We went to the Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill on Black Friday. One downside is they don't take reservations, but there is a $8 self-park lot right next door so at least parking is easy. We had a medium-size group of about 6 people and we were told the wait would be a few minutes. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes for a table so don't go by their wait times if you are hungry (they give you a buzzer). They have plenty of seating and I love the outdoor seating which has heat lamps and fountains for a charming Austin atmosphere. Instead of complimentary chips or bread, they give you popcorn which is really fun. We started with their large pretzel sticks. These are like auntie wetzel's but with gourmet dip. So delicious-we got two orders! My husband ordered the crusted fish which was nice but the baby-back ribs were melt-in your mouth to die for. I'm usually, not a big fan of heavy meat, but the waiter recommended the ribs and I loved them so much I had to share with my family. The fried onions on top and the grits are also a nice touch. We eyed the giant piece of chocolate cake one of the tables next door had, and could not resist ordering a piece to share with the family. It was delicious and decadent. Service was also very cordial despite how busy they were and the waiter understood all the food he was serving when we asked questions. To sum it up, the food is worth the wait, just don't come too hungry. read more

A little bit of Kentucky and Tennessee in Austin TX. I was looking for vegan food, so it might seem odd that I stumbled upon this place. They had Beyond Burgers :-) The best thing is the exquisite selection of Kentucky bourbon- they even have some craft bourbons and rare finds. They bartender, didn't catch her name, was fire!!! Excellent Old Fashioned. read more

Overpriced and mediocre food. I had high hopes for this restaurant due to its many reviews on Yelp. But my experience here was a bit disappointing. Food was subpar. I ordered a plate of chicken fried steak. It didn't have much flavor into it, but the portion size was big. A side of cornbread was also given with my order. I found the cornbread to be very dry and, again, flavorless. As for the service, the waitress checked on me frequently. She did a great job even when the restaurant was super busy! There's a lot of street parking spots available nearby, so parking isn't that much of an issue. All in all, I think it's worth checking this place out at least once if you're in Austin. However, I personally won't go back due to the overpriced and mediocre food. read more

Moonshine Grill - Chicken Fried Steak - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Three of us had Sunday brunch here and the first thing you need to know is to use the valet parking. The lot next-door to the north charges $15 minimum. I would describe this as a breakfast brunch since the great majority of dishes were focused in that direction. For us as seniors it was great value at $12 each, but I think the regular price is more like 18. If you read a previous review that mentioned this brunch as one of the best five he had ever had, your expectations will be raised too high. Or at least mine were, because I have eaten brunches in downtown Chicago with ice sculptures and lobster and all the trimmings. This is not that sort of brunch, but nonetheless it is a good one. For sure you must try the grits, which were described as the best in the world and I am not here to dispute that. Most dishes I tried were interesting if not exceptional, but sad to say, the biscuits and gravy fell considerably short of Whataburger's. People watching was of high quality and overall it was a good experience. read more

Great food and service. The wait can be a little long but you can check out the whiskey library at the bar downtowns while you wait. Cool spot but very limited space but try to check it out when there. read more

I struggle with this bar. The food was pretty great, as expected and the staff was all friendly ! But when you're waiting 4 hours for brunch after they tell you 1.... it really put a damper on the rest of your day. My recommendation ? Only come here during the week on days that arent busy. read more

There was about a 20-minute wait but, it was worth it. The food and atmosphere is excellent! We started with the moonshine corn dogs (shrimp) and roasted garlic. They are both a must try, delicious appetizers. I ordered the chicken fried steak, my all time favorite comfort food. It was delicious! We also ordered the peanut butter mousse pie. This dessert can be shared by at least four people; it's a massive piece of the pie. If you have a thing for peanut butter, you have to try this. read more

See all

Absolutely Delicious!!! Sun was shinning so decided to stop for a quick cocktail on the patio! Ended up staying for a fabulous happy hour dinner ! Are too much (but delicious) had Hard Lemonade cocktails - the best. Great service form walking in to the bar lady to the servers !! So recommend this place. Had our little boy with us and he very quickly ate his burger (kids menu great too) not much else to say but 5 stars guys !! Well done! Oh met some lovely people next to us that had been going there for 3 nights in a row, so that says a lot too!!! On ya guys Oh and what a great idea - popcorn free starter when you sit down! Got to find out the spice - delicious read more

See all

Always enjoy the food and drinks here! Cool building with a speak easy! An austin staple!

