The Hightower

Recently moved from NYC and this is one of the best «foodie» meals I’ve had since I moved to Austin. Everything was delicious and service was great. Best part was it was very affordable. Highly recommend!

We went for brunch and had the brussels sprouts, chicken & waffles and the Dutch baby pancake. All were good, but I would have preferred the pancake without the meat because the meat was not seasoned well enough. The chicken and waffles were fantastic. We waited about 50 minutes for our food, which was excessively long. People who were seated and ordered after us got their food before us. That soured the experience for us, but on the whole, we would still recommend it for folks looking for a heavy brunch.

I remember absolutely LOVING this place.
A friend and I stopped by The Hightower on our insanely long restaurant/​bar hopping night. We had seen articles + positive reviews about some of the frozen drinks here, and we definitely wanted to work it into our day. From the outside, the place looks adorable but we were slightly disappointed to walk inside and find a rather standard «restaurant» type of design. Nothing really stood out in terms of vibe/​interior design, but we were excited about the food + drinks nonetheless.
We weren’t super hungry, so we decided to split a few plates + do 2 rounds of drinks here. We tried the BRUSSELS SPROUTS (with peanut butter, golden raisins, sambal, lemon) and the FRIED CHICKEN TACOS (with bok choy, fresno, ginger, orange sauce, corn tortillas). Both dishes were some of the best I have ever had, and that’s saying a lot. Brussels sprouts are my favorite dish to order at a restaurant, and I’ve had 100+ brussels sprouts dishes at restaurants. This one stood out to me in SO many ways. The peanut butter flavoring, with the sweetness of the raisins mixed with the citrusy lemon… it was just so unique and innovative and perfect. The chicken tacos were also some of the best tacos I’ve ever had, and that’s also saying a lot because I am a die-​hard taco FANATIC and have literally also had 200+ tacos in my lifetime. These ones were Asian-​fusion/​Asian-​inspired, and the flavorings/​seasonings could not have been more on point. Perfectly fried chicken with the orange sauce, in the corn tortillas… mmmmm. Could eat these every single day.
For drinks, we did: 2 rounds of the frozen caipirinha (which we had heard SO much about) and were not disappointed. The drinks didn’t feel strong at all, but the taste was on point. Just sweet enough to be tasty! Their «additions» to the base frozen caipirinha are delicious and I’d definitely recommend these — I remember loving the blood orange addition.
Rare to find a place that has tasty drinks AND amazing food (entrees/​small plates). This place totally blew us away and was one of my favorites during our time in Austin. The ONLY thing I wish that would have been different — a cuter inside ambiance. Besides that, a definite A experience!

My friend and I grabbed brunch at the Hightower during our visit to Austin and overall it was a pretty nice experience.
We sat on the patio which was really cute and they allowed dogs, so obviously we were really excited to play with puppies:) We were really pumped about the DIY bloody mary bar for just $ 7, but we’re a bit disappointed to see it kind of picked over and not really maintained. It was only like 11am so it in heart of brunch, we felt there should be more attention paid. The food was pretty incredible and I loved my grit waffle (with a caramelized banana, whaaaaat?!). I only wish I was hungrier so I could have ordered more delicious food!
The service at the Hightower left a little something to be desired; while everyone was very friendly, it was SLOW. Despite our confirmed reservation, it took almost 10 minutes to be seated – not because the restaurant was full, by because the server in the section we were supposed to be in was feeling overwhelmed. It’s kind of annoying to be standing at a hostess stand starting at 5 empty tables on the patio. Maybe more servers on a Sunday brunch would be appropriate. It also took more than 15 minutes to close out after we’d given our server payment. Woof.

I cannot believe I only just discovered this place, thanks to a friend having a happy hour. I have been back SEVERAL times in rapid succession, because I find myself obsessing over the menu items, mostly things I cannot figure out how to make at home. I have also tried to figure out how to make some of the drinks at home, but it’s just not the same. Maybe it’s the house-​made bitters. Maybe it’s the baseball-​sized ice balls. I dunno. But they are WONDERFUL. We ordered just about every single item on the happy hour menu (which is an incredibly generous list of some of the most delicious menu items at a jaw-​droppingly good price). The chick peas, the brussel sprouts, the ceviche, all are fantastic.
I recommend going with a few friends so you can try ALL the things, pick your favorites, and go back frequently to indulge yourself. There is street parking if you can’t find room in the lot, and there is indoor and outdoor seating. It’s pretty much always hopping in there, so enjoy the energy and the noise, and the delicious, delicious food and libations.

Sis and I split fried garbanzos;Mahi ceviche; Brussels with raisins, peanut butter and spice; and hanger steak. All were delicious– well prepared and presented, with interesting flavors and combinations
HH pricing helped on a few items. Service by Kristen was top notch.

