From start to finish we had an outstanding experience. We brought our young daughter and were nervous being that this is a Michelin Star restaurant, but everyone was so kind from the second we walked in. All of the employees were warm and welcoming and we never felt like a burden. They were kind enough to give us a note signed by all the staff for our anniversary! Our server also gave us complementary champagne as well as a dessert. The restaurant itself is also very cozy. The kitchen is cool as the concept is an open flame cooking. Now the food was simply amazing. The halibut was melt in your mouth and I still am thinking about how good it was. The scallop was probably the best I've ever had, and I love scallops. I had one of their cocktails and it was also outstanding, and the ice cube even had an H on it! For the quality of food I felt the prices were very reasonable on the à la carte menu. If we lived in Austin we would be regulars here for all of our special events! Thank you Hestia team for making our trip so special! read more

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It was a somewhat disappointing experience at Hestia, given the fact this place has 1 star Michelin, which I don't think they will keep it for long... We ordered: scallops, texas Wagyu bavette and halibut. The server recommended the bread so we ordered that too. When we received the bread, it was in a small basket and freshly out of the " oven ", which they seemed to be proud of serving very fresh bread. The bread was approximately 1/6 of the length of a regular baguette for $6 and a bit of unsalted butter. We split the bread in half and after eating a piece, immediately, it tasted gummy and very sour the inside part of the bread. I double checked if the sourness came from the butter, but the butter was fine. The sourness came from the center of the bread. I informed the server that the center was sour/gummy and felt undercooked. They took my piece and returned it to the kitchen and gave us a new piece of bread. But that bread had the same issue. Gummy and sour in the center. I had to peel away that part and just eat the outer parts. For the scallops, unfortunately the sauce did not meet expectations. You could tell the scallops were of high quality, but the sauce was too salty and too acid. What a disappointment. The entrées were fine. The halibut was good, maybe a bit dry, but the sauce saved it. The Wagyu bavette was initially a tad too salty, but then as I kept eating it tasted fine. But I realized I just slowly got used to the saltiness of the meal. This meal ended up being way too salty because I had to drink a huge amount of water and felt dehydrated after this meal (I didn't consume any alcohol!) I did give the feedback about the bread and scallops to the server, he stated that he will share it to the chef. Hopefully they can improve. They did comp the bread which was a nice gesture. I did look online what could cause the gumminess and sourness of the bread (as I was curious if I was the abnormal one) and here is what they say: " A gummy center combined with a very sour taste is the classic signature of an under-fermented loaf (often called "under-proofed").When dough does not spend enough time in the warm bulk fermentation phase, the yeast fails to create a strong, airy structure, leaving the center dense and wet. Concurrently, the bacteria keep producing acid without the yeast balancing it out, resulting in a highly sour, flat flavor. " Solutions to fix this is : " Extend Bulk Fermentation: Let your dough rise longer at room temperature until it increases in volume by 30% to 50% and feels full of air.Watch the Temperature: If your kitchen is cool (under 70°F / 21°C), move the dough to a warmer spot like an off oven with the light turned on.Cool Completely: Always wait at least 2 to 4 hours before slicing into a fresh loaf so the interior starches can finish setting as the steam escapes. " They should have definitely not served us the bread pipping hot and they should have allowed the bread to rise longer. Perhaps take out the bread of your menu if you don't have the time to let your bread rise longer or cool..... read more

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We came here for our anniversary and date night, and had a good time. The restaurant staff were lovely, and even gave us a handwritten card & champagne on the house. For food, we ordered the crab tostada bite (didn't realize how small it would be), scallops (super creamy), the pork chop, and halibut. The halibut and scallops were our favorite, but everything was solid though a bit too buttery and rich for my taste. Overall, everything was really good but a bit underwhelming for the price. I would go again for the ambiance and service. read more

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HESTIA delivered an unforgettable dining experience from start to finish. Every dish we ordered was exceptional. The scallops were perfectly prepared, the jerky was packed with flavor, and both the steak and chicken were cooked to perfection. Each bite offered an incredible burst of layered flavors that kept surprising and delighting the palate. The in-house sourdough bread and butter was absolutely delicious and a standout on its own. To finish, the miso cake was nothing short of spectacular, rich, balanced, and the perfect ending to an outstanding meal. Beyond the food, the service was stellar: attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming. HESTIA truly excels in every aspect of fine dining. A flawless experience--10/10. We can't wait to return. read more

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Overall, the experience was wonderful with a great vibe and amazing service. I knocked off a star because not every single dish stood out compared to some lower price point places in Austin, We did the tasting menu with wine pairing. Their price at Hestia for their tasting menu is a lot higher than other tastings in Austin so we did go in with higher expectations. My favorite was the scallop dish! Overall, the rest of the dishes tasted great, but did not feel like it was much more elevated or unique to justify the price. The service however, was outstanding and probably the best part of the whole experience I would say. read more

