When we were in Las Vegas, a couple of my friends and I considered going to The Guest House, but ultimately opted out because of the distance from our hotel. When we learned that the same restaurant was in Austin, TX, we decided to try it. Based on Yelp advice, Happy Hour was the way to go. The menu items were generously sized. We arrived at this dimly lit, sultry restaurant that had speak easy vibes. The stylish chandeliers and soothing colors adds to the ambience. The restaurant is quiet spacious with private dining areas. In addition, the DJ spins tunes from 7 PM during the week and 6 PM during the weekends. The music was quite engaging without being too overpowering. Now for the food and drinks...we ordered an assortment of food items...Cesar salad, hamburger, truffle fries, Thai fries, Brussel sprouts salad, salmon and tuna cones, street corn and chicken wings. The standouts included the Cesar Salad (with soft flavorful crouton pieces), hamburger (Juicy and thick), truffle fries and Brussel Sprout salad (very large size). We also had prosecco and a martini...chef's kiss to the mixologist. We were all pleased with our dining experience. read more

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The Guest House was such a great spot for a birthday dinner! Our server, Robbie, made the experience even better--he was incredibly kind, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. The food was phenomenal. We ordered the lamb, salmon, baby broccolini, and truffle fries, and every single dish was a 10/10. I also had the theatrical mushroom cocktail for my birthday, and it was absolutely worth it. The aromatic fog smelled incredible, and the drink itself tasted like a refreshing cucumber-jalapeño cocktail. My only downside was how close the tables are together. It can feel like you're part of the conversation at the next table, and I'm sure they can hear yours too. Aside from that, the food, drinks, and service made for an amazing dining experience. I'd definitely come back! read more

The Guest House Austin - Lamb, Truffle fries, Baby broccolini, Salmon - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Guest house yet again you stole our hearts! First of all, I know exactly how to respect the space. Everybody around town knows that when you go to guest house you're supposed to look your best. Anytime I feel like dressing up and going out to dinner. I know this is the place to be because everybody else around knows and respect the unspoken rules. This time around, however, we wanted to pop over for happy hour right after watching the US vs AUS game. I had an extra change of clothes in my car, but most of the people with me didn't. I called guest house ahead of time to see if they could fit us in with some people wearing not the fanciest clothes. And they told us as long as we're not wearing athletic wear we're fine. That led to only one person having to go home and change before we went there. And they welcomed us all with open arms, even though I showed up with two extra people on my reservation. Leah was our server and she literally was the best part of our meal despite the food being top-notch. We ordered nearly everything on the menu. Devoured the tuna and salmon cones. Absolutely loved the spicy rigatoni. The burger, which I believe is the best burger in Austin, the chicken tenders, the wings. The desserts every single thing was impeccable. Since a lot of my friends were coming to the guest house for the first time with me after we were all done eating and stuffed to the T, I ordered the group 2 slices of their House bread and told everyone to just trust me. The number of people that literally begged me to not do that because they were too full was insane and in the end when they all tried the bread they were like, thank you for staying persistent and introducing us to this incredible revolution. Because that's exactly what their bread is. A buttery flaky, heavenly blend of a croissant and bread that straight up melts on your mouth. I can keep going on and on about this place but never ever ever have I ever seen a drop in service here no matter how busy they are. read more

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My favorite "new to me" happy hour. I have visited 3 times so far between June-August and am obsessed. You can make a reservation for happy hour, and I've also sat at the bar. The hostesses and servers are all great and accommodating. The happy hour menu has $9 cocktails, which is a steal! They make a great dirty martini and that is my go to. I also tried their mojito which was very refreshing. My favorite things to order are the $2 oysters, the tuna cones ($4-5 each), and the little gem caesar salad. The complimentary bread is super buttery and almost like a croissant loaf. Absolutely delicious and addicting! The beets are also great and the meat eaters at our table absolutely rave over the burger and fries, spicy rigatoni with pancetta (they will make it veg if you ask - just beware it is SPICY), and the chicken fingers. Not on happy hour, but don't skip the brown butter cake. WOW. It is the best. 5 star experience every time. The ambiance is classy and beautiful. Feels very high end. They do have a dress code, so be sure to dress up! Shoutout to our awesome server Chris for taking care of us recently. read more

