Eden East

We had our company Christmas party here a week ago and it was a great venue with wonderful food. The surroundings were very open and casually «Austin-​like» and the farm to table menu was innovative and delicious. The cool weather was cause for the restaurant to serve us under a tent with heaters but it did not take away from the experience. I highly recommend it to those wanting to experience a wonderful meal in a unique setting.

If you ever have the opportunity to try out this place, I say take it! Everything about Eden East is calming and rustic. The outdoor seating is absolutely perfect and fitting for a fall dinner. The fact that they use fresh produce really makes a difference. You can honestly taste the freshness. The scenery is very nice, too. There were fires set up and lights in all of the trees. It truly created a dinner experience I will never forget. They change their menu frequently, so there’s always an opportunity to try something new and delicious. Eden East is a dining experience that every Austinite and visitor should try at least once.

After eating at Eden East a few times with friends, I decided to host our company holiday party this year. The staff made the planning very easy and they even opened on a Sunday that they were scheduled to be closed so that we could have the entire venue to ourselves. The food and atmosphere were perfect and the staff was attentive to every detail. We always want to create something special for our staff as a Thank you for all their hard work in our business. This night did just that and the proof is in all of the comments I have continued to hear at work. Thank you Eden East!
John Faught

I always appreciate a restaurant that recognizes the quality of local fresh ingredients. Unfortunately Eden East butchered the amazing ingredients they were working with. The salad course looked like 5 five year old made it. The dressing was way too thick and overpowered the 5 lettuce leaves I was given. The main course looked like a plate you would get at a church fundraiser (a piece of chicken, potato salad, and extremely over cooked okra) and tasted about the same. I was so disappointed at the food in comparison to how wonderful it is to be eating on a local farm! The price wasn’t worth the techniques and execution of the chefs. Don’t waste your money!

I visited Eden east over a year ago and it was a 5 star experience… Tonight that was not the case. I list of differences would probably make things more simple.
1) There was wedding 25 feet away from us; dance floor and Dj are not my idea of fine dining.
2) Portions — I left hungry and all courses were extremely small and most people commented on how hungry they were. Almost everyone at our table was unsatisfied and discussed what food truck we should go to
3) Service — The staff was nice and tried their best to time everything; but they weren’t as friendly because they were stressed out by a water issue.

I really wanted to love Eden East, especially after hearing rave reviews from others. But after choosing it as the centerpiece of a recent family reunion weekend, I was seriously disappointed and so were those in our party who had been to Eden East before.
Overall, we experienced an operation that appeared over-​extended and was not worth $ 90/​person (the cost with tax and gratuity).
Specifically, we did not enjoy sharing the venue with a wedding party that was set up adjacent to our table. Not only did one of their guests manage to break the water system earlier in the day — that does not inspire confidence at an establishment serving food! — but our party was asked not to walk around the property until the wedding party had finished eating and toasting, by which time it was dark. We had selected Eden East in large part as a place the family could enjoy at our leisure, and that would appeal to the gardeners and farmers in the group.
Then the wedding dancing and music began and the noise level was so loud, it was hard to hear each other talking. We were forced to walk over to a corner of the farm near the road en masse, between courses, in order to exchange remembrances and make future plans. This was not the pastoral, peaceful ambience advertised!
The water poured for drinking tasted terrible and detracted from the experience, especially over the course of the long evening. Towards the end of the evening the water in the bathrooms ran out, and like Cinderella’s accoutrements after midnight they instantly reverted to porta potties in need of servicing.
Well, how about the food? — we were really looking forward to that. But the quality was uneven:
the fried chicken appetizer did not work — the chicken wasn’t hot, its texture was unappealing ie not crispy/​skin was chewy/​undercooked, the waffle was overly sweet and how were you supposed to eat bone-​in chicken and waffle together, when a chicken wing is finger food?
the salad was a hit; wonderfully fresh greens, dressing was a good balance to the heat, enjoyed the different textures. Radishes a challenge to spear for a few folks.
the fisherman’s stew was also tepid, left an unpleasant after taste for some and the potatoes were overcooked.
most people thought the quail was excellent although a few said their portions were undercooked, ie still bloody and soft.
the dessert was universally acclaimed — perfectly executed.
But, the food quantity was skimpy, especially for the vegans and vegetarian who thought the tempeh was delicious — but the portion was half the appropriate size. Those who ate the regular menu also finished the meal still hungry. We were not a party seeking large portions, just enough food to feel satisfied.
The service was uniformly gracious, but slow — not so much the time between courses (that would have been fine if the wedding noise volume had been lower, and if we’d been able to explore the property freely), but the time it took to complete serving each course. Those guests who started eating the stew when they were served (not wanting it to cool down any further), had finished before some of the guests had been served that course.
Our overall impression was that, if Eden East wanted to host the wedding, they shouldn’t have also attempted to serve our party and the other non-​wedding guests that evening. Greed…
Really was hoping for a magical evening but, alas, we didn’t find it here.
PS I sent a letter to this effect to the management 10 days ago and told them I’d welcome their response. Nothing, not even an acknowledgment, as of today.

