Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile

Everything about this restaurant was GREAT! Location, food, view… all lovely!
HOWEVER… We made a reservation for 7:30pm for an inside seat. We didn’t get seated until 8:15pm, and despite confirming that we would have an inside seat when arriving to the restaurant, we were seated outside. It was 95 degrees and there were no fans to cool off our table. Our party was very sweaty and uncomfortable :(

Oh-​my-​goodness! We stumbled on this place because it was near our hotel. The décor alone was worth the stop. Beautiful view of the Colorado River from the patio. And… The food! We had the chicken fried steak, the shrimp & grits, sausage & pickles, hush puppies, the big salad and fresh blueberry ice cream with blueberry crumble. It was all as good as it sounds. The only improvement might be a more gracias hostess but all the rest of the staff was phenomenal. The mercantile store on the way out was a fun stop.

I kind of hate to let the cat out of the bag, but Jacoby’s brunch is the bomb. Excellent bloody Marys, a good choice of healthy and not-​so-​healthy food options, and homemade everything. Parking near the restaurant is mostly valet, but I parked across the street and walked over instead. The view from their patio is really beautiful, too.

Nice place with great customer service. The food was alright. I was there for Sunday brunch and had the cheeseburger and also tried their infamous strawberry cake. It was like any other burger and cake. There was nothing too special about it. I expected much more for the price. Oh BTW their mimosa is a tiny serving, definitely a ripoff in my opinion. Be prepared to do Valet parking. $$$$$$

Came here on a Sunday for brunch. My boyfriend had the Smoked Short Rib Hash ($ 17) and I had the Fried Chicken ($ 11). It was the best fried chicken I’ve ever had in my life. It was cooked perfectly. Each bite had a nice crunch from the fried batter and tender juicy chicken overall very well seasoned. I still dream about the fried chicken. The Smoked Short Rib Hash was ok, a nice meal for brunch but nothing special. We also had quiche for an appetizer, which was nice and light.
Besides the food the service was top notch and the ambiance was very nice as well! We ate outside and had a really nice view (good spot to take pictures). Would definitely come here again for the fried chicken.

Amazingly delicious… Love the menu offerings and the great service. Any place that has Pimento Cheese and a veggie meatloaf option is fantastic in my eyes. They can improve the cornbread recipe but other than that everything else is amazing.

I came here for happy hour and dinner with a girlfriend. We sat outside on the patio overlooking the river. What a lovely space! It has a very laid back vibe and the food and drinks are great!
I started with some sort of blackberry cocktail. The name escapes me right now, but it was very refreshing! I also had a Thai One On with my meal. Both drinks were good!
For dinner, I had the vegetarian meatloaf (mushroom, summer squash, wild rice, dried cranberries and porcini cream gravy). It was so meaty tasting! I cleaned my plate. We had the macaroni and cheese as our shared side, which I guess is one of their most popular dishes, but I wasn’t wowed.
After dinner, we walked the grounds and made a stop into the mercantile shop. Such cute stuff, most of which is handmade. This is a great place to pick up locally made soaps, candles and jewelry.
I look forward to going back to Jacoby’s and have already recommended it to several friends and family members.

We went to Jacoby’s for brunch Sunday. I was a bit skeptical of the prices and whole «farm to table» thing in East Austin but decided to give it a try. We did have about an hour wait but we went to the connected store and had coffee and also walked outside to the nice view of the Colorado River and hills. The stuff in the store was interesting to look at but clearly over-​priced. Its like they just added and extra 30% to everything from antlers to arrowheads, dog leashes to candles, but it was interesting to look at. I recommend they lower prices and we may have bought something like a candle or other knick knack.
The wait was worth it. We got a great table outside in the expansive covered patio. It was raining but we were fully protected under the porch and could still enjoy the environment. We ordered and shared a few things all of which were very good. I got the short rib hash which was very flavorful and fresh (my poached egg whites were a bit under done but still good). My wife and dad shared the ham schnitzel with poached eggs which was really good. Not salty like we thought it may be. Very fresh. Lastly, my sister and niece shared the huge burger and fries with egg on it. Fresh beef, very flavorful. Good fries.
Prices were leaning high, especially for the drinks (so I drank water). Food prices were mid to high but with large portions to make up for it. I would highly recommend Jacoby’s for a special Sunday brunch with family and friends. Food and service were very good. Food was so fresh it made me a believer in the farm to table story behind Jacoby’s. Also bathrooms were clean which is key for me. Enjoy!

