Gabriel’s Cafe

Found this great place around the corner from the Harry Ransom Center on UT Campus. Food was really healthy and delicious– we split the falafel sandwich and meatloaf sandwich. Really great flavor and both for $ 12.50! Will be back soon.

My partner and I did not get any food here as we had just had dinner at Freedmen’s but I wanted to stop in to see what it was all about and enjoy a glass of wine on our last night in town.
I wanted to glass of bubbles, but instead opted for the $ 5 rose on special because my credit card was pretty much on fire after a long weekend in Austin. It was decent. My partner had a glass of red that he liked but I found dull and sweet.
There weren’t many people at the bar except some international business-​types and a sad-​looking couple eating dinner. I don’t think I would eat there unless there was a storm keeping me from walking to any of the nearby restaurants that offer what I imagine to be much more worthwhile Austin fare.

I don’t see why there are so many bad reviews. I like this place a lot! The salads I get are always delicious and fresh, and I enjoy the atmosphere for client lunches. (Star off for the $ 16 salad cost.)

Three coworkers and I stayed three nights at the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center for a conference. In that time, we ate at Gabriel’s 5 times and we enjoyed every meal we had there.
Here are the dishes I can personally vouch for:
— Smoked BBQ sandwich, with brisket, onion, pickles, cole slaw, brioche bun, and a side of house chips — this was my first taste of real Texas BBQ, which may be a crime to some, but it was delicious! The brisket was tender and had a mellow, smoky flavor. The cole slaw had a mild flavor and nice crunch, which I appreciated because I don’t like it when it has too much vinegar.
The house chips deserve their own paragraph, because they were fantastic! Thick cut, great crunch; none of us left any chips on our plates.
— 13 ½ hour Mesquite-​Pecan-​Hickory Smoked Brisket with Stout-​Molasses Bourbon BBQ sauce and a side of corn casserole — Again, the brisket was excellent, both sweet and smoky. The portion was quite generous, and so I can also tell you that the brisket is equally wonderful as a cold leftover. The corn casserole was the only downside to any of my meals at Gabriel’s; it was fairly dry and did not have much flavor. Some more salt, pepper, and milk or cream would have done wonders. I don’t usually add salt to anything, but the corn casserole needed it.
With this dinner, I also got their Texas Sunset cocktail. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what was in it, but it was very good.
— Sweet Potato Tots — made with parmesan, truffle oil, and maple mustard, served with habanero aoli — These tots were great and tasted like french toast. They tasted more sweet than savory to me.
— Chorizo & Charred Corn Hush Puppies — These were just the right amount of moist and spicy, with a slight smoky flavor.
— Dip Trio with Tortilla Chips, Fire Roasted Salsa, Queso Blanco, and Guacamole — My whole table enjoyed the dip trio. All three dips tasted fresh, and even the queso was light enough to leave us satisfied without feeling heavy.
— Specials — Grilled Cheese with Tomato Cheese Soup — I don’t remember all the details of these dishes, but I know there were like 3 cheeses and gouda was one of them. The soup was creamy without being heavy, perfect for dipping the grilled cheese. The bread for the grilled cheese was crunchy the way a toasted sandwhich should be, and the cheese oog’ed out like God intended melted cheese to oog.
Service was great, especially considering we had to divide our checks every time, even having to have a separate check just for alcohol. The staff was always courteous, quick, and happy to oblige. Sports played on the 5 or 6 tvs and the bar seemed to hop at night.
The majority of customers were professionals, which is probably because of the location, but it would be appropriate for families, too.
I’m sure there are solid arguments for leaving the hotel to go find «real Texas food,» but Gabriel’s is fantastic, upscale restaurant with really great food. If you’re limited by time or circumstance, you still can enjoy a great dining experience in Austin.

We were staying at the hotel adjacent to Gabriel’s and needed something asap after driving for so long from Houston. We decided to pop in Gabriels to grab a quick beer and food before hitting the pool.
There were 3 of us, and we immediately sat at a high top bar table. We were greeted by a 20’s ish looking guy who seemed a bit stoned to be honest. The staff in the place in general seemed like they all just rolled out of bed. We all ordered beers, and within 2 minutes he came back to me and asked, what did you order again? I had the crab cake sandwich, which was awful, frozen, and the mayo or tarter or whatever was on it went bad. It was served warm (the mayo was, not the crab cake) and I was scared I was going to get sick. My friends both had the make your own taco plate, which was very strange. The chicken looked so questionable and rubbery that neither one of my friends wanted to eat it. It’s sad because the hotel was sold out that weekend (Labor Day) so I can imagine they see a fair bit of traffic, but I wouldn’t eat there again if you paid me. They ended up taking off the sandwich, but $ 50+ for the rest of the food and 3 beers was way too much for the quality of food and service. It’s strange because later on we went to the place across from it (still in the hotel) and it was like we were in a different place. Seriously, Gabriel’s step it up.

