At my request, my husband brought me to Wink to celebrate my birthday. We arrived at the wine bar side of the restaurant at 5:30 pm on a Friday. Sadly, for us, all the seats at the bar were full, so we selected a table, instead. We love sitting at the bar and chatting with the bar tenders. But the table turned out fine. Our waitress was super nice and offered lots of wine suggestions based on our tastes. I honestly could not tell you exactly what I ended up ordering - medium body reds, though. All delicious. For food, we ordered the pate (my favorite), calamari, muscles, and the bison carpaccio. Excellent food and drinks and friendly staff. This place is by no means hip, and I dig that. But if you happen to be a hip person who likes good food, good wine, and friendly, engaging service, you should try Wink. The wine bar side is where it's at in my opinion. read more

I didn't know about this place, it's so cute and cozy! I sat in the bar and had wine and had a very fun conversation with the bartenders, I'd come back here for sure! read more

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Wink made Thanksgiving feel extra special this year. The turkey was juicy and flavorful, with cornbread stuffing and cranberry relish that hit all the right notes. The sides were hearty and classic -- creamy mashed potatoes, crisp green beans, and a standout Brussels sprout, carrot, and fried polenta dish that tied everything together. Dessert was the star: a rich chocolate pecan bourbon pie that was decadent without being over the top. Service was warm and attentive, and the cozy vibe made it feel like a hidden gem away from the holiday chaos. If you want a Thanksgiving dinner that blends tradition with a touch of fine dining, Wink is the place. read more

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I knew I was coming here in advance with a group of 20 or so people so I decided to read through many of the post Covid reviews. Unlike all the current previous reviews, this will be from a group perspective, which might be helpful if you plan on having your own group experience. One thing that nobody bothered to mention is that they only have six parking spaces out front, so you'll have to go around the corner on Baylor Street to park. The majority of reviewers give this place high marks, but they do have that rare hiccup from time to time. Yes this place is a little tricky to find on Lamar blvd if you haven't been here before. It is divided into 3 parts, the wine bar, private room and the restaurant which all have separate doors. Inside the wine bar you'll notice dozens of painted portraits which are done by the head chef here. The wine bar has about six 4 tops and eight seats at the bar, pretty cozy. In between the wine bar and the restaurant is a private room for events which can seat about 30 people. That room is also filled with numerous similar portraits. The restaurant itself is small and intimate. My group met in the private room which featured a charcuterie selection and wine. It was a good offering of hors d'oeuvres, but nothing really unique or special. You can read the other reviews concerning the food, whereas I'm filling in some of the information that has been overlooked about this place. Overall, nice vibe and attentive staff, however, I was surprised there was not a single business owner response to any of the reviews, at least not in the recent ones. If you want to rent the private room, I hear it starts at around $500 on up depending on whether you want a sit down dinner or casual gathering. They'll be happy to work with you on price, but there is a 20% gratuity. It's a place I would come back to. read more

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I've been to Wink before during dinner service but today was the 1st time I've been for lunch!: lunch service is in the smaller side where the wine bar is. It's fantastic! The wine, the intimacy, the Wine selection! Kiss kiss kiss! Any place that has Sancerre by the glass has my heart. They have a nice lunch menu and also serve the bar menu: I opted for the hanger steak and also had the pastrami: This place is the original farm to table in Austin in my option and make everything in-house and locally sourced. Fernando our amazing amazing amazing waiter, elevated our experience with his knowledge of the restaurant, and food culture in general! We were grateful the meet the owner who was a delightful treat reminiscing about the history of Austin, his restaurant and food culture: love this place!!! Love it!!! read more