A group of friends and I went for a birthday dinner. The setting is cool, enjoyed the free and delicious drinks they were serving (not sure if this is a usual thing).
The issues we had was with the food and chef. We were served crunchy risotto. Once told, the chef came over to basically argue it was crunchy b/​c of the ingredients. The menu didn’t mention any ingredients which would make it crunchy. She was very defensive but did bring us more risotto that was better.
The rest of the food wasn’t to our expectation either, but they may have just had an off night.

This was the worst dining experience I’ve had in a long time. The restaurant prides itself for being «low-​waste» and this means you get very little food. For a $ 75 prix fixe menu we ate a series of sparsely populated vegetable plates. This was their special vegetarian night and I pitied all of the patrons and myself for the poor luck of dining at Eden East on such an occasion. I love farms and local foods, but I also like to eat more than 200 calories for $ 75! Hopefully this was an anomaly.

I first heard about Eden East at SFC’s farm to plate dinner this year when they served an amazing smoked redfish hours d’oeuvre. We made reservations for my dad’s birthday and we had a great experience. It was pretty rainy the night of our reservation so they moved the table inside the little farmhouse, which had an equally great ambience. Our first three courses included a vegetable terrine with poached egg, cornflake fried grouper, and a Caesar salad with house smoked ricotta. We were already pretty full at this point, and were shocked to receive an 8 oz tri-​tip steak perfectly seasoned and seared! (I’m not normally a meat eater and I scarfed it down.) Our last course was a peach and plum tart with honeycomb. All the food and delicate flavor pairings were perfect.
While the restaurant is BYOB, they are sponsored by deep Eddy vodka so they have a little cocktail tip bar. The night we were there, I had an Arnold Palmer with the sweet tea vodka. Nothing too impressive, but a nice surprise since we only brought wine.
Service: our waiter was very kind and did a great job of pointing out where every ingredient and was from, whether it was Springdale Farm or a farm down the road, or Italy. However, our waiter was not very familiar with the menu, and couldn’t answer many of our questions without going back and asking the chef. He kept excusing himself by telling us it’s a different menu each week. Also, we had some dietary restrictions that we told them about when we first made our reservation, but our waiter knew nothing about it and we had to tell him a few times to make sure our dishes came out correctly. I would’ve expected more preparation from such a fine dining establishment.
All in all, great restaurant and great environment. We will go back!

Great ambiance. Food was good, too. Fresh and interesting ingredients. Nothing like the boring restaurant food you find at chains, etc. For the price though, I would probably not go back. But, definitely an experience you have to try at least once.
There are chickens on the farm, really cute farm house, all these veggies growing and everything looks very lush and sweet. I personally just have never seen that before being from suburbia USA.

