I attended my first Supper Friends this past Saturday eve. I really enjoyed the environment, welcome drink, and food! The friends I went with had been there several times before and spoke highly of the experience. The appetizers consisted of oysters, Brie crostini's, and prosciutto wrapped butternut squash! I enjoyed the nicely spiced seafood gumbo, gulf fish, and a few bites of the sweet King cake. I was able to bring some leftovers home too so I could enjoy it again! The owner was there and I think he got the baby in the cake. :-) You can order additional drinks while there and we were recommended a very nice red wine that went well with the meal. I'm so glad I got a check to check it out and look forward to trying it again hopefully this year! read more

See all

Supper Friends at Swoop House is an Austin institution when it comes to pop up dinners. We have been going for many years, maybe ~9 years since our first dinner here! And we keep on coming back. It is fun, delicious and the ambiance inside the house and the gardens is optimized for enjoyment! Supper Friends offers a themed meal (usually dinners, sometimes brunch). It is normally a 5 course prefix menu that is carefully thought out. I'm particularly fond of their passed appetizers - they usually have 3 different types of delicious bites - that you can nibble on as you wait for guests to arrive and dinner to get served. There's an option to pair your meal with wines. The staff there is amazing from the wait staff, the sommelier, the chef, owner (including his family) - all very attentive and friendly! We would like to see more dinners offered. Our last dinner there was a couple of months ago and we've been waiting for the next event since! We can't wait to go back! read more

See all

What an awesome experience! Supper friends is located in a cute little house that's filled with tables and chairs, and it has beautiful grounds to be enjoyed in the spring time. The idea behind supper friends is to enjoy a meal with conversation tables are set up in groups of eight or more, enter party will be seated with others and the evening begins your greeted with a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres, and then you're seated. At that time it is explained that if you take your cell phone out everyone at the table gets an opportunity to text your friends. In other words don't take your cell phone out. Meals are theme based and run several courses from appetizers to desserts and everything in between and the food is always delicious. The conversations run the gammit from light to funny to serious. You make it happen. So check the calendar and sign up. read more

After being on the mailing list for months and salivating over friends' reviews, I finally was able to snag a reservation for a fixed price dinner at SWOOP House. The Cajun/Creole-inspired 5 course menu was a test run for items that will appear on the menu for their soon-to-open new restaurant (Sawyer & Co) at the location of the former Arkie's on Cesar Chavez. On the day of this, our 20th anniversary celebratory dinner, I starved myself all day in preparation for an evening of total gluttony - this will prove to be folly on my part. If you've never been, Supper Friends involves a 3.5 hour multi-course themed dinner served at assigned community seating in 3-4 large tables in a charming restored cottage (SWOOP House) with wood floors, chandeliers, and all things adorably eclectic. Substitutions are not allowed, but celebrating special occasions is. Meeting your dining companions and engaging with new friends are highly encouraged. We scurried through rush hour traffic from North Austin to make it down to the Airport/183 area just in time to arrive for 7p cocktails and passed appetizers. Although the $58/pp advanced fee (which includes 20% gratuity) does not cover adult beverages, the SWOOP folks were so kind as to provide an initial delicious sangria on the house. That drink was exceptionally tasty on a parched empty stomach, imbibed while lounging on the sunny front porch and meeting other diners as they arrived. During the cocktail hour, we made new acquaintances with a traffic engineer, a home & commercial security specialist, and a manager at Spec's - all good friends to have! - over our shared love of good food and adventure. Course -0- (Passed Hors D'Oeuvres) Devilled Eggs with Praline Bacon, Crab Beignets, and Petit Muffalettas These appetizers were fantastic, each more delicious than the last. The servers were too generous, coming by at least 3 times with recurring offers for each tray. Don't make my mistake and fill up on these tempting starters, or you will be hurting later! When 8p rolled around, it was time to head inside to find our place cards and start the sit-down meal. This time, we shared the chef's table with a few SWOOP staffers & family members, as well as a charming pair of couples (parents and adult daughter with SIL) celebrating their retired school teacher mom's birthday. We all had some connection to Louisiana and were giddy about the evening's meal. Course -1- Crawfish Etouffee with Homemade Cornbread Heavenly. Rich. Too much good food for an early course in a 5 part meal; this one should be reduced by half. Yep, I foolishly scarfed down every bit of this dish (it was too tasty to waste), so spoiler alert, by the time I reach the main entree I am possibly about to burst. Course -2- Fried Gulf Oyster Salad with Seasonal Greens, Corn Relish & Creamy Jalapeno Dressing The. Best. Salad. Ever. Also, the best fried oysters I've ever tasted. These guys know what to do with the succulent little bivalves - they were so very tender, you could hardly tell they were fried except for the delicate crisp coating. Our table oohed and ahhed so much about these, the chef came by to give us 2 more servings of just the oysters, with extra dressing for dipping. Oh, lord, there is no way I'm gonna make it to the end of this meal. Course -3- Cajun Meatloaf served with Whipped Potatoes & Green Beans One bite of each item, and I am done. No more food can enter this body. Luckily, take out containers were offered and accepted. The meatloaf was quite tasty, with a coarse but fluffy texture and a flavorful sauce. Unfortunately, the butcher failed to remove all of the unwanted bits from the meat and 3 of the 6 people at the end of our table found bone chips in our servings. Course -4- King Cake Bread Pudding Seriously? How can anyone possibly eat dessert now? Do you people have a 2nd secret stomach that you bring out for emergencies like this? This one went straight into the doggie bag, but it was still delicious ten hours later when I ate it for breakfast, cold from the fridge. Final thoughts: The food, staff, venue, and fellow diners were all lovely. Hospitality was phenomenal, including gratis toasting glasses of bubbly at the end of our meal in acknowledgement of our special occasion. This spot is a bit out of the way for me for a weeknight, but I can see coming back at least once per year for a novel menu. read more