One really cool thing that Hestia did for my fiance's birthday is that every single person from the wait staff to those taking dishes away to the sommelier all wished her happy birthday. That's a really cool detail. The scallop and halibut in particular are the best I've had. Great service, amazing food, and if you go à la cart, it's really not as expensive as you might think. read more

Hestia - Scallop - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Hestia slightly disappointed me. The service was not bad, but it didn't stand out. More importantly, the food did not meet my expectations. Even though I might've missed the mark for my orders, I don't really see myself coming back unless I'm particularly curious about something. The Wagyu Tartare was decent. For beef tartare, I look sweet, juicy bites with a crunchy texture and a signature finish. Hestia mostly delivered in that aspect, but it was missing that signature finish like some acidity or a standout ingredient. I actually recommend the Napa Cabbage. It looks like a timidly sized plate, but the surface area gave me a satisfactory amount of bites. I also enjoyed the sharpness from the sauce and fermentation. However wasn't happy with the entrée and dessert. The red ranger chicken was quite small, bland, and priced at $48. I didn't taste the chilli in the honey, and the honey itself was incredibly mild. The sourdough ice cream was exactly as the name implied. The quality of the ice cream itself was okay, but the flavor definitely leaned on the unique side. I got it because it was different, so I'm not particularly upset with the dessert. All in all, like the many other places that I've been to in Austin, the platings definitely outshined the flavours. And these price points don't make a compelling argument to comeback. read more

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The team at Hestia knows what they are doing, whether for a two person dinner or a 24-person event, they work like a well oiled machine. The production is thoughtful, attentive, incredibly tasty, all the while being unpretentious, in a beautiful space. The team is knowledgeable and both friendly and polished. A line that can be hard to manage in fine dining. If you are looking to host a private event, they have an array of spaces available depending on the size. No matter which menu you choose, do not miss the scallop! There is a garage around the corner they will validate at. Thank you for taking care of our group! read more

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What a lovely surprise to have an Austin restaurant live up to both the hype and the expensive price tag that comes with it. We went to Hestia to celebrate my husband's birthday and went all out with the chef's tasting menu and wine pairing. It's important to note that the table must agree to the tasting menu and surprisingly and wonderfully, the wine pairing can be split between two people. We were delighted to find this out, as the wine pairing provided approximately a full bottle to whomever indulged and while that seems like a great value for price, it's just not something we could do as individuals. Being able to split the pairing allowed us to enjoy the experience while not suffering the next day. Let's go with the ambiance and service first. We were able to easily make a reservation online but be warned, this did require us to plan pretty far out in advance because we wanted a Friday seating. When we arrived onsite, our table was set with a birthday card and we were promptly helped with water and the menu options explained. We were given notice that the taster menu would take approximately two hours and honestly, the time flew by. Our courses were served quickly but not overwhelmingly fast and our servers took great care to explain each plate along with the wine accompanying it. Honestly, we were blown away by how friendly, knowledgable and quick the service was throughout the night. Multiple people took care of us and it was certainly a well-oiled machine. No missteps, no mess ups. The tasting menu was prolific and honestly, one of the best we've ever had outside of our normal omakase experiences in Austin. The premise Hestia is fire/hearth and local farming partnerships. The menu outlined all of their local partners, highlighting their commitment to farm-to-table sourcing. There were MANY highlights from this tasting but our favorites were the sun choke dish with caviar, the scallop and the beef skewers. The flavors were rich, layered and every bite was delicious. The menu was truly varied in protein selections and flavors and each was really wonderful. The wine pairing was very white forward and also fairly sweet in nature. As not huge wine drinkers but when we do liking dry reds, this was an interesting experience but not necessarily a favorite. While some dishes truly felt complimented by the wine selected, others for us missed the mark. But, again, we know we aren't true wine people so take this aspect of the review with an understanding that more wine forward folks may truly enjoy the pairing top to bottom. The biggest hardship for me with tasting menus is feeling overwhelmingly full by the end and this was true again with this experience. I was pushed over the edge in our second to last savory course, which was delicious and super rich. It made it challenging for me to enjoy the final savory course and I was truly unable to do more than the smallest taste of the dessert course. We were given the most AMAZING sweet buns to go and they were spectacular to enjoy the next day. A wonderful reminder of a delightful experience. The bill was as expected, very high. The two tasting menus and the wine pairing (split) came to just under $600. Tip is on total and again, the service we had was exceptional. While a very expensive experience, for us it was worth the price. We would absolutely return to Hestia to enjoy the delicious food and excellent service. Next time, I'd definitely want to try the table side martini cart! I passed it up this time because of the wine pairing but the items you could select looked amazing. While we didn't have cocktails when we went, it is important to note they are PRICEY! The table side martini starts at $30 and can go up depending on add ons and most other cocktails were $25+. Again, if you are looking for a beautiful foodie experience, Hestia is worth the trouble to secure a reservation and for us, it was worth the price. We will very likely return. read more

