TripAdvisor Review Archives 15 -- 2017

Pluckers (183 & Burnet Road, Austin, TX) – May 2017

We came here for my yearly birthday meal as being part of the Pluckers club.  There wasn’t much of a wait for tables that afternoon, but we decided to sit at the bar because the service there is generally better.  There was a delay in having our order put in, so we ended up being stuck behind a large table near us.  The appetizer of chips and queso we ordered (which was enough to carry us through the longer-than-normal wait) was taken off the bill as an apology.  That was nice, because our server offered this because he released what happened.  We hadn’t asked for anything.  This is an example of what makes this Pluckers top-notch, as I’ve always gotten good customer service from when I first started going there back in 2003.

My birthday meal was my favorite Monster Basket of boneless wings with waffle fries and honey-mustard dressing.  Every bite was delicious.  I ate half of my food because it was so filling, but that also gave me the chance to have the left-overs the next day for lunch.  This location was the first Pluckers I went to, and of all the locations in Austin, it is the best in my book.

BBQ 512 (183 & McNeil Road, Austin, TX) – May 2017

I was looking for a quick lunch, and this was near where I was doing my errands, so I decided to step in a give it a try.  The interior was clean, but not very impressive.  The lighting was kind of dark, and it had an almost cave-like feel to it.  I got the turkey sandwich with a side of potato salad.  The potato salad had so much mayo on it, it was the consistency of soup.  The turkey was okay, but the bun looked like it had been sat on.  The BBQ sauce which had been poured on it was very watery, and didn’t have much flavor to it.  The meal was less than $10.  It wasn’t bad, but it was not filling nor was it satisfying.  Spend the extra money and go the extra distance and go to Rudy’s.  That’s what I should’ve done, but at least I could say I tried a new place.

Maudie’s Milagaro (Davenport Village, Route 360, Austin, TX) – May 2017

This is my special location, and I’ve gone here for my birthday meal every year for nearly a decade.  While they don’t normally take reservations, we called ahead just to make sure there was a place secured for us.  Due to the humidity, we sat inside where it was noisier.  My fiancée got the chicken tacos, which she said were very watery.  I got my Josie’s Enchiladas, which were cheese enchiladas covered in queso.  They were cooked well, but the portion was smaller than it had been since the last time I was here.  The plate still came steaming hot, so their warm gooey goodness was what I wanted.  This location is out of our way to go, so that’s why it’s been my once-a-year place.  The area that it’s located in doesn’t change, so there’s decent parking, and a varied menu for those who want to try Austin’s best Tex-Mex food.

Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ (Highway 183, Austin, TX) – May 2017

I wanted some good local BBQ that was quick and close by for lunch, and only one place came to mind.  After a poor BBQ experience at another place, I came to Rudy’s to have a real experience.  I’ve gone here for years, so I “know the drill” when ‘m called to deliver my order.  Half-pound of turkey, new potatoes, and banana pudding, please.  There’s so many other great things on the menu I could have, but that’s what I went with this time.  My food was sliced right in front of me, and delivered up quick.  Once combined with the wonderful Rudy’s sauce, it was slice after slice of BBQ heaven.  This has been an Austin establishment for BBQ for many years, and consistently provides both great food and great service.

Brick House (Highway 183 & Duval Road, Austin, TX) – May 2017

We’d driven past this place for a while and just assumed it was just another tavern that served nothing deep-fried bar food.  My fiancée heard that it was a good place to get a burger, so we decided to check it out.  We read a couple reviews on TripAdvisor first which confirmed this was more of a “pub,” meaning that a wider selection of food was available.  The visit did not disappoint in any way.  The interior was spacious, which the “dining area” separated from the “bar area,” and the TV’s scattered about were not cranked up to an obscene volume (as most sports bars are).  Everything was clean, and there was a good mix of patrons present.  There a good selection of both beer and wine, which was nice that we both could have a drink.

My fiancée got a side salad as an appetizer, and it was a very good size (larger than what we expected).  I got the mozzarella bricks, which were worth every bit of the $9.  The coating was not fried batter or breading, so nothing took away from the cheesy goodness.  For our main course, we went (of course) for the burgers.  She got the Kobe and I had the cheese burger.  Both were cooked to our request, and were juicy without being greasy.  The fries which came on the side were good too.  The food here was fabulous.

Our server was Nick, who was very attentive, and answered some questions we had about the menu and when the busy times were.  Thank you, Nick, for helping make our first experience here a great one.  One thing we did notice, the parking in this area has greatly improved and expanded from when my fiancée went to the “shack” this used to be.  Previously the parking in this area had been a nightmare, but now there were enough spaces for the patrons of both this establishment and the one next door.