Holy crack food!
I was pretty surprised to see all the low reviews for this place and admittedly, it is pretty pricey. But man, these guys showed us a great time. Unfortunately it was raining the night we attended, but the farmhouse was super cozy and service impeccable.
We started off the evening with a free cocktail… pretty yummy and FREE!
Then we went through a 6 course meal that was crack-​tastic! Seriously, for several of the dishes we took a bite and eyeballs were rolling back in ecstasy. So freaking good. Only thing that was subpar was the desert but whatevs.
Now, back to the price. I am Canadian and the exchange rate sucks right now… so with tax and tip it cost me $ 120. That is crazy steep. BUT it was 6 courses.
Definitely recommend it for a special occasion but better be prepared when the bill arrives…

Initially, I was really excited about Eden East but it was not the local Austin farm-​table welcome I had hoped for. My boyfriend and I came here after a stellar recommendation from a customer who came into the restaurant I manage in NYC. $ 75 per person prix fixe but no wine pairing? Still, we wanted to give this place a try! Thats a hefty price tag and puts loads of pressure on the execution of the food and service which in my opinion were too pretentious.
Not one person smiled at us the whole time. The best and most innovative dish was the delicately layered golden beet with goat cheese (a combination that every restaurant does). The copper string led’s on the table were really cool. I could tell a lot of love went into that beet and the overall ambiance. I would be willing to give this place another try but not until they offer a la carte or lower the price. Let just be real… for $ 190 meal I’ll repeat ONE HUNDRED NINETY DOLLARS (including $ 30 tip for server + $ 10 tip for the bartender offering a single optioned complimentary cocktail) I could eat at any Michelin starred restaurant anywhere in the world and leave waaay more satisfied and enthralled… or buy a CSA share FOR A MONTH. But thats not why we eat out. We eat out because WE WANT TO EAT. FEED US. TAKE A RISK or show me something I haven’t seen before.
I’m over small portions… an excuse for saving $ by putting greater importance on what it is we’re actually eating rather than how we’re experiencing the food… mini goat tostada, cream of whatever, a SINGLE (but beautifully executed) beet the size of a walnut, a 3 month old itty bitty quail (cooked to perfection nevertheless), & panna cotta. My boyfriend and I left trying to convince ourselves we were full, but overall we were disappointed, underwhelmed, and left feeling suckered.
In this case everybody loses, there is clear talent coming out of the kitchen, some labor of love in FOH, and wonderfully sourced food. Unfortunately, we will not be returning or recommending friends simply because it is not worth the price you absolutely must pay in order to eat here. Lucky for Eden East my review won’t count towards their rating but if my business does they will consider my issues.

The food was excellent. The service was very good. BUT (here’s the but) we scheduled the dinner on a really nice night when we knew it was going to be warm and we could sit outside. I know this is Austin and we panic over sub 60 degrees… but it was definitely warm enough outside yet the service was moved indoors. I can understand this for some people. The problem is that it is a very small and VERY loud building. The tables, although nice are very wide and I had to strain to hear my wife who was sitting a significant distance from me. This left our conversation awkward and stilted. I was also wedged into the table and was cramped and not able to relax. My advice is that if you know you are eating inside, I would strongly advise to make it a party of 4 or more.
For all I know it can an entirely different experience when in a larger group or sitting outside. We left (me more than my wife because she enjoys fine dining more than I) unhappy, unrelaxed, and significantly lighter in the wallet. There probably will not be another visit because it’s just too expensive to not have an enjoyable time.

