Man, I have finally found a killer steak house in the greater Austin area! Ever since Sullivan's closed downtown earlier this year, I've been looking for a worthy replacement, and I've found it in Spicewood, TX. One would think it would be easy to find a steakhouse in Austin, TX but generally I've found most to be mediocre at best, and generally overpriced for the fare provided. J5 is a gleaming diamond in the rough...go get your steak on, post haste. This is a happy restaurant on the Western outskirts of town, way out 71 way, full of great service with a smile (thank you Anna!) and tasty food. The center booth area has the coolest decorations on the walls made from wine corks and the whole decor says happy and mellow...not an ounce of the pretentiousness that seems to be taking over the ATX these days. And the lighting is prefect...low and yellow. My personal fav :) As for the food, w started with the the Firecracker shrimp (breaded) and carpaccio, both tasty and wonderful. I'd go carpaccio over shrimp next time. Main meals were Ribeye (medium rare and actually served that way) with a blue-cheese, bacon and onion topping & lamb chops (lollipops), both tasty as all get out...tender, grilled to perfection and perfectly seasoned. Sides were simple but fresh and tasty (green beans and asparagus) and the salads were okay. For desert, we tried the the chocolate pecan brownie and had coffee. The whole meal was A+ and a happy find. Keep up the great work. read more

Great food, convenient location and service. We will come back and highly recommend this restaurant.

Standard steak and side type of place. Won't knock your socks off. People need to know what they are serving. Asked them if they are grain or grass fed and no one knew. Finally told us it was grain and it tasted like it. Mushy, less flavor, and not real tasting meat. If you can't tell the difference then this is your place. Everyone was welcoming and the ambience was good so I'll give it a few stars. But better steaks are available elsewhere. read more

Went there tonight with another couple. I asked our server Miles how long he had been working at J5 and he said 4 weeks. I sensed that might be a problem but gave him the benefit of the doubt. He had just graduated from high school. We ordered our first bottle of wine which took forever to arrive. "The bar is really busy...said Miles. We had to ask him multiple times for anything else that we needed during our dinner. I ordered the rack of lamb as did my friend. What we got were very small "lollipops " that had been individually cooked...no seasoning and over cooked. Awful. Sides were average. We ordered another bottle of wine that also took a very long time to get. "Bar is backed up" . Finally had one cup of coffee. Paid our $175 bill. Decided to order a refill of coffee and was advised that there would be an additional charge of $2.50 for the refill!!!! We asked to talk to the owner but she did not come over. The server advised us that she had "approved " waiving the charge. This was laughable!!! Won't go back. Go to Plate in Bee Caves....much better. read more

Wow. This place has gone way down. They used their Covid money to upgrade their place (except for the bathrooms bc it smelled like poop) but the food has gone down hill. We paid $$$$ for an HEB steak. I wish I had a better review. read more

Aside from very personable and nice service from the staff I did not get a good cut of steak. It was quite fatty and chewy and sent it back after eating about 1/3rd after hoping hoping to get to some clean meat. We sent it back and it was not offered to be replaced and we were still charged the full amount. They ultimately took off $9 from the bill. Disappointing. Left hungry. Paid $120 bill. read more

Nothing really exceptional except the water. Ribeye mediocre cut of beef. I have had much better for the $26 charge. Rack of lamb meat was excellent. The sauce not so. I never had a baked potato that had heavy salt on it until tonight. I will not repeat this visit. It was extremely loud everyone trying to talk over the noise. They need some acoustic help. read more

Decent not great, my fish was over cooked and so was the bread pudding. Nice people and there's really not much of a selection of restaurants out this way. So that alone probably puts this place at the top of the food chain read more

Been a while since we have been to J-5 but of course its been a while since we went anywhere!Ordered take-out tonight and have to say it was just about perfect. The care that was taken with the order was spot on. Condiments were separate on the burger so it didn't get soggy. Firecracker shrimp were in a container stout enough to keep them warm and fresh, salad treated same way, and the sweetest pair of cookies were thrown in for good measure. Love this family and love their restaurant - will be supporting more during these difficult times and hope others will too. read more