P.F. Chang’s (Jollyville Road, Austin, TX) – May 2017

It had been years since either of us had been here.  My recalled not being able to park because this was “valet only,” and my fiancée remembered the tiny parking lot because it was “valet only.”  We like the P.F. Chang’s food we get in the store, and since we lost our favorite locally-owned Asian restaurant, we decided to give this a try again.  First things we noticed was that it was no longer a “valet” place, and the parking lot had expanded greatly.  There were actually places to park which didn’t require putting your car on top of another.

We arrived just as the dinner rush was clearing out, and we didn’t have to wait long for our table.  The interior was spacious, and the tables a little closer together than they should be.  There weren’t any soft surfaces to absorb the noise, but it wasn’t too bad.  Our server was very prompt, and attentive (thank you, Rhianna).

We started off with the chicken lettuce wrap as an appetizer.  It was decent, but not stellar.  My fiancée got the orange peel chicken, and I the kung pao chicken.  Both dishes were very meaty and delicious, and the portions weren’t too bad.  Since this is right down the road for us, and there are few good Asian restaurants, we plan on coming back here, even if it is a national chain.

Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline (Lakeline Blvd, Austin, TX) – May 2017

I had a rare day off in the middle of the week, and used it to treat myself for my birthday to a showing of “Guardians of the Galaxy 2.”  I’m an Alamo Victory member, and had been issued a “free ticket” for my birthday, but their website doesn’t allow it to be redeemed online.  I found that kind of defeated the purpose of having to choose your seat and showing online, if I had to redeem it at the box office and hope I can get seated in a showing that I want.  The person at the front desk didn’t have any information about the redemption process, and simply suggested I call their customer service line.  I’d already paid for my ticket, and it would’ve been nice to make the birthday ticket retroactive to what I’d already paid for.

The movie was okay, but nowhere as good as the previous.  I ordered a milkshake to have with the movie, and that was far better than the movie.  The person in the seat next to me had a light-up watch which he kept turning on during the movie, which was very distracting.  I noted that on my order card, and my server did nothing about it.  Once I reported the situation, I didn’t see my server again until my bill was dropped off.

Upon exiting, I looked for a manager to report that to, as well as to ask about how I could redeem my Victory ticket, but the only person present was the single person at the box office who was dealing with a long line of people.  For the past week I have tried calling Alamo’s customer service line, and after clicking through the menu options to get to where I can leave a message, I get a recording that the voice mail was full.  After attempting to reach them all week, I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that my concern won’t be addressed, nor my questions answered.  I do have to say when Alamo was at Lake Creek, the service and the atmosphere were much better, and friendlier.  Going to Lakeline location now has the same corporate uncaring feel as the other theatres in the area.

Taco Bell (Great Hills Trail, Austin, TX) – May 2017

We rarely eat at national chains, and it’s been years since either my fiancée or I had been to a fast-food joint, but over the weekend we just had a craving for Taco Bell.  We agreed, as far as fast-food places go, that Taco Bell is one of the better offerings.  Our guilty pleasure haul included the seven-layer burrito, nachos bell grande, chicken quesadilla, cheesy potato burrito, and three soft tacos.  We did the drive-thru, so we didn’t go inside.  Although the drive-thru took a little longer than normal because of the person ahead of us, our food was still tasty, even though it wasn’t warm by the time it was handed to us.  We just microwaved it to give some heat, thus we were able to enjoy this.

Brio (Arboretum, Austin, TX) – May 2017

This is a place we go to on a regular basis, and we like to try different things on the menu.  We ordered the crab cakes dish and chicken limone.  Both dishes came out within a reasonable time, and the food was delicious.  Our server Madelynn was very nice.  What more can you say about a place which continues to be great.

Mimi’s Café (Arbor Walk, Austin, TX) – June 2017

In all honesty, when we went out to dinner this night, we were in the mood for Mexican food, but there was an hour wait at the place next door.  My fiancée and I had both (on separate occasions) been to other Mimi’s locations, so we knew this would be an acceptable substitute.  The interior was clean, although there were a few tears on some of the seats.  What we mainly noticed when we walked in at how empty this place was at the height of the dinner hour.  The few patrons in the place all had silver hair, except for the 40-ish couple hiding in an alcove by the bar (which had all the markings of a meeting they didn’t want either of their spouses to know about).  We were surprised the location didn’t have more patrons in it.  Our server was Keenan, and he was excellent.  We started off with the spinach artichoke dip, which was much larger than we’d expected.  For the main courses, we had the French dip and the turkey dinner.  Portions were huge for both plates, and everything was hot and fresh.  The meat was tender.  We could’ve used a bit more gravy on the turkey, but really that was the only quibble we had about the meal.  The wine selection there also wasn’t bad.  Thank you for saving our evening dinner plans!

