The hamburger with Lobster is delicious! We are loving Garbos and the staff. Don't forget to try the ice cream.
Richard D.
I came with 3 other people at 1pm on a weekday. The place was empty at the time. Big venue, lots of seating. Has the feeling of being seaside. I don't notice anything dirty or unkept that stood out. Their lunch special burgers would be the only thing I would likely come back for. Outside of that, I feel their pricing is that of something you would see in downtown Austin. I had 3 mini lobster rolls and it was approx $45 with tax. The burgers that were ordered came out and was 50/50 if they were done at the requested temperature. The sodas are being served in cans which is very strange for any restaurant to be doing nowadays. There were a few times we tried to get the servers attention and there was none around. At one point another pair of guests came in that stood there for sometime till someone came out and assisted. 3 stars are for pricing, service, and quality of food is all, just ok.
Marisa P.
Wanted to say that the calamari I had here is some of the best I've ever had! Been to some places where it's a tad too chewy. As a texture person, that's a hard pass lol. But this calamari was fried to crunchy perfection! Ordered it on a whim and was pleasantly surprised Lobster Mac and cheese was good, according to my partner-- I just don't think the flavor is for me. Burrito was really good. I've been here in the past and had one of the lobster rolls, not pictured, which was incredible. Overall this place is a tad on the pricier side, but definitely worth it, and does not miss! Would recommend making a reservation in advance. We were walk-ins and had to sit outside. The outdoor tables by the walls have heaters. But the other seats don't. Could be a cool spot for your kids to play at the playground while you eat, too
Maria S.
It was our first time here but help us remember our trip to Boston. My husband loved the Lobster roll and chowder soup.
Koobee N.
Love the place ambiance. The waiter was so helpful, recommended so many good dishes . They also welcomed our 3 dogs with water. The lobster roll was so awesome and big portion. Lobster bisque was delicious and shareable. Would recommend anyone come to Austin to try this place out. I wish we have Garbo's in Sugar Land.
Janet U.
Happy hour bait & switch! We chose Garbos because of the advertised specials of 50% off draft cocktails, wine , draft beers & small plate specials. When we were seated we asked if we could sit on the patio for happy hour and were told yes. When our waitress arrived we asked about HH and were told it was half of draft beers, cocktails, wine and small bites. So we proceeded to order drinks and items from the small bites section of the menu. When our bill arrived ($155) I noticed that nothing was discounted. When we asked the waitress about the HH pricing she said it was only for "small bite specials " but that they didn't have any that day but typically they do. We then proceeded to speak with the (assistant) Manager on duty - Charlee who turns out was the person who sat us- and explained the confusion and the lack of clarification or disclosure about what was on HH and basically were told there was nothing he could do . He then proceeded to tell us ( in a condescending tone) that WE should have asked for details on HH and that day nothing was on the small plate happy hour. When I asked if there was a HH menu ( which we did not receive when seated) he said that yes there are menus they print out for HH but that none were printed that day ... seriously?? This entire experience was SUPER disappointing as we live in the area & have been to Garbos for dinner several times in the past and enjoyed both the food & service, however based on this experience will NOT be returning and will definitely NOT recommend to anyone going forward. Shame on management for taking a combative stance and not making things right. I know the Owner Heidi since she operated a food truck and I brought her downtown to my building to serve lunch when no one else would allow food trucks to serve DT. I have been happy to see her business flourish & grow since back then but am shocked this is the culture that exists at her establishment. VERY DISAPPOINTING...
Heather C.
I LIVE for their lobster grilled cheese and Caesar salad! Their cocktails are pretty good. Definitely recommend their outdoor deck. Great place to enjoy a meal
Laurie L.
Poor quality food. Not fresh seafood. Very disappointed. Ambiance nice. Service marginal. Food very poor. Would not recommend.
Mary S.
What a wonderful place to meet up with friends or family! There's even a swingset! Loved the fishie decor! We had the calamari starter to share. I ordered the lobster Mac, which was an enormous bowl of goodness. We ordered soft serve from Connor's right from our table.
Chris C.
