Colleen's Kitchen — Restaurant in Austin

March 2025

I keep forgetting to make a reservation for Colleen’s Kitchen but fortunately was able to be seated otherwise there was two spots open at the bar. The staff was very friendly as usual and a wonderful place to enjoy brunch. I ordered the Avocado Toast and Skillet Cornbread to enjoy before my meal.

The cornbread was in a skillet and big enough to feed four. It had great flavor and even better with butter on it. The avocado toast was very presentable with pederson's applewood smoked bacon, fried vital farms egg, smashed avocado, rebel tomatoes, on top of a slice of grilled brioche bread. It was very delicious and fulfilling.

I parked in a parking garage across from Colleen’s Kitchen where is one of the those Metropolis operated once where you just drive in/out and their app charges you automatically. If you do not have it then scan the QR code on the pillars there to install app. As for dining at Colleen’s Kitchen I scanned another QR code there that provided me free parking for I think an hour. I parked for 1 hour 45 minutes and needed up paying nothing.

March 2023

Colleen’s Kitchen is one of my favorite places to enjoy delicious food and this day it was brunch. I forgot to make a reservation so was ready to find a place at the bar, but a table for two was available. This place has southern elegant charm and a perfect spot to bring your date to or wife in my case. We had several servers come by making us feel very welcomed. Each seem to have a role like a five star restaurant.

A grapefruit mimosa was placed in front me and was very tasty. There was a beautiful small flower arrangement in middle of our table making it very classy. I ordered a single Fried Chicken Little Biscuit and my wife decided on the Buttermilk Fried Chicken + Waffles. I starred over at the bar to see brilliant colors from the liquor bottles, decor and fruit bowl with glass behind it showing the clear blue sky outside.

Plates were set in front of us and our food was very presentable. My wife had a huge waffle in the shape of Texas and two big pieces of chicken next to it. It was sprinkled with powered sugar and maple syrup poured on it. I tasted the waffle and it was soft to my mouth tasting very good.

My little biscuit was not small where about the size of a chicken sandwich. I had the same fried chicken my wife had but instead of maple syrup I had gravy. After one bite I was in heaven. The biscuit and chicken had great flavor. Both plates were excellent.

Great service and great food keeps me...

First time stopping by for a Sunday brunch with my partner. The patio area is super cute but we opted to sit inside at the bar since it was too hot outside.

The interior, decor and just overall vibe was top notch. This would definitely be a perfect girls brunch date or dinner date.

I ordered the mimosa which was 10/10 - I love how they simply top off the champagne with orange juice haha.

We also ordered the fried tomatoes and chicken and waffles. Unfortunately the tomatoes were at best mediocre - the tomatoes themselves didn’t have that fresh, juicy texture and flavor that you get from most heirloom tomatoes and the batter wasn’t necessarily crispy.

The chicken and waffles was probably the biggest let down. We felt bad and tried to finish our meal without having to complain but it just got to a point where the chicken was so dry, I got tired from chewing and swallowing. The batter on the chicken had a floury texture with some burnt parts, and the syrup was unbearably thick and sweet. Unfortunately this is currently the worst chicken and waffles dish I’ve ever had.

However, when I alerted staff they were extremely open to feedback and had our dish taken away and replaced with another instead. We were not charged for the chicken and waffles, and our second dish (crab cake Benedict) was charged 50% off. Everyone who assisted in making our meal better seemed very genuine and I greatly appreciate the hospitality.

Unfortunately, despite being a huge crab Benedict fan, this one didn’t meet our expectations either. It was covered in a sauce that was far too salty and the crab mixture had a fishy smell to it. Similar to the chicken and waffles, we felt like we had to force ourselves to finish this dish. The crab was so fishy that I went home after to rinse out my mouth :(

I don’t think I would come back nor would I recommend this restaurant, but based on other good reviews it was...

I had an incredibly upsetting experience at Colleen’s Restaurant that left a lasting impact on me. I've been living in this country for several years now and have always tried to give the benefit of the doubt to not dwell on or internalize racial discrimination. But what happened to me that evening at Colleen’s changed something in me.

I reached out to the restaurant’s management, hoping for acknowledgment or even just a basic response. Unfortunately, my message was completely ignored. I'm sharing this publicly now because staying silent no longer feels like an option.

Below is the email I on sent 06-03-2025 to Colleen’s detailing what happened.

Dear Colleen’s Restaurant Management,

I’m writing to formally express my concern regarding a distressing experience I had at your restaurant on June 3, 2025, around 7:30 PM at your Mueller Blvd location in Austin.

I was dining with a group of 23 colleagues. I was the only Black person in the group — and also the only one who never received their meal. I ordered at the same time as everyone else and politely followed up with staff multiple times. Despite my efforts, my food never came. What made this even more upsetting is that another colleague who ordered the exact same dish after I did received their meal without issue.

This experience left me feeling humiliated and singled out. It’s hard not to see this as racially motivated. Whether this happened due to oversight or intentional bias, either scenario is deeply troubling and unacceptable.

I respectfully request a formal review of this incident by your management team. I would appreciate a response outlining how you plan to address this, what measures are in place to train your staff on inclusivity and anti-discrimination, and how you intend to prevent such incidents in the future.

Thank you for your time and attention. I hope to...