Emerald Restaurant

What a great find… we came here because we were headed to One World Theatre. It is a quaint little house that looks a little run down but the service, the family who owns and works there are very friendly and attentive. We had the Chateubriand and it wa to die for… the onion soup was equally fantastic. We will be back!

Being from England I had a good idea of what to expect in terms of décor from an Irish restaurant in Tx, but what I didn’t expect was the quality of the food. We did have high hopes after looking at other reviews but was blown away by the taste of (nearly) everything.
We managed to get the Groupon deal which turned out to be great value. The soup and salad courses were both very nice, but the chateaubriand and mushroom sauce took things up a level. The carrots (yep carrots) were the «star of the show», absolutely delicious and we ended up getting the recipe from the chef!
Our only criticism on the food was that the whiskey cake was a little heavy for our taste, but that could be just ourselves and don’t let this sway any decision about eating at The Emerald, the food is fantastic!

Oh my god. This may be the most charming place in which I have eaten, and it was definitely one of the best meals of my life, hands down. The (very Irish) family owned establishment lies just outside of Austin in Bee Caves next to the Galleria however once you arrive to Emerald the Galleria and it’s slightly prissy frame of mind seem blissfully far away.
The food is exceptional — we ordered one of the set menus with the beef entrée. The bread comes out first, two types of homemade Irish soda bread as well as homemade butter both plain and strawberry flavored. Blissful start. Then the potato soup, followed by the salad which is drizzled with what I assume must have been crack, and then a small palate cleanser. Sam and I were already comfortably full at this point, and after chatting with our waitress and the chef (who are brother and sister) out comes our huge platter of steaming rare beef and a cornucopia of vegetables. The quality of the beef was excellent. I especially liked the mushroom sauce draped over the beef, as well as the single red potato on my plate. Where the heck did they get that potato? Ireland I guess because I am sure that they don’t taste that good here. We barely finished half of the huge portion, but mostly because the phrase «whiskey soaked Irish cake» was thrown out to us. The cake was indeed very whisky-​ie and utterly delicious. Afterward we shared a pot of tea which I would not recommend even though the tea was good as it almost knocked us and our satiated bellies out right on top of our forks and knives. We were given our goose-​foil-​wrapped-​left-​overs to-​go. Next time — red wine (not kidding, they have one bottle that is, wowza, $ 30,000…but also a few glasses in the much more realistic range of $ 10).
Fun Fact: We were told that there is typically a harpist who plays while you dine (he was on a cruise when we went!).
Emerald is indeed pricey, but it is exactly the place to come on a special occasion and wind down with good friends and revelry and good drinks and food. It is a little escape nestled into the hill country. The first thing our lovely waitress said to me after she showed us to our table was (looking directly at me), «Oh, my! You look so Irish!» Seriously the best compliment that I have ever received and it cracked Sam up. We will return.

The service was great but the quality of the food and the ambiance does not justify anywhere close to a $ 300 price tag for a dinner for two.

