WOW, what a culinary experience! The food is delicious and the staff is wonderful! Order “The Experience” and taste everything on the menu! We ordered almost all of the small plates and split most between two people, until we found our favorite, and ordered a second plate!
THEO L.
The shuttering of Cafe Josie is a sad chapter in this Honky Tonk town. The service, food and ambiance was awesome. And it maintained all these years. Shame on Larry Maguire and his empire for ousting these folks. If you think he is about Austin, think harder.
Kevin Moss
Amazing service and amazing food. Highly recommend getting the set menu and asking for drink pairing.
Lauren S.
We love Cafe Josie! The experience allows you to taste all sorts of delicious small plates (bonus - go on a Monday for happy hour pricing all evening!) Literally everything is delicious. We especially loved the wedge salad, as simple as that sounds, the dill really took it to the next level. Can't wait to get back in and to try out their brunch too!
Christopher O.
Come here for the Prix Fix with a date or double date. Seriously, there should be a city ordinance that all couples come here for an evening. It's a must have culinary experience in Austin. Yes, the food is amazing. What's more, the experience is fantastic. The intimate setting and wonderful fare makes this probably the best date spot around.
Tamie F.
We visited Cafe Josie for Valentine's Day, and it was enjoyable. I feel like we need to go back to get a better sense of the place. Here is our first impression: The staff was super friendly and helpful. Our glasses never got anywhere near empty. We never actually wanted for anything. They even made a very good off the menu "espresso martini" for me with cold brew, because they don't have espresso. The staff gets 5 stars! With a name like Cafe Josie, I expected a different ambiance. I think I expected eclectic and more of an Austin vibe. It was classier than expected, but disappointingly chain-like. Some of the food was amazing! And some less so. Fried goat cheese was fantastic: spicy, creamy, crunchy, tasty. Wagyu beef tartare was a bit disappointing. Very heavy on the garlic, but not much flavor outside of that. Little gem caesar was tangy and delicious. Tuna crudo was really good, specifically the charred jalapeño buttermilk. It was so good that my wife, who isn't a fan of raw, really enjoyed it. The star of the show: grilled scallops! Top 3 scallops we have eaten anywhere, and we order scallops almost everywhere they are on the menu. Smokey and perfectly prepared. Cauliflower gratin was pretty good too. Buttermilk pie tart was not impressive, but the chocolate beet cake was a rich surprise. We plan on checking out Cafe Josie again so we can try their regular menu, because the food has potential. One note: The entrance is not where it looks like it should be. It's up the stairs and around to the right past a cute patio.
Sarahbeth M.
I am a fan of Cafe Josie. I like the tapas, but the drinks have always been hit or miss here. I do not have a favorite cocktail, but they do have a great wine list. The photos are of the Valentine's Night dinner and it was so good. The price is $45 and you get unlimited dishes and you can share it between two people and it's the perfect amount. Come check this place out and lets hope you like wine.
Gabby D.
My boyfriend and I have now been here twice and we absolutely LOVE it!! We knew we wanted to spend our two year anniversary here and it was definitely the right choice. "The Experience" is without a doubt a treat. The dishes were amazing and portion sizes were perfect to be able to order multiple plates. Mariel, our server, was so sweet and helpful with food and wine recommendations. Vincent was wonderful with our dessert and wine pairing. Overall, it was an incredible night and I look forward to more special occasions spent here!
Gina C.
We came to Cafe Josie last night for the first time for an early Valentine's Day dinner. To our great surprise, it was still happy hour as our reservation was at 5:30. That meant $10 off "the experience," $3 beers, and $3 off wine glasses and house cocktails. Great selection of wines by the glass and we obviously had to go with the experience, with about 11 small plates meant to be shared to choose from. Needless to say, we tried just about everything, with exception of the salad and redfish. The food was absolutely divine - some of our favorites included the Brussels sprouts, Mac and cheese, hangar steak and fried shrimp, just to name a few. In addition, the service couldn't have been better. Constantly had drink refills and the food was perfectly spaced out, with great recommendation to start with 6 dishes and go from there. We even had dessert, the Texas apple beignets, which were out of this world. Great atmosphere (very quaint), great food, great service! Our new favorite restaurant in Austin!
Callie M.
I've found my new favorite place in Austin. This place is amazing. Each dish is cooked upon order. And you can order any of them however many times you want! There wasn't a single one that I didn't like. Came here to celebrate a special event, and they even wrote us a card!!
In a word, Cafe Josie is amazing! With 13 small plates to choose from, I think we tried everything - crudo, Brussels sprouts in a balsamic vinaigrette, fried oysters, short ribs, meatloaf, salmon, shrimp, and I can’t remember them all. The flavors all worked together and the staff incredibly friendly and helpful. We went with another couple to celebrate our wedding anniversary and we will be going back very soon. Highly recommend
Kaitlyn Czerwonka
I can’t say enough good things about Cafe Josie. My boyfriend and I were on a little vacation in Austin + I stumbled upon this place while researching where to go. All I can say is that I am SO happy I did.
Big Spoon Lil Spoon E.
We paid $45 for the unlimited dishes on their menu. The dishes were small and tapas style, but they were large enough that after 6-8 separate dishes you are more than full. We loved the snapper crudo on a homemade tostada, but the highlight for me was the Brussels sprouts or the hanger steak. 8 dishes, 4 drinks for $120 with tip is a nice and affordable way to experience a chefs tasting
Nicole Janak
Great spot to celebrate our honeymoon. Wayne was an excellent server and the best dish was the fried brussel sprouts! 4 stars because they were out of the cocktail I wanted a lot of the dishes had smoked aspects which isn’t my favorite. Everything else was great!