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Second visit, & it was just as impressive as the first! The food was excellent as always & this time we went later in the evening to experience the nighttime ambiance. The atmosphere added a whole new dimension to the experience. A special shout-out to John--the ultimate wine connoisseur. His knowledge & passion for wine truly elevates the dining experience. Great food, great service, & a wonderful setting; definitely a must-visit! read more

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Their service is incredible. I was driving in from San Antonio and knew I was going to be late for my reservation so I texted the restaurant asking for options or later reservations and they were incredibly accommodating. Pushed my reservation an hour and we had expected to sit outside which was not ideal and when I told them them moved us inside and the restaurant was to die for. Such an elevated cool experience. The meal begins with a brioche croissant loaf and as a GF person this is wore cheating for. Flakey, airy, buttery and beautiful. Every step of the meal was an elevated experience. It's expensive! so just expect that going into the meal and enjoy. It's so worth the price. read more

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Chic and thoughtfully designed, the restaurant had an upscale feel without being snobby, with a relaxed ambiance and a DJ spinning some tunes! Our waitress was friendly and prompt! She was on top of our drinks and removing empty places out of the way. I really liked her. The food itself is the reason for the 4 stars. Our appetizer - shrimp cocktail; while beautifully presented was pretty bland. It could definitely use more seasoning. The bread was soft, warm, flaky and buttery! No complaints there! Main dish, I had lamb chops with potatoes. That was pretty good, but the meat could definitely use more seasoning. My friend was very happy with her salmon and the brussels were tasty. Drinks were good too! We were celebrating my friend's birthday and the dessert that was brought out was really good! I would definitely come back here on my next trip! read more

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I came here as a date night with my husband because I had a previous amazing experience during a work dinner with an amazing waiter. Tonight omw I called them in the Uber because I was running late in regards to my reservation and would be 17min late. Our Waymo took us the longest route possible which we cannot control and was informed on the phone their grace period was 15min and if the table was taken they could sit us in the patio (which BTW rn it's 104 outside). We got there a few minutes past the grace period already frustrated at our Waymo for taking even the longer route possible to get there. Only to hear the spiel we are past our grace period and they can sit us on the patio. No other options. Unfortunately we opted out of that option during Austin's 104F weather. Maybe I was just hoping giving a heads up on an uncontrollable circumstance they might have given a little more grace as it was only a literally only a few minutes past the grace period. It's so unfortunate because this experience has made me not want to come back here nor recommend it again regardless of my previous experience. I hate writing reviews like this but also working in the service field - I know how important compassion even starting from the phone call to the experience of the front staff is important. If you have a bad experience up front, they're holding you back from the good that lies behind that. read more

We came here for my friends Bachelorette. The service was outstanding and our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and attentive. They provided us with a free round of champagne which was very hospitable of them. The cocktails we ordered were phenomenal. You have to try their espresso martini- BEST I HAVE EVER HAD. The food was very good. They start you with a complimentary fluffy bread with butter. I felt the steak was a little under seasoned. The broccolini had a very nice and unexpected spice to it. The Cacio Pepe and Mac n Cheese were just okay. The Yukon potato puree was pure gold. The real star of the show was the Braised Short-Rib. It was cooked perfectly and melted in our mouths. Overall was a really great experience and helped make our bachelorette in Austin memorable. Thank you Guest House! read more

