This place ranks number one on most terrible places to eat in Austin, Tx. Actually, this place is the only one on my current list of awful restaurants as I've never had such a terrible experience elsewhere. The wait staff was unfriendly at best, unable to even conjur a smile. The restaurant itself was a mere 60 degrees, 1 degree warmer than the outdoors. My breakfast date and I were freezing. The worst part about the entire experience was the atrocious food. The food, unpleasing to the eye and extraordinarily greasy with no flavor, coupled with the its high price was enough to make me not only refuse returning to Red River cafe, but also to warrant the desire to open my mouth and warn all. Upon leaving, I noticed the cashier/waitress/busser cleaning off the dirty plates in the front of the restaurant. From there, the contaminated plates crossed over to the kitchen and ended up in the Chef's hands to pass along to the back (where I can only assume there to be a dishwasher). I would rather not watch food waste be discarded so unsanitarily in front of me while eating. I will recommend other breakfast joints above this one any time, and will definitely steer patrons clear as well. read more

Great Sunday Brunch with family group of 6. Great food, prompt service! Recommend! Surprisingly small inside and parking is tight, but this place is just right. Food is fast, friendly servers, price can't be beat. Yum. read more

3 words. Hill country fair. Almost everything is that brand. wait service is meh. The only redeeming thing is the patio, but be ready to wipe your own table down. read more

It's your basic brunch place with a decent variety of breakfast foods and sandwiches, nothing spectacular. It wasn't brilliant nor awful - just incredibly mediocre. On top of that, part of my order was never delivered to my table, and the "fresh squeezed orange juice" was straight from a jug. Come on guys. My expectations were low, but I'm still disappointed. :/ read more

Service here was awful this morning. Try to hire someone who can remember to bring a cup of coffee and glass of water and take an order.

Red river cafe is great if you are looking for consistent quality diner food. The cafe is unique by offering healthy versions of classic American style meals. I personally like their breakfast because I can order French toast with eggs and sausage, and not feel disgustingly full but just regular full. With that being said, red river cafe is not as delicious as some of the less healthy diners. I recommend the place if you are looking for good diner food without feeling super fat afterwards :) read more

Great memories of eating here after class at the UT music school. I remember they had amazing broccoli and cheese soup. Yum!

Cozy, familiar, and delicious, the Red River Cafe delivers the small-town diner experience in the middle of the academic-medical center of Austin. With great service and generous portions of delicious and fresh ingredients, they really delivered when I was craving an omelet in the middle of the day. read more

I had the migas and hash browns. It was fine. This was close to a 2 rating, but not quite. Hash browns were fine. Nothing remarkable, no problems. The migas was okay, again with no major problems yet also with nothing notable. Eggs were cooked throughout, there were some veggies in there. The cheese was that mass-produced finely shredded bright yellow stuff. The included flour tortillas were sort of bland. Tabasco made the whole thing enjoyable. The salsa was very heavy on the tomatoes and I could taste very little else. It was a 2 out of 5 and close to a 1. For $5.50, the value was solid. read more

I really wanted to love the Red River Cafe, but I walked out just liking it. I met with someone here for lunch it ended up just being A-OK. We both ordered burgers: Texas Spicy Burger and Old Fashion Burger, both with fries. The fries were great, perfectly seasoned and crispy. The burgers were good, but that about sums it up. Since there's no AC (or it was turned off that day) it was muggy inside the restaurant, and there were a lot of flies and birds inside that were around our food. Our waitress also accidentally spilled water on us -- but she apologized about it and brought extra napkins. The food was good, overall. I think I just wasn't the biggest fan of flies and birds being next to my food when I was indoors but to each their own. I'll try this place out for breakfast next time and on a chillier day. read more

It's cheap. It's fast. Super friendly waitstaff. :) Not always consistent, but... HOMEMADE KEY LIME PIE! read more

Do not come here. We waited 10 minutes for any acknowledgment, 15 minutes for drinks and they took orders and served everyone around us because we had kids. Extremely rude and extremely poor, biased service. We had to leave since no one would serve us. read more

Cute little place local place. Good food too. And a great price!!!! The sides are huge! Pretty yummy too! And happy hour specials! Yay!!!! read more

Like the idea, like the location, but everything else needs work. It's grungy and dirty inside and out but that maybe because it's an old building? Portions are very small, chicken was greasy, price was OK, no complaints about the service. Whenever we go it is really because it is close to campus. They are only during special times so you have to pay attention as to when they are open. The concept of eating healthy here is a go for me, but they just don't present it well. they have egg white omelets which I am all for, but it doesn't taste good and they do use too much oil. Very bland tasting. Spent about $10 here for lunch. It is also cramped; you have to squeeze your way around even when there isn't anyone. Coffee was not the best. It tasted more like what they sell at a nearby convenient store. Server was nice. I wouldn't recommend this place, but it's not bad to experience it once just to say you've been. read more

