Waterloo Ice House

Great eclectic place for Austin and Hill Country comfort food. Dropped after a hike along Brushy Creek. Service was good. Children’s portions were generous. Did not explore the playscape for the kids, maybe another time. Only downer was lukewarm fries with PEPPERCORN BURGER. OTHERWiSE OK AND WOULD go back.

This place changed names, but not owners. Now called Blue Bayou Café. Still not a great place. Waitstaff is non attentive– orders don’t come out correct, food is blah.

Menu= $ 2 Margarita. Bill= $ 3 Margarita
Hostess= sweet. Waiter= distracted and inattentive
We ordered a couple burgers and a couple margaritas, along with some chips and queso. Waiter brings our burgers out before the chips and queso. Umm… hello??? Chips and queso!!! He blows it off like it’s nothing (and totally not his fault) and then promptly brings it out. By then, I really didn’t want it. It’s not really an appetizer when it comes after your meal.

I have no idea why there have been so many poor reviews. I go to Waterloo about 1 – 2 times a week at different times and on different days and the service and food have always been consistent. Happy hour prices are great! Food quality for the price in the Avery Ranch area is awesome. But the reason I come back is the service. There are 3 awesome servers there! Super friendly and attentive. Thank you Kat, Jenna and Stacey! So happy to have found an affordable, fabulous place to eat and drink in this area!

My friend and I love to go to places around the neighborhood, so we decided to give this place another shot, after some mediocre experiences awhile ago.
The food was okay, but nothing to write home about. My buddy loves the burgers and was pleased with her meal. I got a queso chopped steak, and it was essentially like eating a cheeseburger without the buns. The appetizers were pretty good.
We brought seven people on a Friday night, and they had about half the tables full and staff running around everywhere. The margaritas were extremely disappointing; tequila flavored sweet and sour. The meal took quite awhile to come out; they were apparently very low on dishes that evening.
The kicker came at the end of our meal. On the drinks menu, the hard cider’s price was listed at 4.50 a bottle. On our ticket, we were charged 6.50. When my friend asked our waitress about it, she came back after talking with someone in charge and said that since it was draft, she couldn’t change the price. She said they didn’t even have the bottles anymore. There was no draft price listed in the drinks menu. We decided not to escalate the issue, as it had been two hours since we arrived and we just wanted to get out of there.
Bad service, mediocre food, terrible drinks. We’re not going to go back.

If you’re not here to get drunk you will be ignored. It’s been 35 minutes and I’m still waiting for my burger and my tea is empty, but hey, all the bar patrons have been fully tended to… Waterloo on Burnet Road is much better and worth the drive. What a let down, and you guys are in my neighborhood :/

I was hesitant to visit after reading all the bad reviews, but we took a chance and had a very good experience. We went early on a Tuesday night and it was not crowded.
Matt, our waiter, was friendly, attentive, and went out of his way for us. We both ordered the catfish platter — HUGE amount of food, and everything was fresh, tasty, very well-​prepared, and a bargain for the price. We had to get doggy bags. I’d go back.

We have been here before and I was having my doubts given all the poor reviews Waterloo has seemed to log lately when I looked them over. Everything turned out great.
We went in to meet some friends for lunch and let the kids play following. The burgers were good, our server was very attentive and kept our drinks full. What more could you ask for? The food seemed a little slow to come out, but we were in no real hurry.

Well like some other reviews, we had a over ½ hour wait for our food. Here is what went wrong, our order was forgotten because a large group order went in at the same time. So yes they do get the orders mixed up and the wait time can be long.
That said the waitress was very attentive and the manger did apologize. We were given two coupon cards for a free appetizer for our next trip. Could we have been comped more, I think so.
Everything said the food was tasty, we both had breakfast. Almost three stars for that, but someone should have seen that our order was not being cooked in the kitchen.

