Booked a reservation on OpenTable for a Friday night - a good amount of availability even on short notice. Free parking in the subterranean garage behind the restaurant. Service was nice and the interior buildout is gorgeous. As you'd expect for a new "posh" restaurant off South 1st, be ready to pay for Austin pricing ($50 - $80 pp excluding drinks). The food unfortunately was mostly a miss. Ordered the pancakes, egg soufflé, kimchi, banchan, galbi, and fried chicken. The Korean dishes should be extremely flavorful yet balanced (sour, spicy, salty, savory, sweet), unfortunately most of what we ordered missed the mark. The scallion pancakes were mostly burnt, so everything just tasted salty and ashy. Egg soufflé was a bit spongy in texture and bland Kimchi was not bad, although it feels odd to pay $6 for a small serving of Napa. Banchan plate was okay, portion size for $11 is barely enough for two people. Galbi was the best of the bunch - very good cut of meat and the Asian pears had a light refreshing taste. Could be a bit more seasoned but overall good taste and amazing mouthfeel. Fried chicken was good - it was well fried but a little bland. The accompanying dill ranch dip was also mostly flavorless which left the dish wanting. A but if the radish and pickles that came with the fried chicken were okay. The servers were talking about the spirits and wine background of the chefs but we did not drink that night so weren't able to see if that was a stronger suit. Beautiful space but wish the food could step up to match the price point.
Hannah Logsdon
Fantastic food and atmosphere! Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Bruce
I love Underdog. It’s a neighborhood gem and one of Austin’s best restaurants — both for its excellent wine list (Underdog is great for a stop-in just to have a glass or a bottle) with friends and for its excellent Korean food. On my last visit, I ate alone at the bar and thoroughly enjoyed mandu dumplings, Asian pear kimchi and a tremendous pork tonkstsu. Owner Richard guided me to a terrific bottle of wine to complement the set. It was a terrific evening. Great food / great wine / warm service / lovely atmosphere…Underdog has it all. I rebooked another meal in just THREE DAYS. Go.Wheelchair accessibility: From what I can tell, Underdog is wheelchair accessible
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken
Emily Pyclik
The beef tartare was so good. Great food, service, and atmosphere. Happy hour is half price bottles of wine under $100.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Tartare
Cassidy H.
We came in because we had heard from a good friend that it was phenomenal and we had an inkind credit. We made sure to come in around 5:15 for happy hour and we did not regret that. The restaurant has an open, light, airy feel. We were lucky enough to have Jake as our server, he steered the ship and offered great recommendations. Food: Vegetable Tempura- 10/10 Napa Cabbage Kimchi- 9/10 Pork and Shrimp Mandu- 10/10 Fried Chicken- 10000/10 huge portion, on happy hour Thick Cut Galbi- 9/10 just a little too fatty in some pieces Rice Scallion Salad- 7/10 good and light We were stuffed- so freakin good.
Kelsey B.
We had another wonderful experience at Underdog. I love every detail in the restaurant and can't get enough of the GLUTEN FREE fried chicken. The extremely thoughtful owner went out of his way to help us find a wine we had last time that I neglected to record and wanted to try again. We can't wait to return again soon.
Taylor Watts
We eat a lot of Korean food in Austin and were very excited to try this place out. Unfortunately, it's one of those places that didn't live up to the hype. In writing this I was shocked to see the reviews were as high as they were.Our biggest problem here was that the food was sub-par for the prices they are charging - there are lots of places where you can pay $150-400 USD for a meal in Austin and that meal is out of this world delicious. Not here. It seemed like the problem was in the conception of these dishes, there was no thought as to how flavor would be built, and most were lacking in fat AND salt so that the flavor fell flat. Including the dumplings, which was a massive disappointment.My partner ordered their beef short rib (their most popular item) the meat came out tough, and was completely unseasoned. For $44 a plate, you expect properly seasoned food.Every single dish I tried came out far too hot to be served without a warning. I did not get a warning on our starter and burned the inside of my mouth. I had to wait over 5 minutes for my entree to cool down before eating as well.Their wine list is extensive, however, if you want a cocktail their options are extremely limited mostly to aperol spritz type drinks. If that's not your thing you're out of luck.As far as service, you could tell the waitstaff was doing their best and were friendly. I believe they may be understaffed. However, our waitress didn't put in our starter until far after we ordered it (she put it in with our entree) which was upsetting because we had ordered it 15 minutes before ordering an entree.The restaurant itself is beautifully designed. If you're going for pictures, this place is nice, but most of us are going to eat.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Audrey Housson
My company hosted their holiday party here for 50 people. The space was perfect for the gathering. The staff worked with us to curate a lovely evening... great food, great vegetarian options, and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken, Tiramisu
Ifeoma Osadebe
I had a lovely experience at Underdog! Claudia was a lovely host! The food was tasty and they had a phenomenal wine menu. I also just love the dachshund theme. It might be my new Austin FAVE!
