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Ski Shores Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants American (Traditional) Burgers, American (Traditional) [Edit]
2905 Pearce RdAustin, TX 78730
(512) 394-7511
- Hours:
Thu 11 am - 8 pm
Fri 11 am - 9 pm
Sat 10 am - 9 pm
Sun 10 am - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
105 reviews for Ski Shores Cafe
Review Highlights
"fried okra is really good too and the fries."
(in 11 reviews)
"It's so much better than Abel's or Hula Hut."
(in 10 reviews)
"...service, and the fun to watch the boats come in and out."
(in 5 reviews)
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105 reviews in English
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Review from Cody L.
9/30/2011
Personally I think this is the best place you can boat to on either Lake Austin or Travis. If I had to pick one it would be Ski Shores.
Like the food here, like sitting on the water, like the amount of activity going on all around, like bringing a dog and tying her up to the picnic table, like the overall vibe of the trees and the building.
Try the Border Burger. Its tits.
They have TVs for sports and movies for kids too. For me this is an afternoon spot but they have brunch in the morning and bands at night. -
Review from David B.
Austin, TX
1/12/2012
Painful review for me to write. I have been going to Ski Shores for 10 years and I will continue to go, but I have seen the good (Burgers!!!) and the bad (prices / service). I can only give it 3 stars.
The place was more intimate and quirky in the past (pre 2009), with the walk-up ordering, unpredictable days of operation, and the limited beer selection (no bar). I have to admit, the new ownership as of 2010 has made some great additions to the property.
Go for the burgers - I love love love the Boarder Burger. Maybe my favorite burger in Austin, 1/3 pound burger with cheese, mayo, grilled onions, jalapeños and guacamole. It's now $9, YIKES!!!
I have 1 beer or just get iced tea/soda. It's not the place I choose for drinking. I'm too cheap.
Bring bread. My kids have grown up feeding the huge fish and ducks that hang around Ski Shores docks looking for scraps.
Don't expect attentive service. You do get it sometimes, but it is not reliable. The old days with walk up ordering there was no issue with service, they called your name when the order was ready :)
If you know what you are going for (food and environment), you will have a great time at Ski Shores. I may even see you there! -
Review from Stacey M.
10/13/2011
Sorry ski shores, but I just can't get over you charging me $9 for a small plastic cup filled with ice, and a little margarita.
Your burger and fries were enjoyable, not that I'm a big critic of a burger. I love a lot of burger and fry combos. And your view is pretty nice, too. You get one more head nod because I can bring my dog.
Not a fan of all of the mosquitos certain times of year, and I really think your waitstaff could use an overhaul. I agree with multiple reviews on that. However, I don't completely scratch you from the list when I have guests in town, who've been here before and we need back up places to go. But you are close to that border line. -
Review from Voodoo D.
Austin, TX
10/13/2011
Gather round and listen to my Ski Shores epic. We came here for family night Friday, which offered outdoor movies, smores and a nice playscape for the kids. Our waitress (we'll call her Chelsea, because aren't they always) ignores us for 15-20 minutes. Lucky for her, we don't care because the atmosphere is laidback, the view is awesome and our rugrat is content. Tarzan on the big screen, awww yeah!
Chelsea finally wanders over..ever..so..slowly.. and asks us for our drink order. We tell her we're really hungry and would like to order appetizers first. "Do you want them to come before your food?" Yes Chelsea, and napkins and silverware would be fantastic!
20 minutes later she wanders by and asks us if we're ready. I was born ready Chelsea, now bring me my goddamned appetizers! We go ahead and put in our order out of fear we won't see her again. The entrees eventually show up but the appetizers don't. No napkins. No silverware. I bus the table myself because I'm afraid she won't come back, and I am right. As I'm getting the napkins, I see our appetizers chilling on the counter.
As advertised, the burgers and fries are super tasty. We never see Chelsea again, that is, until Manfriend begs one of the busboys to bring us our check. Chelsea may be off the wait game but her tip radar is in full effect! She halts her conversation with Horny Lake Dad and makes a beeline for our table.
As we look over the check, she stands there and initiates an awkward conversation about finals, roommates, Ugg boots, and all the random shit that girls like this feel passionately about. The fuck?
Manfriend pulls out the credit card and her voice trails off as she languidly stretches, giving us a world class view of her freshman 15. I realize this is strictly for the benefit of Manfriend, who is giving me "help me" eyes, but I can't wait to see how far our sexy server will go for 20%. What's on tonight's menu Chelsea, cheese whiz Bukkake?
Suddenly, and I can't make this stuff up, she swats at an imaginary bug and starts jiggling like she's auditioning for Sabado Gigante. Hold up Girl, I got enough cheese on my nachos.
Manfriend and I try unsuccessfully to contain ourselves. Finally, she quits with the college girl kama sutra and slumps away. Manfriend (looking all insulted): "Does she expect me to tip her for THAT?" Me: "Yah Trick, but no kissing on the mouth."
