Riata Bar and Grill

Tasty bar food. More of a public house than a bar/​grill!
The bar itself takes up almost the entirety of the place, with several tables lining the surrounding walls. A few big tv’s and loud muzak are really the only signs of life. Seems like a good place to go do some day-​drinking and smash fried food.

I never expected the food tone this good. Guys just try once and see. My favorite is Ragin Cajun was amazing.

Not the best burger. Frozen patty with no flavor. Fries were okay. Close to my home but not really someplace I go to eat. Great beer choice and drinks are good. This place has so much potential, too bad it serves bad dinner food. Been here 3 times hoping it would get better but does not.

Typical neighborhood bar. Frozen food, sticky tables, dark, however, they have an alright happy hour specials and good service at the bar. It’s a good spot to meet coworkers after work. I gave them an extra star because they have some of my favorite tasty, strong beers on draft.

I took «The Austinite» veggie burger which was ok. However, the curly fries that I had there along with ranch was simply the best. Thin, crispy and very delicious.

First things first. I’m the realest. Came into RB&G with my parents, wife, and my newborn son. The bartendress immediately filled our orders including the baby maker (baby bottle filled with formula and Glenlivet 25). He started walking for the first time the next morning. ¹⁰⁄₁₀. Food and drink was extraordinary and now baby #2 is on the way! Thanks Riata!!!

Great bar food. Their curly cheese fries are amazing! Why is no one else doing this?! Their burgers are pretty good and its nice if you live in Riata, to have some place so close.

The make a good burger but the service is lame. Sat at the table for 10 minutes & still didn’t get acknowledged. Walked out, this is Austin there’s a million other places people can go if your service sucks.

Are the burgers pre-​formed, and the curly fries frozen? Probably.
But the waitresses are (mostly) pretty friendly, in a neighborhood bar way. And the happy hour drink pricing is pretty good, and decent pours. They offer the less carby burger/​side-​salad combination for the bun-​less among us. And the «fajita salad» can be tasty (a friend can consume the ranch dressing like it’s ice water in the desert). It’s a convenient place for a nearby work-​lunch, and usually just loud enough that you can have conversations without being overheard at the next table. It can be jumping on a Friday after work, with nearby (youngish) tech workers and apartment residents, which you’ll have to decide for yourself is a good or a bad thing. I find it more comfortable than the nearby «B.B. Rovers», which always felt to me like someone put a bar in an abandoned office.
But I *like* the burgers and the curly fries… (I always get the «Flag Waver on wheat», which includes bacon and cheese, and a side of fries, for a reasonable about seven bucks)
Would I drive five miles for it? Probably not. But it’s a cool place to have close by.
3.7 stars

Nice, off the beaten path to enjoy some downtime away from the office. Will be back to try other menu items!

Good lunch spot especially for anyone in the Riata corporate park and also A nice change of pace for all the Apple employees in the nearby buildings. Awesome staff, Good food and Cooold beers!

Cheap, yes for a sit-​down restaurant. I’d be better off at a fast food joint for quality and service.
The food was edible, but pretty poor quality. I’d rather eat at Wendy’s.
One server in the whole place, and a really bad one at that. He was plugging in his tips while we asked him several times for our check.

This place doesn’t even earn the star I gave them in the review! To start off the visit this place was dirty!(bathrooms, table, floors!) there was one person working the entire front of house! Serving 25+people. The waitress was rude when we asked about beers on tap! Walked off saying she didn’t know beers or prices. My mouth dropped awe of the service.

After attending this bar for several years, I have realized that I no longer want to give my money to the owner of the business. He is a bully to his employees, and he is selective of who he wants to treat nicely. He constantly has his friends in the establishment, and they cause a ruckus and disturbance that makes you feel uncomfortable. He finds reasons to blame his employees for his own mistakes. (Not enough business)
There are never any specials and the business seems to be failing miserably. As a matter of fact, everything is the exact same as the first time I walked in.
Unfortunately I will no longer be able to visit this location due to the owners actions. Feel bad about this because I know the bartenders and waitresses could use the business.
I hope all of the bartenders can find better jobs. I will find you guys and we will be merry. (Call me if you get another job)
I am no longer coming here because of the owner… I will be sure all of my people are aware if his actions…
–SP

Ugh. I went to Riata Bar and Grill for lunch with some co-​workers. The food was average, but still tasted good. However, I was leaning up against the table. It was so filthy and covered in some sort of red slime that I now have a big red line across my favorite dark grey Darth Vader Star Wars t-​shirt. This would be less of a deal to me if it wasn’t a $ 65 custom ordered t-​shirt. I spoke to the manager and her «solution» was to have the table cleaned and offer me a towel and soda water. I’m out a very rare and expensive shirt with nothing to show for it.
PRETTY DISGUSTING.

