The Top Restaurants by Cuisine in Austin

Where’s the best Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, or Indian food in town? Where’s the best steak, the best pizza, the best plate of oysters? We’ve pulled data from thousands of restaurants to find the top spots among Austin's most expert, seasoned diners, broken down by each type of cuisine.

The OpenTable team

8 Restaurants

Updated February 19, 2020

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

June's All Day

$$$$

Contemporary American

South Austin

4.8

817 reviews

AMERICAN: This adorable gold and peach-colored cafe, with black and white checkered floors, will take you back in time. Though June’s is from the same team behind Lambert's, Perla’s, and Clark’s, this place is the most low key of the bunch. The menu is American with European accents, 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 are available 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

2992 reviews

ITALIAN: 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’s arguably the best around). They have the traditional small plates, a selection of crudos, meat and cheese boards, but also a host of housemade pastas, and a wood-fire grill to cook their meat and fish dishes. It’s all really solid, but the wood-roasted vine tomatoes with 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?

Clark's Oyster Bar

$$$$

Seafood

Downtown

4.9

1545 reviews

SEAFOOD: The team behind Perla’s and June’s All Day 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?

Uchi Austin

$$$$

Sushi

Downtown

4.9

5154 reviews

JAPANESE: 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.

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

1680 reviews

SOUTHERN: 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?

ATX Cocina

$$$$

Contemporary Mexican

Downtown

4.8

2077 reviews

MEXICAN: The extensive use of light birchwood throughout ATX’s space—mixed with curved wooden ceilings—makes it feel airy 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 using traditional 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?

Tillery Kitchen and Bar

$$$$

Contemporary American

East Austin

4.4

544 reviews

MEDITERRANEAN: For Mediterranean food right on the water, Tillery delivers big on nature and flavor. They keep their design and menu somewhat simple to let the best of both really shine. By incorporating lots of wood, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a large patio overlooking the Colorado River, the restaurant blends seamlessly into its surroundings. Their menu is made up of mostly veggies, deliciously grilled meats, and pasta, with a few rotating weekly specials. Their hummus (with a great garlic flavor) and Brussels sprouts (that people rave about) are a nice way to start things off, followed by the bourbon-glazed chicken skewers, which are a deeply tasty homage to Texas.

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

Saffron

$$$$

Indian

North Central

4.6

278 reviews

INDIAN: Saffron is an incredibly interesting intersection of flavors—they combine Nepalese, Pakistani, and Indian foods—offering everything from noodles to curries and much more. You can always order off of their à la carte menu, but a great option is their daily lunch buffet, which is what many people go for. Even though there’s a lot of variety to choose from here, it’s all great. In terms of the Indian offerings, the samosas, curries, and chicken tikka masala are all quite popular. And then there are many favorites among their Nepalese dishes, like the chicken momos, pot stickers, and chow mein (which seems to be a favorite amongst locals). And, if you’re not too full, they have a darjeeling green tea creme brulee that’s really special.

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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