Team dinner recs in Austin

[El Tri 412]

My manager and coworkers are flying in tonight and i need dinner recommendations. Something nice and Texas/Austin centric but not too fancy like a steakhouse. Downtown or Arboretum area are fine.

[Anastasis 23461]

hopfields. 

[HenryJames 66038]

Chicas Bonitas

[El Tri 412]

8 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

hopfields. 

wife and i ate there last week. i was really looking forward to it because of all the top reviews but that burger was meh

[Anastasis 23461]

Haven't been in quite a while. But the steak frits, moules frits, nicoise salad, and burger have all been legit in the past. But they may have very well fallen off. 

 

[jimmyjazz 45887]

How big a group?

[El Tri 412]

small group. 6 at most

 

[HenryJames 66038]

20 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Haven't been in quite a while. But the steak frits, moules frits, nicoise salad, and burger have all been legit in the past. But they may have very well fallen off. 

 

Eaten there twice in the last month. It hasn't fallen off.

[Brisketexan 105065]

Salty sow? Good kinda farm to table option.

Lambert’s? Nicer, gets a Texas BBQ experience, at least a little bit.

Z Tejas in the arboretum - good, eclectic menu.

[utee94 15805]

I'm a big fan of Salty Sow.

 

Jack Allen's Kitchen would be good too, I'd think.  They have a couple of locations that would probably work for you.

[South Austin 52450]

Thirded on Salty Sow. Nice but casual. Maybe there will be some native hipster sightings for your team members.

[Hook1997 5351]

Swift’s Attic 

[Texas Town 18]

La Condesa (guac tasting, mex street corn, ceviche, tex-mex + seafood) then walk over to Ginger Man

[El Tri 412]

12 minutes ago, Texas Town said:

La Condesa (guac tasting, mex street corn, ceviche, tex-mex + seafood) then walk over to Ginger Man

man Gingerman has closed. found that out last week when we walked up to it and it was just closed

[HenryJames 66038]

Salty Sow isn't really Austin/Texas centric.

[Brisketexan 105065]

Salty Sow isn't really Austin/Texas centric.

It’s pretty farm to table, they serve a lot of local meat and produce and make a point of doing so.

[jimmyjazz 45887]

Always liked Ranch 616.  Haven't been there in a while, though.

[Brisketexan 105065]

Always liked Ranch 616.  Haven't been there in a while, though.

Oh, good call. I forget about that place - it’s really good, and a cool Texas vibe and angle on food.

[HenryJames 66038]

I'd recommend Dai Due or Rosewood.

[MAUFRAIS 6619]

The pit

[Ollie Slatt 289]

Contigo if not raining.   Not downtown, but not too far either.  

I took some team members from CA to dinner at Kemuri and drinks at the Driskill a few months back.  Both were a big hit.     

 

 

[Anastasis 23461]

Contigo and Ranch 616 are good recommendations. Did my last Austin team meeting at 616, and the out of towners enjoyed it.  By far the best recommendation if you can swing it though is Dai Due. 

[Guest Lobo]

I like how almost none of the recs here are where he asked-Downtown or Arboretum.  Can't tell if that's just surly being shaggy, or people genuinely don't know where downtown Austin is.  

[HenryJames 66038]

lulz Arboretum

[UTPhil2006 3805]

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Always liked Ranch 616.  Haven't been there in a while, though.

This is the correct answer

[ChickenSandwich 9826]

Fabi + Rosi is a good spot as well (Lake Austin Blvd)

[Ollie Slatt 289]

51 minutes ago, Lobo said:

I like how almost none of the recs here are where he asked-Downtown or Arboretum.  Can't tell if that's just surly being shaggy, or people genuinely don't know where downtown Austin is.  

It probably has more to do with the lack of quality options downtown as compared to the rest of Austin (especially if you want a Texas/Austin vibe).  I guess Roaring Fork would tick all of the boxes for OP, but there are a lot of other places I would rather go in this city.  

[jimmyjazz 45887]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

I like how almost none of the recs here are where he asked-Downtown or Arboretum.  Can't tell if that's just surly being shaggy, or people genuinely don't know where downtown Austin is.  

What is your definition of "downtown"?  A block from the Convention Center?

Unclench.

[staboner 4969]

i'd vote

contigo, salty sow or swifts attic

also chez nous is nice with 6 folks. it isn't "austiny" but its local AF, been there forever and the setup a very nice i think for that many people

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

29 minutes ago, Ollie Slatt said:

It probably has more to do with the lack of quality options downtown as compared to the rest of Austin (especially if you want a Texas/Austin vibe).  I guess Roaring Fork would tick all of the boxes for OP, but there are a lot of other places I would rather go in this city.  

It would take an unusual definition to say that Ranch 616 isn't downtown.  Roaring Fork Stonelake has a great vibe on a nice evening.  Not a stretch to consider that an Arboretum area joint.  Lots of good choices.

[jimmyjazz 45887]

Is Moonshine worth a damn these days?  Haven't been in years.

[luke duke 6412]

Hightower

[Anastasis 23461]

Did swifts attic for first time last week, enjoyed the meal very much. 

[Anastasis 23461]

32 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

What is your definition of "downtown"?  A block from the Convention Center?

 Unclench.

I was wondering when the conversation would take this turn given that he was getting responses for everything from east to north campus to more traditionally downtown. IMO, if you are throwing out either Arboretum or Downtown, your group is sufficiently mobile that going a couple blocks east or north of the target area should be in play. 

 

But after we get hashing out recs, it would be awesome if we could have another argument about what constitutes central austin. Those are always fun. 

[jimmyjazz 45887]

I may be in the minority, but at this point I'd consider "downtown" something like Barton Springs to MLK, Lamar to I35 . . . at the very least.

[Anastasis 23461]

yeah, and I'd probably extend E/W parameters. Mopac and something like Chicon.  Lots of good places get pulled into the discussion if you loosen it up a bit. 

[HenryJames 66038]

Downtown is MLK on the north, Cesar Chavez on the south, Lamar on the west, and 135 on east.

Anyone who disagrees is a mook.

[Anastasis 23461]

Well damn, that nixes about 3/4 of the recommendations on this thread. 

[utee94 15805]

Well, the "Texas/Austin centric" request from OP nixes pretty much all the others, too.

 

[destroya 374]

Salty sow, con tigo, and ranch 616 are all solid and all have nice patios. 616 will be more of a scene than the other places and since it's on W6th you can hit some bars after. 

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

Jacobys isn’t dt but it’s good and close. Pretty Texas-centric.