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My husband and I enjoyed our experience at Hestia. Every member of the staff greeted us and wished me a happy birthday. Our server Alberto and the manager Blake, as well as everyone else who came to our table greeted us as if we were friends. We began our journey with the martini cart a very fun way to have a cocktail. We shared several small dishes, including the crab tostada (ordered 2), squash, scallops, wonderful bread and halibut. We had the miso chocolate cake for dessert. I highly recommend this one star Michelin restaurant. We are looking forward to returning to have their tasting menu. We live in Austin but feel as if we were on vacation while visiting this restaurant. read more

Fine dining that for me takes itself too seriously and only 1 standout dish. 3.5 stars Food: 3.5 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 2 (pretty spendy with mains in mid range from $48-72) Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: maybe for the halibut Highlights: - Halibut: best dish of the night. Velvety tender texture and the buttery sauce was amaze. Lots of ingredients in it was worried may not work, but it was stellar. 5 stars - Bavette steak: cooked nicely and maintained its juiciness and char on the outside. 4.5 stars - Scallops: served in a shell with a warm tallow pieces served on top that melted in. Cooked well and tasty. Also fun to dip bread into. 4.25 stars - Bread: warm and soft with a loaf per person wrapped up in a basket. 4 stars - Tuna crudo: standard with bit of spice to it. 3.5 stars - Crab tostada: was fine but not standout. Liked that it was salsa verde and not mayo-y and had little cubes of cucumber for some freshness and crunch. Mini tortilla was good. 3.5 stars - You could use the tasting menu or a la carte to share - Wines were fine - One individual who presented our dishes was very intense and proud of the food and all of the details Midlights: - Their angle is wood fired but didn't taste much of a difference in most of the items - Was hard to hear the explanations of the dishes in the dining room - Lots of menus on the table: food and cocktails each had a loose leaf menu, martini cart had one too, then wine glasses were in the wine book. - Martini cart sounded fun but I got a vesper so guess didn't count to get that service. - Service was hit or miss. Sometimes lots of people around and other times could not get a hold of anyone. Had to ask for a plate change after a few courses. Lowlights: - I love fine dining and been to a good amount of Michelin starred restaurants around the world. but I prefer a bit more personality to my dining experiences. It seemed to be trying to hard to be something with a goal of being super fancy. - Prices bit high for what it was. Fritter was one of the most expensive items cause it had caviar... read more

Hestia was incredible! I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype, especially after receiving a Michelin star, but I was still blown away by the food quality, flavors, and service from the staff. It's truly a 5 star experience and is the perfect spot to celebrate a special occasion! FAST FACTS: * Parking - valet available on Friday and Saturday for $12 but nearby garages available as well * Reservations - available online through Open Table * Closed on Mondays * Tasting and a la carte menus available * Bar seating available SERVICE - We arrived at 8:40 pm for an 8:45 pm reservation and had to wait in the lobby for a few minutes before getting seated at 8:50 pm. There was a card waiting at the table since I was celebrating my birthday. Our server, Jackson, was fantastic and took great care of us from start to finish! PRICING - The total was $198.11 after tax ($15.11) but before tip for 2 orders of charred corn ($8 each), 2 orders of crab tostadas ($12 each), 2 orders of profiteroles ($8 each), oysters ($28), wagyu tartare ($22), long beans ($15), halibut ($48), and sourdough ice cream ($14). It's pricey for small portion sizes (as to be expected at a Michelin star restaurant) but I left feeling completely satisfied with the quality of food I received for the price! You get complimentary bread service with butter that's delicious! CHARRED CORN (6/10) - This bite was good but was my least favorite of the 3 bites I tried... it's topped with popcorn so there are some nice textural differences but it's a little messy to eat. I'd skip this one next time. CRAB TOASTADA (7/10) - I love crab and this bite was good but didn't blow me away. There's a little too much garnish on it. I'd skip this one next time for the cost. PROFITEROLE (8/10) - This was my favorite of the 3 bites I tried... the chicken liver mousse is jam-packed with flavor! I'd order this again. OYSTERS (9/10) - This was my first time ever having raw oysters so take my rating for what it's worth but I thought these were amazing! The wiri wiri hot sauce is absolutely delicious! You get 6 oysters on the half shell. I'd order this again. WAGYU TARTARE (7/10) - I love tartare and this was very fresh! The pickled mushrooms added a nice acidity and the smoked aioli added a depth of flavor. I'd order this again. LONG BEANS (8/10) - These were coated in XO and the peanut chili crisp so they are kind of heavy instead of fresh as you'd expect a veggie dish to be but they're delicious! I'd order this again. HALIBUT (10/10) - One of the single best dishes I have ever had! The halibut was cooked well but the shiro dashi is the hero! It's insanely flavorful! The corn adds a nice sweetness and texture along with the trout roe. I'd come back just for this dish! SOURDOUGH ICE CREAM (9/10) - Order this for dessert and thank me later... it sounds like a crazy combo but it's AMAZING! The shoyu caramel is delicious and the tomato and orange jam adds a nice acidity. The strawberry ash powder is so unique and delicious! I'd order this again. This was my first time dining at Hestia and I had an incredible experience celebrating my birthday there! I'd definitely come back to celebrate another special occasion and would recommend it to others. The interior is stunning and the plating is pristine along with the service. The halibut is a must order for anyone coming! read more

