Champions Austin Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Austin

We were staying at the hotel and needed to grab dinner on a rainy day, so we went to Champions since it was directly downstairs and connected to the hotel, and we'll never come back. Three reasons why:

1. When we first entered, the AC was blasting so it felt cold. We, (party of 2) asked to be seated somewhere less cold. They apologized for the restaurant being cold while there were 20 other tables that were free, but they decided to sit us right under the vent beside the window so that it gives an illusion to the people on the street that the restaurant was busy while the AC was blast-chilling us and the food. They acted like there was nothing that can be done to sit us elsewhere.

2. The waitress was good with checking on with us before we ordered food but we needed more time so we asked her to come back in a few minutes. She did not come back after 10 minutes. She was nowhere to be found. So, we had to flag someone else down to get our order and he didn't seem happy to do that. I guess I'm sorry for flagging you down, and I guess I should have just sat there for longer to get completely frozen from the AC even though there were other staff visibly scanning the room and I've even locked eyes with them several times. Basically, service can be decent and non-existent during the same meal.

3. You should have ketchup bottles on all your tables because everything we ordered had no flavor. The Southwest salad dressing was pretty tasteless and it wasn't enough to cover the big salad so I asked for more and I still couldn't taste a thing, and the chicken breast is desert-dry so it's hard to chew through. The Ora King Salmon was ok, but still on the dry side. My mistake for thinking that maybe the dessert might be better but it turns out that you can't even get that made decently. The strawberries (fruit) on the strawberry shortcake are bitter, and the cake feels like it's made from cake mix. None of these foods can be saved with a little more salt.

I am sorry for leaving a bad review but I'm also feeling sorry for myself for having to go through this. Everyone else that reviewed this restaurant had a great time and my experience just wasn't it. I regret putting your food in my mouth and I should...

After checking into my hotel, the front desk clerk recommended I try their restaurant, Champions, during my stay. The restaurant was consistently clean and tastefully decorated, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The morning staff, in particular, was incredibly pleasant and made breakfast a delightful experience.

The complimentary breakfast buffet was impressive, featuring a waffle station, turkey bacon, pork sausage, crispy bacon, breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, cheesy grits, oatmeal, and a variety of cold cereals. Beverage options included a selection of juices, teas, water, and coffee. [Hotel Stay]

For lunch, I ordered the baked wings, French fries, and tortillas with queso—and I must say, both dishes were delicious! I prefer my wings well done, and these didn’t disappoint; the seasonings remained bold and flavorful without being overpowered by sauces.

That said, the bar service was a bit of a letdown. The cocktails were weak for the price, even after paying extra for a double shot. Honestly, I could have bought a bottle of tequila for my room instead, which is often my go-to. While it’s nice to enjoy a drink with a meal, these cocktails felt watered down and overpriced. This is where $3 shot specials would come in handy, especially when you're already paying premium prices for staying downtown.

Overall, the service was good—Geneva, along with the other servers and bartenders, was professional and friendly. My main concern lies with the bar; it needs a little attention to bring the cocktail experience up to par [Stronger Cocktails]. With a bit of improvement there, this place could...

Ok...so you have a restaurant RIGHT NEXT to the convention center. That means business can be unpredictable [that's the tough part], but price per person average can be much higher!!...captive audience [that's the good news]. However...if you take the higher PPA, and either (a) cheat on staffing to make extra profit, or (b) fail to monitor convention Center calendar & staff it right...that means your leadership either doesn't know what they're doing, or doesn't care.

I arrived and sat at the bar and was immediately warned by the bartender to 'get my order in quickly cause we just got slammed with a bunch of "big tops", and the food will take forever if you wait'. I ordered the Chicken Tenders appetizer 5 minutes later and was told food would be 90 minutes...90 MINUTES!!! I cancelled my order, drank my lunch and left. Meanwhile, as I pay out, I'm watching the kitchen manager standing outside the kitchen doors w/o a care in the world.

I've been a GM for a successful Steakhouse company in Austin (15 years in the biz before I took a job in IT). Through my experience, I learned that standards aren't typically low in only one area. If they are low, they're low across the board.

If you're looking for a high priced meal at a restaurant that is bilking customers and not putting in the hard work to make for a great experience, by all means...otherwise, save yourself the frustration & pay the extra $5-10/person at Moonshine or any one of the other 20 restaurants in walking distance, that own and execute...