- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Wink
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Seafood American (New), Seafood [Edit]
1014 N Lamar BlvdSte E
Austin, TX 78703
Neighborhoods: Clarksville, Downtown
(512) 482-8868
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 6 pm - 11 pm
Thu-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
361 reviews for Wink
Review Highlights
"The wine bar adjacent to Wink is wonderful."
(in 86 reviews)
"I personally love the El Rey Chocolate cake."
(in 16 reviews)
"Anybody who knows me knows that I love foie gras."
(in 33 reviews)
Loading...
361 reviews in English
-
Review from Angela W.
Austin, TX
2/7/2012
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Texas. I love the intimate setting and the friendly service. The duck and sashimi dishes and scallops are to die for!
However, since their dinner menu changes all the time, you never know when your favorite dishes are gonna be on the menu for the night. My second time going was not as great as my first, nonetheless it was still great! -
Review from Kristen M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/7/2012
Wink is amazing. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. My boyfriend and I went here for an early Valentine's Day dinner and were very pleased. We did the chefs 5-course tasting and I must say that it was well worth the money. We were stuffed! All of the flavors were so unique and really went well together.
My only complaint was that we had a reservation at 8, but weren't seated until about 8:25. BUT the staff was very apologetic and the glass of wine I had been sipping on in the wine bar was on the house. In my eyes, customer service forgives all sins. They redeemed themselves!
I would definitely recommend this spot if you're going on a date and need somewhere cozy and romantic.
Delicious! -
Review from yanwen j.
Brooklyn, NY
1/31/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I came here the other night and had the five course tasting menu with the wine pairings. For two people, it came out to more than two hundred bucks.
I find that in Austin, the best food is oftentimes in the least presumptuous of places. Its almost as if the more a restaurant in Austin "tries" to be the best, the worst they do. The food at Wink was over salted and slightly bland. A tasting menu should pair and transition impeccably in both flavors and textures. The texture was mostly there, the flavor simply was not. The duck was tough enough that by the time I was done, I no longer wanted to move on to the steak. It was also completely over salted. The best course of the night was the sashimi, which was the first dish. The wine pairings, on the other hand, were perfect. -
Review from Cathy B.
1/29/2012
Fantastic service. Very clever food. Expensive? You bet! Was it thoughtful and worth the money? You bet.
I loved the extra touch of the owner / maitre d' remembering the names of everyone in our party, even as we were leaving a few hours later. That's not particularly important to the meal, but it was a nice touch.
Entrees were delicious. Wines were lovely. Desserts were largely good (thought the creme brulee was actually over-caramalized, making the whole thing taste charred. And the rolls that come with dinner were shockingly lame.
Still, I am ashamed that it took me 10 years to try this place. I hope it won't be another decade before I am back! -
Review from kasey w.
Austin, TX
1/24/2012
After hearing many good things about Wink from fellow Yelpers the BFF and I decided to give it a try 1/19/12 during dinner time. We arrived at about 6:15pm we did not know that there is a restaurant side and a wine bar side, upon arriving we were politely greeted and seated. Our waitress was both hilarious and disappointing, hilarious in the aspect that I'm pretty sure she was stoned or on pills. She seemed zoned out and would disappear for 20 minutes on end (there were only 6 other diners that night), luckily it gave us time to crack many stoner jokes at her expense.
We started out with the Hamachi Sashimi with hearts of palm and citrus. The sashimi was a little lukewarm for my taste and whomever made it was very heavy handed with the salt because they completely ruined a beautiful piece of fish...luckily it only costs $19 haha
Next dish: Grass Fed beef tartar with black truffle. A definite step up from the Hamachi but the still had errors, the quail egg was overcooked and was not runny and the black truffles were almost invisible...$22
We decided to split an entree, we chose the Red Snapper with potato pancake and fried kale...it was pretty damn good, the fish was perfectly cooked and the fried kale was delightful however again the salt was an issue to me.
We asked our waitress if it was possible to add a side of Truffle Mac and cheese but were told that only people sitting at the Wine Bar side can order side items....we were a little perplexed being that all the food for both the restaurant side and wine bar side were coming out of the restaurant side's kitchen. It didn't make sense to me but I'm just a paying customer so whatever.
During our meal our drinks were left empty at least 2 times until a fellow waiter (who was busting his ass by the way) came by and filled them up, he also brought us more silverware and bread while our waitress I can only assume was in the alley toking up her 1 hitter. If Wink wants to massacred as fine dinning they might want to hire people with a passion for food and good service because that is the main reason why I will not return.
Sorry Wink you ruined the Game -
Review from Tina Z.
Manhattan, NY
1/17/2012
I was in Austin again for work and my coworker picked this restaurant for our team dinner!! Such a bad choice!