This is by far one of my favorite restaurant in Austin. I didn’t even know I was a fan of brussel sprouts until I tried the brussels with a peanut glaze, and raisins. This is a great item for sharing, and I usually get two orders of it every time I go. The menu is small but everything I’ve tried is amazing. I’ve been here a few times and try to get something new every time. Everything is so flavorful, you cant go wrong! On the weekends they usually have a fun make your own bloody Mary bar, that I am a huge fan of.
There usually is never a wait, which is a plus on the weekend when you’re trying to do brunch. This is one of my go to places when I have friends in town. Definitely recommend and I cant wait to go back!

Note that I didn’t review this place for drinks, drink specials, cocktails, etc. Just food.
Went here on a whim after hearing some raving recommendations from friends, and I mostly agree with what I heard. The ambience is really nice — very casual, low-​key, but still refined. I went here during their happy hour (5−7pm on weekdays) to take advantage of the happy hour specials on food. They basically had some of their smaller tastings available for a few bucks cheaper. Despite the reduced prices, I’ll still say that some of the items were kinda steeply priced.
I tried a few things here: the «famous» fried chickpeas, the brussel sprouts, the roasted broccoli (not on the happy hour menu), and the blistered green beans. I really enjoyed the latter three: the brussel sprouts were very uniquely made, with peanut butter, sambal, citrus, and raisins. It was a successful and refreshing take on brussel sprouts! The broccoli was also very unique with the cured egg yolk and jalapeño goat cheese sauce; very tangy and flavorful. The green beans were quite good as well; I especially enjoyed the crisped leeks in the dish. My only problem was with the fried chickpeas: I honestly found them bland. There was supposed to be some sort of aioli with them, but I hardly tasted (or saw) it. Texture was fine, but quite lacking in the flavor department.
Overall, I really appreciate what this place does with its food: ingredients are used and cooked in unique ways and flavor pairings are quite novel; however the prices are still slightly steep (for happy hour prices) and the chickpeas left me wanting for more.

I made it here last night for happy hour and a dinner date. It was the first time I had been been to The Hightower in over a year, and not much has really changed for better or worse. Traffic through the place was slow on a Tuesday night as expected, so service was good, and all of the dishes came out at pretty much the same time after a short wait. If you’re coming during the week, make sure you get there between 5 and 7, as all of their popular starters and vegetables are $ 3 to $ 4 off of the normal price along with a few of their drinks.
We thought we were pretty hungry, so we just went and ordered 6 of the menu items as soon as we sat down.
1) Redfish spread — The spread itself is so, so good. They serve it with hushpuppies now for some reason, but yeah, get this for $ 4 during HH.
2) Brussels sprouts — I hate the vegetable actually, but still insisted that we ordered the dish anyways. Somehow, they really hide the fact you’re eating brussels sprouts. Maybe, it’s the peanut butter. Definitely the most popular item at the place according to Unilocal,and one of the best.
3) Liver pâté — Don’t care for liver, but my date enjoyed it. Served with crostini.
4) Ceviche — Don’t care for raw fish, but my date enjoyed it. Served with potato chips, and the dish definitely looked colorful at least.
5) Queso fundido — It’s the most expensive item on the HH menu and the highlight of the night. If you like cheese, sausage, or the two together, get this.
6) Pork jowl — Should have went with a different entrée this time around. While it was still good, I don’t think it really warranted a second visit. The dish really just makes me think of a bibimbap that has been heavily Americanized.
Skipped on drinks tonight, so the damage wasn’t too bad. We sat at the bar and had to do some seat swapping to get to all of the dishes, but we had a good time. Only got through about ²⁄₃ of the food before we were completely full. Would definitely get the smoked redfish spread, brussels sprouts, and queso again if I ever came back. Time goes by pretty fast here. Think it’s a solid ⁴⁄₅ stars.

We started with Brussels and fried chickpeas… Best decision EVER! The Brussels had homemade peanut butter and orange glaze… Soooooooo good chickpeas were crunchy and full of Marsala flavor.
I got the grit fried chicken tacos… So savory!!! You could split with a friend.
Hubs got the carnitas with a soft egg on top… Delicious. So. Delicious.
Both came with 3 homemade corn tortillas… We ordered a second round.
So. Good.