Waterloo is an Austin institution – casual food in a casual setting. No national chain, just a few locations around town.
It’s been a standard for me when I wanted breakfast or a cheeseburger for lunch. I used to always think of Waterloo first. But this location has become so inconsistent that it’s dropped off my radar.
The kitchen sends out too many orders wrong. The waitstaff is so inattentive that I have had to get out of my chair to find someone.
I realized I put up with that because I like the idea of Waterloo and I love the BBQ burger, but the execution and quality slips have just become too annoying. The last straw was the last burger I had here, the meat just tasted wrong, bland, like they switched to a lower quality meat or something. Sorry, but I’m done here.

So I’ve been to this location once, and I realize I shouldn’t base my reviews off of one visit, but I really can’t help it this time.
We ordered the chips and salsa as an appetizer, and it was tasty. The chips are thick and the salsa has good flavor. I ordered the mushroom swiss burger with tater tots and my husband ordered the chicken strips with onion rings and a caesar salad. I’m really not sure if my burger was meat. It was a solid mass that didn’t taste like ground beef. It didn’t really have any flavor at all. I mostly tasted the mushrooms, cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, etc. Plus, I didn’t get to enjoy the delicious tater tots because I was given fries. The waiter offered to get me tots, but I didn’t want to waste food, and I didn’t pay extra for it so… The fries weren’t my favorite, but they weren’t terrible. The breading on my husband’s chicken was delicious! But the chicken wasn’t that great. It was hard to tear apart when taking a bite. The onion rings were quite large, but the breading lacked flavor, and I just tasted moist warm onion every time I took a bite. I think he thought his salad was good, but I didn’t ask.
We also ordered a house margarita on the rocks with salt. That was pretty good, and not too bad at $ 4.75.
We were credited for the onion rings, but I’m not sure why. Maybe because I didn’t get my tater tots? In any case, the service was good, the ambiance was fun, and they have a large indoor back patio with arcade games. It’s close to the house, so we may go back but it will only be for appetizers and drinks. I’d prefer to drive further to get better food.

Went with My Son and Husband last night for dinner at 8:30pm. The
restaurant was more than half empty. It took 35 minutes from seating until the food was served. And when it arrived we were greatly disappointed. The rice was dug out of the bottom of the pan, hard burnt and crispy. The tacos were made from HEB Brand tortillas, the refried beans were canned. My Son’s chicken burger bread was bigger than the frozen chicken patty… the only thing worse was the service. No nice faces here, from the host to the waitress. The look on the faces was «i can’t wait to get out of here tonight»…We left a tip to compliment the service, $ 1, maybe they can split for 0.50 each. As other reviews have written, dont go here for the food, go if yiou want a place to drink (the bar was full) and have no babysitter.

It’s not the food that brings me here. There is something for everyone and they have a very kid-​friendly menu. I have eaten many things from the menu – burgers, quesadillas, wings, etc. Everything was just OK. I don’t recall anything being good or bad, just average. The portions are very large for the price. The outdoor seating and playground keeps me coming back. The service at this location is good and they have a generous happy hour starting at 3PM, I think. $ 2 for small margaritas and ½ priced appetizers.
This is a great place to meet friends with kids. Sit on the enclosed patio, enjoy a drink and bite, and let the kiddos be kids on the playground.

Wait service from Dustin and availability for reservations won over my review…
We live in the area and most recently we had family in from out of town and I had been wanting to try this place, so with some hesitation (being a new place and family in town) I gave them a call to check for waiting times, accommodations, etc
Surprisingly I spoke with the manager and he was able to reserve us a table for 11 people (we needed it about 2 hours later). That was a GREAT relief.
Arriving as scheduled, when you observe the location it truly appears as a standard sized strip mall place, but to our surprise they have a covered patio area in the back that seats many people. Upon entering, our table was set and ready… that was a great relief when you have a large party.
The menu is large and varied while able to suit many of our groups tastes. The baby back ribs were good, the kids LOVED the basic burgers with macaroni, I appreciated the Buffalo Wing Sauce Fried Chicken Breast, and the ladies LOVED the large Waterloo Salads they ordered.
Additionally, other items were ordered, but those mentioned came to mind.
As to the service, Dustin was spot on as a waiter. It seems that he has worked their long enough to know the menu forwards and backwards while offering you variations on about every dish they have. That is refreshing since I can understand that some people probably have finicky tastes… we have kids. so that helped us much.
Dustin seemed to never let our glasses or drinks go empty. With the large area he was covering, this was a task that required hustle… he provided it very well.
Overall, I will return when I do not have to cater to such a large group of visitors and knowing that the service and food was greatly priced while able to fit all the needs of our large group … that calls for some good kudos.
Thanks go to the manager for the reservations and to Dustin for the great service on our first visit.