One star for Foie gras and Crème brûlée and sashimi.
Everything else I tried was simply not good!
Mussel was just soaked in butter... (eeek!)
scallops were too sweet.
snapper was so salty that it was almost inedible!
My friends lamb was also too salty
Tartare was just OK (too much salt and paper again! - I wonder what they were trying to hide!)
Service was just mediocre.
Decor and ambiance are nonexistence. -
Review from Rik W.
Austin, TX
2/6/2012
Maybe the best restaurant in Austin. Mark Paul and the entire staff is terrific. Nice vibe, friendly and efficient service, terrific food. a real gem.
-
Review from Nicole M.
Austin, TX
1/1/2012
I had never been here before so thought it would be a cool place to try for my boyfriend's birthday. When we got there, our table was ready to go with menus saying "Happy Birthday" with his name on the menu. That is such a cool idea. Our server was great. He would check on us but didn't harass us every two seconds. I like to enjoy conversation without interruption at my meal and this was the perfect place.
The food was phenomenal. We got the lamb and the beef something or other. Both of them were very well displayed and absolutely delicious. The servings were just enough to make you content so we didn't overstuff ourselves.
It's kind of tucked back in a little corner but make no mistake that this place is a hidden gem! I will definitely be going back again soon! -
Review from Jennifer Y.
Austin, TX
1/27/2012
Not like this restaurant needs any more rave than it already has, but Wink has become one of my favorite Austin staples for fancy restaurants. One main reason is the wait staff and manager/owner. I'm assuming he is the owner based on the clothes he wears that off sets him from the wait staff. Anyway, he is a very friendly person...he greets you at the door, and introduces himself and asks for each of your party's name. On top of all the chaos of the busy weekend evening, he remembers your name at the end of your dining experience and bids you farewell. I noticed that he does that at all the tables- takes time to go to every table. The wait staff is very pleasant too- they gently touch your shoulder as they ask you if the food tastes good, or if you need more water. It's a very warm dining experience.
The restaurant is small so be sure to CALL AHEAD, especially on a weekend. It feels cozy, the lighting is dim and romantic, and the tables are a bit close, but it's not quiet enough to wear you feel like you need to whisper to contain private conversations.
The food is absolutely divine. They always present a special amuse-bouche while you review their menu. I have had the Duck- moist to perfection! I've also tried the Bass- the broth it comes in is so tasty and the fish flakes right off. My boyfriend has had the steak and the antelope, and he loves it when a restaurant can cook a steak to a perfect medium rare, and that's just what Wink did! The appetizers are always fun and a great way to start your palette.
Go now and enjoy your dinner at Wink :) -
Review from Brooke R.
Austin, TX
1/16/2012
My husband and I visited Wink for our Christmas Eve dinner. We had the seven course tasting menu, but since I'm allergic to seafood, our seven courses were slightly different. Unfortunately the quality of the courses ranged from zero to five stars, hence my average/mediocre review.
They started us off with an eggnog panna cotta amuse bouche. My bouche was not amused: this was a weird start to the meal, much more dessert than anything. My first course was a leek-mushroom soup: it was just okay. My next course was a salad with apples, walnuts, and goat cheese: this was practically inedible. The lettuce was unwashed and full of grit. At first I thought it was bits of walnut, but no. It was true grit. That was really, really disappointing. I didn't mention it to the staff, but husband took a bite after I'd pushed it away and was horrified, nearly insisting that I do so. The next course was the beef tartare with chiles; it was absolutely delicious: sweet and spicy and savory all at once. My hopes grew. The next course was the foie gras with a cherry bread pudding. It pains me to say it that foie gras, that delicious controversy, was just average, but it was! sad. I'm pretty sure we had duck next, but it was forgettable compared to the lamb with roasted root vegetables. That was comparable to the beef tartare: a medley of flavors and pure delicious. They upgraded the chocolate cake on the menu to the Wink Trio for dessert, and I'm glad they did, because the chocolate cake was the least tasty. We had a lemon meringue, a berry creme brulee, and a chocolate cake. They were progressively heavier and less tasty.
The owner was very friendly and greeted us by name (recognizing the reservation time). Honestly, our waitress was kind of weird and sloppy. Personal space is of a premium in this restaurant, and she thought nothing of leaning in WAY TOO CLOSE to point things out on the menu or our plates (ew). She spilled and splashed our wine and dinners all over the table. She also gave a table near us a free Wink Trio after they'd ordered the five course meal, which finishes with a cheese course, and mentioned they wanted something sweet. After that, and changing our dessert, and bringing three Trios to the table of three next to us (who'd ordered two), I suspect there was a surplus of Trios to be had and they were just giving them away, literally. But we got no such Christmas gift, harumph.
