's sized Chicken Fried Steak and Cowboy Beans! - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

If this review was JUST for the chicken friend steak and blackberry cobbler, it'd be a 5 star review! Similarly, if this review was JUST for the service, it'd be a 5 star review- so attentive and super friendly. However, there are some issues...the mac n cheese isn't very good. Fake cheesy/too cheesy? The green beans needed taste- just very bland. And sadly, the Jamaican jerk ribs made my friend really really sick! :( Great place for a heart attack on a plate haha very southern comfort. read more

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I like this place a lot.my Hubby felt the chicken fried steak was too soft. I loved the carrots, Mac and cheese and the bbq chicken without the sauce. The tea and iced tea was very good.i really think the service here is wonderful. I could not ask for better and more helpful service. Concur by convientvyk to the bortex where we are hoping to see a oma We had s great lunch. I loved the Coke I had and the squash medley. The cinnamon roll was great. The fried okra and steak Very happy to get the huge Arnold Palmer/ it was delicious. I am looking forward to my yams and my hamburger. I can't wait to try my Hubby's green beans as well and he got fried okra and meatloaf. Kevin the sever was very good. Looking forward to dessert. read more

I've had this place bookmarked for 10 years and finally got around to trying it. 10 years of anticipation and it was about as I expected: average but hits the spot. It seems like the perfect spot to take your parents when they visit you in college so I was surprised I'd never been...but then I remembered my parents never visited me in college. Anyway, $11 for CFS with 3 sides? Count me in. read more

Food on par w/ Luby's and the slowest service in Austin. Any questions? read more

This is one of my go-to places. I've liked everything I've tried here, but the chicken fried steak is a particular favorite. It's the perfect size to split with a friend; that way you might even have room to share a dessert! And what desserts; the blackberry cobbler is the perfect mix of sweet and tart. Minus one star for the plate-sharing charge. I mean, really, you guys? REALLY? read more

Some of the best Southern cooking in the Austin area now that Tony's and Dot's are closed. Had the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and greens last night. Gravy (not quite white) smothered the steak and potatoes. Greens tasty cooked with pork. Great service, easy parking, great food! read more

Best and largest chicken fried steak in Austin. Great barbecue, diverse and delicious sides, and flavorful (complimentary) cornbread and biscuits. I used to eat here all the time when I worked next door because an entree and three sides is enough for two meals and only costs ten bucks. I love that they give you free bread with takeout orders, and the staff are so friendly. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the jerk chicken because it came with barbecue sauce instead of the clear jerk sauce that I'm used to, but I'm pretty picky about jerk anything not from a Jamaican restaurant. read more

I've been to Hoover's a number times, but not recently. We went for lunch and I was pleased to see a slightly cheaper (until $10) catfish plate than the "full portion", but it comes with three instead of two sides. When my plate showed up, I was disappointed that the catfish filet appeared very small. That was appearance only. The cajun spices were just right, the habanero sauce at the table was no joke, and I ate that fish right up. I was pleasantly full by the time I made it past two bowls of fried okra and a bowl of mac & cheese. I didn't even touch the bread. Good stuff. read more

this wasn't our first choice but after some failures at other places, we stumbled here. I'm glad we did cause my meal was delicious! i got the special of the day which was smothered pork chops with carribean rice(which i reaaaally liked; my dining partners did not) and mac and cheese. ah, so good. the pork chops weren't personally my cup of tea but i have to say they were good. it's a good place, i liked it, i'll come back! read more