We had my birthday dinner last night and everything was amazing! Chef Coltan and his team were very thoughtful. I had the lamb dish with the amazing blue cheese bread pudding, yum! I have not had a chocolate soufflé for so long and they made it. It was definitely a special evening celebrating at the Driskell grill. Pictures will be posted to show the wonderful execution of dishes. read more

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Went to the Driskill Grill for Restaurant Week with 4 of my great friends. Our table was ready for us when we arrived and we were seated promptly. We were at a round table and the funny thing was there was a good 2 feet between each of us. I did find myself saying "eh? what was that?" several times. I ordered the caramelized pear and parsnip soup for my starter. It was DIVINE. At first I thought it was too sweet. Then I started tasting the prosciutto , goat cheese and other savory flavors and it was delish. My friend said it would make a good sauce. She's right it would. Next I had the flatiron steak. It had some fancy name that I find myself too lazy to look up. The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare and tender. It was plated over some sweet potato hash with 18 year old balsamic vinaigrette and something else. It was very good. I enjoyed the baked apple tart with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The whole meal was good. The service was good too, although I found the guy who comes out just to tell each of us what we ordered funny. It was like he was introducing it to us as though we were watching a play. You should know that there is a lady whose job it is to go around and put bread on your bread plate. If you've ate one of the two types.. she will replace that missing bread. There's also a lady who fills your water glass. Mine never got below 3 inches, never. Great meal and great company! Thank you restaurant week! P.S. The Driskill is extending restaurant week to the end of the week. read more

"Of all the gin joints in town you had to walk into mine." This is listed as a restaurant but pull up a seat at the bar. The Driskill is an icon of Austin history and this bar lives up to its name. This is a dress up and impress your date place and don't expect cheap down and dirty service. My favorite spot to start an evening with a 3 olive martini and appetizers. All the bartenders are class acts serving you with clothe napkins and a glass of water without asking. That is just the bar. The restaurant is around the corner if you must. If you prefer the leather sofa areas for a more intimate conversation sit down and the service is immediate. Keep in mind that this may not be the style for everyone nor an every night event. Do the unexpected and pamper yourself or ask your date to take you there. Crowds vary in age and are very friendly. Always look for an excuse to go so call me. read more

Such a great place for a special occasion. They made my date night out of this world with the personalized service, really innovative dishes and great wine selection. read more

The Driskill Grill - It's the little things that make all the difference. Plus the food is amazing! - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

We had a family dinner here. Everything was wonderful! I was a little surprised our dinner bill well exceeded $1300-but there were 8 of us. Anyway if you enjoy elegance , excellent service, ambiance, & a diverse menu ( plus we like to dress up)- We recommend this restaurant for an unforgettable evening . read more

I must say I was not impressed by the Driskill Grill at all. I am a vegetarian and the meal options they offered me were the same price as the steak meals and fairly tasteless. THe service is, of course, impeccable. However, I must warn you against Valet Parking. I went there on my prom night and our valet stole something out of my bag. Unfortunately, this item was something not exactly legal for minors so I did not report it, but it definitely ruined my night. read more

We came here on 2/15 for our anniversary and had a lovely dinner. Hubby had made a reservation, so we were greeted by name and wished a happy anniversary (the couple ahead of us were, too). Nice touch! Only complaint of the night is small: they seemed a bit slammed at 7pm (which was when our reservation time was). The waitstaff took a bit to get it together, but by about 7:20, they had their act together. Every person who came to our table was friendly and helpful. Turned out we were there for the Tasting Tuesday, so they offered seven courses of small tasting portions. The courses ran the gamut, from app-like dishes, through entrees, to dessert. It was a great way to try a few different things and not commit to one big thing each for app, entree, dessert courses. The plates were beautiful. One note: they were very gracious about my food allergies. The beef tartar came out with a strawberry on top - I immediately sent it back with the server who brought it. The waiter came over, apologized, and assured me that he had spoken with the chef about my allergies to make sure the other courses were fine. The food was great. The creamed spinach - yes, CREAMED SPINACH - was so, so good. So was the risotto. Hubby had the antelope short ribs and gave me a taste. Antelope isn't my thing, I decided, but the preparation was lovely. Our desserts were both delicious and they wished us a happy anniversary on the plates. :-) This was a great splurge but I will say we've spent more at other places. Each seven course meal was $45 - not bad, considering. The Evian we drank was free (I've been charged for it elsewhere) and we had drinks, too (some wine and one cocktail) and the alcohol was in line with other places. Other note: do the valet and get the restaurant to validate, which takes the cost down to $7. We had a great experience and hope to return for another Tasting Tuesday! read more