That said- I actually like this place. I can't knock a restaurant solely based on one dingy waitress but if the management wants repeat business they need to send this girl packing to the Hula Hut or some other establishment that supports free-range douchebaggery.
And one last thing Ski Shores, this is Texas. Lose the plastic thimble cups and put your salsa in a bowl that a bitch can scoop a chip out of. Thanks! -
Review from rachel m.
Austin, TX
9/11/2011
Why why WHY? Always 45 minutes to make the WORST breakfast in Austin.
If SSC had ANY competition on the lake, it would have been out of business last year. Breakfast is just awful, and lunch/dinner is fair but overpriced for the quality. Also, my husband took a peek into the kitchen today (they leave the door open, which is right next to a full trash can teaming with flies and bees) and said it was filthy. Today was the last time we eat at SSC.
In the spirit of fairness, they have a good-enough bar and amazing lake-front seating.
UPDATE: I received a nice email from SCC apologizing for our bad experience. They also sent me a gift certificate, which was really nice. We haven't been back yet, but I will revise my review again after we have. -
Review from Alan S.
Dallas, TX
8/13/2011
The combination of the atmosphere, authenticity, and food makes this spot the neatest restaurant in Austin. The food ain't bad, but the atmosphere, on beautiful Lake Austin, is beyond what you can find anywhere.
A unique must-visit for any Austinite or visitor. -
Review from Bert H.
Austin, TX
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's never a good idea to just shell out five stars. That doesn't seem like a very candid review. But this is why I will give this place five stars:
1. Incredible view and you're literally at water level. It looks more like the Eastern Shore of Maryland than Texas.
2. It's so much better than Abel's or Hula Hut. Those places are hot, not necessarily on the water, crowded, and awful food. This place actually has good burgers (unlike Abel's).
So it is a drive. But it's worth if if you have nothing going on. So much better than Abel's or Hula Hut. -
Review from Shawn C.
Austin, TX
8/10/2011
I was running some errands with two of my kids, and decided to swing by Ski Shores, since I've heard they have great burgers and views.
I agree on both counts - I went with the Scooter Burger (two 1/3 lb. patties, cheese, mayo, jalapenos,lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles) and it was delicious - gigantic and gluttonous as expected.
Very nice service, and the fun to watch the boats come in and out.
Old school arcade games and a playscape for the kids were a bonus. One thing that would be nice would be some fans/misters. -
Review from Halie P.
Austin, TX
4/17/2011
I wish I had made it to Ski Shores before the new ownership took over. I've been looking for a new lakeside restaurant in Austin, at food at the Oasis is awful and overpriced, and the wait for Hula Hut is always far too long, and also with average food. I wanted Ski Shores to be at least good.
It was not.
There was no wait for a table, so that was a good start. However, the wait for food was AN HOUR AND 45 MINUTES. That is never ok. 45 minutes into the wait, our waiter came over and warned us that the last ticket had gone out 30 minutes ago, and so we were comped free queso, which was also subpar. I thought for sure the food would be out within 15 minutes. It was not.
An hour after the queso (thus, 1:45 into the not-dining experience) our food came out. Everything was overdone. I like to think the waiter knew this, which is why we were never asked how the food was. The chicken tenders were not at all tender, and the fries were burnt and tasteless. Luckily the chicken came with ranch to add some flavor to the torched meal.
At least during all this we had a great view of the boats going by. If I lived near Ski Shores, I might go back just to drink and watch the sunset, but I don't, so I won't be back. I agree with Joe B. below that the new owners should scrap the waiters and door people and have a seat-yourself, order at the counter situation. Then another person could be added to kitchen staff, as well as another bartender, and the kitchen staff could warn you when the food was backed up so diners would know to order a drink or two. -
Review from Joe B.
Austin, TX
4/17/2011
I have only being going to Ski Shores for 32 of it's 57 years, but have to say I was astonished by the new owner's transformation of the place. A friendly little burger joint with a cozy waterfront location, cold beer, live music, and a place for the kids to throw a football. How can you mess that up? It's so easy, it's almost a license to print money, but here's what we found on a recent Saturday night...
First a waiting list and a door girl. Actually two door girls, who may (or may not) have been eighteen, but who instead spent all their time giggling and talking with each other. The guests were an afterthought. Do we really need a waiting list for picnic tables? Didn't have one for 56 years, but I guess that is what you call *progress*.
The bar was in total "meltdown" stage with people standing three deep. I haven't spent a half hour trying to get a margarita before, except perhaps on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. The bar tender was exhausted, the bar back totally confused. Our order was wrong (twice). He did plop six drinks down in front of me on one occasion and I was tempted just to enjoy that alcoholic smorgasbord, to calm my frustrations, but they finally got them out. A regular told me to order a "Mexican Martini" next time, because it comes with its own plastic tumbler holding a second serving, "You don't want to have to go through that twice." Not surprising, they were so harried and confused behind the bar, no one ever asked for payment, so we took the free drink as compensation for the nightmare.