Supper Friends - Sangria, Devilled Egg topped with Praline Bacon, Petit Muffaletta - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

Elites were invited to dine here for 50% off. I called Emily at the Swoop House and she said there were three seats left. The discount applied to all three of us. $25 for a four-course meal and cocktail! Can I get a whoop? Or a swoop? We knew where we were celebrating my sister in law's birthday! The house is in East Austin and has a large garden, a nice porch, and would be a great place to have an outdoor meal in the Fall. We wandered inside to check out the three-room house and the table arrangements, which come with your printed name indicating where you should sit at one of the large tables. There were these cute little whimsical dinosaurs filled with miniature plants that served as center pieces. See: sometimes I'm so easy to please. The quail nachos were excellent, and the deviled eggs had fried leeks in them, which was a new one for me: very dramatic presentation. The sliders were okay. And the wedge salad had an amazing dressing on it. This is an extremely difficult town to try to compete in the bbq arena, so I'm not sure why they chose brisket as the main course. I really didn't care because I had not paced myself and was stuffed with every other delicious thing that came before it. The 2DineFor staff is very courteous and professional, and it seems as if this could be a really fun place to have a large birthday party or rehearsal dinner...and if there were enough of you then you wouldn't have to worry about being in public when Uncle George gets out his ancient video camera and starts recording people's feet. I also liked being able to meet lots of new people. The woman next to me was with her husband and four friends who had all traveled to the same country in the past year and, as neighbors, they want to go out and talk about what they'd seen. Seems like a great idea to me. There was an issue (twice) when we were engrossed in our conversation and I looked down at our plates and realized that we were probably holding up the entire table so I figured I should eat faster for the third and fourth course. Practical stuff: They don't have a liquor license, so you get one cocktail at the beginning and then you bring your own wine/champagne/beer pairings to the dinner. And I did feel a tiny trickle of sweat rolling down the back of my knee at some point in the evening, so dress accordingly. I asked one of the servers how many dinner parties they were hosting and he said they were up to three a week in the summer, but that doesn't seem to be posted on the website. So, you should just sign up for their mailing list to get details about the next one. read more

See all

As someone who's seen my favorite supper club grow up over the past few years I'm almost hesitant to write a review of my little hidden gem. The atmosphere of the Swoop House is just great, and at times it feels like the perfect location for just about anything from dinner, to mixology classes, wedding receptions, and more. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of attending let me break it down for you. It begins in the early evening with cocktails and appetizers, usually something amazing that I would likely be unwilling to try elsewhere. As its BYOB you can also bring your own beer, wine, champagne, etc and start chilling it. After lounging with the guests and making new friends you are then seated and the adventure begins. The entire show is led by Stephen Shallcross and his crew of chef's, servers, and food artistes. Before the each course the chef comes around and explains the food, what to look and taste for and usually an amazing fact about its origins. Depending on the menu it can range from 5 to 7 courses and they offer both Meaty and Vegetarian offerings. I almost always find myself getting full just short of the main course so I often try to pace myself in the beginning no matter how hungry I am. Now while the food is to die for the people are really the most fun part of Supper Friends. Not a single time have I gone and not met someone interesting, or laughed for hours with friends old and new. I've taken business clients, friends, family and all have been amazed at this little secret I had and why I hadn't mentioned it to them sooner. In my heart of hearts this will always remain my favorite place to have a meal and now I'm just ready to share it with more of my future Supper Friends. read more

