Opened last week. Thanks to the Redditors that alerted me in my original post. We went tonight and it was really good, although they need some small adjustments.

First off, everything that was fried was prepared excellently. Perfectly crisp with no hint of grease. Whoever is working the fryer should give lessons.

We ordered pork egg rolls (2 per order), crab rangoon (6 per order), wontons in broth (8) from the appetizer menu, Sichuan style twice cooked pork, Chongqing Chicken, and chicken katsu Ramen. Again, I can't express enough how perfectly fried the fried foods were. The egg rolls were packed with pork, very little vegetables. They could have used more salt and spices but they were still good. Rangoons were great. Wonton broth was silky and smooth, different flavor than most wonton soups. My daughter loved her ramen. Since this was our first time here, we ordered medium spicy for the pork and chicken. Both dishes were delicious but the pork could have been spicier and the chicken was beyond medium spicy! Hot AF. I wouldn't adjust the spiciness of the chicken for next time but my son said he would order spicy for the pork when we return.

We are excited to have this new place take over the old Beijing Wok location, next to Evangeline. We are already planning our next visit.

Note: Everything was prepared fresh so the dishes arrived at different times. Not a complaint, just wanted to mention that. Perfect if you enjoy family style eating.

I delivered my baby at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center a few weeks ago, and honestly, the food was one of the few good things I remember from my stay. 😭❤️
My delivery was traumatic, and I’m still healing from the whole experience. Please don’t judge me, but one of the things that brought me comfort was the food, especially this strawberry butter French toast from women’a center menu I had on my last day there. It was SO GOOD! 🥹
I went back last week hoping to get it again, but apparently, it wasn’t available. I’m not sure if it’s something they serve only on certain days or if it’s exclusively on the Women’s Center menu.
Does anyone know if there’s a way for visitors to access the Women’s Center menu at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center?
Thank you! 🥹🍓

As someone who grew up in Houston and craves non-hipster simple but good mom-and-pop Tex Mex, this hits the spot similar to La Posada but up north.

Everyone NEEDS to try Falafel Burger in Austin. It’s in an old sonic building and has some of the best Mediterranean food ever. Good gyros, good falafel, baklava, all of it. Whatever you do - PLEASE EAT HERE. I NEED THIS RESTAURANT TO THRIVE!!!

My boyfriend and I were traveling from Colorado, and chose to get reservations at odd duck, and man, that did not disappoint!! I am a big seasonal eater, so farm to table concepts are very perfect for me. Everything is family style, you order everything you want at the start and the staff will then bring out the courses in the order they deemed fit. The service was also exceptional. This will be a staple whenever we travel back to Austin!

We both got a drink. My boyfriend got the spice rack: viet spice infused Ford’s gin, toasted fig leaf & thai lime syrup, lime, spicy tincture. This was absolutely delicious. I got their frozen margarita: pueblo viejo tequila blanco, grapefruit liqueur, lime, orange, agave. The flavor on this was also delicious, just a bit too frozen, I burnt my tongue, and it was stronger than I expected!

The dinner menu we selected:
-Cast iron cheddar cornbread with sage butter. I’m a sucker for cornbread, and this was everything I wanted. It had a soft spice that developed and the sage was unique.

-Grilled chicken hearts, tzatziki, chicken skin dukkah. I have a soy allergy so I couldn’t try to chicken skin but my boyfriend said it was amazing. The hearts were tender and the tzatziki was delicious.

-Braised goat rotolo, creamy salsa verde, pepita salsa macha, pickled corn. This meal definitely surprised us. There were so many plays on textures.

-Apple tarte tatin, pork belly, habanero, tarragon chevre, mint. This was definitely the show stopper, we were mind blown. This was perfectly executed in terms of balancing flavors.

i don’t need anything specific like truffle, parm, cajun, etc. just something simple! salt and pepper and crispiness…

anything on the north side?

i’m from san antonio and would hit up mr juicy’s when i could, i miss that place and their shakes 😭

I've seen a lot of Indian food recs in this sub but most are usually too far north around Cedar Park/RR area. What are the best delivery options that are north ISH but not quite that far flung? I sometimes go with Tikka House, but I'm much fonder of the South Lamar location. I've had Sangam Chettinad, also had Star of India. Are there any big winners near here I'm missing out on?

Soooo I'm a typical Indian origins guy - I have never tasted or smelled meat or eggs. But I eat diary and infact love it. I love exploring new cuisines or fusion types. But my problem is I don't find any such options in Austin. When I find one and want to take my family - I gotta burn a hole in my wallet!

And I hate Indian restaurants here , well may be a few are decent , but honestly I make better food than most of them - also damn expensive for some reason!

So request is for you all my reddit fam to help recommend some family friendly places with vegan options to exore this weekend!

Does anyone know where to get khao man gai that isn’t P’s? Preferably in south Austin. It seems hard to find around these parts. Thanks!

Hi all, I'm taking care of someone right now who can't walk and I need breaks from meal prep. (I'm beginning to dream of my Instant Pot).