I'm not going to be quick to return to Wink. There were some really delicious courses (the lamb and the tartare) and there were some total bombs. The dining environment is pretty tight and dim, but I didn't mind that as much as the waitstaff. My money is better, and more reliably, spent elsewhere. Wink is too much of a gamble. -
Review from Yen D.
Santa Barbara, CA
12/21/2011
Thoughtful service, swank atmosphere, a long wine list, and the second dish of our five-course tasting menu. These are the good things about wink.
It was my last night in town and we thought we'd try a nice relaxing dinner. We opted not to do the accompanying wine tasting with the menu, and the server was great at helping us choose a bottle of wine, correctly saying that a light-bodied red would complement everything. The actual bottle was okay.
The first sign that things were going wrong was the amuse-bouche. I adore amuse-bouches; they're a great way for a chef to experiment and tease our taste buds. This was a poached pear suspended in a Riesling gelee, which could have been great if the texture hadn't been so hard and rubbery, and if the flavors came out more. And if it was more edible. Instead it was just sort of... eh. Like the rest of the meal, which included overly fishy hamachi sashimi (calm down with the bonito flakes!) and a plain, fatty, overdone piece of duck reminiscent of bad Chinese food, complete with a disappointing vegetable side similar to undercooked Napa cabbage. Never thought I'd say this, but there was a dish that was actually TOO BACONY(!). NY Strip steak (boy liked it, I didn't) and a plain potato with a bacon sauce that tasted like I'd started licking a pan of bacon grease. Gross.
I want to just not write about the Texas cheese plate. It made me sad. In particular, all of the cheeses came from one dairy, and why would you get a blue, a chevre, a manchego-like something, and a cheddar from one dariy? Why?
On a positive note, I would return to Wink just to eat that sublime seared scallop with grilled broccoli and bacon. I don't know what they did to that broccoli, but it was incredible (versus the near-inedible rest of meal). I can't recommend it enough.
My answer to just about every time the server asked how we liked the dishes: "eh. okay." And for a restaurant that aims for greatness in a town full of great (and cheaper) restaurants, okay is not enough. -
Review from Dimi E.
Austin, TX
2/2/2012
The good: in our neighborhood, very friendly staff, excellent service, and--FINALLY--a chef who knows how to use salt!
Not so much: relatively dark inside, small portions at VERY HIGH prices, food that does not justify the price--good, but not great
We had a http://restaurant.com coupon and headed to this place on a Tuesday night about 6:30. I'd made a reservation but it might not have been needed. The staff is great, very friendly, but don't try to read a book at dinner (yeah, not civilized, I know). We don't often order appetizers, but it's a good thing we did. Louis said his Bib lettuce salad was very tasty and my pork soup was superb. On to the entrees...Louis had the sea scallops, huge things, but only two on the plate. If he stretched it, he might have gotten six bites total. I had the NY Strip. What to say? Well, I asked for rare and I did get rare. But you know what a NY Strip looks like, right? For my portion, it looked like they took a round piece out of the big part of the steak, then sliced it crosswise. I had two pieces of very thin steak, maybe four inches in diameter--eight bites for me. The steak was seasoned appropriately--so many restaurants seem to think salt is the devil these days, I was very pleased to be able to taste it again (which is nice, since they don't have salt or pepper on the table). The fingerling potatoes were good and the carmelized onions also tasty, but the meal overall left us unsatisfied and we went for ice cream afterwards. Even with our $25 coupon, those two appetizers, two entrees, and one N/A beer came to $71. Ouch.
2/8: Updated to three stars after reading a comment to me. The food is good, there's just not enough of it on a plate and Wink charges too much for it. -
Review from Nicole F.
Austin, TX
1/24/2012
Probably one of the best places to eat in Austin.
My date and I went here for dinner one night when he was visiting from Houston. We had an 8:30 reservation, but didn't get seated until after 9. It was a big aggravating, but understandable as the main restaurant only had about 10 tables. The front host was very friendly and tried to keep us updated on our table situation. We waited in the wine bar and just drank until they were ready for us. We found out later that the entire main menu was available in the wine bar (plus a few special things not available in the main restaurant). We probably would have just stayed there had we known we weren't going to be seated on time. The restaurant itself was very small and noisy. It was quite difficult to have a conversation with whoever you are with, unless you are a good lip reader. I ordered the NY strip, and it was probably the best I have ever had, and I'm not a huge fan of red meat. I think my date had the elk and wasn't too happy with it. We just shared off each others plate so it worked out. The desserts were phenomenal also. We ordered a cake and the creme brulee and our waiter gave us a free lemon meringue (I wasn't a fan, so my bf ate it).
Overall, this place was great. The food was awesome, and the employees were very friendly and social. Probably not a great place to get to know someone, since it's so loud. Or you could just eat in the wine bar- which is probably what we will do next time. -
Review from Candice B.