J5 Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

You are either open for business and you care about your customers or you should be closed. If you are scared of Covid, shut down. I've never been treated so rudely. From the call to make a reservation to the freezing cold restaurant and then being asked to put a mask on 1 foot from the door to get the heck out of there! The severs were rude as well as the owners. These people have no idea what it takes to promote and maintain a thriving business. In Texas. When the customer is always wrong and asking for things you refuse to provide, it is time to hang it up and move on to another profession. Treated like a prisoner, server and owner annoyed when asked to turn on the heater with the doors are open on 40* night. If I had wanted to dine outdoors I'd have stayed on my patio. read more

I love this place. Best and most affordable steak in central Texas. I love the firecracker shrimp.

Old fashioned Texas steakhouse. They have modern items on the menus, and are creative in the offerings. I had a chopped salad with blue cheese dressing, kind of a chopped wedge, my wife had a crunchy salad with a lot of veggies and nuts. Now for the test: a perfectly cooked medium rare NY strip. And pork tournedos that can hold their own anywhere! Finished it off with a giant pecan brownie and vanilla ice cream (Blue Bell, I'm sure). All of this with drinks under $100. And great service by our server, Maya. All I can say is that we're happy, and will return! read more

We (4 adults) had an awful experience at J5 last night. It started with the cocktails. The Chardonnay and Riesling had gone bad (like from a bottle opened a week ago). The French onion soup was too salty and mediocre at best. The baked potato tasted old. And the filets were the worst we've had in a restaurant. The meal was an all round disappointment. read more

Spicewood has a few good spots but this has got to be a fave. Steaks are top notch and staple side dishes. Try the sauces, it's the cherry on top. Dessert - get the brownie Sunday ! read more

Meh-prime steak was sitting in water and gray with fake grill marks. No flavor whatsoever just a good texture. I believe it must have sous vide cooked by numbers instead of actually grilled. There is something any monkey can do so there is no need for an actually chef. There was no grill flavor and it was well done in 10 minutes. The asparagus was uneatable and EXTREMELY bitter like all veggies today indicating it was grown in water. This is not their fault EXCEPT they should partner with local farmers to get fresh ground grown veggies if they want to charge this much.The baked potato was okay but small, the butter tasteless and didn't taste like real butter, not near enough chives, butter or anything which I guess why they offer EXTRA potato fixings for even more money. For basically 70.00 I expect top notch. This is NOT top notch. The bread was okay except I don't really like sourdough and the dip for it was strange.Overall, I can't recommend this place. The quality offered here is more beach walk up bar cooking than high end steak restaurant. I can get a better steak at Longhorn Steakhouse for half this price. read more

Best customer service that I've experienced in a long time. The owner, Jaime made me feel like family. J5 is a Texas treasure!

Yes. Yes. Yes. Want a good steak? THIS is the place to go. A little bit out of Austin, but sooooo worth it. The perfect place to go on a Thursday night. Bryan Lee sings amazing cover tunes. The service was superb. We made reservations for a party of 20 and they were prepared for the mayhem! Great food. Great atmosphere. So good! Thanks Chloe and Shanay for being so awesome! read more

This restaurant is one of my all time favorites. The food is amazing. I usually go for the firecracker shrimp as an appetizer. Then, the ribeye steak with the sauteed mushrooms. So delicious! The staff is so nice and the atmosphere is casual. Not stuffy at all like some steakhouses. It's my go-to for great food. read more

Brussel sprouts were amazing, honestly the reason we stop when we are in the area. Steak and other sides were just ok as usual....nothing to write home about. Service was slow, our waiter was pretty young...but everyone has to start somewhere! J5 is a restaurant we have enjoyed for many years for many occasions, but we were turned off permanently this evening. We live in a small town and don't leave our house often, we follow the new COVID guidelines, however, tonight when we were leaving my husband forgot to put his mask on (we don't ever leave the house and aren't 100% used to the new rules) we were seated next to the door and the hostess made sure to announce that we are not welcome to dine there again because we had just contaminated everyone. Being reminded or gently told to put the mask on is no problem but the way it was handled was embarrassing and we felt awful. read more

