Ambiance: 4 * Was nice, but a few rose bushes here and there could really make the yard spectacular. Buffet: 5 * I was able to try a little over half of the 52 yummies on their menu. Allergy Rating: 5 * I can deal with cross-contamination, but if you are more picky I don't know how they deal with that.) Service: 5* I've had some restaurant jobs in my past, so I can get stingy with the 5 *... this place deserves them. :) The Details: Of the 150 plus reviews of this place.... none of them mentioned gluten / dairy / food allergies etc. etc. Add that to the fact that it labels itself as "French" and I was really, really, really, wary of trying it out. The only reason I did even attempt to eat here was because a sweetheart of a guy was trying to be nice. I didn't want to rain on his parade and put the kibosh on the first part of his birthday plan for me. Turns out... I was glad I took a deep breath, checked my worries at the door and just went with it. The nice surprise ? This is not only the yummiest of yummy impressive brunches, but they are also extremely accommodating to food allergies / sensitivities. Allergy Report: There were 52 items laid out across a beautiful buffet table. (See pic of my menu). They are are labelled so you know whats the what. My server told the kitchen I can't have gluten or dairy. The manager quickly came over with menu printed out with all of that day's brunch items. "All the items in bold are free of gluten and dairy." Wah?! Really!? That was fully half of the items at the buffet! More amazing? Every single one of them was yummalicious. Really. My worries of going to a fancy schmancy brunch where we pay 5 * prices just to be relegated to mimosas and hard boiled eggs were all for naught. I had the opportunity to try more than my share of delicious treats and they even gave me a happy birthday fruit plate with a candle. The only thing that could have made the food better is if there was a gluten free dessert (perhaps a flour-less chocolate cake) kept on reserve for the kooky allergy folks such as myself. Not required, but it would be nice. :) read more

Green Pastures is a once or twice a year stop for Sunday brunch. It's a neat house and the food selection is varied and of acceptable quality. And yes, you would like some milk punch, please. One seriously negative experience though: Mother's Day, 2008. My wife and I went their with our small kids (less than one year old and less than three years old at the time) and they had the nerve to charge us twenty-six bucks for the two year old! Yes, $26 for a plate with a few cheese cubes and a deviled egg or two. Normally, they do not charge for kids under 6 years old so this was a shocker. I am sure I could have griped my way out if but the truth is that I really didn't want to make a scene on that day, so I just sucked it up and moved on. Lesson learned though: check on the prices for kids...always. Returned to brunch last Sunday (after double checking on the price for kids: $0 for under 6, as usual) with a herd of in-laws and found the food to be as I expected, but the restaurant was not very crowded. Summary: a worthwhile brunch, but not particularly unusual. If you want something a little zippier, try the Fonda San Miguel brunch. read more

I've only been once to Green Pastures and it was for Austin Restaurant Week. The setting is pretty, and the lights at night were soothing. I really liked the porches and the big trees. There were 4 of us in all so we were able to try everything on the menu. The highlights for me were the lobster appetizer and the cheesecake. The lobster was tasty and i think the sweetness contrasted well with the hints of wasabi in the mashed potatoes. Of the "Texas Trio" app, my companions liked the bacon wrapped quail, and i tried it, too. I was intrigued by the garbanzo cake with avocado on the "2am snack." The entrees were less successful. I ordered the trout with shrimp. Again, i liked the mashed potatoes, but everything else was pretty flavorless. The asparagus was in theory a nice contrast but undercooked. My friend ate very little of her gnocchi - it just wasn't all that. The steak was ok, but there were mixed opinions about the sauce and the bleu cheese. Dessert was better for everyone. The bread pudding was nice, as was the ice cream (albeit pretty hard), and i really enjoyed the cheesecake and berries. The $25 price seems pretty fair, especially compared with other similar places, and the portions were generous. read more

I LOVE brunch here!!!!! It's a "fancy" buffet but still offers a lot of comfort food. The milk punch is to.die.for. Don't miss it. What I love most about Green Pastures is the ambiance. I instantly feel like a well to do Southerner living in the 1920s when I walk in. GREAT site. The beautiful peacocks walking the grounds add to it! read more