Manuel’s (Jollyville Road, Austin, TX) – June 2017

We were in the mood for enchiladas, and since this was a place we liked to go to, it made perfect sense to get them here.  My fiancée went for the pork variety with the Verde sauce, but I decided to go off menu a bit.  My favorite dish is cheese enchiladas covered in queso, and our server Parker said he could make that happen.  And since we’d started out with an appetizer of queso, there was some cheese heaven going on.

Normally we’re coming on time where there could be a lot of other patrons, so we’d gotten in the habit of making a reservation ahead of time.  This night, we timed it right as there was no wait and hardly anyone there for dinner.  As usual, the place was always clean, the food good, and service friendly.

Thai Cuisine (Parmer Lane, Austin, TX) – June 2017

With the closing of our favorite Thai place on Anderson Lane, and the turn-for-the-worse our second favorite place on 620 took, we were desperate to find a replacement.  We did, and this is the place.  Thai Cuisine is located in the corner of a strip mall, so it could be easily overlooked.  When we entered, we didn’t see a lot of patrons, but the interior was nicely done.  It had an air of authenticity about, which gave us a good feeling.

There were so many great things on the menu to try, and we got a number of them.  The egg rolls appetizers were okay, but the chicken satay was excellent.  For our main courses, we ordered pad kra prow, pad thai, and the sesame beef.  With all the dishes, the meat was tender, and the vegetables were crunchy.  We also enjoyed how the side of rice came in heart-shapes.  Everything was delicious, and the staff was very friendly.  Paired with a good wine selection, we’ve found our new best-place for Thai food!

Caspian Grill (Oak Knoll, Austin, TX) – June 2017

We like to try new cuisines, and my fiancée had never had Persian food before.  I had, so I had a level of expectation when we decided to give this place a try.  Located in a strip mall on the southbound access road of 183, this place is easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.  As soon as we opened the door, our senses were greeted by a wonderful aroma.  The interior was nicely decorated, and the tables placed so to maximize the space without making the cozy environment feel crowded.

We started with an appetizer of the Mediterranean flat bread, which was extremely tasty.  My fiancée ordered the makh soos, and I got the chicken kabob.  Each came on a plate with some saffron-covered rice and a side salad.  The presentation was great, and the food was excellent.  Every bite was delicious.  This lived up to my expectations.  The wine selection was also good, and the staff was extremely friendly (and checked on us frequently).  Great food at reasonable prices with great service, what more can you ask for.  This is a place we’ll be coming back to again!

Texican (Lakeline Blvd, Austin, TX) – July 2017

For years this had been one of my favorite places to go for Tex-Mex food (and it was nice because it was close to the house).  We came here for a late lunch, and the place was hardly full, so we were able to get seated quickly.  But then, we sat and sat, and were ignored by the servers going by.  We hadn’t even been brought water.  We noticed a couple who came in about five minutes after us were seated, and immediately given water by their server.  Since it was obvious that we weren’t going to get served sitting at the table, we adjourned to the bar area where the staff couldn’t ignore us.  After we placed our order, we noted a couple other patrons coming up to the bar to get drinks because they said their server had disappeared on them.

I ordered my usual cheese El Paso enchiladas, and my fiancée ordered the taco salad with chicken.  My dish came out wrong, and needed to be sent back to be redone.  The taco salad my fiancée received had hardly any chicken on it; what was there would’ve filled a single enchilada.  The nachos in the taco salad were soggy, like they’d been sitting out for a long time, so the dish wasn’t very edible.  When my enchiladas did return, they had half the amount of cheese in them than they normally do.  This was supposed to be a nice meal at my favorite place, but neither of the dishes were very good.  And there was no management present to mention this too.  The hostess acted kind of scattered when this mentioned to her, it didn’t even registered what we’d said.  So we still paid full price for meals that weren’t satisfactory without any apology for the situation.

For years this had been one of my favorite places to go (since 2007), but the quality of both the food and server has dropped dramatically, it greatly concerns me.  Add to the fact there was no management present to handle these issues, I don’t know if this was a one-off situation or this is becoming like other Austin establishments to provide service that wasn’t good.