My friends and I took a trip to Texas back in December 2010. We were out and about taking in the sites and decided to check out the Driskill Hotel. While we were there, we put our names in for the Grill, not really expecting much out of the experience. We were wrong. Blair was our server and she was FANTASTIC! She was knowledgable, professional, put together and had a great demeanor. Everyone we encountered in the Austin area made the trip an amazing one. I can't wait to come back to Austin! read more

Good luck trying to get a reservation at this place. I wanted to take another couple for Thanksgiving brunch, and have been trying for 3 days to get a response to the now-five (yes FIVE) voice mails I have left at the number shown on their website specifically for brunch reservations. With no luck from this number, I called the hotel's direct local number, was greeted by a polite young bimbo who, after hearing my concerns, promptly connected me to the same recording I'd been hearing for 3 days. After another 4 hour wait, I called back to the desk, once again, and more firmly, requested a live person to take my reservation. She responded that she would connect me to the Driskill grill direct. After a lengthy serenade of unanswered rings, I finally got the recorded message there... Closed on Sundays and Mondays.. I guess I find it hard to believe that a self-proclaimed first-rate hotel can have such non-existent customer service, or have a person at the "live" desk be so totally unaware of the hotel's own operating schedule. I've taken this as a sign of the slow service I could expect if I ever DID get through to a human, and made reservations at an alternative restaurant which actually has a live person answering their reservations line. A shame to see such a beautiful icon be so poorly mismanaged. ALL THAT SAID... well, my wife persisted, and we finally did get reservations for Thanksgiving. Wow! I've been to many brunches over the years, but I have to say, this was the grandaddy! The array of different dishes was astounding, and everything was prepared to perfection. Not the worst element was the bottomless Mimosas served all day long by attentive waiters/waitresses. Empty your glass, and someone shows up to refill it again. You've exonerated yourselves, Driskill! We'll likely be back next year. read more

I had dinner her last night with Austin Concierges and I have been waiting anxiously all day for the time to review! This was one of the absolute best meals I have ever consumed. I have been wanting to try this place (especially since I work in the hotel business) but it has always been out of my price range. I am so glad ACGSA finally had the pleasure of giving this place a try. Our menu was a 5 course meal with wine pairings, but even before we sat down to dinner we got to try their Brazos Brasiliensis Batini, which was recently awarded the honor of being the Official Signature Drink of Austin. I was buzzed after drinking just a little more than half, but luckily they had some yummy appetizers for us to nibble on before dinner so we didn't get too tipsy. The bacon wrapped dates were fabulous! The dates just melted in your mouth and, bacon always makes everything better right? Absolutely! We were given another appetizer as well but I do not recall what it was called or even all of the ingredients. It was laid out like a piece of sushi but instead of rice it was wrapped in cucumber and then had smoked mussels and some other deliciousness inside. I don't know what I ate but it sure was good! Then we sat down to dinner...drum roll please! Course #1: Hawaiian Ahi Poke with yuzu-soy glaze, macadamia, sesame, and wasabi tobiko. This was my favorite dish but that is probably because I love Ahi. The fish was incredibly fresh and delicious. It was served with some sort of crunchy chip thing too. I took my time enjoying this one. It was paired with a Non Vintage Gruet, Brut and while I didn't particularly enjoy the bubbly it did pair nicely with the poke. Course #2: Oak Hill Farms Beet Salad with Texas Goat Cheese, baby arugala, beet caramel with paired with the 2008 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was tropical and fresh and was a great compliment to the semi sweet beet salad. The freshness of the wine helped to cut the richness of the goat cheese. This was a beautiful salad and very tasty. Course #3: Brown butter Seared Hawaiian Kajiki with smoked clothbound cheddar grits and maple pecan butter. This dish was soooooooo good, and my second favorite dish of the night. They paired it with a 2008 Netwon Red Label Chardonnay which I really liked even tho I typically do not care for chardonnay. The fish was seared on the outside and rare in the middle and then underneath was the creamiest, tastiest grits ever. A friend of mine who doesn't normally even like seafood at all completely devoured this dish. Course #4: Herb Crusted Lamb Chop with blue cheese barley risotto, braised kale, and madeira sauce. I usually think lamb smells weird and have never liked it in the past. Of course when you go to a 5 star restaurant you have to try everything you can and I am so glad I did. The lamb, while a little fatty ( I hear this adds flavor and I personally just prefer very lean meat so I can try to stay healthy) on the inside was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. I was starting to get pretty full by this point but somehow managed to eat the entire plate anyway. The risotto was rich and flavorful and great with the lamb and the 2008 Cline "Ancient Vines" Zinfandel that was served with it. Course #5: Chocolate Raspberry Gateau-dark chocolate mouse, raspberry custard, chocolate-Chambord liquor glaze. I was so full by this point but I somehow managed to stuff 3/4 of this down somehow. It was so delicious, especially with the Kir Royale Cocktail that was served with it, that I just couldn't make myself stop eating. I am pretty sure I heard angels singing as I was eating this. I would highly recommend this place to have a fancy dinner. The chef came out and talked to us and he was very friendly. The food was fantastic and the service was awesome. It is definitely expensive to eat here but I would say it is well worth it. You are getting quality here. I can't wait to have a special occasion so I can go back here! read more

