Garbo’s Restaurant

One of my favorite things about Unilocal events is meeting new people and getting to pick their brains about their favorite local findings. At the last event, Lizz M and I somehow started chatting about Garbo’s (which had been on my list to try for waaay too long), and she mentioned that they had giant portions of awesome fish and chips.
Ooohh fish and chips?! I hadn’t had fish and chips done right since I last visited Seattle! My eyes got big and I was sold. Fast forward a few days and I was pulling up to Garbo’s for (finally) my first time on a sunny Saturday afternoon. There was a dog friendly patio on the side of the restaurant where I opted to sit– Lilly and Bailey will get to come next time now that I know about it. Service was friendly and prompt, and the fish and chips, at $ 5 off on Saturdays, were a steal and by far the best I’ve ever had. Yes, the best. Seattle may be known for its fresh seafood, but there’s a little place here in Texas that does fish and chips better. England might have us beat.

Okay here’s the scoop. Brunch on Sunday with a buddy and his boy. So where do we get something brunchy on the Northeast side of town? Bingo a former Lobster roll truck!!! (If you’re rolling your eyes right now, get over yourself, this is Austin its open season year round on weird) Back to the regularly scheduled review! I had the Lobster Roll. It’s pricey… like $ 30 for a sandwich pricey. Light mayo, celery, and cold tasty lobster served with fries and pickled veggies. The other two had mixed results with their orders. The boy got clam chowder and was impressed, my buddy though, made the brunchy choice of Farm Eggs and Lobster A.K.A eggs Florentine 86 the spinach sub asparagus spears and crown with a duo of lobster claws.
So now on to the real review. Roll eh it was good. Chowder stellar. Farm Eggs and some lobster… now do you see where this is going? Alright two key things locked this place in at 3 stars. One, it took over 15 minutes to get our two entrees and soup. Number two, The Farm Eggs and some lobster was stingy on lobster and came out cold. No bueno. Staff was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxing and nautical, but alas its about the food and that I’m willing to give a second chance.

I am at a lost for words, completely speechless. Cute little quaint neighborhood restaurant in a strip mall. I admire how they have the bar area with dinner tables separate from the family style seating. The ambiance is like sitting on a rooftop but you’re inside.
Erin the hostess/​waitress is very pleasant and professional.
The food comes out promptly. I ordered the Mini lobster roll Connecticut style; on an open-​face new england bun brushed in lemon tarragon butter and a little garlic with at least a half pound of fresh sweet lobster claws. The New England Clam Chowder definitely made fresh with chucks of clams. JUST SIMPLY AMAZING.
The special for the evening was steamed mussels in a garlic and butter white wine sauce topped with french fries and arugula.

Someone reached out to me to justify the over pricing and it still makes no sense.
«Market pricing «is the price per pound, by weight. Even if the lobster is 30 $ a pound (which its not because I looked it up) there is no way I had a pound of lobster. Thirty dollars is a gross over pricing and price gouging is disappointing.

I’ve been to Garbo’s 3 times and last night was my 4^th time. My previous dinners here were great and I fully expected to have another great dinner. Unfortunately, that was not the case. First thing I noticed was that the menu was very limited. Pretty much everything is fried and scallops was the only choice for a true dinner. Most of the selections seemed more appropriate for lunch choices. I ended up getting the lobster grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of tomato bisque. My friend, ordered a Kale salad with butternut squash and fennel slices and a side dish of roasted brussel sprouts.
My friend’s salad and brussel sprouts order came quickly, but my sandwich and soup came about 10 minutes later. The waitress apologized — nice of her. It was not crowded at all, so don’t know why they couldn’t have brought our orders at the same time.
Secondly — I opened up my sandwich to see how much lobster was actually in the sandwich and I found 4 small pieces. When I asked the waitress about it, she said that the standard amount per sandwich is 1 oz. Well, I think it should have been at least 2 oz. for the price of $ 18.00 for a soggy lobster pieces, tomatoes and cheese sandwich with 6 oz. of basil tomato soup on the side. Overpriced to say the least and I told the waitress to please tell someone in the back what my opinion was. I then politely told her I would not accept the overpriced sandwich, but I would eat the soup. She apologized and took the sandwich away.
My friends, Kale salad was very, very good. The brussel sprouts tasted as if they had been reheated from the night before. I know that because I do that myself at home! :) However, I don’t expect to get that at a restaurant.
We split the key lime pie and I wish I had ordered one for myself instead. It was superb! Loved it.
In my opinion, I think Garbo’s has lost its claim to fresh and well-​made product. Also, the rating of $$ above should be changed to $$$. That rating is more in line with their prices for what you get.
I hope things get better there because I have been a loyal follower since I discovered Garbo’s truck a couple of years ago near the Arboretum.

