The Kimberly — Restaurant in Austin

This will be a mixed review. Yesterday was my wife's birthday and I wanted to take her somewhere special and somewhere we haven't been before. I saw The Kimberly on Open Table and thought it would be fun. They asked both on Open Table and when we got to the restaurant if it was a special occasion and I said, yes, her birthday. At Trulucks or Eddie V's (where we usually go for special events) they always do something a little special, table decorations and often a free desert. Kimberly did nothing. Not even an acknowledgement from the staff. But that's a small gripe, it wouldn't have made or broken the evening. The first error was they wanted to sit us right next to another couple with one of those half booth, half chair set ups with the table being a skinny one. On that booth side, they were the only other couple there and I think there may have been 5 half tables available lined up close to each other. So sitting us so close next to another couple, especially on a special night, was short-sighted. We asked for a both. To their credit, they tried to accommodate, couldn't find a booth open, but generously offered to sit us in a big, quiet booth, right next to (and perpendicular which is relevant in a minute) that original spot. I was really happy about that and I appreciated it. Our server came out and was friendly and helpful. It was a great start. He made some good recommendations about the menu, did a good job "selling" the dishes and we placed our order. We had the cheese bread (very yummy) the squash blossoms (fun, interesting, but once is enough for that taste) the dover sole with crab, (very delicious, but very, very pricey for what I got $80+ and not any more delish or special from other restaurants offering Dole, for less $), she got the beef wellington (not flakey crust, but doughy, and the overall taste wasn't great) and we ordered the Kimberly salad to share. She said the salad was delicious and perfect, I found it inedible, overdressed and very salty and vinegary...but she does like that flavor, I don't. In the end, it was the service that earns this not so stellar review and confirmed that we won't be going to the Kimberly again. There wasn't enough special about it than the other great upscale restaurants in Austin to want us to go. Our meal came to over $200 and that is without alcohol. We had tea. So summary about the food. It was fine. Not even close to being worth the $200, but I wouldn't have regretted it, because we're foodies and like to try new places, until we get to the service. This is where the perpendicular table placement comes to play. We sat with our food finished for a VERY long time before someone from the kitchen came and picked it up to pack it up for us. (It's a small gripe, and I probably wouldn't even mention it except I'm still irritated at our experience last night...but I would much rather the staff ask if we would prefer to pack it up or if we would like them to...I'm not always comfortable with what they do with our food when it's out of sight, call me paranoid.)Then we sat with an empty table for even longer. Meanwhile, I am watching as our server goes back and forth to take care of the other tables (which are now filled with two guests each) where they originally wanted to seat us. Not once did he glance over to see where we were at in terms of our dining experiencing. Not once did he come over to ask if we needed refills on our teas (I did, I drank hers). Not once did he come over and check on us if we were finished, or wanted a desert. We sat for AN UNREASONABLY LONG time, at an empty table, with no service. We wanted to check out the desert menu, but by the time he came around and asked, we were in the process of handing over our card to get out of there. The Kimberly managed to take a special night and turn it into something that was mixed for food, but nothing special enough to justify the cost, we ended up cold, irritated and ready to leave. We will not be going there again. There are so many great places in Austin to eat creative...

It’s been three days since I was lucky enough to have a friend of mine invite me to the soft opening of The Kimberly. It was an unexpected invitation in that just a few days prior the same friend invited me to a night out at Red Ash and somehow pulled a same day reservation. That night was absolutely perfect and when the opportunity of visiting a sister restaurant on a soft opening night came up I had to say yes. So on a Thursday night we showed up to the Kimberly at 7:30 and walked up to a table for four on the back portion of the bar. We started off with a few drinks and followed up with the prime bone marrow canoes and Yellowfin Tuna tartar. Both were unbelievably perfect (I expected no less based on our visits to Red Ash). The bone marrow had a slight truffle like flavor, and was indescribably different from any other bone marrow I had ever had. The Tartar was very fresh, delicate, fine and delicious.Then we had the main dishes we ordered that included the Dover sole, the duck, the beef Wellington and the veal parm. The fish was absolutely perfect, well done, not over cooked; it was light, & just delicious (so good I did not take a picture). The duck was quite complex. Sweet, aromatic, with a confit leg and thigh and a grilled breast served with potato au gratin. The beef Wellington was as you may get in a UK gourmet restaurant. Medium rare, Yorkshire pudding and an demi glaze like sauce over everything which was unbelievable. Finally, the veal parm was massive. It covered the whole plate and came with a side of butter/garlic home made pasta. The one thing that was partially expected based on our Red Ash experience was some kind of home made bread with butter and garlic. That did not happen however, what did happen was even better. That was a how should I put it? Imagine freshly, home baked m Hawaiian rolls baked with butter, garlic and herbs. Cloud like, pleasant wisps of home made dough with a naughty spank of inappropriate flavor. I could really just go there for drinks and rolls. Regardless, the experience was unforgettable and accentuated by a visit to our table from the owner/chef John Carver. He was kind, gracious and friendly. He cares about his patrons and it shows. I had a long time favorite restaurant but now, I have a new one. I highly recommend a visit to The Kimberly. I am certain that it will be the new must go to restaurant in Austin for...

My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of dining at The Kimberly this evening, and I must say, we were thoroughly impressed. From the moment we arrived, the ambiance, the culinary artistry, and—most notably—our waiter, Brian, exceeded all expectations.

We indulged in several dishes: the jumbo crab cake, burrata, bone marrow, beef tenderloin Wellington, and the truffle mousseline potatoes. Each course was executed to absolute perfection, with presentation that was as exquisite as the flavors themselves.

What truly elevated the evening, however, was Brian’s impeccable service. He was not only attentive but also exceptionally knowledgeable about the wine selection and its regional pairings. Brian carefully coordinated the timing of our courses, ensuring every dish arrived fresh and at its prime, despite our multi-course order. He also took the initiative to arrange our valet in advance, so our car was ready at the entrance as we departed. As a final gesture, he even held the door for us as we left—an understated but memorable touch.

This level of attentiveness and professionalism far surpasses the typical dining experience. You should be proud to have Brian as part of your team. The Kimberly has firmly secured a top spot on our list, and we look forward...