I’ve been staying in East Austin quite a bit for my recent Austin visits, and I anytime I’m Unilocaling for a place to eat, The Hightower comes up frequently.
«dinner» — Hightower. «brunch» — Hightower. This time, I searched for «happy hour» — Hightower. I’ve got time to kill before dinner at 8, so why not try it!
I sat at the bar, but there were couples, families with young children (who weren’t screaming), all sorts of folks dining here. Pretty cool how Hightower has been able to foster a dining environment that seems accessible to everybody.
I ordered 3 things for myself off the happy hour menu — Brussels sprouts, green beans, and mahi mahi ceviche.
My favorite was the ceviche — plenty of fish, good balance of flavor, and a huge portion for the HH price ($ 7). In-​house chips are served on the side to cut the monotonous texture of the fish, making it a fun dish to eat.
Their Brussels sprouts are interesting — it pulls Thai flavors in with the peanut butter and sambal, but I thought the dish was just a tad too salty. The green beans, on the other hand… not my favorite. The Dijon mustard is just a little TOO prominent and pungent and probably needed a little bit longer to cook out. Both were cooked well, though — the perfect balance of crisp yet cooked.
Service was fantastic, with the bartender being super attentive and conversational. Even the manager on duty started chatting me up, which I can definitely appreciate. Maybe it’s because I looked so lonely…
Regardless, I was happy to have finally eaten at The Hightower. Accessible small plates make it a restaurant that can probably attract a lot of up-​and-​coming foodies!

Food: We ordered the pork belly sandwich, soft egg salad, friend catfish, and carnitas bowl. All were very delicious and the flavors were great too! For starters we ordered the very very yummy redfish spread and brussel sprouts. I could eat that redfish spread all day!
Service: Lacking/​negative star. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t terrific either. Our server seemed a little annoyed right from the beginning when she came to «greet» our table. When we asked «should we order now?» her response was «*shrug shoulders* I don’t know, you tell me.» Then every time she would come with our plates, she wouldn’t set them down for us, instead she would hand the plates/​bowls to us for us to put down. And when she wanted to clear our table, she waited for us to stack the plates for her. It was a little strange. She didn’t come around to check on us after she gave us food. But the other servers walking around were all so friendly and nice and would talk to us! I wish we had a different server :(
Atmosphere: Outside patio is really nice and relaxing, especially with the beautiful weather. Very casual space, no need to get too fancy and dressed up. Neighborhood restaurant with a small private parking lot, street available for parking too. Inside can be a little dark and not a lot of natural light, we opted to sit outside. Very east side :)

Right off the bat I’d say stick with the basics. This place seems cool, has a great location, is very crowded, and has a solid waitstaff — the waiter even kindly went back to get me a new glass of red wine after he saw food baked onto the inside/​outside of the wine glass as he put it down. The second one only had remnants of lip stick from a prior customer, but hey, these things happen on a crowded Saturday night and I drank away. They also have an appealing menu… I bet they even have good food. Just not the entrée that a friend and I had (note the peanut brussel sprouts were pretty good).
I’ve always been one to stay clear of the trendy, lower grade cuts of meat (tendon, pigs feet, sweet breads, bone marrow, and most organs), you know, the stuff they used to grind into hotdogs or sell for a nickel but are now selling to high end restaurants who turn around and sell them for $ 20 a dish. But after ridiculing the people who fell victim, and saluting the clever business model, I decided to try the ‘Pig Jowl’ at Hightower. After all, the waiter assured us it wasn’t too fatty.
Well, I don’t spend much time on pig farms, but the image that I had of a pig’s jowl was of the skin that hangs off the side of its mouth. Seemed like it would be fatty, and boy was I right. I will hand it to High Tower; they made that pigs fatty jowls taste about as good as possible. But none the less, it still had the consistency of pure fat, looking sort of like the gristle/​fat of a steak. Both me and my friend put the slippery glistening cuts of jowl off to the side, and ate the rice and vegetables (both good) instead.
I would try this place again, maybe on a less crowded night when the waitstaff isn’t so slammed and the dishwashers have time to clean the glasses, just because I’m thinking they have other items that I would like. But next time I am going to stick with the basics… and away from pigs ears or duck scrotum or whatever else the waiter might assure us is delicious.

Met an outstanding friend here for her b-​day party last night and had a great time. Keri B had this place packed with friends and more people were pouring in when I was walking out. It’s always a good time seeing Keri B and her husband.
The HH menu is outstanding. The mahi mahi ceviche, Brussel sprouts and my tequila press were all spot-​on last night. I highly recommend all three.