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Go to happy hour here and get the Tuna cones and Rigatoni. Really impressive service in decorum, attentiveness, and uniform. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! As soon as you walk in the restaurant is breathtaking, great spot for a date night. There's also an inhouse DJ that I thought was really cool. The drinks were fun and delicious! The croissant bread was incredible. All the appetizers were great also, same with the desserts, really couldn't go wrong with what you pick. The only reason I took a star off was due to the entrees. I wasn't impressed with my risotto, my friend ordered a chicken parm and she also wasn't impressed, everyone else had steak and the consensus was it's okay. read more

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It's a shame to give this a 3/5 because I liked the food. But my expectation for a brunch is to be so full, to the point where I would consider skipping dinner. Even though I was down 2000 calories from running the Austin Marathon, I managed to drink 3 mocktails and eat 2 entrees (minus the fries). Maybe the establishment's expectation is to order appetizers, but I don't think that's heavy enough to be a brunch. The first entree that I ate was the Wagyu F.O. Burger, which was really juicy and not too oily. I think the onions were over powered by the other ingredients of the burger, but I still liked the overall flavor. As stated before, the burger is a bit too small and felt like a big slider. I was a fan of the truffle levels in the fries, but I really wanted more from the burger. There was a lot more going around in my second entree, which was the Short Rib Hash. I could taste the peppers, onions, and the salsa, but I think the overall dish was a little too salty. I did enjoy this more than the burger because it was bigger than the burger, so that's not saying much. On a side note, there was an issue with my table (which had a circular bottom). I am a relatively small person with a healthy BMI, and even though I lost 5+ pounds from running the Austin Marathon, my table kept wobbling every time I put my feet on them. My plates and drinks would suddenly slide towards me, and I constantly feared them falling on top of me. I can only imagine would could've happen with a person that's 20+ pounds heavier than me. The best part of my experience was the service. Kawthar was a phenomenal server; she was always checking up on how well I was enjoying my food and was incredibly patient with my inquires in regards to the menu. I really wanted to give this review a higher rating because I could see the vision of the food and I enjoyed the service, but I can't ignore the remarks I have with this establishment. I really suggest giving bigger portions because the size of one entree is not enough to be considered a brunch. Perhaps dinner would be a different story, but the latest reviews in regards to pricing and portions seem to align with my complaints. read more

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We recently dined here and had an average experience- it didn't quite live up to the price point. The atmosphere is definitely a highlight- dark, moody, and very Instagram-worthy. It feels upscale and stylish, perfect for a night out or group outing. One thing to note: they are strict about 5pm reservations and won't seat you until 5 o'clock on the dot so just plan accordingly if you book at that time. Service was great. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu, which honestly is why it's a 3 star review. Food-wise, we were a bit underwhelmed. The pasta portions were generous but my husbands short rib didn't match the cost or the hype. The flavors were pretty average, like something you could get at any restaurant. Ironically, the free bread was the most memorable part of the meal. My espresso martini arrived only about half full, which was disappointing for $23 and my husband was charged $1 for an ice cube in his whiskey even though he ordered it neat. If you're going for the vibes, creative group cocktails (which looked very whimsical from others tables) and a photogenic night out, this spot fits the bill. But if you're looking for an exception meal that justifies the price, you'd be better off choosing someplace else. read more

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We came here for a friend's wife's birthday dinner with a group of 7 and had a really good experience overall. The atmosphere was lively without being too loud, which made it easy for everyone to hang out and actually talk. Service was friendly and paced well for a bigger table, and the food came out consistently throughout the night. It felt like a good spot for a group dinner or celebration without being overly formal. Would definitely come back with friends again or on a date with the wife. read more

Food came out quickly. Dishes were ordered were good. But we got caviar service and were given toast instead of blinis. For $175 an ounce, it was a little disappointing. Service was good in the beginning because our person got us a round of bubbles to celebrate the bday girl but we couldn't find our person to check on the wine and my friend said his drink which was cognac on the rocks was watered down by the time it got to him (later in the night). It's too loud to talk to anybody not next to you. Very trendy place read more

