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Alamo Springs Cafe
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
63 reviews for Alamo Springs Cafe
Review Highlights
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"...Antonio Road which is a beautiful hill country scenic drive." In 12 reviews -
"Buttered Jalapeno Cheese Bun." In 4 reviews -
"Order the goat cheese roasted garlic crustini." In 9 reviews
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63 reviews in English
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Review from Kami H.
5/12/2012 1 photo
Did a little jig jag detour on the way back to Austin from Fredericksburg to try out what Texas Monthly called the "3rd best burger in Texas". Well, I haven't had the 1st best burger in Texas, but I've had the 2nd, and I have to say this one was better.
Great meat, great bun, excellent topping selection, cool off the beaten path joint.
Worth the side trip.
Sad that we missed the bats down the road. Maybe next time... -
Review from Carolyn H.
Austin, TX
3/18/2012
After a long day of touring the small, town shops of Fredericksburg, my family and I were starving and needed a place to chow. Walking around that little, but growing and surprisingly crowded , town worked up quite an appetite.To my surprise, my mother already found a place to eat. Hooray for awesome moms! It was about 20 minutes to drive to the cafe, but we did not care because my family is always happy to try new food.
Let me back track a bit before I proceed with my review.This visit to the cafe was during me and my siblings spring break. My father planned the whole trip. There was horse back riding, exploring, trail walking, museum hopping (LBJ, Hamilton Pool, Enchanted Rock etc). It was quite the family trip experience if I do say so myself. The funny thing about this trip is that I have never been to the Hill Country part of Texas even though I have lived in Texas all of my life. I guess Texas is so BIG, I never thought about heading over to any the numerous cities located in the central part of Texas.
Anyways, when we got to the restaurant, we could only find the parking lot. After a few more searches, we notcied that, the place was located behind some trees. The restuarant was tiny, homely, and nostalgic to my childhood days with my grandparents and their comfy restaurant "go-to"s.Along the outside of the small cafe was a wrap around porch. The porch did not hold but two or three seating areas and the inside area did not hold too much more than that either.In other words, it was small in relation to the amount of people wanting to try the 'Best Burger'.
Now, onto the food! We ordered an order of onion rings (family tradition which I do not take part of at every restaurant) and an order of roasted garlic and goat cheese. These uniquely different appetizers were slightly on the greasy side which, sadly, I'm not a huge fan. Regardless of this fact, I thought the tartness of the goat cheese paired nicely with buttery, crispy crustini. As our entrees came out, I noticed the vintage decor. On the walls inside the restaurant were vintage Coca-cola and neon beer signs. They had a 1960s-70s (not positive about the dates but my father had seen one of them during his childhood and adolescents) Coca-cola fridge. Our extremely attentive waitress diverted me back to reality by bringing me my portabella sandwich on pumpernickel bread. It was also very greasy but I enjoyed the chipotle mustard the coated the large lettuce leaf. I was thrilled that it did not have mayonnaise on it. I'm not against mayo, I just wanted to avoid anymore damage to my arteries (I'm kinda kidding).
Overall, the experience was pleasant and soothing. If I go back to the Fredericksburg area, I will probably stop by for another delicious sandwich.
The only big problem about this adventure into the wilderness was driving back without any street lights! Talk about an adventure back home! -
Review from Curley L.
Kearney, NE
1/21/2012
Three of us tried for the first time during the week at lunchtime. Well here is the consensus; burgers were just okay. Lot of burger on a very greasy bun. We thought the burger was dry. They offer lots of choices for burger topping which we sampled and they were all good. One of us had goat cheese. One had jalapeno and one had grilled onions and all passed muster....too bad the quality on the burger side was not as good as the condiments.
We did the French Fries and Onion Rings....pretty greasy. The onion rings have a crisp home made batter but they batter is tasteless...needs seasoning.
If you don't like cigarette smoke don't come here!! Apparently the place has escaped Texas' nonsmoking rules. There were patrons smoking, the wait staff was smoking and we saw kitchen staff smoking on the way out. -
Review from Leslie S.
Fort Worth, TX
3/26/2012
After checking into our B&B in the hill country, we asked for dinner recommendations. Alamo Springs was the closest and we were told they have great burgers and were featured in Texas Monthly so we thought we would give them a try. We arrived a little after 5 pm to find the place busy! After getting our own drinks inside, we snagged a picnic table outside. Since they were known for burgers-thats what we had. I had a cheeseburger with all the trimmings and added grilled onions and green chilies. My husband had just a bacon cheeseburger. We ordered a order of the Krusty Fries with Ranch.
Do not come here if you are in a hurry-you will have to wait awhile, especially when they are busy. However, the wait was well worth it! My burger was HUGE and I ended up having to cut the patty in half just to be able to eat it (Suggestion to the restaurant-please offer a smaller burger). Most delicious burger ever-don't come here looking for a fat free dinner-you wont find it. The Krusty fries were also awesome and addicting-they said they were rolled in chipotle batter so I worried they would be too spicy for me as I do not like spicy-they were great, especially dipped in the ranch dressing they came with.
Only thing I wasn't thrilled with was the price and the dessert. We ordered 2 chocolate pecan caramel brownies to go for a late night treat (as there was NO room after the burger and fries). I was disappointed. It was a hard brownie and I couldn't really taste the caramel-I also discovered they were $4.00 each!!!!. Also, on price, after 2 burgers, I Krusty fries, 2 brownies, 1 iced tea and 3 Dr. Peppers (they only have soda in cans and charge over $1.00 per can) and a small tip for the waitress, our total was $40.00 which in my opinion is way overpriced for any burger joint.
On another note, they have live music outside on a small stage on Saturday evenings at 7pm. Having gotten there at 5pm and snagged an outside table, we thought we were good. However, about midway through our burgers a waitress came over and put cardboard "reserved" signs on our table and the one next to it. We ended up leaving instead of staying for the music since by this time, the other vacant tables had already been taken. -
Review from John M.
11/19/2011 2 photos
Atmosphere and Cleanliness: Plain and simple...
GOOD...When we went it was during ROT...so it was full of bikers with personality..Good times..