Jack Allen’s Kitchen is better across the board: Location (s), food, service, quality, authenticity, execution, staff and overall experience. Go spend your money with that Local Farm-​to-​table establishment and thank me later.
It’s been 8 days since I contacted Jacoby’s about my experience and I’ve yet to hear back. Since all respect is lost I have no problem putting them on blast here, and then some. This could’ve been avoided if any consideration or care was given by Jacoby’s management when I contacted them directly.
I visited here for the first time for an anniversary with my fiancé on a Thursday. We noted that on our reservation, which we made for 6:30 during their Happy Hour 5 – 7 which we saw advertised on their website. The hostess attempts to seat us at a small 2 top table pressed up against the wall and then gave me major attitude when I asked for something larger. I got us moved to a larger table and was happy. Moving on…
Our server greets us and we start asking about the Happy Hour that we intentionally arrived during and he tells us that the Happy Hour ends at 6:00, then looks at his watch and says «Yea, so we’re past that.» Note: there was a Happy Hour menu on our table, as well. Even though we ordered apps before 7:00 that were on the Happy Hour menu, the bill reflected full price items. All I have to say at this point is WTF. Looking back, I wish I had spoken up about it but we let it go because it was our anniversary.
We ordered a lot of food and it was good, but I’ve had better in Austin. Mac n cheese is under par. We had 2 entrees and a side of mac n cheese leftover that the server offered to box (3 plates & all 3 were large portions). He comes back with it all piled on top of eachother in 1 box. I paid a lot of money for that food. Unless I tell you to box it in an «I-don’t-give-a» fashion, then please don’t. I could be allergic to something on my fiancé’s entrée. Just don’t do that!
Poor/​bad service is a reflection on the restaurant as a whole and management. Our service sucked and our server acted unprofessional from start to finish. I will not be returning to Jacoby’s or recommend it.

Man I really wanted this place to be aces, and they are trying, but there are some major holes in the program still. We went for brunch.
The coffee was okay, but it comes as half a cup 25 minutes after you order it. So if you happen to be one of the 90% of adults that enjoy coffee with brunch you might want to call ahead and order the coffee on the phone so you can have it with your meal. The bonus is the fresh whipped cream they make for the coffee. I got to know it well as I watched it slowly become less impressive looking and less puffy before the coffee came 25 minutes later.
The bloody mary was good, but as someone who doesn’t eat pork or beef I was a little frustrated by the sausage link that comes as a garnish in the bloody mary. I’ve had thousands of bloody mary’s and that’s a new one. That is kind of something that should be mentioned in the menu or by the server. At least there was no sausage in the coffee.
The dessert sounded good, because after pushing the dessert menu pretty heavily the server couldn’t find said menu, so had to recite them. We ordered an item, and the server came back to regretfully announce that not only were they out of menus, they were out of that dessert. But we were told to check out the mercantile, which to me seemed like a gift shop attached to the restaurant which you’re supposed to be amazed by. Wow! They have another place in here where you can spend money?! Not since the Cracker Barrel have I seen such innovation!
I do sort of think maybe this place is different for other meals due to all the great ratings, so I’m not going to trash it, but by the way things went yesterday they might want to think about changing the name and slogan during brunch to «Clusterfudge’s: where brunch is way way too complicated! Check out the mercantile!»
The view out back is awesome though!

You gotta love a family run restaurant where you can count on the fact that what you’re eating came from one of their farms or partner farms.
You gotta love a place that makes a sazerac and old fashioned the right way.
You gotta get the 22 oz ribeye.
You gotta get the über-​sharp Mac n cheese.
You gotta love that every server knows the menu backwards and forwards.
You’ll love jacobys.
Note: this place didn’t get five stars because the ribeye I ordered last time was way too fatty for a $ 68 steak.