Can I have y'all's recs for places (restaurants and grocery stores) that have good deals on big portions of prepared foods that are more healthy? Mostly looking for stuff that's not fried, loaded with butter, and salted to oblivion (which eliminates a lot of frozen dinners for example). That last part is what has stumped me.

Any cuisine is good and they have no food allergies.

Ideally in North, Central, East, Southeast Austin. Thanks!

OK so story time fist. when i was younger i was convinced i just don't like tomatos, I tried them multiple times here in Austin every time the texture was gross and the flavor was meh. then i went to Europe for the first time and i had some tomatoes in like a salad or something and i kid you not this was the greatest thing i have ever eaten and i could not get enough of the tomatoes on that trip. now after the trip I'm like oh I am a tomato person now ill buy some next time im at HEB. the tomatoes i got at HEB were pure garbage. i have gone to some farmers markets around town and found some ok tomatoes when they are in session. lesson learned only buy tomatoes in session from farmers.

similarly Im not a bog fan of blackberries, the texture is not great the flavor never hits quit right. but last month i was in Seattle and i don't know why but i got a carton of blackberries and they were the greatest thing i have ever eaten. so i'm thinking i have grown as a person i am a blackberries lover now. this time i got to central market because they have good produce good selection i buy some blackberries expecting them to taste like the ones i got in Seattle. nope i don't like them they are going to go bad in my fridge the flavor is meh and that texture is just not it.

ok here is my question where is the good produce in town? I'm now question my whole life, there are some foods that i just don't like but have i just been eating the the worst possible version of those foods my whole life. where can i get actually good blackberries in this town. or is it some seasonal thing like i have a short window of time to buy the blackberries.

Been here far too long and never been, mostly because I live so close to the north staples like enchiladas y mas and Eldorado. Think I want to finally go check it out, what’s your favorite order?

We’re planning to go to Sweet Eats Farm with our toddler and are deciding if we should eat lunch in Georgetown on our way home or just eat once we’re back in Austin. I’d like to try something new if there’s a place work checking out, which I’d imagine there is. I checked old posts but there weren’t many recent ones about about Georgetown. Appreciate any ideas!

I am on my vegetarian then vegan journey! I am needing to find out who has the best lion mane dishes and or best mushroom meat substitute dishes?
Thanks yall!

Hey yall! A professor that I’m trying to impress for a future tenure letter is visiting and I’m taking them out to dinner. Please add your recommendations for a place where we can have a conversation and not yell across the table cuz the music is too loud, and enjoy good food. Thank you!!

Update: I got a lot of comments criticizing the use of AI for this post. I had made it clear in my original post that the detailed analysis was done using Claude - i guess some readers just skimmed through my post. To make things clear - these are all the restaurants i visited recently in NYC, and have visited in the past in Austin. I used claude AI just for mechanical work to compare menu prices of similar items.

Like a lot of you, I’ve felt dining out in Austin getting more expensive, and I’ve already cut back. Even grabbing something quick for convenience doesn’t feel like an option anymore: a platter at Halal Bros is $15–17 now, for a family of 4 its ~$80-$90 with tax and tips.

I just got back from NYC and came home feeling Austin food is overpriced and mediocre for what we pay. So I pulled current prices from each restaurant I visited and compared similar dishes. I matched each Austin spot with an NYC spot in the same class (counter vs counter, sit-down vs sit-down), and where the NYC pick is fancier, I’ve said so.

What I took from it: Austin’s sit-down restaurants, especially seafood, Italian and small plates, charge as much as or more than comparable NYC spots, even though NYC has higher rent and wages. Fast-casual is about even. Sushi is a real exception, where Austin came out cheaper.

Someone posted something similar recently: Just got back from NYC, why are Austin’s...

So what’s really driving it? Rent? Labor shortages? Food costs in Texas? Restaurants pricing to what the tech crowd will pay? Small-plates menus that push you to order more? I’d love to hear from anyone in the industry.

TLDR (Claude's analysis);

Bottom line

All six pairings are compared.

• Clark's Oyster Bar vs Maison Premiere (Brooklyn): Clark's is 0–24% more for the same raw bar and seafood items.
• Casa Bianca vs La Pecora Bianca: pastas are about the same (±3%), but Casa Bianca's fish and steak mains are 14–18% more.
• Oria vs Turkuaz: Oria is 9–23% cheaper per plate, but its plates are smaller and sides cost extra, so dinner works out about 30% more per person.
• Halal Bros vs Halal Chicks and Platters (NYC): platters are at parity (most are $14.99 in both), but Halal Bros' wraps are 9–36% more.
• Tatsumi and Soto vs Sushi Lin: Tatsumi is 0–45% cheaper per piece of nigiri on most fish, and the more upscale Soto is the same or up to 41% cheaper; only Tatsumi's sashimi platter costs more per piece.
• Asia Cafe vs Han Dynasty (NYC, a higher class): Asia Cafe is 6–18% cheaper, which is expected given Han Dynasty is full-service with a bar.

