TLDR: super popping, top restaurant in Austin. One of the best restaurants on our eating trip through Austin and a go to if I ever visit Austin again! Made a last minute reservation for 8:45pm. A lot of the prime times are booked weeks in advance. We did have a significant wait despite having a reservation, but the service here was exceptional. For being patient, we had a round of wine and cocktails on them. Dessert was also on the house. They do have a seasonal menu so dishes change. There is also a pre fixe price for chefs choice, but we chose to do a la carte since we weren't starving and had specific dishes we wanted to try. For the appetizers we got the wagyu beef tartare, the red snapper, and the sunchokes. Of the appetizers my favorite was the red snapper. The combination of the fresh fish and the savory carrot broth was divine. For the mains, we got the pork shoulder with roasted turnips and the chicken thigh with sweet potatoes. The pork shoulder was super tender and had a caramelized skin. The chicken thigh was also super tender and the sweet potatoes were borderline candied. The desserts were also amazing. The cucumber lime sorbet with salted cream and hibiscus and the lemon leaf oil cake with goat cheese cream and strawberries were both sweet and savory desserts. Both were super unique and super yummy! read more

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We truly enjoyed our meal at Emmer and Rye and would return. Emmer & Rye has lots of seating options. Outside tables, indoor tables, bar seating, and lastly, seating at the kitchen. We sat at the bar because we're bar people. Service here was good. I wish we could've ordered our plates at our own pace. When they're ordered all at once (the restaurant's preference), the kitchen paces them.out and it felt too quick for us. Onto the food. If you do any research on this place, you'll find they are farm to table and are inventive with their flavor profiles. If you aren't somewhat adventurous with your palate, stay home or go to a chain restaurant or a steakhouse. We enjoyed everything we ate - some things more than others. The cheese dish with blueberries and oats was so interesting and the perfect size. I'm really not a pasta person, but we tried the pasta dish made with sausage. Gotta say, it was incredibly good. (They make their pasta in house, so it makes sense, right?) We also had beef tartar (very good), some fish (just ok for me, it needed more flavor), and the mushroom wraps. Those were very, very good. This would be great for a date night or a special occasion. Indeed, we saw several special occasions happening while we were there. The pricing here is high, so break out the checkbook, people. Bottom line, we'd return. For a special occasion. read more

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Unbelievably amazing. This place was amazing from start to finish. I'm already ready to go back! The service was excellent, servers were very attentive and informative. The restaurant is good for groups or just a date night. It's at the end of Rainey street so it's not as chaotic. There's an outside patio as well as I side seating. The seating at the bar is first come, first serve. Overall, exceptional visit and if you're in the area it's 100% worth a stop. read more

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Came to this place for dinner when I visited Austin. This place is hands down so impressive from the farm to table concept, the super friendly and educated staff to the unique dishes. I definitely want to come back to this place to try more items and cocktails. The one thing we got that stuck out to me was the broccoli- it was so good with the different textures. Even the gnocchi was great with the crunch on top. My only complaint is the size of the portions; it is on the smaller end. read more

Emmer & Rye - Gnocchi - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I had a really subpar experience recently with the service and the food. I sent multiple emails about the issues and never received a response. I have dined with them multiple times and can no longer recommend Emmer & Rye. read more

The tilefish and cacio e Pepe were exceptional. We also enjoyed the zucchini, crudo, sunchoke cheesecake, and sorbet. I could have used more kick/jalapeno in the crudo. Our service was very friendly, descriptive, and accommodating to allergies. The ambience is excellent. We were also pleased to be seated immediately at the time or our reservation. read more

Emmer and Rye, with their daily changing menu, focuses on showcasing overlooked ingredients and orchestrating in unique ways that highlight their flavors. There is a set menu that the table can all participate in, but we decided to order al la carte and try an assortment of dishes tapas style. The staff is attentive in refilling water and is constantly aware of utensil changes between the dishes. The dimmed lights around dinner time in addition to the warm candle lights constructs a romantic environment, allowing for time to pass by in good company. -White shrimp w/ tomato, cucumber, thai chili A must get. The intensity of the thai chili is quickly counteracted with the strips of cucumber, all while enjoying the light raw white shrimp -Honeydew, pecan, shrimp oil, burnt garlic Very interesting composition that worked very well. Three different variations of honeydew. The shrimp oil was akin to XO sauce. -Lionsmane mushroom I can see how lionsmane is often thought of as a meat substitute. They played it in style of peking styled duck where a wrap is used to hold all the ingredients together, which I felt did this ingredient justice. read more