Austin, TX
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
So grateful to have found Wink. The food was so carefully made. The service was great.
Most importantly, for me, it felt like I was visiting the Flatiron District of NYC. It was a little crowded and somewhat loud, but in a comforting way.
This place is BYO, so bring a small group of friends (no more than 6) and a few bottles to enjoy an evening. No rushing through your meal or pushing you out the door early, just chillin' with delicious food and vino. -
Review from HB S.
Austin, TX
1/21/2012
Last night my date and I went to Wink and grabbed a table on the bar side of the restaurant. We have been there a few times before and have had good service and great food. However, last night was really bad...
Being that we were celebrating an anniversary we planned on ordering it up. We wanted to start with a couple appetizers, then dive into the 5 course tasting menu and wine pairings. But, after receiving poor service we decided to stop after the appetizers and cut our loses. We actually felt purposely ignored because everyone around us was getting help. We sat there with empty glasses and dirty plates for an embarrassing amount of time. Even the GM walked past us a few times....
As two people who work in the food industry we were both very disappointed with the service. The food was however good...what we were able to order anyhow. -
Review from John R.
Austin, TX
11/30/2011
Arrived at Wink at 8:20pm on a Tuesday night for our 8:30pm reservation for 2. They said it would be a few minutes, so we could grab a drink in their bar area. We walked across to the bar and found that all seats/tables were taken, so we would stand. We stood at the bar for 10 minutes before someone came over and served us. We grabbed a drink and sat down at a table in the bar area that had opened up. We were not seated in the restaurant until 9pm, which was a bit frustrating.
Once we sat, we decided on the 5 course menu. The waiter allowed us to substitute beef tartare for the sashimi. Beef tartare, snapper, duck, steak, and cheese plate. The only complaint on the food was that the duck and steak were served lukewarm as opposed to hot. The meats were outstanding.
Our waiter was very well versed on the menu and was able to answer all questions.
As other reviewers have noted, it is small and loud. The tables are very close to one another.
Overall, wonderful food. Would have been 5 stars if not for a 40 minute wait with reservations. -
Review from Caitlin b.
Austin, TX
1/16/2012
My Asian persuasion took me to this hidden gem for the first time for New Year's Eve dinner, and I was pleased with the delicacy of the entire restaurant, from the perfected portions to the simplistically charming decor.
Since black eyed peas are the cliche "good luck food" for New Years, we were promptly provided with a tiny first course; a creamy black eyed pea & chick pea fusion whipped & seasoned in a tiny perfect crust- it was a DELICIOUS way to wake up my taste buds.
Then we got an amazing bottle of bubbly, a French Brut, Andre Clouet, making it all the better...I chose a dish off the daily menu, and opted for the smaller portion option, b/c my stomach was not empty enough for a 5 course tasting dish they offer (although they all sound awesome). I got a pork roast dish accompanied with grilled abalone mushrooms & Au gratin potato blend, and couldn't stop saying "OMG" at every bite...
After having hard time choosing between all the desserts, we compromised by selecting the "wink trio", which offered a mini portion of creme brulee, lemon meringue pie, and el ray chocolate cake.
Food was amazing all around, wouldn't change a thing. Service was excellent, aside from being carded [first time that's ever happened @ a nice restaurant?] Parking can be difficult but there are lots nearby. Definitely a must for fine dining in Austin, this hidden gem is an outright favvvvooorrriiiteee! -
Review from Scott E.
Austin, TX
1/16/2012
Ok.. Well on the advice of co-workers, and the reviews contained here, my friend and I decided to have an adult night out at a nice restaurant featuring good food and wine.
Well, we arrived at the location, and they had a table waiting for us (we had made a reservation earlier in the day) which is when I noticed how close all the tables are to each other. It was if they needed to remove several tables from the restaurant as to give people some additional personal space. I might point out at this point that I know that my personal space was very compromised, as every time either the waitress or the person removing empty plates serviced the tables to either side, I was presented with someones derrière was literally in my face.. enough said.
Having never been there before, the waitress explained that we should multi-course our meal, as the portions are not large and it was more about taste and presentation..
Ok, but I began to wonder when it was pointed out that the scallops came in a $20/$30 plates, indicating the former was 2 scallops for an appetizer , and the later was 3 scallops for an entree.. $10 per scallop, wow...ok
We ended up order salads, which were nice, if not extremely overpriced. And as a main course we chose the salmon and a lamb shank. I was oh so surprised when what we got was a $29 salmon square (about the size of a book of stamps) with two vegetables -- and the amazing lamb shank (we determined it was an ankle, not a shank) which was served in a bowl the size of a DVD, and had exactly 4 bites of meat. Literally, 4 -- coming in at an amazing $7.50 a bite.
