Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill

Not a local yet but the brunch here is one of the highlights of my visits. It is VERY hectic trying to get a table if you don’t show up early. There is a good variety of food (fried chicken, waffles, pancakes, french toast, migas, bacon, biscuits, bagels etc…) and all of it is better than most places. If you are late getting your name on the list your wait can end up being an hour or more. It’s close to an area with a decent amount of shopping so it is possible to put your name down, walk a few blocks down, kill some time and come back. Service is good, gets a little loud and family friendly but doesn’t take away from the experience. The past few times I’ve been there they haven’t had my favorite thing: super light and fluffy mini pancakes. Even without it, worth a trip out.

I’ve been to Moonshine every time I’ve stopped into Austin. It’s conveniently located next the convention center and not too far from Rainey st. I am STILL thinking about their black-​eyed pea burger!!! I have yet to find a spot in California that can top it

Absolutely. Unbelievable.
Saw the ratings in Unilocal,and decided to give it a try. We were lucky to get here around 2:00, after the lunch rush. Our waiter said the lunch wait today (on a Wednesday) was 45 minutes!
The calamari was huge and tender. The pork chop with chutney was perfectly seasoned, and the chicken almondine was delicious.
Our server was super personable and took time to explain menu items and give suggestions.
The building is historic and beautiful, and they have inside or outside seating.
We will definitely be back if we are visiting Austin again!

I went for Sunday brunch this past weekend. Was a little surprised that it was a breakfast buffet, but all the food was delicious. I had biscuits and chipotle cream gravy, deviled eggs, grits, migas, and some fried chicken. I think it was $ 18 for all you can eat! The food was replaced really quickly, everything was warm, nothing was sitting out.
I was by myself, showed up around 9am, was the first one to sit at the bar. A little disappointing that although they open at 9am, they don’t actually serve alcohol until 10am. The bartenders were great, they were on top my water glass (it never went empty) and make a mean screwdriver.
There was a line for the buffet, but it never got needlessly long, and the workers were good about crowd/​space control. By 9:30−10am the place was really popping. I’d definitely go back for brunch again!

LOVE. Went to Austin for a 1 day get away type thing. We came for dinner. We had the garlic bulbs to start. Well. *I* had them. Ever since I googled «tooth ache remedies» and had the husband chew on some garlic for his tooth, he’s been out on Garlic.lol. I had the shrimp and grits, probably the best I’ve had. Husband got the blackened catfish. Top it off, we got the peanut butter chocolate pie. Delicious!

that $ 15 all you can eat sunday brunch is what’s up
so. much. food.
go there in spandex otherwise you WILL have to unbutton your jeans from eating too much good food!

I showed up for Sunday brunch, found parking directly across the street but then walked into a pretty long wait. Asked for the bar and luckily, about 15m later I was sitting down. Think the wait was more than 1 hour. Ate as much food as I could, drank as much as I could and I walked out ready to explode. Yeah, the brunch is awesome. I haven’t had a brunch like this in a really long time. Love how everything there is made from scratch. The jam, they serve-​this alone I wanted to eat a jar of it. The horseradish sauce they make and serve, awesome. I wanted to poor that stuff on everything. It’s all really good and you can’t eat the amount you want with everything. So I guess that just means I’ll have to come back.

I came here right when they opened at 11am on a Monday morning. I was seated immediately, had some FANTASTIC moonshine with a shot of strawberry in it, and enjoyed the free seasoned popcorn that came prior to my meal.
I ordered the famous mac and cheese, and it definitely lives up to the hype. My cousin ordered the chicken and waffles and said they were the best she ever had! I was with 3 other people that ordered other various things off the menu, and all completed wiped their plate clean (not to say the portions weren’t very hearty).
I will be coming back here again if I can make it at opening time. I’m never one for waiting in a 30 – 60 minute line, which I know they are known to have here at Moonshine. The patio was beautiful, by the way, especially for an April midday noon lunch. When I walked through the inside, it also seemed very classic, clean, and comfortable. I will definitely be bringing many visitors to Austin here to experience classic ATX. 5 stars+++

Moonshine was recommended by the lady I sat next to on the plane ride over to Austin. I’m so glad we stopped in!!! Tried their amazing chicken & waffles, then their shrimp corndogs as well as their tender pork belly with rosemary fries! This place would be such a neat place for a date night or dinner with friends!

A friend of ours from NYC recommended we check this place out while in Austin… verdict: complete hit! This place is delicious! The ambiance is great, the food is fantastic! No surprise that they have a wait list… we decided to go to the communal table in order to be served quick! Best decision ever! We got our food quick, and their chicken waffles… TO DIE FOR!