Well, I'll start with the pros. The food was cheap! It may be because I haven't adjusted to the low prices of food in Texas yet (newcomer here, yeah). But I looked at the menu, and was very surprised by the low prices. Their specials were especially cheap, but even the regular menu had several entree-level items below $5. That said, the cheap prices are primarily due to small portion size - a big eater would be left hungry after a single entree. Presentation isn't something I expect for a small, casual cafe like this, but the food did seem like it was just thrown on the plate, without much thought to looks. Minor, but not unnoticed. My biggest complaint, however, would be the service. I'm not sure if it's because we ate there near the beginning of the UT school year, and they just staffed a bunch of new waitstaff, but whatever the cause, our service suffered for it. My eating partner was served French Toast -- but no syrup! Because the waitstaff was not circulating much, he had to physically walk up to the counter and ask our waitress for some, even though she was just standing there not doing anything. She never looked up to get eye contact with customers who might need something. I also ordered a limeade, which was pretty delicious and refreshing. I had to ask for a straw, though. It had a lime garnish on the side to distinguish it from our water, but was served in the same blue glass (not transparent enough to see the color of the liquid inside). I had it on one side of the table, and my water on the other side. But without even looking, and before I could protest, my half-drunk limeade was refilled with water by an inattentive waiter! So much for that limeade, which was now slightly lime-flavored water. Kind of a bummer, since the limeade wasn't cheap and I would have liked to finish my whole glass without it being diluted beyond repair. Okay, so I complained about small portion size, but it turned out I couldn't finish my meal (I have a very small appetite), and I asked for a box. Apparently they don't get this request very often, because someone had to run to the back storage to find something for me, and it took another more experienced waiter (I think?) yelling to the back that there were some plastic disposable soup bowls that would work. I realize it might not be common to request a box, but it seems strange to me that they didn't have a few handy behind the register, like most restaurants I've seen. And again inattentive staff brought me a box, but no bag. It was only one box so it was fine; but it's pretty standard practice to bring a bag when you box up food, isn't it? Overall, nobody got food poisoning and we got relatively inexpensive sustenance. It seems like the cafe is a pretty decent place to set up shop for studying or meeting with professors or peers. But it's not somewhere I'd recommend if you wanted particularly stellar food or particularly good service. There are many other places where you can get that; and it would probably be cheaper to make yourself a sandwich at home, with the same culinary results. Parking was a little lacking; street parking requires a permit and there are only a few stalls in their lot. It's probably primarily geared toward walking traffic, but I would leave some time to find parking elsewhere. read more

The restaurant is rundown, food was just okay, coffee was horrible, it really needs a deep cleaning. Service was subpar. I will not return.

Walked into this place and it was completely dead so we asked the single employee (talking to maybe friends?) they didn't say one word to us. So we asked if they were closed... her response was "well we close in 30 minutes". So I'm pretty sure the response should be "No, we are not closed". First time trying to check this place out and new to the area but will definitely not be trying this place out again. Management should definitely talk to their employees. Everybody wants to get done with their shift but if you're open, you're open. It's not like we came in 10 minutes before closing. read more

Great service and wonderful food! I had the eggs Florentine. It was absolutely delicious

First of all, I'm not giving a five star rating because, I wouldn't necessarily say that RRC is "As good as it gets!" I live a block away from RRC, and I frequent this establishment enough to have a pretty good mean of the quality. The food is alright, and pretty consistent. The wait staff is great, five stars. The atmosphere is really neat. Very Austin. It is also pretty cheap (I've paid alot more for alot worse.) I see many comments about the cleanliness of RRC. It's clean food. They clean their dishes just like you do at your home. I personally know the guy who sweeps and mops the floors. If it appears grungy, it's because it's an old building! This is not a place where you take your hot date or go to be impressed by the food. But, it's a great place to get a cheap meal on a lazy afternoon. read more

An easy Sunday hangover brunch with friends in the neighborhood. This place is simple-- no frills, no fuss. Good diner style food. Love the patio. Always satisfying and appropriately priced. read more

Loved, loved, loved this place! Cheerful, charming, and yummy! Offered a variety of fresh, delicious and unique salads which I love to find!! This is a great spot! And our server Madeline (or it may have been Madison) was as sweet as can be. The entire experience was so awesome for my son and I. Thank you guys!!! read more