WOW, what a culinary experience! The food is delicious and the staff is wonderful! Order “The Experience” and taste everything on the menu! We ordered almost all of the small plates and split most between two people, until we found our favorite, and ordered a second plate!
The shuttering of Cafe Josie is a sad chapter in this Honky Tonk town. The service, food and ambiance was awesome. And it maintained all these years. Shame on Larry Maguire and his empire for ousting these folks. If you think he is about Austin, think harder.
Amazing service and amazing food. Highly recommend getting the set menu and asking for drink pairing.
We love Cafe Josie! The experience allows you to taste all sorts of delicious small plates (bonus - go on a Monday for happy hour pricing all evening!) Literally everything is delicious. We especially loved the wedge salad, as simple as that sounds, the dill really took it to the next level. Can't wait to get back in and to try out their brunch too!
Come here for the Prix Fix with a date or double date. Seriously, there should be a city ordinance that all couples come here for an evening. It's a must have culinary experience in Austin. Yes, the food is amazing. What's more, the experience is fantastic. The intimate setting and wonderful fare makes this probably the best date spot around.
We visited Cafe Josie for Valentine's Day, and it was enjoyable. I feel like we need to go back to get a better sense of the place. Here is our first impression: The staff was super friendly and helpful. Our glasses never got anywhere near empty. We never actually wanted for anything. They even made a very good off the menu "espresso martini" for me with cold brew, because they don't have espresso. The staff gets 5 stars! With a name like Cafe Josie, I expected a different ambiance. I think I expected eclectic and more of an Austin vibe. It was classier than expected, but disappointingly chain-like. Some of the food was amazing! And some less so. Fried goat cheese was fantastic: spicy, creamy, crunchy, tasty. Wagyu beef tartare was a bit disappointing. Very heavy on the garlic, but not much flavor outside of that. Little gem caesar was tangy and delicious. Tuna crudo was really good, specifically the charred jalapeño buttermilk. It was so good that my wife, who isn't a fan of raw, really enjoyed it. The star of the show: grilled scallops! Top 3 scallops we have eaten anywhere, and we order scallops almost everywhere they are on the menu. Smokey and perfectly prepared. Cauliflower gratin was pretty good too. Buttermilk pie tart was not impressive, but the chocolate beet cake was a rich surprise. We plan on checking out Cafe Josie again so we can try their regular menu, because the food has potential. One note: The entrance is not where it looks like it should be. It's up the stairs and around to the right past a cute patio.
I am a fan of Cafe Josie. I like the tapas, but the drinks have always been hit or miss here. I do not have a favorite cocktail, but they do have a great wine list. The photos are of the Valentine's Night dinner and it was so good. The price is $45 and you get unlimited dishes and you can share it between two people and it's the perfect amount. Come check this place out and lets hope you like wine.
My boyfriend and I have now been here twice and we absolutely LOVE it!! We knew we wanted to spend our two year anniversary here and it was definitely the right choice. "The Experience" is without a doubt a treat. The dishes were amazing and portion sizes were perfect to be able to order multiple plates. Mariel, our server, was so sweet and helpful with food and wine recommendations. Vincent was wonderful with our dessert and wine pairing. Overall, it was an incredible night and I look forward to more special occasions spent here!
We came to Cafe Josie last night for the first time for an early Valentine's Day dinner. To our great surprise, it was still happy hour as our reservation was at 5:30. That meant $10 off "the experience," $3 beers, and $3 off wine glasses and house cocktails. Great selection of wines by the glass and we obviously had to go with the experience, with about 11 small plates meant to be shared to choose from. Needless to say, we tried just about everything, with exception of the salad and redfish. The food was absolutely divine - some of our favorites included the Brussels sprouts, Mac and cheese, hangar steak and fried shrimp, just to name a few. In addition, the service couldn't have been better. Constantly had drink refills and the food was perfectly spaced out, with great recommendation to start with 6 dishes and go from there. We even had dessert, the Texas apple beignets, which were out of this world. Great atmosphere (very quaint), great food, great service! Our new favorite restaurant in Austin!
I've found my new favorite place in Austin. This place is amazing. Each dish is cooked upon order. And you can order any of them however many times you want! There wasn't a single one that I didn't like. Came here to celebrate a special event, and they even wrote us a card!!
Restaurantji Recommends
In a word, Cafe Josie is amazing! With 13 small plates to choose from, I think we tried everything - crudo, Brussels sprouts in a balsamic vinaigrette, fried oysters, short ribs, meatloaf, salmon, shrimp, and I can’t remember them all. The flavors all worked together and the staff incredibly friendly and helpful. We went with another couple to celebrate our wedding anniversary and we will be going back very soon. Highly recommend
I can’t say enough good things about Cafe Josie. My boyfriend and I were on a little vacation in Austin + I stumbled upon this place while researching where to go. All I can say is that I am SO happy I did.
We paid $45 for the unlimited dishes on their menu. The dishes were small and tapas style, but they were large enough that after 6-8 separate dishes you are more than full. We loved the snapper crudo on a homemade tostada, but the highlight for me was the Brussels sprouts or the hanger steak. 8 dishes, 4 drinks for $120 with tip is a nice and affordable way to experience a chefs tasting
Great spot to celebrate our honeymoon. Wayne was an excellent server and the best dish was the fried brussel sprouts! 4 stars because they were out of the cocktail I wanted a lot of the dishes had smoked aspects which isn’t my favorite. Everything else was great!
Is Café Josie Racist?