Magnolia Cafe

Oh Mags, how I LOVE you! A trip to Austin wouldn’t be complete without visiting two restaurants: Magnolia Café and Polvos. Don’t get me wrong, I do understand this place is a diner and most people wouldn’t give a diner 5 stars but it’s so amazingly weird and delish (for a diner) in true Austin fashion, it deserves it.
Yes, there is almost always a wait but they turn over tables fast and they have a self-​serving coffee station. They are open 24 hours so it’s a good spot for a late night bite after bar hopping or your Sunday morning hangover meal. The staff are who they are which is refreshing sometimes and local art decorates the place.
I usually get Eggs Zapatino which is scrambled eggs over a toasted English muffin and smothered with queso. Home fries are served on the side. Oh. My. Gosh. My favorite breakfast. They are pretty well known for their pancakes. I’m not a huge pancake fan, but I will say Magnolia Café’s pancakes are my favorite. If you’re not feeling breakfast, their queso and chips are always a good option. I love the Mag Mud queso. Hubs loves the Sonora queso. The portion sizes are generous. I always come home with leftovers. Magnolia Café is a must when visiting Austin.

I think the best way to describe this place is a classic diner but Austin style. The atmosphere is very diner and the décor has that typical Austin vibe of weird and cool. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. The menu has so much to offer from breakfast foods to Mexican food.
I got the Mediterranean salad, it was great. It had what you expect from that kind of salad, olives, artichoke, tomato, etc. but it had tons of it. They definitely did not skimp on the ingredients which made the salad pretty filling.
If you love diner food and you are looking for a place to eat in Austin this is the perfect spot for you. They are also open ²⁴⁄₇ so you can eat anytime.

I never go to Austin without stopping at The Magnolia Café in SoCo.
The atmosphere is weird enough to be Austin… but there is nothing weird about the food!
The Alfredo Pasta w/​Sauteed Shrimp is WONDERFUL!

Magnolia Café will forever be my solid go-​to brunch choice. My plate contained about 3 pounds of melted cheese, making for a blissful bite with every forkful. That, combined with the mountains of potatoes, will keep me coming back with a watering mouth and stretchy pants. (Only reason it’s not 5 stars — the bathroom situation definitely leaves something to be desired. Only 2 individual stalls and they’re usually kind of a mess…) Be prepared for a wait, but trust me, it’s worth it! P. S. Shoutout to our waiter Brian: perfect combo of hands-​off yet attentive.

Very large breakfast menu and open 24 hours, two pluses! Food was very tasty which is rare for places like this that are open 24 hours and quick. I went on a Wednesday morning so it wasn’t crowded but I hear lines can get backed up. I would definitely come back.

Great comfort food, specially on a Sunday after a night of bar hopping on the dirty 6^th.
Tip: Get the Eggscape + a Choc Chip Buttermilk Pancake.

Writing this review as I’m sitting and waiting for my food. For about 50 mins now. That excludes the other 50 min wait time to be seated. I don’t mind the wait to sit but food should be fast. It should not take another hour. Three tables that sat down after us received their food before us. What’s up with that?! Terrible service and experience. This is not worth it.

We thought the food here was pretty fantastic. The Eggscape was a breakfast dream for me. Sausage, potatoes, topped with a fried egg and all smothered in melted cheese. All for less than $ 7. The French onion soup was all delicious, hot, teeming with flavor, lots of onions and also smothered in gooey cheese. Wow I had a lot of cheese that meal, thank you Lipitor. Anyways for how insanely busy they were the service was top notch A+. The place is really cramped and small so expect to rub elbows with strangers at a weekend brunch. There is ample parking for this place but it’s all spread out everywhere so expect to circle the block a few times. Check the alley way in the back first, if not park on Congress and get ready to play Frogger crossing the street with fast oncoming traffic. If you make it you’ll have a great meal here.

Been here a bunch of times, and every time is just as good as the last. It’s hard to mess up diner food, but I like their twists on that favorites. The mag mud is pretty much the best thing on the menu (you k ow you don’t eat enough beans!). This trip I came here after going out (typical) and decided to order the breakfast sandwich AND the mag mud (for myself). Pretty much had to wheel me out of there and I barely ate my sammich. Staff always friendly, never have to wait too long even when it’s busy. Day or night, they got you covered, 24÷7÷365

Arrived in Austin at 11pm and where to go once we get into the city from the airport? Searching for queso of course! Luckily Magnolia Café (South) was open and ready to go with beers and chips and glorious loaded queso galore.
That is all I have to say: go for the food and the chill atmosphere, walk away satisfied. Hardest part is choosing what you want!