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What a great meal! Also, if you have a lactose allergy, this is a good finer dining option if you are from out of town. I had reached out to some of the other fine dining restaurants about accommodating dairy allergies and I was either ignored or told no. However, Wink was very eager to accommodate. Overall food quality was very tasty. I think the standouts were the scallops and the duck. The chef seems very interested in enhancing the experience with the interplay of texture and some flavor contrast. Overall this works well, especially with the duck. It was an exciting range of bitter, sweet, and heat which came together in an enjoyable way. I think there was a play on texture with the sashimi and rice/ lentil pancake, but I think the excellent flavor of cobia sashimi was lost in the pancake. This is our only meaningful criticisim. The marriage between the wine and the food was well done and clearly there was serious thinking involved. Service was very warm and engaging. We dined on a Thursday so not a peak night. The room was quiet and guests were well spaced. Art is interesting and conversation provoking. Also, don't be alarmed by the restaurant being located in a strip mall. I definitely started rethinking my choice when we pulled up, but definitely glad that we dined at Wink. We opted for the five-course tasting menu with an add on of the lamb principal plat split between us, along with the wine pairing and a split glass of wine for the lamb. The total bill with 20% tip was $543. All things considered, this was a good value and if we lived in Austin would visit again without hesitation. read more

The ambience was great as soon as we walked it and were seated promptly with our reservation time. The food was delicious and the waiter was great with explaining each wine pairing with our courses. read more

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I had a great experience here. Everyone here was so nice and welcoming. I loved all the cool and interesting decor of the restaurant. The menu items are quite interesting themselves too. My favorite was the Chicken Liver Pate. We also got the Duck Confit Poutine, Cobia Sashimi, Beef Tartare, and Steak Frites. read more

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We live nearby and have been to Wink three times, twice at the bar and most recently for a date night in the dining room. After the dining room visit, we've decided it's not a regular spot for us. The staff was genuinely friendly. The pacing was the main thing we kept talking about: two hours for dinner without dessert or the tasting menu, on a Tuesday with a light crowd. At one point we both looked at each other wondering where our next course was. You want pacing to fade into the background, and ours was the foreground. My wife had the fish and said it was not memorable. I had the hanger steak on the server's recommendation, cooked as ordered, but not one I'd order again. The appetizers were the same story. read more

It really pains me to give low reviews for seemingly fancy restaurants but the food was not good. The bread was really hard. Entree portions are small and not worth the price. Scallops were too salty and the duck breast was ok-just covered by the hoisin sauce. The dessert quatro we got was average. Crème brûlée can be sweeter. The cheesecake tasted strongly of goat cheese? I didn't like it. Their service, on the other hand, is top-notch! The greeter held my chair out for me and the server checked on us multiple times, explaining things as needed. We also got complimentary champagne and the chefs gave us signed menus. The eyes in the front wink at you! read more

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Holy Mackerel this place is good! Farm Fresh and everything was Delicious. Servers were awesome. Wink is Very Special!

Had reservations for dinner but stopped in at the bar beforehand. We decided to stay in the wine bar for dinner. The bartender was extremely helpful. I believe he was a sommelier. He was very knowledgeable about wines and helped to find the perfect wine for our tastes to accompany the meal. Half price bar food at happy hour. Had the burger the first time here. Went back again but this time I was not very hungry. My friend ordered the hummus and Truffle Mac and Cheese. The Mac was very rich and filling so she opted to take the rest home. The hummus was interesting served with pickled veggies and toasted croutons. The wine was wonderful. I chose the Syrah at $13 glass. After sampling a few cabs, she decided the syrah was the best choice. Great service and atmosphere read more

Wink - Hummus and Truffle Mac and Cheese - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Food - 2.5 stars. Underseasoned. Pork was borderline done Service - 2.5 stars. Very slow Ambiance - 2.5 stars. Not comfortable After 3 visits, they just aren't for me. Have tried multiple dishes and none of us would order any of them again. Plated beautifully but no flavor. Sad. read more

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We love this secret hidden gem! I took my husband here to celebrate his recent promotion and we were not disappointed. The staff and food were 5 stars. We loved the peaceful and romantic atmosphere and attentive staff. The food was delicious and we can't wait to come back. read more