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Amazing experience at Hestia! You're treated like VIP from the moment you step in the door. Upon being seated, our amazing waiter Anderson introduced us to the menu including the tableside martini menu which was so fun! We opted for the tasting menu which was like 12 or so dishes and more extras thrown in. Also got the wine pairing which made the food taste even more amazing. Each dish and accompanying wine was carefully explained to us. Among my favorite dishes were the scallops that literally were like butter in my mouth and the NY wagyu which had an amazing sauce. For a birthday the staff also signed a card and each staff member that came by said happy birthday. The ambience was both intimate and modern. You could see their famous wood fire from where we sat and there was plenty of room and. It overcrowded and noisy. Well worth the cost for the food and experience! read more

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Ok, admittedly this yelper has been silent for way too long, but the fact that I'm writing this review speaks to how much this experience moved me tonight. I've been to many amazing nights at @hestia and tonight was no exception. The service is knowledgeable, personable and beyond attentive. The atmosphere was eloquent and approachable and yet oozing with people there to celebrate their celebrations. And if that were not enough, let's talk about the food and drink. Off the chart. From the home made bread to the hamburger inspired wagyu tartar to the brilliantly prepared Texas wagyu brevette, each dish was created with care and precision. And last but not least, don't go here and not order the sourdough ice cream. I love this place. Worthy of every star they have. read more

Hestia - Carajilo. - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Parking: Park at the garage in the same building as the restaurant and they validate parking for 2.5 hours! Highly recommend a reservation The ambience was so cozy and the servers were very knowledgeable and attentive. Their house made sourdough bread was spectacular with the butter and great to use as a dipping vessel for some of the dishes. The lightspeed cocktail was so light and refreshing and had a hint of vanilla to it which I really enjoyed. Bites: The charred corn is a MUST get! It's so flavorful and my favorite bite that we tried. The crab tostada was good too and was very refreshing. The caviar tart was my least favorite bite because it was too salty for my taste. Raw: We tried the Wagyu tartare which was very good! It had toasted white Sonora which gave it a nice crunch to the raw tartare. Hearth: The grilled zucchini was surprisingly very yummy with the blistered tomatoes and the epazote. The scallops come in twos and was so yummy with the beef tallow. This is where the sourdough bread is worth having to dip it with. Mains: The halibut is MUST have! It's been on their menu for at least 3 years which is when I first had it and I've still dreamt about how delicious this dish is. Dessert: Get the mesquite cake if you are chocolate fan, even more so a dark chocolate fan. It was soooo delicious! read more

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The fixed course experience at Hestia ( @hestia_austin ) was legendary. Every aspect of this feast was dialed in, the flavors were powerful, perfectly cooked and prepared, and a roller coaster of tastes. The wine pairing felt like a solo cup kegger that tasted like magic and never ran dry. Above all of this, our host and waitress for this adventure was one of the best I've ever had. Mind blown.     People, the right people, qualified, talented, A players only will make or break a business. It doesn't matter if it's code or plates of wagyu, the wrong person is never worth it. Our care taker flawlessly explained every little detail of every single component of each dish and pairing. I've been to numerous spots across the country including multiple Michelin starred establishments and she was easily a top 10 performer. So much so, that at one point, I stopped the experience to tell her. I understand & appreciate how hard that job is, & how more often than not the 8th deadly sin entitlement makes her life a living hell. She didn't believe me at first. After my buddy, noticed, & explained, "he's not fucking with you, he does this frequently!" She finally trusted and accepted the compliment. I told everyone as we exited.     Another timeless memory on the books! read more

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Hestia has slick, cool look as soon as you as you walk in the door. A view right into the kitchen prior to seating was a nice touch. We sat in the room towards the back of the restaurant. Im old, but not that old in spirit, unfortunately you practically had to scream for the person across from you to hear you. We should have moved but it was a packed house. The stars for me were the long beans and the pork chop. The long beans made me feel like I went to high end Chinese restaurant from all the awesome flavor. The pork chop was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Many restaurants overcook pork in fear, not Hestia which was impressive. I would pick from the meno instead of ordering the prefix. Seemed like a better deal too in terms of price. read more

Hestia - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Puts the fine in fine dining! Everything about this place was 10/10. The food was immaculate and service even better. It was fine dining without it feeling stuck up which is one of my favorite things. You can have conversations with the wait staff and service and still felt elevated. Do the Tasting Menu. I repeat, do the Tasting Menu. It is such a fun experience and the wine pairing made it that much more fun! The food was well presented and very full of flavor and freshness. My favorite things were the scallop, halibut, and ribeye! All of it was excellent though. Gabi, Angelyn, and Blake were SO FUN! They checked up on us, brought their personalities, and really made the evening one to remember. They epitomize the definition of service and set the bar high. Bonus ifykyk, the pretzel sticks stole the show. read more