Having eaten at a few of the upper end restaurants in Austin, and Dallas, I have to say that I wouldn't advise a trip here unless you prefer looking at your food, as opposed to eating it.. We ended up the night by stopping and getting a bottle of wine and a bag of popcorn to pop and heading home.. -
Review from Barbara P.
Dallas, TX
1/15/2012
Went here for my husband's 64th birthday. Made reservations and confirmed with the restaurant prior to our arrival. We were early so were asked to wait in the wine lounge. Vibrant and filled to the brim with people....BE AWARE there is ONLY beer/wine (stated on the website but I must have missed it). The person seating tables checked on us to let us know they were running about 25 minutes behind schedule...no problem...our friends were late anyways....but 30 minutes and a table still wasn't ready and our friends had arrived and no where to sit left in the wine bar! Asked for comped drinks while we waited...they agreed :-) about 10-15 minutes later our table was ready.
Service was good (nice touch to have Happy 64th birthday printed on our menus and to address us by our names when speaking with us) and the food was really good. My biggest complaint (besides the wait) was how L-O-U-D it is in the dining room. Very very hard to hear. Don't expect a romantic and intimate evening AND want to speak to each other.... -
Review from Gabriel C.
Austin, TX
1/14/2012
Can't really add to the other positive reviews -- very personal place -- they remember you and your like/dislikes after only the first visit. Obscure, cool wines + thoughtful kitchen sourcing locally + totally unpretentious N Lamar-next-to-laundry locale = consistent winner.
-
Review from Sean A.
Chicago, IL
11/17/2011
A bit ostentatious but the food was excellent and the service impeccable. They did an excellent job of making sure everything was done without being overly present.
The hamachi appetizers was delicious, the scallops cooked perfectly and the desserts delicious. A very nice selection of wine as well -
Review from Desirae B.
Fort Worth, TX
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wink? Should be called Closed Eye. The restaurant is SO dimly lit it beckons for a nap.
However, it is beautiful inside and the GM is tha shit. I mean, he remembers your name! Pulled out my chair for me - offered more bread, checked on us in between our server's visits. He really provided over the top service!
Food was EXCELLENT, a real treat and my son was just beside himself - at 17, this was his first upscale restaurant experience - usually my husband and I are stingy and use them to treat ourselves and our son gets chain restaurants and burger joints, lol. He was open minded - let us order several things and he tried it ALL. He found a new love with steamed mussels. He wanted to eat the broth as a soup, yep - THAT gurd.
We started with the hamachi, baby romaine salad and mussels. The mussels stole the show - romaine salad was just ok and the hamachi was fresh and the texture like bwutta.
My husband had antelope for his entree and oohed and ahhed over it. My son and I split 3 half portions of entrees because we couldn't choose! We had the strip steak (the fav), cobia (2nd fav) and the rack of lamb (well, one lamb chop). Everything was delicious and none of us have ever had cobia - definitely a fish to seek out in the future. The wines we had were wonderful and generous pours as well.
We finished with the dessert trio - creme brulee, choc cake and lemon pot. My fav was the lemon dessert - very tart and unique - creme brulee is always good no matter where u get it - the choc cake was our least fav being bitter with the dark chocolate so I picked out the wine-soaked cherries...hee hee.
All in all - a great experience. We ALSO had a $25 http://restaurant.com certificate and I had NO problems busting it out to use! That was 2 free glasses of wine, basically! They gave us no problems using, and of course we tipped on the total before the certificate - they didn't add the gratuity for us.
The ONLY thing that would bump it from 4 to 5 stars is the portion sizes and maybe give us a little more lighting. The portions are truly tooo small for the price. All of the upscale dining establishments in Dallas in this price range give you more for the money.
My husbands full size entree was on an appetizer plate and very sparce. I understand the plating is more beautiful that way, but you want people to not leave hungry after dropping $300 on a meal. Just think about it.....Listed in: Austin a go-go, Restaurant.com
-
Review from Jay P.
Austin, TX
12/24/2011
One of the first local, in-season restaurants and still one of the finest. They greet you by name when you walk in even though you haven't been there in years. Stellar service - probably the best in town. Its a place to order the chef's menu and relax knowing you'll have a superb experience.
-
Review from Kay C.
Galveston, TX
1/21/2012
Excellent food. Good service. Quiet ambience. We highly recommend this small restaurant.
-
Review from Bob D.
Austin, TX
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Clearly for me today one of my top 3 favorites in Austin. (Barley Swine and Sobani's are the others). I arrived a bit late for my reservation because of fight delays. They were very gracious and held the table. Service was outstanding (Dylan). Management oversight and interaction was not overbearing. Not rushed at all - even though they has 2-3 very large groups in the room. We then went next door to their wine room. Great time. nice crowd. Engaging conversation. Great way to finish a long day on an airplane....