Service: BUSY...
Food: Burger is a classic ALL AMERICAN Burger...French fry basket was greasy...ONION rings were awesome...will get the chips next time based from word on the street.
Worth the Adventure: YES...the drive alone to this joint is totally worth it...Local bat watch at the entrance -
Review from S C.
Austin, TX
2/19/2012
Burgers are amazing and better than Counter Cafe but it's close.
-
Review from Katie C.
Houston, TX
1/9/2012
We were on vacation in Fredericksburg and desperate for something to eat at 8:30 as it is almost impossible to find food after 8pm. We called this place to learn that their kitchen closes at 9, so we jumped into the car and raced through rural Texas hoping to get there in time. The drive itself was quite an adventure and really pushed our car to it's limits. We finally arrived, and even though the kitchen was already closed, they turned the grill back on just to make us dinner.
We were just looking for a bite to eat and were pleasantly surprised to find that this was, according to Texas Monthly, one of the best burgers in the state. I love Texas Monthly's food issues and we were not disappointed. There are so many good burgers in this world and for the most part, there is little to differentiate them, so I can't say it was the best burger I've ever had. But I can say that I can't name any place better. This is definitely one of the best I've tasted.
We were the only customers in the place and I know we were keeping them late, but while we ate these amazing burgers, we did not feel rushed at all.
After such great service, and such amazing food, we will definitely be back every time we are in the area. And we can't wait to try that drive in the daylight and actually see the scenery. -
Review from Nancy G.
Texarkana, TX
11/21/2011
We have been twice--both times we have ordered the Cover Burger!! It's AWESOME!!! According to the Texas Monthly this was the #3 burger, but I've tried the #1 and #2 and I disagree! This should have been #1!!! When you take that first bite and all those flavors EXPLODE!! It doesn't get any better!!!
The owners are AWESOME!!! -
Review from Sonja B.
3/27/2011
We visited here on our way to pick strawberries at a local orchard. Let me assure you that this restaurant is probably our "go to" restaurant when going to pick fruit.
First off, the breakfast goodies for the kiddo - spinach & cheese omelet - was fantastic. The side of hashbrowns and Texas toast were gone!
The hubby and I shared a BLT and a green chili, cheddar cheese, and bacon burger. Man, we couldn't decide who had the better sandwich - Mmmmmmmmm.
The fries looked less than ideal when they arrived at the table. I'm proud to say that they are the BEST fries that I've had in Texas. Mmmmm.
The fried portabella mushrooms and onion rings were great. The batter was almost perfect - and the nice taste of pepper just brought it on home.
The owner came by several times to make sure we were happy and satisfied. The waitress was attentive. All in all - this is a fantastic place to eat. -
Review from James K.
Snoqualmie, WA
5/20/2011 1 photo
Where to start with this review! We were looking for some team-building ideas for our office to do once a month, and the first idea suggested was to check out this cafe just outside of Fredricksburg. I had already heard of the restaurant from the rave reviews it received from Texas Monthly for their Burger and decor. Unfortunately, living on the East side of San Antonio the drive is nearly 2 hours I had never had the opportunity to go visit.
After the 75 minute drive from mid-San Antonio through Texas hill country we come upon a small restaurant in what I would consider the middle of nowhere. It's a dirt and gravel parking lot with a rather large slab of cement reserved for "Bikers" only.
Upon entering there is a sectioned off patio that leads into the main seating area, and an area off of that which is for the outback patio. The host/hostess seated us and told us to just grab a drink from the cooler. There are various types of drinks to choose from, soda pop, iced tea and a very large selection of beers.
To cut to the chase, there is a nice large menu with various types of sandwiches, burgers, and traditional American choices. Of course we're all here for the burger from the magazine. As such, it's just referred to as simply the "Cover Burger" or "CB". The burger has Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Onions, Roasted Green Chilies, Avocado, Pickles, Lettuce, Tomato, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. I also ordered a half-order of their home-made potato chips. In total, the order came to 15 and change, including a soda.
I wont go on and on about the burger, but it ranks as one of the best I've had, ever. If it wasn't for the half-burnt potato chips, this place would receive 5 stars from me. The staff was rather nice and not overly bothersome. They expect the same from you.
Reading the other reviews here, I have to caution you. You will wait for your food, but as Gordon Ramsey likes to say quite often, customers will wait for properly cooked meal... and that's what you get here. You get service with a smile and an excellent burger.
For a place in the middle of nowhere, without any cell-phone service, it's a hidden gem. Come try it! -
Review from Betsy B.
San Antonio, TX
5/20/2011
Alamo Springs Cafe serves what I consider to be the very best burger I've ever eaten! It's a drive to get there from just about anywhere, but it's worth it. What they now refer to as the "Cover Burger" that was featured on the cover of Texas Monthly magazine in August, 2009 is to die for--Huge beef patty hand-formed and served on a jalapeno-cheddar bun made fresh every day with grilled onions, sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, roasted green chiles, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and a mustard-mayo mixture. Word of caution, though, once you pick it up, there's no putting it down until you're finished. Recommend cutting it in half so that you get a chance to clean up between halves because it is juicy. Ask for a fork because "stuff" will fall out and you won't want to let it go to waste!
When you arrive, you serve yourself your drinks (beer and sodas) from the various coolers that line the walls. When you pay, they will ask what you drank. Honor system at its best. Eventually, someone will come to your table and take your order. There's a sign on the wall that says, "Want fast food? McDonald's is 12 miles that way --" They aren't kidding. Don't be in a hurry. You won't be sorry.
I recommend the homemade potato chips over the fries or onion rings. They are all three made from scratch, but the chips are definitely the best. During this most recent visit, the chips were a little over-cooked, but in the past (and I have to believe in the future) they will be perfection again. They don't add salt so do that first. Then dig in to a fresh-cooked warm potato chip. Amazing. A half-order of chips is enough for two people at least, maybe 3 or 4.
The bad-ass brownie is outstanding too. After the huge burger and the chips though, it is large enough for 4 to split and feel like they had plenty of dessert. It is really rich and will make any chocolate-lover ecstatic.
