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Texas Getting Michelin Star Ratings in 2025


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36 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

I'll eat my hat if either of those restaurants get two stars. Barley Swine is great, but I've never been to Pasta Bar. But neither are not doing anything that 200 other restaurants in America aren't already doing. Nowhere in Austin offers menus as sophisticated, or the level of service required to earn two stars. Two star restaurants tend to be $300+ per person tasting menus with a $100+ wine pairing. That just doesn't really exist in Austin because the people here are (traditionally) unpretentious and don't tend to value that kind of dining experience (or price) so it historically hasn't been offered. We're a taco truck (and now $17 cocktail) kinda town. But that's changing and we might see something like that in the future. 

There are EXCELLENT restaurants in Chicago (my reference point as I lived there for 10 years and ate out for pretty much every single meal) much better than Barley Swine that did not earn a star. Avec and Girl and the Goat were Bib Gourmands. Hell, Publican was just a "selected restaurant" and it's comparable to Barley Swine. 

Point being, it's REALLY fucking hard to earn just a single star and you have to be doing something truly innovative with exemplary service to get a single star, much less two. 

 

 

I agree that it is stretch, and it’s my home town favoritism. If i am more realistic those two could each get 1 and the other 3 a Bib Gourmand. 

But I do think location might play into it, Barley Swine is not as good as Oriole in Chicago, but it is as good as Picasso in Las Vegas, and I would say it is very similar to Saison in San Francisco. 

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18 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And along those lines....I would give anything if the star for "tacos" in this town (there's a decent chance there will be one) goes to some freaking taco truck on North Lamar that the hipsters haven't even found yet.  Just two old mexican gals making fantastic al pastor the way their family has been doing it for 50 years.  It would be glorious.

That would be awesome right up to the point that they were crushed with hipsters. 

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1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

And along those lines....I would give anything if the star for "tacos" in this town (there's a decent chance there will be one) goes to some freaking taco truck on North Lamar that the hipsters haven't even found yet.  Just two old mexican gals making fantastic al pastor the way their family has been doing it for 50 years.  It would be glorious.

There aren't very many the hipsters have found. So many of them and most hipsters won't venture here. I hit a lot of them and I rarely see another gringo. 

I've almost got celebrity status for being the only one frequenting them, many after drunken stumbling to them from my house in the middle of the night. 

Edited by Deej
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38 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Y'all rave about Red Ash . . . where is it in this heirarchy?  I mean, when it's not on fire.

I feel like just from what I hear and what's said of it and how many people mention it it's sort of popularly the best restaraunt in Austin right now. 

I think I'd have it #1 on my list of places I want to try that I haven't in Austin.

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I'll eat my hat if either of those restaurants get two stars. Barley Swine is great, but I've never been to Pasta Bar. But neither are not doing anything that 200 other restaurants in America aren't already doing. Nowhere in Austin offers menus as sophisticated, or the level of service required to earn two stars. Two star restaurants tend to be $300+ per person tasting menus with a $100+ wine pairing. That just doesn't really exist in Austin because the people here are (traditionally) unpretentious and don't tend to value that kind of dining experience (or price) so it historically hasn't been offered. We're a taco truck (and now $17 cocktail) kinda town. But that's changing and we might see something like that in the future. 
There are EXCELLENT restaurants in Chicago (my reference point as I lived there for 10 years and ate out for pretty much every single meal) much better than Barley Swine that did not earn a star. Avec and Girl and the Goat were Bib Gourmands. Hell, Publican was just a "selected restaurant" and it's comparable to Barley Swine. 
Point being, it's REALLY fucking hard to earn just a single star and you have to be doing something truly innovative with exemplary service to get a single star, much less two. 
 
 

If girl and the goat doesn’t have a star then there’s few joints in Texas have a shot.
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4 hours ago, randomhorn said:

I’ve been to Bliss and Cured and don’t think either would rate a star, but it’s been a while since I’ve been to either. Il Sogno might have if it were still open.

Agreed on both. I never thought Il Sogno was that special. If Le Reve (another of Andrew Weissman’s restaurants) were still around, it would be the no brainer choice. Don’t think juicy burger is going to make the cut.

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3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Y'all rave about Red Ash . . . where is it in this heirarchy?  I mean, when it's not on fire.

It’s a damn good steakhouse. That said, I’m not sure it’s worthy of a star. There’s just too much competition in that space.

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9 hours ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Agreed on both. I never thought Il Sogno was that special. If Le Reve (another of Andrew Weissman’s restaurants) were still around, it would be the no brainer choice. Don’t think juicy burger is going to make the cut.

Never made it to Le Reve. But I figured one of Andrew Weissman’s restaurants would have been likely to get a star. Even if it wasn’t Mr. Juicy 🍔

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One thing that is sort of interesting me regarding Michelin is the Bib Gourmand ratings.  As it was something I searched when we went to NY and Philly 2 weeks ago.  

Bib Gourmand 

Not quite a star, but most definitely not a consolation prize, the Bib Gourmand - named after Bibendum, the friendly Michelin Man and the official company mascot for the Michelin Group - is a just-as-esteemed rating that recognizes friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices.

We found a place called Little Alley in NYC around the corner from our hotel that was awesome for the money.  We even got happy hour discounts.  So while I don't see an avalanche of Michelin Stars in Texas, I would think that a few would be in order.  But we tend to do more casual dining (because it's Texas and I only put on long pants in Summer for funerals and weddings.). So the bib gourmand ratings will probably be the ones I will start trying out in my travels.  I'll check the others out in winter...

 

 

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18 hours ago, hornbri said:

Eater is insane Austin is not getting 19 stars…lol

The most likely in my opinion. 

2 stars - Barley Swine, Pasta Bar

1 star - Franklin, Nixta, Odd Duck

No sushi in Austin should get a star. 

Otoko deserves at least a star based on some of the one star sushi places I've been to.

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55 minutes ago, Longhornfan1024 said:

Otoko deserves at least a star based on some of the one star sushi places I've been to.

Otoko is pretty awesome, I do wonder about it. 

The Sushi scene is Austin is crowded with places right now that are very similar and if I was a judge deciding between Otoko, Craft, Tsuke Edomae, Scratch, and Uchi (which i would put at the bottom) would be tough. 

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One thing that is sort of interesting me regarding Michelin is the Bib Gourmand ratings.  As it was something I searched when we went to NY and Philly 2 weeks ago.  

Bib Gourmand 

Not quite a star, but most definitely not a consolation prize, the Bib Gourmand - named after Bibendum, the friendly Michelin Man and the official company mascot for the Michelin Group - is a just-as-esteemed rating that recognizes friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices.

We found a place called Little Alley in NYC around the corner from our hotel that was awesome for the money.  We even got happy hour discounts.  So while I don't see an avalanche of Michelin Stars in Texas, I would think that a few would be in order.  But we tend to do more casual dining (because it's Texas and I only put on long pants in Summer for funerals and weddings.). So the bib gourmand ratings will probably be the ones I will start trying out in my travels.  I'll check the others out in winter...

 

 


I nominate Mary’s Cafe in Strawn.
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On 7/16/2024 at 3:54 PM, Jive Turkey said:

the X factor here is that a taco stand in Mexico City got a star.  you would hope that a few BBQ joints (like Franklin or Cattleack in Dallas or Goldee's in Ft. Worth) will be considered, as well as some taco joints.  and that could raise the number a little bit.

El Califa de Leon.  Named in honor of the great bullfighter, who was the grandfather of a good friend from college.  Not to be confused with Califa tacos, which is the hipster CDMX torchy's analogue but slams

 

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