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Guest House has a lot going for it, but brunch still feels like a work in progress. The service was genuinely great--friendly, attentive, and welcoming--and the cocktails were well balanced. The food didn't quite justify the hype or the pricing. The $60 crab dish was especially disappointing, with a very small portion that didn't feel anywhere near worth the cost. The chicken & waffles were solid once they arrived, but the wait was surprisingly long considering the restaurant was fairly empty at the time. Overall, there's potential here, but the weekend brunch service has some kinks to work out, especially around pacing and value. I'd happily return for dinner & drinks, but I'd give brunch a little more time to settle in. read more

The Guest House Austin - Brunch Menu - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The service was good. The inside is vibe and clean. It is a little dark for anyone who doesn't like that, but there are tiny lamps on the table. The dishes are expensive, but I thought the food was presented nicely and flavored really well. My favorite dishes were the croissant bread and the truffle tartare. These truly blew me away. The flavors and textures were spectacular. All the other dishes such as the ribeye, rigatoni, cacio e Pepe, and oysters were done really well also. My least favorite was the Caesar salad, it wasn't amazing and kind of mediocre. Overall great vibes and food I'm looking forward to coming back. read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Really beautiful and instagram-able Restaurant if you're into that kinda thing! The service is great too. (besides being incorrectly charged for a drink) Food was subpar at best, unfortunately, but everything was tasty just not aligned with the price point. We sat at the bar and I the following: Drinks--- Disappearing act: very pretty! 5/5 passion fruit and rum! Brandersnatch: tropical paradise! Kiwi, pineapple & topache Resiling: crisp and sweet The bartender highly recommended the Hamachi Crudo, crab cakes and spicy rigatoni! Food-- Hamchi crudo- very sweet and light! Needs some acidity! Hamachi was perfect and fresh 3.5/5 Spicy rigatoni- well spiced but very basic and not worth the price 3/5 Oysters-5/5 Salmon tartare-great app. The chips were crispy and light. Even though this was a starter it was my fav of the night 5/5 I didn't go for the crab cakes this time. I had to knock off two stars due to being incorrectly charged for a drink I didn't purchase. It's my birthday and my friends covered two rounds of drinks and paid for those! The bartender ended up charging me for two drinks so basically we paid twice. It Honestly put a damper on my night. Again, the bartender was friendly but it's a Monday night and it's not very busy so how does this mistake happen? Please check your receipts before leaving the restaurant to make sure you aren't incorrectly charged. Overall my experience was pretty great but the food could have been better. Definitely check this place out for yourself and make your own opinion! :) read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Decided to return to Guest House since our exceptional first experience over a year ago (we just like to try new places hence the hiatus) and once again were blown away by each dish ordered and the service. Kawthar was our waitress and she was out of this world! Thank you to the entire Guest House team for another amazing dining experience. read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Was excited to try this location since the food at the Vegas location is exceptional, but left very dissatisfied. The wait time for our party was only 5 minutes or so since we had a reservation. Our server seemed to have too many tables so the service took forever, for drink orders and entrees, and she didn't seem to know the menu very well when asked questions. It's also very dimly lit, which I didn't mind, but you'll need to pull out the flashlight on your phone to read the menu. Ordered the Butcher Cut steak medium rare and it came out closer to medium well after cutting in. Nobody bothered to come by and ask how things were so after waiting about 10 minutes while my overcooked steak started to cool down, I decided just to eat it as is. It was also quite small and over salted. The side of brussel sprouts were smothered in some sweet jelly sauce, and really was inedible so most went to waste. The texture reminded me of eating a shrimp tail, not the part you eat but gooey the part you spit out. Also tried some of the salmon and it was quite flavorless and the selection of vegetables didn't really pair well with the dish. The fries were partially crispy, seemed frozen, not freshly cut, although the shredded parmesan truffle was nice on top. In general, the main dishes and sides were pretty awful and overpriced. They also don't have a draft beer selection, though the overpriced cocktails were decent. While we all were finishing our meals, still nobody checked in, so dirty plates sat around for over 15 minutes. Next to us was a party that was behind a curtain, and when the party had finished, instead of the staff bussing the table behind the drapes, they decided to open the drapes and loudly bus the table, which I found to be unnecessary and very inconsiderate of guests. The ice cream sundae desert was delicious and brownies were soft but every time they brought this sundae to a table it stunk up the entire restaurant and smelt like a burnt tire. Overall, poor service, poor food, and I wouldn't come back here even if it was a complimentary dinner. read more

