Cozy Japanese restaurant with some added Texan influence. Great place to order a bunch of dishes and share around the table. Sit inside or out, but make a reservation if visiting on the weekend - it has a habit of being busy.
Austin institution serving Tex-Mex since 1952 - enchiladas, burritos, and all the other classics. Has developed a solid reputation as a family-friendly venue. Dine on the outside patio to the sound of birds and the fountain.
Elegant Mexican restaurant in a hacienda-style space. The dinner menu offers the likes of duck enchiladas, Yucatan-style broiled fish, and three-cauliflower tacos. Many guests linger after their meal for drinks.
Light bites and refreshing drinks in the unique setting of a refurbished gas station. Ideal for a happy hour drink and burger. Kinda Tropical also has a large patio with outdoor seating for those good weather days.
Roadside mariscos trailer serving fresh ceviche, aguachiles, and shrimp empanadas in a shared lot near the airport. Massive Micheladas and loaded tostadas fill the outdoor tables while Spanish music plays.
Rustic highway-side steakhouse serving thick cuts of locally sourced Texas beef. Leather saddles and live fires surround tables full of peppercorn-rubbed smoked sirloin and jalapeño cream corn.
Old-school Southern seafood joint frying up American catfish, jumbo shrimp, and homemade hush puppies. Vintage signs line the dining room while big plates hit the tables with pinto beans and jalapeño tartar sauce.
South Austin smokehouse serving alternative cuts and whole-animal butchery rather than the standard trinity. Lines snake toward beef cheeks and creative sides, while the bar handles a tighter menu for a faster fix.
Warm, spice-scented South Congress dining room built around communal platters of traditional Ethiopian stews. Woven mesob baskets serve as tables for tearing spongy injera flatbread to scoop up rich doro wot and pan-fried lamb tibbs.
Dark, narrow Warehouse District bistro serving rich French plates like bone marrow and duck confit. Antique water drips line the long bar, pouring traditional absinthe service alongside strong pre-Prohibition cocktails.
Renovated Clarksville house pairing a cozy dining room with a large oak-shaded patio. The bar pours draft cocktails alongside snacky Asian comfort plates like braised pork buns, charred brussels, and Korean shaved ice.
Bustling downtown restaurant serving locally sourced Chinese dishes and tiki cocktails. Steaming soup dumplings and spicy Sichuan plates fill tables across the dark, velvet-lined dining room and expansive street-facing patio.
Modern Mexican dining room built around an open kitchen and an in-house masa program. The vaulted, wood-lined space runs loud and busy with shared plates of fresh heirloom corn tortillas, crudo, and mezcal.
Market-style barbecue joint where a long line snakes past coolers and side dishes to the main event: the cutting block. Brisket and giant beef ribs are sliced to order and sold by the pound, served on butcher paper with house-made sides.
Bright, compact East Austin counter serving Trinidadian comfort food. Customizable bowls and dhalpuri roti wraps get piled with stew oxtail, curry goat, and jerk chicken.
Laid-back smokehouse blending Central Texas barbecue with Southeast Asian flavors. Long communal tables and an oak-shaded patio stay busy with bar-service trays of smoked brisket, corn fritters, and boozy slushees.
Dimly lit East Austin tavern running loud and lively with a steady flow of proper Guinness and classic cocktails. Bartenders mix frozen brandy Alexanders while the dining room cuts into thick prime rib and chicken pot pie.
East Austin trailer grilling authentic Philly cheesesteaks on proper Amoroso rolls. R&B playlists run loud as crowds carry loaded fries into the neighboring Grackle bar.
Jamaican trailer in North Austin serving scratch-made bowls at outdoor picnic tables. The go-to order mixes island rice and creamy mac and cheese under a heap of boneless jerk chicken.
Cozy Clarksville bistro serving house-made pastas and thin-crust pizza from a decades-old wood-fired oven. The warm dining room wraps around an open kitchen, filling up nightly for low-key neighborhood dinners.
No-frills barbecue joint on The Drag serving slow-smoked meats delivered daily from the family's original Lockhart pits. Brisket, beef ribs, and jalapeño-cheddar sausage are ordered by the pound while Johnny Cash plays overhead.
Greenhouse-style cantina pressing blue corn tortillas for tacos filled with slow-braised meats. Margaritas are notoriously strong, often slung from a separate outdoor bar to ease the inevitable wait.
Casual East Austin spot serving heavy Cajun staples, charcoal-grilled oysters, and strong frozen cocktails. The covered patio runs loud on game days, as tables fill with bowls of gumbo and prime rib debris po'boys.
Long-standing East Austin dining room turning out massive portions of Texas comfort food. Booths fill with heavy plates of chicken fried steak, collard greens, and thick slices of coconut cream pie.