We loved everything about this place! The gorgeous outdoor space overlooking the Colorado river, the friendly and knowledgeable servers, the cute boutique store with an awesome selection of soy candles, but most of all the delicious craft cocktails and the amazing food! Jacoby’s earns a spot in my «Best Bets» list and in my *heart*.
The cornmeal crusted trout was great: lightly breaded so it didn’t overpower the fresh tasting fish, and the sauce was the perfect compliment. The burger is doesn’t have any fancy ingredients; the focus is on the great quality beef. The roasted yams was the perfect side and the chestnut dumplings were scrumptious. The Midnight Train is a complex yet refreshing cocktail, and I will be back until I work my way through the list because every cocktail looked amazing.

Let’s start with the bad and literally the only thing I don’t love about this place, the valet only way of parking. It’s cumbersome, you need cash to tip, and it’s a little awkward valeting a 1999 Subaru Forrester with cracked leather seats and the faint smell of cigarettes from the previous owner. But, hey it’s complimentary and the parking for the place has limited options, so roll with it.
First off, they source their meat locally, from their own ranch, and I’m pretty sure they’d give you the Facebook profile of the cow you’re eating if you asked. The Ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium-​rare (the way it should be) and seasoned with what can only be described as heaven dust. We also shared the brussel sprouts, a bottle of wine, and the goat cheese dumplings. Nothing bad to say about any of it, but the dumplings were incredible.
The service was borderline too attentive. If I wasn’t paying attention I would think my water glass was auto-​refilling. They have multiple floating staff that take care of all that stuff and since we were one of the few outside on the cold night, they probably just wanted to find stuff to do.
The last thing I’ll say about this amazing spot is that they have a couple of ducks in a pond on the grounds. You can take a stroll, drink in hand while you wait for your food to come out. So romantic. Perfect date night spot.

Happy hour from 5−6pm. The Castellargo «Albus» from Collio, Italy for $ 6 a glass was very nice. It can get crowded especially on their gorgeous patio during the spring and fall so try to make reservations. They have a valet or there is street parking available. I would have like more variety in the food items on the happy hour menu since their regular prices can be pretty steep on the mains.
I’d give it another shot.

I’m overwhelmed before I even begin this review because I’m kind of obsessed with this place. It’s my easy go to with out-​of-​town visitors and a great recommendation for locals looking for a new dinner spot. The minute you walk in and hopefully head straight outside, you will see the beauty everywhere. The wood, the tables, the succulents, the view of the river, the herb garden, the bunnies, the list goes on and on. It’s the little things and everything that make this space so special.
The menu has a variety of locally sourced produce and meat and poultry from the Jacoby family ranch in Central Texas and surrounding Austin areas. Their short, revolving Happy Hour menu is worth a visit alone. Although a few of the appetizers, or «snacks», have been hit or miss, there are still enough options to tempt any palate. The burger, the roasted chicken, and their constantly changing entrees have never failed to amaze me. Like, they have all been completely awesome. So good. Have I mentioned I like this place? The food is so delicious I don’t even want to talk about the drinks. Or the service. Or the mercantile with its unique, overpriced, carefully curated crafts and articles. Obviously, they are excellent as well.
Come and make yourself, your guests, or your Austin friends happy. I love what is happening to East Ceaser Chavez in terms of restaurants and bars and Jacobys is a prime example of the positive shift that is happening all around us in the Austin food and beverage world.

This is on the East Side where there are a lot of up and coming restaurants in the area. There is Valet parking and limited self parking spaces.
I made a reservation, but it was all door seating except a few and they wouldn’t let us sit inside even though I asked to be seated inside.
The outside seating is nice but in the summers of Texas it is really hot and not enjoyable for the dining experience.
The service was good, but the food wasn’t anything special for the pricing that you pay. I got the chicken fried steak and it was subpar, nothing fancy or super tasty about it for $ 19! There are plenty of places in Austin that I think have better chicken fried steak for a cheaper price. The onion rings weren’t good either. The burger was very dry, much better burgers can be found in Austin as well.
The scenery in the back is nice though, you can see the creek with nice seating.