Aside from amazing food and drinks (I highly recommend the mac and cheese), the staff are some of the most amazing people in the world. While enjoying my meal, an emergency occurred, and everyone went out of their way to help me with my situation. I could not be more thankful. Must-do spot for anyone in Austin :) read more

It's was awesome for non-vegetarian but vegetarian the 5-course meal felt expensive as there was not a lot of variation. I wouldn't recommend for the vegetarian food especially for the $100 price range Service and Ambiance was exceptional read more

My new favorite restaurant in Austin! Having never been here before I wandered into the "bar" section of the restaurant not realizing there was a separate dining room section, but since I was by myself I happily sat at the bar. I started with a glass of Gewurtztraminer (which I was pleasantly surprised they had) & asked for the 5 course tasting menu. All of the waitstaff behind the bar was extremely friendly and all periodically asked me what I thought. I ended up asking someone what the sweetbreads were on the menu cause I'd never had them before & he explained all about them & asked if I wanted to try them. I said yes, fully assuming I'd pay for the extra addition to the tasting menu, but I found out later it was the owner Mark I was talking to & it was gift! They were divine. Honestly everything on the tasting menu was impeccable & then my favorite dessert of the trio was the chocolate cake. About halfway through a couple came in & sat next to me & we ended up having some wonderful conversations as they turned out to be regulars of the place. Then the drama happened (but this only elevated the experience imo) because PETA protestors showed up in the parking lot around 8:30/9. You couldn't hear them much inside the restaurant, but they've been leaving negative reviews of this place simply for the Foie Gras. Idk maybe we would rather protect locally owned Austin restaurants that have been around for ages?? (Or if you really want to protest... why not do it at the legislature level instead of trying to hurt small businesses??) But since I was there by myself the owner Mark walked me back to my car which was incredibly thoughtful. I'll be coming back to this place for sure, I love the community vibes & how incredible the service is. PETA just makes for a good story. read more

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A very delightful dining experience! This restaurant is known for their farm to table tasting menus with wine pairings. They have a 5 and 7 course plus many wonderful al a carte options. We opted for the 5 course since we had tickets for an event after. The meal was absolutely delicious! The chef is very creative, the dishes were very forward. I particularly loved the skirt steak with the pomegranate steak sauce. I would love to give this place 5 stars as the food and service were outstanding. However, I feel the desserts were pretty basic. We had the trio of crème brûlée, flourless choc cake and lemon meringue. Although good, I was surprised this was the end of the meal given the dishes before. I have a sweet tooth and love a strong, creative dessert. I will definitely be back, so many things I did not have a chance to taste. read more

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They're serving Thanksgiving Dinner this year!! First time, ever I believe. It should be quite a treat if it's anything like their delicious salads and soups that change daily as does the entire menu. Just found out they've been serving lunch weekdays as well. The creamy garlic soup was spectacular. read more

Had a really great dinner at Wink tonight. First time I'd eaten there in a quite a few years, but it has improved over the last dozen years or so, which is no small accomplishment as it was already quite good. We had the five course tasting menu. Every single course was very good, ad several were outstanding. I had the wine pairings with every course, which was very, very reasonable at $60 -- or only $12 per course. O was frankly concerned that the wine would t be up to snuff given the low price, but every curse was at East void, ad three were outstanding. The cobia poke with avocado, cilantro, radish, and baby limas was as an absolute standout. The scallops on polenta with baby carrots, sorrel, and roasted garlic-pine nut sauce was quite good and the Napa Sauvignon blanc was a great pairing. Perhaps the second best course after the cobia was the duck breast on porcini mushroom, chicories, peewee potato and sauce bigarade. The duck was a perfect medium rare. My partner, who didn't get the wine pairings ordered a glass of Lioco Pinot Noir, and they thoughtfully up my wine to the same wine, which was an excellent pairing. Steak with a berry gastrique was the final corse, and was quite good. The paring with that course, a 2020 Costers del Priorat Pissarres Grenache/Carignon punched way above its price and was outstanding. A combo dessert of crème brulée, lemon meringue pot de creme, & el rey chocolate cake we're all good. But it was elevated beyond its already very good status by a crème brulée, lemon pot de creme (with amazing home candied lemon peel) was elevated by the 2016 Lions de Suduiraut Sauternes. Lion de Suduiraut is the second wine of Chateaux Suduiraut, but it didn't taste like a second wine. Tasting menu was only $120, which is a bargain given the quality. The wine list is thick with well chosen wines under $100. Nit in their web site, but they also have a modestly sized reserve list (though it's not called that) that has a small, but we'll selected group of wines from $90up to the high $200 range. Very few trophy wines, but they all look to be well priced and designed to complement the food. Service was excellent. As good a meal as I've had in Austin in many years. read more