I have to agree with the other reviewers who commented about the terrible behavior of some of the staff. We arrived after closing (we never checked their hours) this Friday night and peeked in — two of the staff waved at us like immature teenagers. Found out later that we visited about 90 minutes after closing, leading one to wonder if they’d been hitting those delicious infused drinks we never touched.
I can stand someone giving me a «we’re closed» signal if we try a place after closing. But immaturity like that makes me wonder what else is getting «infused».

Total joke of an establishment. Came in at 12:30 for lunch. Sat at bar. Three different people including a manager peeked their head around the corner and went back to the kitchen. After 15 mins I simply walked out. Why waste your money on leasing this space if you don’t want to serve food? Place only had 5 people in it when I walked in, now I know why. Everyone here should be shit canned.

My department’s graduate recruitment made an impromptu stop here following a weather-​related cancellation of our original plans. While the staff was clearly caught off guard by the large influx of people, they were more than accommodating to our seating needs. I suspect that we were probably better behaved than many of the student groups that frequent the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.
Drinks here are a little more expensive than typical Austin, but it is a nice restaurant in a very nice hotel. There are daily happy hour (4−7pm) deals that are not well-​advertised online. Wednesday has $ 7 Mexican Martinis, Thursday has $ 5 – 7 glasses of wine and Friday has $ 10 pitchers of beer.

A perfectly pleasant hotel bar with food … in a nice room with good looks and high prices.
One major draw that sets it apart.
And this draw is a HUGE plus.
They do their own infused tequila with fruit, herbs and jalapeño.
They do their own infused vodka with pineapple.
These are absolutely positively destination beverages.
In particular, you have never drunk anything in your life like the jalapeño infused tequila.
The alcohol is smooth. The jalapeño is scorching. The fruit and herbs give powerful taste.
This is a demanding complex beverage that is at the top of my list for good infused spirit beverages.
It is worth coming to the ATT Center just for the tequila alone.
The food, the room, the other drinks and the prices are all typical of a nice hotel with high prices — but one that delivers fair value for the high prices.
You won’t get any bargains — but you won’t be ripped off either —
which is a contrast from the gouge-​the-​customer mentality of many supposedly destination hotels.
The food isn’t as good as the Carillon across the hallway (which is a bona fide destination restaurant). But it is serviceable.
The ambiance and the bar are perfectly lovely.
If I wanted a nice drink on campus, stopping off here for the tequila would be a fine move.

Oddly good for a hotel bar. Ribblets were amazing. Brisket sandwich and Turkey BLT as well. Chips or brussle sprouts totally worth trying. Been here twice and have to come back for business dinner tomorrow. Looking forward to it already.

After touring the Blanton Museum I needed to find lunch some where. It so happen on Sunday the museum café offered little other than cold sandwiches and I wanted a hot meal. A woman at the museum recommended Gabriel’s Café to me and it ended up working out great because I needed a taxi which is offered just outside their door and it was walking distance since I had no car.
Located in the AT&T conference center ground level Gabriels is the hotels bar/​lounge restaurant. It is on the edge of UT campus, a view of the tower is within view of the door I entered. I found it to be huge, but on the day I visited hardly anyone was there. I scouted the bar with playoff football and did not hesitate. A couple of others had also ponied up and were enjoying the game and some libations. A look around the dining room and the place was spotless. Every table clear, every chair in it’s place and it presented nicely.
The male bartender took no time to get my drink order and since I was in a hurry I told him I needed to order quickly and catch a cab. He placed a menu in front of me and I flipped it open and reviewed and asked for a recommendation of something hot. He said the house burger with house made chips are a great item, especially for a first timer. So I said go for it and had a brew in front of me in no time. He was friendly and we chatted a bit about Austin since I was from out of town.
I really felt comfortable in the place and dug the sophisticated décor. I relaxed and watched the Packers and some other team duel it out in a play off game. My food arrived in probably less than 15 minutes and smelled dlish. Burger, cheese, bacon and nice over sized buns and house chips. I first snapped a few chips down which were surprisingly some of the best house chips I’ve ever had. The burger staring at me and ready to consume did not disappoint. I was juicy, scrumptious and quite filling.
The bartender was attentive and checked on me a few times to make sure all my needs were met. My check arrived quickly upon request and the amount around $ 15 was a great deal. Credit card swiped and a nice tip left for a great lunch and service.
Since Gabriel’s is in a hotel those not staying may overlook this gem. I can tell you if I was in the area again I would definitely come back for the same menu item, it was a really solid burger and chips. Unsure what the vibe of this place is when they have business, but for me it worked well and could only get better with some background laughter and a nice group of people. Absolutely a cool lounge.

We checked the hours on the website of this place this evening. Kitchen closes at 11, it said. Made a plan for a movie and dinner at this place afterward. The snarky «hostess» was pulling the door closed at 10pm and smirked as she chirped «holiday hours!» I reminded her their website said kitchen closes at 11. She shrugged her shoulders, gave a wide insincere smile, and locked the door in our face.
I understand holiday hours and all that but the attitude and «service» we suffered was something expected from a fast food joint at close of business on a school night.