Service was excellent and everything everyone ordered was delicious! This place was popular so there was an hour wait but we grabbed one of the tables in the bar area and it was fast. We had a group of 4 kids and 4 adults and we had a great time. I ordered the cornflake fried chicken salad and it was excellent. The waffles were really tasty as well, and they were different bc they cooked them with a bit of cornmeal. Also ordered the blind mule and it was a great drink. Will definitely be coming back to try more from their yummy menu.
One word of caution however, my kid is pretty picky about things being ‘spicy’ and it seems like the items on the kids menu were a bit spicy. The kids at our table said the corndog and chicken strips were spicy, they were yummy to me. but if you have a sensitive and picky kid you may want to order something like the waffles.

Moonshine is a big and popular spot. There’s indoor dining of course with a bar, but a patio and an indoor patio bar too. The patio bar and the tables by the inside bar are first come first serve seating. When we arrived for a 1p lunch on a Sunday there was about a 30 minute wait for two. You can wait on a front porch with a drink while your table is prepared. The atmosphere is cool.
We were seated in less than the quoted time. While the kitchen was slow we had a friendly server. Everyone gets popcorn while you wait for your food. I also ordered the Pretzels and Pimento dip. The pretzels are long sticks. While they do not resemble your typical hot pretzel they were good as was the cheese dip. Before clearing the dish our server asked if we wanted more pretzels. Not sure it comes with a refill or if we would have been charged for that.
I ordered the Chicken & Waffles which were corn meal. They were served with maple syrup, whipped butter, and a chipotle cream gravy. The dish was pretty basic. The chicken was good — lots of meat to the amount of breading. The chipotle gravy was really, really good and a nice surprise to just having syrup. My friend got a burger which was good, but they did not ask how he wanted it cooked and it came out pretty well done.

First of all, how cute is this place?! Adorable southern atmosphere complete with large porch for sipping on cocktails while you wait for your table (which we did of course). My friends and I came as a group of 8 people on a Sunday night. We had to wait about an hour for a table which wasn’t terrible (because of the cocktails I mentioned earlier). The biggest bummer of this place is they don’t take reservations! Ugh. So definitely plan to wait or get there early.
The food, service, and ambiance were all 5 stars. I have to eat gluten free (Celiac), and they have a gluten free menu! Yay! The menu has plenty of options on there so I didn’t feel like I was stuck with something. I ordered the meatloaf with a baked potato. I rarely order meatloaf at a restaurant as I love the one I make at home, but this was delicious! Really filling and perfect comfort food. My friends tried various things, such as the ribs, mac n cheese, burger, chicken and waffles… everyone loved all of it! No gluten free dessert option unfortunately (maybe I could have done a scoop of ice cream?). But honestly I was so full it didn’t really matter. My friends all split the peanut butter pie and apple crumble. The peanut butter pie was the star! That thing looked sooo good, and it was gone almost immediately. Great place to visit in Austin if you’re looking for a nice but casual evening out. I also heard they do a great brunch!

This place is great!!!
I tried the Mac and Cheese. It was so delicious, the beer OMG so many beers to try.
Moonshine! I tried moonshine for the first time here and it was an experience. I tried the moonshine sampler with my bestie and the rest of my night was very fun ;)
I sat outside the have a big fan they turn on to help you cope with the heat. Overall a very good experience.

I need more stars !!! I knew it was going to be good but holy hell, not this good ! Good, what am I saying! Moonshine I love you!
Finally after 4 years of working on red river and hearing all the praises of Moonshine, i made it in for lunch on my work anniversary! Why did I wait so long!
I stalked the menu online all week and knew I needed the peanut butter pie following my chicken and waffles ! That waffle though… Just enough crisp with perfectly fried chicken, a little spice tied it all together ! I made myself stop so i could continue breathing ! Prices were average and the amount was worth every bit !
Our server Ryan was knowledgable and patient, attentive and so nice ! We sat on the patio, so the flies were my only issue, but truly that’s mother natures fault not Moonshine’s… But you can’t blame the flies. They do have good taste ! I can’t wait to come back, but first I need to run and run and run to work this food off !!