I came here for Restaurant Week and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I have a simple tongue, all the fancy mambo jambo of things I can't pronounce or eat isn't usually my thing. My line up: Appetizer: Caramelized pear and parsnip soup Entree: Olive Oil Poached Halibut Dessert: Texas Honeycomb Pecan Tart The soup was bursting with all sorts of interesting flavors. There's goat cheese and pancetta at the bottom. "pure luck" hopelessly bleu is probably my favorite goat cheese. I distinctly remember it from a cheese plate from vino vino. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with how great the soup tasted! The Halibut was freaking amazing. All of the stuff it came it tasted bomb diggity all together (potatoes, onions, leek). I loved every single bite. The Texas Honeycomb Pecan Tart was also great. It was too much on the sweet side and was too rich for me to finish. I did sneak a few bites of my boyfriend's Fresh Baked Apple Tart and I wish I had gotten that instead. Overall, GREAT food! read more

Tried the restaurant week 3-course meal, and loved it! All three courses were delightful. I had the fresh market catch, and my husband tried the beef short rib for his main course. We both had the salad to start and finished with the chocolate cake. My only wish is that they had happy hour prices (which are available at the bar only) available in the restaurant. The service was excellent, and the ambiance was great for date night. We really enjoyed it, and will definitely return in the future. read more

Exceptional experience at the Driskill Bar and Restaurant (Grill) which are located inside Driskill Hotel. The hotel was built in 1886 and is the landmark of Southern Texas Hospitality. It lavish and sophisticated with elegant decor. The ambiance is unique and truly gives off a classy 1800's feel. The furniture is select and classic. There is a live band in the evenings, which adds to the already exquisite experience. The service at the restaurant is excellent as well. My date and I selected the 5 course tasting menu. Every single item we tried was enticing and delightful. Course 1: Goat cheese and red beat salad. Sweet and salty and overall refreshing. Course 2: Quail and egg. My favorite dish. Light and delightful indeed. Course 3: Chilean Sea Bass. Full of flavor and and very tasteful. Course 4: Wild boar. Bold and gratifying Course 5: Chocolate milkshake with a chocolate straw. Rich and luscious. With dessert, the waiter brought us out some complementary post-dinner port wine. What a kind gentleman! I had an extraordinarily phenomenal experience at Driskill Grill and Hotel with my unbelievably charming date! read more

One of my favorite places in Austin. This restaurant does everything right. Great food and great service. Celebrating a special event? Call ahead and they'll make accommodations for anything you need. Experience and knowledgable wait staff - if they don't know your answer to a question about a wine on the menu, they'll find someone who does. My husband and I had a very small wedding and had our dinner here. read more