Alright, I work at McCombs making the AT&T Center my home away from home. As such, I have had a chance to eat a few lunches at Gabriel’s Café. First off, this is a great spot because there always seems to be a table available. Also, way better food than you can find this close to campus.
I always get a salad as Gabriel’s makes delicious salads. While I thought it was a bit pricey, the ginormous plate of salad I was presented with more than made up for the cost. Last time I went I enjoyed a delicious pecan whisky cocktail that really made my day. It was a perfect pairing with my salad that happened to include pecans as well.
The staff at Gabriel’s is top notch. They always take time to talk to me and are happy to provide great suggestions on what is good that day. Nice, quiet space to enjoy a good meal. I highly recommend Gabriel’s as an alternative to the fast food that seems to permeate campus.

I’ve been there several times this week while in town for training and I haven’t had a bad meal at Gabriel’s. Everything by has been delicious, good local beer on tap, nice setting and atmosphere, and plenty of tvs for watching sports.
Great place.
Great service.

I really did think I would only go here for work happy hours. Then one of my co-​workers suggested Gabriel’s for lunch. And wow.
I really do think this place is one of the best kept secrets in the campus area for lunch. I almost don’t want to write this review because we feel like it’s our secret and we don’t want it to get too crowded for lunch!
The lunch prices seem high at first glance, then when you factor in the huge portions, the great quality, and the fact that a nice drink is included — it seems like a steal!
The best part of all, though, is how accommodating they are here! They are kind enough to make the tater tots we’re obsessed with for us during lunch, even though they’re not on the menu. And we just found out they’ll make the awesome happy hour nachos for us during lunch, too! Perfection!
Gabriel’s quickly jumped to the top of my list for lunch options near campus. We’ve been there three weeks in a row. I’m interested to see how long the streak goes!

In my ever-​continuing quest to find the perfect Reuben, I found myself here per some trusted sources, after a show at Bass Hall. I made it in just under the wire (thanks to GoogleMaps and finding adjacent street parking) as the kitchen closes @11pm sharp to have their pretty epic reuben and house chips (w/​an amazing dipping sauce!) and for $ 10, it was well worth it!
It should be said that this place is kind of hidden in that it is on University Dr. in the AT&T Conference Center w/​the hotel and the super fancypants Carillon restaurant. There is valet parking, but I don’t know how much it costs.
The Café itself is a kind of surprising fancy, dim-​lit swank type décor and atmo, which was almost initially off-​putting as my friend and I walked in super-​casual in jeans and sweaters, but we were immediately put at ease when the hostess/​waitress sat us immediately and put my reuben order in with literally just a minute to spare. The place was a ghost town when we entered on a Sat night, but it might have been off peak day/​hours.
The Reuben was magnificent and close to the best I have had in Austin, the house chips were perfectly cooked and the dipping sauce they came with has given me yet another addiction. The service was solid and we were in and out in under 40mins.
That being said, I will definitely try this place again during the day as the view from the huge windows would probably be fantastic of the UT campus!

Mostly for its convenience factor, I enjoy Gabriel’s from time to time. It’s located on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘em!) in the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center. The staff is good and getting better. Alex always takes great care of me and my guests.
They’ve changed the menu recently, adding some local items and updating some of the less classy meals. They now have Antonelli’s Cheese, which is great, and the reuben is pretty awesome. Try the tacos too.
If you park in the AT&T Center, then you can get your parking validated, so don’t valet or park on the street. If you ever need to hold a happy hour, their event staff are friendly, and the deals are pretty good. They’ll set up apps and start a tab. All in all, a good, chill place to hang out.

My boyfriend and I stopped in at Gabriel’s for lunch after poking around the Blanton Museum. Definitely an above average restaurant for a hotel. The truffle tater tots were off the charts («best tots ever» according to the sig-​o) and the butter lettuce salad was lovely. Flavor could have been intensified across the board — but then again, they are trying to mollify the traveling pallet, so they can’t go too far off the reservation. The item that knocked this from a four down to a three star was my adult beverage. Their house Paloma is made with jalapeño infused tequila and grapefruit juice — sounded relish! But, unfortunately, it really fell flat — I didn’t even have to fight off my dining companion to drink it. Where was the fizz of a traditional paloma? Or, that hint of sweetness to set off the spice of jalapeño and the tart of grapefruit? I just couldn’t recover.
I’ll go here again — but will definitely stick to the vino.

my flight was super late. I was sooooo disappointed because I had already scoured Unilocal for the best vegan love close to the conference center. alas, everything was closed, so I sadly shuffled into Gabriel’s…
SURPRISE!!!
this place is awesome! vegan options o’ plenty. I had the white bean dip & spinach salad, but I COULD HAVE had a few other dishes.
HOORAY!
it is very lounge-​y. VERY dark. liked my hip waiter, he was kinda snarky, but in a southern charm kinda way.

The three stars are for the bar closing on a sat night at 11pm. I was more than a little surprised, typically a hotel bar will remain open if there are multiple guests enjoying the night, aka. spending money!!! The drinks were good, even the Sangria is pretty good. The food was average and the staff were hit or miss, moody blues type service.
This is a great place if your just waiting for someone and grabbing a drink but I definitely suggest meandering else where for your night.