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I honestly, expected more from this establishment. We arrived to the restaurant about 5-10 minutes late just to find out we have to wait an additional 20minutes because our table was not available- they completely ignore our reservation time. It was very uncomfortable- the staff were pushing for us to get drinks which we end up getting. After all that waited, we didn't know they validated parking until I saw it on a previous review. When we finally sat at our table. We were greeted with a glass of complementary champagne. Our waiter Jackson was as quite rude and Kept undermining our decisions. As if that wasn't horrible enough, he took our plates before we were finish, I felt as if it was a joke. Especially, since the plates are about $65 average. The atmosphere feels like an over price Outback Steakhouse Overall, very disappointed and underwhelming experience. read more

Hestia - Complimentary champagne With lovely view of the city - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Ordered charred corn, crab tostada, grilled zucchini, scallops, halibut, smoked mushroom, and sourdough ice cream. The food was very tasty, esp the scallops. The sourdough ice cream was unique. We also ordered drinks called Daisy Duke and Laissez-Faire. I had the Daisy Duke which had the perfect blend of yuzu. Service is what you would expect in a 1-star Michelin restaurants. They gauge your preference and provide recs. The restaurant has dim lighting, perfect date night spot. They also validate your parking ticket in the garage closest to the restaurant. read more

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Loved our experience at Hestia! Highly recommend making a reservation even on a weeknight. We got lucky with an available table of a Wednesday. The drink menu is carefully crafted and the wine list provides a great selection. For side dishes I highly recommend the green beans. All of our entrees were magnificent and my scallops were beautifully presented in shells on hot rocks. I definitely recommend dressing up for the occasion and can't say enough good things about our server. Will be back again soon! read more

Hestia - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This is the second year my friend took me out for my birthday and he chose Hestia. I know very little about the place and for me that is on purpose because I like experiencing a new restaurant without setting expectations. Starting with parking- downtown parking is never my favorite but I wasn't driving so I didn't mind at all. After parking we had a short walk to the restaurant where we were warmly greeted and quickly seated as we had a reservation. The vibe of the restaurant was relaxed and chill despite its busyness. There was a card on the table with birthday wishes from the staff when we sat down. Nice touch. When our waiter came over he also wished me happy birthday and took our drink orders. I ordered the lightspeed and my friend ordered the hestia no. 5. He stated he enjoyed his drink, and I enjoyed mine, particularly the lightness and freshness of it. We both decided on the tasting menu as it felt like a great way to try their menu and try new and interesting dishes I might not try if I ordered individual dishes off the menu . I will say for a tasting menu it is pretty hefty with more than enough food to leave you satisfied. I was not able to finish every course by the end due to being full but wanted to make sure I tried everything. While I will post pictures i won't get into every dish because the menu will better serve that role. I did have favorite dishes like the scallop and salmon which were divine. I also thoroughly enjoyed the beet dish and the dessert with ash bark was a marvel. However, there was not a dish that I didn't like. I will say it is not a rush and eat kind of place-we had a 5:45pm reservation and left a little after 9pm but it didn't feel nearly that long. I also love the window that they pull the curtain back from near sunset. Yet another reason to sit back and enjoy the evening. read more

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Visited Hestia for a work dinner and was impressed. Due to our group size we had a Prix Fixe menu which is arguably the best way to experience their offerings. Service was excellent and added to the fine dining atmosphere. Highlights of the meal - Watermelon/Chili Oil Oysters, Halibut, and Kampachi Crudo. Outstanding plates all loaded with flavor. The whole menu was excellent so you can't go wrong with any of these dishes. Highly suggest adding to your Austin itinerary! read more

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Jim G. and I had a wonderful anniversary celebration here! Our server Leah started us off with a little bubbly to toast our occasion and we enjoyed some cocktails. We knew that we would not be able to finish all the food from the tasting menu, as we had gorged on bbq earlier in the day, so we ordered a la carte and enjoyed everything. Chicken Liver Bite aka profiterole ($8) was inspired by a banh mi and was very tasty; it is truly a little bite, so order one per person. Caviar Tart ($18) pretty small bite, though it is somewhat shareable. Nice salinity and flavor. Wagyu Tartare ($22) nice combination of flavors XO Long Beans ($15) this was surprisingly amazing! Would order two servings if we were hungrier. Scallops ($32) were cooked perfectly and pre-sliced for multi-bite enjoyment Berkshire Pork Chop ($56) 40-day Dry Aged and cooked perfectly at medium rare. This was the star of the show! And it tasted just as good the next day (since we had to take some back to our hotel! Great service and great food! We were sitting in a room in the back that had crazy acoustics; it was so loud! A large group sitting near us was having a blast and the shrieky laughs were a bit ear-piercing, but everything else was great! Service is a bit more casual and informal than a traditional Michelin-starred place, but it didn't detract from our enjoyment. read more