Perfect. Let me qualify that. I was in the restaurant business for years. I have eaten at some of the greatest restaurants in the country. And this is how it should be done. Attentive service is does not cover it. Professional service does. While my wife and I were enjoying a glass of champagne with our bacon wrapped dates (awesome by the way) the lady next to us, who had a bit too much to drink, bumped our table, knocking over the flower vase. It was only a small spill of water, no big deal. But our waiter noticed it out of the corner of his eye. He then motioned for the floor manager while at another table and whispered to him what had happened. Next thing we know, the manager is pouring us another couple of glasses on the house! I mentioned that the service was professional, and that's because they hire professionals. Not kids who have other jobs on the side, like most restaurants. Instead these men and women are dedicated service professionals, and it shows. The Oysters were gleaming fresh, and delicious. The bronzini (fish) was light and well seasoned and the duck, some of the best I have ever had. The duck is one of their signature dishes. I recommend it highly! The decor is decidedly old school, Victorian luxury.You may find it cliche and passe. It is my sweet spot. Makes me feel successful and special just sitting there. The Driskill Grille is decidedly Austin - and whether you live here or are visiting the Grille is a must. read more

I am only giving it three stars because the food was, in short, amazing. The service? Could be so much better. I agree with another reviewer when they said you need a big chunk of time to get through a meal here. Because of that, I opted out of the tasting menu and even doing so was still there for close to three hours. I felt like I could never find my server in the tiny restaurant and he was always helping other tables (of regulars, it seemed like). Great food but honestly, the atmosphere was a bit too old for me and I felt like I was sitting on the kiddie table and being ignored as such. read more

I went to the grill 2 days ago with a party of about 9 people. The waiter was unable to split the check for us so we had a confusing time where he would take a card, charge it and bring the running total back to us. My portion of the bill was $58. I got a call the next morning from my credit union's fraud department with a charge from the Driskill for $232.00. I called them and left a voicemail since I have yet to have anyone answer the phone. I did get a call back yesterday afternoon from someone who said she would email me when she got it straightened out but now today I have a second charge from them for $290. Not cool. The food was ok but not great. read more

I've been to the Driskill Grill many times over my years in Austin. I love how Austin-y it is -- the historical setting just adds to my appreciation of the meal. I wouldn't recommend going during Restaurant Week, though. My birthday dinner wasn't quite as fun as it could have been because the restaurant was packed and the food was a bit more boring than usual. Last night we went for a special dinner. With ACL in town, the restaurant was almost empty. We got the standard excellent customer service, and for once my seafood allergy meant my substitutions were better than the regular options on the prix fixe menu (beef tartare instead of kimchee plums, then sweetbreads instead of prawns). The boar belly was the best I've had, and the pumpkin creme brulee was amazing. What a great meal: traditional new American, if you will. A wonderful progression and great wine pairings, with every bite delicious. read more

Service and ambiance are as good as I've found anywhere. Beautiful decor. Our waiters and their backups were attentive and engaging, but they also knew when to leave us alone. Absolutely perfect. Food! Get the lamb, it was fantastic. Salads were creative and perfectly done. Fish was fresh and cooked exactly as it should be. Dessert was creative - a mix of light orange cream and white chocolate pearls. Perfect for the hot summer season. If you go, get there early and enjoy the Driskill Bar. It's my favorite in Austin. A proper bar with many top shelf selections, surrounded by one of the best small collections of Western art anywhere. You can have a drink and learn the history of Austin's cowboy days. Don't miss it. read more

Classy setting, good food. Few choices on the menu, but good ones. Very good wine selections, was a great date night choice. I had the lamb chops, and they were very very good, and I am super picky about lamb. read more

Being local, I've eaten at the Driskill in the past and its always been my restaurant of choice for a special ocassion. However, this Saturday night's dinner left a lot to be desired. We had reservations and were promptly seated but our waiter was no where to be found yet the tables around us were waited on by other waiters, and we were the only table that had to interupt one of them to ask for bread. The presentation of the food was excellent but everything from salad-salmon-lamb chop was overly salted. Aside from the food, a number of the other diners were in very casual attire including gym sweat pants & shorts, extra short jean pants & tees shirts. On the way out, i mentioned to the maitre D on the way out that they really needed to bring back the dress code and his response was that the guests were in town for the marathon. I said its mardi ga in Vegas everyday but you still can't get into a fine restaurant in flip flops & shorts. I hope the Driskill recaptures its former elegance as its truely a wonderful place to dine but it may be diffciult with all the other great restauranst that have opened in the last 5+ years and the lower 6th street neighborhood of the hotel never a good place continues to deteriorate. We also sat through the most boring dinner conversation from an ajoining table consisting of a UT professor, who was quite full of himself, and what we took was an audience of associated professors and/or grad students. I'm open to trying it again but my wife feels that there are too many better restaurants and its going to take some doing to change her view. read more

