Hoover’s Cooking

The grilled catfish was superb and the fried catfish was tender and not at all greasy. Delicious. Salad was fresh and dressing was homemade. Other sides could have been fresher. An over extended waitress did her best to give us a good experience, but she deserves some help. Overall very positive.

You know, I’m really not sure why I go back here. I feel like I forget the quality of the food between visits. It’s just okay. I think I even like Threadgill’s a little better for home-​cooked food. On my last visit I ordered the catfish fillets and got catfish nuggets. That ain’t right!

Like most of us in the Austin area, or a majority of American’s waking up this morning to the news of losing the lotto… again. Hitting big on the nation’s top draw would’ve been a dream come true. Unwrapping a golden ticket in a chocolate bar.
Finding Hoovers through the growling frenzy for traditional-​southern cooking was unprecedented. We simply got lucky.
You really experience the ‘Texas-​grown, honest, and fresh farm to table’ concept. The staff were all on board sharing their stories and years worth with the establishment. To be honest, you just don’t get that often anymore. They enjoy the food multiple times of the week as the guests.
When you set the table for someone else to eat in your kitchen, that’s something special. Glad to see and feel the hospitality/​heart & soul today.
[Food]
Southern, Tex-​Mex, Texas BBQ, and Cajun inspired.
«Housemates=sides»
–Mac & Cheese ³⁄₅. Its solid, I feel for the other Unilocalers. Not too salty. Really light and versatile to compliment the dishes. I’d still get it. I dig the true grit texture.
–Cowboy beans ⁴⁄₅. Wow, its like pulled pork with beans. More than a side, freakin’ stand alone bowl.
Starters:
–Hoover’s Queso ⁵⁄₅ WOW. We got the pulled pork pork one and will try the chili one next time. Jesus, that smokiness. After my first chip, told the table I’m giving up all other queso’s in Austin.
Entrée:
2 sizes.
1.Regular dish with +3 sides (great deal)
2. «Hoover-​sized” — Bigger entrée with 2 large sides (its a lot)
–Meatloaf ⁴⁄₅ good, big.
–Chicken Fried Steak ⁴⁄₅ good
–Chicken Fried Chicken ⁵⁄₅ HOOVER DAMN GOOD!
*Will be back to try out the Breakfast menu only on Sat&Sun 8 – 11:30am
[Overall]
This is beyond a ‘winner winner, chicken dinner’. Its solid, homegrown southern cooking with multi-​generational Texan roots. Nothing gives more pride than the staff seeing you foodgasm after the first bite. And you see it reflected back in their faces. Feels like you’re back in grandma’s kitchen. Feels like you’re right at home.
HOOVER DAMN GOOD!

We came to Austin for New Years and were pleasantly surprised to one find a soul food restaurant and also one that has such great food. We ordered the fried chicken and jerk rib plates. They were both phenomenal!!! All of the sides we tasted were delicious and we both got a small side of black eye peas due to the new year! I will be back for sure!!!

Um no! Overcooked food, meatloaf smothered in tomatoes from a can, service mediocre, & overall weird… not southern in the least.

Hoover’s Cooking is a great place for traditional Southern comfort food in the heart of Austin. The last time I visited for a late breakfast, I was seated at the (very small) bar area in order to avoid the wait. Unfortunately, service was noticeably lacking as the lone bartender was overwhelmed with drink preparations. Our space on the bar was not cleared of the previous patron’s dishes for quite some time. It took forever for our orders to be taken, drinks and food to be delivered, and for refills and extra silverware to be offered. The bartender was extremely apologetic but it was a frustrating experience.
I really like the Chicken Fried Steak and Fried Okra here. The gravy is quite solid.