I live down the street so I truly want spend my dollars on a local nearby neighborhood restaurant; however, this is probably the last time I will eat at Waterloo. My family of 3 likes to eat here due to the playground which is great for kids but the service is horrible.
Eventhough it was «Seat Yourself» we were great promplty (1 star earned). After waiting 10 — 15 minutes a waiter came by to get our drinks and menus. Mind you, there were only about 5 tables seated at 9:30am. There was plenty of staff, I even saw them wrappying silverware and cleaning, which I guess is way more important than serving paying patrons.
Second, after they brought out our drinks, the waiter forgot the menus (who knows how long that could have taken him to get) We ordered our ususal: Migas tacos and a Belguim waffle for the kiddo. Almost 30 –35 minutes for our food to come out.
Once the food was brought out they forgot our silverware, syrup and we asked for more salsa. 5 minutes later brought out salsa, no silverware, no syrup. Daughter waited about 7 minutes before she got the silverware and syrup to eat her waffle — thoughtful people. We all waited until she was able to eat.
We asked for the bill promptly which perhaps got the attention of the manager and asked if everything was ok (second star earned). She was the one that greeted us when we came in. As a manager wouldn’t you want to prevent problems instead of clean up after a problem? The lack of concern during our eating experience was dissapointing. Since this is our third experience with poor service and mediocre food, I am done. Austin has plenty of other awesome food places that are worth a drvie. Waterloo, take a clue from Brooklyn Heights and step up your non– existing game!

Went here for breakfast based on the «Front Desk» flyer ad that the hotel I was staying in had on display. I figured it was good based on the ad’s raved reviews. WRONG!!!
Granted it IS a bar so don’t mascarade as a «Family» restaurant if you can’t hold your end of the bargain!
The waitress was loud, yet very nice, the food was flavorless, cold and medicore, the coffee weak, and the wait for the food was ridiculous!
My husband’s 2 slices of «bacon» was actually one skinny, little shard to which the manager quickly responded with a plate of fresh, whole bacon.

The term Waterloo has become synonymous with a crushing personal defeat, and after eating here, I know why.
I had the chili cheeseburger, and able was I, ere I was served this wretched little puck of meat. Where’s the beef? Was this some sort of wry commentary about Napoleon’s diminutive size? A conscientious pushback against ever-​increasing portion sizes in American restaurants? I don’t know, but even the worst backyard cook would be embarrassed to serve a tiny, dessicated burger like this to even the most unwelcome of guests.
It takes hard work and a concerted effort to craft such a perfect failburger. Indeed, it took nearly 40 minutes for it to arrive.
It’s clear that the kitchen staff is either mailing it in, or they just don’t know better. It’s a shame, considering the potential at this location. It’s a great space with what appears to be a great patio and playground. I think I would prefer dining here to a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but it’s a close call.

Waterloo is probably slightly better than okay (how’s that for a ringing endorsement). Here is what I mean, I have 2 little girls — one is 4, the other 2. So when my wife and I want to have dinner someplace other than fast food, with a playground for the girls, our options are pretty limited. As a matter of fact, no place other than Waterloo Ice House comes to mind at all. And the food is pretty good too. They have a good kids menu, good burgers and tacos, and they have Mexican Martinis. This shapes up to be a pretty good night out. The downside that we run into here is service. Sometimes its pretty good, but mostly its fairly marginal at best. We come here pretty often (though not enough to be on a first name basis with the hosts and servers), so I feel like we have seen enough to establish a trend.
Summary: good, not great food. tip-​able, but not great service. Playground for the kids, bar for the adults.

