Moonshine Grill — Restaurant in Austin

So I recently came to Austin, TX, because I heard on every corner of the internet that it was one of the best foodie towns in the country. I, being one of the best foodies in the country, had to investigate. Moonshine was overwhelmingly one of the most popular restaurants in the city, and the reviews were pretty stellar. So I had to come check this place out.

The location is great. It's basically downtown, but away from the hustle and bustle of actual downtown. The space is great. They have an event venue barn which is beautiful. They have an interior design that's reminiscent of Italy, but if Tennessee made Italy. Elevated Southern. I believe that's what people are calling it nowadays.

There are no reservations, but there was an excellent staging area with tables and chairs where all the people on the waitlist can go and wait and enjoy the drinks they go up to the bar and order. We got seated and someone brought us the complimentary bucket of popcorn. So that was fun.

I'll just get this out of my system right now. The service was awful. The guy was obviously new. I knew that because I saw him getting lots of tutorials on the computer system from other servers. So I fault this place not for the service. It was busy and I understand that completely. I also made sure I tipped my standard, copious amount. I got you, dude.

Now, back to the food.

I looked at this menu for a long time. Everything looked so, so good. We decided to make a completely off-the-wall decision. We forewent all entrees and we orders four apps and a dessert.

We started with The Original Moonshine "Corn Dog" Shrimp (honey mustard, blueberry swirl). This was fascinating. It tastes exactly as expected, no better, no worse. And the swirly dipping sauce made me feel like a kid again. I was a fan.

Then we moved on to the Cathead Biscuits (honey butter, house preserves). These biscuits were THICC. I felt like I was buttering and jamming a British scone. So delicious. I definitely recommend getting these, no matter what else you order. They're just as good the next day.

Also got the chicken wing app. I don't see that on the online menu right now, which makes sense, because chicken wing prices are through the roof right now. Alas, while they were good, the spicy honey sauce that they were covered in were nothing to write home about. Maybe they'll be back one day.

And the main event, my favorite thing I put in my mouth that night, was the Roasted Garlic Bulbs (toasted baguette, goat cheese spread). There is something so satisfying about squeezing the goo out of those suckers like toothpaste and spreading it on a crispy baguette. Cut the heavy garlic with the tang of the goat cheese and you have a true five, no, six star dish. My Lord.

We finished off with a bomb, too. The Dark Chocolate Cheesecake (pecan crust). The deep, semi-sweet flavor of this cheesecake was heaven. The creamy/thick ratio of texture was perfectly tag teamed with the crunch of the pecan crust. I loved this. This was the perfect way to end the meal.

Overall, really solid. I had no complaints and I was super happy to see the garlic bulb dish. I don't see that on menus much anymore. Good...

This place was great! My girlfriend and I came in from out of town to meet with several colleagues from several different places around the US for a competition, banquet, and awards ceremony. The night before the banquet and ceremony, we ate here. It was definitely a great choice!

The drinks were ambrosial; a good selection of appetizing appetizers; and the menu was easy, concise, and compact with something for anybody. It might not completely delight vegetarians and vegans, but they do have salads and an amazing portobello burger. *See the attached menu.

We had a reservation, so it wasn’t difficult for us to get a table. Although, for walk-ins, I imagine a wait is likely at the typical times. They have indoor seating with A/C, and outdoor seating on a back patio which is where it looks like they seat overflow and larger parties. During the winter, they have metal doors and shutters they can close for heat ventilation, if needed. During the summer, it’s opened up and they turn on large oscillating fans, and standing industrial 4’ round fans to keep the air moving. The oscillating fans are also connected to the mains water to spray a fine mist as they oscillate in one direction, which greatly helps to reduce the heat. It also feels nice to have the cool mist kiss your warm skin.

While we were there (June 27-30, 2025), parking was difficult. Not only is it downtown, but the former convention center was directly across the street and was still being demolished. Also, the only other parking I saw was on the street and behind the restaurant in an alley. They have valet service, and according to a post by the restaurant, valet is free Mon-Thu, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

The service was exceptional. I can’t say much more than that about our waitress. She was polite, attentive, and made sure to keep our drinks topped off, and she forgot nothing. For example, one of my colleagues dropped her plate just after it had been laid on the table. She was cutting her steak and turned the plate a little too far, and as she began to cut, the plate slid right off the table and onto the floor. Our waitress was kind, patient, there was no annoyance, or any outward sign of frustration toward us. Naturally, we all apologized profusely and she put in a new order for another plate for my colleague. I believe it was out within 10 minutes. She was being tipped extra well that evening, even without the dropped plate. The kitchen did a good job too, and certainly deserves a thank you also.

My girlfriend had the chicken fried steak. It did not disappoint. At nearly 10”-12” in length by 5” width, it was completely covered in cream gravy on a bed of yummy mashed potatoes.

Our colleagues had the Wagyu Salisbury steak, the portobello burger, trout, and other entrees. They were all pleased with their meals.

I had the classic cheeseburger but subbed the pimento cheese with American cheese, and a side of seasoned French fries. It was one of the best burgers and fries I’ve had in a while.

I highly...

This place was the highlight restaurant of our visit to Austin. We had some great food but Moonshine Grill had the hattrick.

The atmosphere here is awesome. The bar is beautiful, the architectural details of this old renovation are beautiful. The wallpapers are all different, but in the same tones, so it flows beautifully. The patio looked really awesome. It was 105° when we were there, so we ate indoors. But the photos here don't exaggerate how cool this place is.

The food was really delicious. The Hot chicken sandwich was a generous size, and had a smoky paprika flavor, really tasty. The deviled eggs were good. My favorite was the fried green tomatoes!!! Holy heck...these may be the best ones I've ever had in my life (I've had a fair bit, if they're on a menu..I try them). These are special. They were crisp and crunchy start.to finish. The chopped shrimp and pimento on top, with the zesty remoulade was the perfect pairing with these crunchy gems. Really excellent.

The frozen lemonade cocktail and the whiskey cocktail were so refreshing on such a hot day. Oh..I can't forget to mention the popcorn...it's a salty one... So be prepared. But a nice warm up to the meal!

I normally take note of our servers name, but I was not paying attention (my bad) I was taking in the vibe... but she was great! She was also the bartender. She was attentive, friendly, made great recommendations.

Next trip to Austin, we will return here ..which says a lot, because I like to try different spots ..but I am coming back for...