I went to Green Pastures for Austin Restaurant Week both last spring and again last week! The place is very romatical. Old South romantical. The peacocks out front were sleeping in the trees both times I went, around 8pm; it feels special. And they have an albino peacock! Really! Walking around out front in the parking lot you feel like you're at someone's grand estate. And, if you're me, you feel like you're trespassing. Scandalous! Inside, once seated, again, if you're me, you start to get a little uncomfortable. But the waiters treat you so well! And they have bowties! Who can be uncomfortable around a bowtie?! I don't know. I'm guessing this place is a pretty old house. I tried not to the think of any gross southern histories it could have within its walls, much less of the ghosts! But I was distracted quickly by the menu and following courses, which whisked me away until I cared no more for histories and only for the present. My bites were delightful and at times even sublime. There were some meals I thought were just okay, but they were rare. Tasting around the table the meals were solid all in all. The portions are large, especially for a fancy-pants place, and they have good wine options. I've noticed this place is best when it comes to the meat and potatoes type dishes. Also, I have not had a dessert I didn't like. read more

I've been here twice, both times for Austin Restaurant Week. The ambiance alone is enough to get me in the door. All the trees in the parking lot make you feel like you've left the city. The old house is absolutely gorgeous. Make sure to go upstairs to the little bar up there. What charm! I can't get over it. The food has always been solid. Very rich and exuberant, not something I could eat daily. The service is incredible. Perfect white-tablecloth service, exactly as you would expect. The waiters know their menu and their recommendations are always given with a smile. If you can't afford this place wait until ARW and go for an amazing three course dinner for CHEAP! This is the sort of place I'd like to be taken on a serious anniversary or birthday. It's got all the upscale fancy with all the down home southern charm. read more

Green Pastures takes you back to an era of classic southern hospitality and charm... and completely makes you forget that you're in south Austin. I was lucky enough to explore this restaurant with a lovely southern lady and it turned out to be the ideal location choice for our evening. Upon arrival, you are greeted by the beautiful peafowl who call the perfectly manicured green lawns home. The building itself is impressive, with a large exterior facade and an elegant interior. The food is solid. We thoroughly enjoyed the lobster tail, complete with potatoes and sweet corn that perfectly complimented the dish. The redfish and creole pudding entree was top notch, however the steak was tough and not flavorful. The bread pudding and wedding cake desserts rounded out the meal nicely. After dinner, we strolled the grounds and took advantage of the rocking chairs on the porch while finishing our wine. A delightful end to a smart dinner. read more

it's such a beautiful place , inside has a sophisticated decor , and outside is just beautiful, however the food is mediocre and pricy with small portions. I only tried brunch though. read more

Went here last night for restaurant week. First off, the portions were quite large. I was pleasantly surprised (though it ended up being too much) since I expected paltry portions. The table ordered a variety of things--Appetizers: stuffed lobster tail; brie sandwiches with fig chutney-type thing. Main Course: Trout with crawfish; gnocchi with mushrooms in a cream sauce; steak with blue cheese on top. Dessert: cheesecake; bread pudding. The food was good but a little too rich in my book. I felt that that gnocchi was overly mushy even though you expect this to a certain degree for gnocchi. It was more like soggy dumplings. My mini brie sandwiches were also good, but the sauce was pretty sweet. Everyone liked their food but no one raved. read more

Update on 10/01/10 - The owner was nice enough to email apologies so the management staff does care about your opinion. I still will likely not be going there again. A friend and I went here for ARW with high hopes because the menu looked delightful. The grounds are beautiful and we had to restrain ourselves from chasing after the peacocks. That's where the good impression ended. When we came in after telling the hostess we didn't have a reservation she gave us a sour look told us we should reserve but they would see if they could accommodate us. Looking around I saw empty tables and it was a weekday...sure. She came back gave us a displeased look and told us she found us a table and to follow her. After being seated we sat about 5 minutes without being greeted by our server and then he plunked down the menus and wandered off. About 5 minutes later he came back and took our order with no mention of sorry they were busy, and granted it looked as if they sat him with two other large tables so he was busy but in every other establishment of this price range you expect more courtesy than being ignored. When he brought our appetizer he just dropped them off and took off again. This may sound picky but after superb service at places like The Carillon and The Driskill I expect a little more interest in what you're serving to people you're hoping to sell on wanting to come to your restaurant on non-ARW nights. My cocktail of Prickly Pear mojito was overly syrupy and tasted like what I imagine a fruit flavored soft soap would. We both got the Cityview brunch which I do not recommend. The stromboli was bland and very bready and the only thing to break up the monotony of it was the occasional taste of a piece of roasted garlic. The avocado goat cheese soup while interesting texturally had a very soapy chemical taste to it, and I couldn't eat more than a spoonful and a half. The poached egg was overcooked to the point that I thought they had soft boiled an egg and plopped it on my artichokes. My friend's egg burst into yolky perfection on her plate so I guess they just screwed mine up. For the entree I had the Saloon Steak with brown sugar telicherry black pepper sauce with sweet potato and braised cabbage. The potato was deliciously smokey and the cabbage was tender and buttery. The sauce and meat complimented each other well, but it was also a very tough cut of meat and took me forever to chew. I was also unable to finish it as my cup sat empty of water after the entree was dropped off as our waiter went MIA. When he finally came back I asked for the check as we were pretty done with waiting for our drinks to be refilled and our waiter's snooty presence made us want to leave as soon as possible. We left extremely disappointed as both of us had been wanting to try this restaurant out for ages, but relieved that we didn't pay normal menu price for a meal that we shouldn't have paid $10 for. The icing on the cake was about 45 minutes after we left we both started feeling sick to our stomachs, I guess in addition to bad service and mediocre food they gave us a dose of food poisoning. read more