The staff is really great. Mike is the guy with the "Jefe" t-shirt and I think he's the owner as well as the manager. If you treat them well, they will treat you well. If you get pushy, they will make it clear that this is where anybody can be a nobody. You may be important somewhere else, but here you're a customer just like the person next to you. I like that. Mike did recommend we call ahead for a reservation when we have a group of more than 6. You can specify inside or outside seating. I like inside seating because you don't have to worry with mosquitos etc., but outside is where you'll be able to see the live band on Saturdays and see the bats emerge from the bat cave nearby at sunset.
The fried-avocado appetizer is great too. If you're planning on splitting the burger with someone, you'll have room for it, and I definitely recommend splitting one with your table.
About the only thing I don't recommend here is the fries. As I mentioned, they are homemade, and only fried once so they end up being a little on the limp side. The potato chips way out-class them.
This is really one of my favorite spots for a laid-back Texas sort of afternoon. The only reason I didn't give it five stars this time is the slightly over-cooked chips on this visit. Usually they are much better. This one is definitely worth the trip. Enjoy! -
Review from Kami M.
Austin, TX
2/14/2011
My boyfriend and I ate here on Saturday during a weekend trip to Fredericksburg after having read that they have the best burger in Texas (Texas Monthly, I believe). We made the half hour or so trip out there from our hotel and arrived to a group of about 30-40 biker types from some Corvette club or something. Because of their large group, there was going to be a 30 minute wait for tables. Ok fine, we grabbed beers and hunkered down.
A few minutes later, Mike (I believe that's his name?) came over and told us a table was ready. We sat, checked out the menu, and ordered a few moments later when the waitress popped up. 2 cheeseburgers, 1 with avocado, and the other with green chiles and onions. We also ordered the fried avocado appetizer.
What followed was an arduous HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES OF WAITING for our food. We waited and waited and waited. Finally at around 45 minutes into waiting I sent my boyfriend to go talk to the owner/manager (Mike?) to see what was going on and to get some crackers because I was getting dizzy. He returned with 3 packets of crackers and assurances that the food would be out in a few minutes.
It wasn't. All the while as we waited huge, loaded up trays of food were being carried out to the gigantic group of biker/car enthusiasts but the rest of us in the restaurant were left waiting. One couple just got up and left because they had been there for so long! The 2 families behind us, each with a small child, had also been waiting for about 45 minutes and I spoke to one of the women who expressed worry about her kids blood sugar. I could certainly relate! I asked our waitress twice about the food and she dismissively reassured me that the food would be out shortly.
Finally, FINALLY, our food was dropped off - just the burgers though. The avocado appetizer actually came AFTER the food by a good ten minutes. Also, the menu just said "fried avocado" which sounds delicious and conjured up images of crunchy, juicy slivers of fried heaven. Nowhere in the menu did it mention that it is actually an entire avocado that is stuffed with meat and cheese and then fried (probably a good thing to mention for any potential vegetarians, right?). I highly recommend AGAINST the fried avocado appetizer, there is something decidedly off about the flavor - perhaps the meat was poorly cooked or the frying oil was old or the cheese was something, who knows, but it tasted funky. We each got a bite or two into it before giving up - I actually spat out my second mouthful into my napkin.
The restaurant is incredibly tiny and does not have the manpower or capacity to serve the number of people that were there that day and I understand that sometimes there is a flurry of business and the cooks/runners/waitstaff/busboys/etc all struggle to keep the flow of things as speedy and efficient as possible, but I strongly believe that if something like this happens and the owner/manager/whoever sees that people are having to wait exorbitant lengths of time for food then it isn't too much to ask for them to come over and apologize, explain the situation, offer something like a free beer or dessert, say thanks for waiting, etc etc. None of this was offered.
All in all, a very tasty burger, nothing to write home about, not the best in Texas and DEFINITELY not worth over an hour in wait time.
Oh, also. 2 burgers, 1 beer, 1 iced tea and the avocado appetizer? $34. Seriously, $34.
Here's an idea, Austinites, take that $34 to Lambert's happy hour where you can get a mind-blowingly good burger for $5 and $2 beers. -
Review from Steve M.
Gig Harbor, WA
5/13/2011 3 photos
What a cool find in the middle of nowhere!! Get the green chile cheese burger, homemade chips and the onion rings. All three will be the best you have ever eaten anywhere. The staff is awesome too. If you time it right, sit outside and watch the bats take off from the old tunnel. One thing to note - pass on the fries- for some reason they aren't up to speed with the other side offerings.
FYI it's ok to feed Lucky the cat your leftover meat, who will be close by as you finish up. (see photo) -
Review from Karen S.
9/3/2010
After a motoring trip out of Austin, we made this country restaurant our destination. It's set back in the hill country. It's a beautiful drive getting there (all the way from Houston).
Of course, right on the wall directly across from me was the Texas Monthly with "Best Burgers in Texas" prominently displaying the Alamo Springs Cafe. Our group, of course, all ordered burgers.
I can certainly see why the burgers are so highly touted. They were huge and thick, and they got it to the perfect temperature: medium well. A lot of places have trouble getting thicker burgers/steaks to the right temp. They came stacked high with a lot of stuff--I go for dressed (that's NOLA-speak for tomato, lettuce, mayo) with grilled onions and bacon. The bacon was thick, the onions were perfect. I had to eat it with a knife and fork, which I didn't mind.
(I know some of you burger fanatics are cringing out there, but I really don't want to die or suffer from renal failure due to ecoli, thankyouverymuch!)
The table got an order of onion rings which were lightly battered and greasy. Very good, but nothing to write home about.
A great country joint. Great view, too. I'll be back.Listed in: Damn Fine Burgers, Texas Country Joints
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Review from Carolyn N.
Briarcliff, TX
3/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great burgers, desserts and ambiance. We found this cafe long before the Texas Monthly article...when it was 5+ stars always. The popularity the article produced resulted in some lost quality issues at times, especially on nice weekends. We have gotten overly greasy french fries and onion rings (time to change your oil folks!) and times when service hasn't always been with a smile.