Wow. Just wow. Hestia is where wood fired dreams come to life. Everything is cooked over an open flame, and the Michelin Star is fully deserved. A very elevated experience. You can taste the art in every bite. Wr started with 2 bites, the corn and husk and the crab toast. They were so cute. One bite. We then got the crudo and I loved the smokiness of this dish. The halibut was even better. It came with a pour of this green tasty sauce. Bring me 2 mesquite cakes! That wood fire process is making babies back there. Excellent! read more

Hestia - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

I have to admit I was a little unsure about what to expect after reading some critiques on Reddit. However, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our recent anniversary meal at Hestia. The front door is a little hard to find from the cul de sac (hint: it's behind a big bush) but once inside it's a lovely space, with the smell of wood fire in the air. Everyone from the host to the person refilling our water wished us a happy anniversary and there was a card on the table. They also started us off with some complimentary sparking wine. Thoughtful. The standouts were for sure the scallops and the halibut. I would def go back just for those. That said, everything we had was delicious, including the pork chop, the zucchini, and the mesquite cake for dessert. When it was taking a while for the chop to come out, they brought some complimentary hearth tomatoes that were delicious as well. With the included pan de cristal, we ended up quite full and had to take some pork to go. Looking forward to those leftovers! The cocktails were good but didn't blow me away. The hestia martini was a fine take on a dirty martini but I was disappointed to get only two olives... For good luck and a $17 cocktail, you should always get 3 olives!!! My wife enjoyed her aperol spritz and I finished with a Ladybird, which was enjoyable. We did have several different folks checking on us throughout the meal. All were kind and helpful, but it wasn't much different than anywhere else. Happy for them to have the Michelin star, and the halibut and scallops were really really good, but I couldn't tell you how it was massively different than a lot of other great restaurants around town. I would definitely go back, though! read more

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Service was superb. From door to table everyone was gracious and accommodating. Was my first time visiting and I did have very high expectations. Even in close quarters we could still hear each other very well, which was appreciated. I do wish they had a more robust cocktail menu, but the martini cart did help, and although the lights were low, the correct things were well lit. The food - spectacular. We had the steak, pork, and Halibut and they did not disappoint. Appreciate the nice touch of a handwritten birthday card. And can't forget to mention that they validate parking! Huge plus! read more

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I like the food presentation, taste and service. But it's very pricey $175 per person. Don't feel worth it. I have been to Hestia before they became Michelin one star. Their old price is reasonable. So Michelin only makes things more expensive. read more

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Tried a variety of food, with mixed reviews. Started with mixed bites: - beet tart: good, interesting - corn tart: also good - caviar tart: very good but a tiny bit too salty - Bread: seriously amazing - Crudo: horrible, do not order this. I am usually a fan of yellowtail, but this was extremely fishy and the flavors did not work - scallop: amazing, perfectly cooked. Also a bit too salty though - halibut: insanely good, made the meal - sourdough ice cream: also incredible. High end dulce de leche vibes Overall, recommend going for the halibut! read more

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Very pretentious, I saw them kick out a couple for wearing workout clothes but the guy seated (way too close) next to me was wearing shorts. We asked for a substitution on a vegetable and were told no. The cook/chef poured a whole thing of sauce all over my fish while I said agh stop. They don't care what the customer wants, they will do it their way. Kitchen staff chants out every order in a cultish style. The servers were nice. For the price, I should be able to ask for what I want. Very disappointed. read more

We recently had the opportunity to dine at the newly awarded 1 Michelin star restaurant Hestia in Austin, Texas. After having the chef's testing menu, I am uncertain how this restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. Starting with the atmosphere the restaurant itself was very nicely decorated but could be a bit dark in some areas which could make it difficult for older people to see. It was a lively restaurant with a moderate to high noise level. At the time we were there it was loud enough that it was a bit difficult to carry on a conversation without having to raise our voices so we could hear each other. Service staff we very nice and knowledgeable, however, could be quite clumsy. I realize that accidents will always occur, however, they seemed to happen more often in this restaurant. There were a number of dishes that required sauces or finishes table side and with almost every dish the sauces were dripped onto the table and even in my water glass. Not a big deal but definitely not what you would expect at a Michelin level restaurant. A server even dropped a bowl while clearing the table next to us and spilled sauce all over the table, floor, and customer. Again, accidents happen but I'm not sure if it was rushing or clumsiness, it just seemed to happen more often here than any other restaurant I've been to. The food unfortunately was the biggest disappointment of the night. The dishes were plated beautifully but they lacked harmony in the flavors. I think the focus on "hearth" cooking and an attempt to incorporate fire, smoke, and ash into every dish as a novelty, ruined what might have been otherwise excellent dishes. For the vast majority of the dishes served we could not taste any of the flavor elements or ingredients that the server described aside from the ubiquitous char elements previously mentioned. It's not that I'm a food snob (I enjoy everything from spam and rice and cup noodles all the way up to Michelin star cuisine and everything in between) but for me it's about the value. If I'm spending over $500 for a meal for 2 people then the value should be there and it just wasn't. Atmosphere: 3.5/5 (For poor lighting and noise level) Service: 3.5/5 (below the standard of a Michelin star restaurant) Food: 2/5 (execution and flavor miss the mark and are definitely not Michelin level compared to other restaurants I've dined at) Price: $$$$ Overall Value: 2/5 Total: 2.75 read more

