Barley Swine — Restaurant in Austin

Dining at Barley Swine was a memorable experience, full of unexpected and delightful flavor combinations. Here’s my take on the dishes I tried:

I started with the Watermelon, Sungold Tomato, and Squash dish, which was a perfect balance of sweetness and freshness. The watermelon was juicy and refreshing, while the tomatoes added a burst of acidity. The squash gave it a more grounded, earthy note. It was the ideal light start to the meal.

The Hiramasa Aguachile with Potato Mayo came next, and this was a standout. The hiramasa had a buttery texture and paired beautifully with the spicy, tangy aguachile. The potato mayo added an unexpected creaminess that helped balance the heat.

Moving into richer dishes, the Chicken Fried Eggplant with Fish Bone Caramel blew me away. The eggplant was crispy on the outside and tender inside, but the fish bone caramel is what really made the dish. It had a deep, savory-sweet umami flavor that took the fried eggplant to the next level.

The Blackened Cod with Zucchini and Dashi Butter was equally impressive. The cod was perfectly cooked with a crispy, flavorful crust, and the dashi butter added a rich, almost smoky, flavor. The zucchini provided a light, fresh contrast that balanced the dish well.

The Muscovy Duck with Succotash and Basil was a standout for its balance of rich, tender duck and fresh, vibrant flavors. The duck was perfectly cooked—crispy on the outside, with succulent meat inside. The succotash added a nice mix of textures and sweetness, with bursts of fresh corn and beans complementing the savory duck. The basil brought a fragrant, herbal note that tied everything together. It was a beautifully balanced dish, both hearty and fresh.

For the Seared Duck Liver with Tomatillo Jam on Tostada, the richness of the duck liver was incredible. It was seared just right, creating a crispy outer layer while maintaining its creamy interior. The tangy tomatillo jam cut through the richness perfectly, adding a zesty sweetness that brightened the dish. The crunch of the tostada provided a textural contrast that made each bite satisfying. It was indulgent, yet well-balanced.

The Black River Caviar with Semifreddo and Waffle Cookie was a surprising and delightful combination of luxury and playful textures. The caviar, with its briny, delicate pops, added an elegant touch, while the semifreddo provided a creamy, cool counterbalance. The waffle cookie brought a crisp sweetness that was unexpected but worked beautifully with the richness of the caviar. It was a perfect mix of sweet, salty, and creamy, making it one of the most memorable dishes of the night.

I finished with the Eggplant Olive Oil Cake with Honey, Dukkah, and Port Frozen Custard, which was incredibly unique. The olive oil cake was moist and slightly savory, while the dukkah added a crunchy texture and a bit of spice. The port frozen custard was rich and paired perfectly with the cake. It was a surprisingly complex dessert that ended the meal on a high note.

Overall, Barley Swine delivered a wonderfully curated experience. Every dish was crafted with attention to detail, balancing bold flavors with subtle touches. If you’re someone who loves creative cuisine and is open to trying new and exciting flavor combinations, this place is a must. The meal felt like a journey through different textures, temperatures, and tastes, each dish as surprising...

Our anniversary snuck up on us, but my husband was able to get a reservation at Barley Swine just a week ahead of time so happily we got to check it out! We let them know we were coming for our anniversary and they not only put Happy Anniversary on the daily menu for a cute little souvenir, they also gave us complementary glasses of champagne to celebrate!

The ambiance is great with quirky lights, a classy yet with a homey feel from all the spice jars and misc ingredients on the shelves, a bit of romance with the low lighting while still be able to see your food, and the staff were all very friendly and knowledgeable when we asked questions.

The star of course was the food which was amazing! The hiramasa was one of my favorite dishes, the flavor combos were delicious and the refried carrot was rich and creamy. My least favorite was the beet dish, but just because they aren’t my fav- and it was still good just my least favorite of them all! The fish n chip was perfectly crispy with a nice tang from the tartar sauce (though I don’t know what element was supposed to be the chip). Grilled trout was tender and I really enjoyed the lemony pea sprouts (I think), pig face carnitas were good but VERY rich with the sweet potato mole. The only add on we got was the duck liver which was a rich and flavorful bite- I’d recommend it! Akaushi ribeye was also a favorite, very tender and I loved the broccoli topping. The scallion roll didn’t taste much like scallions to me, but was very good with the drippings foam, kimchi, and rib cap all together. The celery panna cotta with granita was very interesting and sort of a combo dessert/palate cleanser; sweet but clean. The chocolate fondant/peanut brittle/marshmallow/strawberry ice cream concoction was delicious and a perfect end to the meal.

The cocktails were pretty good, though we tried the seasonal Aviation and it was too much of a martini for me it was hard to drink! I did really enjoy the Mr. Feelgood which wasn't overly sweet but was still smooth and drinkable, and the Coral Snake which was on the sweeter side but balanced with a fruity and spiced flavor.

Parking seemed a little limited but they had a valet, not sure of cost as we accidentally came around the back of the building and parked back there. Misc plus- bathrooms had full doors, and were well light in the stalls with a full mirror for checking your date night outfit!

The last little touch was a free box of cookies as an anniversary gift- and while I suspect it was partially because we were one of the lasts guests there and they were probably clearing out the baked goods, it was a super sweet surprise! All in all it was a fantastic experience, but definitely one saved for special occasions with the...

Overall good experience and I would eventually go back for the food. They perfected timing of serving the tasting menu. The ambience was casual yet elevated, which felt very suitable. Caviar and shiitake dumplings on the supplement menu are a must add if you are there before the menu shifts. I would have given it a 5 stars if they were more accommodating, and the course menu didn’t have fish n chips and carnitas. Fish n chip piece was too greasy. I wonder if their frying oil temp was too low because the bite wasn’t pleasant with a large amount of oil spilling out while chewing the kales/fish. Carnitas were too gamey for me but I guess carnitas usually are. The garnish and the purée were delicious though.

If you are trying to conceive or pregnant I wouldn’t dine here because only 1 of 4 zero proof cocktails they have on the menu was truly 0% ABV. The wait staff had zero idea that non-alcoholic beverages by definition may contain up to 0.5% ABV. Which is fine but that one and only drink had cardamom which couldn’t be taken out for some reason. So only thing i could drink was water, sparkling water, tea, coffee, or hop water. So I asked if I could have some juice with the sparkling water, but she said they don’t have any juice and have nothing they could add for me to the sparkling water. She said they are not able to accommodate/alter anything on their drink menu. She then asked me, so you can’t eat the food because our food also contains some alcohol? So I told her to just to forget about it.

So my question is, is the full bar just a part of decoration? We can’t just simply add a slice of lime, lemon or a piece of any fruit in the sparkling water with whatever fresh herbs you got there perhaps mint or rosemary, and add some syrup?

So yes I drank plain sparkling water for 3 hours of us dining while the rest of the party enjoyed wine pairing. It pained me but I guess restaurants don’t have to accommodate for everyone. We can just choose to not go to places instead of going there and complaining about it. Maybe I will come back once I’m no longer planning for babies and no longer feeling bitter about this. I mean water is healthy. You guys were just looking out for my health and blood sugar, and silly me...