My husband and I went to Hoovers last night with our friends and their 2 year old daughter.
We’ve all lived in Austin for a couple of years, not sure why it took us so long to try this place. The food is traditional Texas home style comfort food. I had chicken-​friend chicken breast. Everyone else had chicken-​fried steak. The meat was good, drowned in yummy white gravy. Each plate came with three delicious sides (between us we had stewed tomatos and okra, mustard greens, garlic potatoes, steamed brocoli, mac & cheese). We were too full to try the deserts. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable.
Service was attentive and kid-​friendly. As well as a high chair our server brought textas (or sharpies, as you strange Americans call them) for the kid to colour in with). She was very happy. So the rest of us were happy.

So… I come here for lunch all the time. The food at lunch is consistently delicious. The chicken, ribs, and jalapeño creamed spinach are wonderful. I love the sweet potato rolls, which come free with your meal. Their dessert selection is wide and fantastic. They make a mean Arnold Palmer, served in a pitcher.
The only reason I haven’t given five stars is that the couple times I have been to Hoovers for dinner, the food was not as good. I can not understand how such a fantasic lunch spot can not do a good dinner? The strangest thing is that their menu doesn’t change, so it’s either the kitchen staff is different, or the fact that they’re rushed, I don’t know. Either way, I would skip dinner there but go for lunch anytime.

Hoover’s is an Austin institution, which means I am giving it an extra star. It was here before all of the cool kids got here. I think of it like the cool dad of Manor Road establishments. It’s a dad, but it’s a cool dad.
I actually love the happy hour here. They have lots of good appetizer selections like smoked wings, quesadillas and the Texas Charcuterie plate which is smoked sausage, cheddar cheese, and Saltine crackers. They also have a dang good $ 3 margarita. I sometimes sneak off and just have a snack and a drink on my own at the bar when I can!
Dinner options are tasty and generous. If you like chicken-​fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy then you will be in heaven. They also have plenty of more health-​conscious options like grilled or smoked meats, salads, and a few green veggie options. Not sure how «healthy» it is, but the jalapeño creamed spinach is delicious and at least it’s low carb! I haven’t had the meatloaf but I hear it’s amazing.
So the next time you decide it’s not worth waiting for an hour or more just to get a table at Salty Sow or Dai Due, step back to a more simple time on Manor Road, and enjoy some original Austin comfort food. You’ll be happy you did it, especially the next day when you realize you have at least half of your food from the night before waiting in a styrofoam container in your fridge. Every trip to Hoover’s results in a pretty great leftover experience. The portions are unreal!

If your goal is to stay sober, eat some boring food and go away then this is the perfect place for you.
Felt like I was eating at a friends house whose hosts were in a heated game of silence.
Food needed salt, which I can’t understand in a «comfort food» place. Have you ever tried styrofoam sausage. I hadn’t either. Now you know where to get it.

Hoover’s is one of the OG Manor road restaurants. Remember when Manor road was Hoovers and The Vortex and Vivo and that one weird drycleaner? As we know, that lonely stretch of road has turned into a bustling boomtown of bars and restaurants. Hoovers remains though, as soulful as ever.
Expect to get heaping (heaping!) portions of all things comforting. Chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, jerk ribs, ham steak, mashed potatoes, fried okra, stewed okra, creamed spinach, mac & cheese, catfish etoufee, chicken and waffles, etc and so on. There’s the menu. Then there’s the specials. Then there’s the item of the day. You can get brunch or lunch or dinner. You can get refill after refill of your RC Cola. They’ve got a happy hour and a margarita that is so boozy it practically scorches your mouth.
In our experience, the service left a little something to be desired but as we made our way valiantly through our giant portions of food, it didn’t matter much. Sadly for my pants, I see myself coming back here for more of that good country fried.