-
Review from Rachel E.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011
Ok, I take it back... the best part of business travel is taking clients out to dinner! Came here with a group of coworkers and clients on a Wednesday night. The restaurant was busy for a Wednesday, but not overly noisy.
Dress code? The people to our left were in sport coats/dresses, the people to our right were in shorts and sandals. I guess anything goes!
I started with the sashimi: 4 pieces of yellow tail topped with radish and lemon. It was very good, the toppings and accompanying sauce really allowed the fish to star, but the portion was so small. Others at the table got salads and the beef tartare, everyone seemed pretty pleased.
I had the scallops (small size) for the main course but as soon as I saw the plate immediately regretted not getting the larger size. 2 scallops, really? Sure they were delicious but you don't want to have your diners leave hungry!
The scallops were a popular choice at our table, but I think one person did get a vegetarian eggplant dish. (Side note, looked like there were lots of veggie choices.) One thing they told us is that there are different people working the kitchen every night and they can adjust the food on the menu however they see fit. In other words, no consistency.
The wine we had was good, expensive, but I guess I didn't have to pay for it so who am I to complain about that. Service was attentive and our waitress was very knowledgeable.
Minus the small portions, this is a 5 star restaurant. Great good, great service, really inventive menu. -
Review from Rob H.
1/6/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I had a great time at Wink and would recommend it to anyone looking for a very good (yet expensive) dining experience in the Austin area. However, we had a 830PM reservation and didn't sit until after 9PM. We didn't have follow on plans but if we had, they would have been spoiled. The service at Wink was very good. What you would expect from a boutique restaurant such as this and the food was very good. My date had the NY Strip (Maybe the best I have had) and I had the Elk (not as good - would not have again). The Hamachi we stared with was equally great. Over all I would suggest Wink to anyone asking but don't make solid time restrictive follow on plans because you may not get there! My second suggestion would be, dine one the bar side. They offer the full Wink menu plus an exclusive Bar menu not available on the Dining room side. The dining room is as well very small (as is the bar) and VERY loud. If this is a first (or even second date) it will be hard to have a conversation over the noise.
-
Review from Cathy H.
Houston, TX
12/8/2011
I came here not by choice but because I had to for a gf's bachelorette dinner.
I tried the 5 course tasting menu and it was DELICIOUS! I ate here the first week of November and still til this day I cannot stop talking about wink and how great the food was. (I am salivating just thinking about it!!)
I would definitely recommend trying out the tasting menu....it fills you up just right.
I'd have to say the scallops and duck were my favorite of the tasting menu but everything else except the cheese plate were good which is why I only gave 4 stars. -
Review from Faye H.
Austin, TX
9/26/2011
My husband took me here for my birthday. We had the 5 course menu and it was delicious; but not the best I've ever had. That, and wine, left us quite full but I really wanted to try the desserts. We had the chocolate soup which was really awesome. Never had anything like it before. Our server also suggested the lemon meringue, which he called 'the best dessert in Austin". I was very skeptical so we ordered it as well: honestly, it was just 'ok'. Maybe I'm just not a huge fan of lemon meringue?
The space was pretty small but luckily we didn't have any loud obnoxious people nearby. -
Review from Katie H.
9/6/2011
Great food, coupled with friendly and unpretentious service, made this a perfect anniversary dinner for my husband and me. Would have loved to do the 5-course tasting menu, but given that we'd stuffed ourselves with BBQ earlier in the day, we decided to go a bit lighter.
We started with an arugula salad with almonds, citrus and parmesan. So fresh, and I loved the slightly spicy kick of the dressing. Next it was on to the dayboat sea scallops - a personal favorite of mine, and such an unusual presentation with beets and watermelon. It was a colorful plate and the flavors were really nice together. We finished off our savory courses with the duck breast, which was served with sauteed arugula, whipped parsnips (seriously, whipped into perfection!) and shiitakes. I think this was our favorite of the 3 courses as all the elements worked really well both together and alone.
Since we were thoroughly warmed up at this point and nowhere near ready to end our Wink experience, we decided to go for not 1, but 2 desserts (so much for a lighter dinner!) At the recommendation of our excellent server, we started with the chocolate soup, which was topped with milk chocolate/earl grey/ginger gelato and yummy bits of candied orange. This was probably the best dessert I have had in... I don't even know how long. The contrasting temperatures, textures, flavors... ahhhhh. We followed this up with the lemon "pot de creme" which was a nice palate cleanser at the end of a great meal, and was topped with fresh berries that I couldn't get enough of.