We finally got our picnic table. The young waiter advised that the kitchen was really backed up, "so order quick." We requested two burgers, fries,and onion rings. The fries and rings came out 20 minutes later. The burgers came out almost an hour later... cold. The burgers were on big doughy buns and stacked tall. The patties were the pre-made kind you can buy in the frozen food aisle, with a sort of rubbery consistency reminiscent of cold shoe leather. It was an utterly unremarkable burger (see Alamo Springs Ice House for what a real burger should be). We took a few bites of each and asked for the check, figuring that would take a half hour to get. To our relief, it didn't.
The bill? $62.00 for two cold burgers, drinks, fries, and onion rings.
The teenaged girls were still giggling with each other when we left. No one said "Thank you," "Good evening," or "Come back soon." If they don't give a flip about the place, why should we?
It's a great location. A local institution. You can't beat the views, the boats, and the people watching. Like I said, I've been going there 32 years, so I will be back, but not so frequently now. Nice thing about a place like this is, if they keep running it the way they did on the night we visited, it will be under new ownership in the next 5 years max, hardly a heartbeat in the timeline of the venerable Ski Shores of Austin.
SUGGESTION TO NEW OWNERS: Double the bar space and bar staff. Get rid of the waiters and hostesses. Let people order at the window, find their own spot, and call their order name out for pick up. They can eat at a table, on a rail, or in their boat, the same way we did it for 56 years without complaint. You get rid of a lot of overhead, payroll, frustrations, and you might actually be able to put a mediocre burger on the menu that doesn't cost $9. -
Review from Joseph F.
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great place to stop and hang out for a little bit while out on the lake. Great patio area right there on the lake. High priced beer, but being that you are on the lake that's not much of a surprise. Food is good, I had the fish tacos and they were pretty tasty. Boat slips are popular so come early or be prepared to wait.
I'm inclined to agree with some of the other reviewers, it is a three star place but convenience and location plus view bumps it up to the next level. -
Review from Martha R.
3/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is really more of a 3-star place - but the view of the lake bumps it up just a touch. The food is pretty average - it's probably best to stick to the burgers. The breakfast is pretty blah. The burgers were cooked so that they still had some juice in them, and it was so big that I could only finish half. The fries are delicious and the onion rings are average. The queso was just so-so... just like the service.
But having a nice cold beer on a beautiful sunny day at the lake is really the reason that you go to this place. Plus, you can bring your pup - and that always makes eating and relaxing a bit more fun for me! -
Review from Anna K.
Austin, TX
9/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome fried fish and fried okra.
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Review from Amanda D.
Austin, TX
4/19/2011
I love my neighborhood bar and grill. It is only 1 min from my house and they deliver! +++ for me especially with a 4 year old. They have a great playscape for the kiddos and the scenery isn't half bad.
Beware family night. My 1st experience this year lead to me yelling at a bunch of rude kids whose parents let them run a muck while they got happy on their margaritas. Not Ski Shores problem but it does get a bit crowded Friday and Saturday night because of this.
I wish they could add a kids' burger to the menu. That's is all my son will eat there and paying full price for him to eat half of it just isn't worth it. The fried pickles and burgers are my fav though.
I'll miss the convenience of this place when we move out of Greenshores. -
Review from Bill J.
Austin, TX
8/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We used to love this place when it was under the previous management. I'd been going to Ski Shore since I was a kid. I always loved the Border Burger. It was the best combination of ingredients one could ask for, The last two times we dined there was an unpleasant experience. Actually the last time we went has made me feel that we'd probably never go again unless we were invited to go with friends. Otherwise we would probably choose a different restaurant to go to.
Let's begin... The service was HORRIBLE. When one sits down it should not take 10min to be acknowledged. When you order an appetizer it should not come out 10min after your food order. The beers were not very cold. We had ordered the onion rings for starters before placing our food order. A group of people sat beside us on the dock and hey barely ordered and appetizers and they should up for them right away. One of them resembled what should have been our onion rings. I asked the waitress and she said she'd check on the order. Next our burgers arrived. At that point I said forget the onion rings since they were obviously not coming. I said we do not want them now. She said OK and would cancel the order. 10 min into our eating our food the onion rings showed up. I was like, "are you kidding me"? The waitress didn't even apologize. After we finished eating it took 20min for our waitress to arrive again. We were never even asked if we wanted another beer. Finally our check arrives so we could get out of there. Guess what was on my bill!! The onion rings!!! Once again; "ARE you kidding me?" Still no apology!! Someone needs to school this girl on how to waitress. As I mentioned earlier. I would probably not go back to Ski Shores again. -
Review from Jason S.
Austin, TX
7/11/2011
The new ownership is a breath of fresh air. The food is fantastic and the border burger is one of the best in town. This lake front hideaway is just what the doctor ordered. Austin feel with live music and great food and great service.