See all

Had this bookmarked for awhile and when I got the chance to experience for half the price thanks to Yelp, I jumped on it! You'd be a Fool not to, right? A four course dinner for $25 is a deal anywhere much less in such an intimate and quaint surrounding. Loved the house with it's hard woods and beautiful art (altho it's true it does get warm in there! Dress accordingly). Loved the decorations, from fancy rose petals on the floor to whimsical dinosaur planters on the table. Loved the grounds and the vintage car in the drive. Loved the hard working staff that was continuously prepping food, distributing food and corking and serving the wine the patrons brought. Loved meeting the folks at my table, esp the older gent to my left who regaled me with stories of Alaska and Africa (and the mating rituals of leopards). Loved the appetizers! Deviled eggs with a slice of pickle and fried leek strings and quail nachos topped with pickled onions. Both creative and a burst of flavor in the mouth. Loved the ice-burg wedge salad with it's candied bacon, sweet pecans, and tangy blue cheese. Loved the tempura fried eggplant and seasoned fresh veggies. That's where the love stops I'm afraid. As Lee noted, the brisket was epic fail. Two huge slabs of tough dry meat served only with a tiny amount of sauce and with only a butter knife to saw through it. You gotta have balls to serve brisket in Texas, so I respect their gumption, but you gotta back up the balls with tender flavorful meat, and this just wasn't it. My older gent friend said he prefers the brisket at County Line. ahem. The potato salad was really good tho and surprised my palette with crunchy toasted almonds. Finally, the dessert was also a bit off. After such a rich meal, something light would have worked better I think. The combo of decadent chocolate, rich praline mousse and tart raspberry sauce made my tongue retract in fear. Couldn't finish it. Also as Lee noted, I would have loved for the chef to explain each course, especially what that crunchy thing was in the tater salad (hope it wasn't the taters!). It may have just been an issue of having a full house of chatty folks and trying to move the dinner along at a good pace. I know I was guilty of being the last to finish most courses just because I was having so much fun talking to my older gent bfff. But having the chef come out before each course probably would have focused me a bit more on finishing the prior course anyway. Despite the missteps in food, I look forward to a return visit. This is perfect for a group of supper friends to get together over a leisurely meal (I'm lookin at you Carillon Group...you know who you are!). read more

See all

I absolutely adored Supper Friends. I went to Supper Friends with some family after receiving a yelp email. It's a novel idea - go out to eat like you're attending a dinner party. We showed up a little after 7 for the hors d'oeuvres. Everything was super tasty and BONUS - they were handing out margaritas. Along came dinner. We sat at a large table with a number of other dinner guests. The food was great and they continuously poured wine (you bring your own) as we chatted with our fellow dinner guests. Overall, the staff were exceptionally friendly and couldn't have been more attentive if they tried. I also through the price ($55) was very reasonable especially with the added perks of a few free drinks. Supper Friends wasn't just an exceptional dinner, but an exceptional experience. read more

Totally worth going for the experience and the food! Loved it! Hopefully I get this right, but basically Supper Friends is a dinner club/social, that is catered by 2Dine4 and hosted at the Swoop House. All three are wonderful! The dinner starts with passed appetizers and the cocktail of the night, on the house. It's a great time to start chatting with the other random strangers, who you will be spending the rest of the evening with! Then you're seated at beautifully decorated tables and served a 3 course meal. Our menu for the night: Pimm's Cup Cocktails - refreshing as always and yummy. this one was a little fruitier tasting than most that I've had. Salmon on truffle chips - my fav appetizer from the night. I looove truffles! Housemade Ricotta with fava bean on a bruschetta - really good flavors, sweet and salty. Dates - stuffed with almonds and with a chili sauce on it. meh, wasn't my fav, but I did enjoy the spicy kick. Salad with beets and a pistachio butter - the pistachio butter was DELICIOUS! and I love beets, so this salad was great in my opinion. Pasta with halibut and mushrooms with a light lemon and pepper flavor - wasn't the most flavorful pasta, but it was definitely above average. I definitely appreciated the lightness of the pasta. Chicken over farro - again a more light dish, but with good flavors. dessert - YUMMY!!! Goat milk panna cotta. reallly good and not too sweet. Overall, I would highly recommend Supper Friends for the chance to try something very Austin-y, meet some great people, and have a great meal! All the great reviews are 100% true. read more