Regardless we do go out of our way to eat here and we often bring out of town company as part of the Hill Country experience. The ride getting there is incredible and I love the great beer selection in the help yourself cooler. Make sure to get yourself a frosty beer mug from the freezer of the old refrigerator and if you want dessert you may want to order it up front to ensure you get it before someone else does ;) -
Review from James F.
8/7/2010 2 photos
I still have that evil picture on the cover of Texas Monthly showing Alamo Springs Cafe's burger. See what happens when a food "stylist" tags along! Mine didn't really look like that today on our family trip out into the Hill Country. If you can follow along its our late anniversary slash fathers day times two slash late birthday meal even though my real birthday dinner from the parents is on the 21st.
Jenny and I contemplated dining here on our recent Fredericksburg excursion; then decided to head home to pick up little Rooster. Today we ventured out taking a risk arriving at noon to a full house. We snagged a booth immediately! Score one for the suave 2 year old. No restaurant he goes to makes my kid wait. Perhaps its the old Rooster charm. Please....
We started with the roasted garlic and goat cheese appetizer. This dish could have came out of any trendy place in Austin; total perfection here my friends. My mom who was preaching the entire drive about her new no carb diet realized she failed after the first garlic and goat cheese infused bite of crostini.
Moving on to the main event being the #3 burger in Texas. My only substitution from the cover photo was no mustard. Grilled onions, cheese, avocado, and green chilis with the hand formed patty with the Sheila P's cheddar jalapeno bun was extremely tasty. The same went for Jenny's cheese, roasted garlic, and avocado. My padre who eats a burger at near every place we go to finished his with praise as well. Mom's redemption for the "accidental carb ingestion" was the blackened shrimp salad with tequila lime vinaigrette. I didn't taste it; but she was satisfied with the end result.
The fries and onion rings also made the grade with thumbs up from the carb eaters at the table. Service (being the ordering and food delivery) was exceptional even with a packed dining room. I actually liked getting my own beer and uncorking a Blackstone Merlot for my mom. It was like getting beer out of the fridge at home!
My verdict on the burger is that I would like ASC to ask for a doneness preference. Its rare that well done will get me to sing praises about a particular establishment when I can get the exact or similar burger at probably 20 places in Austin. Regardless, its worth a drive from anywhere to try Alamo Springs Cafe. -
Review from Chad T.
11/30/2010
Stopped here for a beer and a bite during an afternoon of great riding. The roads around the hill country are just amazing and Alamo Springs is one of those places that you hope you find on an afternoon drive. Great food, great area, great drive.
Serve yourself beer/beverage fridge. Burgers are the signature here, handpressed with great toppings. Buns have a taste and texture that adds the the burger perfectly. Really good. Also love the fried avocado. Curious and had to try it. Once we did, had to have another. Highly recommend.
Small joint but managed to find a seat. There is also seating outside.
Love the service. Will go out of my way to stop here again. -
Review from Christine A.
Austin, TX
6/1/2008 2 photos
Gigantic burgers. Crispy fries. Delicious onion rings. Alamo Springs Cafe is within walking distance of the Old Tunnel where 3 million Mexican freetail bats live. Have a burger and beer before the bats emerge for their nightly feeding then walk on down and watch the show. Had the portabello mushroom burger and could have died from happiness.
Other favorites are portabella mushroom burger with green chilies, cheeseburgers, homemade potato chips, fried avocados with salsa, and goat cheese with garlic. Try the homemade cookies, brownies and pies. Everything is delicious. The menu features over a dozen varieties of beer.
Friendly servers and funky Texas atmosphere. Patio seating is available.Listed in: Burgers! The Other Food Group, Fredricksburg, Baby!
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Review from Karen H.
7/14/2009 2 photos
Grab a beer, save the cap, and have a seat. If you can find one, that is-- the seat. Absolutely, hands down, the best burger my mouth has had the priviledge of ummmm-- wrapping my lips around. Ever. Sorry that I don't live closer, I'd almost consider moving to Fredburg just to frequent Alamo Springs more often. Burgers are not small, you'd better come hungry! I made the mistake of ordering stuffed jalapenos, fries and a burger. UGH... Definitely take your time, and wait for the burger. Two or more can share an order of fries.
There were 19 of us on a group Harley ride-- and I guess we got really really lucky since they weren't as busy as usual. We were served promptly and they were happy to split the checks if needed. You'll save the beer caps so they'll know what to charge you! After realizing it was self-service beer... I grabbed the seat nearest the beer cooler. Hey, I felt the cold air everytime someone opened it too!
From what I understand, the kitchen churns out other great dishes, but I'm stuck on the burger. Be sure to stop in-- it's worth the trip and the ride is scenic as well. -
Review from Caroline K.
Houston, TX
10/10/2010 1 photo
Everything's bigger in Texas.... alamo springs burger is a prime example.
Everything down to the drive to this hidden (well not so much thanks to TX Monthly) gem is memorable. Cruising down a curvy tx road... just boyf, me, fantastic scenery, and texas country music... oooooh man - just gets ya in the mood for a thick and meaty hill country burger.
This is small town... the waiter was the owner's wife and the busgirl was the daughter. I love this and both were super friendly.
We sat outside (gorgeous) and ordered the STUFFED DEEP FRIED AVOCADO - avocado, cheese, ground beef and jalapeno... all inside a fried mound. Main course was the TX MONTHLY burger for boyf and the CHEESEBURGER all the way, on a whole wheat bun, with an add of GRILLED ONIONS for me. Side of FRENCH FRIES. CHOCOLATE MILK SHAKE and bottled IBC ROOT BEER were the beverages of choice.
Well we should have listened to other reviewers... this is a TON OF FOOD. The burger alone would be more than enough for me. The fries can easily be shared by 3. We should not have been allowed to drive back to houston with the food coma we were experiencing... this is the kinda meal that you want to lay in bed for hours after.