Outback (Highway 183, Austin, TX) – July 2017

We were in the mood to get a good steak, and previous experience has shown us that Outback is a decent place to get it.  The website said tables were available, but we still had a wait a few minutes to be seated in order for one to be prepared for us.  That really wasn’t a quibble, as much as it was unexpected.  Our server, Kennedy, was very good, and kept checking on us (as we were tucked away in the corner).

We ordered the filet mignon and prime rib, and both came out exactly as we’d asked, and in a proper amount of time.  The potato sides and salad appetizers were also very good, and prepared correctly.  We finished the evening off with getting a piece of caramel cheesecake (to go), which was also delicious.  We don’t tend to go to national chains, but this is one of the exceptions because of the quality of the food and the excellent service we received.

Mesa Rosa (Anderson Mill Road, Austin, TX) – July 2017

This was one of the first restaurants I found when I moved to Austin back in 2002, and it has been a place I’ve frequented over the years.  Now that I was living back on this side of town again, it was time to re-experience it to see if it was a good as I remembered.  I’d been away for about three years, and looked forward to a good experience.  It was well rewarded.

We’d arrived on a mid-week evening, so there wasn’t too many other patrons present, and the service was a little slow.  But once we placed our orders, our food came out quick, and correct on the first try (as what I remembered).  My fiancée got the chicken chimichanga, which was filled with properly-seasoned meat that wasn’t too greasy or overly-spicy.  I got my usual traditional cheese enchiladas (no beans, extra rice), which were over-flowing with melted cheese at the proper temperature.

I was happy that this place has continued to live up to my memories and expectations, and we plan on returning here again.  My fiancée noted she was glad that she found a Tex-Mex place which she liked.

Mesa Rosa (RR 620, Cedar Park, TX) – July 2017

My fiancée wanted to give this location a try, based on the good experience we had the location closer to our house.  There was plenty of parking and no wait to be seated, although we were seated in the bar area which was much hotter than other sections of the restaurant (which we noted when heading over to the restrooms).  By then, it was too late to ask to be reseated.

Our server was great and kept our beverages refilled.  My fiancée got the same chimichanga she’d gotten at the other location, which she noted had more flavor than the previous one.  I got the burrito al carbon, which was stuffed with chicken, green peppers, and onions, and topped with the spicy green sauce.  Extremely good, and very filling.  We’d also started with an appetizer of queso which was great.

Between the two locations we’ve been to of this Austin-based establishment, we figure this locale would be our main-stay, even though it was further for us to go.

Gino’s Italian Cuisine (Lake Creek Blvd, Cedar Park, TX) – August 2017

We met friends here, as they recommended it because they’d “never gotten a bad meal here.”  I’ve eaten at the original location in Round Rock, so I knew what to expect on the menu.  This location was in a strip mall, which doesn’t look very big from the outside, but it ended up being extremely spacious inside.  There weren’t many patrons when we arrived, but it filled up not long after that.  Even when it was full, the noise level was good, and the people at our table never had any difficulty in hearing each other.  The interior was clean with good décor, as were the restrooms.

For appetizers we got the sautéed veggies and the garlic bread.  The bread was soft, and the garlic taste was subtle.  The veggies were crisp and delicious.  For the main courses, we got the veal caprese, chicken marsala, a calzone filled with bacon and shrooms, and I had my chicken parmigiana.  The meats were decent, and the breading wasn’t very thick.  I thought the piece of meat could’ve had a little more volume, but that was my only quibble with it.  The flavors were good, and the sauces were well-done.  We were so stuffed, we had no room for dessert.  As this had a good selection of wines, this is a place we plan on coming back to.

TripAdvisor Review Archives 14 -- 2016-2017

Simply Thai (Jarvis Ave, Newark, CA) – December 2016

This was near where we were staying, so we decided to check it out.  The establishment was located in a strip mall, so there was plenty of parking available.  The interior was well-lit, clean, and neat.  We started off with an appetizer of satay, which was good, and that was about it for the evening.  My fiancée ordered the pad kee mao at mild spice, and I asked for gai prik sod at medium spice.  The kitchen reserved the spice levels on the dishes, which pretty much made it difficult for my fiancée to finish her meal.  When this was brought to the attention of the server, she gave an apathetic response to the situation.  There were no offers to make amends, nothing deducted from the bill for the experience.  In fact, they charged us extra for a tiny bowl of sticky rice.  Also, my water glass was never refilled, and my fiancée wasn’t able to get another glass of wine because the server didn’t come by to check on us until it was time to give the check (kind of late for refills then).  Can’t say we we’re going to recommend this place to anyone.