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Review from Tara M.
Updated - 6/15/2010
Ski Shores used to be my very favorite dog friendly place on the lake to stop and eat unfortunately they are no longer the "definition of Austin laid back since 1954"
Yes they have new bumpers and pads to protect your boat on arrival and the plumbing is much improved but that is not what makes a home a home...
I remember once upon a time when we arrived via boat and had to to use our own pads to protect our boat - but the management catered to our ever other need..
Dogs of any breed were welcomed with dog treats and the owner brought out bread to flirt with me and my Nieces to feed the fish:) In it's past life Ski Shore felt like family.
The New Ski Shores is a new home that does not feel like home and I feel very uncomfortable there....Listed in: Places I can Drink and…, I love the outdoors list, My Pup's favorite Places, Places to dine on the lake
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/2/2009
Stopped in here today for the first time via a car. I have been here numerous times via boat and had… Read more »
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Review from stacy D.
Round Rock, TX
10/30/2011
I SO don't understand why this place gets good reviews! The food is TERRIBLE, and over priced to boot. The buns were hard & stale, the lettuce soggy. The price on the kids meals need serious review. If you want to sub in something not fried on the side, they charge you extra- yeah! Like $5 for a grilled cheese on white wasn't excessive? Everything arrived in a reasonable amount of time and still managed to be ice cold. How can fried anything come out cold? They allow smoking, I assume since it's an outdoor thing, so it's a bit repulsive and unpleasant to a non smoker with kids. The wait staff was friendly, but the bathrooms disgusting. Don't waste the drive!
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Review from Amy W.
Austin, TX
8/1/2011
I live in the neighborhood and have been dining at Ski Shores for years. I like the new improvements and the food is good but your pet policy is very inconsistent.
I have a little Cocker Spaniel that is almost always with me at Ski Shores. Three of the five times I've been to Ski Shores in the last month, I've been told something different about having a dog with me. I believe dogs are allowed as long as you sit in the grassy area but we have been seated on the deck with the dog as well. Last Friday I left Stevie at home to avoid the problem all together. Three of my friends and I sat on the upper deck near the stage and there were two dogs with their families on the same deck! What is the problem with allowing dogs on the deck as long as they are not in the "restaurant" area or near the bar?? -
Review from Kristina H.
Austin, TX
Updated - 4/27/2010
So, I'm going to jump on the "we miss you old ski shores" bandwagon here. I really really wanted this place to be good. I came in with low expectations, high hopes and a lot of wiggle room to impress me. They did very little of that.
We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table, but that wasn't so bad considering there were 10 of us and we had a chance to look over the menu. Once seated, the waitress was pretty prompt in coming by and taking our orders, getting us some drinks, etc.
4 of our people got their food within 20 minutes or so. Granted, they shared some plates, but the rest of us had to sit there while they ate. Our food didn't come until about 40 minutes later. So, yes, we waited about an hour for our food to come. I got the chicken tacos with a side of coleslaw and it was. not. good. At that point, I was drunk, overheated and starving and still couldn't finish the last bite.
Others that got the chips and salsa were missing the salsa and when they asked the waitress for some she brought back marinara sauce. She was pretty loopy overall and you could tell she didn't have much of a clue about what she was supposed to be doing.
Don't even get me started on the music. It was way too loud and way too crappy.
The only cool thing that I noticed is that they had a sign up that said you can order your food in advance and then just swing by in the boat to pick it up. We all agreed that next time we would definitely be doing that in the future.
Unfortunately, there just isn't a lot of food options on Lake Austin. I'm not sure why this is, but because of it Ski Shores will continue to be our go-to place for some drunken grub. If we have the ability to get our act together, I sure hope they can too.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/3/2009
After a day full of boating, and drinking and not a whole lot of eating, this place really knows how… Read more »
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Review from Susan H.
6/14/2010
I used to frequent this place 10 years ago and decided to head out there last weekend for what I remembered as great food & great atmosphere. I decided to take my boyfriend who is new to the area and hadn't been here before. What a disappointment!!
The food was mediocre to say the least and not the great dive burger joint it used to be. I was even more aggravated by the tea/beverage prices. Our tea was brought out in an 8 oz plastic cup, watered down, and priced at the cost of gold for $2.29. We weren't offered refills but more ice!!!?? I asked for a refill w/ a little more ice in lieu of just more ice.
The burgers were previously frozen/processed patties, if they weren't they sure tasted like it. There was NOTHING good or special about the burger. I believe they were running on a fry shortage because we each got 9-10 fries in our basket and they were those red battered covered things (not the old fashioned ones from back in the day).
It's another over priced place because you are sitting on the lake... I can tell you that I have visited many places on the lake and on the Guadalupe River who are also overpriced but the difference is these other places have fantastic food to go along with the atmosphere.
two burgers and two teas for $28 was ridiculous.