First time here, even though it's been opened a minute now. I really liked the Castle Hills vibes, I wish the graffiti walls were still up, anywho! The wife and I had an OpenTable rsvp for 8:00, however, we waited for about 20 minutes to get our table. I didn't complain much since it was a long day for me, and the host shut me up with a tall glass of bubbly. They made up for it. I totally understand that wine can get the best of people, so when there's wine, time is not linear. In Vino Veritas. We had the amazing 5 course meal, and seeing the small plates and seeing my dad bod, I thought I wasn't going to be fully satisfied with the amount of food, was I wrong? I was stuffed by the end of the night. The sashimi was very nice and fresh. I liked it so much, that I had to Google "Cobia fish", some big ol' fish that likes to be alone, a loner like myself, therefore they can't really grow it in a fish farm. Hence, a bit more pricey, no wonder why I liked it so much, my bougie taste came in clutch. I enjoyed the crab cakes, but my wife didn't much. She said it reminded her of too much horseradish flavor. Not sure if it had any, but I dug it. No complaints from my part. The duck and the strip steak, while only a few slices, it was amazeballs. The cook on them were perfect! To close it off, the tempting, sinful dessert trio was what really did it for me. Not only do you get one type of dessert, you get 3!!! Now, Im known to have a sweet tooth, so take this as you want it, the balance between the courses was a grand slam for me! If you do the courses, make sure to really consider the wine pairings. We were delighted with the careful decisions to pair the food w the wine. Oh, I shall not forget the incredible waiting staff! Superb job. read more

Wink - Strip steak with roasted acorn squash, leeks, arugula, and caramelized onion sauce - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Last week, I told you about our discovery of Wink on September 5th, what a splendid experience it was, and I encouraged Austinites to rediscover this gem. We returned to Wink on September 12th and had another fantastic meal and excellent service from Madeline! But there was one difference. Last week, there were less than 10 diners on a Friday night. This week, the room was comfortably full! It was probably coincidence; but you never know. read more

Had a fantastic experience at Wink!!! Highly recommend. I called begging for a last minute reservation because I was hosting a small group dinner and another plan had fallen through. After the host *saved* me by squeezing us in, he also patiently accommodated us through two different party size changes. The host was extremely gracious and never seemed anything but welcoming and happy to help. I'm extremely grateful for the grace he showed me / us. He was very kind in a situation where I honestly would've understood if he had told me to take a hike. Service was excellent. Our server was super friendly, and he paced and parceled out our various items impeccably. We shared some items but not others and he always had fresh plating, the right utensils, everything to make it a seamless experience. I never had to say, "Can you bring us a fork for this?" or "Do you have larger plates for this appetizer?" I was able to focus on the people I was with and enjoy myself. And because I was hosting the dinner and wanted everyone to have a great experience, I'm extremely appreciative to our server. The food was great! Perfect for what I wanted--thoughtful, fresh, modern plates that everyone enjoyed. We had butter lettuce salad, truffle risotto, and scallops (all shared); individual mains (mine was duck breast); and chocolate cake, chèvre cheesecake, and crème brûlée (also shared). Everything was delicious. Wine was very good. (Note: I don't think there is a full bar. I didn't ask. Wine list was wine only, and they offer a couple of nonalcoholic wines but no cocktails or beer that I saw.) Excellent ambience, food, staff, and overall experience. read more