Like many other reviewers, I, too, was enticed to visit Emerald by a Groupon. My spouse and I chose the chateaubriand menu option for $ 79 for two people. The full menu for this option can be viewed on their website, and the list price for this is $ 175.50. They also have an ala carte menu, but I would guess that the only business they get these days is via the Groupon prix fixe deal, and I will explain why later.
There is so much that needs to be said about this restaurant, but unfortunately, Unilocal has a character limit that does not allow me to truly give readers of this review everything they need to know. I’ve written a full review on different site, and will summarize with bullets here.
–The atmosphere is bizarre. I mean, a gravesite for the family dog out in front kind of bizarre (literally). The décor is «House Beautiful» from 1934 and verges on seriously tacky. Also, the floors are carpeted and look like decades of dirt are ground-​in to them. It is Old World and Third World at the same time — and kinda depressing.
–The food is good and service is gracious but slow. Adopt a European attitude toward dining when eating here.
–While the food is good, it is nowhere near «fine dining» or «haute cuisine» level, despite the outrageous prices they want to charge. It’s not even a good deal on a Groupon. The methods and flavors for the food are dated and non-​technical. It seems to me that the owners have not stepped outside of their time warp of 50 years ago to see what the modern Austin food scene is like and what people can get for their money when dining at true fine dining establishments in the area. Any decent home cook can replicate the Groupon chateaubriand menu at home for a fraction of the cost. Personally, when I dine out at these prices, I don’t want to feel like I could cook the same thing at home myself.
Now, here is the main reason I give this place only two stars. It is an extremely poor value, even with the Groupon. Including the Groupon, we ended up paying about $ 175 total, including the «suggested» tip and drinks. I can’t help but compare and contrast this to Paul Qui’s prix fixe menu, which is $ 70/​person ($ 140 for two). At Qui, you get truly haute cuisine from an inspired chef in a hip location, a fun (non-​depressing) atmosphere, clean floors, impeccable service, and one of the best meals (IMO) you can get in Austin. My spouse commented as we left that had we paid list prices for what we ate, it would have made for a very angry time. I think the owners of this restaurant wildly overestimate what their food and restaurant is worth. If you peruse their ala carte menu, a sampling of their prices includes $ 28.50 for Irish stew and chicken breast for $ 36.75. Seriously? $ 36.75 for ONE chicken breast? Not even a half chicken? You don’t pay those kinds of prices at Michelin-​starred restaurants in Manhattan, let alone Central Texas. To top it off, as other reviewers have commented, we, too, were «surprised» with the reminder to tip on the inflated list price of the meal, not the Groupon cost. We received an itemized note on what the list price was of the meal, our add-​ons (drinks) and a «suggested» tip based on that. I get that Grouponers sometimes «forget» to tip on the list price of their Groupon meals, but I found that to be tacky, tacky, tacky. It wouldn’t have been so bad if we were tipping servers who were working for the restaurant, but we were being served by the owners themselves.
Finally, the restaurant was pretty much empty when we went. The two other tables that were there that night were also on Groupons. Based on comments made by the chef and server, I got the distinct impression that the bulk of their business is Groupon-​based. Given that their regular menu prices border on the ridiculous and laughable (almost $ 40 for a single chicken breast, people), I can’t imagine that anyone would ever go to Emerald on anything but a Groupon. Even at the Groupon price, you’d be able to get a much better dining experience elsewhere in town, such as at Qui, noted above.

The most romantic restaurant have ever been to. A candle is lit in the beginning and somehow exactly burns to the nub when you are done. It has been years since I have eaten there but when I used to go, it was family. Owned and operated. Delicacies served included organ meats.

This place was such a pleasant surprise. All of the food was fantastic, and such a cute quaint setting. It’s very intimate atmosphere and a touch whimsical, but I can’t say enough about the food — chateaubriand for two was AMAZING.

I received a Groupon to this restaurant for the Chateaubriand for two… It was amazing! The food was delicious, the service was among the best I have ever experienced – the staff was very friendly and attentive throughout the evening.
The only drawback is that it’s a bit on the pricey side, which I think relegates this place to «great for a special occasion.» BUT the food and service are absolutely worth it, and I would definitely go here again!

Paid over $ 200 for 2 lobster and steak Groupons. Plate was disgusting looking, no lobster just some creamed thing with a piece of lobster. Rest of meal was not edible except for soup. DON’T buy Groupon;, DON’T eat here.

meh.
As others have stated before, so I won’t go too far into the details, the price after the coupons you have are applied is still a little high for what you get. The décor is great, a quaint little building unlike anything else around, and the food is genuinely good, but just not worth the price.

I made a wonderful discovery. My discovery is a fine dining restaurant right here in the Bee Cave/​Lakeway area. No one has even mentioned it to me.
It was perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. What is the name of this delightful jewel, you ask? Emerald. It is located on Hwy 71 and has been established for over 30 years. It’s a little difficult to see, but only a short distance on the right from the stop light at ⁷¹⁄₆₂₀ driving towards Marble Falls. As I walked up the pathway to the quaint house built in the last century, I felt as if I were going to visit friends, not a restaurant. I was greeted by a lovely colleen in traditional Irish dress and the sounds of a harp. I was seated at a table dressed in lace tablecloth with fine Belleek porcelain china and cut glass stemware all bathed in the glow of candles. I selected the chateaubriand steak and lobster. I was not disappointed. From the potato soup, salad, sorbet, entrée, to the fabulous cheesecake desserts and coffee, I was entranced with delicious aromas, enticing visual appeal, and entrancing flavors. The wait staff and owner and harpist were attentive and very friendly. I felt as if I were dining with friends in a private home. Having missed this fabulous restaurant all these years, I can assure you I’m looking at my calendar for the next available date to recreate this delightful experience.