A massive house surrounded by greenery and birds makes for an amazing restaurant! Green Pastures is just that, an amazing restaurant tucked in the heart of South Austin. I went for Austin Restaurant week so we didn't get to venture off to the menu, but the food that we got was fantastic! I started with the south side sampler which consisted of Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Stuffed Quail Breast, Five-Spice Ribs with Sriracha Glaze, Wild Boar and Cheddar Sausage, and Wasabi BBQ Pork Bel. The Quail was the best thing in my opinion but everything was extraordinary. For my entree, I got the Treaty Oak Steak. I always order my steak medium rare and it's very rare (pun intended) that the cook get's it right. I was surprised to see my steak cooked perfectly and it only helped to accentuate the different flavors from the broccoli and hash. For desert, I had the bread pudding and while it was delicious, it may have been my least favorite of the three dishes. There is enough parking outside of the house but it isn't very well lit so you may find yourself stepping off the path at night. The servers are more of a guide, helping you pair your dishes together and choose the correct wine to compliment. I will definitely need to try this place again outside of ARW and hopefully have the same amazing experience so that I can give Green Pastures the 5 stars it deserves! read more

I was here for Austin Restaurant Week and had the opportunity to finally check this place out. Wow! The grounds are amazing and so inviting. I love the ambiance and the peacocks walking around. This place is so beautiful and just had a real unique feel to it. We were sat in one of the smaller rooms, it was very quiet and you had to whisper unless you wanted to whole room to hear you. I think if they turned on the music a little louder then the acoustics would have been much better. We could hear everything the table next to us was saying, such as lady saying to her date "are you going to talk to me tonight?" Awkwaaaaaaard. Now to the food. I started off with the Breakfast in Vegas - A Tempura Lobster Tail with Wasabi Mashed Potato, Coconut-Ginger Butter, Guajillo, Corriander and Crispy Basil - oh it was heaven...who would have thought to put tempura on a lobster tail!?!?!? It was delicious! I had a bite of the SOUTH TEXAS TRIO: A LITTLE QUAIL, A LITTLE PORK, AND SOME CHICKEN - Bacon -wrapped Jalapeno-stuffed Texas Quail, Pasilla-Nutmeg Pork En Croute, Ancho-Garlic Goat Cheese Chicken Sausage - it was good but I'd take the lobster over this. For our 2nd course, I had the GARLIC FENNEL POLLEN TROUT WITH BUTTER POACHED SHRIMP - Morels, Lobster-Brandy Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus, the shrimp was good and big but the trout was alright. the mashed potatoes made it much better. I also had a bit of the CLOVE AND LONG PEPPER GNOCCHI WITH EXOTIC MUSHROOMS -Roasted Chayote, Carrots, Parsnips, Asparagus, Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Navajo Bread and Shiraz-Comino Jus - I really liked it as it was the first time I've had it. And for the finale, CHEESECAKE Rich and Velvety New York Style Cheesecake with Raspberry and Blackberry Sauces - oh it was rich and you can only get through a few bites but it's a traditional cheesecake, nothing to brag about. Of course I had a bite of the GREEN PASTURES BREAD PUDDING Traditional New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with White Chocolate, Pecans, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg. Served with a Jack Daniels Sauce - it has a nice kick to it! The service was impeccable. They had a special with the 3 course meal - a bottle of wine for $25. Not too bad for a great meal. Also, the bread is so soft and delicious! I want the recipe!!!!! Great place for a date or just a nice dinner with your family. read more

Added to their brunch dessert table: dark chocolate covered candied bacon. It's (singing voice) fabulous!