Steaks are great! Carpaccio w/ fried capers, skinny Haystacks french fries, and Roasted cauliflower... ALL SO YUMMY, but my fav is their brussel sprouts. Next time I'm leaving room for creme brulee. read more

My family loves this place so much. The family owned environment makes it feel that much more special.

We decided to go last minute and we were so happy we did. Great food and drinks. Amazing service- thank you Jackson for the 5star service!

My husband and I just found our new favorite restaurant. Everything we ordered was outstanding - the ahi tuna appetizer (we liked it so much, we ordered another!), the steak, brussel sprouts, roasted cauliflower, baked potato, asparagus, and the beet salad. They have a cool bar and indoor and outdoor seating. The waitstaff was great. 10/10 experience and can't wait to go again. read more

I was a huge fan of Jaime and Jen when they were at the Trading Post and was a fan of Backstage Steakhouse. So ever since I heard that they took over the Backstage space and named it J5 I have been trying to find an excuse to drive all the way out to Spicewood (actually less than 30 minutes from the Y in Oakhill) but with gas prices and a gas guzzling SUV distance calculates into dinner price unfortunately:( So, when a friend asked me to go with her and her son to consult on the purchase of a horse for her special needs son in the area and asked what it would cost "dinner at J5!" was my answer. They are keeping in line with their previous location in trying to keep all ingredients as local as possible (Pure Luck and Becker) And speaking of Becker (one of my fav local vineyards) was a steal at something like 20.00 a bottle and if I remember correctly 5.50 a glass for the Cab!! We started with a bottle of Becker Cab and I quickly decided on the Salmon with Mango Salsa with Grilled Asparagus as my side. Perfectly cooked sweet savory and flaky yummyness My friend's Fillet Mignon was perfectly seasoned and seared to perfection medium rare The teenager enjoyed his Green Chile Cheeseburger and I loved finishing off his uneaten delicious crispy fries. I called ahead before heading out with 4 legged fur baby as I knew The Trading Post was super dog friendly and was hoping J5 would be as well and "YES". We parked and looked for a gate to the back patio and after seating ourselves on the deck our waiter came out with a fresh bowl of water for my pup before even taking our drink orders! Both the service and food were a full 5 stars and totally worth the extra cost of future drives out here! read more

We had Dinner there last Wednesday night. When we walked in it smelled like sewage. The garage doors were open and there was two obnoxious dogs steadily barking on the patio for 20 minutes. They were clearly Agressive as a patron approached them and they went ballistic. The dogs should have never been allowed on the property. Our service was mediocre at best. All of the tables around had bread . We were never offered any. We finally asked and it came out after our food was delivered. We should have skipped it .... Was hard and cold... I order a filet which was absolutely horrible, it tasted old. The asparagus was over cooked. My husband had the filet medallions they were extremely grizzly almost inedible. We were never asked how our meal tasted and was not revisited by our server until we flagged her down for our check. We were never asked if we would like another drink and all of our plates were left in front of us even after we payed the bill. Will definitely not return.... read more