My first time in Austin all I wanted to do was eat eat eat all day long. My first stop was Moonshine. Everybody was saying to go here. Upon entry, the staff was super friendly. We got seated fairly quickly as well which from reviews doesn't seem too common. Of course I used Yelp for all my food decision making. I don't think anything at this restaurant is unique but everything was made well. We opts for the Chicken & waffles and the Green Chile macaroni. I mean of course you got to go for anything green Chile. The portioning of the green chili macaroni is HUGE so make sure to share. I'd say worth a stop if you're looking for a good spot to drink and typical American food made well. read more

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is a fun place in downtown Austin to eat some killer good southern food, especially desserts!! My brother and I got to try their Signature Skillet Apple Pie, and I now know why it is a signature. Everything about this dish screams southern comfort at it's finest. The Granny Smith Apples are sautéed in cinnamon and brown sugar, the pie crust is almost like a cross between a cinnamon roll and a biscuit, and the salted caramel ice cream on top provides the perfect hot and cold combo. I left more than satisfied!! Parking can be kind of tricky so I suggest you do the $9 valet they offer at the restaurant. I went on a Saturday night and waited a little over an hour for a table, so expect a wait if you go on the weekend. The service was top notch as well! Nothing but good things to say about Moonshine on my first visit! Pro-tip: Bring friends to share the pie with because it's pretty big! read more

Moonshine Grill - Side barn sign on the restaurant - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Super cute place, but the food isn't spectacular. We got there early, and that is advised if you don't like long lines. They told us they don't take reservations on the weekend, so we got there early and ended up at a lovely table on the patio. The restaurant itself is pretty, with several different dining areas. Our waiter was attentive and overall we were off to a great start. The popcorn they drop at the table is incredibly salty. We ordered three different appetizers for our large table. The shrimp corn dogs and the fried asparagus were just ok.I didn't like the amount or flavor of the breading. We also got the calamari which comes in a large bowl. The portion is a healthy size, but we ended up not eating part of it. I wasn't too impressed with the calamari. It really comes back to lackluster breading. Our entrees were better than the appetizers. My chicken sandwich was pretty good and my husband's pork chop was also good. A couple of the kids at the table devoured the Trout and really enjoyed it. So, the entrees made up for the appetizers. Overall, I love the ambiance of the patio. The interior of the restaurant gets loud and very busy. The food isn't a huge draw here, I think it must be popular because of the vibe and energy. I wouldn't brave the crowds for so-so food. read more

See all

I went to Moonshine for lunch last Friday, and it was amazing. There was about a 20-30 minute wait, but it might have been due to the conference that we were all attending at the nearby Hilton. First, they start you out with a big bowl of delicious popcorn. I love popcorn, so bonus points. We were hungry and ate our bowl quickly, and they brought us a refill. Double bonus points :-). We ordered a few drinks- I ordered a cucumber martini and my friend ordered a mint julep. My martini was awesome, but the mint julep was a smidgen too sweet (still quite drinkable, though). For lunch, I ordered the big red's BLT with a fried egg ($10.95) and my friend ordered a salad ($6.50-12.95). We also shared the beer battered asparagus appetizer ($8.95). The asparagus was amazing- I would highly recommend it. My BLT came with crispy bacon, arugula, tomatoes and a fried egg. I don't even normally like BLTs, but this one sounded so interesting that I went for it. No regrets!!!! It also came with french fries that were quite thick (more like wedges) and were just as good as the sandwich. The meal was cheap, and kept me full for almost the whole day- I didn't even eat dinner afterward. The servers were nice, and the food was amazing. If I lived nearby, I'd definitely be a regular here. There were so many other things on the menu I wanted to try as well! If you're staying in the area, especially at the Hilton, I highly recommend this place. read more

Moonshine Grill - Beer battered asparagus - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

So, when they made this place they must have stolen my personal idea of Food Heaven because when I had my meal of a Dr Pepper BBQ chicken sandwich with a side of mac n cheese and bourbon apples preceded by complimentary chili powder popcorn and jalapeño cornbread and washed down with a shot of White Lightning Seasonally infused moonshine, I thought I had died and that's where I had gone! The staff from the hostess and two others who greeted us and made sure we had been helped to our exceptionally kind, attentive, and adorable waitress, this was easily one of the best meals I have had in Austin! read more