BURGER - thick, juicy, and full of flavor. Everything about it is GREAT... except for its size!! I know, I know... complaining that a burger is too big? This Caroline K girl must be crazyyy... It's just that I have a hard time with burgers that I cant get my mouth around (not trying to be dirty)... I like every tasty ingredient to be involved with every bite.. it is close to impossible with this big boy...I resorted to the usage of flatware which I am not a huge fan of. This did not deter boyf though... he used his hands to devour every bit... food all over his face and grease running down his arms. A bib and many many extra napkins are NOT a bad idea in this situation. FRIES - good but not amazing. AVOCADO - tasty and reminded me of the state fair. Ask for a side of ranch... I think it reallly adds! SHAKE - great and THICK... ohhh yeah, thicker the better.
Next time I will 86 the avocado and shake, only so that I can actually function properly after this culinary experience.
FUN OPTION: Half a block from the cafe is an old tunnel (used to be a railroad going from freds to san antonio) with bats! Around dusk they fly out... Could be a fun night out... see bats, eat burgers, drink beers.... yes?? Saturday nights include live music so keep that in mind as well!!! -
Review from My-Tien N.
Austin, TX
3/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
Hot cross buns,
Hot cross buns,
one ha' penny,
two ha' penny,
hot cross buns.
Woo wee! I heard about this place from my hair dresser and I am glad I made the trek to this place. We went on a Friday night and it was not busy at all.
You walk in and you are welcomed with someone sitting by the front and you are told to grab a drink and have a seat anywhere. We grab a few beers and sat on the back room as there was more space.
Texas Monthly named this place #3 burger in TX. I ordered the burger on the cover and it had green chilis, onions, avacado, cheese, mustard, mayo, lettuce and tomato on a jalapeno sweet bun from Houston, TX.
The 1/2 lb. burger is a 2 hander and is quite messy but worth it. It was so juicy and the bread was so fresh and soft. The taste of the burger is one I've never had before. I'd make the trek out there again to show my friends; how a burger is really done.
The waitress was really fun and sweet. She took pictures of us and made the experience very fun as well as made us feel at home.
When checking out, they ask you how many beers you had. What an honor system! I can't wait to go back!
Tip: Take the drive during the day. You'll feel your lost but follow the maps and you will get there! -
Review from Lauren H.
Hanford, CA
11/18/2010
Now that the buzz has died down a little, this place can be enjoyed as intended. It is an unpretentious house converted to a restaurant that is laid back with good food and sometime live music.
The burgers really are perfect. Handmade, fresh made, made with love, and all this shines through nicely. They have lots of topping options, and I really love the grilled jalapeno option. The jalapeno bun costs a $1 more, but is totally worth it. The burgers are juicy, tender and messy, but wonderful. I can say, however, that I am not thrilled with the fries. Either kind, as they have two different ones. But I don't care. The burgers are the shit.
The drive out to this place is pure gorgeous Texas county road....a very nice drive.. Not in the middle of nowhere, so much, and if you can't appreciate the scenery, go get your head checked and rethink your priorities in life. It's beautiful.
I like that they have the serve yourself beer...it's quite handy, and I have no problem handling my own beverages. The service is quick, friendly and down to earth. Very very good. Now, if only I still lived in Fredericksburg..... -
Review from Adam F.
Austin, TX
8/29/2009
Like many other people who've reviewed this place, I came following the Texas Monthly review, which was part of a 2 hour excursion from Austin. The place is nowhere near Fredericksburg, it's well out into hill country backroads. On our way in, we were accosted by another customer who told us "No" as we we were attempting to enter. I managed to diffuse the situation and avoid the fight that he was clearly attempting to start. We left, and contacted the restaurant to inform them about the beligerent customer outside. The owner asked if I "was mexican"
Clearly, only good old Texas white boys should be going this deep into the backwoods to enjoy their burgers. Texas Monthly should be ashamed of their rating. -
Review from Kerry M.
Fort Worth, TX
11/29/2010
One of my favorite places around!!
Food - 5 stars - downright AMAZING. We've been a couple of times now, both times in big groups, and everything we've had at our table has been delicious. Definitely get their onion rings - they're the best I've had.
Service - 3.5 stars - I love that you get your own beer here! You don't have to wait on a waitress; however, the waitresses that take your order/deliver your food are a little gruff and brash....only a small compromise for the quality of the food!!
Cleanliness - it is a bit run down, but I like that about it. This place is not for the overly-classy. It is a old-time burger joint...and that is exactly what I love about it!!
Entertainment - both times I've been, there have been wonderful entertainers!!! We even bought one of the group's CDs.
In short, I would recommend Alamo Springs to anyone (and I have). -
Review from Selena E.
Austin, TX
6/23/2009
Well, so we tried to eat here this past weekend, but it never happened.
It's a long story, so please be bear with me.
There were 11 in our party. We get there around 6:30ish, just in time to eat and then see the bats... and the place is absolutely packed. *Packed*! And that was really *okay* with us. As a general rule, we understand busy establishments and are usually patient with crowds. You see, we had two of us who are in* the business*, so to speak; one once owned a busy restaurant in a major Texas city and another who married to a professional chef in same large city. We *understand* busy. But I digress.
We tell the guy at the front (who I* just* found out today when I pulled up their website, appears to be the owner) we have a party of 11. He stops for a second, looks at us and promptly says, "give me about 10 minutes". Wow. We were *way* cool with that. He continues on, "the beer is over there, help yourselves, just keep the caps when you pay later." By this point, we're really diggin' the informality of it all. I mean really... this place is OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, the typical little biker-hill-country-restaurant-bar. AND WE SEE THE PLACE IS PACKED. We trusted what we were told by the guy at the front.
30 minutes later, we're still waiting outside.
A large party of 12/15-ish just drives up and walks in. They are seated. One of our group goes up and asks about why they were seated when we've been waiting.
We were told because they "had reservations".
Hmmm. okay. Weird, because their website mentions *nothing* about such things, plus now that I've come here to Yelp, THIS website states no reservations allowed. We initially were not told reservations were recommended.
Continuing, we tell them that we *can* be separated, we don't have to all sit at the same table... splitting up in tables of 5 and 6 is perfectly fine. Once again, we are more than willing to help them accommodate us since we are a larger party. No. Big. Deal.
