Phil's Ice House — Restaurant in Austin

I've been to both the Burnet and 183 locations. The 183 location is in a nice little shopping center and has a nice newish looking interior. The Burnet location is a little older and a little dingier but I kinda prefer it because it has more of that classic Austin feel. The hamburgers are top notch the meat is juicy without being rare the buns are buttery and a bit sweet and they use some top notch bacon so I highly recommend ordering something with bacon. The fries may seem a little under salted for those used to fast food fries but I personally think they are salted just perfectly to bring out that fried potato flavor without over powering it. They have a Maine root soda machine which is always a plus in my book. Their customer service seemed nice enough but it wasn't anything special they didn't do anything amazing but they didn't do anything that would take a star off. My only real complaint would have to be that the parking at the Burnet location can be a pain.

PROS: Good meat Good buns Good bacon Good fries Good food Good atmosphere One of the best burgers in Austin

CONS: Parking at burnet is a pain The Burnet building may be to dingy for some Not the best burger in the world

5/5 would and have recommend...

Been here a few times now because I really want to like this place. There's a playscape in the back along with ice cream so it makes it a really convenient place to bring the kiddo. But it's just not doing it for me.

To start with the positives - I really really like the meat here. I find it to be of good quality and I like the taste a lot when eaten right away*. The regular fries are approved by the kiddo.

The negatives - none of us like the bread, it's just not doing it for us. All the various burgers we have tried has all been very mediocre is flavor. Whether it's the jalapeno cheese bun, the chilli, the seasonings, every variation has been bland.

The burgers are pretty pricey for what you get. The menu is just super confusing. Last time our fries came out as sweet potato fries. I guess you have to clarify regular fries or something? Anyway, I do not like sweet potato fries at all. The meat dries up really fast and gets hard if not eaten really quickly. This makes it hard for the kiddo to eat.

So yea, I really wish the burgers were better tasting and less pricey cuz the location and playscape is really great but after 4 visits, I think this is just not the...

Slid into Phil's today at the behest of my girlfriend. I did not make it in until nearly 2 pm, so I missed the crowds. There were a couple of people that came through while I was having lunch. Nice relaxed atmosphere with some light 80's music playing in the background.

As this was my first time, the staff suggested the 78704 burger, and it not disappoint (avacado, jalapeños, & grilled onions), maybe not for everyone but I loved it (don't yuck my yum). Plus with the huge menu that they boast, you are sure to find something you like. Fries were seasoned perfectly. While I had to go back to work, and opt'd for an iced tea, there were plenty of beer options to choose from. I noticed that Amy's Ice cream was getting a lot of traffic, so once I finished with lunch, I walked through the dining room over to Amy's to investigate. Had I not been full, I would have definitely had a sweet treat to complete the experience, but alas, I will have to wait for my next trip. Definitely going to add this to the lunch rotation.

Thanks for the suggestion Cody, you know me so well... One of the many...