My coworker told me about Moonshine, she said the portions were good, fair prices and good. I have to agree, the portions are large, prices fair, the food though was just okay. The restaurant is open and a great spot to just relax in. The servers were attentive and really friendly as well. I had the chicken and waffles and the chicken was good, the breading was perfectly salted and it had a good bite. The waffle though...soft and crumbly before I even drenched it in syrup. The gravy was awesome. The perfect bite was literally: chicken dipped in gravy + waffle drenched in syrup. My friend ordered the cornbread and bacon stuffed trout, he said it was really good. We split the peanut butter mousse pie and what a mammoth that was! The Oreo crust was really hard to break through but overall (other than being super rich and sweet) it was good! read more

Moonshine Grill - Peanut butter mousse pie with Oreo crust - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Everyone is very nice, cherry and knowledgeable! This was my first meal after landing in austin. It helped that it was a stones throw away from my hotel :) I'd call this upscale southern comfort food. And it's damn good! I ordered my first ever moonshine here! My server kelly recommended I try to Catdaddy since I didn't want something too sweet or something string that is best as a shot -- after all, this was lunch. Have to pace my drinking ;-) the Catdaddy looked like a small glass of water. .. but it was not! So good! Great recommendation Kelly! Since I was dining alone, I only ordered one dish. Another first -- my first ever chicken and waffles! I know this is sad, why has it taken me so long?! I don't know. The chicken is oh so delicious, even a hint of spice baked in. I wanted to try the fried pickles (special] and the corn dog shrimp but I knew I couldn't eat them all by myself and I hate throwing food away. Just means I'll have to come back here! Environment is chill. I was here around 3pm during ACL weekend 2. Music in the background. Not loud at all. Ps. Kelly is awesome! So energetic, let me ask her all my tourist menu questions and didn't rush me. And kept checking in (but not in the annoying way!) On top of it all, she gave me a complimentary dessert on the house since I was in town to celebrate my birthday! read more

See all

Great food and great setting. Chicken and Waffles was 9/10, we will definitely be back again.

BRUNCH TIME! I attended Moonshine for their Sunday buffet brunch. I enjoyed the experience, because the food was delicious, there was a large variety, and the wait wasn't too bad. I was expecting an hour wait, but we ended up waiting for about 20 minutes and we arrived at 11am. I really appreciated the variety of food items that was present, and the creativity as well. There was a good mix of 'typical breakfast food' and creative non-traditional breakfast foods that Moonshine put a twist on. Parking was very difficult, because it was purely street parking, and street parking is free on Sunday's downtown. Many seemed to be doing valet parking, which was ~$9 the day I went. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant for Sunday brunch! It is a fun and lively venue! read more

Someone recommended Moonshine when we mentioned that we were going to Austin, and it did not disappoint! We had two people and waited about 40 minutes after being estimated for 45. We were able to get a drink at the patio bar and a seat off to the side while we waited which made waiting a breeze. We were so hungry that we started with the garlic bulbs, which was good but not the greatest thing we ate there. For dinner we had shrimp and grits, ribs, and sweet potato tots. Everything was really good, so much so that we stuffed ourselves and couldn't get the dessert we had been eyeing at other tables throughout our meal. The service was great and our server was friendly and helpful. There is so much on the menu that sounded good, and there is something for everyone. We would go back if we visit Austin again! read more

First visit just today and my sister and I ordered the crispy calamari appetizer. Thick crispy calamari pieces paired with a sauce, nothing extraordinary. She had the chicken burger which was the highlight of our visit because of the refreshing slaw in it: pimento baked mac and cheese was a SOLID choice and also go for the sweet potato tater tots! read more

Moonshine Grill - Chicken burger, sweet potato tater tots, and Pimento Mac and cheese additional side - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Came for dinner around 6:45 on a Wednesday night, and only had to wait around 15 minutes! The wait staff is super friendly and helpful!! Started with some popcorn with paprika on top- very good but a little overly salty. Me and my friend ended up splitting the chicken fried steak (pictured is only HALF the portion, so the full portion must be HUGE!!) if you split a meal here though, they ask that you choose 2 sides to come with the meal (instead of 1). It's an extra $4 to split a plate with someone. Food was really good though! Big portions, a little salty overall, but delicious read more

See all

The ambience and the food was wonderful. I'm only not giving this five stars because if you sit out in the patio, there were many bees that would constantly land on our table and on us. I had to go sit somewhere else with my daughter and my father is very allergic to them so it made for an uncomfortable second half of our lunch. read more

In a word - Charlie! Charlie will make everything fantastic! Our dinner, drinks and after dinner recommendations were phenomenal! The world needs more Charlie!! Ask for him - you won't be disappointed. read more

Great place for food & drinks!!! They also do an amazing brunch on the weekends. We frequently take friends & family visiting Austin here. Never disappoints! Plan on waiting a bit though read more

Lovely place with large selection of drinks and food. Down home food done well with a classy fair. Very busy on Saturday night but the bar seating was large and welcoming and the line moved quickly. Outside seating pet friendly and staff ensure appropriate number of kitten-compliments and water dishes were supplied read more

Moonshine Grill - Kitten waits patiently at the bar - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Moonshine is a great place to look out into the beautiful sites. great cocktails I would definitely come back.

