Favorite Local Restaurants in Austin

Austin is evolving at a rapid pace. It’s a city where creative and curious people go to experience interesting things and unique innovations are showcased and prized.There’s lots of experimentation and cuisine cross pollination, which is deliciously easy to appreciate in the food scene here. But where are the smartest, savviest diners eating out? We’ve pulled data from thousands of restaurants to find the top spots among OpenTable's most expert, seasoned diners. You’ll find incredibly designed eateries with big helpings of old Southern charm, the chic sort of Sushi spots dreams are made of, and copious amounts of Texas meats—all vetted by the types of tastemakers who know the best spots around the city. You'll want to follow their lead.

The OpenTable team

15 Restaurants

Updated February 25, 2020

Restaurants:	June's All Day, Red Ash Italia, Uchi Austin…
Price Range:	$$ - $$$$
Cuisines:	Contemporary American, Italian, Sushi…
Neighborhoods:	South Austin, Downtown…

June's All Day

$$$$

Contemporary American

South Austin

4.8

817 reviews

This adorable gold and peach-colored cafe, with black and white checkered floors, will take you back in time. It’s from the same team behind Lambert's, Perla’s, and Clark’s (the latter two are on this list), but this place is the most low key of the bunch. The menu is American with hints of Europe, and it’s pretty much all good all day. For breakfast, go for the sourdough pancakes or bialy with pastrami smoked salmon, and lucky for us all, the fried chicken sandwich, bone marrow bolognese, and snapper carpaccio can be ordered any time of day.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Red Ash Italia

$$$$

Italian

Downtown

4.8

2995 reviews

This loft-type space—with rough frescos on exposed concrete walls, metal piping, and steel beams—is a creative juxtaposition to the very classic Italian food they’re serving up here (that happens to be some of the best around). They have the expected small plates, a selection of crudos, meat and cheese boards, but also a host of housemade pastas, and a wood-fire grill for their meat and fish dishes. It’s all really solid, but the wood-roasted vine tomatoes and burrata starter and the osso buco Milanese are extra special.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Uchi Austin

$$$$

Sushi

Downtown

4.9

5154 reviews

Everything is special about this James Beard Award-winning Japanese restaurant housed in what looks like a little home. The contrast of a cottage exterior with a chic interior of red walls and honey lighting sets the stage for the impressive meal ahead. They have exceptional sushi that they fly in fresh from Japan each day, accompanied by masterful service. This is definitely a place fit for a special occasion. Everything is outstandingly good, so a great option is to go for their very unique “Sake Social” menu—offered on weeknights from 5-6:30—where you can get things from the regular dinner menu for nearly half the price. Go that route, and then come back again to try more!

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Clark's Oyster Bar

$$$$

Seafood

Downtown

4.8

1546 reviews

The team behind Perla’s and June’s All Day—both on this list—is shucking and serving up some mighty tasty (but pricey) oysters, in a fresh, beachy-looking, casual space. They have local seafood, of course, but they also fly in fresh fish from other bodies of water to add to their extensive menu. Clark’s has a selection of caviar and other roe (if that strikes your fancy), and their lobster roll and clams are great picks. They also offer several options under the “fresh catch of the day” section, but the redfish reigns supreme.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Emmer & Rye

$$$$

American

Downtown

4.6

2933 reviews

E & R offer an American menu of locally-sourced small plates that changes every day, plus a roaming dim sum cart (with unusual offerings) that you can order other items from. In addition to great service and their beautiful garden patio, these guys mill their own grains daily to make their breads, pastas, and desserts, so rest-assured those are all quite special and fresh. This is definitely not an everyday type of place, so pick an occasion and make it even more special by ordering their beloved cacio e pepe, blue crab, or crispy short rib carnitas (with BBQ pork fat!).

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Il Brutto

$$$$

Italian

East Austin

4.5

1195 reviews

Simple (but delectable) Italian food made in a simple space, with a variety of seating areas to choose from, including an outdoor patio. Start with the burrata and prosciutto, and then share some of the delicious pastas and pizzas made in their Neapolitan wood-burning brick oven. For pastas, try the pici (with butter, thyme, and mushroom), the pappardelle with lamb ragu, or squid ink tagliolini. In terms of pizzas, continue the burrata binge, or try the mushroom (with taleggio cheese) or anchovies (with capers).