The smoked meat here is the kind I dream of finding in Los Angeles. I went out and spoke to the barbecue man; apparently it's smoked over oak and pecan. No bbq sauce, but who needed it; I still kept eating, and and eating, and eating .... (p.s. I HAVE found this quality of BBQ, not in L.A., but relatively nearby: just down the 2, at Charlie Brown Farms in Little Rock, CA.) read more

Beautiful building, good service, Good Food. Little expensive for my wallet, but it feels good to dine at fine places as pastures. My kids and wife love it there specially in summer sometimes you may spot peacocks............Must Try on my list Great Place for weddings and functions......for high rollers. ciao read more

I have always been curious about the brunch, but shied away because it's on the pricey side, and being vegetarian, I can normally eat half (or less) of buffets. But we decided to go for my birthday, and it was so worth it. Ok so coffee, tea, and either a non-alcoholic or an alcoholic beverage is included in the price of the buffet. I chose the alcoholic rum, brandy, milk, and ice cream punch. Deliciously dangerous. Woo hoo! There was enough of a selection at the salad bar to overcome my hunger pains. Then they had quite a few vegetarian entree type things to satisfy me further. But I was saving room for dessert. Oh but the dessert bar. I would go back just for the dessert bar. I am gonna dream about the chocolate fountain. I can't tell you how much fun it was to douse little strawberries, cookies, marshmallows in flowing chocolate and then eat it all later. The dessert bar spanned a whole wall. The atmosphere was nice too. Fancy but not stuffy. There was a pianist playing in the corner. Go...don't worry about your diet, just go, it's worth it! read more

Food (5/5): Please note this is a review for the dinner and not the brunch. I have had both, and the dinner trumps the brunch by far. I have been here twice, both times with the boyfriend. We always start out with appetizers, and I can say some personal favorites are the Gulf Coast Starter, Tempura Maine Lobster Tail, and the Crab Cakes. They are all amazing, but I personally like the lobster tail the most (you seriously cannot beat the contrast in textures and tastes of the crunchy tempura with the hot and juicy lobster meat). For entrees, I have tried the pecan salmon with lobster bread pudding as well as the cocoa-espresso ribeye on two separate visits, and I can honestly say both are FREAKING DELICIOUS. Really tender salmon meat, soft and buttery lobster bread pudding, easy-to-cut yet full-tasting ribeye. My god, I have dreams of these entrees. The desserts are sort of an afterthought - I have had the bananas foster and the bread pudding, and it's nothing to write home about. Still, Green Pastures gets 5 stars from me for really hitting the head on the nail with the appetizers and entrees. Service (3/5): For such a nice place, I sort of expected better levels of service. It wasn't really anything special. The waiter assigned to our table seemed to be gone for a good amount of time, and I had to summon someone else half the time just to get more water or place another drink order. I think I'm speaking from one bad experience though as the young fellow who did help us out was extremely courteous, and I'm sure our dining experience would have been a lot better had he been our waiter for the night. Atmosphere (5/5): The entire restaurant gives me the feel that this used to be an old Southern plantation home. It's your typical white Victorian home with vintage decor inside. My only regret is that dinnertime is much too dark to explore the grounds and the peacocks. Otherwise, this is a very lovely establishment and it's perfect for an intimate night out with your significant other. Overall, the food is amazing and the service seems to be wavering dependent upon the servant you get. This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion with a spouse or significant other. If you have only been here for the brunch, I urge you to try the dinner. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Austin, and I will definitely be back. read more

See all

An oasis smack dab in the middle of 78704. Beware the ornery peacocks! Green Pastures is a staple for ladies-who-lunch, but serves the general public as well, and has a small and cozy top floor bar for some intimate conversation. The grounds are the best part- 7 acres at the end of Live Oak, and it's fun to sit on the porch in rocking chairs after eating and listen to the crickets. Great for family dinners and events, the interior retains much of its original charm and the chef is a super nice, passionate fella. read more