I have labored over this review in my mind for sometime, wafting between two and three stars. As a result of all the hype, I arrived with high expectations, and walked away feeling like a empty deflated balloon.
I don’t understand what all the hype is about, there is a plethora of establishments in Austin sourcing local farm fresh ingredients, they just aren’t located on a farm itself. Also, you can eat at most of these other establishments and leave with money still in your wallet, even after ordering a glass of wine. Also, the service and food quality I have experienced is better elsewhere. You could argue that I just came on an off day, all I can speak to is the Saturday night that I ate here.
Eden East is located at Springdale Farm, open only on Friday and Saturday evenings, and reservations are a must. They serve a set $ 70 five course meal that changes every weekend, and they state on the website that they will work with you to accommodate food allergies. I had emailed and called in advance regarding my food sensitivities, noting my group reservation name, and never received a response back. I went anyways hoping that it would all work out. It was apparent that they weren’t prepared for my special requests, but they scrapped together, and even ran across to the wedding being hosted onsite for ingredients to pull together a meal for me.
The ambiance is rustically quaint and romantic. When the weather is good, you will be seated next to strangers at large community picnic tables outdoors under the shade of a beautiful old tree decorated with twinkling lights. The food is served from a food truck, one course at a time. You can bring your own drink, or enjoy free seasonal Deep Eddy Vodka cocktails. We brought a bottle of wine, and they provided the glasses and wine cooler. The service was extremely slow, and haphazard. Our waiter seemed confused most of the time. They even served our courses out of order. The portions of course are small, but I didn’t find any «WOW» factor in the various dishes or presentation. The flavors were bland, OK, and overall underwhelming. I have had much better local farm sourced meals at half the price elsewhere. The quality of the food definitely didn’t match the $ 70 ticket on the night I went. My favorite dish from my menu was the Grass Fed Meatballs.
They mentioned they typically give tours of the farm, but they couldn’t that evening due to the wedding, which is fine. They also have a couple of randomly placed bathrooms onsite, two indoor bathrooms, and a portable. There was always a long line as the number of people dining exceeded the bathrooms available.

Eden East is aptly named. It is as close as you can come to paradise.
We went last night for a dear friend’s birthday and our party of 9 were treated to a beautiful pre-​dinner walk through Springdale Farms at twilight. It is a beautiful area and the flowers in bloom added to the heavenly atmosphere. We had some delicious free Deep Eddie cocktails, then were seated on the plank style benches. Other than the Deep Eddie table, which is free, Eden East is a BYOB and we definitely BOO’d (Brought Our Own). I like this idea because I get to drink exactly what I want and I don’t pay restaurant prices for it. Win/​Win!
Dinner was divine. Our server, Sarah, was incredibly knowledgeable about the dishes and their origins. Most, if not all, the ingredients were from the farms or sourced from local farms and ranches.
This is outdoor dining so the time of year is important and we timed it perfectly. The evening was clear and cool. It made the experience that much cooler.
The food. Sweet Mother of Culinary Delights! Chef Sonya was rockin’ it. from the serrano stuffed with shrimp mousse and candied bacon, to the deconstructed radish and greens salad with buttermilk dressing, to the perfectly roasted quail, to the beef cheeks in broth, and the blueberry and fried chicken ice cream. All Absolutely delicious.
There are a few misguided groups that are opposed to Eden East for completely incorrect reasons. they are claiming this is gentrification. Nothing could be further from the truth. this business employs local help only. They serve as a teaching lab for groups of children in sustainable agriculture and urban gardening. They provide food for literally dozens of local bars & restaurants. This place should be praised and protected, not shut down.
After dinner we moseyed to the bonfire and chatted with Chef Sonya. It was a perfect end to a beautiful evening. We’ll be back Eden East. I promise you that!

This place is a bit like going to a really well-​catered wedding reception way out in the country. It just happens to be in E Austin. A nice diversion.
They’ve created a cool experience al fresco. The food trailer kitchen and Airstream bar are great novelties. The tasting menu is generally of high quality and the staff is very friendly. I’ve heard a few friends complain of long dining experiences on «event» days, like Valentines, etc, but I’ve had good luck here in general.
I’m not sure I would go here in the dead of winter or in the heat of August, but if the weather is remotely nice outside, it’s a very nice experience. Tell the gals in your party they will be walking on hay if they are sporting stiletto heels or something…

Now if you’ve been dragging your feet to get here, just go already. Make a reservation right meow!
First, I want to start by saying that our server was zee best! She was so passionate and very well informed of that particular evenings menu that she made us excited for each course that followed.
BYOB. Take this and wander around the grounds in between courses to check out the veggies, the ducks, the flowers. All delightful.
Zero complaints.

