Courtney C.

Hit up the railway cafe today and am so glad I did! I'm usually never here when this place is open because it's only weekday lunches and we live out of town. I'm glad I thought about it today. Took the kids- it's very kid friendly- loud enough so you aren't paranoid about your kids and their kids menu has lots of options. Love this local gem and so glad it's always busy when we go! The environment is cute. The portions were large- I thought the grilled cheese with the tomato soup was supposed to be mini but boy were they huge! The kids ended up just eating the grilled cheese and we took the Mac n cheese home. Boy those Crustinis are deliciousness-- I'm sure they aren't short in Calories haha but they are tasty! Came on top of the Mac n cheese and with the hummus and also the pimento cheese. The prices here are really great/ honestly they should increase them with all of the inflation. It's a great lunch spot! Definitely check it out! We will be back!

Jerry W.

On a day trip to Athens, I figured it was all too appropriate to find a place that had a good burger. After all, Athens is one the places attributed for the origin of the hamburger. Also, we had seen a PBS show that stopped in there, so we figured to give it a try. We walked in at 11:55 and found two tables empty. The one in the corner had been reserved, and the one by the door was the one we were eventually seated at. We were required to wait a few minutes, so the server could "catch up". Otherwise, the place was full. Even after our meal, after we had run to one of the shops and come back by, there was a long waiting line outside. Decor: Completely wrong for a lunch only venue. The lighting was dim, and the seating was intimate, and did not match what is primarily a sandwich / lunch spot. Additionally, every time someone entered or left, the light streaming in from outside was pretty intense. The lighting and decor would be much better suited to a dinner establishment. Service: Outstanding. Our server was Nellie and she did a great job of taking care of us. Other servers joined in as well, and it seemed to be a well oiled team effort. Food: My burger was excellent, and was presented with what appeared to be house made mayo. The skinny fries were a little too thin, and so didn't hold the heat very long at all. The flavors were quite good though. My wife and mom both had the tomato basil soup with grilled cheese mini sandwich on the side. The soup was scratch made with a powerful hit of basil. Both ladies felt that the sandwiches, though tasty, were a bit too hard to eat. Even with dipping them into the soup, the bread was hard and crunchy. Again, the flavors were right on point. FYI: The corner table did get seated by a crew of "professional" type gentlemen. We joked that it was probably the Mayor and his cronies. All in all, the Railway was an excellent choice for our lunch. I only wish we could have saved room for dessert!

Teresa L.

Update... recent late March visit to try the alleged, best burger ever, topped with pimento cheese. I also had a great little salad, cranberries, apples & pecans w mega fresh crisp lettuce. One of the best salads ever... As for the burger, I can't say it was absolutely the best burger I've ever had but definitely rivals it. Outstanding, fresh EVERYTHING.. what more can I say. This is a spot you shouldn't miss in any city USA. And if you live around Athens, it's one of the few places that truly has food worthy of the use of the words fresh or homemade. My only suggestion to improve, open for dinner, at least a couple nights or weekends !! The

Spicy M.

Coming home from East Texas (from Palestine), we were finally able to stop in and try Railway Cafe! Hubby & I had been lookin' forward to trying this place for quite a while. Railway uses all fresh local farm ingredients for all of their dishes. We arrived at 12:00pm & the lunch crowd had started forming. We were immediately greeted by a friendly waiter, & were seated right away. First, I really like the rustic/urban decor of Railway and, the comfortable cozy atmosphere. We're off to a great start! We were soon greeted by our friendly waitress and she took our drink orders and told us the daily specials. We both chose the Baked Ham, Bacon, Homemade Pimento & Cheese Hoagie w/ fresh tomato soup and hubby ordered bacon and potato soup. I have to say, that has to be one of the BEST Sandwiches I've ever eaten! My Tomato Soup was fresh and perfectly delicious! Hubby really enjoyed his Potato Leek Soup with thinly Crisped Bacon & Homemade Croutons, as well. Last, but Not Least, we shared the desert of the day, Homemade Pound Cake topped with Whipped Cream, Raspberries and Hazel Nuts.......it was simply the BEST! Great ending! It was the perfect lunch, all the way around! I can't wait 'till our next visit to Railway Cafe'.....I'm droolin' just thinkin' about it! If you're ever in Athens, it's certainly worth a stop! They're only OPEN M-Friday, 11:am - 2:PM .

Terry J.

A trendy lil cafe in Athens, Texas. I had the open face cod served on top of sourdough bread, a cup of homemade tomato soup with a grilled cheese stick. Super delicious and well prepared and perfectly served! Service was impeccable!

Nancy B.

We are staying on nearby Cedar Creek Reservoir and wanted to get a good hamburger nearby. Yelp guided us to the Railway Cafe in Athens, TX. A hip spot, it would be at home in Austin or San Francisco - and as it turns out, the chef/owner Justin spent time in both before returning to Athens to open the Railway Cafe. We had the cheese burger with regular fries, the pimento bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and the BLT with fruit. Dessert was Mexican ice cream with homemade puff pastry. All were delicious. The cafe uses local, fresh farm ingredients and it shows on the plate. We would make a detour to eat here again. Pro tip: the Railway Cafe does not sell wine or beer but is OK with BYOB. The chef's sister runs Come And Take It located across from the cafe so be sure to stop there first and pick up an adult beverage for your meal!

Vanessa P.

Very forward thinking and deliciously Texan at the same time. I'm sooooo happy to have found this gem. I'll be a regular lickyity split. I just returned to Texas after 12 years in Los Angeles and this is a breath of fresh, healthy, yummy air. I selected from daily specials; a tasty black eyed pea and pork soup with a cracklin' garnish and open faced grilled fish sandwich with roasted veggies; tomatoes, potato, cauliflower, spinach, and garlic. I was too full for dessert, but I wanted all of the desserts esp the Mexican Creme Brûlée! Next time!

Robyn M.

Many other (chain) restaurants have offered sweet potato fries as part of the menu, but this was the first place where I tried them. Man, was I hooked! Also, they have a delicious original(?) dipping sauce for the sweet potato fries, which is the perfect combo. Other restaurants that have sweet potato fries usually just have ketchup, causing them to pale in comparison to this restaurant's sauce. I used to just come here once or twice a year while visiting family, until I moved to Athens, & I can now come anytime! Love that the menu has not just one, but several vegetarian-friendly options! I usually like the pimento cheese sandwiches, the portobello mushroom sandwich, & the avocado & veggie sandwich. I think I've also tried some soups & desserts here, but my long-time favorites are the sweet potato fries & dipping sauce, & the sandwiches!