I like Supper Friends, but I wish they were more accommodating. We had the opportunity to try Supper Friends in August for a summer "Pescatariano" dinner, and we had a great time. The food was good, Swoop House is amazing, the staff was so nice, and the whole experience was a lot of fun. But, I haven't been able to go back. My SO is pescatarian, and can eat just about everything except beef, pork, and poultry. Every week, I get an email from Supper Friends about their upcoming events, and every week, the email ends with same line: "We are unable to make dietary accommodations unless they are listed as part of the menu." Every week, the menu features prominent meat items for multiple courses. With Supper Friends' apparent inability to accommodate pescatarians, we're out. And that's too bad. I don't think it's too difficult to have just a few substitution options available, especially if we can give advanced notice. I'd like to try Supper Friends again, and maybe they will do another summer pescatariano meal. Then again, maybe I won't even know about it, since their emails are going straight into the trash these days. Side-note: We are Dinner Lab members, and that club seems to have no problem accommodating pescatarians. read more

First and foremost, thanks to Yelp for the opportunity to try Supper Friends for less. I had been wanting to dine here because previous reviews speak so highly of the array of dishes and the experience. When we arrived, we each received a mint julep. It was strong and mixed well. I drank it faster than I expected because the house was so hot! I drank a great deal of water throughout the evening, but it was warm even after sunset. Because it began later in the evening, I was starving and tried with all my might not to fill up on the appetizers. However, I failed. Freshly made tortilla chips topped with quail, deviled eggs, and pork sliders were always within arm's length. Before I knew it, I was stuffed. I was very impressed with these tastes because they complimented each other and the mint julep. When I sat down to dinner, I was still a little full but glad I had chosen the vegetarian option. Still, the dinner was quite rich. It wasn't just the heat, but having a creamy dressing for the salad, a mayonnaise potato salad, fried eggplant, and finishing with a petite chocolate cake after such filling appetizers were just too much. My BF had the brisket and it was moist and fatty, just how he likes it, but I didn't find the flavor or presentation appealing. I will add that they were quite generous with the brisket which some people did appreciate. My favorite was the tomatoes and mozzarella, but they had a bit too much oil and balsamic vinegar. As a social person, I love having the opportunity to meet and chat with new people. Doing so was a bit difficult prior to dinner; the tables we stood around took up so much room that it was difficult to move or be pulled into other conversations. Once seated, we did talk a little with others at the table and had some interesting conversations. Throughout the entire evening, the staff to the chef were wonderfully friendly and helpful. Everything ran smoothly and they were very attentive. The house is beautiful and the sliding doors are a marvel. I think that they have a wonderful staff and great concepts, the five courses with great ingredients and group dining, but need to consider the food as a whole and how each dish works with the next. I have read past menus and wonder if it was just the evening we chose. Therefore, I would love to come back and try a different selection. read more

I cannot say enough nice things about Supper Friends. This is one of the best concepts and dinners I've been to, not just in Austin, but in existence. The way it works: You go to their website, join their email list, and they email you when they are hosting a dinner. It's held at The Swoop House, which is a cute little place off of East 7th St. They RECYCLED the house, I'll let Stephen tell you the story. Things to know: You have to RSVP the day before, and if some one in your party is a vegetarian you are going to need to know that info as well. I made the blunder of not realizing my friend was a vegetarian and when I got to the dinner they still managed to whip up something WONDERFUL for her on the fly, but I'm sure if they had known in advance it would have been even better. It's also BYOB, and they will gladly chill any beverages you bring in. The food is wonderful. Last night we had some delicious roaming appetizers (almond stuffed dates? seriously, I could eat these every day), a pasta dish with fish, a chicken dish, and some amazing panna cotta. I would go into more detail about this, but the menu changes, you will just have to go and see for yourself how delicious the food is. The atmosphere was so nice. You sit at a table with strangers, everyone is friendly, it's a great opportunity to meet new people and socialize in a setting you wouldn't normally be in. You are not allowed to use your phone, I think this is the best rule, if you answer a phone call everyone at the table will be allowed to say hi to the person on the other line. I do not have a single bad thing to say about this place. It's glorious. Whether you want to take a date here, your friends, hold a rehearsal dinner, even if you want to go by yourself and meet new people, it's the perfect spot. read more