Today, we visited Waterloo Ice House on Avery Ranch Blvd for the third time, and I become so aggravated with this place, that I am finally posting a review. I’m leaving at two stars with the flexibility to change it based on whether or not they act on the feedback that they have admittedly received from several patrons.
Here’s the deal, this location (and several others) are not owned by the same company that owns the original Waterloo Icehouse; it’s actually a franchise location owned by Barry Boes. I do not know if this is his first or only restaurant, but he seems to be ignoring one of the primary tenants of chain restaurateuring — consistency. There are several things about this location that do not match other locations, and that lie in direct contradiction of their website and their own menu.
For instance, the «Texas All-​Star» breakfast says that it comes with your choice of toast or biscuits (plural) and it actually only comes with biscuit (singular) — The location on Burnet Rd serves two, but Avery Ranch Serves one — they say because their biscuits are bigger, but I can attest to the fact that they are not. Also, this location does not offer single serving half and half for coffee but rather coffee mate, and does not provide real butter for for the pancakes, but rather a «I Can’t Believe I’m Eating Fake Butter”-type substitute. Also, the website says that Waterloo is open until 11pm, but this place closes at 10pm.
These inconsistencies may seem minor, but people do not like knowing that they cannot count on a consistent experience across the board at various locations fo the same establishment. Also, if they are cutting corners on the items I mentioned, that makes me wonder where else they are cutting corners in the kitchen.
The negatives:
— Experience inconsistent with other locations
— Coffee is so acidic that it curdled the half & half they brought me from the kitchen. I mean, it was SO acidic that it tasted like it had vinegar in it.
— Artificial food items like coffee mate and fake butter spread.
— Hashbrowns were tasty, but to soggy in the middle
— Fried eggs were leathery on the outside, but the whites were even runny on the inside.
— We received the wrong pancakes, but it was quickly corrected.
— Their idea of blueberry pancakes is pancakes with a few not-​so-​hot looking blueberries on top (or pecans on top on our others).
— I didn’t have the pancakes, but my son observed that they were leathery and hard to cut.
Now for the positive.
— The service is consistently good and friendly; today was no different.
— Lisa, the manager on duty came and sat down with us and listened to our concerns and provided us with a comment card. We talked at length and she was very friendly and open.
— The food here is ok, and with a little more attention to detail in the kitchen, it could be really good.
— The layout is nice, the patio is nice, and the location is convenient.
I am usually pretty hot or cold on my reviews, generally because places that I rate highly have nailed it, and places that miss the mark don’t seem to care, and that pisses me off enough to go rail on them on Unilocal.This place is different though in that they seem to care, but are not doing anything about it yet. If they have made some improvements the next time I go (which I inevitably will out due to the convenience factor and lack of choices in this neck of the woods) then I’ll bump them up a star or two accordingly; if not, I am likely going to demote them to one star and not go back anymore. Unilocal is good and fine for what it is, but the ultimate «no» vote is not giving an establishment any more of your business. Good Luck Avery Ranch Waterloo. Maybe take a trip to Oringal Pancake House at Parmer a Metric and see what breakfast done right looks like.

Waterloo at Avery Ranch is our go-​to place when we just need some chow. Loud, lots of suburban moms w/​kids with over-​worked dads (usually working for either IBM, Dell of Apple) just drinking cheap beer watching sports on one of the many TVs in there.
The food is alright, but not stellar. The menu actually has some great variety.
Huge porch with lots of hooting and hollering on Saturday brunch/​UT football game time.
Great playscape area for the kids where they can go run around instead of bugging me and my Lone Star… However, I can’t help looking over at the pizza-​joint on the opposite side wishing we were there instead.
3 stars for ‘meh’ as the place is completely average.
If you want more of a joint, with more beer and greasy pizza, hit up Brooklyn Heights.
If you want something fancier, go across the street to Z-​Tejes for the faux-​tex-​mex fusion.