In a word, stellar. Friendly and efficient service, very fresh lobster, and an interior that is like a visit to the beach in Maine. I was looking for a place to eat on my way home from my office in N. Austin. A lobster roll sounded good — looked up Garbo’s on Unilocal and saw that it was nearby.
Garbo’s is in a quiet corner of N. Austin, almost into Round Rock. It’s in a unassuming strip center. Opening the door to the restaurant yields a beautifully thought out space — a small bar up front, lit with candles with a dining room with white-​washed wood walls just beyond. Beautiful and serene. The menu isn’t long — a few seafood/​lobster centric dishes along with a hamburger and a few other specials. The wine list was surprising — even had a personal favorite by the glass (Evening Land from OR).
From the menu, I tried the smoked fish starter (good and smoky served with toasted bread and cornicons), and had the «Maine» lobster roll (as opposed to the «Connecticut» butter dipped version) with fries. The lobster in the sandwich was incredibly fresh — as fresh as any that I’ve had on trips to Maine — and served in a freshly toasted roll. I learned that Garbo’s is owned by a family member of Maine lobstermen so she gets her lobsters directly off the family boat. The fries was as good as any that I’ve had this side of the Atlantic. Just a bit crispy and made in-​house. For dessert, I tried the key lime pie. I’m a real critic of ‘key lime’ pie anywhere outside of the Florida Keys (my grandmother had a ‘real’ key lime tree at her house just outside of Islamorada there). Most of the pies are made from limes source from Mexico — subtle difference but noticeable to anyone that’s had the real ‘key lime.’ Garbo’s key lime pie reminded me of my grandma’s — thick graham cracker crust supporting a limey custard with a bit of fresh whipped cream on top. Delish! Good way to end a great meal.
After having had a hugely disappointing (and costly) meal at one of Austin’s ‘fine dining’ establishments (looking at you Fleming’s), it’s refreshing to eat at a place that cares about its food and can recite where it is sourced. Two thumbs up!

WOW. I had a hard time not reviewing them while eating my meal, it was SO. GOOD After discussing between the lobster Mac and cheese (the special) and the lobster grilled cheese I opted out for the grilled cheese and tomato soup. FIRST, I didn’t plan on eating the soup, as I don’t like tomato soup. I couldn’t help but dip my lobster grilled cheese in it and I was SOLD.
My husband got the fish and chips, which came with awesome fries and a HUGE fish fillet that was fried and seasoned to perfection.
Not only was our waitress cute as can be, the owner took the time to stop by and talk with us. She was so friendly and personable I didn’t realize at first she was the owner, she empathized how hard she works to ensure the freshness of the food and IT SHOWS. I honestly can’t wait to come back and try more from the menu!

Now this is seafood done right!
I normally don’t eat lobster, but Garbo’s is something special. The lobster rolls are delightful and prepared well. The roll was delicious and buttery. So much butter, but sooooo good! Only gripe is the fries were a little cooked.
Their clam chowder was also really good. Super comfy on a cold night.
Fish and chips were great! Fish was flaky and moist. Batter was just enough and crispy.
I was also surprised at how good the dessert was. We had a thing that like an ice cream sandwich cake with no ice cream. The «ice cream» was a mousse-​like. The dessert was pretty light and super yummy.
I’m definitely coming back.
Oh, get the lobster grilled cheese. SO GOOD! Kind of wish I ordered that