Applebee’s (Ranch Drive, Milpitas, CA) – December 2016

This was near the area where we were today, so it made a good destination for light lunch, as we knew the menu and it would be reasonably quick.  It’s a national chain, so one location looks like another, and the food quality is consistent.  My fiancée had a chicken wrap with fries, and I had the BBQ chicken bites.  Both were good, but I do recall the portions of the chicken bites being larger in the past (where the appetizer was a meal in itself or shareable).  Our server was friendly, and the booth had a kiosk in it which allowed us to pay without needing to wait for our server to bring us the check.  That certainly makes things easier for those who may have time limits (like professionals having lunch).

Burger Joint (San Francisco Airport, CA) – December 2016

We wanted to get lunch before our flight, because we knew we wouldn’t have the time to get anything during our layover.  We decided on this place, because we could see the cleanliness of the grill, and watch our food being prepared (as opposed to some other places were the food was done behind a partition).  The cheeseburgers we received were larger than what we expected for airport food, and done correctly to our specifications.  Fries weren’t hot (not as fresh), but that was a minor quibble because the main portion was delicious.

Computer History Museum (Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA) – December 2016

What a great place to visit!  Easy to get to off the highway, and plenty of parking.  As you pass through the exhibits, you go from the earliest form of computation (abacus) to the first computers of the 20^th Century.  From there, you see the evolution of the room-sized UNIVAC to smaller and smaller systems as the technology progressed.  There’s lots of nostalgia here, especially for those of us who lived through the times when data was stored on reels or eight-inch floppies.

Each section has a specific theme, so you can see computerized toys, silicon wafers, and industrial robots.  The section of the console games was one I enjoyed because I got to see the first console I ever owned (the Odyssey system), as well as the classic Atari and the underdog Turbo Grafix.

Other highlights included a copy of the first edition of Windows, some early PCs, and some of the old Macintosh products I used to use (like the DuoDoc).  I was nice to see an actual Lisa.  The amount of artifacts contained within here was astounding, and what an amazing collection it was.  Highly recommended for any lovers of history, computers, or both.

Tech Museum of Innovation (Market Street, San Jose, CA) – December 2016 (daycare with museum activities)

The information on the website advertised this as a technology museum with lots of exhibits to see.  What it turned out to be was something completely different.  We were looking forward to seeing the various galleries, especially the items about robotics.  Turned out to get inside any of the galleries was something which would cost us extra on top of the hefty $24 per person that just got us inside the door.  We expected to pay a little extra if we wanted to see one of the IMAX films, but not in order to interact with any of the exhibits.  When this was mentioned to the staff, the response was “well, you can come back any time during the day.”  That did not address the concern of what was advertised on the website was far different than what the actual admissions were at the front desk.

Additionally, the day we went was mobbed with many school groups, so there were hordes of elementary-age kids running all over the place, shoving us out of the way as we tried to walk through the area, or even when we were on the escalator.  It didn’t surprise us there was no adult supervision from the school groups, but none of the “museum” staff (using the term loosely) seemed to care about the chaotic nature of what was going on.  When running kids almost knock over some adults, the staff wasn’t going to do anything to keep from someone getting hurt.  That was another example of poor management.  Oh, and when that was mentioned to the museum staff, they didn’t care because they’d already gotten their money from us.

This was a complete waste of time and money.  We spent less than 30 minutes in here because there was nothing for us to see or do, and no refunds we were told.  We’ve been to other science museums, and even ones geared towards children, and the exhibits were more accessible with a much friendlier and helpful staff.

Golfland (El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA) – December 2016

We always look for mini-golf courses when we’re on holiday, and we’re glad we found this one.  There’s an interior arcade and grill which we can’t speak much about, as we’d come for the golf.  Three courses are available, but other than structures encountered, there wasn’t much differences between the courses.  There was a lot of getting your ball up an incline into the hole, or through sliding doors.  The facility was maintained very well, clean, plenty of parking, and easy to get to from the highway.  We’d come in the middle of a weekday, so we had the place pretty much all to ourselves.  If we lived in the area, this would be a place we’d be coming back to.  It was enjoyable, just not as challenging as we’d hoped.