I've been coming here for almost 10 years now and won't stop any time soon. I always start with the Shrimp Corn Dogs as an appetizer and my favorite dish is the Rainbow Trout. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is very hip. 10/10 recommend. read more

Great atmosphere. Friendly staff. Yummy Mac And Cheese. Enjoyed the chicken not corn waffle that came with it. Drinks are strong and delicious. The apple crisp dessert was cold inside but hot skillet didn't like it too much. Their corn muffins are delicious and they have good sides. Can easily walk around downtown and nearby Rainey St afterwards. read more

Moonshine Grill - Happy Hour Cocktail - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I came to this spot on several recommendations while I was visiting Austin, specifically for the cocktails. I went on a MONDAY and was turned away because we only wanted drinks. They said I had the option to sit at a table with another party or leave. I 100% would have spent more on drinks (and tipped more) than on food. I regret even saying anything to the hostess, or not just ordering an appetizer and just not eating it but both options felt like disrespectful options. I've never turned guests away who just want to drink, no matter how busy the restaurant is, especially with a name like "Moonshine". I was so disappointed and purposefully avoided coming on the weekend because the person who recommended said a weekday would be better. read more

Their Sunday brunches are gangster, prepare to wait forever! Why the 5 stars!? 1. The wait can happen at 2 bars inside, both with amazing cocktails 2. The food is sure shot at awesomeness to be chowed down! 3. Their menu has everything! Brunch for days!! Brunch is life!! Brunch is moonshine! read more

Came for brunch on Sunday after the 2021 Ice storm and they still had great service and fresh food despite Austin being on a boil notice and shortage on food! Had the Steak salad! So yummy read more

Moonshine Grill - Black and blue salad - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

They had an hour wait, which isn't ideal. So we headed down to the patio bar and found space there. We ordered cocktails and our food there. Our bartender/server went above and beyond to take care of us. I had the delicious 2" pork chop with mango chutney and mashed potatoes. My honey enjoyed a fried chicken salad with avocado. We found it enjoyable dining and would definitely go back again!! read more

This is our first time in Austin and Moonshine is our new favorite restaurant here. The food is delicious and the servers are fantastic and full of historical information about this location - the building is original and has been around since the 1800s-so cool! Dinner gets pretty busy so come early. They only do breakfast on Sundays and the line starts way before they open, so again, come early! read more

See all

Absolutely loved it!!! My cousin took me for my bday. Food is delicious & drinks are A M A Z I N G! read more

Moonshine Grill - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing staff, wonderful food, very convenient environment!! Also complimentary popcorn and buns read more

See all

Where to begin... I chose this place after a long debate of one other place, but my heart was wanting chicken and waffles. When I arrived I noticed they have valet for $7. I however walked from a hotel. It was a very small wait. I went on a Monday around noon. The hosts were all so friendly. I looked over the menu and had an extreme debate about the Mac and cheese, steak and eggs, and chicken and waffles. So I started with the soup of the day: tomato basil bisque with croutons. $4 a cup. Soooooo incredibly yummy! I could've had a bowl- but no room for the entree if so. I finally told the server to choose an entree for me (I gave 2 options), and he chose chicken and waffles- also probably because I mentioned my love for them haha He was super knowledgeable of the menu and this establishment and could answer any questions I had. The chicken and waffles had amazing flavor. The chicken itself was insanely juicy and tender, and the skin had such good flavor. The waffles by itself also tasted so good. The batter flavor was nice. My only complaint would be how "tender" my waffles were. They just kind of fell apart with the touch of a fork- but don't let this deter you from trying this entree. I had a wonderful experience and will definitely return to try the other items in interested in. read more