My review for Garbo's is bittersweet, coming to this restaurant made me realize that i am not a fan of shellfish nor New England cuisine whatsoever. Starting off the environment was amazing , the outdoor seating is the best place on a nice day. Secondly, our waiter (who was also a bartender) recommended us the most popular items the restaurant had to offer. Since me and my wife hadn't been out to eat by ourselves in a while we decided to indulge in fried calamari , her a spicy crab roll , and a lobster roll for myself. The spicy crab roll is indeed super fresh as well as the lobster roll. The bread on the lobster roll was high quality and the crab roll was no different. Just the quality of the rolls themselves let us know that this was going to be a high end meal. BUT and it's an emphasized BUT, if you CANNOT HANDLE FRESH shellfish or shellfish alone i do not recommend this place. Although the rolls were decent i would have rated the lobster a 6.5/10 due to lack of flavor and the crab 7.6/10. The calamari was the best thing we had there at 8.6/10 with their specialty sauce! Lastywe decided to order oysters.... I myself hadn't had oysters up until this point. At the time i would rate them a 7/10 due to me being a texture person but about an hour later i was DYING . I don't know if it was an allergy or just me not eating fresh seafood in a while but i will say i prob will not consume any raw fish for at least 15 years... and I'll leave it at that. All in all our experience here is give a solid 8/10 minus the sickness i experienced WHICH could have been from my body not being able to handle raw shellfish. Bonus: we also tried their frozen (yogurt vanilla w/ Nutella swirl) and butter pecan which were both amazing . If going here for the ice cream you wouldn't regret ! 9.4/10
If you're a fan of oysters, you owe this place a visit. Have visited a couple of times and dined at both a table and at the bar. Both experiences were delightful. The food was delicious to say the least, and the staff were friendly and helpful every time. Now that Spring is approaching the deck outside should be great for folks who like to drink or dine outside.
Nick C.
Just do it.. If you like lobster and or seafood, just go. Take out a loan and get lunch...it's not inexpensive, but worth it. Service was good and not overwhelming. If you've lived in Austin for a decent amount of time you have seen this place change hands more times than I can remember, but the decor changes every time too, and it works for the seafood/beach theme.
Steve H.
Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Good for couples, good for families. If you want that New England taste and happen to be in Austin, then this is the place.
John S.
My wife absolutely loves their fish n chips, so does all of Reddit. Of course it's gonna be a little more expensive than long John silvers, it's a lovely place with high quality food. That being said, TRY THE WEEKLY SPECIALS!! I'm blown away at how much you get for the small portion on Tuesday!!! The grebiche is absurdly good
Diane T.
Food: The fish and chips is fantastic with super moist and tender fish that is lightly breaded with a crisp batter alongside crisp tender French fries. Tuesdays have a discount on the fish and chips for almost half off! Warning - the full sized version is huge and be ready for leftovers. I haven't had a chance to try the lobster rolls yet, but this place is known for their lobster! Drinks: The grog is delicious and brightly fruity with a good fassionola syrup throughout that's not the typical artificial junk. I've also heard good things about the long islands that are not just pure well liquors designed to make you sick. Service: Super attentive and fast. I think my food came out within 10 minutes on a Tuesday afternoon. HH: 3-6 pm Tuesday-Friday that includes small bites and half off drafts, draft cocktails, and bottles of wine! So perfect way to relax on a sunny day. Logistics: There's a good sized interior plus a big patio for enjoying outdoor dining. There's also a big parking lot so no parallel parking needed.
The hamburger with Lobster is delicious! We are loving Garbos and the staff. Don't forget to try the ice cream.
I came with 3 other people at 1pm on a weekday. The place was empty at the time. Big venue, lots of seating. Has the feeling of being seaside. I don't notice anything dirty or unkept that stood out. Their lunch special burgers would be the only thing I would likely come back for. Outside of that, I feel their pricing is that of something you would see in downtown Austin. I had 3 mini lobster rolls and it was approx $45 with tax. The burgers that were ordered came out and was 50/50 if they were done at the requested temperature. The sodas are being served in cans which is very strange for any restaurant to be doing nowadays. There were a few times we tried to get the servers attention and there was none around. At one point another pair of guests came in that stood there for sometime till someone came out and assisted. 3 stars are for pricing, service, and quality of food is all, just ok.
Wanted to say that the calamari I had here is some of the best I've ever had! Been to some places where it's a tad too chewy. As a texture person, that's a hard pass lol. But this calamari was fried to crunchy perfection! Ordered it on a whim and was pleasantly surprised Lobster Mac and cheese was good, according to my partner-- I just don't think the flavor is for me. Burrito was really good. I've been here in the past and had one of the lobster rolls, not pictured, which was incredible. Overall this place is a tad on the pricier side, but definitely worth it, and does not miss! Would recommend making a reservation in advance. We were walk-ins and had to sit outside. The outdoor tables by the walls have heaters. But the other seats don't. Could be a cool spot for your kids to play at the playground while you eat, too
It was our first time here but help us remember our trip to Boston. My husband loved the Lobster roll and chowder soup.
Love the place ambiance. The waiter was so helpful, recommended so many good dishes . They also welcomed our 3 dogs with water. The lobster roll was so awesome and big portion. Lobster bisque was delicious and shareable. Would recommend anyone come to Austin to try this place out. I wish we have Garbo's in Sugar Land.