I came here for restaurant week and was really impressed. Some restaurants really skimp on restaurant week or are not friendly to people who are there for restaurant week. So I was really happy when the portions were well sized and the people were very friendly to us. Service: I thought our service was great. The person who greeted us at the door was friendly and welcoming. Our waiters were great too. Very knowledgeable about the menu, etc. Food: Our food was very tasty. For an appetizer I had a really great brie sandwich that had hazelnuts in it. YUM! For my main course, I had the gnocchi and they were GREAT! Usually gnocchi are served in very small bite sized pieces, but these were much larger, so I was initially worried they would be too heavy. But they weren't at all. The gnocchi were served with a cream sauce and the combination of the sun-dried tomatoes was heavenly. Several of the people at our table ordered the steak and it was delicious. For dessert I had the bread pudding and it was great. Parking: Parking is easy, and it seemed to be plentiful. Location: This restaurant is in an old plantation style house. It is beautiful. I wasn't expecting to see such a big piece of property in the middle of South Austin. Would love to go again! read more

I went to Green Pastures last night for Restaurant Week. After pulling into the driveway and noticing the lights around the trees and seeing the peacocks wandering around the grounds, I knew I was going to like this place. I started off my meal with the "breakfast in vegas" which consisted of a tempura fried lobster tail over a bed of wasabi mashed potatoes. The tempura was a little heavy for my taste and I couldn't really taste the wasabi in the mashed potatoes, but overall it was good and I definitely cleaned my plate. The next course, we both had the steak. It was cooked perfect and the bleu cheese spread and onion straws on top of it paired nicely. For the dessert course, I had the cheesecake and it was DEVINE. I honestly can't remember a cheesecake that tasted better than this one. It was seriously difficult not to lick my plate. I would say that Green Pastures is probably the best deal you are going to get during restaurant week because it's good, the portions are large, and the price tag is only $25. So yeah, you should go. read more

Two words: milk punch. It is the tastiest adult milkshake your mouth will ever experience. Our receipt indicated it cost $2. For unlimited refills. Come on now. That kicks other brunches' mimosa deals in the behind. Green Pastures was on our "bucket list" of Austin restaurants because we are moving from the area in a month. I give it 4 stars only because the food was good, but not knock-your-socks off good, especially for the amount you pay. The standouts to me were the Grand Marnier Creme Brulee and Chocolate Bacon. My four-month-old daughter was bathing in the chocolate pudding so I am sure she would recommend it as well. I also don't understand how you are supposed to tip on a buffet.... read more

Wow... that sums it up.... Ok... my husband and I enjoyed pre-Valentine's day Saturday night dining. I must confess, not living in the Austin area, I was frustrated to the point of utter disappointment when I could not find a place for my hubby and me to enjoy a date night. MOST PLACES WERE SIMPLY BOOKED TIL 9 or 10, including this one. So, I appealed to the hostess who answered the phone and she listened and took my number and said she would call me back if there was a cancellation... I didn't put much stock into that but only 5 MINUTES LATER, she called me back and booked us for 5:45p. 15 minutes BEFORE DINNER! I was so thrilled!! Again, not from this area, we were very curious about this place while driving down Live Oak.... not exactly your high-rent district. But this place is a beautiful colonial home set back from the street. And the peacocks were just a wonderful surprise. One of the white males opened up his plume and strutted his stuff! What a sight!! Onto the dinner - My husband and I are big fans of Maker's Mark Old Fashion. If you are too, be aware that Green Pastures puts club soda in theirs. This is not how we enjoy them, so they took them back and brought us our version. Old Fashion, no club soda. No fuss, just made it right. The dinner was simply fabulous, appetizer, salads, sorbet, rib-eye and creme brulee..... we should do this more often! ALL AND ALL - WOW! read more

Green Pastures has the best Sunday brunch in Austin. My favorites were the hot smoked salmon, tempura mushrooms, trout, prime rib and s'mores dessert. Definitely have the milk punch if you are not driving. The service is excellent. The setting is unique and enjoyable. Be sure to take pics of the peacocks with your phone camera. read more

Green Pastures Events - Peacocks on grounds of Green Pastures restaurant - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Austin, Texas

The best brunch I ever had. So many choices. I kept having crab legs. they also have a lot of peacocks in the yard. Very beautiful. Even one is white one. read more