California State Capitol Museum (10^th Street, Sacramento, CA) – December 2016

This was very interesting to visit.  I liked how one corridor had a display for each county showing the unique aspects of that particular region.  While the portraits of past governors were nice to look at, I rather enjoyed the statue of Ronald Reagan, as I recall the highlights of his term.  The museum is essentially scattered through the entire building, with rooms which reflect the styles and décor of the late 19^th and early 20^th Century.  These were an interesting window into the past, and the way an office (much less a government) was during those times.

The special collections area had various old books, which included some pages from the Guttenberg Bible.  These tomes, many which were hundreds of years old, were impressive to see, considering the handiwork required to make the wood-cuts for illustrations, and the by-hand coloring.

A treat in itself was just the architecture of the building, with the carving of the bears on the stairwell banisters, and the design of the rotunda.  The exterior, with the classic Greek columns, added an air of distinction to the place to.  It was a little chilly to walk the grounds around the capitol, but from the street they looked nice.

Out front was the holiday tree, which stood tall and had many nice decorations.  Since our visit was in the middle of the day, we didn’t get to see it lit up, but we could imagine what a beautiful spectacle that would be.

Gloria’s (Domain, Austin, TX) – January 2017

We’d seen this location a number of times when we went to the Domain, but the wait time was always so extreme that we ended up going to other places.  Eventually we were able to arrive at a time when we didn’t have to wait an hour, as we were informed they didn’t accept reservations.  The interior was spacious and clean, but there were no soft surfaces, and the tables were close together, so we could imagine how loud this place could get.  We were lucky and got seated towards the back.

I’ve always judged a Mexican place by the quality of the queso and the cheese enchiladas, and those were the signature dishes I’d be getting.  The queso was good and warm, the way it should be.  That was the only thing which was done correctly in our meal.  My fiancée noted the prices for the glasses of wine were twice that of other establishments in the Domain.

Since “cheese enchiladas” weren’t technically on the menu, I had to order chicken enchiladas and have the cook do a substitution of ingredients.  The “traditional red sauce” which covered my enchiladas was far from it, as it was clearly jarred spaghetti sauce that had been warmed and poured over the top.  Not at all traditional for a Mexican place.  The “Spanish rice” which came as a side was simply white rice with some sparse chopped bell pepper pieces scattered within.  There was no other flavoring or seasoning besides that.  My meal was not at all satisfying.

My fiancée had ordered the pork fajitas, and she considered them a complete failure.  The guacamole which came on the side was so saturated with lime juice that was the only thing which could be tasted.  The pork was bone dry, which was indicative of it being previously cooked and then re-heated.  Fajitas are supposed to sizzle on the plate when they arrive, and these were mildly warm.  Our server was working a large party table at the same time, so there was no opportunity to have anything corrected.  This was mentioned before the bill came, and nothing was adjusted for the poor experience we had.  I could not locate the manager when I went looking, and the hostess wasn’t even at her station.  We’ve never left a place without paying, but no tip whatsoever was given.  This place was all hype and absolutely no substance.  This is not a place we’ll be coming back to, because the opportunity to make amends for our experience was even attempted.

Roaring Fork (Stonelake Blvd, Austin, TX) – February 2017

My fiancée went here as part of a work function, so this lunch had been set up weeks in advance.  It just happened to be on the day it was cooler than normal, and the party was sat outside … in the cold … in the shade.  There were space heaters scattered around, but when they were turned on, they only stayed on for about five minutes or so.  A number of people in office attire had expected to be sitting inside, so no one had brought jackets.  My fiancée ended up running to car to get a blanket, and she wasn’t the only one.  Interesting that there was a lot of space inside that could’ve accommodated the group.

The water glasses were filled once, and that was it.  The orders were taken after a reasonable time, but it took about 90 minutes for the food to arrive.  Especially when a place is expecting a large party, the kitchen should’ve been prepared for this and they weren’t.  The soups were tepid, so there wasn’t anything to even keep the shivering group warm.  The servers were informed of the situation repeatedly, and I’m sure they did all they could, but they were at the mercy of the management which kept customers in an uncomfortable environment.

This is what was reported by my fiancée, so I could document her experience.  She liked this place a lot, but she commented that she couldn’t see coming back any time soon after what she went through.