This place is so adorable. Just the perfect spot for our romantic brunch. Don’t let the outside appearance fool you — it is a wonderful rustic oasis in the back, full of delicious food and friendly people. Major jackpot when the weather is cooler and the sun is shining.
We had a Sunday reservation at 10:30am. I thought I was maybe being a little over cautious making a reservation for right when they opened but there was a line to get in when we arrived 10 minutes early. I love the complimentary valet — too bad I drive such an embarrassing beater.
Classic breakfast or coffee and chicken+waffles. My Portland native boyfriend loved that they served bottled Stumptown coffee. The chicken and waffles were delicious, but I guess they had a few orders pre-​made as we got our plates like 3 minutes after ordering and well before the starter. The waffles were already on the soggy side as I’m sure they’d been marinating in gravy for a few minutes already. Wish they had made our food to order… We wouldn’t of minded the wait! Overall it significantly sped up our experience there while we just wanted to languish, relax and enjoy the beautiful patio.
A little pricey but not unreasonable for what you get. Portions are not thrifty. We are looking forward to coming back for a romantic dinner.

Wow how did I not hear about this place before?!
We did this post friends birthday brunch style.
House Smoked Salmon — I have never seen smoked salmon like this before. You have to look at the pictures and maybe you’ll understand. It genuinely looked like good quality salmon cut sashimi style. I’ve dabbled in smoked salmon here and there and this is the best smoked salmon I’ve ever had.
Deviled Eggs — One of our friends ordered this for the table. Deviled eggs are always good but I rarely order these at restaurants because usually deviled eggs taste the same no matter where you go.
Biscuits and Gravy — good but I’ve had better biscuits
Chicken Fried Steak and Waffles — so to my dismay I was expecting a regular sized chicken fried steak but received 3 small strips on top of a waffle quarters. I’m not a big fan of waffles so I did like how thin the waffles were — thinness means more crispy outside to less fluffy inside. If I had seen a pic of this ahead of time, I hate to say, I wouldn’t have ordered it.
Flank Steak — our friend ordered the same and as they set her plate down I was thinking man that is a huge portion. Then, as our’s got set down in front of us, my thought was where was the other half of the steak? As my husband cut into the steak he found it to be medium to medium well and as our friend cut into hers it looked to be medium rare (which is how we both ordered the steak so it wasn’t a switcharoo). Usually I would have mentioned something to the waiter but as I took my first bite, the flavors of the steak and whatever seasoning was on it filled my mouth and hit all the right tastebuds. I’m not one for medium/​medium well steak but the steak was still tender and the flavor is one I’d come back for.
Cheddar Grits — I saved this for last because this was amazing!!! These grits are the best grits I’ve had. They’re thick which means reeeeally cheesy. If the thickness doesn’t give it away, wait until you taste it. I’ve had cheese grits at other restaurants and you can’t even tell there’s cheese in it. To add to the amazingness is the puddle of melted clarified butter sitting on top of the grits. As if there wasn’t enough flavor, take that spoon and whip that clarified butter into the grits and just wait for the amazing flavor. I’m still craving these grits to this day!
We’ll have to come back and try some other dishes at different times of the day, but as for now I wouldn’t mind going back for brunch and having more of the salmon, steak, and grits.

Jacobys does a great job with presentation, décor, and atmosphere. The backyard has beautiful views over some landscape, and the decorations are straight out of Pinterest. Wait staff is very friendly also.
Florentine Benedict: the biscuits were tasty and buttery, and the runny poached eggs were good too. The food didn’t necessarily meet the standards of the presentation, but filling and yummy nonetheless. I didn’t like how the side salad consisted of only spinach leaves though.
Our group was given complimentary cranberry scones, which were super delicious and soft. Other dishes I tried that were noteworthy were the short rib hash and Mac and cheese.

Great happy hour, super nice service. The place is so beautifully designed and decorated, I wanted to take pictures of everything. The waiter told us we could walk around outside and the back patio and look at the river and bunnies while they were prepping our food and hed come out and get us once it’s ready. Sweet happy hour/​eat east deals. The creamed corn is super tasty and so is the shrimp and grits. We liked the Real gingery taste of the moscow/​other name mule, not generic fake ginger beer. The chicken fried steak was delicious and everything, especially the beet salad, was beautifullly presented. The mercantile/​store had some cute stuff for sale, pretty jewelry and home décor. We will definitely be back.
FYI, they have free valet.