Friends purchased a Groupon to Emerald’s and asked us to join them for the experience. Since none of us had ever been, we weren’t sure what to expect, but upon arrival we found a quaint cottage that was a little cramped and dated, but felt like an Irish house, sitting at someones table and enjoying their finest china.
The staff was very sweet and attentive, and kept the food coming at an appropriate pace so you could enjoy conversation and not feel like you were being rushed through your meal. The bread was very good and we enjoyed the strawberry butter, so no complaints. Our first course was the potato soup, very creamy and had a nice flavor, a little more that I would have preferred, but that soon became apparent with the entire meal, all portions were large.
We ordered two bottles of wine, a chardonnay and a French red, both well over priced compared to most restaurants, but we were here to have some fun and enjoy the meal, so we agreed to splurge. A Sterling Chardonnay for $ 40 and the red for $ 50 was fine, but not great, so that was a little disappointing.
The sale was good, and we all agreed the dressing was very tasty. The Chateaubriand arrived on a huge platter with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes, covered in a mushroom sauce that is tasty, although the steak was a little chewy, but cooked to the right temperature and although not the best, certainly not the worst I’ve ever had.
The final course was the whisky cake which we found to be moist and quite good. Two of us ordered a Irish Coffee, which was a great way to finish the meal and matched well with the cake.
When the bill arrived, this is when the meal became a little bitter. The check showed $ 540.17 for the entire meal! I thought, how in the hell did they ever arrive at that number? I’ve had Chateaubriand a number of times, and never paid much more than $ 100. Considering over priced wine at $ 90, $ 200 for 4 of us with the steak, another $ 40 for soup and maybe $ 30 for 4 desserts, a great restaurant would have charged us roughly $ 360. After taking off the discount from Groupon, our bill was still $ 189! I guess the Irish Whiskey was $ 40 a glass! They had the audacity to suggest a tip of $ 108, for a meal that was grossly over inflated.
I’d suggest passing on a Groupon on the Emerald unless you want to walk out after having a decent meal feeling like you’ve been taken by some nice, sweet Irish sisters!

The most overrated overpriced restaurant in Travis County! I paid $ 70 for a groupon that covered my meal. We left owing $ 250. I won’t go back.
The food was okay nothing special.

Absolutely dreadful service, mediocre, overpriced food. Avoid at all costs! It’s a scam!!!
I don’t understand how anybody can call this place elegant or a fine dining establishment. I can only guess they’ve never dined at a real fine dining restaurant. I’ve eaten at all the top restaurants in town and this one is most definitely not one of them. It’s a ripoff, pure and simple.

My husband and I, too bought a Groupon for Emerald’s. I hadn’t read any of the reviews, (as I usually do before going to a new restaurant) beforehand, so I just got done browsing them. I find it incredibly interesting that we had a very opposite experience on the amount of food we received for our Groupon.
So we came in as a group of four, and the couple we came in with had dined at Emerald’s several times before, always loving the experience. We found the cottage atmosphere quaint, but a bit musty and old. The place settings were indeed beautiful with interesting rustic silverware, lovely cut crystal glasses and shamrock laden china — very cute. The wait staff, although a little mumbly was incredibly attentive and nice for the entire evening.
Soda Bread: For me, the soda bread was just ok. I’m not really used to having a first bread be sweet and maybe that’s what turned me off about it. It was excellent for bread, but just not a starter bread to me.
Potato Soup: At first, I was not impressed by the potato soup. Then, mid bowl, I really started to like it. Especially the spicy scallions placed on top mixed in… I actually really loved it by the end, it was fantastic. That doesn’t happen very often for me, so it was delightfully surprising.
Salad: Some here on Unilocal are calling this salad «unremarkable» but it was decent. Fresh greens, fresh tomato slice, plenty of shredded carrots — it was nice. A little heavy on the vinaigrette but everything was great. Wish I hadn’t eaten so much of it because…
Out came these huge platters of the Chateaubriand, (for the couple we were with) and Cornish Game Hen, (for us) that they served up for us… it looked so beautiful with cut fruit and lettuce — a lovely presentation that they carefully put together on small plates table side for us. I’ve never seen that so it was cool.
The Cornish Game Hen main entrée was HUGE. Like, just this plate of food alone would have been enough for the entire evening. One hen each for my husband and I. I sit here writing this at 6:40am and my stomach is rock hard full still from this meal — and mind you, I took over half of this plate home in a cute little wrapped swan aluminum foil. But it was excellent. The hen was cooked perfectly, under a sweet sauce — although way too much of the sauce was on the plate. Carrot slices and broccoli were fantastic, and a perfectly roasted potato was off to the side. Then all of this was on an amazing savory stuffing that I loved. So. Much. Food. They were happy to wrap it up for me, which I appreciated!
About then, the chef came out and introduced himself and asked how everything was and spent some time talking to a table near us, and we thought that was awesome.
After that, I had no idea that we were also getting dessert. Our waitress asked if each couple would like to split one dessert and have the rest wrapped up to go — an excellent suggestion on her part. We took her up on that immediately.
Dessert: This was a whiskey cake with dollops of what was probably house made whipped cream topped with oranges and strawberries. Again, wonderfully presented. Very sweet, however, but the cream evened that out a bit. I had to stop after a few bites — a combination of being really full and overt sweetness was overwhelming. So good, though.
So my overall opinion of Emerald’s — contrary to other reviews here — is holy food, Batman. Come hungry. There were things that I really enjoyed here, and things that I thought could have been a lot better, but the experience was uniquely interesting enough that I’m offering a four star rating. There’s something different going on here that is a truly different experience than anywhere else around Austin and I think that it’s something that everyone should try. Kudos to the chef for the mostly excellent eats and gorgeous presentations throughout the evening. Kudos to the attentive staff who kept our glasses full and our evening flowing nicely through so many courses, I almost lost count. At some point, I will be back to try something off of the regular menu!

