Hippo Cafe is currently attempting to refuse payment for 36 hours of work I completed, based on a claimed
"no call, no show" that did not occur.
The owner, Brian, has refused to speak with me directly regarding this issue and has instead directed the manager, Erin, to communicate on his behalf. Erin informed me via message that I allegedly signed a contract stating I would not be paid if I committed a no call, no show. I requested a copy of this contract, and she has refused to provide it.
My payroll records clearly show that I was paid by check on January 9, 2025, and that taxes were deducted from my wages.
However, I have not received this check, and Hippo Cafe has stopped responding to my messages and phone calls.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and most state wage laws, an employer is legally required to pay an employee for all hours actually worked. A private contract cannot override wage laws, and clauses attempting to withhold earned wages as punishment are generally unenforceable.
In addition to the wage issue, the workplace was disorganized and lacked proper communication. Upon being hired, I was told by Brian that the restaurant does not allow call-ins and that employees are expected to communicate directly with coworkers to switch or cover shifts if needed. I was never informed that the Toast app, which contains scheduling and payroll information, was not being used. Despite relying on the communication methods available to me, l arrived for my next scheduled shift and was abruptly terminated with the explanation that they had "picked their next candidate," per Brian's words.
For the record:
• I was never late to any shift
• I never missed a scheduled shift
• I received positive feedback from customers within my first few days
• I performed my duties correctly, with only minor mistakes expected during a first week
There were also ongoing issues with favoritism and lack of fair rotation. Two employees routinely skipped my section in rotation, seating themselves or another coworker instead. When I raised concerns, I was repeatedly told "you're next," only to be skipped again. While I understood I was new and did not complain about being cut last, the lack of inclusion was consistent.
Employee tardiness was common, to the point where Brian implemented a rule that late employees must bring food. During my time there, one male employee arrived over an hour late due to oversleeping and faced no consequences. Meanwhile, another employee regularly had coworkers complete her closing duties so she could leave early.
I consistently communicated with Brian during closing shifts, asking if anything needed to be redone or corrected to ensure my responsibilities were completed properly.
Denise Whitaker
We stopped by on a Friday during lunch 11:30-12:50 while our vehicle was in the shop. They mentioned this place to eat. They had music playing in background. 80’s and it added a good vibe. The buttermilk pie was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! The Philly cheese steak was not. It was dry and barely had onions or bell peppers. The BLT was FABULOUS. (The buttered toast made this sandwich.) Both sandwiches were served with fries. A little on the pricey side for two sandwiches and tea. $46.21. Waitress did not mention the Philly when removing it from the table. It had two bites gone and I had asked for fresh bell pepper to add flavor but it did not help. So we split the BLT. $16.99 for the non eaten Philly. Yikes!! Not sure if this is a cafe policy to not mention uneaten or barely touched meal; or ask customers if they liked their meal. I was not.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
Toni Jacaruso
A Little Taste of Italy at Hippo Café — A Hidden Gem!
We had the most delightful evening at A Little Taste of Italy inside Hippo Café. Offered only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, this special pop-up experience brings authentic Italian comfort right to your table.
The homemade pasta was incredible—fresh, flavorful, and clearly crafted with care. And the tiramisu? Absolutely heavenly. Light, creamy, and the perfect finish to the meal.
The service was spectacular from start to finish. Warm, attentive, and genuinely excited to share their Italian specialties with guests.