We went for our second Supper Friends event for Father's Day Brunch. Once again, the hosting was fantastic for our party of six. First, the house. Oh, the house. I love it so much. I love the architecture, and the vintage cues throughout the home are just amazing. The barn doors are beautiful. We had fantastic Micheladas to start our meal (thanks NXNW!), and once again, the hors d'oeuvres had me salivating for the meal. Love the BYOB aspect. Our three course brunch was impeccable. Everyone loved it! Definite win from Dad; even got a "Best Father's Day Ever" text later that day. Thanks for making it great. read more

Supper Friends is a great experience! It's in a really cool house that they moved and saved from being demolished in Hyde Park. They've renovated it, put an awesome dining space inside, and have a great outdoor space as well. For one reasonable charge you get passed appetizers, complimentary cocktail (whatever the bar is mixing as the special that night), and quite a few courses! We had so much great food! In addition to the bar it's BYOB so you can bring your own beer and wine. Even better than the food is the conversation. You don't sit off by yourself with your date - you sit at a big table with a bunch of strangers and wait for the conversation to take off! We had quite a few interesting discussions over dinner and even swapped contact info with some folks afterwards! It was a great experience and I'm glad we went. We've put ourselves on the mailing list and plan to do it again very soon. read more

I have been here 3 times now and LOVE IT. Don't be scared off by the drive in. Tucked away on the east east side, SWOOP House is adorable! It's an ideal venue for Supper Friends but would be perfect for a small event. The inside seats about 30 (in three distinct areas), and the grounds are well maintained and lovely. The chef/theme changes every time so I won't comment specifically but I can make the following sweeping generalizations about the food: AMAZING. Creative, beautiful presentation, delicious. I've gone for two dinners and one brunch and every time I've had to take leftovers. In fact, at one dinner they boxed up a whole course because people were just too full!! You will be stuffed by the time you leave no matter what. The service is outstanding. Everyone is friendly and professional and I'm impressed that everyone gets their food at the same time; they are obviously catering pros. You will also get to meet the chef which I think is really neat. In my experience thus far they always serve a complimentary cocktail. They also have a selection of wine; for the brunch they had a special deal of bottomless mimosas and wine parings. It is BYOB, note the $15 corkage fee per bottle; do the math and see what's right for your party. Either way, arrive early, snag a drink and wander the grounds (they will serve you apps outside too!) If you are like me, you might be a bit intimidated by the family style gathering. However, after a cocktail or two, everyone gets along! But seriously, booze or not, you can be as social as you want to be, but so far I've had the pleasure of interacting with some really interesting people! I've paid anywhere from $45 to $60 for the experience and it's a steal! read more

I'm experimenting with various pop-up and "underground" dining clubs that feature rotating chefs. My first experience at Supper Friends was fun! One of the best things about this experience is the meal is served in courses and lasts 3+ hours, with the starters served out on the patio and then the meal served at community style tables. There is only space for 35 people, which lends itself to intimacy and fosters mingling with new people and "reviving the lost art of conversation" (as noted in their welcome cell phone policy). Another great feature is the dinners are held in a lovely restored 1930's bungalow, dubbed the Swoop House. The interior is filled with charming details; a red crystal and beaded statement chandelier hangs above a large rectangular table adorned with white linens. An eclectic mix of white painted chairs surround the table and LED candle light flickers everywhere in the room. The tables display matching while china, proper silverware place settings and table cards with each guest's name. The grounds are lovely and relaxing. As you meander through the garden you can see they grow many of their own herbs, veggies and even edible flowers. The "wall of succulents" is a very appealing landscape feature and one I would love to copy! The menu for the evening was vegetarian (which I understand is offered only a few times a year). My favorite starter hands-down was the tasty Moroccan tomato shooter. Other starters included delicate palate-cleansing melon ball skewers and avocado toasts. Several rounds of the starters were offered. The beet and ricotta salad was a refreshing start of the sit-down portion of the meal. The sautéed spicy baby carrots were delicious, but I wasn't fond of the thick chickpea-sauerkraut puree underneath. The lemon risotto with asparagus and forest mushrooms was tasty. My favorite course of the night was the outstanding Bergamot poached pear with a creamy hazelnut ricotta and Frangelico syrup drizzled on top. This one makes it into my "Top 10 Best Desserts" in Austin list! They offered wine pairings for each course ($25-$30) or you could purchase a bottle of wine, or bring your own bottle which they keep in chilled ice buckets ($15 corking fee). read more