It is great. But please remember: you are paying dearly for what you are getting. The place is beautiful, servers are awesome, food is just delish. read more

Food, Service, ambiance, I like that. Visited this place for the first time, wow, first, the attention , clap clap clap! To Vincent! He was amazing! The wine here is the best! And the food WOW ! I will be back soon ! read more

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This is an extra hard review to write- not really sure how many stars to give because difference aspects of the experience were 3-5 stars...so 4 stars it is! Unfortunately, the food itself was just ok. Not the amazing taste and quality I've had with other chefs tastings. The presentation was great though! And the owner came out to talk to us and he was sooo nice, which made our NYE dinner all the more special and celebratory! read more

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I planned on trying their vegan options here because my friend shared a little bit of their fries with me. The moment that I saw they sell foie gras, I instantly lost all respect for their business. Shameful to sell a "product" that entails so much suffering and a life of misery for ducks and geese. Shame on Wink! read more

For New Year's Eve, my boyfriend and i decided to go have a fancy dinner with friends. Not only was the food DELICIOUS, but our waiter, Vincent, made the experience. I have a lot of food allergies and was told they would take care of all the accommodations in the kitchen, no stress or complaints. He later made me feel included when everyone else was eating bread, he brought me olives. It's the little things that take service from being good, to great and then beyond. Vincent made our night so special, and i couldn't have asked for anything more. It was hands down the best experience/service my friends and i have ever recieved. read more

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Absolutely must try! We tried their tasting menu on NYE and we're not disappointed at all! The wine option kept our glasses full which was a plus. The first course was the only course that I was not a fan of, but that duck course was amazing!!! Every course that came out was even better then the last. At the end of the meal, the chef took the men to the back for a shot! This whole experience was worth every Penny!! read more

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Their happy hour is SUCH a hidden gem! It's only in their bar (rather than the restaurant), but it's such a cozy atmosphere and goddamn the food is SO EXCELLENT. Half off the bar food menu, which makes for an especially incredible deal on their super duper tasty, gourmet burgers. One of the best burgers I've had in a while-really good quality beef, caramelized onions, gooey brie, dijon aioli... And the wedge fries they served with the burger were perfect too- crisp on the outside, pillowy fluffy goodness inside. And that mac n cheese...just look at it. Seriously, bar side is where it's at! read more

Wink - Black truffle Mac n cheese - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The service was outstanding. Vincent was one of the best waiters ever. He was very attentive and provided everything we asked for and then some. The food was amazing. The duck and lamb were perfectly cooked. I even ate my vegetables, I never eat my vegetables. They were delicious too. The foie Gras was beautiful and so smooth. The salad was great too. Of course we had the dessert Quatro to share. Every dessert was meticulously put together and delicious. read more

Food is honestly over-priced for what you pay. Also, they sell foie gras here... ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! I will not be coming back. read more

After driving past this place every day for years we finally made it in and am a little disappointed it took me so long. We came for an anniversary dinner and the staff really made it a special night for us. We did the Chef's tasting menu and wine pairing and it was absolutely amazing. There was a nice variety in flavors between courses and the paired wines were perfect. It was a busy night and our server, Austin, was still such a gem! We loved our chats and he was so knowledgeable about the wines he poured us. I would definitely recommend giving this spot a try and will definitely be coming back! read more

We had a very lovely dinner for my husbands 50th birthday. Austin was a wonderful waiter and the staff were all very welcoming and warm. The food was delicious, they were able to accommodate our dietary restrictions, and the wine pairings were fantastic. It's always consistent in service and delicious food. read more