I went to brunch at Green Pastures before I knew how trendy brunches can be. There was an amazing selection of food (and a chocolate fountain - which totally sold me the second I walked in) and everything is very quaint. Oh, and did I mention that the desserts are cute and pretty? Yeah. I'm a sucker for those things. Definitely order the rum punch if they still have it - which is almost like melted ice cream and booze. (And really tastes tons better than how I described it). As everybody else pointed out, the peacocks are definitely a very unique and wonderful aspect to the place. After dining, it's very relaxing to wander around with a companion and take in the lovely afternoon (this, of course, assuming that you went on a lovely weekend). read more

I can't tell you how pleasantly surprised I was this place. I had heard very mixed reviews and was a little hesitant, but am so glad I tried it for myself. For the amazingly low price of only $25 for the tasting menu during restaurant week, we got a TON of food. Our table of five managed to literally get everything on the menu and pass plates around. There was not one thing that we had that I did not think was at the very least great. I will say that while I'm not really a fish person, I chose the trout with butter poached shrimp--- by far my favorite thing. What a delicious yet affordable meal! The staff was very friendly and the venue is such a beautiful surprise nestled right in the middle of l town. The blue lit tree trunks and perfectly manicured lawn made me want to go home and start decorating my back yard. I can only imagine how great it looks at night when they have an event! read more

This is a review for a wedding that I attended here recently. The grounds at Green Pastures are beautiful. It was the perfect setting for an evening wedding. The lighting was well done and ceremony location was very pretty and quiet despite the urban location. Inside it is so classic and timeless. The catering was delicious and staff was very attentive and friendly. We had such a wonderful night here. The venue is perfect for weddings. I can't wait to go back there now and try the brunch! read more

The food and atmosphere at Green Pastures has always been great. This year they got a new name, new menu, etc. The food is now just OK and the music was so loud it made it harder to enjoy. I will not go back. read more

We discovered this place thanks to Yelp. We weren't expecting it to be as swanky as it was when we walked up, but it was a pleasant surprise. It's a wonderful restaurant set in back in an old Austin neighborhood. When we pulled up, we were pleasantly greeted by white peacocks wandering around the grounds. The historical house is absolutely gorgeous and retains the charm of being a home rather than a restaurant. Our server was so nice, and very attentive but not overly pushy. The food was absolutely amazing. I had the bacon wrapped salmon with cheese grits and my boyfriend had the pork chops. Neither were disappointed. We ate more than we should have because it was SO delicious. The food was flavorful without being overly seasoned, and the sides were perfect compliments to the main dish. The ONLY reason this is a 4 star and not a 5 star is that our waiter was a tad flustered (to be fair, we appeared to be the first customers of the day and he was likely still preparing and getting accustomed to the specials) I wish I could give a 4.5 star. With a place as classy as this is, service, in my opinion, should be spot on. I'm sure that later in the day he was perfect. We'll definitely be back! read more

I've lived in Austin on and off for 25 years. When I first moved here as a college kid, I don't think I would have "gotten" the kind of restaurant that Green Pastures is. Now that I'm older, I get it. Like Paggi House, this is a piece of Texas history and it's a fine restaurant in a style that is being lost as we become more and more of a fast food nation. The restaurant is listed as "french" on Yelp. It's really more Southern cooking in the French style. Green Pastures is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood in west-central Austin. Most people who live here don't even know it's there. This is the Faulk-Koock family farm that used to be on the outskirts of Austin. It's part of Texas history and the family that owns it is not only part of Austin history, they're a bit like the Austin version of the Von Trapp family. One of the reviews mentions the musical entertainment... that probably wasn't a hired pianist, more than likely it was one of the Koocks. They're all hams and they happily admit to being hams. I went to Green Pastures for the first time about 10 years ago out of curiosity. It was a Sunday and it was for their Sunday brunch. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. I pondered how much effort went into putting together a brunch that featured a cold and warm buffet with about about 50 different items plus an incredible dessert buffet with another dozen items. That is a lot of work. In these days where hotels put chicken in a tureen of yellow gravy and call it catering, it's rare to see something like this. And they do it every Sunday. Everything that I've had from the buffet has been delicious. Some of the warm items can be a little too cool but such is the nature of buffet. There are a lot of items that take me back to things that I ate as a child, usually on a Sunday afternoon after church. And there's treats that I wasn't permitted as a child like the amazing bread pudding with bourbon sauce. Some of the items are in a style of sutble cooking that is being lost to the more bold Tex-Mex and Asian fusion style of cuisine that is currently in vogue. The waitstaff are very unintrusive however every time we returned to the table after a trip to the serving line, the napkin was folded, the drinks were refilled and place settings were refreshed. Were they watching behind a painting like in an Agatha Christie novel? How did they know we were away from the table and to refresh the setting? And a small but often overlooked item- the butter is served at room temperature. I've lost count of how many times I've been to a fine restaurant where I was served warm bread with a near-frozen pat of butter. It seems trivial but it's this kind of detail that makes places like Green Pastures such a treat. When should you go to Green Pastures? For a romantic treat for your anniversary. For a special birthday. When you want to treat your parents to a special meal. When you want a Sunday brunch that takes you back to another time when founding families lived in fine homes, where people sang at the piano instead of watching TV and when people sat and talked to each other at the table instead of mutely staring at blue screens on their iPhones. And when you want to remember a time when being a guest in someone's home for a meal was the ultimate in social grace. read more