Go down the lake a little bit and pop into Hula Hut to get the Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi, Fish Tacos, a child's meal and 3 drinks for the same price (fantastic food by the way). -
Review from Ryan M.
Round Rock, TX
4/23/2010
Dear Old Ski Shores -
I miss you.
I miss your well-proportioned meat/bun ratio - you know, how the patty is flat but thick and goes all the way out to the edge of the bun or perhaps even a bit past? Yeah, I miss that.
New Ski Shores has Ball-O'-Burger between a cheap white bun that I could pick up myself at the grocery store. The burger was over-cooked, had no taste, and generally made me question the necessity to eat meat ever again. No burger should be able to destroy my soul. This one did. Bleh. On the plus side, though, the veggies were cold and crisp. How bad does a burger have to be in order for the VEGGIES to come to its rescue? The veggies still weren't good enough to save this abomination, though.
Old Ski Shores, do you remember your french fries? Yeah, I miss your fries too - the one that came with the burger and filled up the rest of the basket such that I had to eat some in order to make room to set my burger back down. I used to have very little room for ketchup without putting it on top of some fries - which I don't like to do, but it's a bitter-sweet situation, to be sure.
New Ski Shores gives you room. Plenty of room. In fact, I could count the number of fries I had on two hands, and still have enough fingers left over to hold all of the fries that came in the basket. They were mediocre-tasting at best, not warm, and I think I heard them say mean things to me. Why would a restaurant server hater-fries? Unnecessary.
The Diet Coke tasted "off". Not "off" as in "not enough syrup" or "too much syrup" but more like "I think they swirled a fish around in my drink". I begrudgingly drank it (I needed caffeine) and asked the waitress for regular Coke instead.
Service was somewhat slow due to terrible management of waiting tables - our waitress took our order as well as a really large group across on the lawn. They're friendly, though, so no problems there. The stairs they put in between the bar and the lake have got to slow down service - they need to put a ramp in there to allow their wait-staff to move around more quickly and still stay on their feet.
I might give them one more try to see if this was just a bad day, but they'd better get their act together - I'm not interested in a $9 burger that sucks and a $2.25 diet coke in a small plastic glass that I can't get more than one refill on because the wait staff can't come by frequently enough to refill it.
FAIL -
Review from Jeff C.
Austin, TX
5/22/2010
The food sucks. If you go here, come for the atmosphere. The fried fare was greasy and not crisp. The burger came out cold after waiting an hour.
This place has major problems.
Bad cooks, bad managment.
Bring back the old Ski Shores! -
Review from Nick T.
Austin, TX
4/27/2010
Completely not impressed with the new Ski Shores Cafe. I grew up on Lake Austin and have been going to ski shores for the past 10 years. I still remember Mr. Levy coming up to me, and telling me to give my mom a kiss every day, as it makes her heart sing. Yes I give it two stars, this is because they re-did the house. But it's not the origional and that's what counts. The other star is for the waiters and the wierdo that comes up to help you park your boat. (No pun intended..)
Also not impressed with the "stealing-of-the-menu"... Completely dishonorable to take the menu without asking George. And naming a pizza after HIS cat.. that's pretty low too. Even though it was on the previous menu.
I've gone there after school the past two days to try out the food. Yes the prices have come down, but that doesn't exchange for the good... Its HORRIBLE. The patties are overcooked and dry, considering i've had the cheese burger twice. And I had the grilled chicken sandwich once, and it was a burnt piece of chicken on a cheap bun. Completely a fail.
I'm gonna stop now, but I miss the old ski shores! -
Review from Gabrielle S.
Austin, TX
6/1/2010
Pros: nice deck, cool firepit. Seems like a good happy hour spot, if you don't mind the long drive (assuming you're not rolling up on a boat)
Cons: food, and it is way the hell out in BFE. -
Review from Katie L.
Austin, TX
5/3/2010
So we headed to Ski Shores this past weekend to enjoy the beautiful Austin weather.
The good - location, you can't beat being on the water and people watching. Nice fancy remodel - great decks. And they have a cute play scape for the kiddos and washers to play. Also, our waitress was really sweet and tried to take good care of us. And a nice cold Firemans 4 hit the spot.
The somewhat bad - Hmmm, the food definitely wasn't the greatest. Some pretty uninspired queso (throw some peppers or something in there - this was purely melted velveeta.) My burger was fair...the fries however were not very good and pretty overcooked. And my husbands order of catfish and onion rings didn't look very good at all - really really overcooked/overfried. And the kids grilled cheese was only toasted on one side. Rather pathetic looking.
The ugly - The fact that we arrived around 5pm and didn't end up leaving till long after 7pm. I felt terrible for the waitress who kept coming back out to check on us and let us know the kitchen was running way behind. It had literally taken almost an hour to get our food.