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We ate here on a Friday night. We had reservations, and they seemed like a must. Our server was very nice but a little disinterested in being there. His visits to the table were few and far between but, luckily, the kitchen brought out our food when it was served and other servers helped keep our glasses full and table clear. For starters, we had the crudo and the tartare. Both were very good. We tried all three pastas that night...the cacio e pepe and the red pasta dishes were very good but the pesto linguini dish was super salty and almost inedible. For entrees, we had the beef belly and grouper. The beef belly had a good flavor but was super fatty. The grouper was fresh and tasty but we weren't thrilled with the thick clear sauce. Drinks were very good...especially the espresso martinis! read more

OVERALL: cute brunch experience - American "dim sum;" food - okay. FOOD: they only do brunch once a week and we got to go for the last brunch themed "Bistro and Bubbles" - French themed. Favorite thing was the oysters. We also ordered the omelette with caviar, baguette, and then 2 pastries from their pastry cart - puff with caramel cream and one brioche bun with cheese topped with caramelized onions. I wouldn't say I loved the dishes but I did appreciate the food having a theme and creativity in the combos of flavors. SERVICE: very attentive service and friendly staff. AMBIANCE: very sleek farm vibe - kinda like Martha Stewart esque. Cute place for brunch. read more

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Wish there was a 4.5 option. Ambiance is amazing with the indoor or outdoor option to dine. Drinks were perfect and the wine selection was impressive. We did two appetizers including the cucumber salad, the sourdough bread, the two pastas, the chicken and the pork. The appetizers and the pasta were amazing. The pork was very good and the chicken was just ok. Choose the crème brûlée dessert which was very very good as well. Waiter was professional and spot on with timing In Serving and keeping glasses filled. Would definitely return. Only the chicken dropped it from being a five star rating! read more

I'd give it a 3.5. We got the crudo, the cabbage, the cacio e Pepe, the strazzopreti, and the sorbet. The sorbet was outstanding and the cabbage was delicious, but the rest fell a bit short. The crudo was very salty and pastas were good but not great. The service was great! Harry, the sommelier, was super knowledgeable and great to chat with. The ambiance was very fitting. read more

Emmer & Rye was such an amazing experience! We went with the special pork menu and it was so fun. They brought out the first course (which was fire) on a little farm themed tray and it was so cute. The food was so adventurous and really showcased the pork and farm to table food. The servers were also so amazing!!!! 10/10 experience cannot wait to go back to try the next tasting menu! My favorite was def the pork tacos, and we got to grind up pecans and sesame seeds which was fun! such a good experience read more

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Honestly some of the worst food I've ever had in my life. This place is TRULY a mockery of fine dining establishments. We got the tasting menu, which totaled to $300 for like 13 courses of random dog shit thrown together with no reason or intention. I will never stop missing the money I wasted coming here. PS- Sometimes when I'm sick and need to throw up I think of the orange panna cotta I had here. Tasted like dog ashes and kratom read more

Did finally come back and had a great experience. Top notch service and each dish (esp the bread that came with a several butters whipped with different cheeses) were so good. I really do think the first visit was a one-off poor experience. Would come back! read more

The drinks were perfection, the bartender was spot on with suggestions and the food was outrageous. Seriously get one of everything. Love the vibe and a great date night spot. Only sorry we waited so long to visit. read more

Went here for my Birthday dinner. Staff was lovely and accommodating. They have you order everything up front and they space out the timing for you (although I felt it was a bit fast paced). It's a small shareable tapas style place so I expected more time in between plates to enjoy. It's clear they do the timing of everything because they need to turn over tables (it's a smaller place). I think the wine was overpriced even for a high end restaurant and the food as well. I know they received a Michelin star, but I was not wow'ed by any dish. This is not to say it wasn't delicious, just didn't hit my pallet as I expected and I didn't find myself saying "I need to come back here to try more". Overall our table of 4 ordered around 7-8 plates with 2 bottles of wine and 2 of us left still hungry but not willing to add more to the bill (a little over $400, probably the wine that tipped it over). I'd recommend trying Emmer & Rye, but more for a lighter dinner. read more