Moonshine Grill - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I had a late lunch here with a group friends and my family which included twin toddlers. We were seated within 15 minutes which is fair because the restaurant was busy and packed. We greeted by our server, whom was patient as we placed our orders, we all knew what we wanted, because we decided while we waited. Our drinks came out quickly and accurately. Our server gave us complimentary popcorn which was absolutely delicious, I was carefully not to over indulged. My twins loved the popcorn as well as my friends. It wasn't too salted and was flavored with a light cayenne pepper seasoning mix, no butter. I ordered a chicken tender platter which came with fries off of the kids menu for my twins, which they enjoyed. I ordered the Cowboy Rubbed Flatiron Steak, which was delicious. It was cooked medium well has I specified. I loved the smoke cheddar butter, shiner bock sauce it came with. Steak I give 8 out of 10. I got my steak with the baked macorni and cheese which very good, except the portion size could have been larger to me. It came in an ice scream size scoop. We had some of the warm kettle chips, they are home made and comes with a sour cream dip. The chips were very good, with a nice crunch and light flavor, not greasy. Definitely tastes better than your bag of chips from the supermarket. For dessert I had the signature skillet apple pie which came with salted caramel ice cream. Now the portion size was huge I has to ask my friends to help me out with it. The apple pie was very delicious and hot the ice cream melted I'm about 5 minutes, so I can't comment much on the ice cream. I definitely recommend the apple pie, you won't be disappointed. I also was able to try the fudge stout brownie which was great as well and perfect in taste for chocolate lovers. My friends had great things to say about their orders which included the apples glazed pork chop, chicken and waffles and one of the burgers just to name a few. I had a great time mostly because I enjoyed the food, the service was good until my dessert took so long I thought they forgot about it. The server was good with refills and picking up plates that were finished. I'm looking forward to returning however! read more

Moonshine Grill - Delicious Apple Pie with salted caramel ice cream - Southern Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Moonshine Patio & Bar was an unexpected delightful surprise. I got lucky that my wait was a minimal ten minutes considering how many people showed up around the same time as I did. With it being located so close to the convention center, I assume it is always busy. I started with the Old Fashioned - Kentucky bourbon with muddled orange, cherry, simple syrup & bitters. It was strong and tasty to get the night started off right. My waiter, Justin, was friendly, funny, sarcastic, courteous and attentive. This is the first restaurant I have ever been to where they offer popcorn with paprika and cayenne pepper. When Justin brought it to me, he called it crack. I didn't believe him. I am not a big popcorn eater but I could not stop eating it. Even after I devoured my dinner, I continued to eat the popcorn. I was torn by three chicken items on the menu. Justin offered the nightly special. It sounded devine so I ended up selecting it - Chicken Almondine - pan fried, lightly battered chicken breast with almonds, capers and artichoke hearts in a lemon butter sauce along with a side of Yukon gold mashed potatoes. I am so glad I chose it as it was delicious! I cleaned my plate. Bottom line - I would highly recommend this place! read more

See all

My friend raved about this place and I almost didn't have enough time during my trip to stop by. But you know what they say, if there's a will, there's a damn way! When I did pop in, it was a Sunday day and I didn't realize that they would only be set up to offer a Sunday brunch buffet. Per the bartender's suggestion, I took a twirl around the buffet tables to look at the southern style spread and was sold. Those close to me know that I can pack away a decent amount of food but as a pescatarian, buffets are a hit or miss but usually misses either for lack of non-meat options or overall taste but not the case here. They've over 45+ different things to choose from so everyone has a variety and can eat with a smile. I especially enjoyed their grits, broccoli and cheddar casserole, cinnamon buns and their green eggs. It was a bit heavy but hey, I had to live a little :D Then the bill came and it was only a whopping $18 and some change. What a FANTASTIC deal. I was blown away. Do come if you're around. There was a monster wait but if you stalk the bar stools, seats open up pretty quickly. Totally worth it! read more

See all

I've written a full review here that talks about their interior and its top dishes: https://livelearndream.com/2019/06/26/where-to-eat-in-austin-moonshine-patio-bar-grill-for-southern-comfort-food/ But here's a quick snapshot as to why I have added this restaurant, as a local, to my Austin Texas Yelp collection --- My boyfriend and I finally made our way to Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill and was it worth it? Yep! We've been longing to eat here because we received a gift card from my boyfriend's aunt and also because it is rated quite highly in Yelp in the downtown area. They have two locations in Austin, Texas - one in Downtown and the other is in North Austin 'Avery Ranch'. This review will be based in their Avery Ranch location up north but note that the menus are basically the same. The oil they use in all their cooking is rice bran oil. Do try out: 1) Fried Chicken & Waffles 2) Chicken Fried Steak 3) Pimento Mac & Cheese read more

See all