While the breakfast served was okay, everything else about this place conspires to send you the message that this place is run by people who just don't care about you. From the lack of greeting upon entering to the fine film of grease and dirt that seems to lie over everything to the over 30 minute wait for a couple of eggs and an omelet to arrive at the table--with no apology or explanation--to the lack of a single smile on any employee's face, an altogether disagreeable experience. Bring someone in who knows food service and understands it's about *service.* Have them spend two hours training the staff. Clean the premises, for gosh sakes. This includes the greasy salt and pepper shakers and the menus, which should be wiped down daily. This might help getting this place back on the right track. But in my experience, when employees exhibit this degree of sullenness, and lack of caring, it more often than not means something's wrong at the top. Alternatively, sell me the place and I'll make it worth going to and coming back to. But I don't think I've got any interest in going back given my one unpleasant experience. read more

This place is small and quaint but don't let that stop you from having great, down-to-Earth, home-cooked breakfast. My wife and I came here on a whim because they are dog friendly. We came on a day with bad weather and called ahead to ensure they were dog friendly. They were honest about their patio not being heated but we were okay with their honesty and continued to sit outside with our dogs until they served our food at which point we ate inside and put our dogs in our car. The staff even held a table for us inside where we can watch our dogs while we eat. The food, again, was phenomenal. Rarely have I eaten a pancake at a restaurant that had that taste only my grandmother could make. We also had the Eggs Benedict and they were delightful with their home fries. By the time we finished, we learned this place had new owners for the last few months and are near obtaining their liquor license. That being said, it speaks volumes about the new staff with their incredible hospitality compared to other Austin brunch staples as these new owners are working hard to establish themselves in a highly-competitive market. They kindly asked if they could photograph us with our dogs on their patio to help advertise their dog-friendliness which we happily agreed to. We'll be coming back when the weather warms up to continue trying different menu offerings. Very glad we gave this place a chance. read more

Red River Cafe is one of those places where the food is good, the tables are sticky, and everyone is comfortable. There aren't very many places in Austin that are like this: simple, good, affordable, and comforting. It doesn't tale many trips to feel like a regular. read more

I didn't even eat here. I was going to, but while waiting for my friend in the parking lot behind the place, an old man who worked there came out the back door, gave me a dirty look, and went back inside...okay? Then after about a minute, he comes back outside and takes a picture of me! Wtf, a black girl can't stand outside your place for 5 mins without raising concern? Please. read more

Love this place! Wish the hours were the same year round, but I understand the have less early morning business when UT is out of session. The breakfast taco is my favorite. read more

If you walk in with the understanding that this is a tiny little diner that will serve up standard diner fare, then you'll be relatively happy with what you find. If you expect anything more than that, you'll probably be displeased. As far as diners go, it's certainly not the best, but it's basically on UT campus and the food is ridiculously cheap. Seriously. Most dishes are cheaper than $5. I've been here a couple of times and the food has always been average. I had a sandwich once and I remember it being a decent sandwich. The last time I went, I got the Quickie with sausage, which is two eggs scrambled with your choice of bacon, sausage, or ham, hashbrowns, and toast. The sausage was good, but the eggs were a little bland. I would have preferred some kind of seasoning, even if it was just salt and pepper. The hashbrowns were also a little on the bland side, but I mixed them with some of the salsa they brought to the table and that was great. The toast was probably the best part. I don't even like bread, but their toast was perfect and had just the right amount of butter. No jelly was needed. Added bonus - they used a whole grain wheat bread. So yummy. Portion sizes are relatively large, considering how cheap everything is. My friend got the chicken quesadilla and stuff was falling out of it, it was so full. (He said it was pretty good, so I'd definitely be back to try it.) Service has always been quick and attentive for me and everyone is friendly. There is more parking in the back of the restaurant, but you'll probably have better luck parking in the neighborhood. Pay attention to the signs, though - you can only park on a couple of the streets without a residential parking permit. (And everyone in Austin knows how much this city loves to tow cars, especially on or near campus.) read more

Came in for brunch/lunch with some friends, was pretty good. I got the steak and eggs and although it was a lot of food and pretty reasonably-priced, the steak was just not seasoned at all...! Huge, awesome big steak and it was completely unseasoned, just wet and grey, totally flavor-less steak. Would have been awesome if it was seasoned-up and crispy and delicious. Service was solid though and we were in and out, definitely a good staff read more

I'm rating Red River Cafe according to how good it is for what it is: it's the perfect, quick and easy stop for a great meal in the presence of friendly folks. I've been coming here for a while... I'm a regular. From tacos, to breakfast, to burgers-- I'm always satisfied and love stopping by red river on my walk home or to campus. read more