All in all a very nice meal at a great little place. Other reviewers have mentioned it being loud or in a weird location - in hindsight yes, maybe it was a tad loud given that you sit very close to your neighbors, but being from Chicago, this was normal to me and not bothersome. And re: the location - you're not coming to Wink for the view, you're coming from the food! It was easy enough to locate, so no complaints from me.
Thanks, Wink for a special evening. -
Review from Alicia S.
Austin, TX
7/15/2011
My husband and I had a great experience here last year. We decided to come back for our 13 year wedding anniversary. We chose the 7 course chef's tasting menu because that served us incredibly well during our last visit.
This visit was terrible. The root vegetables were undercooked. We couldn't cut them with our silverware and they were difficult to chew. The purees were too sweet. All of the protein was too salty. The yellowtail was overpowered by the sauce and crostiini. Even the sea scallop, which was gritty with sand, was accompanied by an incredibly salty mushroom and inedible parsnip. I kept chugging water to no avail. When the 6th course (bison) came out over-salted with a hard quarter of grilled apple (not sliced fresh?) I threw jn the towel and asked for the check. I'm going to spend my anniversary night in bed feeling ill. That was the worst $300 meal of our lives.
I'll give Wink 2 stars - 1 for the well-stocked/priced wine list and the other for their great service. I won't return, though. -
Review from Andrea S.
Austin, TX
12/8/2011
OK, I have never written a restaurant review on Yelp before, but I refer to them religiously, so I feel it's my duty to start contributing.
It was so refreshing to have wonderfully delicious food, fantastic spot-on service and an overall lovely dining experience. Every dish that we tasted had so much flavor and just tasted incredibly fresh. From the PEI Mussels that actually tasted like the ocean (purchased from the same family in Canada for the last 20 years), to the Lemon Meringue Pot which was like a bite of heaven in my mouth.
The waiter (whose name I do not know, possibly because he was classy enough to not tell us) was the perfect combination of friendly yet discreet. His attention to detail was remarkable. He actually suggested that we take our time and have the three appetizers that we ordered brought to us one at a time. We were there for 2 hours and never felt rushed even though the place was full. I had to step outside to take an important phone call and they waited for me to return before they brought the dessert. The host greeted us by name at the door and remembered our names when he brought the dessert. We actually had to ask for the check, which I really appreciate.
We were enchanted with Wink and will definitely return. Bravo on really actually caring about what you do, it shows! -
Review from Shelly L.
7/11/2011
The benefit of working with dudes? There's always a hot date around when you need one.
My friend, Nik, had been raving about the wine bar so I finally decided to try it with him. We're both vegetarians and found plenty of options on the bar menu - including wonderful bruchetta with white bean paste and a mac & cheese with truffle oil. Yummm.
And mannnn, the dessert. We chose the trio with lemon merangue, creme brulee, and a dark chocolate cake. Even if you're completely stuffed from dinner, you need this in your life. Trust me. -
Review from Harry B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/14/2012
As conference attendants we walked in after 8 pm on a Thursday night (party of three) without reservation and even though the restaurant is quite hidden for pedestrians, the place was packed. Clearly, this is a destination restaurant! We were warmly welcomed and took the advice to have a nice wine at the bar, which was equally busy. The bartender gave us good advice on the wine. Soon after, we got ourselves a table (no need to remind them) and there some more good advice from the lady serving us. The food was excellent, the wine pairing spot on, the desert delicious. We were given a personal handshake at the door as a goodbye. What a good experience!
-
Review from Marilyn M.
Austin, TX
10/25/2011
I want to love this place. I feel like I should love this place.
My wonderful, sweet guy took me out for our anniversary. He didn't realize he had to make reservations at Wink. As we stood in the doorway gazing at the jam packed room full of happy patrons, one of the staff politely informed us that they were all full for the evening but that we could be seated at the wine bar just across the breezeway. So, being optimistic, we made our way there. It's first come, first serve and we managed to secure a table. However, it took about 10 minutes before someone brought us the menus...and it kind of went downhill from there. I don't know what it was - we got the feeling that since we weren't familiar faces there that we weren't going to be taken care of. We noticed the group that walked in after us were almost immediately served a bottle of wine and were toasting while we sat there hoping to become visible to someone soon. To summarize, the wine was good, the portions were incredibly and laughably teensy (the lamb too fatty) and very expensive. I expected fresh local vegetables but got slivers of roots and what seemed like garnish which had been played up on the menu. Even though we felt like perhaps we looked like we didn't belong and were treated accordingly, my guy and I made the best of it. Though I'm not sure we'll ever return. -
Review from Justin P.
Austin, TX
8/31/2011
I went here on a whim last night after i got out of class; however, I've wanted to try it out for some time now. My friend Meredith and I went together in our school outfits, so needless to say we were not dressed up by any means and therefore felt a little out of place, but we made the most it.