BJ’s Brewhouse (Arbor Walk, Austin, TX) – February 2017

We’d heard about this location, and wanted to get a decent burger.  Since it was a weekend, we’d called ahead to secure our seating, but we still ended up waiting.  The restaurant appeared to be packed normally for this time of day, but the kitchen was a bit on the slow side.  Our table for two was sandwiched between two other large parties, which pretty much meant we were forgotten about most of the night.  It took a long time to even get a glass of water, much less the drinks we did order.  My fiancée ended up having to ask for some soup crackers to munch on because our appetizers were taking so long.  Our server was very apologetic, and did the best he could considering the situation.  The burgers, when we got them, were decent, but not at all worth the wait.  We didn’t know if this was a situation with just the kitchen being understaffed, the location of our table, or a combination of both, but it made for a less-than-pleasant dining experience.  We may or may not give this another try.

Pluckers (Lakeline Mall Blvd, Austin, TX) – March 2017

I’ve been a Plücker’s member since 2003, and we’ve never had a horrible experience like we did here.  Our server was extremely inattentive, and clearly didn’t want to be there.  She rarely bothered to check on us, and we ended up needing to go up to the bar to get a refill on our drinks.  I ordered my usual boneless basket, but there wasn’t much flavor to them.  My fiancée got her boneless wings, but they were the wrong flavor.  Since the server wasn’t present to inform her of this, we just had to eat it.  I mentioned this lack of service to the bar when getting the drink refill, and the manager was nowhere to be found.

Once the server brought our check, she stood there and hovered waiting for us to pay the bill, and we weren’t even finished with our drinks yet.  Essentially, we were forced to pay for a shitty meal because no manager could be found.  I had eaten half of my food, as I was going to take the rest for lunch the next day.  We stepped away briefly, and my take-home box had vanished (although the rest of the dirty dishes were still on the table).  We had a sneaking suspicious where my take-home box went, and I watched my credit card activity for a bit to make sure the server hadn’t cloned it.

On the way out, the manager finally appeared and we informed him of our experiences.  The manager wasn’t very apologetic, as he defended the server and put the blame on us for the situation.  There was no offer to refund any of our bill, as all he did was give us a $20 gift card for our next visit.  Really, that didn’t even cover half of what we’d spent that night.  The whole experience just left a sour taste in our mouth, and not just from the food being not correct.

I did post a more in-depth experience on the Plücker’s corporate site to make them aware of the situation, and strangely had never heard anything back from them.  While we would return to a Plücker’s location, it just would never be that one again based what’d happened there.

Maggiano’s Little Italy (Domain, Austin, TX) – April 2017

This place came highly recommended for good Italian food, and it lived up to the expectation.  Being located in the Domain means that you have to make arrangements for parking and reservations here are encouraged.  The interior space is well-used and has the waiting area and bar separate from the main dining section.  The staff was friendly, and the décor nicely done.  The establishment was packed, but there wasn’t an unreasonable wait at any point during the evening.

We started off the Crispy Zucchini Fritte and Mozzarella Marina.  The portions were good sized, and extremely tasty.  The breading on the appetizers was thin, so it didn’t take away from the delicious tastes of the items.  The mozzarella was melted just right.  For the main courses, we ordered the Veal Marsala and the Chicken Parmesan.  Both of these dishes were crafted with excellent quality, and were extremely savory.  The appetizers were filling by themselves, but the portions of the main courses were large and well worth the money spent.  Between the spaghetti side-dishes and the complementary bread, we had a table-full of delicious food.  Needless to say, we needed to get a to-go box.  Guaranteed this is a place which we’ll be going back to.

Bombay Bistro (Highway 183, Austin, TX) – April 2017

My fiancée and I love Indian food, and we’ve found few good places for it in Austin.  This is our favorite.  We come here so often, it gets hard to find new things to say when the food and the service have been consistently good.  Before we knew each other, we’d been going to this establishment for years, so it was nice to have a place that we both had history with.  The décor is elegant, and the staff always friendly.  We’ve never had much of a wait to get seated, and our food has always come out in a reasonable time – hot and fresh.

Texas Roadhouse (Highway 183, Austin, TX) – April 2017

We’re not ones who’d go to national chains, but when our local favorite restaurant had a half-full dining area and told us it’d be over 30 minutes just to get seated, we called around to see if we could get into someplace else quicker.  With only a ten minute wait time, we quickly when from where we were on 620 down to here and were pretty much seated immediately.  My fiancée wanted a good steak so she went for the six ounce Dallas Filet.  I decided to go for something more “home style” and got the country fried chicken.  My piece was a little thin than what I’d expect, but it was a good sized portion nonetheless.  My fiancée raved about how great her steak was.  The establishment was busy for a weekend evening, but we had good service.  The meal we had here really saved our evening out.  Thank you!