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Hestia invited us back and treated us to a fantastic dining experience last night, more than making up for our experience on New Year's Eve. We were impressed with everything, from the attentive service to the incredible combination of flavors in each dish. The menu here is so well thought out; each offering is unique and delicious, not to mention high quality. Our favorites from last night included the Tuna Belly Tostada and Crème Brulée starters, followed by the sweet potatoes and the best pork chop I've ever had in my life (the Berkshire Pork Chop, I truly didn't think pork chops could be THAT good), and finishing with the incredibly unique and delicious Sourdough Ice Cream for dessert. You can't go wrong with this menu, I'm confident that all the dishes will impress. If you're someone that loves food like we do, Hestia's offerings are more than just a meal, they are a full sensory experience. Thank you to the whole staff, but especially to George and Rudy for the wonderful service and hospitality! You really made our night and we look forward to dining at Hestia again. read more

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Sorry Hestia for missing my yearly review. But congrats on the Michelin star that is much deserved! We celebrated our anniversary 4 years in a row here. It is also our go-to for birthdays as well. I could write a novel about how good everything is here, but you just need to go experience the magic yourself. Must try: scallop, halibut, sourdough ice cream. Make sure to end your meal with a flaming carajillo too. Service: Shoutout to Alexis and Zenil and the rest of the amazing team! They are true experts in their craft. The ambiance is always very swanky, and the music adds more magic to the place. Book your rezy well in advance now that they got their star, they are booked out! read more

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I'm clearly going against most people with my review. My family did not enjoy our dinner at all at Hestia. It was a great start, we were welcomed and greeted with a happy birthday from the employees and a card on our table. Very nice touch. We started with the side table service for a martini. It was $30 and we expected a nice show for it. The bartender had most things already made and wasn't any different than ordering the drink at the bar, nothing particularly special about it for the up charge. My husband had the oysters and did not like them at all. The most important or flavor attribute of an oyster is the brine and it wasn't there at all. He took the lemon purée off them and just didn't like the dry oysters without brine. The scallops by far were the best thing we had. They were cooked perfectly and the broth was delicious. My husband had the pork and it was ok. Nothing special - we've had much better pork chops for less than half the cost. I had the chicken and enjoyed the flavor. The service is a lot at Hestia. We had so many people constantly at our table. It actually got to be annoying. We finished the scallops and were using the broth to dip our bread. I'm not kidding when I say we had at least 10 people try to take the plate from our table. We had to stop each one to say we were still eating the broth. The last person just reached over and grabbed it without asking. It was like we were on an episode of punked. It was nonstop for about 10 minutes of waiters rotating and trying to take the plate. Hestia is very cute - and the ambience is very lovely. One thing I will say is that they know that there is an issue with guests hitting a big metal bar under their tables. The host was telling us to be careful when sitting not to hit our legs and unaware of where the very oddly placed and my daughter hit her knees on it and got a small scratch and bruise from it. It really should be fixed. read more

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I went back a second time and this time for my birthday! I ordered their seasonal oysters, their beef tartare, scallops, their pork rillete, kampachi crudo, long beans and for our mains - their halibut and the wagyu steak. I thinkkkkk my first experience was better. However the scallop slapped both times! Regardless, I think the food is amazing and the service always impeccable. If I could switch anything up - I'd prob get the pork instead of the halibut read more

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Hestia was outstanding....one of our favorite dining experiences while visiting Austin. 5-star food and service...outstanding experience and meal. We were a group of four and all loved our creative cocktails, the delicious made at your table martinis, and feel in love with their scallop dish and their halibut as well as the green beans - all delicious and incredible. The drink menu is creative and carefully crafted and the wine list provides a great selection. All of our starters and dinner entrees were magnificent but the show stopper was the scallops, beautifully presented in shells on hot rocks. Outstanding dining indulgence and worth a visit. read more

I've heard a lot of great things about Hestia and especially since they just received a Michelin star, I knew I needed to try it. Overall, the service and ambiance was top-notch. We were checked on frequently and the staff were all knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. We ordered the following: Oysters: 4/5 The oysters were fresh, but the flavor was a little overpowered by the habanero gochujang. Pan de cristal: 1/5 This was the bread service recommended by our server. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't two loaves of bread with a tiny bit of sauce. The bread was just okay, like your typical free restaurant bread, there was nothing special about it. The apple molasses and butter was alright. It tasted like apple cider vinegar to me. I wasn't a fan of this bread service, especially given the price. However, I did dip some of the bread in the scallop butter which made it 10x better. Scallops: 5/5 Delicious! Perfectly cooked and I loved the sauce. I would order these again and again! Berkshire pork chop: 5/5 I loved this pork chop! Definitely reminds me of Dai Due and their quality. The fat was rendered perfectly and I loved the sweet crust on the chop. I'd order this again in a heartbeat! While this was a great meal, I wouldn't consider it Michelin star-worthy in my opinion. read more