Ah, Red River Cafe. The perfect hangover-breakfast joint north of UT campus. I started frequenting this place last year when several of my close friends became the waitstaff. I'd get about 5 text messages each Saturday morning starting at 7AM telling me to get pancakes and I wasn't about to argue with it. A typical outing to RRC usually involves an encounter with the owner, Rahim who will berate his under-staffed waitresses if they don't attend to you fast enough. Most of the time the service is good - though I am rather biased being that each time I go, I'm friends with at least 1 person there. Regardless, I think they do a great job of tending to everyone. In addition, upon exiting the cafe, Rahim will always bid you a hearty "God Bless Rahim". What that means exactly, I'm still figuring out, but I've always just repeated it back to him and I've had no problems. If you're fortunate enough, you'll encounter Rahim's son who may be selling his hand-drawn art there, and if you pay him extra he'll draw something custom for you. Don't call him anything affectionate with the term "short" or "little" involved, or he'll forever draw you as a zombie no matter what you request, and will insist that the male friend you're with is either your boyfriend or your brother or both no matter how many times you try and explain yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you. As for the food, I've never had anything bad at RRC. The quality is far superior to the chemically taste of IHOP, and much cheaper than Kirbey Lane's over-priced fodder; however I personally cannot seem to order anything other than migas with avocados because they're just that wonderful. Also, the key-lime pie is a specialty since its main ingredients are fresh limes and the sweat and tears of the RRC waitresses, so it's a real treat. Overall the place is warm, friendly and provides a good dose of Austin's culture. I highly recommend going. God Bless Rahim. read more

Set inside a attractive old school brick building, the red river cafe serves a wide array of yummy breakfast items at an attractive price. Popular with locals yet never crowded and the wait staff is always pleasant, if somewhat inconsistent on refilling coffee. Food is pretty standard, but done to a higher standard than most breakfast joints. read more

Great place. Solid food. Friendly staff. Not expensive.

ok I've seen too many dopes write dumb reviews about this place, so I gotta speak up. I came to this place once a week on average for several years and it's never let me down. Do yourself a favor and get a breakfast taco (load it with the salsa, which is slightly sweet and not spicy) with sausage/egg/cheese and a multigrain pancake. Multigrain pancake? Yes. I was a diehard buttermilk pancake fan for most of my life until I tried the multigrain pancake here. I always found the staff delightful, though not the best waiters you'll ever have. Having visited so often and grown to personally like my waiters, this part of my review is biased. But as other reviews have stated, this place is a bit of a dive, so the service is expected to be suboptimal. You could compare a dive to a cult classic in the movie world. People either get really into a cult classic movie, or simply don't get it; but the implication is that cult classic movies are objectively not very good. Not so for Red River Cafe - it's actually good and, in my experience, the only people that don't care for it are high strung. Unwind. Get breakfast tacos and pancakes. Ask if they still serve the off-menu Brenham tacos. read more

Great service and great food at unbeatable prices!! Really enjoyed the Greek chicken wrap.

Red River Cafe is a testament to the old, funky hole in the wall diners in Austin. Same ownership for over 25 years, funky art, charming/minimalist patio. The owner is hilarious and the food is great for the price. Try the veggie tacos but be bad and add crispy bacon on it! boy-howdy! read more

The pancakes are unreal! Fast, friendly service and delicious brunch food. Had the chopped steak with hash browns, topped with their fresh salsa and a side of avocado and fresh fruit. I will definitely be returning to have brunch again as the outside patio, service and food was worth it. You can also bring your dog to sit outside with you! read more

First time here , good food and friendly service ! Definitely will be back to visit when in town !

Good little cafe near campus. Fortunately, it was walking distance from the law school so I could get away from the nasty Subway that smelled up the whole building. I particularly like the build your own breakfast tacos. The black beans are tasty and the ingredients are always fresh, even the salsa. The food is definitely worth a shot, but the service is usually impatient and less than friendly. Don't expect quick refills and they are ready to kick you out the door after your last bite. However, thanks to the grub I kept going back. read more

The only thing I order here are the veggie tacos. They are amazing and keep bringing me back. And the salsa they serve with them is fresh and amazingly good. The coffee isn't bad, and the ambiance is nice compared to most places. It reminds me of back home. read more

This is one of the best greasy spoon diners in Austin. Outstanding food for relatively cheap, and almost never busy. Don't come here for anything fancy -- just the best short order cooking in the area. As a breakfast diner, they are very nearly perfect, except for the lack of biscuits. I come here almost weekly and have never been disappointed. read more