Mattie's — Restaurant in Austin

Had brunch here with a friend, and it was just a strange experience. We sat for a while before someone came to get us water, then we sat for a while until we saw our server, who walked by us and said "I'll be right back" then disappeared for a while (we still hadn't ordered drinks after 15-20 min, but no worries, we were catching up, and I get they're busy).

The server came over and we ordered both our food and drinks, and it was a bit of a weird interaction, and I noticed the server didn't write anything down, no worries (but spoiler, there were worries).

Then we got biscuits given to us by one of the managers to say sorry for the initial wait, which was nice, we appreciated it...still not irritated or upset, stuff happens. But then our server came and asked for my friend's order again, about 10 minutes later. So I guess it wasn't put in? Then when the food came out, part of my order was missing, so I had to ask another server if they could check on it. Again, not really irritated, just confused.

Asked for my missing dish to be boxed, then was asked if I wanted the remaining biscuits (just some pieces) boxed, and I said no thanks. My friend was still eating, they dropped off my second dish bagged, with the biscuit bits packed on top (no worries, just strange, why even ask me then). Then my friend asked for her leftovers to be boxed, and I grabbed a glass of wine.

Another manager came out and gave us a free ice cream dessert (without asking us) to say sorry for the issues, and while it was nice... we didn't want the dessert, but the dessert was already there (they seemed confused that we didn't want the dessert we didn't ask for), then there was an exchange about whether the desert could be packaged to go, which was also confusing, because they just kept saying it would melt, but like...we didn't want the dessert, why am I being guilted into a desert I didn't want...we just wanted our food and the glass of wine. Listen, dessert is great, ice cream is great, but I am trying to not eat dairy and like...there was no room in my belly for ice cream.

Then the dessert came out packaged, and sat there (why wasn't it just left in the freezer until we got our check, I don't know...this is a mystery of the universe), then we had to ask someone else about the wine and the boxed leftovers, then we got the wine (ice cream still just hanging out like an ominous omen), and had to explain in detail that no, we did not have my friend's food boxed yet. And then we found out it was thrown away, and they made us a new one, which was nice.

It was just such a strange series of interactions, and was at least a mildly funny series of hiccups. The food was tasty and the place was beautiful, and overall everyone was nice. But the service was just a bit confusing for a bougie place. I'm just assuming an off day, but might splurge elsewhere in town for brunch...

We hosted a graduation brunch at Mattie's in their private room on Sunday, May 25th for 14 people.

Communication: Unfortunately, there was a lack of proactive communication leading up to the event. I initially booked in September 2024 for May 2025, but had to reach out myself in early May. The transition to a new point of contact at the restaurant led to confusion and significant delays in responses.

Billing & Charges: We arrived with 14 guests instead of the planned 15. I informed Mary that I understood if I still needed to pay for the missing guest due to late notice, but I was given the check without any confirmation or clarification. If the charge was unavoidable, an offer to package the meal to-go would have been appreciated. Or frankly any follow-up after I waited 5-7 minutes for Mary in the entry during my event and then never saw her again.

Additionally, I requested Chilaquiles for one guest who preferred a different dish. While the restaurant accommodated the request, I was charged extra on top of the per-person fee, which was unexpected and not communicated beforehand.

Food Quality: Starters: Crab cakes, fruit, and biscuits were outstanding—10/10. Entrees: Unfortunately, the main courses fell terribly short. The fried chicken eggs benedict was overly heavy, the sausage with the breakfast plate lacked flavor, the breakfast bowl was bland, and the beet and citrus salad was disappointing to the point that both guests ate about 1/4 of it each—none of the guests finished their meals. Overall, the entrees were rated 2-3/10.

Overall Experience: The room and starters were wonderful, but given the disappointing entrees, I cannot recommend Mattie’s for a private event unless strictly limited to drinks and starters, in which case it could be a great venue.

We hosted events at three different locations, and the one that exceeded expectations not only delivered incredible food but also followed up post-event with a feedback survey and a detailed invoice. In contrast, upon leaving Mattie’s, I texted our point of contact with a few questions but received no response—another missed opportunity for engagement. I also emailed the restaurant and point of contact 1-day post event and never received any response.

If you are hosting appetizers and drinks only, I recommend Mattie's but even this recommendation comes with some hesitation due to the communication difficulties I have had. If I am going to spend $150/PP for a brunch, it's not unreasonable to expect a response post event and some sort of follow-up. Because of this, I will not be back, but if you are considering hosting something there, I would take all of this into...

Matties was....magical!

It's cliche to say. It's cheesy. It's still true.

It's like walking into a movie that would start Matthew McConaughey or Rachel McAdams would star in where you think "where do places like that even exist?" Austin. It exists in Austin.

I booked a reservation site unseen (minus the hundreds of pictures online) for my 10 year wedding anniversary dinner and as an out-of-towner trying to put together a nice evening for a special occasion without the help or recommendations of a local, I couldn't have gotten luckier.

First, ambiance. Enchanting. You have to drive deep into a quiet, charming neighborhood up a long drive covered by a canopy of trees and approach this simple, sweet farmhouse. Outdoor seating when full gives a welcoming buzz. The peacocks at dusk nest and call out as they settle in for the evening. The interior is like waking through a portal to a different time, but decorated tastfully by Better Home & Garden.

Second, service. We were greater cheerful with them congratulating us on our anniversary (I mentioned it in the online reservation) and a thanks for choosing them for the occasion. Shortly after being seated, we were surprised with a couple of flutes of champaign with which to toast ourselves. The rest of the time the service was a nice balance of available without overbearing. Charming without trying too hard. Accommodating without a hint of being put out.

Lastly, food. A meal not soon forgotten. The fired green tomatoes with the crab and corn salad managed to achieve bright and fresh AND rich and creamy at the same time. I travel for work and eat a LOT of steak and the ribeye was a REALLY good steak. The wine sauce was nice, the asparagus was respectable, but the cauliflower cream mash was amazing! The red fish was delicate and flakey and the dish as a whole was bursting with flavor like a Molly Malone, but oddly enough, all I want to talk about was the bread. The griddled sourdough toast with a French pepper aoli was so flipping delicious, if that's all I ordered, I would have been a happy man.

All that said, my wife was enamored and said it was the best meal we've shared in our 10 years of marriage.

Thank, Mattie's, for an evening...