My husband and I just spent $ 60 for lunch lol.
For a place that I am a 3 minute walk from at my office, I really like the close but dangerous to my wallet proximity that Garbo’s has set up shop. There are several small bites here that start from $ 6-​ish and then the actual meals and entrees themselves start up from $ 15+. Husband got the Maine lobster roll with fries and I got the special on Friday of the Lobster mac n cheese. $ 18 for what was mostly mac and cheese and 2 rubbery cuts of lobster made me go meh, should’ve gotten what I know and love which was the rolls they’re known for.
I’ve been to Garbo’s food truck in the arboretum since I live there and swear by the rolls they provide but the hot meal I got as an actual entrée didn’t make me feel like was worth the pretty penny I just paid. I’d go for the mini roll + cup of soup next time as I’ve heard that’s amazing. This isn’t a place I’d go everyday for lunch for concern of my financial habits but all in all, it’s a pretty solid place to go for Business or dinner where I can justify the price points better. It was pretty empty when I showed up Friday sans 3 – 4 people sitting around.

I came here for their ½ price burger Thursdays to check out how well this seafood forward spot could do a burger. They do a pretty damn good one. It’s quite tasty. The bun is delicious too and one of the very few times I’m ok with a poor meat to bun ratio (a good sized patty helps). Their fries are great too although they were over salted; I had to brush excess salt off of a few of them.
From the outside, this place is very unassuming. The interior is designed very nicely with a nautical New England yet homey feel. For their pricing and interior design, I feel they’d be better suited much further south than they are here. I was there for a late lunch after 1pm and there was only one other set of diners. Could be the area and that lunchers had to go back to work. Both servers I had were great and I’d definitely come back again to try some of their seafood options.

What a breath of fresh air! Not what I expected of a restaurant in a strip mall at all. Tastefully decorated in seaside, nautical décor, Garbo’s offers a variety of exciting seafood options. We had the Connecticut Lobster roll and the fish and chips which was a special price for Saturday afternoon. The lobster roll was very tasty… like butter. Yum! The fish and chips had a light, airy batter that was very crispy with a large piece of fish.
We wanted to order the pork and octopus but they were out. Also, asked about the fish tacos but the waiter said they were very small, like tiny, so we didn’t end up getting them.
I’ll be back to try out some other things on the menu and hopefully the pork and octopus.

An escape to the eastern coast is now just a few minutes drive north of Austin. Garbo’s is truly an escape from reality. Especially from the strip mall and gas station that are just steps away.
Garbos is serving up a classy seafood dining experience that goes beyond just their New England style lobster rolls. Their oyster selection is killer, and delicious. Come on Tuesday for oyster specials. These are oysters with flavor. Not just gulf oysters. I liked their food truck, but I love their brick and mortar. They also have a great selection of wines on the menu.
The staff is friendly, and accommodating. They were able to quickly whip up an order to go for me the other day. If you are gluten free, they are able to make a lettuce version of their lobster roll. It actually pairs great with the side of fries. Even though they didn’t have plastic utensils for me to take away with my order, they provided me with a real set, and trusted me to return them on my next visit. I love the generous large chunks of fresh moist lobster meat found in the lobster roll.
They have a quaint outdoor patio are that is dog friendly. Check out their website for daily specials. I can’t wait to try their Sunday brunch sometime in the near future.

I love Garbo’s. I was here for a Unilocal event a while back and kept telling my boyfriend about how awesome it was, so I decided to bring him here last weekend.
We went in knowing we wanted the fish and chips. They’re $ 10 on Saturdays before 5PM – an unbeatable deal! The batter is crispy and tender, and the fish is fresh and flaky. The portions are HUGE and honestly you could split one between two people, which we’ll probably do next time. Mainly so I can have dessert…
Service is great as well. I’ll definitely be back for fish and chips, but also for the heavenly lobster roll. It’s so nice to have such a great restaurant in north Austin!

I was there at their food truck competition with another lobster roll food truck.
I voted Garbo’s as my favorite!
Yesterday, I went in their brick & mortar. The prices went up again. That’s not the only thing that’s changed, the chips that went with the lobster roll is now fries and the bread roll itself is now a buttery grilled toast. The flavor is great, just wish they were consistent throughout the times I’ve been there.