Had dinner here and got the tasting menu. Honestly, everything was either a little off for every dish and fell short of expectations. The raw fish appetizer was extremely salty and so was one of the pastas. The cacio pasta noodle texture was very doughy and pastey. The other pasta was very sour. Our steak wasn't even warm when they served it. I will say that they have very high quality ingredients. I could tell the fish, vegetables, meats etc were of high quality. They just missed the mark in execution and unfortunately didn't taste as good as it could have. When I took the steak home and seared it for a few seconds to eat it warm - it was amazing. Its a nice restaurant and has a lot of potential. They just need to taste all the dishes and make certain adjustments in my opinion. read more

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We had a date night here last weekend. The restaurant's concept reminded me of Barley Swine, which is a favorite of ours so I went in with high expectations. They get 3.5 out of 5 but I just can't round up this time. The servers were friendly and knowledge but the food was not terribly innovative or exceptional in any way. There were multiple dishes that I didn't go back for a 3rd bite of. Their bread and eggplant spread and the tartare were my favorite bites but there was nothing amazing about them. I wanted innovative and exciting food for my palate and unfortunately did not get it. The pasta that everyone raves about just tasted like cheese and pasta. No different notes or depth of flavor. I am glad we tried it but I guess it's back to Barley Swine until I find something else that could be more exciting to my mouth. They have valet parking outside for $10. read more

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This was a fun culinary experience for date night! We did the tasting menu and overall enjoyed most of the dishes. The standouts were the dry aged wagyu, the blue beard spaghetti, and the sourdough bread. The cocktails were perfectly crafted as well definitely recommend the roundabout. My only knock is the wait times even with reservations (they did give us a free drink to compensate for that wait) but we were starving by the time we finally got to sit down. And the portions on a couple of the dishes were just way too small. The two tiny waffles we could've gone without. I still recommend this restaurant because the service and atmosphere really enhance the entire experience! read more

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Emmer and Rye is undoubtedly "chefy" and creative. I did the tasting menu with the wine pairing. Overall, it was a great experience and I'd recommend it if you don't feel like making decisions. The steak, steak tartare, and bread course were my favorites. We were able to snag some awesome kitchen counter spots. As a result, the timing between the courses was exceptional. My biggest gripes (and perhaps why this isn't 5 stars) is because 1) I didn't leave totally full and felt like the portion sizes of my favorite courses were stingy and 2) there was only one ice cream dessert for the two of us to share. 1) could be because I have a big appetite but 2) is inexcusable in my books. If you're charging higher end prices, give the girls at least two desserts! Other than that, the ambiance is romantic and fresh and the drinks/wine knowledge is on point. read more

Emmer & Rye - Beautiful open space and bar - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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It's been a minute since we've eaten here, but we had one of the best dinners ever at Emmer & Rye. At the time they were offering a tasting menu which was top notch. when we called recently to go again they were no longer doing the tasting menu since the opening of their new restaurant, Hestia. All I can say is please bring it back! Loved the meal we shared with friends here! read more

A nice place to hold a romantic dinner, well-dimmed accompanied with choices of well thought out food with names you can't pronounce and ingredients you've never heard of. My over all dining experience was satisfactory. There was an hour wait during a Friday night and reservations are limited if you call ahead of time. They serve like I've previously mentioned a very unique menu. The types of plates we had were tapa style. I tried their chicken liver mousse, decorated like a tiny pie but tasted like a savory pie instead and was too salty for my liking. I tried the pasta bowl ( I could not remember the fancy names they had). The pasta and sauce were rich and flavorful. read more

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Very nice! I sat at the bar and had a couple specialty drinks and ate some great food under the recommendation of the bartenders.