Took my wife for our anniversary dinner. on Saturday. got there early so we decided to have a few drinks at the bar. Place was pretty full of patrons. really nice atmosphere in this historic Austin Building. as we Bellied up to the bar I notice the rank smell of old beer and bacteria. I would have to say that was a really bad turn off. We moved away from the bar after we got our drinks and found a cozy couch to relax and talk.. when our table was ready the Matradee found us and escorted us to our table.. we ordered the 5 course dinner with the wine pairing. to say it was good was not enough.. service was professional and food very good. I was very pleased. after dinner we headed back to the bar and ran into an old friend. we both noticed the smell again. Overall.. great service and food. I would score a 5 star but attention is needed to the pluming and cleanliness of the bar drainage as I really don't know how that is acceptable in such a cool place. I'd recommend read more

Nice place. Very enjoyable - great food and service. The Christmasy atmosphere was lovely, and I could see dinner here becoming an annual holiday thing. The food was divine. We had the cheese plate to start (which was HUGE) and each of us ordered the 3 course prix fixe. The amuse bouche was a lobster creme bisque which was DELICIOUS. My salad was excellent and served in a spiced granny smith apple. Very creative. For the main courses we had the quail and lemon sole. Such good flavors. And for dessert, the chocolate crunch with the malted milkshake was amazing, if not a tad too large of a portion. This place is a deal for the amount of GOOD food you get. The menu is not cost prohibitive, IMO. You're paying for 1. good ingredients, 2. good service, and overall 3. someone's craft and creativity. Money well spent. One thing I would say - and maybe this is because we came on UT Fall graduation weekend - but the service was superb but maybe a little slow? I felt like the pace of the service was geared toward a table of 4-8 versus a table of 2.... if that makes any sense. Although, that's totally nitpicking. Finally, I'm somewhat new to Austin, but what is with apparent psychopaths dining out on Friday nights? This is the 2nd 'nice' restaurant where I've seen this behavior. Examples: 1. At a table across the way was a man who I SWEAR was Gilbert Godfrey minus 15 years. He was incredibly LOUD and annoying and telling these dumb stories and jokes. I felt like everyone in the dining area could hear him. (The dining area isn't that big). So, at another table, this man proposed to his girlfriend and everyone clapped and wished them well... this guy, a total stranger to this lovely young couple, yells "DON'T DO IT!!". I mean... what a loser. 2. At another table near us was a youngish couple. The girl had an engagement ring on, so I'm assuming they were engaged. The girl was so loud and did not stop talking for one minute, even when their food was served. Arguing with the dude about how they never see each other, and how she has to work 8 hours a day. Other topics that were brought up: her menstrual cycle, how dumb her boss is, how she dislikes her dad. I mean... get real. I actually almost felt bad for her because I imagine that's what someone who is having a manic episode acts like. But, who knows. I don't care what you discuss, just keep it down because other civilized people are trying to enjoy a nice dinner at an upscale restaurant. They were so annoying that another couple seated closer to these people paid their bill, got up, walked by our table and said "hey, at least you didn't have to sit NEXT to them." Anyway, obviously not the restaurants fault. And we'll definitely be back here. A GREAT Austin place. read more

I had brunch at the Driskill, and I loved the ambiance with the old timey decor. The service was great, but I found the food to be slightly lackluster. The tuna BLT was a little dry for my taste, and the toast was burnt. My husband ordered the the Huevos Rancheros, which were pretty tasty. It was served on a skillet with sunny side up eggs, pico, sour cream, refried beans, tortillas and salsa. It was pretty tasty. Be aware though, that this place is very, very touristy. I mean Hawaiian shirts and muumuus galore. Sure it's a nice place to check out, as I always wondered what the castle-looking building is like on the inside but, honestly, I think there are better brunch places in Austin. read more