Another 30 minutes pass. We are STILL waiting. In the meantime of all of this, one of our group was awesome enough (the pro chef's wife) to ensure we get SOME food. We get some bread/goat cheese/roasted garlic plate that I was brought to us by the owner while we stood at the benches in the sun.
This was *awesome* food. I will give a plus for that.
The plate was absolutely tasty beyond belief. Or it could have been because we were really hungry by that point. I don't know.
Several minutes later, I am standing at the base of the ramp alone just waiting for something to happen with our seating. I just happen to overhear 3 waitresses BITCHING (and I do mean to emphasis *bitching*) about our group because we failed to make a reservation and what did we expect! What?? (Nevermind the fact that THEY DO NOT take reservations, nor it is recommended.)
I confronted said waitstaff. I told her we were never in a rush, but we were told by "the guy" at the front when we first walked in that it would be ten minutes. I was told, to my face, that wasn't true, that it would have been a wait for us. Again, I told her yes, we were *specifically told* a ten minute wait and here we were well over an hour later still waiting... and all the while watching others drive up, seated, and eventually leave. (Yes, we witnessed the entire circle of people getting there, eating and leaving while we continued to wait and wait and wait.)
By 8:05, we started to walk down to see the bats and we still had never been seated... and AS we started to walk down, others were walking UP We'd missed the bats coming out. They came out early. Oh well.
Several of us were discussing our next plan of action, and by that time, we'd already been there just shy of two hours. So half of our party decided to leave and were tired of the bitchy staff, half decided to stay and eventually were seated.
In conclusion, while I was told the food that was eventually served was good, it certainly does not outweigh the *bullshit our entire party had to endure from the bitchyness of the waitstaff*. While "Mike" seemed to be very friendly and hospitable, it was the mere fact that we were lied to and bitched about behind our backs that was really the issue.
We were initially told a ten minute wait. We waited about two hours. Had we been told from the get-go it could be a long wait, at least we would have been given the opportunity to be prepared. But we weren't and when our party had been waiting for almost 2 hours, yes, we started to get a bit testy. The mere fact that for over an hour we were very patient while the members of the staff were verbally bitching about us within earshot was extremely unprofessional and juvenile.
The next time I want to have dinner and see bats fly out of their homebase, I'll just grab a Schlotzsky's sandwich my dog and a blanket and drive the 15 minutes from my house to the Congress St bridge. -
Review from Lenah K.
Bastrop, TX
6/15/2010
Best burger in the state? No.
Good burger? Yes.
I was really happy when my co-worker said she wanted to go to this place while we were in Fredericksburg for a conference, since I'd read about it here on yelp. We went on a Thursday night and another co-worker decided to tag along.
The drive was interesting because we weren't sure exactly where we were going, but we were able to find the place. The drive definitely reminded me of how little I have in common with my co-workers though as we scrambled for things to say to each other.
When we arrived, the place was pretty crowded, and we ended up sitting in a not-really-air-conditioned bar area rather than the main seating area, because there was no room there. One of my workladies thought sitting on the patio would be better, but the other two of us vetoed that since we at least wanted to be out of the sun.
We grabbed drinks out of the cooler. I had a can of Sprite and a water (which was available for free from a dispenser), don't remember what co-worker A had, co-worker B had 2 Bud Light with Lime (I think that's what it's called ... I don't drink yellow beer so I'm not sure). The cafe had a pretty nice selection of other beers, but I had overdone it the night before so wasn't interested. Could have done without the snarky signs posted everywhere, but who knows what I'd do if I had my own restaurant, so to each his/her own ....
They ordered burgers with various toppings that I don't remember, one ordered onion rings and one didn't. I got a burger with cheese, roasted garlic, and bacon. I also ordered the fried shrimp platter. Don't judge, the platter was listed under "appetizers," and since fries were $2.50 I figured I might as well pay the extra $5 and get some shrimp (6 jumbo shrimp for that price is a good deal, and I'm worried that good shrimp may be hard to come by in a few months).
The wait on the food was kinda long and I think I accidentally insulted the Twilight books and bothered my co-workers during that time. Oh well, didn't mean to, just mentioned their (the books', not the co-workers') various connections to the Mormon faith.
Anyhow, the food finally came. The burger was decent, but not a standout. Toppings were neither skimpy nor generous, seemed of good quality. I was kind of happy that it was a regular-sized burger and not a monster so that I could enjoy the other stuff that I ordered.
The fried shrimp and fries were very greasy, but I was kinda expecting that. The shrimp were big and very good, needing no sauce or anything. The fries were small and soft, not crispy, a style which I actually like. One could tell that they were from actual potatoes, as there were round end pieces mixed in. Cool. I didn't salt them as much as I would have liked because one of my co-workers had just gone off about all of the heart disease in her family. I would have liked them more with more salt.
I tried my co-worker's onion rings and they were pretty good. Sweet onions like I like, and kind of reminiscent of EZ's in Austin, though not as good since the batter came off way too easily. My other co-worker ate some of my fries, which is good since I got so many.
I saved half of my hamburger to eat later, but then I accidentally kicked its container out of the vehicle when we got back to the hotel, and had to scrape it off of the parking lot pavement and throw it away. Next time I'll eat the whole thing or be more careful. Yes, I wouldn't mind a "next time."Listed in: F'Burg, yo!
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Review from Winnie L.
Austin, TX
7/26/2009
Very hard to find!! This place is literally in the middle of nowhere.
It is a small shack that has little seating and the people who work there have the potential to be nice but some (like the girl with the black curly hair) is edgy because soooo many people go there to eat but our waitress was nice the 2 times we saw her.
We literally waited about 2 1/2 hours (get seated+to get our food) and it's super hot there so the beer was the only thing to really cool us off.
The burgers are okay, just not worth the wait so don't go if you're starving or expecting to get seated in about 20minutes.
The roasted garlic and goat cheese wasn't bad but honestly I would never go back to eat there... ever. Thank you Texas Monthly for rating them #3 I Guess that's why they were so packed and the food came out 3 hours later. -
Review from Lyla A.
5/24/2009
This place had really good reviews and it was really hard to get there but we went and it kinda dissapointed...