We had a delicious dinner at Emmer & Rye. We sat at the bar and it was so fun watching the bartender make the amazing drinks. We had the sourdough bread with burrata and honey, cacio e Pepe and the tajarin. All 3 dishes were amazing flavors. I'll definitely return. read more

Emmer & Rye - Cacio e Pepe - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Ask for Aaron as your server. We ate in the outdoor patio! Drinks were amazing and service was even better! read more

Emmer & Rye - Good cocktails! One on the left is vodka based one on right is bourbon peach based! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came here for a dinner with my wife. We had a reservation for a table but the chefs counter had two seats open when we arrived so we sat there which was a nice experience. We had a couple of appetizers which were delicious - the tartare was amazing. We also had two entrees and dessert. The cacio e Pepe was one of the best I've ever had. A simple dish - but hard to perfect and they have done it. I would definitely go back here when in Austin. A bit of a splurge, but worth it! read more

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Emmer & Rye is LIFE CHANGING !! Reservations are hard to come by but if you can snag one you must take it because it's so worth it. The interior is so well done with beautiful natural lighting, and the staff are all the most friendly and welcoming and helpful people ever. We had lots of questions and needed help choosing, and our waiter Alex was able to make great recommendations on dishes that would compliment what we'd already chosen. The food is family style and they recommend ~2 dishes per person, and then adding on items from the 3 rounds of dim sum style table side food service that come throughout your meal. Everything is plated BEAUTIFULLY too, from the food, to the items on the wooden carts, to the drinks. Ok but the FOOD. Everything was phenom but here's what we got: red snapper (super light and refreshing), avocado salad (also very refreshing), glazed carrots with pecan mole and miso (I'm partial because I love carrots but these were so unique and flavorful), cacio e pepe (yelp favorite and my groups favorite too!), pork loin (so tender), english pea thing on cracker from dimsum cart (ok), bread from the dimsum cart (I love carbs but also so so tasty), oaxacan green corn johnny cakes from the dimsum cart (a must get!!). From the ambiance of the restaurant to the care and quality of the food, there's a reason people rave about Emmer & Rye!! Such a fun place to go and a great way for us to start our weekend trip in Austin. read more

Tucked over in the backside of the Rainey area, it's on the corner next to a parking garage and buildings w apartments and businesses. The parking garage is definitely overpriced but also there's no parking down there on a weekend so pick your poison on walking far or paying a few extra dollars. Upon entry it smells amazing and it has great layout and lighting. It's an open kitchen concept, you can see all the details in preparation and the overall crisp way it's presented. The attire of the wait staff, the way the food is delivered to the table and explained, made my plus one and I find it charming and delightful. Due to this being a farm to table style restaurant by the time we got there for our 9p reservations they had run out of bread and the roasted chicken for the day. The menu is so sparse in options as it was that I really do have to knock off a star for it. We really enjoyed the dining experience as a whole and we tried as much as we could within what we liked on the menu, portion wise there could've been more offered on the entrees. The only other thing I'll say is sometimes food on a plate is much like a beautiful outfit, before you leave the house, take off one accessory, each dish felt just slightly off w garnish or flavor profile but not enough to detour us from finishing each one. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and we had an amazing experience! The employees are excellent and make your experience personalized and memorable. The food is all fresh, local and farm to table. We had the most unique dishes ever which made for an exciting experience. Their menu changed here daily, but everything I had was 10/10. I highly recommend the tasting menu so you can enjoy tons of items. Delicious, I will definitely be back. read more

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Amazing food! Loved the experience. The sourdough bread was amazing and my daughter never eats sourdough.

Impeccable service and interesting menu. Honestly, I found everything very salty. Might have been because black garlic was abundant that day. Escarole salad was definitely my favorite dish, and it went great with my gin drink. Both were very botanical. Lovely. We were informed that the menu changes nearly daily with supply of locally sourced ingredients, so, I would give another chance to tasting the food menu. If anything, this place serves up some creative, amazing cocktails. I haven't got a chance to try the desserts, so I would really like to do that. read more

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We love a good tasting menu and this place delivered. They were even accommodating when we asked for a substitution, because we weren't fans of one of the items. As someone who loves trying everything and having new dishes come out constantly this place is definitely in my restaurant rotation. read more

Stumbled into this gem at the end of Rainey Street last weekend during my bachelorette party. We had no expectations and were talked into doing the 8 course chef's tasting menu. The food was delicious and most items I never would have ordered if given the menu (I.e. braised cabbage). Our server was phenomenal and extremely knowledgeable about the food. He made sure to ask our food preferences and allergies at the start. He recommended a vodka drink on the menu that none of us liked and they took them back and got us something else. Be warned, the wine list is quite pricey, but the $75 per person for the tasting menu was super reasonable. We had plenty of food and did not leave hungry. read more