Eden East is an example of why Unilocal should let me have a best place ever button. Between the rustic string lights draped from tree to tree, the creative menu presented by chef and a service staff that never seemed to stop smiling, I will whole heartedly require anyone I know who visits Austin to stop in for a meal.
Food (5):
While not every dish was the best thing I had ever had, each and every one featured ludicrously fresh ingredients, presented in a fun way. The Chicken Fried Trout (very good) and the Sweet Corn Sorbet with Peach Tart (amazing) were both fun takes on a traditional preparation technique morphed to what was freshest that day. The most innovative dish presented however, was a Vegetable Tartare (good), that featured perfectly ripened tomatoes as the hearty feature.
Drinks (NA):
For those who don’t know, Eden East is BYOB. They do a great job chilling bottles, providing glassware, and being generally accommodating. Additionally, there is a jetstream trailer (at least at the time of this review), with a great bartender making free vodka cocktails.
Service (5):
The service at Eden East was a great example of picking the correct service mentality for a restaurant. All the staff members were cheerful, friendly, down to earth folks who were clearly passionate about the food being served and the farms that it came from. The service dress code seemed to be tattoos and sundresses and I wouldn’t do a thing to change it.

Eden East provides a lovely dining experience beyond merely eating a meal. Situated within the Springdale Farm, Eden East serves a multi-​course prix fixe menu made from ingredients from local farms. Reservations are mandatory, as seating, particularly in cold /​inclement weather, is limited.
When we arrived we were greeted in a cozy farm-​house room presided over by «Uncle Buck» the deer in the red bowler hat mounted on the wall. The staff invited us to explore the farm at our leisure, even between courses if we so desired. Although dark, we could see rows of plants and see a few chickens that were still out in their yard. There was a lovely bonfire on the property for enjoying between courses or after dinner. Seating on the night that we went was indoors at long tables with benches. As each dish was presented we were told its story including source of ingredients, chef’s inspiration for the dish, and any deviations to the printed menu due to availability of ingredients.
Since the menu changes with whatever is seasonally available, it does not help future diners for me to describe the food. Suffice it to say, it was all delicious and artfully prepared and presented.
We loved our experience here and hope to go back when the weather is better and we can sit outside under the oak grove.

I stepped out into Eden East during the Fall season and had the most delicious, savory, fresh, and homey farm to table meal. Decorated with beautiful assorted lights, Eden East gives you that warm fuzzy Christmas feeling. The tables are decorated with various home-​styled plates, cups, and silverware that will make you want to go back to grandma’s house.
Using farm raised produce and meat from their neighbor Springdale Farm, Eden East served us a one of a kind meal. They served us an unforgettable Cranberry Holiday Tea that I still crave while currently writing this review.
Eden East is all about the family meal atmosphere: sharing large dishes with others. The pumpkin soup was placed at our table in a gigantic bowl. Awkwardly using a tea cup as a ladle, I silently scooped some soup into my bowl in front of everybody. Everyone else followed and it soon became an interesting conversation starter. The pumpkin soup was bursting with flavor that I scooped up 4 more bowls, no guilt.
The salad served was a seasonal slaw with roasted garlic aioli. Each bite was full of fresh crisp flavor that made me not want to buy packaged greens ever again.
The handmade baked Mac & Goat Cheese was well balanced; it was baked perfectly and the cheese wasn’t overwhelming.
The Whole Roasted Chicken entrée was of course the main attraction. The meat was deliciously moist with every bite. I don’t think I could ever make a delectable chicken like Eden East.
Executive chef Sonya Cote really outdid herself with this meal. For dessert, we were handed sticks, marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers. Everyone instantly ran to the fire pits and started roasting their marshmallows. Squatting down next to the fire huddled up with everyone felt cozy. Seeing everyone smile and laugh felt warm. Being at Eden East eating great food felt right.