The Guest House Austin - Butcher Cut - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Celebrating my birthday here at The Guest House! The drinks are pretty fancy (and pricey!) but it sure wows and perfect for celebrating any event. Food was pretty good too. It's very packed and loud here so come prepared. read more

Food was mid- had the skirt steak (chewy), carrots, Brussels sprouts, rigatoni (undercooked, hard pasta) and a bottle of wine. The ambiance was amazing, dark, had a dj, kind of hard to hear across the table Service was good, but seemed like they were really trying to speed us up and push us out. read more

The Guest House Austin - Bread was amazing! - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Treated my boyfriend to a birthday dinner at The Guest House. The highlights: perfect service by Fabian (attentive but not overbearing) Scallop crudo, Bluefin tuna cones with caviar and a unique apple/cheddar/truffle oil salad (very tasty) Parmesan-crusted filet and Faroe Island Salmon for the mains (he rated 10/10) The ambience is clubby so not the place for you if you are looking for a quiet dinner. Only item we wouldn't try again is the $60 mango cocktail for two. Super unique presentation but too sweet and small portion We look forward to dining again and will stick to their extensive wine menu. read more

The Guest House Austin - Parmesan-crusted filet - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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So I came for brunch again and I have to say, brunch at The Guest House might finally be hitting its stride. We had Bread & Pastries, Chicken & waffles, French Toast, and Short Rib hash and this time, we all enjoyed our food. We also came for a bday celebration and our waitress was great and helped make it a very special day. It's a beautiful restaurant with a live DJ that really set the ambiance. The Bread & Pastry set for the table is a nice touch. The lime tart at the top was really delicious and the rest of the croissants came out warm. I'm glad we came back to try it again. read more

Five stars for location, picture worthy decor, and great service. The Guest House definitely feels as though you are in a fine dining establishment. Creative cocktails. They are really proud of their alcohol. Three stars for the food. The food is just...mediocre. Crispy red fish was meh. Pork chop, meh. Broccolini, meh. Lobster Mac was pretty good, although the kitchen forgot the lobster on the first pass. Nothing bad, just underwhelming for the $$$$. Desserts were great. All the pretty Instagirls are here and it's really loud. read more

Food and drinks are amazing. We went in the middle of the week and it was only one waiter. So our service was very slow or forgotten. Like adding a drink or even something extra by the time the waiter stopped by the table, we were ready for the check and it was another 20 minutes to get it. The place and food are amazing. They may have more people during that evening than they were expecting. read more

The Guest House Austin - Desert - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

I went back and forth between 3 and 4, but ended up falling down to three. Ordered the Ceviche, Truffle Fries, and Salmon. All three were decent but nothing about any of truly stood out. The fries needed some type of seasoning, and the ceviche meat left a lot to be desired (but the spicy foam was pretty cool). The picture perfect bread looked amazing, but it was aggressively salty for my liking and pretty hard (guessing it was from earlier). The one major highlight, and if this was the only thing we had, I would have likely given this 5 stars, was the birthday treat. Two cookies filled with ice cream was divine. The entire dish is served cold, so you do need to break the cookies, but no complaints there. I would come back just to have that again. Simple and amazing. read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