The service really was incredible, granted there was one person working as waitress AND bartender. You read that correctly.
I don’t know where the other employees were… but one waitress handled everything during the entirety of our stay. She did a great job and kept a cool head serving everyone.
Food-​wise, it won’t blow you away, but will fill an empty stomach to happiness. The curly fries were great and my chicken sandwich was pretty good. Also, there’s a decent beer selection on tap.

I’m not sure why it took me so long to find this place. It’s perfect for a quiet Saturday night out. The food was pretty good for bar grub, but the most impressive aspect is the bartender who does EVERYTHING. She pours excellent drinks, she tends to everyone and makes sure drinks stay refilled, she waits tables, brings the food, checks on you… did I mention she does it all by herself? I never saw anyone else who works here, just her. She rocked our socks off.
The other good thing is that it wasn’t crowded the night we went. I love that it’s tucked away inside the Riata.

This place is between a 3 and 4 star location and I have never quite understood the vibe of the place but it is pretty good.
The burgers are good but not great, the bun is good but I have never once been able to taste the jalapeño cheddar in there.
The buffalo burger is pretty standard, and is definitely my go to burger. The bun is actually king for this burger because it is capable of absorbing the sauce without becoming a sloppy mess.
The standard burger is pretty good but I would like if either it came with more bacon or thicker sliced bacon as the flavor gets lost in the mix.
The curly fries are generally pretty good, but I do find it interesting they do not offer any other side options.
They also have some of the most underrated Potato Skins in town!
I cannot say I would go out of my way for this place but it is a good lunch spot and appears to have pretty decent happy hour specials.

I come to this place quite often for lunch and I love it!
The food is great! I have had their burgers, salads, and sandwiches and they are all quite tasty and fresh. Their curley fries are pretty good too.
The service is always stellar and I love the environment. They have some TVs posted on the walls to watch a game and also a huge bar in the middle with about 30 seats all the way around. It gives the bar an open airy feel.
This is also a great place to have a few drinks for happy hour. It’s very chill and the noise level is appropriate to have a conversation. This place definitely gets 5 stars for a small bar and grill located on Riata street.
A hidden gem if you ask me…

Interesting joint.
My visits have always been exactly A-​OK. I have a friend who raves about the burgers here. The first couple times, I was sorely disappointed. First visit my burger was cold. Second visit my burger was severely overcooked. I gave up at that point.
But my friend maintained that they have a great burger… so I gave it another try. The third time was, well maybe to say it was a charm would be an overstatement. It was definitely the best burger I have had at Riata, but not even in the same neighborhood of some of my favorite burgers.
I ordered the Blacken’ Bleu: Seasoned with signature Cajun spice blend, blackened to perfection on the grill, load it up with fresh bleu cheese crumbles, served on signature jalapeño cheddar bun.
#1 — «Signature»…A signature item is something that is unique and not sold by competitors. It’s what differentiates one form someone else.
Jalapeño cheddar bun is not unique. Neither is the Cajun spice.
#2 — Cajun Spice: I couldn’t taste anything on the patty to distinguish it from a regular patty. If you’re gonna put spice on it, put enough to taste. Blackening imparts (or rather should impart) a pretty intense blend of peppers, herbs, and salt. Not quite…
#3 — Jalapeño Cheddar Bun: I SAW the jalapenos. Didn’t taste much of them or of the cheddar. The buns are sweet. Like dessert sweet. Not a bad thing. Just not MY thing. Sweet buns kill the savory nature of a burger, in my opinion.
#4 — «Load up with bleu cheese crumbles»: Loaded? Not really. Scant amount of cheese.
The apps are standard and pretty solid. The beer selection is standard. The service is always friendly and engaging. The noise levels during peak hours can be a bit deafening. The patrons are young professionals with the occassional pocket of doucebaggery. (on the evening I was there, there was an enibriated shirtless guy talking very loudly about inappropriate things sitting at the bar drinking. Is shirtless allowed in food establishemnts?)
Now…it was by no means a terrible burger. It just failed to impress me. I love my friend. She loves the burgers here. If asked, I’d come back. But I would never make this a destination on my own.