Asia Cafe (Austin) vs Han Dynasty, Long Island City (NYC) — NYC is a higher class

Verdict: Austin is 6–18% cheaper, but this is a counter spot against a full-service restaurant, so a gap in Austin's favor is expected. It's not evidence either way on same-class pricing.

Clark's Oyster Bar (Austin) vs Maison Premiere, Williamsburg (NYC)

Both are polished oyster bars with full dining rooms, a deep raw bar and seafood mains.

Verdict: Clark's is as expensive as or pricier than a top Brooklyn oyster bar, which backs up your complaint at the upscale end. Clark's dinner PDF partly garbled on extraction, so only cleanly read prices were used; Maison Premiere has no burger or steak to compare against Clark's.

Casa Bianca (Austin) vs La Pecora Bianca, Bryant Park (NYC)

Both are full-service Italian restaurants built around house-made pasta. Portion note: Casa Bianca offers every pasta as a half or whole portion; the whole portion is compared here, since La Pecora Bianca serves only one size.

Verdict: A pasta dinner costs the same in both cities. Order a fish or steak main and Austin is pricier.

Oria (Austin) vs Turkuaz, Midtown West (NYC)

Both are full-service Eastern Mediterranean dinner restaurants. Portion callout: Oria serves shared plates, slightly larger than tapas, and charges separately for pita ($8) and rice ($4). Turkuaz serves full entrée portions with rice pilaf and grilled vegetables included. You'll order more plates at Oria to make a meal.

Verdict: Oria wins plate by plate but loses per meal, because of smaller plates and paid-for bread and rice.

Halal Bros (Austin) vs Halal Chicks and Platters (NYC)

Both are fast-casual halal counters with no table service. Halal Bros prices are from its own Anderson Mill menu. Halal Chicks and Platters prices are from a Menujoys page, a third-party menu site rather than the restaurant's own; the page doesn't give a street address and notes prices may change. Platters at both come with rice and salad.

Verdict: Platters are a wash. Wraps cost noticeably more in Austin, flat at $10.99 in NYC vs $11.99–14.99 at Halal Bros.

Tatsumi and Soto (Austin) vs Sushi Lin, Brooklyn Heights (NYC)

A three-way comparison. Tatsumi is the closest class match: like Sushi Lin, it's an understated neighborhood sushi bar (Time Out rates it moderately priced). Soto (South Lamar) is a step up in class: The Infatuation calls it upscale, with showy plates and omakase at $175–250. Portion note: Tatsumi prices nigiri per 2-piece order, halved below to compare per piece; Soto and Sushi Lin price per piece. Sushi Lin's prices come from its BeyondMenu ordering page, a third-party online-ordering site, and its rolls are listed as starting prices ("$7.50+").

Verdict: Austin sushi is not pricier than Brooklyn's. The same-class match (Tatsumi) is cheaper on nearly every piece of nigiri, and even the higher-class Soto matches or undercuts Sushi Lin. Only Tatsumi's sashimi platter and a couple of rolls cost more. Fish size and grade can't be compared from a menu.

Hello everyone! I have a question regarding restaurants in the Austin area.

So, for some background, it's my one year anniversary with my boyfriend next week, and we want to go to dinner somewhere, but we haven't picked a restaurant yet. Right now, the both of us are trying to save as much money as we can and so we're not looking to pay an exorbitant amount for dinner at a super fancy restaurant. We still want to have a romantic evening together, but we don't want it to take a huge chunk out of our wallets.

My question for everyone here is if you all have any recommendations for restaurants that usually cost about $30 per person (plus tip). We both like the same kinds of cuisines: Italian, American, Asian, Indian. We're not picky, but I would prefer something in those genres. Not really into French food though I will say that.

I know it's kind of a long shot, but if anybody out there has any recommendations, they'd be greatly appreciated.

(Also, it can really be anywhere in the greater Austin area. No restrictions really in distance).

Thanks again!

Taking a vacation later this month. My girlfriend said she wants brisket and tacos. Not really wanting to wait 4 hours in line for frankilns. Thanks

Really sad to see my local spot clipped. RIP Sweet and Sour Chicken & Shrimp. Pop up bagels better be a banger

Hey food nerds! I’m hoping to track down a deli or butchers or anywhere that carries a good, house-made braunschweiger.

Not looking for Boars Head/Oscar Meyer/brand-name stuff — I need something legit. Also not looking to drive halfway to San Antonio to get it.

Any suggestions welcome!

Does anyone know what restaurant has a corn Basque cheesecake? I swear I saw it on a menu recently, but I can’t remember the restaurant and I’m craving it right now lol

Sorry this is L&L Hawaiian BBQ. Not sure how to update title

Nanami is now Yangtze Wok Hei. They’re serving real Chinese classics, and after going three times, I can honestly say South Austin finally has an authentic Chinese spot.

It's almost like a soulless ghost kitchen experience can't replace the magic of a BOB after a long night of drinking.

The sign at LWs currently reads "T-Locs Coming Soon". Previous food vendors in that lot included Brooklyn Pie Co. and OneTaco Taquería. It seems like that would be prime real estate for bar-goers. The turnover has me quite perplexed but I am guessing that location isn't cheap.