We just went here for the Christmas Eve 5 course Pre fixe Dinner. The Meal was great, but for $130 per person (no drinks included) I was expecting more. Everything tasted amazing, but was lacking the wow factor you should get for $130. Total bill was $669 for 3 people and we didnt drink more than 2 rounds. (Included 20% tip automatically) read more

We enjoyed our meal and the service was decent, but I would say there are MUCH better restaurants in Austin for the price (I'm looking at you Uchiko and Congress). It is very expensive and the food was quite good, but it really lacked the WOW factor I expect from a restaurant at this price point. This pretty much goes for the whole dining experience. The service was decent, but I wouldn't say they went out of their way to make us feel special. We did inform them we were celebrating our anniversary after all. And again, same goes for the food. Good, but not great. When I'm paying $250.00 for a meal, I expect to be blown away, unfortunately I was just whelmed. read more

The Driskill Grill - Steak - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Stopped in the Driskill Grill for an event. The Venue is very nice. I like the bar area and the furniture arrangement that gives a big open feel but allows you to be able to have private gatherings of groups. The food was really good. I can't remember exactly what I had but I did enjoy. The venue was very quiet despite the multitude of people there. Fine dinning is in store when at the Driskill. Great for a special event and highly recommendable. read more

I was really looking forward to the swankiness that was to be my birthday dining experience in this highly regarded restaurant. I was both, impressed and disappointed, mostly disappointed. We gathered in the bar for a cocktail before entering the restaurant. Seems they were shorthanded which meant a minimum five minute wait to get a drink order put in and then another five minutes to receive your drink. I know this doesn't happen everyday (it was a Wednesday) so I forgive. The eight of us (that's the max they would accommodate) gathered in the restaurant which was gorgeously decorated, elegant, and quiet. We remained there for four hours. I don't want to dine anywhere for four hours. Not NYC, not Ruth Chris, not in Europe, not in heaven. Three is about my limit so let's say that even though there were very few people dining that evening, the kitchen operated in a time warp. The food, though tiny, was mostly excellent. Major flaw: my salad lacked cheese and dressing. By the time the waiter came to check, I was unmotivated in rectifying the situation as we had been there for so long. We wanted to move things along. And let me point out that salad without dressing is without a reason to live. Merely my opinion. My main meal was; however, phenomenal, though microscopic. The waiter was a joy and the ambiance very nice though given the tab (almost a grand for eight people) the food and overall experience simply did not measure up. I like to think it was an off night but restaurants of this caliber are not allowed. Meh, I will probably not venture there again unless someone else forces the issue. read more

I do not see the Driskill cafe on Yelp, so I will comment here. The burgers were all amazing. We had a variety of types. The bean burger was great too!! Cannot go wrong. Clean, air conditioned, nice servers, and the restrooms are clean. Take some time to walk around the hotel. A lot of history here. read more

Came here for lunch and then desserts on another day. Classic American so not my usual preference but the desserts were good and the dining room is especially beautiful on a day with plentiful sunshine. It is a hotel restaurant though so a tad expensive. read more

Great great great! Be sure and get the beef tartar as an appetizer. Fantastic!

Impeccable service, great food. You can't go wrong. The sommelier was a true professional. Atmosphere is lovely. Perfect place for Christmas Eve dinner. read more

COME HERE FOR DESSERT! ::clears throat:: I love the Driskill Grill for their brunch, but now I have a deeper love for their desserts!! My girlfriend and I dropped by the other night because I came into town for work late and we've both eaten dinner. We still wanted to hang out and since I was staying in downtown Austin, we decided to get desserts (what else were we going to do?? it was a work night!) She suggested Driskill Grill for desserts and told me how they're known for them. I am soooo happy I did not try to sway her to go somewhere else!!! (Not that I would ever pass up a "good dessert place"). First off, the hotel is lovely! Although I've heard stories that it's haunted (eepp) and I can never afford to stay there. Now desserts... we tried the Apple Pie and the 1886 Chocolate Cake. Yummmm... they were both super good! The apple pie is topped with cinnamon strudels and it was just the right amount of cinnamon. It also comes with a tiny scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and topped with an apple chip. The apple chip was very good because it was candied apple chip. The Chocolate Cake was highly recommended by the server. It was a rich, dark cake that was very decadent and moist. I've been having a hard time finding a good chocolate cake that's moist and this place achieved it! It also comes with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and obviously the pairing is perfect. I really want to come back and try their Banana Bread Pudding and other stuff. They have pastries, cookies, and so much more! I'm glad I do not live around here or else I will gain a good amount of weight. read more