Location is pretty easy to spot. It can actually appear quite suddenly if you are coming from I35.
Upon entering the lot off the road, be sure to go in slowly and smoothly. The incline up to the lot is a bit steep so if you approach it too quickly, your vehicle may get scraped. There is plenty of parking next to the store and in front of the establishment.
Entering the restaurant, there is a waiting area in case you arrive early. Once you’ve been taken to the table, you’ll be treated to some exceptional service. It’s pretty awesome. The servers are super nice.
The food is pretty awesome as well. Has great comfort food! They have great items on the menu and have some additional items written on the chalkboard. The portions are pretty good in terms of the whole entrée. The «main dish» may be a bit small, but with the sides, you should get all that you need. If not you can get the bigger options which costs a couple more dollars.
Bathroom is pretty clean, no big complaints about it.
Bonus: Apparently everything here is made from scratch!

DELICIOUS! The chicken friend steak is DA BOMB! The collard greens and mac and cheese are southern fare at its best. I like that they have Arnold Palmers. I went for Sunday brunch and didn’t have to wait at all– that’s a major selling point in this town!

I have always loved Hoover’s and their food. I cried when the one north closed down. It’s a drive for us to get to this location.
The hostess didn’t have the most’ess. She was rude from the minute we walked in. I think the first person you see when you walk in a place sets the tone for the overall business. I would have felt really deflated but I hoped the food would make up for her behavior and it did (mostly). It’s not the first time we encountered a meanie at Hoovers at Manor rd, but it had been so long I wasn’t expecting it.
We were dining in for an early dinner. The chicken fried steak and catfish were pretty good. My son wasn’t too fond of the meatloaf. I tried it and thought it was «ok» a little too dense. I know meatloaf can be dense but this was leaning on the «hard to chews/​swallow dense). Of course the sides are always awesome. Our waiter was somewhat personable and very attentive.

Hubster and I were up early on a weekend morning and popped into Hoover’s for some breakfast and hair of the dog.
We were not disappointed. Hoover’s is owned by a gentleman who learned about the restaurant business from the fellow who owned the Night Hawk (think Frisco’s on Burnet now) and I’d say Mr. Hoover was an excellent student.
The food here is straight comfort BUT because Mr. Hoover was raised farm to table (before it was hipster) he understands about bringing wholesome, real, fresh food to his diners. Vital Farms eggs, hand crafted nitrate-​free sausage smoked to perfection, and Texas Fair Trade coffee are just a few of the offerings on the menu.
I strongly recommend Hoover’s for breakfast on the weekend (sadly, the only time breakfast is served is on the weekends from 8am-11:30am) with people who appreciate home cooking the way it should be!

Read this like 2.5 stars
Backstory — Missus went out of town and ate at the location in the airport — she loved it… so we decided to try the Manor Rd locale…
Got there for a late breakfast (about an hour to go) and got seated/​served immediately. For me the 2-​Piece Fried Chicken w/​pancakes and blueberry topping on the side. The missus Eggs + Chicken-​Fried Steak
Per the missus the meat was too chewy and the batter was too much (think getting CFS the size of a quarter but the meat inside was the size of a dime in comparsion).
My meal was meh — the food was not hot, the cakes were THICK and I honestly cant remember if I got a side… it was that memorable. The chicken (dark meat) was tasty but the breast couldve been brined (a little dry) but the crust was flavorful.
Our server saved the day with his humor and service — but there are too many places betwixt here and the house to try to list this as a come-​back-​too

I don’t know why I don’t live in this area of town. With Salty Sow, Hoovers Fried Chicken Trailer, and the 99 cent store nearby, I’d have everything I’d ever need here! Hoovers restaurant takes up the majority of a strip mall on Manor Rd. there’s generally plenty of parking, but I have had to park on the street in the surrounding neighborhoods before.
You come to Hoovers when you want a taste of some southern soul food. Not everything here is fried, but the fried menu definitely doesn’t disappoint. The fish and chips are great and I love the southern fried pork chop. Hoovers sides are never disappointing. I love the Mac and cheese, green beans, and mashed potatoes. They give you free cornbread with every meal. It’s a real southern staple. There’s also a bread that has a slight cinnamon taste. When you butter that baby up, you’re in another world of cornbread. I’m generally too full and packing leftovers home for another meal. Here was one rare occasion where I finished everything and was ready for dessert. I’ve had peach cobbler and it was to die for. I was really in heaven after that meal. By heaven, I mean a food coma. Yes you will get the itis after your meal. It will be nap time!