I'm hoping they get the kinks worked out kitchen wise over the next few weeks (I know they're newly opened) and maybe we'll give them another try. Otherwise, we'll keep them on our list of places to go enjoy the scenery and have some drinks only.
Updated to 3 stars and edited to add - So after I posted this initial review, I was contacted by Ski Shores about it. They were very open to hearing the feedback from me, and sent me a gift card to come back in and give them another try. We did so last weekend, and actually enjoyed it MUCH more then we did the first time. The food was noticeably better (they definitely improved on the frying skills - the fries were much better!) Husband had the chicken sandwich, I had a burger and we both enjoyed our meals. Also, the service was MUCH better. While the food still took a little while to come out of the kitchen, the staff was super nice - checking on us often, chatting with us, and making us feel at home. I'm glad we gave them another chance - we will definitely go back again. Seems like they have taken everyone's feedback seriously, and are trying their best to improve things. -
Review from Jona D.
Austin, TX
A continuation of our Austin Burger Quest.....started by last year's Texas Monthly Texas Monthly's Texas Top 50 Burgers and fueled by the 104.9 Burger Bracket...and our love of burgers....
Burger Category: Greasy (in the good burger kind of way)
First of all, WOW! The reactions to the change in management and the improvements (YES! Improvements) to Ski Shores are a bit shocking. We know that Austin likes its institutions. And, Ski Shores is one of them. But, who can honestly say the new Ski Shores is not new and improved? New boat bumpers. A playground for the kiddos. An awesome deck. A real wait staff and no more squawk box. Clean restrooms and a full bar. Let me repeat that one...a full bar...on the lake. Ahhhhhh. I love Ski Shores.
Sure prices went up. Look at the improvements! Many of which HAD TO BE DONE for the restaurant to stay in business.
Ok, off my soap box and on to the burger....
Him: The Border Burger has long been my absolute favorite 'greasy burger' in Austin.I have now had it 3 times since Ski Shores re-opened. One time, it was just like I had always loved. Once it was pretty bad (the bun was cold and the cheese had not melted one bit). And, once it was just ok. But, I am going to give the new Ski Shores the benefit of the doubt. All 'new' restaurants need time to iron out the wrinkles. When right, the Border Burger is greasy burger perfection. The bun is soft, sweet and lightly griddled. Melted cheese drapes over grilled onions and jalepenos. A healthy serving of guacamole just adds to the sinful goodness. The patty has a nice TexMexish seasoning. For me, if you are going to dress a burger, it doesn't get better than this.
Her: I think he about covered it....
Conclusion: Is there a better setting in Austin to enjoy a burger and cold beer? Wethinks not!Listed in: Austin Burger Quest
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Review from David S.
Austin, TX
Updated - 4/21/2010
It's reopened with a much nicer looking building, but the food stunk on my visit today. Full review here on yelp under the 2nd entry for this business:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/21/2010
I went to the new ski shores today for lunch, but am not inclined to go back. The table service was… Read more »
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Review from Kiarash Z.
Lima, OH
11/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was a bit astonished at the prices, but one bite of my border burger (jalepenos, guacamole, cheese, onions) and the view from the dock were well worth it. And the picnic-bench seating allows the restaurant to serve huge groups.
When I visited, thirsty during a moped rally, the servers rushed to bring our group glasses of water before taking our orders. That's great service. -
Review from Allison P.
Fort Worth, TX
5/18/2008
No shoes. No shirt. No problem.
I am seriously considering buying a boat just to go to Ski Shores, because it is pretty hard to get there by land. But even so, it's completely worth the trip. A great spot for a lazy Saturday afternoon. The grub isn't gourmet, but good enough to satisfy your hunger. And a cheap way to "get off the grid" for a day. Enjoying cold beers by the lake is one of the best ways to appreciate Austin.
This might become one of my go-to spots this summer, now that I finally discovered what everyone else is talking about. -
Review from Kevin N.
5/19/2008
Honest to gawd, I thought when we went to Ski Shores Cafe that I might have arrived underdressed: shorts, flip flops, but...um, no. I wasn't. I was downright spiffy compared to the dude who waddled up to the pick up counter in board shorts, still dripping from the lake. That appears to be the way to take in Ski Shores, by the way: you boat in, eat right on the water, and head back about your business.
They make a big deal about the fact that this place has been a mainstay since the 1950s, and I can see why...they make a mean burger here, and it's the kind of stop you wouldn't want to change much. Good, hearty dishes, made the right way, with a heaping helping of classic laid-back Austin lakeside to boot. It's a little out of the way, but that only adds to the charm. Just like the wooden captain that waves to you upon entry, it's all grins at Ski Shores. So ahoy already.Listed in: Austin Burgers
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Review from Cheryl W.
Austin, TX
4/18/2011
It is so sad what the new owners have done to this iconic restaurant. Yes, they spruced up the look, but they have ruined the experience. Yes, they added a full bar but they only offer one cheap and awful white wine, look around, do you see all the chardonnay drinking Moms with their kids, we want a decent selection of wine!