J5 just opened this week, but the place is already hopping with people. Last night it was filled with fans of Backstage, the former steakhouse here, as well as fans of The Trading Post in Bee Cave, the new operators of J5. The same happy hour deals apply: half-price appetizers, $2 off glasses of wine, $8 off bottles. We started with one of their flatbreads, kind of free-form pizzas with creative toppings. The Boz was topped with a combo of fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, goat cheese and artichokes. The ingredients made for simultaneous tangy/salty/creamy tastes. The owner says they are working on getting the crust thinner and crisper. The J5 salad was a mix of greens, grape tomatoes, olives and a crunchy surprise of sunflower seeds! A nice addition for texture and a nutty flavor. Of course, you go to a steakhouse for steak, so we got the 14-oz New York Strip, a personal preference in terms of the right amount of fat-to-lean ratio. Great flavor! The steak had that meaty seared char on it you just can't get with lower temps at home. You get a choice of sides, ours was an enormous baked potato with "the works," butter, sour cream, cheese and chives. There's a good wine list with some prominent Texas wines on it, all seemed reasonably priced. If you're with someone who's not into steak, the place also serves salmon, mahi mahi, a veal chop and even some veggie options. There are some sandwiches, too, and the next thing I'll be ordering, the green-chile cheeseburger! read more

We have tried it several times and the quality of the food was subpar. Disappointing!

Hands-down the best place for really good food! I've been going to J5 for over 10 years and I've NEVER had a bad meal or experience. They've recently added on to your experience with a new section and a crazy cool outdoor area. It's worth it! read more

J5 is on the short list of places we bring people who are here from out of town. I was a big fan of the Trading Post so I'm very happy that some of that menu carries over. You could put together a pretty great tapas dinner with just the appetizers here. I like that it has a supper club feel as well. I had the rock fish with crab special the other night and it was mind blowing. My wife had a steak and it was cooked perfectly. I enjoy that at times the house offers a complimentary drink of flavors I would never order on my own. As far as I'm concerned this is as good as a steakhouse gets which is how I arrive at 5 stars, but take into consideration that I rebel against the fancy steakhouses that charge $12 for mushrooms and I could care less about what magazines say about restaurants. read more

Very poor service. We, my date and I, were seated outside at our request and waited and waited for our waitress. One table, seated before us, was waited on before us. Our waitress finally came by, apologized, and took our drink and food order. I ordered the chicken strips, beet salad and roasted cauliflower. My companion ordered the Caesar salad WITH salmon. They brought out my salad and brought my date her Caesar salad WITHOUT salmon. They took the salad away and then a few minutes later another waitress returned with a loaf of bread and a Caesar salad...again WITHOUT salmon. We told them again, that is a mistake. Then a waiter showed up with someone else's food by mistake...and several minutes later, another waiter showed with someone else's salad by mistake. It was crazy. Finally our food showed up. My chicken skewers were cold. The cauliflower was ok. Oh, and our drinks showed up with our food...not in advance. I'll never return to this place. Lackluster food and incredibly awful service. read more

Best steaks in the Lakeway area. So happy to have found this well established restaurant. We may be the only locals who didn't know about it! Casual vibe, amazing steaks and loaded baked potatoes. Proper portions, not pretentious, and not trying to be trendy. Just good food served with a smile. Had the 8oz filet with the spinach, butter, goat cheese, and hearts of palm topper with a loaded baked potato. Seriously amazing. Best meal I've had out in years. My tummy is growling just thinking about it. Can't wait to go back. We will be regulars! read more

I fully appreciate having this restaurant. There just aren't enough places to eat out west. However, I think the food is very mediocre for the price. I had the special prime filet and asked for it to be medium rare. It came out done on the outside and very rare inside. I opted not to send it back because it had a strong liver-ish flavor I did not like. I think it was around $28. My friend had the salmon which was good but tasted very salty and like it had a lot of butter. I'll give it another chance, but I'll try some of the more pedestrian fare...maybe a hamburger. On another note, wait staff probably could be trained to have better timing and not hover or interrupt conversations to give more tea. Hope someone appreciates the honesty. read more

Went here for our Anniversary Eve dinner and after considering several other options in the area chose this place. Looking back should have taken more time considering. The firecracker shrimp appetizer was great. Lightly fried shrimp tossed in a spicy sauce. Quite possibly the best thing we had. Shrimp the best thing at a steakhouse...I am thinking so. My husband got a Cesar salad which was average. We both jot the 8 oz. filets. I had a baked potato and he got asparagus. Sides were average and steaks were under...if seasoned at all. The saving grace was they were cooked perfectly. The server did not offer dessert or even coffee. Seemed rushed to get out and sadly had to get a piece of chocolate purchased earlier in the day at one of the area wineries as our "special dessert". The patio floor fan next to our table and the paper as a table cloth on our table definitely took away from the experience as well. The thing my husband appreciated was the value for the quality of food. Not my fav...so I don't think we will be repeat visitors. read more