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Our last night in Austin and we wanted to make it good - chose Hestia as it looked very interesting - the waitstaff were perfection and the interior was modern gorgeous and dark, clean bathrooms - service impeccable. The drinks were interesting and strong and the food was very tasty and interesting, the theme being cooked with fire. Everyone enjoyed their food, I wish we had ordered desserts, they would have been more interesting than the marginal ice cream we had afterwards - ah well - Definitely come try this place - worth every penny - just look at those plates of food! read more

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Disclosure: This review is based on a meal that was unexpectedly comped. We didn't know until the end - when we presented our card for payment - that the GM had comped our meal based on a prior conversation we'd had about Austin restaurants in general before we even made reservations. None of our food/wine choices were based on that - we fully expected we were paying for a meal. And yes, Yelpers, we did ask for a $.01 bill so we could [over]tip on the full amount. We'd considered Hestia for an anniversary prior to this because of their tasting menus, but some discussions with other foodies online caused us to question that choice as a first experience with them. I'm glad we made that choice (we will, however, be going back for the tasting menu, perhaps for the spring seasonal change). More on this later. We arrived and were seated at a table in the main dining area - there's a larger, more open space and then what looks to be a more enclosed space in the rear. They also have an outdoor patio that looks like it'd be great for drinks/bites when it's not 90+ outside. The dining area has large windows that face west, so the curtains were closed as the sun was setting. It wasn't dark, but it wasn't bright. Towards the end of the meal after the sun was behind cover, the staff opened the curtains and it was like being in a completely different restaurant. A much more open, light feel - if there were a way to tint the windows and have them open all the time, I'd highly recommend the restaurant do this. It completely changed the atmosphere from "somber" to "delightful." Temperature was fine - not too hot or cold. No annoying ceiling fans or vents blowing straight on you. They had just made some changes to their fall menu, so we started with drinks. I had The Offering, a bourbon-based cocktail. I'd tell you what's in it, but the menus on their website either aren't updated or have changed in the two days since we were there. I suspect they haven't been updated with the new changes yet. On to the food... We started with the butternut squash tarts, a bit-sized "snack" vs. an appetizer, and the scallops in beef tallow as an appetizer. The technique and presentation for both were impeccable, but the difference in flavor was stark. The squash tarts were good, but nothing about them popped. Even topped with caviar, the earthy squash underneath needed something - maybe even a little more salt. I thought perhaps a drop of honey under the caviar for a little contrast, my partner thought that would take away from the sweet of the squash. Nothing was wrong with it, and looking back over the course of the meal I think I understand it a bit more (final thoughts at the end). It's probably not something we'd order again. The scallops, on the other hand, were divine. Served in shell in a broth made with beef tallow, with a good balance of fat and acidity. Good enough that drinking it out of the shell when the scallop was gone... happened. In a risky choice, the scallop was served seared and sliced in the broth to make sure it could soak it all in, and that worked. It also helped to slow down the experience, taking smaller bites vs cutting it in half and being done. Now we were rolling. I ordered the pork chop (my partner ordered the hallibut, but I didn't get pictures of it). They were more than happy to do medium on the preparation. It came with a side of seasonal squash, blossoms and onions on a pepita puree base. The pork chop was bone in (bonus!) but the bone wasn't so big that it was used to serve less pork. The portion side was exactly right. Here's the thing, though - this is where I started to understand Hestia. The pork chop was seasoned, for sure, but the seasoning wasn't the focus of the entree. The pork was, and I think this may be where some people are disappointed in the tasting menu, the absolute center of the dish. You won't get "the best honey-walnut shrimp" or "the best adobo-guajillo pork chop" you've ever had. You'll get a really good protein with spice and seasoning (and sides) to showcase the protein (my partner's term). You'll taste the protein. The same applied to my partner's halibut - well seasoned, well accompanied, but definitely "this is halibut... this is what halibut tastes like." So, understanding that and looking back to the tart, I feel a need to be fair. I still wouldn't order the tart again, but that doesn't have anything to do with the creation or presentation. It's that all things considered, I don't find butternut squash to be an "exquisite" taste. That's on me. I love big, bold flavors. Given that, and with the understanding that the core of the dish is the focus, I'd say two things: we'll be back for the tasting menu (likely in spring, for those flavors) and if you go, order something you know you like. Don't be adventurous - experience how Hestia presents the thing you know you enjoy and see how they focus you back on just that. read more

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Food was excellent, service was outstanding. The vibe was upbeat and lively. Definitely look forward to returning. read more