Garbo’s– what a GEM.
We’ve been here several times now and they never fail to satisfy us thoroughly.
They have amazing oysters. Which can be paired with wine flights. Very nice. And the oysters are very clean. So good.
Such a hip cool seafood/​comfort food place. Everyone that works here is super nice and cheerful always. Spencer is a great bartender, very creative and Alex is the king of hospitality.
Mussels are nice and plump, have a very unique coconut, jalapeño and red onion broth that is so good with the pita/​pizza type bread that’s paired with it. They have a Riesling that I can’t remember the name of that pairs very nicely with this dish as well.
They are a wine serving bar, no liquor but very cool because they get creative with their mixed drinks. Some of the substitutes for their spirit concoctions are pretty impressive. And witty if you ask me.
***try the sake cooler**$ 5 yum
They have their items of the week that change, this weeks’ was squid and pork belly. We ordered it. Ate it. loved it. Ordered another. True story.
We had the scallops last time we were there and you’ve got to try them. Plump and perfectly executed.
The hamburger is another thing to try. Very juicy! We were not expecting it to be that juicy, dripping down the arm type juicy, but it worked and man it was good. and no one judged me for licking my fingers which doesn’t happen very often. Promise.
We still have yet to try the crab cakes, the steak and a few others but first we need to check off the brunch because I looked at their brunch menu and they have things like lobster and hollandaise (what??) And some other things that sounds ridiculously pleasing soooo yeah.
Do yourself a favor and go. Just sayin’

Finally they opened a store location and I got to try it out! Their lobster rolls are always amazing of course but the quality of food and service here were just absolutely outstanding. The owner was out and about running around, the bar tenders made great drinks while socializing just enough to make everyone comfortable, and the food was just the best ever.
We were lucky to be at a Unilocal event so got to try a bit of everything but I would definitely go back for bigger portions of just about everything that we had! Love love love ~~~

I tried both of the Maine and Connecticut lobster rolls, so good! Howeve, I prefer the Connecticut. The lobster was nice and sweet.
Portions are a tad small, I’d recommend getting an appetizer.

The Connecticut lobster roll is outstanding, A+! I love that the ingredients are kept simple and are allowed to speak for themselves: a delicious roll, drawn butter and fresh lobster meat (the freshest in town!), topped with a bit of tarragon. The accompanying fries are tasty too.
The restaurant space is clean and modern, with cute but not tacky beachy décor. The owner is very hands-​on and takes great pride in her food, and it really shows!

I can’t believe it took me so long to try Garbo’s brick-​and-​mortar! I stopped in last weekend and was very impressed. Upon walking up a host outside greeted us and asked if we had reservations. Well it turns out the dining room was pretty booked but we were able to sitting at their newly expanded bar area. Truly I loved the Cape Cod-​esque bar area! It felt inviting and upbeat.
Everyone we encountered was incredibly kind and helpful. I saw in the Instagram that they just got a new rose in that day. After perusing the wine menu I saw they actually had 3 roses (swoon). I tried one of the sparkling rose with my appetizer and a still for my entrée. The were light, refreshing and tasted as described. They also complimented our seafood dishes nicely.
We shared the seafood ceviche for our appetizer. The ceviche had lovely bright flavors and had plump shrimp, tender squid, lobster, refreshing watermelon, lime and sunchoke. This was a great way to start our meal.
Jesse ordered the Maine lobster roll for his entrée and I had the grilled octopus. The Maine lobster roll was served on a perfectly toasted thick bun and had a hardy serving of the most addicting fries. The grilled octopus was perfectly prepared and served with oilve oil potatoes, celery heart and an incredible Meyer lemon vinaigrette. This dish made my taste buds sing!
The location is in a strip mall but don’t let that sway you for trying Garbo’s out. Some of any cities gems are hidden away in strip malls. Prices are a bit steep but they deliver in quality so it is absolutely worth it.

After a year of chasing their food truck around north Austin to get my fix of lobster rolls, I finally made it to their brick and mortar for lunch a few months ago. The interior is charming and clean. Sort of a northeastern coastal vibe. I split the lobster roll and chowder with a friend and had a lovely slice of pie to top it off.
The lobster rolls are fresh, briny and chock full of sweet lobster meat. The rolls are baked fresh by Sweetish Hill Bakery and are buttery and soft, although not quite the traditional New England hotdog bun.
The chowder, or should I say chowdah, was perfect. Thick and rich with lots of tasty clams.
I realize I should have branched out and tried something new, but I do love a good lobstah roll and theirs is a good one. I definitely need another. On another side note, the chairs at this place could use some tweaking. They are beautiful, but kind of uncomfortable.