Needing another break from BBQ, came here with our friends while Sweetie was at the conference.
It’s a quirky-​looking place, kinda hipsterish, not far from campus. Food is pretty much soul food mixed with Texas specialties. We started with lemonade, pretty good and served in a big pitcher. One free refill, which was plenty for me and I love lemonade.
I had the hot link sandwich, which came with way too many onions and peppers. They didn’t add anything so I took them off. The sausage was good, and very peppery, and the bun was very good. My side was fried okra– lighter and fresher than most preparations.
Our friends had fried catfish which was pretty good, sided with jalapeño spinach which was not hot at all, and decent Caribbean rice.
Service was slow, considering that they weren’t busy. Prices are a bit high for what you get. The bathroom was sketchy. I don’t know, it just didn’t stand out to me. Maybe I should come back for the country fried steak and some pie.

We had spent the day out in Blanco and Wimberly looking at the damage from the historic flash flood of the Blanco River. Driving back to Austin we were rolling off places to stop and eat, as we were starving. I brought up Hoover’s. I was like «man, we ain’t been there in a while». Hoover’s it would be.
We got the meatloaf and the jerk chicken plates. Both were simply delicious. I loved my jerk chicken. Nicely spiced and a good smoke flavored meat that was tender and juicy. Nicely done Hoover’s! My mashed taters were real taters and simply delicious with a nice gravy topping. As for my mustard greens? I should have read my old tips/​review. I forgot that they sweeten theirs up. I’m not about that. So they failed me once again on the greens. The meatloaf had a nice tomato sauce on it and it was tasty and moist. Score on that meatloaf!
Overall I like this place enough to bump it up a star. Having said that I went by there today for lunch just to try their burger. It has been on my «must try» list for quite a while. Sadly, I was left disappointed. I asked for mustard only and it came out with mayo & mustard. So I sent the top bun back thinking that is the only bun that was sauced. Not so. After waiting a few minutes for a fresh top with just mustard I began eating only to find the bottom bun also had mayo! Good thing I’m not allergic! I ate it anyway. The burger was dressed with chopped lettuce and onion ringlets. I prefer leaf lettuce (iceberg is fine) and a whole slice of onion. The patty itself had a delicious flavor to it, but, it was way too dry.
I wanted to bump this to a four star review, but, the whole burger deal killed the engines. Please put some moisture in that burger Mr Hoover, and, tell your staff they need to pay attention to the orders.

Not sure why they don’t have a little better rating. We got there like 15 minutes before closing time and it didn’t seem to bother anyone so that was a plus.
If you’re in the mood for a margarita try the frozen one, it was strong and tasted wonderful, not too sweet. Perfectly tart actually. It was a little pricy for such a small glass. $ 7 I believe.
The food made up for the a little over priced drink. When it came it I was so excited to see how large the plate was and completely covered with what looked like some damn good comfort food.
I ordered the chicken fried steak with cream gravy, man n cheese, fried okra and yellow and zucchini squash which they called squash medley. The first bite of my steak I was in love. The gravy was so creamy and I immediately tasted a hint of bacon. I couldn’t stop eating it! I’m a little girl and I completely cleared my plate of that can tell you what I thought about it.
My boyfriend ordered the meatloaf, cream spinach okra and tomatoes and friend okra to be somewhat unhealthy with me.
The meatloaf was good but after having that first bite of my fried steak I couldn’t get into the meat loaf. I loved how the sauce on it was more like a spaghettini type instead of some nasty ketchup paste, so that I was a fan of! It was very good actually. I was just in love with my creamy gravy on the other side of the table.
The service was good, prices were good and it’s in a neat area of town that I usually am not in. It’s great southern comfort type of food.