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Such a cute spot on Rainy street! You will definitely need to make reservations earlier in the week as they get booked up quickly. We ordered everything that our server had recommended and he was right on point with all of the dishes! :) Highly recommend if you want a cute little date spot before hitting rainy. read more

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Are the MIchelin people expected to make a visit to Emmer & Rye sometime this season? We hope so, because the prix fixe meal we had there last night should put it in the 1+ star category. It was the the best meal we have ever had in this fine city of ours, even surpassing past meals at the same establishment. From the moment we walked in, there was a genuinely warm welcome from everyone: from the valet parking guy, to several wait staff, to the busy kitchen folks, all the way to the Manager. And service was just how we like it: helpful but unintrusive. We threw our lot in with the 6+ course prix fixe menu, with the very knowledgeable sommelier recommending a sparkling cool apple cider from that genius of Normandie cider makers, Eric Bordelet, instead of famous champagnes many times more expensive (and what a brilliant cider it proved to be!). Dinner began with three amuse-bouche items: tiny but so full of individual flavor. Pick a favorite? Between a house-made cannoli of sonora wheat and chicken liver mousse with a hint of fennel, and a totally original sushi with Hoja Santa (a Mexican herb), and a miniature buckwheat waffle with pear butter? To our delight, each of these little explosions of flavor could stimulate virtually every taste bud. But choose a favorite? No way! Then came a salad of flavors we never imagined could go together: pear, persimmon, pecan on a bed of creme fraiche. Yet somehow Chef Parker and his team could balance these and make a harmonious symphony of tastes and textures! The ceviche followed. Again, surely combining Texas wild shrimp with hibiscus, strawberry preserves and peppers was a recipe for an over-complicated disaster. But it became ... not a symphony, but a concerto, with the deliciously fresh white shrimp the soloist, losing none of its delicate but refreshing flavor to the orchestra of flavors accompanying it. That they could achieve balance with such varied ingredients makes one realize that this is a team with tremendous virtuosity! Next came a house-made pasta dish known as strozzapreti, awakened by a sauce of sweet bell peppers, eggplant and red onion relish. Dark, earthy flavors, to emphasize their commitment to the basics: grinding their own grains, making their own pastas, this was Texas soil in a bowl of local pride. A return to ground from the complex high culinary elevations we had been at. This was accompanied by a (need I always say house-made?) dark bread with honey. Not a throw-away sauce-soaking afterthought, but a dish that stood on its own. Not just any old Texas honey, but a smoked honey that joined all the other earthy flavors of this part of the meal. Another amuse-bouche dish, to punctuate the appetite? Just imagine: a single cube of koji (yea - what the Japanese use to make saké) and a tiny egg cup of amazake (甘酒 - literally "sweet-saké"). A poetic (? haiku) and refreshing miniature of the autumn season - a Texan reworking of Japanese ingredients! Then - another return to fundamentals, something a great chef never forgets, even as he or she explores wide new territories of flavor: wagyu coulotte (au poivre), perfectly moist but firm, thoughtfully sliced small and thin enough to fill your mouth, squeezing its juices as you chew it. And its partner? No, no bread, no potato (mashed or otherwise), no steamed random veggies. Just your basic greens, matching the simplicity of the beef, hitting jazz notes of pea shoots and yellow beans. This team can shoot for the stars, but they are also formidable with the fundamentals, especially with the superb local ingredients they procure. Could dessert keep up such standards? Genius again: a cup of fresh lemon basil sorbet, floating in a pool of cherry soda, topped with a peach cream leaf. Refreshing and creative - no, genius would be a better word! Finally, just to show that Chef Parker and crew also have a sense of humor, a cake covered in cherry ice cream that resembled an emoticon more than a dessert, until you bit into it. Proving that nothing coming out of this kitchen is ordinary or without wit. Over the years, Austin's restaurant scene has steadily improved, and it now has several great restaurants. But there is only one INTERESTING restaurant: Emmer & Rye. The last meal we could remember of the same quality was at a Michelin-starred place in Lyon. We can only hope that Michelin will finally visit Texas, including this culinary star right in our own back yard. NOTE: Up to now, Michelin Guide has not visited anywhere in Texas. They did visit Florida (with the help of $1.5 million from local tourist agencies over 3 years), awarding 1 star to 14 restaurants and 2 stars to one. read more

