Toasty Badger — Restaurant in Austin

Honestly this place did not live up to the hype, which just made it extra disappointing...

Pancake (of the month): They're not bad pancakes. They're just not great. They don't stand out. Not even close to "the best". Great size though. Didn't come with any maple syrup or butter either.

French omelet: I got this because I was intrigued by its uniqueness and while I can appreciate it, I wasn't personally too big of a fan. I understand French omelets are meant to be more plain but I wish there were more options besides cheese and mushrooms to add on. Maybe onions or other greens or something I don't know but this just tasted very plain. Maybe more seasoning and cheese. The texture was a nice change from the standard omelet. This was probably the best dish because it was cooked right and is unique. I do think it's a bit overpriced though for what it is.

Ham 'n' Eggs: Mid. Lots of fat on the ham that I had to take off. Gravy was ok. This dish wasn't spectacular but it was edible. Eggs were good. Hash brown is presented in a unique uniform texture, but no difference taste-wise (compared to other hash browns).

French Toast: Mid. Especially when compared to some other French toasts I've had in Austin. The taste just wasn't there for me but I think it might've been because there wasn't any berry compote. There was fruit on top (a lot of berries) but no actual compote. Then all of the crème anglaise was on the bottom (underneath the bread). So it ended up tasting pretty plain. No syrup or butter was given either. I also did ask for the fruit to be on the side but that was ignored. This was just overpriced french toast to me but I think it has potential. Maybe I was just unlucky.

French toast stix:.... I think they have a great concept and this has great potential and has probably been done right before but for my order it was done horribly. This was extremely greasy. Like SOAKED. I tried to squeeze all of it out and after two ENTIRE paper towels there was still some leftover grease on a SINGLE piece. I understand deep frying will cause grease but there are steps to ensure this does not happen. It's supposed to be a little greasy, not SATURATED like this. I've attached a video of the grease oozing out in just ONE area of the stick. I noticed because it coated my entire mouth and felt like I was drinking grease and then I started examining and was horrified. This concept is great for homemade french toast sticks, but if it's not executed properly it's disgusting. The bacon it came with was also disappointing. Two small skinny pieces that were 75% fat, so barely edible. Maybe this place really likes fatty meat but most people I meet would rather not have the fatty pieces...

The apple juice was extremely good though. My favorite thing I got!...

I will note that I did order deliver and my driver did arrive late so I wasn't able to get it super fresh, but I'm not knocking this place down from the food not being hot (warm food doesn't bother me too much anyways). The packaging really needs to be upgraded or something because both of my plates that had eggs were soaking through the containers. Maybe double up or something. It would really help if they added a note option for deliveries too. I normally don't order from places that don't, but I saw this place hyped up on Instagram so I...

Overall 4.7/5 experience. We loved it and will definitely be back. This place is perfect for small family breakfasts out, couples on a brunch date, and singles wanting to 'treat yo'self.' The prices are fair and the food is delicious. We went for breakfast on a Sunday, right as they opened at 8am. I had the pancake of the month which was sweet potato. It has soft buttery chunks of sweet potatoes you could see but there wasn't a chunky texture. The texture was very smooth and dense. I prefer this to the places that put pumpkin spice and a can of sweet potato puree in with regular pancake mix. The lemon creme and crunchy coconut and almond topping was very nice. The fresh basil made it feel luxurious. Since this particular pancake was so rich I wish I could have ordered 1 for $9.99 instead of two for $14. My husband got the American omelette. It is cheaper and smaller than other omelets in the area and my husband said it was cooked well and had great texture. It was a very standard omelette and the mission was accomplished. He's from Ireland and loves all things potato. According to him the hash browns are some of the best and most unique in Austin. Coffee was hot and OJ cold so we were happy in those regards. The coffee was smooth and needed no extras. Our one and only complaint, was the size of the restaurant with the number of tables. It seems just a smidgen too crowded and when you leave it's impossible not to rub your butt on the tables and chairs next to you as you leave. We went first thing in the morning so this wasn't an issue but as things get more crowded I think this would have bothered me. However, they do have outdoor seating which isn't as crowded. I think we will just request to sit out next time. If you're looking for somewhere for large parties or you want a leisurely breakfast where you can spread out a bit this isn't really for you. It's an upscale diner feel for fair prices. It is best for smaller tables of 4 or less. They might be able to smoosh some tables together for large parties but it wouldn't be crazy comfortable. You'd have to be really stoked for the food!! (Which is...

The meal was great! Arrived mid day for some late lunch, early dinner.

Service was great. It was my style of the server answering my questions to the best of their ability as she was newer as they told me. They recommend the chicken sando and as they highlighted the Texas chili oil of which I am a sucker for chili oils! I also added on the collards which at first felt too acidic, but the fat from the pork bits cut that all down and I found myself drinking it out of the bowl! Ain't no shame in my game.

The Sando was great! It offered that beautiful crunch that stayed crisp throughout the 5 minutes it was in my hands as I just devoured it. I think the only thing I would have to say about it was the bun it came on. It was too soft and it kinda got mushy but not all the way mushy. You know what I mean. I'm not here to tell them what to do and I won't. That's chefs job, and Chef was cookin today! You love to see it. I was able to hear some music from the kitchen which to me is all the reason to come here. Food made while they are listening to their favorite song is food I am going to enjoy 10 out of 10 times. It gets them in the zone!

Going back to the service. I noticed that they always kept busy. Always doing something, but always close by to see if I needed anything. Never looming but always present. Very happy about the service. I debate coming back here often as I'm trying to find a go to item but not being yoo scared to try new menu items. I think I found some things, but if the service isn't good I won't come back. People come for good food but I return for the great service that I was shown today.

It's no michelin meal, but that's not the point. It's good food at a reasonable price with good service. That's more than enough for me to come back.

I'm looking forward to coming back again. If you made it this far, remember to tip...