The jalapeno cheddar bun was a little stale and mealy so when you bit it, it crumbled. My husband ordered a jalepeno jack cheeseburger with green chilies and grilled onion. The flavors were good but it wasn't anything spectacular. I ordered a swiss cheeseburger with roasted garlic. The garlic wasn't soft enough to spread so it was just chunks of garlic on my mealy bread. when I tried to spread, it started tearing up my bread. It was good - don't get me wrong, but next time I want a good burger, I'll make my way to fuddruckers. They did have a fantastic live music performer outside - so I would go back for that aspect. -
Review from Aaron T.
Brownwood, TX
8/3/2009 2 photos
We found this place with the GPS, just out driving to get away from home (and it was about 190 miles from home!). We weren't really looking for it, but it came up as a point of interest when searching for food near our position.
There was live music, and the place was pretty busy for something in the middle of nowhere. We were told to grab a beer and go sit down!
We were pretty amazed to see goat cheese on the menu, so we got some of that with roasted garlic and bread. I ordered (see photos) a giant BLT with jalapenos and my wife had a pork tenderloin sandwich that was so freakin' huge I took pictures of it too. We got the large basket of fries also, but didn't eat much of them because we were so stuffed already.
Before we got to the fries, we were pretty full after about half way through our sandwiches, so we started making stuff up. We made mini sandwiches with the french bread slices... slice of bread, roasted garlic, a bit of goat cheese, a slice of bacon, and a jalapeno! BAM!
We still had some left over and fed the cats that hang out there. After sitting for a while listening to the music, we got dessert. I don't remember what my wife had but I had a giant hunk of German beer cake with whipped cream. The cake itself is kind of dry, but with a bit of cream with each bite, it's perfect!
We had a wonderful time. Service was a bit sluggish, but we had food to keep us busy, and if she didn't make it around for a refill, you can go get it yourself or just grab another beer! I like that kind of casual! -
Review from david h.
Longview, TX
8/2/2009
We came here because Texas Monthly rated this their #3 burger in the state. If this is #3, I can't wait to try #'s 1 and 2. This is as good as any burger I've ever had, anywhere. The meat was flavorful and fresh. The condiments were great. My wife had garlic on hers and wanted to order a side of garlic to go. It was that good. The homemade potato chips were great as were the onion rings.
I don't know why we ordered the fried avocado. At least now we can say we've had one.
Lots of good bottle beer options. When the first words out of their mouths are "help yourself to a beer and find a seat", you know you are in for a treat. For those who complain about the service, the wait or location, please bear something in mind. This is a twelve table burger shack in the middle of nowhere with out-of-this-world burgers that a lot of people want. It ain't the friggin Ritz Carlton.
The atmosphere was pure, rustic Texas. Nothing concocted here. The service was fine. Loved the old hippie dudes in doo rags and welders hats who were cooking and baking. I would go WAY out of my way to come back to this place.
This place is, as has been mentioned, in the middle of nowhere so plug it into a reliable GPS, use the force or hire a Sherpa but do not dally. The burgers are worth finding. Smiley face and a star. -
Review from Lacey W.
Coahoma, TX
9/5/2011
This place was incredible! I have been here several times and have never been let down. The service has always been great and the burgers and fries are to die for! I have also been twice when they have had live music and that was fun as well. I would recommend this dive to anyone!
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Review from Jeff W.
Fredericksburg, TX
7/20/2007
Located near (but not too near) Fredericksburg's famed "bat tunnel" (summer home to well over 1 million Mexican free-tailed bats) this out-of-the-way cafe is certainly worth the effort to find.
One of the best burgers around (and so, officially rated by some critic or other) and the pork tenderloin sandwich is to die for...splurge and ask for the "crunchy fries".
Go early to eat then stroll down and watch the fly... -
Review from Padre C.
Kerrville, TX
8/12/2009
Went Sunday. Called ahead and was told open till 10. Arrived around 8. Every table was full with groups waiting. Gave the guy at the register my name and that there were 5 in my party. Told to grab a drink and wait on the patio. Named called and seated within 15 minutes. Waitress was fun, funky, and on top of it. Out of a few things but it was the end of the weekend. Everyone had a burger and everyone loved theirs. Onion rings were good, but the homemade fries were great.
This one of those it is what it is places. It is unique. Like the sign says as you walk in, if you want fast food MacDonalds is 17 miles west. -
Review from Jeff Y.
4/8/2010
This place is fan-freakin-tastic.
I'm a serious meat-eater, so when I saw the burger on the cover of Texas Monthly, I had to give it a try during our sorta-annual trip to Enchanted Rock.
As far as the meat goes, it's pretty standard fare. Beer, coke and tea are available, and for the most part self-serve. Small bit of warning, but the food is not fast food, as the directions to McDonald's over the cash register will tell you. But the real specialty of Alamo Springs are all the delicious extras.
This is one of those burger joints where everything that sounds unhealthy on the menu is almost mandatory. Buttered Jalapeno Cheese Bun? Yes, please. Grease-fried onions? Mmhmm. Chili and Avocado? Affirmative. Every add-on will cost you extra, but every add-on I tried was worth it. Seriously, next time I go, I plan to just stick every possible extra into those delicious jalapeno cheese buns. If you're a cheapie-burger eater, then fine, just make sure you get the buns. Don't let the name fool you, it's not so much spicy as it is delicious.
It was good enough to the point where I've already planned to make my trip to Enchanted rock biannual or even quarter annual just for the burger. -
Review from Solomon W.
Austin, TX
5/16/2010
At first, I was a bit confused at how to approach this place. After actually finding this place off the beaten path, I noticed that they had a "General Store" as well as a cafe. I am usually skeptical about places that have a "GS" that might sell souvenirs. Upon entering, I noticed serving, cash registering, and cooking were all done by teenagers; yet another worry on my list. This was all put down when the food got into my mouth.
The menu is pretty simple, and of course like everyone, my friend and I went for the burger after seeing it in Texas Monthly... I am a total food bandwagon jumper. We ordered a cheeseburger and house-made cihps.