Casual East Austin restaurant centered around a sprawling, tree-shaded patio strung with lights. Picnic tables fill with draft cocktails, wood-smoked meats, and Wagyu smash burgers on house-baked sourdough buns.
South Austin food truck slinging Sinaloan mariscos, massive Baja fish tacos, and fresh mango ceviche. Shaded picnic tables hold plates of spicy aguachile alongside BYOB beers and secret salsas grabbed straight from the window.
Lively downtown dining room and patio serving Michoacán family recipes instead of the usual Tex-Mex. DJs play through dinner while outdoor tables face the Austin skyline.
Fourth-floor rooftop cantina serving coastal Mexican plates and mezcal with wide downtown views. Rattan seating and lush plants fill the space, where duck carnitas and pitchers of margaritas land on poolside tables.
Fourth-floor Rainey Street restaurant serving Southern-influenced Mexican plates during nightly live music sets. A central bar separates the lounge from stage-facing dining booths, while an outdoor patio opens to the rooftop pool deck.
Small counter-service joint slinging Nuevo León-style tortas and street tacos. Stools pull up to the open kitchen for a direct view of the hot griddle, while a patio handles the overflow for massive brisket sandwiches.
Dark, indigo-toned hand roll bar tucked off a South Lamar back patio. Chefs work behind a wood counter, sliding temaki made with pink beet rice across small wooden planks so the seaweed stays crisp.
East Austin barbecue yard smoking oak-fired brisket, pulled lamb, and house-made sausages. Trays of heavy meat, jalapeño cheese grits, and fresh baked bread cover picnic tables across the dog-friendly patio.
Renovated East Austin house serving traditional Korean family recipes across a low-lit dining room and garden patio. Wood-grilled bo ssam and spicy fried chicken fill tables alongside rounds of soju cocktails.
High-energy Mexican grill on the Austin Proper’s fifth-floor pool deck. Wood-fire smoke fills the textured, indoor-outdoor room as groups tear into sizzling ribeye fajitas and frozen margaritas.
Restored East Austin corner restaurant running steady all day with cold cocktails and Louisiana homestyle cooking. Fresh oysters, chicken gumbo, and shrimp po'boys land on round wooden tables out on the street-side patio.
Narrow, shotgun-style space mixing a French Quarter feel with a backlit marble bar. The room fills up for raw oysters, cold martinis, and a short rib burger that rivals the seafood.
Stylish East Austin house pairing Italian-American cooking with Japanese technique. The bright dining room and rooftop bar run loud and energetic with shared plates of crudo, handmade pastas, and inventive cocktails.
Massive, gold-tiled pizza oven anchors the dining room, firing hyper-thin Neapolitan pies. The real show is the tableside tagliatelle – finished in a flaming wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Classic New York-style chophouse serving dry-aged steaks and cold martinis across crisp white tablecloths. Polished red leather banquettes and glossy wood paneling line the dimly lit downtown dining room.
Warm, family-run North Loop sushi kitchen serving homestyle izakaya plates and large rolls. Vintage photos and lucky cat figurines line the walls during the fast, steady dinner rush.
Intimate North Loop dining room with a busy open kitchen. A stainless steel counter wraps the line, turning out warm Gruyere and black pepper popovers alongside seasonal farm-to-table plates.
Bustling Tex-Mex hall loading tables with sizzling fajitas and handmade flour tortillas. Large groups crowd the booths for shared platters and strong lime margaritas.
Neapolitan pizzeria pairing charred, wood-fired crusts with a deep natural wine list. A white-tiled oven anchors the minimal room as tables fill for house-made pasta and bottles.
Bright, counter-service pizzeria slinging massive New York-style slices and thin-crust whole pies from a renovated Hyde Park post office. The kitchen pairs the pizza with chicken cutlet sandwiches and natural wine.
Bright, colorful neighborhood spot for Mexican-inspired comfort food, with a patio that fills up early. The menu is built around guisos and enchiladas; the sweet-glazed shiny ribs are essential.
Cozy, modern dining room running a tiered, all-you-can-eat sushi format. Tables pile high with made-to-order rounds of fresh sashimi, specialty rolls, and hot hibachi plates under warm lighting.
Long-standing family-run Korean restaurant tucked in a North Shoal Creek shopping center. Built-in tabletop grills run steady with marinated beef and short ribs alongside generous spreads of homestyle banchan.
Neighborhood Italian-American spot serving house-made pastas in a dim, wood-paneled dining room. The policy is strictly walk-in, so expect a wait – most people grab wine at the plant shop next door.
Lively East Austin Peruvian restaurant running its dinner service out on a covered patio. String lights click on around sunset as tables fill with rounds of passion fruit pisco sours, fresh ceviche flights, and lomo saltado.
Takeout pizzeria dedicated to proper East Coast pies – foldable New York slices and thick, airy Sicilian squares. The only seating is a handful of picnic tables out front.