See all

"Elegant family-style, 6-course dinner"....and that was a spot-on description. Held in the Swoop House which is the perfect place for a farm to table style dinner, the service was excellent, like really really excellent. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for delicious, organic food served in an upscale way in a semi-casual setting. Lots of great wines and beers to pair with your meal. The food was spectacular and I ate every bite....at the end I felt like I was food-pregnant ;-) Perfect date spot. Will definitely be going back and huge props to Ben the exec chef!! He is truly amazing!!!! read more

Let me count the ways Supper Friends have "Swoop"ed in and stolen my heart. Although I am a bit hesitant to leave a review, it's my hidden gem by golly. Well maybe not all mine, but a very awesome diverse select group of us, we consider it ours. And we'll be damned if we let hipsters Swoop in and Dallas it. Or ruin it like the 78704. Beyond that, all I'm going to say is the food and the company are always marvelous. And if you're looking to have an event catered then 2 Dine 4 is who you want to talk to. There that's it. That's all I'm saying. read more

Yay for the brilliant Supper Friends! I had to go through almost my entire phonebook to find friends who would join me to pay $55 for an unknown experience (even my doctor friends didn't wanna go!) I'm so glad Misty and Co. decided to join because we had a ton of fun and our taste buds and bellies were super happy. Intro 'on the house' drink: Dark and Stormy, perfect libation to cut any discomfort and help initiate introductions and conversation. Fav appetizer: Ahi tuna on yucca chips was ridiculously delicious. Corn bread and bean dish with venison liver? It wasn't until the last bite that I realized I was eating the deer organ, but it was so good I didn't even mind. It was so tender and the pairing with the beans was genius The lamb chops the chef prepared were to die for (pun intended since their caterers are called 2 dine 4). I usually won't eat lamb unless its from my favorite Indian restaurant, but these were so perfectly seasoned and tender, I would be happy to have them any day. The Swoop House is so cute and the perfect place to host a supper club. I hope to have an event one day and use their grounds again. Oh and the people! The hosts, bartender, servers, all so lovely and accommodating. Totes worth the price for an unknown experience. I promise. read more

I know, the two-star** rarity. I can explain. This review applies to the 6/13 dinner and is probably best split into categories. I LIKE IT -- The complimentary sangria when we walked in was delightful. -- Passed hors d'oeuvres: the stuffed peppadews were amazing, the bruschetta bites were simple delights, and the bacon-wrapped shrimp could've used crispier bacon but such is life. -- The decor in the reformed house was just peachy. -- At our table for 8 people, 2 people were unable to make the event (poor Amy and Amanda). We were offered an extra serving and were pleased to pass Absent Amy's food around for seconds. -- THE. CREME. BRU. LEE. The birthday boy had 3 - THREE - servings of this. They even kindly brought his first piece with a candle. -- The two couples at our table were in our age range and we had pleasant conversation. IT WAS OKAY -- Fishy business: at our table of 6 two things became clear: not all of our sea bass was created equal. Some of us had rather pungent sea bass. We realized this after Absent Amy's sea bass went around the table: her piece was fishy. But that was on par with my piece. I thought it uncharacteristic for sea bass, which is usually delicate and mild. Half of the table had received well-prepared fish and found Absent Amy's piece pretty mediocre. -- The sides were kind of sad. There was some unseasoned broccolini that I believe was steamed with hope and longing. Lackluster "new" potatoes were a bit mealy and al dente for me. The asparagus was unseasoned: no garlic or olive oil in sight. -- The meal overall was decent, but I can see why there was inconsistency across all of our plates. Cooking well for a large group can be be a daunting task but I figured that's what I was paying for. NO, NO, NANETTE -- I was approached by a waiter before we were all seated who said "you're probably wondering where all your stuff went." I looked at the original table that had our name cards and indeed, my purse and sweater were gone. New names had replaced ours. He said other diners had made friends and had asked if we wouldn't mind moving. He'd casually asked my dining companion if we would mind being moved to "VIP" (the small room in the back), and the birthday boy said he was fine with it, but told the waiter to ask me as well. He didn't. Instead he moved my things as if I was a kid who hadn't paid for this dinner. I could have carried my things. I can be trusted to assess a situation and be a team player. Don't touch my things. -- We were moved to a back room with 2 other couples. The original room we were in seated about 12 people. The main room hosts about 20. The two other rooms were comprised of an older, ethnically and financially homogenous group (this is Austin; you know what I'm saying here). Combined with having your things moved without being asked, this can make one feel unwelcome and out of place. -- The BYOB: I brought two bottles of sparkling rosé, the birthday boy's favorite. It took us most of dinner, about 2 hours, to consume the first bottle. Without being asked, the second bottle was opened as dessert was being brought out. It's mathematically illogical to have done this. We're not going to kill that whole bottle in 20 minutes. That there's a corking fee of $15 per bottle, and that we had to leave the majority of the second bottle there, is going to haunt me until the end of time. I was disappointed by the affair. I expected to have conversation and associate with all kinds of folks - isn't that the point? - but instead were relegated to the back room. My things were moved without my consent at the behest of older, less brown and outwardly wealthier diners. It probably wasn't the staff's intention to make us feel this way, but there are so many ways the situation could have been handled more gracefully. The message we received was: this isn't really the place for you, but it's cute of you to try. If I want to do something special again it won't be here. ETA: I'd like to point out that, at $70pp, with a $30 corking fee, plus the price you paid for 2 bottles, you're looking at $200 for two. At that price you can go to Uchi for Social Hour before having dinner and probably still come out on top. **Changed to 1 star because, 4 months later they clearly don't care to offer an explanation or apology. But again, I'm not their target demographic. read more