After a long day of walking all over downtown Austin, kayaking, and visiting museums, we were parched and hungry. I like to go to establishments earlier or later than their ‘normal’ meal times. We got there at 1530 and were told that happy hour starts at 1600. Half price apps and some drink specials. We wanted to wait until then but the server said they would start it a little earlier for us. It was a nice gesture.
I got the hard lemonade [vodka with muddled mint, Paula’s Texas lemon and fresh squeezed lemonade] and my companion for the house white wine. It is quite dry so if you like the sweeter wines, stay away. I then questioned our server about their beer selection and he recommended a Kol beer for me. It was just what I explained I wanted in a beer. I could swim in its refreshing taste.
I got the warm bacon dip (caramel iced onions, Gruyère) that comes with grilled sourdough. My friend got a loaded baked potato. I could sing the praises of the bacon dip until the cows come home! It had a nice spice to it, melty cheese, and it was the perfect compliment to the sourdough. Oh how I want to try and recreate this at home. Until then, I will look forward to my next trip to Austin.

Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. With a Sunday brunch buffet that has over 40 dishes to choose from, pace yourself!
My buffet rule is normally 4 plates in order to get my money’s worth. I only made it thru 2.5. Sigh. I tried my best. I believe my mistake was pairing the green chile cheese grits with the country fried steak. That yumminess expands in your stomach. Took up too much room. Dang it! I had many more dishes to try.
The homemade jams were more like jelly. Kinda watery but had a lot of flavor. Homemade corned beef hash, migas, biscuits and gravy.
I wish I could write more but I’m now in a food coma. Must sleep.

Pretty sure this was the first and only brunch place I’ve visited in Austin. I’ve just never been into the idea of brunch, but the girls sure love it. Made my third visit to Moonshine earlier today during a weekday for once. We got there just minutes after it opened at 11 AM, and it was already getting pretty crowded. It was nothing compared to coming around noon on the weekends though. Pretty sure there’s always a wait if you arrive at that time.
Service was great for once since there wasn’t a full house. I prefer sitting on the patio, but that’ll probably take two times the wait on the weekends. I like that you get popcorn to start off along with their moonshine jars for water. As much as I love alcohol, I haven’t had a drink here yet since I’m not big on drinking hard liquor during meals. Will have to try something one of these days though since they have the usual cocktails plus an insanely long list of spirits. I’ve had the green chile macaroni, fried chicken salad, and their chicken fried steak across my visits here. If you’re making your first visit, I would 100% go with the macaroni. The spice will surprise you, and you probably won’t ever think about macaroni the same way again. I suggested that my date get it this morning, but she told me that she didn’t like noodles, which is a funny thing to say when talking about macaroni. When the food got here though, I insisted she have a bite and she told me that it was one of the best things she’s had recently.
I’m sure many people make use of the valet, but I generally park on the streets about a three minute walk away. The reviews on Unilocal have good things to say to about the appetizers, but I still have yet to try any since an entrée will surely fill you up, especially if it’s your first meal of the day. The entrees I’ve tried are all around $ 15, but the more unique choices cost about $ 25. Hopefully, I’ll find the time to visit once more before leaving Austin, because like I said, the girls sure love the place.

Moonshine Patio & Bar was an unexpected delightful surprise. I got lucky that my wait was a minimal ten minutes considering how many people showed up around the same time as I did. With it being located so close to the convention center, I assume it is always busy.
I started with the Old Fashioned — Kentucky bourbon with muddled orange, cherry, simple syrup & bitters. It was strong and tasty to get the night started off right.
My waiter, Justin, was friendly, funny, sarcastic, courteous and attentive.
This is the first restaurant I have ever been to where they offer popcorn with paprika and cayenne pepper. When Justin brought it to me, he called it crack. I didn’t believe him. I am not a big popcorn eater but I could not stop eating it. Even after I devoured my dinner, I continued to eat the popcorn.
I was torn by three chicken items on the menu. Justin offered the nightly special. It sounded devine so I ended up selecting it — Chicken Almondine — pan fried, lightly battered chicken breast with almonds, capers and artichoke hearts in a lemon butter sauce along with a side of Yukon gold mashed potatoes. I am so glad I chose it as it was delicious! I cleaned my plate.
Bottom line — I would highly recommend this place!

Amazing brunch place. Worth the wait and weight! Ha!
On Sunday’s they offer a brunch buffet. The items are located near the front entrance and toward the middle of the restaurant. The place itself appears to be a home, like many Austin restaurants once were. Our server was nice and helpful.
They had an assortment of items. 5 or so different kinds of eggs. Sausages. Pancakes. Croissant sandwiches. Muffins. Ham. Biscuits and gravy. Parfait. Pretty much your basic items to eat for brunch. Everything was so good… My friends and I were quiet for a while cause everyone was busy devouring the food.
Would I come back? Yes! Definitely… But maybe next time I would not get such large portions of everything first and stuff myself too fast. Or just go when it’s normal dining and not a buffet :)