My husband and I met up for brunch on a Sunday with two of our best pals. I’ve heard about this place and our friends LOVE this place. I was excited to check it. It was a nice day but a little brisk. We opted for outdoor seating but in the sun. Our server was attentive and friendly. Which was great because it could have taken a really bad turn. My friend first received a water glass and coffee cup with lip stick marks on it. She didn’t question it or was mean about she took it back and replaced them.
We ordered chick peas to start off with. These were so crunchy and flavorful. Who would have thought these simple little peas could be so wonderful. I ordered the Carnitas wtih a fried egg, potato chips, salsa verde, cotija and crema. This was a great dish but I didn’t feel it was that big robust brunch dish that you would expect on a Sunday morning. Carnitas were crunchy the potato chips added that extra crunch texture and everything married it nicely but it was just eh. Hubby had the Chicken and waffles which he enjoyed. Chicken was nice and crispy and the waffle was sturdy. Meaning it didn’t disintegrate. We have been to other places where the waffle can’t keep up with the chicken.
I really wanted to enjoy this place. Maybe I didn’t order the right thing. I’ll have to go back and order something else. If anyone has a suggestion let me know.

Not my favorite go sure. After just a few minutes the cheese separated from the oil and became too thick to dip with the oily fried rice paper. Mahi mahi ceviche was bland and served with lays potato chips. Really? Save your money-​trust me. Complete disappointment.

After three solid visits, I feel as though I can adequately and intelligently represent Hightower.
One time to try it for my birthday.
One time to go back specifically for one dish in particular (we’ll get there.)
And one time (last night) with a girl friend of mine.
Jump In Your Face Highlights —
–Ample free parking (a somewhat rarity in particular pockets of the east side)
–Quaint, unique décor, including a gigantic, whimsical painting of a man and some birds that demands the entire wall next to the kitchen.
–A seemingly ballin’ HH menu, but I’ve never gotten there on time. It’s every day from 5−7pm.
–AND OMG THE BEST BRUSSELS SPROUTS YOU’LL EVER PUT IN YOUR FACE. Yes, I realize the depth of what I just said. The Brussels Sprouts movement is (nearly) getting out of control. I said nearly. But when every restaurant has their own take on chopping those little cabbage heads in half and roasting it with their own magic sauce, Hightower hit it. Like, nailed it, you guys. It’s the most unique concoction I’ve heard of. Yeah, people might do a Brussels and bacon dish or a sweet sauce. But Hightower owns a Brussels and PEANUT BUTTER dish. Divine. It’s tossed with sambal and golden raisins. Pretty much made my life.
Areas/​Dishes with Room for Improvement:
–Blistered green beans. The honey mustard sauce was a bit strong and didn’t compliment the dish as much as I was hoping. The dish is described as served with mint, but I didn’t get any mint in our sauce. I think that would have broken up the acidity a bit.
–Grit fried chicken tacos. The grit batter was way delish and a clever take on fried chicken. The handmade corn tortillas were a home run. Unfortunately, the brown sauce, which I believed was described as an orange sauce, was wayyyyyy salty. I may have assumed it was going to be a sweeter sauce since it was orange, but this dish definitely has the potential — it just isn’t quite there.
— I ordered a cocktail while we were waiting for our table — the name escapes me — something with whiskey and a cinnamon-​apple shrub. The very sweet bartender who was very weeded while we ordered our cocktail MAY have made it too strong, or my tastebuds may be jacked, but the cocktail had a punch-​you-​in-​the-​face vinegar smell and flavor. Its the shrub, I know, but it was STRONG!
REGARDLESS — Hightower is great, y’all.
Its a non-​pretentious, very grounded, almost-​tapas style joint that doesn’t make you feel like an intruder. It has an upper-​scale style feel in a very funky, otherwise casual part of town.

Mmmmmmm!
We came here as part of a food tour and woah was it an excellent spot on the trip. The food was as delicious as it was creative. We tried the peanut butter Brussels sprouts, which were amazing and I usually hate Brussels sprouts. The fried chick peas, which were crunchy and tasty. And the Roasted pork jowl with rice, which was a take off of bibimbap, one of my favourite foods in the world (and they threw in things like avocado, which added new flavour that I hadn’t tried before.)
The space was mood lit and beautiful, the artwork on the walls funky, and the staff friendly. How can you not love a place just like this? I’d be back in a heartbeat.

Several friends and I spent a pleasant evening on the porch at The Hightower last week. Happy hour until 7 on weekdays, providing a great way to dip into their excellent cocktail and small plate menu.
Standouts: the Redfish spread, Brussels sprouts, and the coctail called the vieux carré.
Sweet living in near East Austin.

Omg, so yummy! Everything is served tapas style with the expectation that you share with your group, which is exactly my kind of restaurant.
Out of the 6 or 7 dishes we ordered, the fried chickpeas stood out the most, which was a unique take on an old dish. Also, you MUST try the Brussels sprouts bathed in a spicy peanut sauce, absolutely wonderful. Definitely a new favorite spot in Austin!