I cannot tell enough people about this place. It's an awesome concept, meet up for dinner with your new friends! Eat great food that varies in theme and chat it up while having a glass of wine of your choice and leave knowing you had a great time. I love that all sorts of people attend, you get to meet new friends each time, I've actually become friends with people I've met here! The hosts are Lauren and Stephen, who are super themselves. They have great dinners on a variety of days, about every week or so. We actually are acquainted with this group because of how yummy the food is. The staff is also a treat, very friendly and will let you know what is the delight of evening. Really can't say enough great things, just try it, you'll be glad you did. ;) read more

I wanted to love Supper Friends and give it 5 stars. There are definitely things about it that are very unique and cute and well put together. But our experience I think was just kindof... eh. Some good, some not so good. I don't want to list each course and tell you what was tasty and what was not because the menu changes with each dinner they put on and I don't think it would be helpful. So here are just the more general aspects of good and bad. The Good: The Swoop House is pretty charming. It's a nice space, not too crowded but very intimate. The complimentary cocktails served were really tasty--not too strong, not too weak. It is also BYOB (you share a community ice bucket with others seated your room and you tag your own bottles). As every noted, being seated with strangers means you are pretty much guaranteed to make conversation with people you don't know. It was really nice--we met some really interesting folks. The servers were really friendly and responsive/helpful. As for the food in general, the appetizers were really great. The salad and first course were pretty good. The second course was just downright awful which brings me to: The Bad: while very charming, the Swoop House also got very very hot once all the people arrived. I know that is very hard to control in Austin in August in an older house with ovens operating. But we were pretty much sweating the entire time until we left after 10pm. Also, I know that someone mentioned in another review that the chefs come out and explain each course. That did not happen even once during our dinner. In fact, a couple of times we had to ask the servers what something was because it wasn't recognizable and there was no printed menu. You sort of had to just remember what you saw on the website when you bought your tickets. An explanation or even just a printed card would have been nice. I understand that an emcee may not be available for every dinner, but to not have that makes it seem a little less like a supper club and more like a mystery meal. Our second main course was brisket and when I say "mystery meal" I mean, we had no idea that was what it was supposed to be because it was not good, no bueno, tough, dry, you name it.. It did not even LOOK appetizing (I took a photo, it looks like spam on a plate). I know it is always possible to have an "off" night, but if you're going to be serving brisket in Central Texas, you should be darn sure that you could cut it with a fork , not have to saw it. It was a definite down note in what was otherwise a pretty good dining experience--unfortunate because it was the last course we ate, so that's what sticks in your mind. Other things that we did not experience that other reviewers had noted--we were not explained anything about the no cell-phone rule and in fact at the end of dinner, half our table were texting--I was not bothered by it at all, just mentioning that that "rule" may be possibly "come and go" thing. I was happy that we went and not totally put off, but it could have been better. I would at least say give it a shot---you could get luckier than we did. read more