If you’re looking for a memorable dinner that feels both special and cozy, don’t miss A Little Taste of Italy at Hippo Café. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
pace won
Great atmosphere excellent service even w large crowd and food was good
Carl Ahlberg
Fresh food served fast and huge portions, so you won’t go hungry. Don’t go too close to closing as you likely will feel rushed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chelsey Jantz
We absolutely love this place! The food is delicious and quick! You feel like you're walking into a family friends house for a meal. Very cozy and casual!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leander Benjamin
Food was hot and fresh and my beer was good and cold
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Rodriguez
Small friendly cafe with excellent food and fantastic service. It's my go to place for breakfast. They have a wonderful staff that provides excellent service. Erin, Nicole and Mason are among my favorite waite staff that really provide excellent service. Never a disappointment eating there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Blue Hippo Pancakes, Catfish Platter, Regular Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Steak, Western Omelette, Biscuit and Gravy
John Clark
On 23 October the PiHead group visited Hippo Cafe. This group visits restaurants throughout Central Texas searching for perfection in their pie menu. Today we sampled the Lemon, Chocolate Cream, Pumpkin and Apple pies. The Lemon and Chocolate were excellent, the Apple and Pumpkin received just an Ok. We wholeheartedly recommend you order a slice alone or after your meal. We would also like to mention the excellent food, although it was a little pricey. The service was excellent, fast and very, very friendly. We recommend you stop by and give this little gem a try.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Unscriptedmomlife
Staff is kind and very good. Food was good. Prices were kind of high, but that’s everywhere now. Bathrooms didn’t have toilet paper. Atmosphere was fun and relaxing.
Asked for a cup of ice, got an ice water instead. Had to ask for a second set of silverware. When I asked for extra napkins she gave me only 4 napkins. The food apparently comes with a garnish that's not listed on the menu and when we asked to have our food remade they just scraped the garnish off and gave us our original plates back. She also came by multiple times to ask if my drink needed refills but never offered one to my guest. When checking out we paid cash, the total was $28.99, I handed her $29 and she wasn't even going to give the change back because then she'd have to ask someone to open the drawer. I know it's a penny but it's the principle of the matter. Luckily another server had change. Not coming here again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Marie Rojas
Food was cold. Waitress didn’t give option on menu. Portions too small for cost. Nasty taste tortillas
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kelly Padden
Nice friendly atmosphere. Delicious food 😋
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pat Ekstrum
What a great find, cruising through Hutto, thought I'd check it out. Extremely friendly staff, my breakfast was in front of me in about 5 minutes. I'll definitely stop back next time I'm close by.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Centorea 88
Wow, talk about impressed. Hippo Cafe offers great customer service and premium cooking at fairly affordable prices. I even had enough for leftovers.
Will definitely be returning for more fried chicken another time.
Hippo Cafe is currently attempting to refuse payment for 36 hours of work I completed, based on a claimed "no call, no show" that did not occur. The owner, Brian, has refused to speak with me directly regarding this issue and has instead directed the manager, Erin, to communicate on his behalf. Erin informed me via message that I allegedly signed a contract stating I would not be paid if I committed a no call, no show. I requested a copy of this contract, and she has refused to provide it. My payroll records clearly show that I was paid by check on January 9, 2025, and that taxes were deducted from my wages. However, I have not received this check, and Hippo Cafe has stopped responding to my messages and phone calls. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and most state wage laws, an employer is legally required to pay an employee for all hours actually worked. A private contract cannot override wage laws, and clauses attempting to withhold earned wages as punishment are generally unenforceable. In addition to the wage issue, the workplace was disorganized and lacked proper communication. Upon being hired, I was told by Brian that the restaurant does not allow call-ins and that employees are expected to communicate directly with coworkers to switch or cover shifts if needed. I was never informed that the Toast app, which contains scheduling and payroll information, was not being used. Despite relying on the communication methods available to me, l arrived for my next scheduled shift and was abruptly terminated with the explanation that they had "picked their next candidate," per Brian's words. For the record: • I was never late to any shift • I never missed a scheduled shift • I received positive feedback from customers within my first few days • I performed my duties correctly, with only minor mistakes expected during a first week There were also ongoing issues with favoritism and lack of fair rotation. Two employees routinely skipped my section in rotation, seating themselves or another coworker instead. When I raised concerns, I was repeatedly told "you're next," only to be skipped again. While I understood I was new and did not complain about being cut last, the lack of inclusion was consistent. Employee tardiness was common, to the point where Brian implemented a rule that late employees must bring food. During my time there, one male employee arrived over an hour late due to oversleeping and faced no consequences. Meanwhile, another employee regularly had coworkers complete her closing duties so she could leave early. I consistently communicated with Brian during closing shifts, asking if anything needed to be redone or corrected to ensure my responsibilities were completed properly.