This restaurant is now one of my favorites! First time here and it was the best time! We were greeted soon as we walked in and were sat immediately (with reservations). The ambiance was there! It was very intimate with beautiful decor. It's located downtown and they do vallet parking or you can park in garage which is conveniently located in the same block. Food!! We started with the complimentary brioche bread loaf. It was like a croissant and roll in one! Very good! For starters we had the chicken tenders and truffle fries! Nothing was basic about it! Fries were crispy yet soft and the chicken was fried to perfection and seasoned well! For our entrees, we had the organic chicken and Spicy rigatoni. The chicken was grilled and soo tender and juicy. You could taste all the flavors! For dessert, since we were celebrating a special occasion, they brought an ice cream sandwich to the table and it was the perfect way to our ending! If you are looking for something new to try and want to spend a little more than the usual, this is a great place. read more

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The food at this place is outstanding! Starting with the complimentary bread that just melts in your mouth, the theatrical drinks are a whole experience and the meals were to die for! Service was pretty good, we split the bill and a manager was able to easy do that, we were having a great conversation with a group of friends, and they politely asked us to surrender our table but gave us 2 shots for the trouble, we were happy to barter! The ambiance is romantic and stylish. Very dim lights and some music, we sat in a corner so it was t as loud but we saw a few younger crowd enjoying the loud music near the entrance. read more

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Finally, a Place Where the Food Matches the Hype I came in skeptical -- moody lighting and theatrical cocktails often signal that the kitchen is an afterthought. Not here. Chef Todd Mark Miller reimagines classics with a modern touch that actually lands. The tuna caviar cones are precise and indulgent, the Spicy Rigatoni has real heat, and the bread service alone is worth the trip. Seasonal ingredients drive the menu , and you taste the difference. For a food critic, trust is everything -- and this kitchen earns it, one bite at a time.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Found this place through my Resy app. The service was amazing but the food was even better! The drinks were the theatric theme and the presentation was on point. The waitress even gave us free sides so we can truly enjoy the meal. Would definitely come here again. read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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TLDR: Wonderful food, decent cocktails, not too intimate and kind of loud. Dress code isn't enforced so it's an odd mixture of upscale clients and wanna be kids somehow spending their whole paycheck on dinner. Me and the wife went tonight for my birthday and I would absolutely recommend The Guest House! The ambiance is friendly, energetic and the service was impeccable. Our waitress and sommelier were genuine and extremely attentive but never overstayed their welcome. Cocktails were on par with downtown ATX but don't expect a heavy pour. Food is excellent and could easily contend with Odd Duck and Jeffrey's. This restaurant is modern, inventive and... different. A DJ in the restaurant creates a fun and "young" vibe for folks just starting to branch out into fine dining (IMO). Let it be known you can easily spend a fair amount but it's worth the visit. Here are my issues: The dress code is not enforced, seating arrangement isn't intimate, and it doesn't feel exclusive. I understand TGH is trying to put themselves on the map and I respect that. However, patrons can very easily drop $1K on dinner, and while the caliber of the staff matches the asking price, there appears to be no standard for the clientele as T-shirt wearers are accepted at the same level as black tie. Maybe that's just Austin and maybe that's acceptable for TGH. As the restaurant matures and further hones their craft, I would hope the standards increase. I've spent far less money for far better food and equivalent service while adhering to restaurant decorum. To TGH - Commanders Palace you are not. Keep up the good work but I expect a more intimate and professional dining experience for your asking price. read more