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Uchiko Austin

$$$$

Sushi

Central Austin

4.8

5738 reviews

This sister restaurant to the incredible Uchi (also on this list) is actually very similar menu-wise, even sharing some of the same dishes, like the Shag roll, which is a staple at both spots. The design of Uchiko is very distinct from that of Uchi, but the quality of fresh fish, impeccable service, and even the “Sake Social” menu offering are identical. There are delicious desserts and great sake at both, but entirely unique to Uchiko is the ham & eggs roll (with pork belly and yolk custard) and the milk ‘n cereal dessert, which are both quite amazing.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar

$$$$

Seafood

Downtown

4.7

3171 reviews

Perla’s (from the same family as Clark’s and June’s All Day, among others) has a phenomenal space with a gorgeous deck area and huge menu for you to enjoy. Soaking up the sunshine and great cocktails, paired with their scrumptious seafood, makes coming for lunch a great choice. Similar rule of thumb as Clark’s: the lobster roll and oysters are great, they’ve got the epic redfish here too, but everything’s good, and the outdoor ambiance is unbeatable.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Olamaie

$$$$

Regional American (Southern)

Central Austin

4.7

1681 reviews

If you didn’t know any better, you could easily mistake Olamaie’s for someone’s adorable private residence. Inside this white house—with a wraparound porch, window shutters, and beautiful shrubbery—they’re making some of the best upscale Southern food around. Their hush puppies, “hoppin’ John” (beans and eggs), and chicken (served with succotash and a wonderful sauce) are all divine, but the one thing you can’t pass up isn’t even on the menu. Their biscuits are a religious experience and you should order as many as you can eat.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Dai Due

$$$$

American

East Austin

4.8

1822 reviews

The folks at Dai Due know how to beautifully marry the old and the new. This rustic place feels traditionally Texan, with enough novelty to keep things interesting. Everything on the menu is made in-house, and all of their ingredients are from the state. During the day, it’s a cafe and butcher shop, and at night it’s a “supper club,” so as you can imagine this place is a carnivorous paradise (but not so great for vegetarians). Their meat dishes—like the pork chop, (huge) Wagyu ribeye, and roast chicken—are all incredibly juicy and flavorful.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

North Italia - Austin 2nd Street

$$$$

Italian

Downtown

4.6

1315 reviews

This modern Italian restaurant has several locations around the country, but don’t let that worry you, they’ve grown because they’re great. They use seasonal ingredients and make all of their house-made pastas from scratch daily. Their zucca chips and selection of pizzas and pastas (especially their bolognese) are mainstays, but this particular location also makes especially great meatballs and a white truffle garlic bread that you shouldn’t miss.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

True Food Kitchen - Woodlands

$$$$

American

The Woodlands

4.7

728 reviews

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and with all the copious amounts of delicious meat available here, sometimes your body needs some lean greens to balance things out. This place is definitely health-focused, and it’s all really fresh and well done, but you can still get fun things like their margherita pizza and grilled artichoke pizza (with a pesto sauce that’s delicious enough to bottle).

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Jeffrey's Restaurant

$$$$

American

Central Austin

4.9

1641 reviews

Since 1975, Jeffrey’s has been an iconic Austin eatery, delivering great fine dining experiences that are ideal for a special occasion.The wood floors, blue velvet chairs, and white tablecloths give their stylish dining room a very handsome elegance. The American menu—with a French flair—boasts incredibly decadent options like truffled deviled eggs, foie gras “sandies” and a selection of caviars, along with their very popular shellfish risotto. Along with expert service and fine wines, their beautifully-cut meat is cooked to perfection. And, to top it all off, there are roaming martini and cheese carts that’ll show up tableside. Jeffrey’s is pricey, but it’s pretty perfect.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

ATX Cocina

$$$$

Contemporary Mexican

Downtown

4.8

2080 reviews

The extensive use of light birchwood throughout ATX’s space—mixed with curved wooden ceilings—makes it feel light and reminiscent of a scene from Noah’s Ark. The menu features a lot of shareable dishes like queso fundido, crudos (which you can watch them assemble at their crudo bar), and other Mexican snacks. Even though they’re serving elevated tacos, it’s not at the cost of authenticity. The masa for their tortillas is made traditionally using Oaxacan heirloom corn, and if you like crab, you’ll find plenty of it in their jumbo lump crab tostada. Another favorite is their chili roasted chicken, with bacon braised cabbage and a white mole sauce, which is outrageously flavorful.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Fixe

$$$$

Regional American (Southern)

Downtown

4.7

2650 reviews

Fixe is serving upscale Southern food in a modern yet homey space, with a variety of environments to enjoy. From an elegant and open main room—with an adjoining indoor porch—to three private dining rooms perfect for group celebrations. The menu has all the classics you’d expect, but they’ve been upgraded with a twist. Their biscuits are served with a spicy andouille spread and sweet homemade preserves, crawfish is served with lobster in a pot pie with a sweet corn miso béchamel, and—in addition to a dedicated grits menu—they’re serving crispy beef tendon (chicharrones-style).

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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