Overall the experience was plesant but the service was unacceptable for the reputation and the price point of the Driskill. Our steaks were not cooked to order, actually flat wrong, where the entrees were exchanged between the guests. The bill was incorrect, where we were overcharged, and we did not receive attendance after the meals were served until a significant time later. I did not find the steaks flavorful or memorable. The restaurant needs to change the carpeting as there is a funk smell and carpet is outdated. The restaurant is difficult to access for people with physicial disabilities. read more

Debonair and sanguine but slightly amiss. I enjoyed the atmosphere, it didn't feel forced or haphazard. It did feel a little less luxurious than pictures might suggest but we were comfortable. The waiter was friendly and showed a good knowledge of the wine list. I ordered an old fashioned which, upon coming from the bar, was not at all worth writing about further. The service seemed slightly hectic, our server slightly unpredictable (but not aloof). Nothing that really detracted from the dinner. There was a seared tuna plate among our appetizers that I enjoyed but felt odd eating given the setting. The other plates escape me. One vegetarian compatriot at our table was fairly happy with what she came up with. For me, it was a healthy filet paired well with a good glass of wine. I wouldn't fight going back there, though I might waffle a bit and see if we could go somewhere else. read more

I went here for Austin Restaurant Week and overall had a positive experience with a few missteps. Unfortunately the meal started on a low note. They served the table a shrimp ceviche with fajita tortilla strips on the house which generally means it is some sort of old dish they are trying to get rid of. But this was on a whole other level. The ceviche smelled like a rotting sewer. It was one of the worst smelling food dishes I have ever been served, possibly the worst. I was too scared to eat it because I did not want to get sick from raw fish (and I normally love ceviche). Driskill quickly redeemed itself with the complimentary bread which is baked daily at the 1886 Bakery downstairs. There were two kinds, an amazing sourdough and a nice wheat bread with nuts and apricots. Both were great, especially with the salted butter. One general note about the ARW portion sizes. Most restaurants really skimp on ARW portion sizes and you get tiny little plates. Not so at the Driskill. The portion sizes were huge so they get at least 1/2 a star for that alone because it is pretty rare during ARW. Appetizers: Charcuterie Plate - The house cured meats of the night were a fruit terrine (I think with figs/dates and livir, I forget), smoked salmon, and I think a prosciutto or some other cured meat that I also forgot. There was also a speciality mustard and a variety of other vegetables on the plate as well as grilled bread and crackers. The terrine was by far the best part of the plate, the rest was just average. Wagyu Beef Tartar - This was nice but needed more caviar to add another component to the dish. You mostly just tasted the beef and dijon which weren't that great. Compressed Watermelon - This was the best appetizer, there were so many components that all blended wonderfully, feta, balsamic jam, and huckleberries. Duck Pastrami Sandwich with Live Oak Beer Cheese Soup - This was OK although pretty messy to eat. It would probably be better as a few bites instead of a large sandwich portion. The beer cheese soup was a let down, I would have loved more beer taste, it was very thick and more like drinking melted cheese. Walnut and Pear Bisque - This was great when you got a spoonful of candied pepper walnuts which gave it an interesting texture and a perfect blend of flavor. I have to say the bisque had a ton of different tastes going on but I just wasn't overall a fan without the walnut. Since they only give you one huge walnut you don't get many bites with it. Entrées: Wagyu Top Sirloin - The best entrée for me. It came with lightly cooked black eyed peas that were pretty firm. The Wagyu pieces had great taste, especially with the awesome foie gras bordelaise which had incredible flavor. Alaskan Halibut - The Mascarpone whipped potatoes stole the show here. The Halibut was just OK. Pecan fried Quail - This was OK, they give you a whole half quail which is a lot of meat. I didn't really like their smoked cheddar grits at all though. I am spoiled after Odd Duck trailer's cheesy grits. This dish was pretty good when you got a large bite of crispy fried onions though, it really needed that crunchy texture and sharp taste to round it out. Desserts: PB&J - This was a deconstructed PB&J sandwich. The peanut butter and strawberry jam were pretty boring but the valrhona chocolate mouse had some incredible depth of flavors. I really liked it. Spiced Honey-Amaretto Semi-Fredo - This dessert was ruined by the fact that their equipment to slowly raise its temperature was still broken. There was no "semi" about this fredo. It came out very hard with ice crystals inside. Not what you ever want to eat in a semi-fredo unfortunately. read more