I've been wanting to try The Guest House for a while, so I thought my birthday would be the perfect excuse. The space itself is stunning -- beautiful ambiance, great music, and definitely the kind of place you want to love. Unfortunately, the service really took away from the experience. Once my entire party arrived, we were seated and immediately met by our waiter, Fabian. From the start, he felt a bit pushy and not very welcoming. He asked whose birthday it was, then jumped straight into drinks without much warmth or personality. I noticed he interacted similarly with his other tables, so it didn't feel personal -- just rushed. We ordered the Tulgey Woods, one of their theatrical drinks, which was actually very cool to see. The presentation was fun and memorable. We started sipping and nibbling on the cotton candy from the tree, and then Fabian came back and tried to take the tree without asking. My friend had to stop him and ask for it back. I'm still not sure if the cotton candy is just decorative, but if it's edible, I definitely wanted to enjoy it -- especially on my birthday. After that, we ordered appetizers, sides, and our meals. Fabian came by several times, and each visit made us feel more rushed than the last. When the food arrived, one of my friends had ordered her salmon well done, and it clearly wasn't. She let Fabian know, and he didn't say anything -- just took the plate and walked away. No acknowledgment, no apology. A few minutes later, he returned and asked if she wanted something else, which felt awkward and dismissive given how it was handled. I really wanted this to be a special birthday dinner, and while the atmosphere was gorgeous and the vibe was there, the service made it feel uncomfortable and hurried instead of celebratory. I'd consider giving The Guest House another try for drinks or the ambiance alone, but for a birthday or special occasion, I was honestly disappointed. read more

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Had a reservation for a birthday dinner (a milestone year) and even with full availability on Open Table on a Monday, we were put in the tinniest table in the bar section. The good: Our server was super nice. Cocktails were good. The bad: Getting bumped throughout the entire meal by people waiting at the bar or going to the restroom. The music blaring and continuing to increase throughout the night..good luck having any kind of conversation. The pasta was bland. The steak was overcooked, literally past well done and chewy. Takeaway: Don't come here for any kind of special celebration or date night because you won't hear anything and you'll be leaving with a large bill for a pretty mediocre meal and experience. read more

My first experience at Guest House was pleasant enough that I wanted to have a special occasion dinner there. Unfortunately, my most recent experience was unpleasant and I would not wish to return. I did set a reservation for 830 and arrived early so we went to the bar for drinks. While the bar was busy, it was manageable and our bartender was slow to acknowledge, quick to ask us to wait and when my wife had questions there was an air of exasperation and impatience; particularly compared to the group ahead of us where she seemed more patient to ask which of the group of 6 would pay as well as walking them through the menu. We got seated and our server was initially friendly but then pulled a disappearing act because she had to deal with a private group of about 14. Normally, I wouldn't be overly concerned but there were some issues that came up and without having a clear person to speak to about that it was a lot of looking around, trying to figure out who could help. The appetizers were the best part-basically repeats of what I had the first time: the crudo, the steak tartare and I decided to get the oysters. The oysters did not have a spoon for either the mignonette or the cocktail sauce-our server, nowhere to be found. We basically had to flag down a host to make that request. We ordered another drink and by our meal's end it had not arrived. Our server then arrived to apologize for the lateness-it had been about 10-15 minutes since the order and at that point we simply wanted to cash out and leave. We asked the cocktail to be canceled and there was some uncertainty from our server that it couldn't. I was perplexed and to be honest, angry that there was the possibility it might not be canceled despite it not even arriving. Mainswise-my Butcher's Cut steak was not to my liking. My steak did not come with a steak knife and we had to ask a runner for it. I ordered it medium rare but the meat was cold, which indicated to me that it had been ready and just waiting out. I found it to be overly sauced and didn't let the meat's flavor stick out. I was looking forward to dinner at Guest House a special occasion but the issues from beginning to end made it a little dimmer and it is unlikely I'd return, much more recommend Guest House to anyone. read more