Fine Dining meets old world charm! We dined at the Emerald Restaurant to celebrate my partner Tiffany’s birthday. :-) My experience: Service was impeccable. The food was perfection. Charming old cottage location. Not a downtown experience, never intended to be. David the chef was attentive and approachable.
5 stars out of 5 stars!

My wife and I had a wonderful time here. I’ve dined at quite a few of the high end restaurants in Austin and several in other cites as well (Paris, London, Las Vegas, New Orleans) and I would highly recommend the food here. The atmosphere is different and the building is a bit shabby, but if you can get past that, the food is excellent.
btw…Groupon is the scam artist, not Emerald.

This was our third and most disappointing visit to the Emerald, having purchased a $ 109 Groupon that supposedly provided me with $ 240 worth of menu.
Hardly.
The meal consisted of a potato soup, a small unremarkable salad, a plate with a few vegetables (three slices of carrot, one small potato, and a small piece of broccoli), a couple of slices of beef and three tiny pieces of lobster in a sauce over some bread, and a slice of cake. Their ad made it appear to be much, much more. A photo showing three large lobsters on a serving dish was accompanied by text reading «Chateaubriand beef and lobster tail» leading one to believe that an entire lobster tail would accompany a generous serving of beef.
By comparison, a Filet Mignon served with lobster tail at Perry’s (an expensive steakhouse) in downtown Austin is $ 46. There’s no way the meal at The Emerald retailed for $ 120 each. In fact it could not be found on their menu. What they did is mark it up so they could discount it at Groupon. It is an old retailing trick.
OK, so how do I feel now that I have been tricked? I feel tricked, not served. The food was decent, not wonderful, not plentiful, not bad, but I felt victimized, ripped off. The meal was probably worth a little less than what I paid for it. I paid $ 109 (at a comparable restaurant it would have been about $ 80 – 90), but the tip was based on a full price of $ 240, so I probably paid $ 30 – 40 too much.
I said this was my third visit, and it will be my last. You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you have finished fooling this guy this time.