Dunkin’ Donuts (12200 Research Blvd, Austin, TX) – April 2017

I stopped here one morning to get a couple of dozen donuts for my co-workers.  The coffee-only people were in one line, and another group was handling the drive-thru customers, so there was quick service getting donuts.  Everything was fresh, and the service was good.

Veteran’s Memorial Park (Cedar Park, TX) – April 2017

I came to this park to take part in the Hounds for Heroes 5k.  While I noticed the pool to the right as I pulled in, it wasn’t something I would be experiencing on this visit.  There was also a decent-sized dog park near the car park which was fenced in, and had its own small pond for them to use.  The car park was nicely designed so it was equal distances from the pavilion and other features.  The trails are a mix of pavement and crushed gravel, and circle nicely around the perimeter (we had to run it twice in order to make the requisite 5k distance).

The main attraction of the park was the path which lead to the memorial.  The first part of the path has names on bricks of various service personnel from a number of branches.  The path then spirals up a small hill to the actual monument, which has an obelisk for each branch and flags flying overhead.  The architecture of the park was nicely put together, and was an enjoyable place to visit.

Jenna’s Asian Kitchen (RR 620, Austin, TX) – April 2017

This is actually two experiences. The first was last week when we showed up for dinner. The restaurant was mostly empty, but we were one of five couple who'd been told there was a "20 minute" wait. As each new couple came in, the table wait increased by five minutes. The official response delivered by the uncaring receptionist was the kitchen was backed up. Yet there were a dozen of people that walked in to get take-out, and had no wait at all. It was very clear that the take-out business was far more important than the people waiting to be seated. In the end, since it didn't seem very likely we'd get our food in a reasonable time after being seated, we ended up going to another establishment (located near Main Event) where we were able to be immediately seated on this Saturday evening and didn't have to wait an unreasonable time for our made-to-order food to be delivered.

So we decided to give Jenna's another try last night. Since take-out seemed to be primary business, we opted for that. We placed an order online at 6 pm for a 7 pm pick-up, as an hour should be enough time for it to be prepared. When I arrived a few minutes before 7, I saw the lobby situation was the same as the previous week. Couples were being given a 20-30 minute wait time on a mostly empty establishment where the "kitchen was backed up" again. Some of those customer chose not to wait, and left. There were a few people from GrubHub that were anxiously awaiting orders to.

The receptionist, who demonstrated no empathy about the situation, couldn't even locate our order. It seemed to have not been noticed, so it was never started. I waited until 7.30 for my order which was supposed to be ready for pick-up at 7.00 pm.  Everything was warm when received, but not hot like it would've been had it been brought to the table by a server. At that point to get them to attempt to correct the situation would delay dinner even more.

So when I got home and opened the order, the General Tso Chicken was okay, but the portion was a lot less than what it'd been when I'd ordered it in the restaurant. The Mongolian Beef had a fraction of the meat it should've had, and it wasn't even cooked properly. The meat had been boiled, and no spices were added. My wife ate a couple of bites, but was unwilling to finish it. That small amount gave her stomach issues that lasted throughout the night, with a lot of discomfort. We tossed out all the remaining left-overs, as we didn't want to chance eating this again as we were concerned about what G.I. issues could develop from this.

We were regular clients of Jenna's when it first opened, it had been one of our favorite places to go. But we see the "fresh ingredients" that we enjoyed are no longer there, as the place has become geared towards buffet-style food and take-out at the price of quality sit-down dining. The level of customer service and the poor quality of food means we will never return to this establishment again. A once good place has now become horrible.

Zushi Sushi (Domain, Austin, TX) – May 2017

Because Austin is not a coastal city, it’s been very difficult to find a sushi place that served fresh fish that hadn’t been previously frozen.  We’d read some reviews of this place, and thought it sounded like a decent place to try.  Since it was located within the Domain, parking was easy, as it was a nice short walk to reach the establishment.  The first thing we noticed when we came in was how quiet this place was.  It had a high ceiling, carpeted floor, and some dividers between sections, which served to absorb the noise of this full restaurant.  We’d made reservations, which was recommended.

The individual rolls were the perfect size for one person, or if they wanted to be shared.  We decided to run the gambit of flavors, starting off with the Lincoln Heights (a combination of tuna and avocado), Dragon Roll (eel and cucumber), and some chicken yakitori to start with.  We got so in to the deliciousness of the meal that I forgot to take a picture of the food until we were nearly finished.  Apologies for the picture of partially eaten items.  There were so many things on the menu here that we plan on coming back again to sample even more.