I have been a Supper Friends devotee for years and can't believe I've never Yelped about my experience. Supper Friends is a supper club put on by the 2 Dine 4 Catering team at Swoop House, a super-cute cottage that they relocated from Hyde Park and plopped down next to their eastside catering facility. Join their email list or like their Facebook page to get the scoop on upcoming dinners. When you see one that strikes your fancy, jump on it immediately because reservations fill very quickly. The reason? A winning combination of gracious hosting by Stephen Shallcross, impeccable service by the pro waitstaff, a tasty cocktail to accompany the evening's theme, a well-selected wine list, and delicious eats from start to finish. Come hungry because you will get more than your fill as you enjoy a leisurely meal alongside random tablemates who quickly become friends as the dinner progresses. It is such a fun night of food, drink, and company! read more

I was pretty excited when my husband told me we would be going to Supper Friends. We had decided to do something different for our wedding anniversaries and although it seems weird to dine with strangers for something like that he knew I had wanted to try it and after he got a Yelp Elite offer all signs seemed to point to, why not? I don't know why I expected more cross table chatter. Everyone, including ourselves, seemed to be locked into their own conversations but that's cool. You get what you give. All of our surrounding 'friends' were very pleasant and seemed to be having a lovely time. Having looked at the menu in advance the two courses I was not too thrilled about, or sounded the least exciting to me turned out to be my favorite parts of the meal. I don't know what they did to that bacon on the wedge salad but omg. And the catfish...I don't typically eat catfish let alone breaded fish but it was light and fresh. I had to put my fork down and push my plate away to save room for the brisket. I wish I hadn't. The brisket was not good. It was fatty and bland. I hardly touched it and neither did my husband. I suddenly wished for the veggie option and I didn't even know what it was. Then came dessert. It should be with one 's' because it was the driest cupcake I have had in a long time. I'd like to give this place 3 1/2 stars. It is a great venue and I would surely go back with a table full of my own friends ,with hopes of a better meal or at least three out of four hits on the food. But since we're not able to give halves I gave four. The house was beautiful. The place settings were classy and I appreciated the spot on service we received. In such a setting it is important for the servers to be swift and attentive without being in your face. We were told what we were eating each time. The Chef also came by to say hello. There were two birthdays in the house so the entire place gave a warm song, which made me feel a little left out since it was our anniversary and not so much as a high five came our way but I'm not bitter. Everything about it was warm and welcoming. Stylish without being trendy. Insert your own cliches here. But seriously, all in all I'm glad we went. read more

I would absolutely recommend this place. I placed a reservation for a Valentine's Day dinner and was blown away with the service. The food was phenomenal, the service was perfect, the atmosphere was such an enjoyable experience. I would go there again without hesitation. read more

I am a long time fan of SWOOP. I love the concept, the atmosphere, the staff and most of all the food. I cannot count how many times I've participated in the SWOOP supper clubs (no, really). All of the meals have been outstanding. If you decide to give it a try (and you should), come hungry. The food is fantastic, and there's LOT'S of it. Chef Carroll is amazing, and the wine list (put together by Greg Randle) is eclectic and well thought out. I look forward to the next time I can participate. read more

Awesome experience! We went to the duck-7-ways dinner and I don't have a single bad thing to say about it. People serving were great, food was tremendous, DEFINITELY worth the money. read more

Supper Friends is a fine dining and social experience not to be missed in Austin. I can only echo other reviewers' high praise - we have never been disappointed by the amazing eats, but that is only part of the story, because it is also about meeting new people and having some great conversation with them over dinner, something rarely experienced at a traditional restaurant. Some of the guest chef menus have been truly fantastic - I have been able to try unusual and extraordinary new things, all without a bit of fuss or food snobbery - the atmosphere is completely Austin laid back and friendly. The theme varies, but the menu is fixed (with vegetarian alternatives to meat dishes). They don't serve every day, you need to call, or get on their email list or their Facebook page to learn about upcoming events. Well worth it! read more

supper club recently based a dinner on recipes taken from my book, "stirring it up with molly ivins." i expected to see people i knew, but everyone was a stranger -- but not for long. the chef had taken great pains to adapt various dishes -- including making bite-sized fritters from my daughter's mac'n'cheese recipe. it was a perfectly lovely evening and i can't say enough good things about this east austin gem of a place. and my daughter, a pretty picky chef in her own right, pronounced the dinner a resounding success. it doesn't get much better than this. i'm so in love with this place i'm planning to have my birthday party there! read more