When you first walk in the small interior «porch» it does feel as if you’ve been sent through a time warp or to some alternate universe. Think «Twilight Zone» set in the 18^th century. Once seated, and taking a few minutes from your journey to settle into an odd Irish version of «Alice in Wonderland» type of dining experience, it suddenly all becomes uniquely fun. It’s almost like there’s pixie dust in the air or something.
The house that the restaurant is now in was built in the 1920s, and has been family owned and operated since 1982. Everyone here, from waitstaff to chefs are all family and very nice. Yes, the service is slow — to be expected with a chef 3– or 5-​course menu (although I will say things are sloooower here in Fairy Land). For a 3-​course be prepared for about a 2.5 hour «experience.»
We ordered drinks and took in all of surroundings during the wait. Yes, it looks like «grandma’s» house, but fortunately didn’t smell like one. Old peeling wallpaper, creaky floors and chairs, lace tablecloths and curtains about. Proper setting of Celtic themed China and nice crystal glasses. A harpist next to our table taking requests: Queen, Lady Gaga, and a killer Stairway to Heaven. Again, remember, I’m was high on something and hadn’t had a drop to drink yet.
Cocktail (beer for my hubby) and first course. Authentic Irish soda bread (very heavy) with salted & strawberry butters. Irish potato soup made with a rich duck stock. Tasty.
Another drink. Wait for second course.
Simple salad with house made tomato based vinaigrette. Different, but it worked. Tasted like a very light marinara sauce on veg.
Entrée at last. Chateaubriand covered with au jus red wine reduction with white mushrooms and shallots accompanied by sugared carrots, steamed broccoli, and a hunk o’ potato all served and carved tableside off of a very large silver platter. We ordered the steak med-​rare. The steak was blue! The only pink was the sear on the outside. I was very hesitant, but to my surprise it was such a wonderful cut of meat, so tender; so yummy, so melt in mouth, so what if it was raw. Again, everything was kind of hazy.
Irish whiskey cake served for dessert. I’m not a dessert person per se, so I just had a bite or two off of my husband’s plate. It was OK. Very dense; would have enjoyed having a knife. They prepared my cake to go in a cute, straight from the 80s, aluminum swan! Husband’s Irish coffee arrived just as he was finishing dessert (about 20 minutes after ordering), so we sat and relaxed as he sipped away.
Now onto the somewhat awkward part, and one thing that sticks out in several of the less than stellar reviews The Emerald has received: getting the CHECK. Like others, we too had purchased a Groupon for the 3-​course meal for 2. Paid $ 69 for what the Emerald states is a $ 175 value. We did not receive any sort of itemized bill (I really should have asked for one); Only a standard bill they employ that had original price, gift certificate price, total after discount, and suggested gratuity on it (pic posted). Odd. There business must really depend on Groupons and the like for them to have these preprinted, fill-​in-​the-​blank «checks» on hand.
our BILL:
Original guest check: $ 250.05
Gift certificate discount: $ 175.50 (aka Groupon)
Total after discount: $ 74.55
Suggested gratuity: $ 50.01
$ 69 Groupon, $$ 74.55 for drinks (no wine, just beer, 2 vodka soda, and a coffee=~$ 75???), + suggested gratuity = $ 193.55 total out of pocket. I can totally understand why some people got confused and others felt ripped off. The spell the place casts on you starts to slightly wear off after you receive the check and the last thing that happens is typically what people are going to remember most.
The Emerald inferred it was a $ 250 meal, we paid $ 200. I’ve had $ 200 meals before. I’ve have $ 400+ meals before (oh French Room in Dallas)…this was good but it was NOT a $ 200 – 250 meal. A little steep, but highly entertaining on many levels. I wish it was a bit more affordable because we would definitely go back for another ride on that dizzying merry-go-round…and for the blue beef.
Food, service, overall «experience» = 4 stars. Chateaubriand alone = 5 stars. Odd billing system and drinks costs = 2 stars. Mean = 3.67 so hence 4 star rating.

My husband and I are not food critics, nor do I get paid for reviews, but we do appreciate a good meal and excellent service, unlike some of the reviewers who have posted here, and we have purchased the Groupon 5 – 6 times, which is an amazing deal, IMHO. We have even done their Valentine’s special and their Mother’s Day special which has extra-​nice surprises!
This is NOT a chain restaurant, like Subway or Jason’s deli, and shame on anyone for even comparing them. This is not a simple soup and salad place or diet place; this is definitely a home-​cooked meal. They obviously put lots of care into their food and service.
While the décor may be a little dated, that’s part of this restaurant’s charm, as are the little trinkets and plaques from Ireland, in keeping with the Old-​World feel. I must say that I am disappointed in the callous and just plain mean reviews that I have read about what is one of my favorite dining experiences. People who criticize their unusual dresses are just plain shallow. Shame on anyone for being so shallow as to judge a place or person based on their dress. The waitstaff are sincere, friendly, and attentive. If this was a restaurant abroad, visitors would find this place a quaint, charming, little delight!
Food:
The balance of savory and sweet is just right, and the tastes do not contradict each other. Also, anyone with nut allergies is safe here, just let your server know, as I do every time I eat something new.
Breads– for those who are not gf, these are a delicious little sample of what’s to come, sweetening your appetite and with strawberry or plain whipped butters.
Potato soup– savory, full of chunks of potato and onion.
Salad– just the right amount of a palate cleanser, with a fruity vinaigrette made from scratch.
Sorbet– another delightful taste (only a spoonful) to satisfy the palate between courses.
Chateaubriand — they know how to make a true medium rare. The meat was so tender I could cut it with a fork and it wasn’t even filet! Lovely rich mushroom sauce and excellently cooked and seasoned vegetables. The carrots taste like candy.
Whiskey cake — not gluten-​free, but that’s the only negative here. Tastefully rich and just the right amount to prevent you from feeling really guilty about deviating from your diet for this treat.
And I haven’t even mentioned the awesome presentation! With fresh-​cut limes and tomatoes cut into flowers and similar little touches, they obviously take pride and care in what and how they serve.
This restaurant does require reservations, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, but it is well-​worth the planning.