I had 21 Adults and 3 child serve by the most outstanding staff I have every had wait on me The food was beyond expectation as well as the quantity Everyone to a person and child said it was the best buffet ever had - I agree If you want to party with class this is the place read more

Celebrated a birthday lunch here. Gorgeous atmosphere, excellent food, no frills. This is a classically excellent restaurant. The Austin restaurant scene values creativity and while I do as well, sometimes it gets out of hand and things like service (& food ironically) get overlooked for the sake of a unique experience. Green pastures is a refreshing change of pace in Austin if you're looking for awesome food and service without an attitude. read more

The bad experience started before we even got there. Our GPS seemed confused so we called the restaurant for directions- We were given directions that involved an exit that doesn't exist. When we realized we had driven further than could possibly be correct, we called again- and once again were given directions that took us the wrong way. (They said to turn right on the road we were approaching and only when the person we were meeting called from the restaurant parking lot did we realize that we needed to turn around and go the other way!) When we arrived, the waiter took our drink orders and took 10 minutes to get any bread on the table, despite that be requested as soon as we sat down since we were quite hungry. Drinks took 15 minutes. Appetizers took near an hour, the salad was disappointing- I got the farm house salad and it was 3 slices of tomato, an egg, goat cheese and 2 slices of bread. It was not flavorful and cost $9.50. Getting drink refills etc often took asking 2-3 times and a lot of time. We were there over 2 hours before our dinners came. The chef doesn't know how to cook tofu- having not cooked it with anything to give it flavor. One of our party had ordered her steak rare and it was medium well. Her salad was also dirty- she could feel the grit on it. When something was wrong only a token effort was made to correct it. The place was beautiful but that was the only redeeming quality. read more

I really wanted to love Green Pastures but the service really ruined it for me. The atmosphere is very charming in an old fashioned kind of way and the food was exceptionally good. I had the Texas wild game entree and it was all cooked well and the sauces were really nice. The wine list was good except that they ran out of the wine we were drinking when it was time to order another bottle. The service was really quite bad. Initially our waitress was doing a good job but then suddenly we had a new waiter who seemed to have an attitude. He was not especially familiar with the details of the entrees, we had to pour our own wine, and my cocktail was whisked away before I had finished it. At one point our host even discreetly mentioned to him that the service needed to be stepped up and he just didn't get the hint. Some other minor issues -- the ladies room ran out of handtowels by the end of the night and my chair was comfortable but wobbly and squeeky. For the prices they are charging these issues should not be happening. I hope they can sort out the service issues because the food and atmosphere deserve better. read more

Green Pastures is the epitome of traditional Southern style - Victorian estate, well-manicured grounds, Southern hospitality, and, of course, plenty of food to feed the masses. We went for the Sunday buffet brunch ($38) to celebrate the end of the semester. The restaurant itself is on the first story of the house, and walking in feels just like walking into your own home. Even though it is slightly higher-end, Green Pastures feels cozy and not at all like a restaurant - aside from the massive row of food and desserts. Roomy dining halls, plenty of windows, and beautiful natural lighting make for a very comfortable and elegant dining experience. There really is just too much food to describe, but some of my favorites included the prime rib carving station and the various sweet sauces on the table to accompany the different meats, such as blueberry compote and peach chutney. The salads are surprisingly tasty with at least four different kinds, and I usually avoid salad like crazy at buffets. Finally, dessert: fresh fruit and a chocolate fountain, along with other homemade baked goodies. I'm sold. Even though a lot of the items that Green Pastures offers aren't traditional brunch items (they veer more toward lunch than breakfast), I think that's what makes their brunch so special. Additionally, the milk punch they serve, which is basically vanilla ice cream and milk with some bourbon and rum, is quite amazing and makes a nice alternative to the typical mimosas you might get. Although Green Pastures is set in a historic estate, the updates to the food and drinks make the brunch a little bit more modern than the setting would suggest. I do think that Green Pastures is probably one of the best buffet brunches I've been to, and I look forward to returning to the estate for another phenomenal brunch. (Oh, and as I mentioned earlier, Green Pastures does have very well-manicured grounds, and you can occasionally see peacocks roaming around. This place has wonderful backgrounds to take pictures; lots of green, contrasting with what most of Austin has in terms of foliage.) read more