The burger had a fresh piece of lettuce, a nice slice of tomato, and a good amount of chopped onion. And it was all topped off by a nice piece of processed American cheese. Does a burger get anymore classic? The patty was awesome: beefy, greasy, and soaking into the thin bun on the bottom. You know a burger is good when the beef juices make your bottom bun soggy. It also had a nice hearty grind that made you really feel the texture as you bit into the dense burger. Solid burger, but I don't know about #3 in Texas...
The house-made chips were different. They had that flavor I hadn't had in a long time... true greasiness. That nutty flavor that comes from true frying oil drenched the really thin slices of potatoes. Hot out of the fryer, these thin crunchy disks were uneven, which was nice. Some parts were soggy, some parts were crunchy, and some parts were burned.
This joint offered a great burger, a great off-the-beaten-path dining experience, and affordable prices, but I wasn't blown away. Still, do come here if you're looking for an interesting spin on your normal cafe dining. -
Review from chris m.
Austin, TX
6/5/2011
Living in Austin and always on the look out for the greatest burger, my wife and I decided to take the hour and a half trip out to this cafe deep in the hill country. The ride was great the day was wonderful and the views along the way were incredible.
We arrived about 3:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday and the place had a few customers there. Never being here before we walk to what looked like the front counter and was greeted by a nice woman who explained how everything worked, its not a place where you go sit and everything else will be brought to you, Not a problem, we grabbed our drinks and plastic wear found seats outside and then we waited and waited and waited and waited.
About 15 mins later a waitress brought the only other customer on the porch his food, looked at us and said " Hey is anyone helping you?" we said no and were about to ask a question when, she cut us off and said let me get that person for you.. We were puzzled, there are more then one waitress for a 8 table deck and she couldn't have been nice and answered our question?? A few minutes later Our waitress came out was nice and took our order. I explained that I am highly allergic to dairy and please please no butter nor cheese anywhere near my burger.... When mine came out, there was a chunk of the burger covered in Cheese. Real Nice! I looked at the waitress and she said "sorry I told them not to" and walked off. That was it!!! No I'm sorry or Let me have them make you another one, nothing.... I was starving, i needed to eat, so I cut a large chunk of the burger off so not to eat the cheese and bite into a flavorless 1/2 lb burger..
For this burger to be rated one of the best in Texas, I call foul on the taste buds of the person who rated it so high. Kinda greasy and flavorless with a side of onion rings that my 9 yr old nephew could have made better. Half the coating of the rings had fallen off and they only tasted like onion, the batter had nothing to it. No salt taste, no texture, no anything.
THEN I went up to the front counter to play my bill, we had 2 burgers, 2 canned sodas and 1/2 order of onion rings. She said the total ($31.64), gave her cash, she gave my change.. I walked out and Then realized "HOW can that Be?" it should've been around $20.
Went back in, found the blond young cashier on the deck where customers eat, smoking.. Classy I asked if the bill was correct and she said in kind of a snarky tone " ahhh let me see" opened up the receipt area of the register and then The excuses started flying. "Someone must not have canceled the previous ring up, So that's what happened". I said but "your the only cashier" she looked at me and gave me a real rude smile and said something under her breath. I then asked "when you were ringing up my order didn't it seem odd to you that my bill was so High? She replied "Sir I am fixing it, OK" with now was a kinda rude tone to her voice. I said "I get that but the attitude I don't need from someone who screwed up cashing me out. Plus this is my money that I would hard for and for you to over charge me $12 is a little ridiculous." The Blond, now rude and snarky, cashier finally figured out how much to give me back and literally threw it on the counter and said thanks, walked towards the porch door, she slammed the door behind her and went back to smoking.
The other employee asked what was going on and I told her that the cashier was rude, annoyed and short with me because she messed up cashing me out, I then went on to say that this would be my First and Last visit to this cafe!!! -
Review from David M.
Katy, TX
6/28/2010
(a 2010 Memorial Day weekend trip) This is as good as it gets... for a burger joint near Fredericksburg. Fun and friendly wait staff. Talked with the owner. He is a very down to earth, cool dude. it's a bit out of the way but worth the hill country trip to eat hear. "If your looking for fast food, it's 12.5 miles to the right." I wish I would have taken a picture of that sign, but it's above the cashier area and comes with a store from the owner if you ask. :)
OH! and try your burger and a jalapeno bun. SO DAMN GOOD!!!! -
Review from Jacob H.
San Antonio, TX
7/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Still the best burger I've ever eaten. No contest. You know it is going to be awesome when the patty is thick, and irregularly shaped (hand-formed), and pink inside. The only downside besides the wait (probably waited 25 minutes from time I ordered to get the food, not crowded), was the attitude from the server. Basically, she couldn't care less whether you were there or not.
The burger is definitely worth the drive by itself, but make it a trip by visiting near dusk to see the bats emerge from the old railroad tunnel (bats migrate in fall, so before October is best), which is back at the turn 1/4 mile back. Millions of bats. Awesome sight! -
Review from Ani W.
Jacksboro, TX
6/16/2011
Love, love, love Alamo Springs Cafe! We loved it so much we went there twice on our five day vacation! So yummy. Definitely order your burger on the jalapeno cheese bun---not spicy, but has a subtle jalapeno flavor. If you like avacados, try the fried avacado here. SO good! We tried all kinds of different things here and loved them all. SO worth the drive and worth every penny! We have had burgers all over the south and these were by far the best burgers we've ever had!
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Review from Mercedes S.
Fredericksburg, TX
6/27/2011
This is a really fun and funky atmosphere. Great burgers as advertised. Excellent guacamole. I'm not a fan of their fries or onion rings, but many in my party were. Servers can be terse if you arrive during a busy time. Also, one time we called ahead and reserved for a table of 9 and were given the worst table in the house which left me wondering why I even bothered to call... We sat outside in the sweltering heat instead.
Our best visit to Alamo Springs was a drizzly September evening and we had the place almost to ourselves. The food was ready "quickly" (less than 30 minute wait) and we wandered over afterwards to watch the bats at the railroad tunnel. Made for a fantastic evening!