Right off the bat, be aware that this is a difficult place to get seated if you're not flying solo or have a reservation. The atmosphere is incredibly modern and open - you can actually see the kitchen from the patio if you're intent on it. The bar is locked only on one side, and the kitchen is an open concept (as noted by others). I was seated a little before my designated reservation time. It was only after the third server/employee spoke to me that I realized that courtesy and genuinely caring about the experience of the patron is a huge pillar of Emmer & Rye. This is highly appreciated, especially by solo travelers. Off the menu I did half portions of the glazed carrots and the white sonora triangoli. The mole of the glazed carrots is the true centerpiece here - the housemade miso provides a depth under the smokiness of the mole. The carrots, however, do not whither alongside this powerful mole; the subtle vinegar flavor and crispness plays well with the mole, enabling the two to accent one another well. The triangoli was executed with care and perfection. It is clear that, as simplistic as the display looks, the attention to flavor is at the forefront; each bite layers perfectly in an ideal pasta dish. The wagyu is not muddled as in other wagyu dishes I've seen - rather than enhance or centerpiece the wagyu, the dish itself is designed to accent the wagyu; you notice it is there, but everything in terms of flavor is meant to uplift the wagyu more. The dim sum style is definitely a unique quirk of Emmer & Rye. It is genuinely refreshing due to my travel pattern, allowing me to sample much more without needing to buy whole dishes and stuffing myself. Everything I tried was balanced very well and enticed me to try more each time. I finished the evening with the mustang grape tart, per a recommendation from my server Hillary (phenomenal in every respect and attentive every step of the way). The acidity of the grapes and the earthiness of the tart were in high contrast to anything you'd ever call a tart before now. The Texas cheddar added a slight savory note that subdues the sharpness of the grapes and any undue sweetness of the tart. The dish in its individual parts seems unrealistic - hearing them together instills no confidence. However, the flavors seem to fall into place when taken together; the crispness of the tart - contrary to other softer tarts I've seen - as a textural difference that excites the pallet. read more

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We got lucky with reservations at this restaurant, suggested by our Airbnb host. We ordered a la carte and sat at the Chef's bar and got to see everything being prepared and plated! Started w beef tartare - silky well-seasoned meat (yes, raw beef but delicious!) balanced by crunchy bits. Second course - egg-based pasta called Tajarin with braised rabbit, a confit egg yolk and preserved lemons. Ordered bread service with infused honey and house cultured warm butter - very rich and satisfying. Last course was duck confit leg quarter with flour Gnocchi on a creamy whey sauce. Dessert was carrot cake on a bed of creamy luscious custard topped with a scoop of citrus sorbet - yum! It was such a cool experience and the whole scene was a vibe in and of its own. Staff were friendly and the food was amazing!!! Great wine service, too. Highly recommend read more

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Back again! Still my favorite restaurant in Austin. This time we got to sit at the bar for a date night and it didn't disappoint. read more

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Finally got a reservation from this place! I like all their dishes, the foods were really fresh and well balanced. For the peach appetizer, half of them were fresh and half of them were pickled, with mints on top and cream around, the natural sweetness was presented with refreshing flavors and creamy texture, love it! I also love the beef tartare, especially the okra! The okra thin slices were not slimy but brought some crunchiness to the moist tartare. And of course, cacio e Pepe won its name. The vegan ice cream was also quite a surprise, it looked like just cream on the outside, but inside it has that airy and creamy texture of gelato, the lemon oil and peach jam on top brought the sweetness, overall it's the most refreshing and light ice cream I've ever had. Really enjoyed our meal there read more

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ordered the tasting menu... everything was so good... a couple dishes that really stood out r the beef tartare, the smoked potato salad & the wagyu beef shoulder... we didn't feel like having any alcohol this evening coz we just arrived here from Los Angeles and a bit tired.... and bartender made us very refreshing mocktails instead.... sooo good would recommend all our friends who visit Austin to dine here.... for sure read more

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