Wowowow, if a robust wine menu and creatively crafted Korean cuisine is your thing— THIS is for you!The spritz is a must, truly the best friend chicken I’ve EVER had, as well as every dessert option. Order them all for the table, because they’re irresistibly delicious!The atmosphere and service were warm, and welcoming and made us feel so taken care of. Can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken
Thomas P.
Had such a blast dining here this week. My wife and I love Korean food, and we found this place to try out. From the minute we got there, we felt so welcome. The staff was on point and really helped us find a seat and also made sure we understood the menu and got us wine right away. We ordered some of the recommended favorites and was BLOWN away by how good everything was. We don't typically order dessert, but we did here because we saw so many good options and it did not disappoint. We recommend this place for anyone looking to get some good food with good service in an amazing atmosphere. We'll 100% be back!
Laarni C.
We had a fun dinner experience at Underdog - a lively atmosphere inside the restaurant. We were seated promptly. We didn't know there was service outdoors. So, FYI! There is al fresco seating - dog-friendly and available upon request. One highlight of the evening was the extensive wine selection, which pleased our group. However, we noted a lack of mocktails and other non-alcoholic options for those abstaining from alcohol, such as during the Lenten season. Another point to mention is the absence of seafood or fish items on the menu, which was a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, we found plenty of vegetarian options to enjoy. Standout dishes at our table included the crispy rice bowl, banchan selection, egg souffle, and matcha tiramisu. I will pass on the rice cake. Service, provided by Jacob, was prompt and friendly, adding to our overall positive experience. We look forward to returning, perhaps on a non-Friday, to explore some of their meat items.
Shahreen A.
The food was ok and the setting was pretty ... but I was appalled at the service. Richard the co-owner waited on our table. We ordered the tasting menu for 2. It took at least 30 mins for us to be served the second dish. No acknowledgement that it was super-slow. Things happen, we get it. An explanation and expression of accountability goes a long way and that's what was in order. When we asked if they are understaffed in the kitchen, muffled response given. Then when the soup course came it was announced that I wasn't getting a soup course at all because of an allergen. No effort to replace, adjust or at least acknowledge that I'd be missing a course. He finally gave me an extra dessert but it was clear that he did so because I was unhappy, not because it's unreasonable to be charged for a $300 meal that's missing one of the courses.
austin
Good food and atmosphere! Pretty expensive but that was expected.
Booked a reservation on OpenTable for a Friday night - a good amount of availability even on short notice. Free parking in the subterranean garage behind the restaurant. Service was nice and the interior buildout is gorgeous. As you'd expect for a new "posh" restaurant off South 1st, be ready to pay for Austin pricing ($50 - $80 pp excluding drinks). The food unfortunately was mostly a miss. Ordered the pancakes, egg soufflé, kimchi, banchan, galbi, and fried chicken. The Korean dishes should be extremely flavorful yet balanced (sour, spicy, salty, savory, sweet), unfortunately most of what we ordered missed the mark. The scallion pancakes were mostly burnt, so everything just tasted salty and ashy. Egg soufflé was a bit spongy in texture and bland Kimchi was not bad, although it feels odd to pay $6 for a small serving of Napa. Banchan plate was okay, portion size for $11 is barely enough for two people. Galbi was the best of the bunch - very good cut of meat and the Asian pears had a light refreshing taste. Could be a bit more seasoned but overall good taste and amazing mouthfeel. Fried chicken was good - it was well fried but a little bland. The accompanying dill ranch dip was also mostly flavorless which left the dish wanting. A but if the radish and pickles that came with the fried chicken were okay. The servers were talking about the spirits and wine background of the chefs but we did not drink that night so weren't able to see if that was a stronger suit. Beautiful space but wish the food could step up to match the price point.
Fantastic food and atmosphere! Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love Underdog. It’s a neighborhood gem and one of Austin’s best restaurants — both for its excellent wine list (Underdog is great for a stop-in just to have a glass or a bottle) with friends and for its excellent Korean food. On my last visit, I ate alone at the bar and thoroughly enjoyed mandu dumplings, Asian pear kimchi and a tremendous pork tonkstsu. Owner Richard guided me to a terrific bottle of wine to complement the set. It was a terrific evening. Great food / great wine / warm service / lovely atmosphere…Underdog has it all. I rebooked another meal in just THREE DAYS. Go.Wheelchair accessibility: From what I can tell, Underdog is wheelchair accessible
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken
The beef tartare was so good. Great food, service, and atmosphere. Happy hour is half price bottles of wine under $100.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Tartare
We came in because we had heard from a good friend that it was phenomenal and we had an inkind credit. We made sure to come in around 5:15 for happy hour and we did not regret that. The restaurant has an open, light, airy feel. We were lucky enough to have Jake as our server, he steered the ship and offered great recommendations. Food: Vegetable Tempura- 10/10 Napa Cabbage Kimchi- 9/10 Pork and Shrimp Mandu- 10/10 Fried Chicken- 10000/10 huge portion, on happy hour Thick Cut Galbi- 9/10 just a little too fatty in some pieces Rice Scallion Salad- 7/10 good and light We were stuffed- so freakin good.
