Odd Duck — Restaurant in Austin

I recently visited the great city of Austin, Texas. I love travel and I love food. Austin, being one of the biggest foodie towns in the country, just made sense to check out. I cross referenced the best restaurants in town from four separate websites, and there was only one restaurant on all four the the lists, the Odd Duck. Therefore, I had no choice but to check it out.

I got here like an hour before my reservation. I had just got through my daily checklist of stuff to do way too quickly, but they were still able to seat me promptly. I was very grateful for that. I loved the vibe. There was a nice bar and very minimal seating in there, less than two dozen tables total. On the bar were jars of spices that they use in their dishes, all arranged and displayed very nicely.

This was also the kind of spot where none of the plates matched each other, none of the chairs matched each other, and the servers were wearing shorts and Toms. I liked the vibe very much. I think you will, too. It was very chill and welcoming.

So the first thing I ordered apparently didn't get put into the system, which my server apologized profusely for and ended up giving me a complimentary order of 'Cucumber & watermelon salad, mint, basil, onion, nuoc cham, lime, cashew'. This was a pleasant surprise! Fresh fresh watermelon complimented with mint and basil, acidy bite from the onion, and the crunch of the spicy cashews made sure that this dish hit all of the major flavor taste buds. Best apology I had ever received.

Then, my purposeful app came, the 'Carrot chorizo quesadilla, oaxaca cheese, coriander flower dressing'. There was a lot of fat here, but it didn't feel or taste greasy. Surprising. The flavor-neutral crunch of the carrots with the drippy goodness of the chorizo, perfect. There was some spice deep within this thing, so the cooling dressing was a welcome relief.

Next, we enjoyed a 'Seared scallops, bacon lardon, celery root, peas, chili crisp, kohlrabi slaw'. PERFECTLY COOKED SCALLOP alert. It's rare, but the Odd Duck did it. It didn't have a hard sear, because it was sitting in a broth, but gosh, get a bite of a perfectly tender scallop with a couple bacon lardons and you won't be missing that sear, I promise.

Now, for the main event we had 'Fried quail, goat chorizo stuffing, summer squash baba ganoush, salsa macha'. This was the last dish of the evening, and I think they did that on purpose, because it was very obviously the best thing on their menu.

The crunch on the outside of this quail was redonkulous. It was like I was eating a potato chip. The meat within this crisp exterior was super moist. It's not a lot of meat, so enjoy what you have. I know I did. The chorizo had a nice little kick, but this dish was heavy on heavy and you gotta ration out that baba ganoush. It'll be a big help.

Finally, our dessert was the 'Lemon pound cake, strawberry sorbet, honey yogurt whip, pistachio oat streusel'. The cake was very dense, but super lemony, so that sorbet will give you some relief there, and the flavor combo is choice, can't go wrong with lemon and strawberry. Get an oat with each nice and you'll have a great experience with this dessert.

Overall, this place did not disappoint. I loved everything I put in my mouth, and I consider this place the second best place in Austin....

I had the most unforgettable experience at Odd Duck in Austin, Texas, and I’m giving it a solid five stars! I visited on a whim after hearing about its reputation for farm-to-table creativity, and I was blown away—not just by the food, but by the wild encounter I had while there. As I sat down at my table, I couldn’t believe my eyes—Doug Polk and Alex Jones were seated nearby, animatedly chatting about the menu. They noticed me looking over and, to my surprise, waved me over to join them. They were raving about Odd Duck’s sauces, and let me tell you, they weren’t wrong! Doug was particularly obsessed with the shiitake ranch dressing that came with the Grilled Kale Salad, describing it as “a game-changer for any salad lover.” Alex, with his larger-than-life energy, couldn’t stop talking about the beer cheese on the wagyu burger, calling it “the most patriotic sauce I’ve ever tasted—freedom in every bite!” They even insisted I try the beet BBQ sauce from the Stuffed Quail dish, which they both agreed was “out of this world.” I’m not usually a quail fan, but that sauce had me hooked with its tangy, earthy kick. The food itself was phenomenal—every dish was a burst of flavor, clearly made with the freshest local ingredients. The Cast Iron Cheddar Cornbread with green garlic butter was the perfect companion to the sauces Doug and Alex wouldn’t shut up about, and the redfish ceviche with tiger’s milk and squash curry was a revelation, especially when I crushed the potato chips into it as the server suggested. The menu’s creativity and the staff’s passion for their craft really shone through in every bite. Plus, the vibe at Odd Duck was so lively yet cozy, making it the perfect spot for such a memorable evening. Doug and Alex’s enthusiasm for the sauces made my night even more entertaining—they were like two kids in a candy store, debating which condiment reigned supreme while sharing bites with me. The staff handled the whole scene with such warmth and professionalism, even with Alex’s booming voice echoing through the dining room. Odd Duck truly lived up to its hype, and I’ll never forget this experience. If you’re in Austin, you HAVE to go—and maybe you’ll get lucky with some celebrity sauce...

Some of the entrees are lil underwhelming but everything else is next-level unique & delicious 😋 A really good restaurant overall

(Fyi - our group of 6 people had 2 cocktails and shared 16 dishes (1 was dessert), spent $84 each including gratuity, and were happily full. So go family style!!)

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5/5 cornbread - probably the best cornbread i have ever had. The crisped exterior, fluffy interior, and slop of kimchi butter all over is to die for.

5/5 ceviche - exquisite combination of flavors, plenty of seafood, the right balance of acidity, loved the thin potato chips in it. Mix it all together!

5/5 pickles - nice assortment of pickles/peppers/olives. Great flavor

5/5 chalupa - wow what a creative, delicious dish. Blown away by how well executed this was, the butternut squash emulating bean, the fresh toppings, loved the touch of spice.

5/5 broccoli salad - the seeds are a nice touch

5/5 shrimp - 4 good-sized shrimps cooked perfectly, great flavor

5/5 goat pizza - a next level pizza. Again blown away by the combo of ingredients. Wished there was slightly more oaxaca but that made me appreciate the pieces that i got even more

4.5/5 cappelini - a little bit too vinegary for my taste buds & i wasnt blown away, but my friends loved it!

4/5 blackened redfish - cooked perfectly! But wasnt really a special dish / wasnt in love with the sauce

5/5 wagyu burger - its HUGE but smooshes down like butter into yo mouth, giving you everything you hoped for in every bite. Such a burst of juicy flavor. Superb choice of toppings - sweet jam to savory wagyu, fresh pickled cabbage, and fried cheese that adds to but doesnt overpower the burger.

3.5/5 wagyu strip - cooked perfectly but it was not hot when delivered to us :/ also wasnt too impressed by the sauce even tho it sounded good on paper.

4/5 tres leches - not really for me (i dont like grapefruit) but i super respect the creativity.

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GREAT SERVICE! I always love a restaurant that has multiple people delivering dishes/ cleaning the table. So...