My husband and I were visiting the Lakeway area and we decided to give J5 a try. We stopped by on a Tuesday night around 8:30pm. There were a handful of cars parked outside and the outside appearance was plain with minimal lighting. If you were looking for a place to eat right off the highway you may miss this location. However, when we walked inside we were greeted with warm lights and a old time country steakhouse feel that wasn't overly western. We were immediately greeted and seated. Our waiter, Shawn, was awesome and helped us with our wine and food selections. We ordered the cheese board as an appetizer then for dinner we both had steaks (husband: Ribeye; Me: Filet) and were both amazed at how they were cooked. My husband choose to have a side of roasted cauliflower that was delicious! We ordered the Pecan Brownie for dessert that was to die for! We plan to go back the next time we're in the Lakeway area! Next time we'll sit out in the patio area and enjoy the warm Texas air! read more

We went to J5 for the first time tonight. We have been looking forward to going there for a long time and decided that tonight was the night. First of all, the indoor / outdoor ambiance is very cool! Just seems like a very comfortable place to be. There is a stage at the bottom of the lawn so I would guess there is live music there. Service was quick and cocktails were excellent! A warm loaf of bread with herbed butter was brought out right away. We had beet salad and chopped salad for starters and they were very good! My wife ordered the salmon with Brussels sprouts. The salmon was good. The Brussels sprouts were very salty. I ordered a "prime" filet with a baked potato. The steak was okay but had some gristle in it unfortunately. I have paid a lot less for a lot better filets. My recommendation would be to not order the prime at a $10 premium over the regular filet. The baked potato had way too much salt on the skin. Overall, service was good.... The food could have been better. Oh, well one more thing.... As we were leaving, we noticed a table with a bag of take out food on it sitting outside unattended. I guess that is for touch-less pick up but I wouldn't want my food sitting outside unattended. read more

Pretty good steak house. Not Ruth Chris or Norton's, but a quality steakhouse for everyday dining. Good food, whiskey, and sides. Gino must have been having a bad day. I drive 22 miles one way to get to J-5. I wouldn't if the food wasn't worth the trip. read more

In Austin practically every weekend we love going to J5. There are several dishes that I enjoy... Crabcakes, firecracker shrimp, lately they've had beet salad & oysters... My husband gets the steak every time he goes and loves it. I play the field and try salmon, grilled chicken, and steak I love it all. I've not yet been disappointed in this place staff is super friendly and super attentive. That's all you can ask along with the good food ! read more

We were camping in Krause Springs for our anniversary and decided to celebrate at J5. It took awhile for anyone to even speak to us after we were seated (a mix up of whose table was where), but once we were greeted by our server, our experience was very good. I had the medallions, and he had the strip steak. We had Brussels sprouts (yum), haystack potatoes and the penne and cheese. The food was good, service was friendly (as were the customers at the neighboring table!), the prices were reasonable and we'd definitely go back. read more

Very disappointed! Went last night with high expectations, but the selections didn't appeal to me from appetizers through entrees. The Backstage was better, but they never seemed to change their menus for years! I ordered the Rack of Lamb, and they had separated the chops and cooked them, apparently, along with the steaks and I could not taste the lamb! They tasted like little beef steaks on a bone. Without going on and on, I'll just say that for the $$ it's not worth the trip. read more

Great place to get a delicious steak dinner if you're looking for a classy, relaxing environment. They had a musician playing on a Friday evening, helping to set the mood. I enjoyed a rib eye with sautéed mushrooms and mashed potatoes. If you want someplace to get a great heartwarming meal in west Austin area, this is it! read more