We stopped by on a Friday during lunch 11:30-12:50 while our vehicle was in the shop. They mentioned this place to eat. They had music playing in background. 80’s and it added a good vibe. The buttermilk pie was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! The Philly cheese steak was not. It was dry and barely had onions or bell peppers. The BLT was FABULOUS. (The buttered toast made this sandwich.) Both sandwiches were served with fries. A little on the pricey side for two sandwiches and tea. $46.21.
Waitress did not mention the Philly when removing it from the table. It had two bites gone and I had asked for fresh bell pepper to add flavor but it did not help. So we split the BLT.
$16.99 for the non eaten Philly. Yikes!!
Not sure if this is a cafe policy to not mention uneaten or barely touched meal; or ask customers if they liked their meal. I was not.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
A Little Taste of Italy at Hippo Café — A Hidden Gem!
We had the most delightful evening at A Little Taste of Italy inside Hippo Café. Offered only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, this special pop-up experience brings authentic Italian comfort right to your table.
The homemade pasta was incredible—fresh, flavorful, and clearly crafted with care. And the tiramisu? Absolutely heavenly. Light, creamy, and the perfect finish to the meal.
The service was spectacular from start to finish. Warm, attentive, and genuinely excited to share their Italian specialties with guests.
If you’re looking for a memorable dinner that feels both special and cozy, don’t miss A Little Taste of Italy at Hippo Café. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great atmosphere excellent service even w large crowd and food was good
Fresh food served fast and huge portions, so you won’t go hungry. Don’t go too close to closing as you likely will feel rushed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We absolutely love this place! The food is delicious and quick! You feel like you're walking into a family friends house for a meal. Very cozy and casual!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was hot and fresh and my beer was good and cold
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Small friendly cafe with excellent food and fantastic service. It's my go to place for breakfast. They have a wonderful staff that provides excellent service. Erin, Nicole and Mason are among my favorite waite staff that really provide excellent service. Never a disappointment eating there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Blue Hippo Pancakes, Catfish Platter, Regular Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Steak, Western Omelette, Biscuit and Gravy
On 23 October the PiHead group visited Hippo Cafe. This group visits restaurants throughout Central Texas searching for perfection in their pie menu. Today we sampled the Lemon, Chocolate Cream, Pumpkin and Apple pies. The Lemon and Chocolate were excellent, the Apple and Pumpkin received just an Ok. We wholeheartedly recommend you order a slice alone or after your meal. We would also like to mention the excellent food, although it was a little pricey. The service was excellent, fast and very, very friendly. We recommend you stop by and give this little gem a try.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Staff is kind and very good. Food was good. Prices were kind of high, but that’s everywhere now. Bathrooms didn’t have toilet paper. Atmosphere was fun and relaxing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Asked for a cup of ice, got an ice water instead. Had to ask for a second set of silverware. When I asked for extra napkins she gave me only 4 napkins. The food apparently comes with a garnish that's not listed on the menu and when we asked to have our food remade they just scraped the garnish off and gave us our original plates back. She also came by multiple times to ask if my drink needed refills but never offered one to my guest. When checking out we paid cash, the total was $28.99, I handed her $29 and she wasn't even going to give the change back because then she'd have to ask someone to open the drawer. I know it's a penny but it's the principle of the matter. Luckily another server had change. Not coming here again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Food was cold. Waitress didn’t give option on menu. Portions too small for cost. Nasty taste tortillas
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Nice friendly atmosphere. Delicious food 😋
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a great find, cruising through Hutto, thought I'd check it out. Extremely friendly staff, my breakfast was in front of me in about 5 minutes. I'll definitely stop back next time I'm close by.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow, talk about impressed. Hippo Cafe offers great customer service and premium cooking at fairly affordable prices. I even had enough for leftovers.
Will definitely be returning for more fried chicken another time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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