Happy hour bait & switch! We chose Garbos because of the advertised specials of 50% off draft cocktails, wine , draft beers & small plate specials. When we were seated we asked if we could sit on the patio for happy hour and were told yes. When our waitress arrived we asked about HH and were told it was half of draft beers, cocktails, wine and small bites. So we proceeded to order drinks and items from the small bites section of the menu. When our bill arrived ($155) I noticed that nothing was discounted. When we asked the waitress about the HH pricing she said it was only for "small bite specials " but that they didn't have any that day but typically they do. We then proceeded to speak with the (assistant) Manager on duty - Charlee who turns out was the person who sat us- and explained the confusion and the lack of clarification or disclosure about what was on HH and basically were told there was nothing he could do . He then proceeded to tell us ( in a condescending tone) that WE should have asked for details on HH and that day nothing was on the small plate happy hour. When I asked if there was a HH menu ( which we did not receive when seated) he said that yes there are menus they print out for HH but that none were printed that day ... seriously?? This entire experience was SUPER disappointing as we live in the area & have been to Garbos for dinner several times in the past and enjoyed both the food & service, however based on this experience will NOT be returning and will definitely NOT recommend to anyone going forward. Shame on management for taking a combative stance and not making things right. I know the Owner Heidi since she operated a food truck and I brought her downtown to my building to serve lunch when no one else would allow food trucks to serve DT. I have been happy to see her business flourish & grow since back then but am shocked this is the culture that exists at her establishment. VERY DISAPPOINTING...
I LIVE for their lobster grilled cheese and Caesar salad! Their cocktails are pretty good. Definitely recommend their outdoor deck. Great place to enjoy a meal
Poor quality food. Not fresh seafood. Very disappointed. Ambiance nice. Service marginal. Food very poor. Would not recommend.
What a wonderful place to meet up with friends or family! There's even a swingset! Loved the fishie decor! We had the calamari starter to share. I ordered the lobster Mac, which was an enormous bowl of goodness. We ordered soft serve from Connor's right from our table.
My review for Garbo's is bittersweet, coming to this restaurant made me realize that i am not a fan of shellfish nor New England cuisine whatsoever. Starting off the environment was amazing , the outdoor seating is the best place on a nice day. Secondly, our waiter (who was also a bartender) recommended us the most popular items the restaurant had to offer. Since me and my wife hadn't been out to eat by ourselves in a while we decided to indulge in fried calamari , her a spicy crab roll , and a lobster roll for myself. The spicy crab roll is indeed super fresh as well as the lobster roll. The bread on the lobster roll was high quality and the crab roll was no different. Just the quality of the rolls themselves let us know that this was going to be a high end meal. BUT and it's an emphasized BUT, if you CANNOT HANDLE FRESH shellfish or shellfish alone i do not recommend this place. Although the rolls were decent i would have rated the lobster a 6.5/10 due to lack of flavor and the crab 7.6/10. The calamari was the best thing we had there at 8.6/10 with their specialty sauce! Lastywe decided to order oysters.... I myself hadn't had oysters up until this point. At the time i would rate them a 7/10 due to me being a texture person but about an hour later i was DYING . I don't know if it was an allergy or just me not eating fresh seafood in a while but i will say i prob will not consume any raw fish for at least 15 years... and I'll leave it at that. All in all our experience here is give a solid 8/10 minus the sickness i experienced WHICH could have been from my body not being able to handle raw shellfish. Bonus: we also tried their frozen (yogurt vanilla w/ Nutella swirl) and butter pecan which were both amazing . If going here for the ice cream you wouldn't regret ! 9.4/10
Restaurantji Recommends
If you're a fan of oysters, you owe this place a visit. Have visited a couple of times and dined at both a table and at the bar. Both experiences were delightful. The food was delicious to say the least, and the staff were friendly and helpful every time. Now that Spring is approaching the deck outside should be great for folks who like to drink or dine outside.
Just do it.. If you like lobster and or seafood, just go. Take out a loan and get lunch...it's not inexpensive, but worth it. Service was good and not overwhelming. If you've lived in Austin for a decent amount of time you have seen this place change hands more times than I can remember, but the decor changes every time too, and it works for the seafood/beach theme.
Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Good for couples, good for families. If you want that New England taste and happen to be in Austin, then this is the place.
My wife absolutely loves their fish n chips, so does all of Reddit. Of course it's gonna be a little more expensive than long John silvers, it's a lovely place with high quality food. That being said, TRY THE WEEKLY SPECIALS!! I'm blown away at how much you get for the small portion on Tuesday!!! The grebiche is absurdly good
Food: The fish and chips is fantastic with super moist and tender fish that is lightly breaded with a crisp batter alongside crisp tender French fries. Tuesdays have a discount on the fish and chips for almost half off! Warning - the full sized version is huge and be ready for leftovers. I haven't had a chance to try the lobster rolls yet, but this place is known for their lobster! Drinks: The grog is delicious and brightly fruity with a good fassionola syrup throughout that's not the typical artificial junk. I've also heard good things about the long islands that are not just pure well liquors designed to make you sick. Service: Super attentive and fast. I think my food came out within 10 minutes on a Tuesday afternoon. HH: 3-6 pm Tuesday-Friday that includes small bites and half off drafts, draft cocktails, and bottles of wine! So perfect way to relax on a sunny day. Logistics: There's a good sized interior plus a big patio for enjoying outdoor dining. There's also a big parking lot so no parallel parking needed.