Why do we have to have table service? And what happened to the kitchen? Why am I having to listen to heavy, heavy metal rock?
We waited 2 hours for burgers!!!! My salad was old, brown limp veggies, yuck!
Too bad, it was such a great spot before the new owners took over. Don't waste your time or money here. Guess we will be spending our $$ at Hula Hut too bad. -
Review from Lisa A.
Austin, TX
7/27/2007
I see the sun. Let's go to Ski Shores!
Ski Shores is a great place to go if you want to feel like you're getting out of town or out to the lake but you don't want to commit to getting a boat or spending all day getting to your destination. It's a nice spot to take an out-of-town guest or a first date (if they don't like Ski Shores dump 'em)!
They have great burgers and fried food (love their fried okra). When I was a vegetarian I use to go for their veggie burgers alone! There is indoor and outdoor seating though it's much more fun to sit out by the water and watch all the boaters and skiers go by while soaking up some sun.Listed in: First Date, I'd Gladly Pay You Tuesday for…
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Review from Suzie M.
7/22/2008
Before I had the good fortune to move here, my friend Lisa would always drive us out to Ski Shores when we'd come to visit. She has since moved away, and was in town recently for a visit. Naturally, we headed for Ski Shores, with me doing the driving this time. I hadn't been out here in oh, about 8 years, and we were both taken aback (but not surprised) by all the development on the beautiful, curvy City Park drive. We were looking for Green Shores, which used to be a wonderful place to rent a cabin, and is now, of course, a development of homes that although gorgeous, look nothing like the lake houses we grew up with.
Ski Shores, however, hasn't changed. Hooray!! We went on a Friday night, and though it was hot in the city, there was a nice breeze blowing on the lake, so we sat on the deck and waited for our names to be called, whilst enjoying a songster on the stage. I ordered a cheeseburger, which I ate with relish while my pals waited for their orders. We were all starving, and mind you, I normally don't let myself eat burgers because it means I might have to take a spin class at the gym to work it off, and if you've read my review of Gold's Gym, you know how I feel about spin classes.
Everything about this burger was perfect in my opinion: the patty was just right, sized properly (I don't like the 1/2 pounders that make me feel like I'm eating a side of beef), seasoned just right, with fresh veggies, nicely grilled buns, mustard, mayo. My pals thought it strange that I wasn't saying a word, just taking bite after bite, moaning with pleasure, not offering to share a single bite. They got their food when I was almost finished (who cares? we were at the lake!), and when I pushed my empty basket away, I said, "I just had sex with a cheeseburger." It was that good.
My sister, who cringes at the thought of eating meat, loved her veggie burger. It had a smoky, ancho chile taste about it that's different from the norm. Lisa and Rita had fish sandwiches, with perfectly fried okra and very yummy, fresh tartar sauce. The beer was cold, too.
So get yourself out to Ski Shores if you haven't already! -
Review from Brenda L.
Austin, TX
Updated - 7/5/2011
Ski Shores invited us back to try them again. We had a great, fun experience. It was crazy busy, but our waitress worked hard to keep up with all of her tables. We'll be back.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/17/2011
Warning- don't get the fish tacos. Hubby had a really bad experience with them if you get my drift.… Read more »
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Review from Jenny B.
6/4/2009 2 photos
Location, location, location... this is what matters for this waterfront cafe. Its strategic location allow boaters and jetskiers to just park their vehicle on the side and grab some lunches.
As for real car drivers, it's a tough drive to get here, you can get lost along the residential area, the address given here ain't right either, because we were given 2907 Pearce Road, and lemme tell you, it's like 0.5 miles further down than that number you have to go to find this place. Therefore, if you think you get lost in the residential no worries, right at 2900 Pearce Road, there's a big house with silver dome on your right hand side, just keep going and you'll see a sign saying Ski shore to keep going further and Greenshore is the opposite direction, so keep going until the end of the road, you'll see a sign.
Now, for the real thing, food taste wise is just regular burger taste, good enough selections to choose from, regular Cheeseburger to Scooter burgers, I chose Scooter burger, nothing really fancy, except that it comes with Guac and mayo as a sauce with Seasoned french fries on the side. Also ordered a basket of onion rings and they asked, "do you mind if the rings come out first?". My reply, "sure, why not?" without knowing that the burger was gonna came out MUCH MUCH Later...
It took more than 30mins for the Onion Rings to come out, shocking rite? How slow was their fryer I wonder... and the burger came out like maybe another half an hour later, seriously these people need to do something about this, because as much as we wanted to enjoy the scenery, I ain't waiting that long just to get a burger!!!
And for that burgers and the wait, it cost a LOT $9.25 at least for a burger and a side of fries, you could switch the side with a fried okra or onion rings, for an extra 99cents and the onion rings, just a little basket for $6.25, ay carambas!!! Judging from the look of it, since I came from CA, it lookd like an IN n OUT Burger that only cost me like $3 for double double and here the price was double, blah!!!