We had another wonderful experience at Underdog. I love every detail in the restaurant and can't get enough of the GLUTEN FREE fried chicken. The extremely thoughtful owner went out of his way to help us find a wine we had last time that I neglected to record and wanted to try again. We can't wait to return again soon.
We eat a lot of Korean food in Austin and were very excited to try this place out. Unfortunately, it's one of those places that didn't live up to the hype. In writing this I was shocked to see the reviews were as high as they were.Our biggest problem here was that the food was sub-par for the prices they are charging - there are lots of places where you can pay $150-400 USD for a meal in Austin and that meal is out of this world delicious. Not here. It seemed like the problem was in the conception of these dishes, there was no thought as to how flavor would be built, and most were lacking in fat AND salt so that the flavor fell flat. Including the dumplings, which was a massive disappointment.My partner ordered their beef short rib (their most popular item) the meat came out tough, and was completely unseasoned. For $44 a plate, you expect properly seasoned food.Every single dish I tried came out far too hot to be served without a warning. I did not get a warning on our starter and burned the inside of my mouth. I had to wait over 5 minutes for my entree to cool down before eating as well.Their wine list is extensive, however, if you want a cocktail their options are extremely limited mostly to aperol spritz type drinks. If that's not your thing you're out of luck.As far as service, you could tell the waitstaff was doing their best and were friendly. I believe they may be understaffed. However, our waitress didn't put in our starter until far after we ordered it (she put it in with our entree) which was upsetting because we had ordered it 15 minutes before ordering an entree.The restaurant itself is beautifully designed. If you're going for pictures, this place is nice, but most of us are going to eat.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
My company hosted their holiday party here for 50 people. The space was perfect for the gathering. The staff worked with us to curate a lovely evening... great food, great vegetarian options, and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken, Tiramisu
I had a lovely experience at Underdog! Claudia was a lovely host! The food was tasty and they had a phenomenal wine menu. I also just love the dachshund theme. It might be my new Austin FAVE!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken, Tiramisu
Great food and wine/wine knowledge!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Wowowow, if a robust wine menu and creatively crafted Korean cuisine is your thing— THIS is for you!The spritz is a must, truly the best friend chicken I’ve EVER had, as well as every dessert option. Order them all for the table, because they’re irresistibly delicious!The atmosphere and service were warm, and welcoming and made us feel so taken care of. Can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken
Had such a blast dining here this week. My wife and I love Korean food, and we found this place to try out. From the minute we got there, we felt so welcome. The staff was on point and really helped us find a seat and also made sure we understood the menu and got us wine right away. We ordered some of the recommended favorites and was BLOWN away by how good everything was. We don't typically order dessert, but we did here because we saw so many good options and it did not disappoint. We recommend this place for anyone looking to get some good food with good service in an amazing atmosphere. We'll 100% be back!
We had a fun dinner experience at Underdog - a lively atmosphere inside the restaurant. We were seated promptly. We didn't know there was service outdoors. So, FYI! There is al fresco seating - dog-friendly and available upon request. One highlight of the evening was the extensive wine selection, which pleased our group. However, we noted a lack of mocktails and other non-alcoholic options for those abstaining from alcohol, such as during the Lenten season. Another point to mention is the absence of seafood or fish items on the menu, which was a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, we found plenty of vegetarian options to enjoy. Standout dishes at our table included the crispy rice bowl, banchan selection, egg souffle, and matcha tiramisu. I will pass on the rice cake. Service, provided by Jacob, was prompt and friendly, adding to our overall positive experience. We look forward to returning, perhaps on a non-Friday, to explore some of their meat items.
The food was ok and the setting was pretty ... but I was appalled at the service. Richard the co-owner waited on our table. We ordered the tasting menu for 2. It took at least 30 mins for us to be served the second dish. No acknowledgement that it was super-slow. Things happen, we get it. An explanation and expression of accountability goes a long way and that's what was in order. When we asked if they are understaffed in the kitchen, muffled response given. Then when the soup course came it was announced that I wasn't getting a soup course at all because of an allergen. No effort to replace, adjust or at least acknowledge that I'd be missing a course. He finally gave me an extra dessert but it was clear that he did so because I was unhappy, not because it's unreasonable to be charged for a $300 meal that's missing one of the courses.
Good food and atmosphere! Pretty expensive but that was expected.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Tartare