I used to love this place for special date nights. The tomatoes were always the kind with extra flavor- nothing like what you can buy in the grocery store. My most recent visit was absolutely disturbing. My partner found a cockroach in his food and the waiter did not apologize- actually was very cold and when he brought the dish back, my partner didn't even feel comfortable eating it. Flavors were lacking. Service was lacking. The place has gone down hill. Too many good restaurants in austin to waste your money here. read more

$400 disappointment. We arrived right on time for our reservation on Valentine's Day. The host, an older gentleman who appeared to be the owner, told us that we would have to wait 20 to 30 minutes. No apology, no offer of a drink on the house. After waiting the 20 to 30 minutes, we were seated. Eager to get past the bizarre reception, we reviewed the drink menus and discussed whether to get the tasting menu or a la carte options. Then, nothing. We were ignored for another 15 minutes. I finally called over what appeared to be the only server in the room and indicated that we had not even been greeted by a server. She acted surprised. She took our drink order, but we were at that point in a sour mood. An expensive fine dining experience is not just about the food but how you are treated. There is a lack of hospitality and graciousness from the staff here. The food was fine, but not extraordinary. Save your money and special occasion for an actual fine dining experience, not Wink. read more

I've lived in Austin for 6 years, and never heard of this restaurant. Saw it on an Eater list for best tasting menus in Austin. This place is delicious! Super cute, and a lot of fun. 7 Course Tasting Menu: Cobia Carpaccio - 5/5 Crab Cakes - 4/5 Striped Bass - 5/5 Seared Sweetbreads - 5/5 Duck Breast - 4/5 Strip Steak - 5/5 Wink Dessert Trio - 5/5 The carpaccio was sooo light and refreshing. Striped bass was cooked perfectly, nice crispy skin. Sweetbreads were excellent, the best I've tasted. Strip steak, delicious. Dessert trio, amazing. Crab cakes were a bit dry. Duck Brest was a tad undercooked. Great date spot. Super intimate, and really fun. Wait staff is phenomenal, and super friendly. I really enjoyed this place. read more

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3.5 stars. This place looked nice on OpenTable and Yelp. The place is a little dated but has a cute ambiance and the owner greets you at the door. Service was not great but I care more about the food. Overall the mains were quite good but appetizers and dessert were lackluster. I can tell they're trying really hard to make this more elevated. Food: Amuse bouche - radish with beet sauce - the beet sauce was too jammy and too sour and I don't think radish is the right compliment for this sour/slightly sweet beet sauce. Maybe apple and beet would've been nice together. Radish should've been paired with something sweeter if there is sourness in this bite. Cobia - the fish was cut too thick and didn't have much sauce or much of other ingredients to make this a flavorful dish Foie gras - was ok; thought it was going to be more flavorful Beet salad - ok Duck - meat was very juicy and tender Halibut risotto - halibut could've been cooked a little less but it had a really nice flavor and the risotto could've been cheesier or less watery Goat cheesecake - this one was quite nice but could've maybe had another ingredient like sautéed cherries to compliment the flavors. The crust was a little too crumbly for me. Might be good if they served a goat milk ice cream with the crumbly crust. read more

Always a delight. We go every time we are back in Austin. Food is wonderful and the staff a delight. An Austin original.

Our visit visit back since covid for small plate creative magic: arugula with baby carrots, snap peas, fennel and dill buttermilk dressing; mixed greens with radish, onion, cucumber and herb vinaigrette dressing; fois gras on queso asado with tomatillo sauce and dandelion greens; blackened sweetbreads on swiss chard with herb oil; red snapper in bouillabaisse with crayfish and acorn squash; bottle of Bardos Tempranillo; creme brulee and cappuccino. All staff were helpful and friendly. Karen was informative, attentive but not intrusive with perfect timing. read more

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