Really disappointed in Green Pastures. My wife and I met there at a wedding and we return back once a year for dinner. I tried to like the food, I really did. I ordered the meat trio - venison, sausage and hen. The venison was inedible and the sausage was barely better. The biggest insult was the price of the entrees- $30+ for each entree! I love eating in a historic home, but for some reason the acoustics are really bad. The table across the room wasn't loud, but we could hear every word in their discussion. For a restaurant that is virtually empty (no doubt due to the food), I expect a higher level of service. We were consistently waiting for our waiter. There are much better choices in Austin, avoid this place. I would suggest that Green Pastures correct the poor acoustics, bring in a real chef, and figure out how to improve service before they permanently go out of business. read more

Whenever I go to Green Pastures, my first thought is "how on earth did this place survive so long?!" It reminds me of southern Louisiana - a stunning Victorian tucked behind huge trees. This massive lot is hidden in plain sight just minutes from downtown - incredible. The house itself is exquisitely preserved too, so a hearty pat on the back to the owners. I love history and architecture, and I'd come here just to stare at everything, even if they didn't serve food. It's impossible to walk in the front door, look up the staircase, and not think about what it must have been liketo live there when it was new. It was probably the only house for miles at the time. Obviously, this is already a "woo hoo!" before you even sit down. As for the food, it's super-schmance, and not super affordable - though lunch is much moreso than dinner. I've never had anything here that wasn't great, but I admit my options were limited so I haven't tried most of the choices. Our family is vegetarian, and there is suprisingly little on the menu that we can eat. Even the salads have meat. I was told that we could just order something without the meat, but almost every dish is totally about the meat - it would be like ordering "crabcakes; but hold the crab, please". It's really disappointing, and I wish, to the point of pleading, that they would offer at least a couple of items (lasagna, grilled vegetables, risotto etc.) that would make it more accessible for vegetarians. We're not exactly rare beasts in this town. The desserts will knock your socks clean off - no exaggeration. My college-age daughter ordered a gorgeous semifreddo the other day, which she called "semi-Frodo" and my mom called "semi-Alfredo". That should tell you a little bit about why we don't go to nice restaurants often. Anyhoo, it came with a tiny cup of espresso that perfectly balanced the chocolate. Extraordinary. It's particularly beautiful at night, so if you have a date with someone you really like, consider Green Pastures. It's unexpectedly luxurious and a clever choice in a sea of hipster-chic culinary inanity. read more

Oh yum. We came for Sunday Brunch. The experience was just delightful. Huge, old Southern mansion... fun rooms to explore... even a bar upstairs... gorgeous grounds... and the food. Both the brunch buffet (actually, 2 full buffets, one including desserts, one with a carver on staff) and the service were impeccable. I had the milk punch, my girlfriend had the juice punch, and we were both pleased. The coffee was hot, the servers were delightful (even though we were both dressed VERY casually), and I don't know that I could have spent a better two hour brunch anywhere else in the city. We will definitely come back. read more

Da Bomb! I'll be writing more later, I promise. Definitely worth the 4 stars, I assure you.

We had heard good things about Maddie's but couldn't get a reservation so we decided to go and just sit in the bar area where we could order from the full menu. None of the staff are overly friendly but fairly cordial. One bartender was nice the other was a bit surly. Service was hit & miss, slow to get started but food came out of the kitchen quickly. Food was okay, not great by any means. Fried chicken was tasty but not worth $28.00, Trout was tasteless, just not seasoned well & definitely not worth $32.00! Biscuits were good but $4.00 each, hummm. Glad we went to try it out so we know we don't need a reservation because we won't be going back. read more