I'm being generous of giving 3 stars here because I love the view so much, I thought I would see Austin as a barren land, but I was wrong, this view made up for it plus the ability to bring your dog was also another plus. Parking is a bust if you're coming during lunch hour, there's only so much space that we had to park behind our friend's car.
Overall verdict, not a regret coming here at all, but if I'm really hungry next time, I would go somewhere else first before decided to come here and enjoy the scenery, the water, and the atmosphere. -
Review from Kirk S.
Austin, TX
5/7/2010
It's human nature to miss the old Ski Shores, but I've been to the New Ski Shores 3 times and have had a great experience and good food every time.
What's the Same
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A lot of the same menu items, w/ substantial new. The old place rarely changed the menu and it was tiresome over the years.
Same picnic table, watch-the-boats-dock, bring-your-dog, and listen to Live Music experience as before.
What's Better
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FULL BAR, not just bottle beer & a couple small wine bottle selections!
Expanded seating, including an expanded inside-seating area. We used it when it started raining one afternoon.
TABLE SERVICE -- yes, no long line out the door; the wait staff comes to you.
They greatly improved the men's room -- used to be more than a lil scary.
JUNGLE GYM for the kids to play on the back lawn... great idea.
All 3 times, we have had very friendly service and the manager stopped by twice -- super friendly and thanked us for being there.
I've had pizza and the cheeseburger, which I honestly think was *better* than the old Ski Shores.
Don't hesitate to visit; maybe they had some opening pains but this place rocks and it's still one of my favorite places in Austin. -
Review from Shane H.
Orlando, FL
10/5/2007
I really don't know where to start with this place, it kind of reminds me of eating at a friends house in the middle of nowhere who just happens to have his own dock. It's cool and weird all at the same time.
Ski Shores is a welcome escape from the city. It takes a little windy road action and some knowledge of where you are going to even get here but when you do it is a nice place to just grab a bite and sit out on the dock patio and watch the boats tear by.
The vibe is best described as high school hang out run by high school kids with too much money who's parents made them get a job. Even so, they do a good job here and they make some decent grub.
I usually get the Philly Cheese Steak but I have tried just about everything on the menu and I have never had a complaint. It's not "amazing" food but it is the perfect food for sitting on the lake on a patio surrounded by bees and flies enjoying nature at it's finest. I am not a huge okra fan but my friends all tell me the Fried Okra is amazing, I tried it and it wasn't bad, just not for me.
Prices are fair, not cheap, but not exorbitant either. Bathrooms might leave a little to be desired, last time I was there I had to hang the door on the hinges myself to use the stall. Kind of funny in a way, kind of sad too though.
Overall, this is a great escape from Austin. With decent food, cool staff and a great vibe. It's a GREAT place to take a date or visiting friends and show them how unique and cool this city can really be. -
Review from Bill V.
Austin, TX
12/29/2008
This is another one of those long time classic Austin joints that may or may not make it in the next 5 years due to the pressures of development....think The Pier. But for those who do know of this place, it is time to make sure that we continue to support it during any economic downturn and bring our friends.
The place is well known by the boating crowd on Lake Austin but if you don't have a boat, get in your ride (carpool preferably) and head out to have lunch here. If you love burgers, big juicy cheeseburgers to be exact, you cannot go wrong here. Don't be swayed by some Bison burger over at Hut's as the ultimate burger, there are 2 ultimate burgers here: 1) their cheeseburger and 2) their Border Burger. Both will rock your world when ordered with some fries and a cold Dos XX.
Then grab yourself a spot on the water and get ready to be sated. It will not disappoint.
Now, if you are a first-timer here, don't be moved to pass by or leave too soon just because it looks like a run down joint. That is all part of the charm and what keeps away most of the crowds. Trust your fellow Yelpers...and trust the grumbling you hear in your stomach right now. -
Review from Cary P.
Austin, TX
4/19/2010
I am proud to be the first reviewer of the new Ski Shores! Ski Shores has long been one of my favorite spots in Austin, even though the food and quality of service were lacking for a long time and the building was falling apart.
I went for lunch on Friday which was there second day open and was very impressed to see the new look place. It looks great, has a bar that will be great in the summer and has plenty of shade to get away from the sun and still enjoy it during the summer.
The service was great, we had 2 different managers come over to us and personally introduce themselves and came back and begged for an honest opinion of the place and the food.
Speaking of the food I got the Border burger with Onion rings. I really enjoyed the burger, not the best in Austin but definitely one of my personal favorites. Very flavorful. I LOVED the onion rings, they were great. They kept a lot of menu items from the original ski shores which I thought was cool but I thought it was better than before.
I am looking forward to it being back and better than ever. I know I'll be there frequently. (I know this is my first review and glaringly positive but I promise I am in no way associated with Ski Shores!)