I really enjoyed my experience here. We came here my first night in Austin and for me, it was very quintessential Texas. The interior was dark oak, with animal heads on the walls, and comfy looking couches. The decor is very Southern and homey and the people were really friendly. We came here for happy hour and it was excellent. Great place to chill and have drinks and appetizers in the heart of downtown Austin... We didn't have dinner here, but highly recommend happy hour! read more

My husband and I started going here since 2008 for most of our special occasions. Every experience has been great and unforgettable. The food is always amazing. Everything about the food has always been perfectly can tell the chef really cares about flavor, creativity, and presentation. I think its pointless to talk about every single dish we have had because they always change the menu since everything is super fresh and seasonal. Sometimes, they even have a free "taster" at the beginning of the meal, and sometimes at the end, which is usually to see how many people enjoy and it helps the chef decide whether or not to turn it into an actual dish later on. We recently celebrated our third year anniversary and since they were closed and the person that made the reservation didn't let us know about it until a few days before the date, the manager Charlie offered us to make a reservation for us at Congress (which was the restaurant my husband and I decided to go to) and then offered us a free five course dinner any day we wanted to go and dine. At Congress, we had a three course dinner which was just okay. At Driskill grill, our five course dinner was Amazing! We had a salad which was really fresh and light. The flavors were amazing and it was just a salad. The blue marlin was so flavorful and so meaty my husband would of thought it wasn't a fish. The sticky purple rice it came with was like nothing I have ever had and tasty. The grits with wagu steak was amazing and it melted in my mouth. The grits were soooo creamy and awesome...my favorite! The dessert, a chocolate crunch bar, which was also amazing, with a creamy chocolate shake was very tasty and the portion was perfect. Anyways, we have also tried their tenderloin which is always cooked to perfection. Their veggies are always cooked so delicately bringing out their natural flavors. And the drinks are very strong and refreshing. Their complimentary homemade bread is irresistible and even their homemade butter is sooo tasty. Service is always great, very attentive, and friendly. We always ask for John, he is an excellent waiter. The ambiance is really romantic and has a antic look. We can't wait to see how the restaurant is going to look after the renovation which is taking place in August. It suppose to keep all the nice wooden walls and antic look to it but change the carpet and a few other things. Overall, great friendly service, amazing food, great decor. We will definitely continue to frequent this romantic place. read more

Tough to decide whether to give out 4 or 5 stars on this but the service pushed it up a notch. We were there to surprise our son on his graduation from University of Texas and wanted to try the Driskill. Comments are: Service: Could not be better. Although the table our son and his girlfriend were at only had 2 place settings the Host immediately followed us to the table with additional place settings. Constantly checking in without being overbearing. Knowledgeable about the wine served with the tasting menu and did not bat an eye when I went with Shiner instead of wine. Food: This is where I could take away a star. Although the food itself was very good in general the amount for the five course menu was amazingly small in quantity. The fish was one of the best seafood dishes I have had but I doubt it was even 3 ounces of food. I am not a fan of tasting menus for this reason but when my wife (very petite) has me stop for snacks after dinner there is a problem. If we return would probably sit at the bar and order off that menu. Again excellent quality but slightly lacking in quantity. read more

The bar left much to be desired, I went for happy hour before our dinner reservation. The bartenders were less than attentive and there was no where to sit. The live pianist was amazing though. But the service at dinner was phenomenal. Our server was engaging and knowledgeable. We got the tasting menu with the wine pairing. Everything was spot on, and I would definitely go back again for a special occasion. read more