Overall I loved the experience. Wink is a very quaint, upscale, new-American restaurant that is an wonderful addition to a very large list of amazing restaurants in Austin, TX. Their menu changes on a daily basis with over 90% of their menu coming directly from farms in and around Austin. The only reason I know this is because our server was AMAZING! He knew the menu and his restaurant like the back of his hand. Having been a server for 9 years, I know great service when I see it and this particular waiter far exceeded my expectations! Bravo!!!
The atmosphere of Wink is very quaint, yet very upscale...so dress up if you go! There are two sections, one is the restaurant and if you walk outside and across the hall you'll enter their wine bar. My friend and I decided to sit down in the restaurant for a nicer experience; however, just note that the kitchen does not allow bar food to be served inside the restaurant. (But they let me try their mac-n-chz at the end of the night when nearly everyone had left!)
The food was TOP-NOTCH! Wink truly has a new-American cuisine with a wide variety to choose from, including their extensive wine list. We shared their scallop dish with sweet potatoes and this wonderful ginger glaze. We also started with a delightful salad that had just the right ingredients that didn't fill me up, but held me over to the next course!
Wink would be my choice for a perfectly intimate "date-night" with your significant other or even your best friend! -
Review from Trent Z.
Austin, TX
9/21/2011
Great food and an intimate atmosphere. Nice place to take a date, or just have a nice relaxed dinner with a friend. Staff is very friendly and patient in explaining their menu. I had the duck breast with criminis, parsnip, cipollini, blackberries, and honey-zinfandel gastrique. The meat is nice and tender, with a great smoky flavor. My friend liked his lamb rack as well.
The restaurant is a bit more upscale (about $30 for dinner entree) so I felt a little under dressed in shorts and a button up shirt. As with this type of restaurant, entrees are moderately portioned. So don't expect to gorge yourself. Luckily the excellent bread is complementary, so I proceeded to stuff my face with it :) Overall, good food and a great experience! -
Review from Mark G.
7/24/2011
Great food, unique experience: Go for a special occasion. Or, by all means, go if you're wiping your bum with $20 bills anyway. Wink isn't cheap, nor singularly perfect, but the elbow-to-elbow crowds are there with good reason.
We opted for a "flight" of five courses for the girlfriend's birthday, with wine to match each dish. Every course satisfied all our expectations for elevated, fresh and unusual dishes. The small glasses of wine were intended to complement each dish, and though thoughtfully matched, a couple of Texas-based wines were unfortunately weak links in the equation.
The five small courses together made an ample, decandent meal and the accompanying wine with each dish made for an excellent flow - even if a few matches were a bit iffy. Service was nice and the maitre de really took care of us. The place is crowded and loud, but staff efficient in managing things. I look forward to coming back to explore the menu! -
Review from Karl M.
At least Wink has awesome food... I'll get to that later.
The restaurant is located in an eyesore of a strip mall.
The service, while attempting to be "upscale", was awkward like if Dr. Dre started singing in the Broadway musical Rent. It wasn't awful service. After all, our waitress was very nice and sincere. But could you please stop re-arranging my utensils and water glass while I'm eating? Or could you please stop bumping in to me each time you come by to check on the table next to us? If she wasn't the sweetest lady ever, I probably would've gotten upset.
The atmosphere was crazy loud. I could barely hear my wife across the table. I was hoping for a quiet romantic evening...not so much. The restaurant is very open, which not only affords little privacy, but also doesn't do a thing to keep the noise level down.
Now for the good stuff. The food!
The menu is always changing, so it seems silly to go over all of the dishes I tried, so I'll just talk about one:
As an appetizer, I tried seared foie gras smores. "Woah! What?" you might say. That's exactly what I was thinking at least. Let me say, this was one of the most creative, fun, and exciting dishes I've ever had. Who would have thought homemade graham cracker, homemade marshmallow, chocolate, and a seared lobe of foie gras could be so amazing? I sure didn't until dining at Wink. This dish was a fantastic example of the brilliance of Chef Mark Paul and Stewart Scruggs. There was something about the way the sweet smore flavors played with the savory foie gras that made this dish so enjoyable.
The rest of the food was executed beautifully and tasted wonderful. None quite captured my attention though like the foie gras smores! Yum! -
Review from Jenny M.
Austin, TX
7/30/2011
This review is for the wine bar. Yes. Yes. Yes to happy hour specials. Major appreciation that I could get smaller servings of wine than a whole glass, allowing me to try different things without getting plastered.
And Good Gravy YES to the chocolate soup. What a revelation!
And, truffle oil mac and cheese. How could people possibly resist this?
Overall, this was a lovely place for me and my friend to have girl's night, especially since it wasn't too crowded at Happy Hour.