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I really wish that this review could be better. Upon arriving, the valet is down the street on the opposite side in front of North Italia, really inconvenient and chaotic as well wit no place to pull into. The valet staff were great though, best customer service all night besides GH manager on duty. We had a reservation at 7 and had all arrived on time. We were waiting at the bar for close to 20 minutes before they had our table ready. We did not just do a walk in. Walking in, the ambiance is nice a dim with cute decor. It is a bit loud, so get ready to speak up. The booths are comfy, but they sink in and it's hard to scoot out. Loved the looks and comfortability though. Upon being seated, the waitress was almost like a ghost. No emotion, hard to find, and inconsistent with service the entire night. She took everyone at our tables drink order, but ignored me. I had to search for her around the restaurant to order a glass of wine. It took more than 20 minutes for me to get a glass of wine, and it only got to the table once the manager walked up and then took other drink orders as our waitress had never popped back over to check on us and see if we needed drinks. We ordered apps and our entrees, took a bit to come out and one app was never brought until I finally got our waitresses attention after our table had eaten all of the other apps. Again horrible consistency with her service. Our waitress seemed annoyed anytime that we asked for anything. We had two of the led lights go out on our table and changed one out ourselves and then had to get with her for another replacement as we were sitting in the dark as the ambiance is so low. Apps were good! Beef tartare, crab cake, little gem cesar, and we had more but those were my favorite. Chicken tenders weren't anything out of this world. We got our food and everyone seemed happy with it. The spicy rigatoni has a nice bite! The parm truffle fries were crunchy and delicious. The braised short rib was good, but very small portion. I also enjoyed the mashed potatoes that I tried. The Mac and cheese was lackluster. They add 20% gratuity for groups of nine or more, so keep that in mind. Overall, poor poor customer service except for the manager. We won't be planning another dinner here. read more

The space itself is attractive and feels elegant but there are so many tables crammed onto the floor that it felt claustrophobic. We sampled a ton of food with a large group of ten and oddly enough the collective favorites were the complimentary bread and the chicken fingers. Pasta dishes were solid and the tomahawk was a great cut of meat but man...that croissant/bread is addictive. Overall there's a ton of good food in Austin and The Guest House is good, but at their price point they just didn't stand out to me. read more

The Guest House feels like New York decided to crash Austin's party. I got Manhattan when I walked in. Its vibe is glamorous and dripping in chandelier sparkle. This was my night cap! I came for drinks and fries! Simple enough but they gave me a special aioli so my fries felt fancy. I sat at the bar and the bartenders were talkative and interesting! Loved! read more

The Guest House Austin - New American Near Me - Austin, Texas

TLDR: Fun, lively restaurant; INSANE wait times even with a reservation I knew going in that Guest House was going to more of an experience than a traditional restaurant. What drew me in were, of course, their theatrical, Alice in Wonderland inspo drinks--perfect for Instagram. I was able to snag same day, Friday night reservations for 7:15 PM, which felt like a win at the time... When we arrived, the vibe was exactly what our girls night was looking for: a DJ, dim lighting, lively, glamorous, and high energy--think Vegas or Miami. Our reservation was for 7:15 PM, but the hostess had us waiting until a table opened. The group ahead of us (party of four) had their reservation at 6:30 PM, and were STILL waiting by the time we arrived... Since the wait time was ambiguous, I asked the waitress to text us as we scouted for other restaurants. It took 45 mins for them to get back to us, but by then, we were already seated and ordered at another restaurant. We rebooked another reservation for 10 PM, but this time it took about 20 mins, since one person in our group dropped. FYI: Smaller parties of two seem to move faster. Guest House definitely overbooks and struggles to keep up. Even though they're open from 5-11 PM, it isn't realistic for them to close their kitchen and bar at 11:15 PM with these delays. The food we [eventually] ordered (just light bites, since we'd already eaten) wasn't bad, just insanely overpriced. They also start you off with complimentary "bread", but I'd really say this is just an overly buttered croissant. The vibes are fun, but these were some of the worst wait times I've ever experienced with reservations. I'm honestly surprised more people haven't mentioned it. read more

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Well...I came back to The Guest House for round two - and it was better than ever. I ordered the lamb chops this time. They were a total home run--absolute perfection. Immediately could tell this place is blowing up and had gotten busier; We were seated quickly and the chef/kitchen staff have god-like skills. A big shoutout to our waitress Natalia for being so courteous, attentive to the customer experience, and happily walking us through the menu. This place is EASILY becoming my favorite spot when I am in ATX. 5 stars! read more