Quince Lakehouse — Restaurant in Austin

Starting with the positives, vibes and location are great. Feels like you’re on vacation. Food was okay. Not bad but not memorable enough to return.

Biggest qualms were their lack of accommodation for our family, specifically our kids. We booked a reservation for 6 (4 adults, 1 highchair and space for our newborn stroller). When we arrived, inside was not busy at all but they had us a tight table without thinking logistically how we could fit our children. We were able to make it work (no thanks to the hostess who made it incredibly obvious she was bothered by us trying to figure out how to fit at the table.) The biggest issue is that ALL of their high chairs are useless for a young toddler. They have like 10 but they must have broken off ALL of the buckles so there’s no way to clip the child in. The seats just have the part that clips into a buckle but not the piece for them to secure. The hostess acted like we were being ridiculous in pointing out that we couldn’t use their high chairs because our toddler will try to get out of the seats. I just don’t get why they would make all of their high chairs unsafe for children. Luckily, we have our own clip on seat in the car. If we did not have that, we would have had to leave because our child would not have been able to use their chair.

The hostess then never brought us menus because she was clearly irritated with us. None of us were rude, raising our voices or anything. We were just trying to figure out how to make it work. When our server finally arrived (10 minutes after being seated despite not being busy), he asked if wanted anything to drink and I had to ask for menus.

Also, my husband ordered an iced latte which was served to him at the table. Literally, a glass of ice and a cup of the hot coffee with cream then poured over the ice spilling onto the table. If that’s actually how it’s supposed to be served, I don’t blame the waiter for spilling because that’s such an impractical way to pour a latte tableside but I have a feeling it was just ordered or made wrong and the server just didn’t want it remade. Either way, I’d definitely not recommend doing lattes like that.

I used to wait tables and serve and I have no expectations of special treatment for having kids but it would go a long way to provide high chairs that actually fit and train staff to know what tables actually fit family or make it more clear when booking a reservation that you don’t accommodate children. Also, staff should work on their customer service skills. I know things can frazzle you in the moment but definitely should keep a straight face and continue being...

We had a party of four with reservations for 6:30pm on 14 March 2024. Atmosphere was excellent. We were seated at a table with a with a lake view. Our server (female) arrived at our table with bottled water and took our orders for drinks. She returned shortly with our drinks and then we ordered two items from the starters menu. The starters arrived within 10 minutes and they were very tasty. When we ordered the starters we also ordered our main entrees from the dinner menu. By 7:15pm we finished our appetizers. We were not in a rush and were conversing but then I realized it was nearly 8:00pm and our entrees had not arrived. Our server did not check on us once from 7:15pm to 8pm. I noticed that two other parties arrived after us and had received their entrees before us. We could not find our server and flagged down another server and asked if he could find out the status of our entrees. At approximately 8:15pm, our server returned with our entrees indicating that they had just came from the kitchen. Our food was luke warm at best and I was very frustrated with our server due to a lack of attentiveness to our party of four. One of the managers of Quince Lakehouse grill, Felix Gonzales approached me and asked us how our dining experience was going. I relayed to him my dissatisfaction in our server and that her lack of attentiveness was unacceptable. Felix then asked if he could make it up to us and I was open for the opportunity for the management to make amends. He then came back and indicated that they would compensate us with two desserts. It was already past 8:30pm and our fun meter was pegged. We were ready to leave and I was expecting that the management would compensate us by taking off the starters from our bill but Felix agreed to take off 25% from our bill. What was really frustrating for me it that our server never came back to our table to apologize for her lack of attentiveness and or to take responsibility for her lack of inaction. Our appetizers were excellent but our main entrees were mediocre at best. The ambience is excellent but the service was horrible and because of the lack of professionalism/service provided, I will never go back to the Quince Lakehouse and would strongly discourage anyone from dining at the...

Let me preface this by saying I was incredibly excited to try Quince Lakehouse. The pictures of the waterfront setting were stunning, and the promise of a dog-friendly patio was music to my ears. However, my experience was an utter disappointment, falling far short of expectations and leaving a bitter taste in my mouth (no pun intended).

Our first hurdle came before we even set foot in the restaurant. Calling ahead to confirm our dog's welcome, we were assured the patio was accessible. Imagine our frustration upon arrival when the hostess, radiating an air of superiority, curtly informed us the trainee we spoke to was "mistaken." Not a hint of apology, just a flat dismissal.

Despite this icy reception, we were willing to give them a chance. We inquired about patio seating, only to be informed that the only available spots were the uncomfortable high chairs, with the added "delight" of self-service at the bar. No table service for the patio peasants, apparently.

Determined to salvage the evening, we spotted a charming nook with a lovely view of the water. But alas, even that small pleasure was snatched away. The hostess, with a withering look, declared it "unavailable" and ushered us to a table overlooking... the parking lot. Talk about ambience killer.

At this point, our initial excitement had curdled into pure frustration. The snooty attitude, the misinformation, and the lack of basic hospitality were simply unacceptable. We decided to cut our losses and head elsewhere, our evening plans well and truly soured.

It pains me to write such a negative review, as the potential of Quince Lakehouse is undeniable. The location is beautiful, and the concept of a dog-friendly patio is fantastic. However, their execution falls woefully short. If they want to attract customers who appreciate good food, good service, and a welcoming atmosphere, they need a serious overhaul in terms of communication, staff training, and overall attitude. Until then, I, for one, will be taking my business elsewhere.

Pet owners please avoid Quince Lakehouse unless you enjoy being misled, treated with disdain, and offered parking lot views at premium prices. There are far better options in Austin that value their customers and understand the meaning of...