I am actually quite discouraged I have to rate them ²⁄₅ today. We arrived at the café expecting maybe a lunch rush on a Wednesday. We get there waited about 20 minutes to be seated. Had 2 other couples seated prior to us whom arrived after us. First irritation.
They proceeded to seat us & quick to get a drink order. They accidentally gave us a coffee we did not order & my dessert drink had hair particles which seemed to be from a dirty towel in the kitchen area… That ruined my appetite.
Food took another 15 minutes to receive. Cheese was not fully cooked in my omelette, English muffin was as cold and as hard as a rock & my eggs were room temp. Not even warm… I started to ask myself. Why didn’t I just stay home, cook my own brunch and save myself the $ 30 dollars…
Only thing I can say that’s a positive about this restaurant; their employees are friendly & great customer service… It WAS a good local spot for brunch, but can’t handle high volume rushes.
this is an insinuation but this is exactly how people get food poisoning & get sick in general. Your producing many meals in a small kitchen and are probably under staffed for these types of situations. Also, your under cooking items on your men. Sanitation should start to get questioned… clean cups, plates, silverware, ect.
I been a bartender, a server, and a cocktail waitress once upon a time… For this reason I will turn away from this place next time I see it this busy.

Used to be great, but increasingly sucks. The food has gone downhill over the years, sure, but management continues also to get increasingly more pigheaded and disdainful in terms of customer service.
First, they are militant about not taking Favor orders (one of about 5 of Austin’s thousands of restaurants who wont). Okay, whatever, lose out on the thousands of dollars Kerbey Lane rakes in each week off of Favor orders. But tonight I came in after finishing my Favor shift. Still had my shirt on. I was aggressively snapped and snarled at by 3 different wait people, «Is that for YOU???». The question is understandable because they hate Favor, but the attitude was frigging offensive. To their credit, 2 of the freaked-​out waitstaff were very friendly once I passed security clearance.
Other non-​sensical rules. Tried to call my order in and was denied. «Too busy tonight, but you can come in and order to go.» I was 3 minutes away. When I got there there were only 3 small parties waiting, and that was only because they didn’t want to sit outside where there were some empty tables. Only 2 of the 5 counter stools were occupied. It was probably the least crowded I’ve ever seen the place. Regardless, please explain to me the difference between a to-​go order over the phone and one in person??? The difference between the jerks that run this place and any other restaurant is the only answer. I guess when you own a goldmine, you can be contemptuous of the gold miners.
Finally, a 75-​cent to-​go fee sucks. Recoup the 10 cents the Styrofoam container costs you, if you must, but charging that much, again, is contemptuous of the customer. Is my money any less valuable in your bank account than if I stayed there to eat? No, it would cost you more if I stayed, in terms of waitstaff and other customers waiting for a table. Totally screwed priorities.
I’ve been going to Magnolia since they first opened 30ish years ago, but I’m through giving them my money. Sooooo many better places in town, including 100 food trailers, or the always fun and welcoming Kerbey Lane, who appreciate my business and treat me with the respect a paying customer deserves.

The «Magnolia» omelette with tomatoes, black beans, avocado and cheese, was tasty but could have been heated longer to allow the cheese to melt. The special of peach pancakes that I substituted for the homefries and fruit, at the server’s suggestion, was surprisingly good, loaded with sliced peaches. If I had these at home, I’d be tempted to put whipped cream on them. My server, Brian, was pleasant, informative and attentive to me and the others he served nearby. The one other ding for this meal, besides the omelette not being hot, was that the price of the Magnolia omelette was listed at $ 9, but when I got the bill it was $ 12. It appears that the price of the pancakes was added to the meal, instead of as a substitution, as it should have been.
I like the casual atmosphere at Magnolia Café and there’s plenty of parking around the building, I ate there around 8:30 on a Saturday morning and it was busy, but there was no waiting for one of the few empty tables.
I’m still searching for the best breakfast place in South Austin. My favorite breakfast meal is Eggs Benedict. Marie Callendar’s was good, but they closed their south location, and they weren’t nearly as good at their place up North. Counter Café has better Eggs Benedict than Magnolia Café’s, which were overcooked here the last time I had them at MC, but they are pricier ($ 14) at Counter Café, which has the atmosphere as a good old joint, but not the pricing of a good old joint.
Kerbey Lane doesn’t have Eggs Benedict as a regular item, but had a special Eggs Benedict with salmon a couple years ago. I asked if I could get regular Eggs Benedict without the salmon, which I thought would result in a lower price, but when I got the bill, it was the same amount with the salmon or sans salmon. Kerbey Lane does a good job with standard breakfast fare of eggs and toast, which I usually get though.
Next on my list to try is South Congress Café and Hyde Park Grill South.

I had a breakfast taco. It was ok — I have certainly had better. My husband had an omelet and it was really bland — way too expensive for what we got!
The food was ok, but the coffee was AWFUL. So watery and tasteless.
Our waiter was very good though, fast and friendly.

This is one of those places with mediocre food, that stays open late to cater to the crowds looking for somewhere to go after the other places are closed. While it is not on a list of places I would choose to go to, I do end up here from time to time based on a group decision.
I can count on one hand how many times I have been here in my lifetime. The service is always pretty average. The food on the other hand is hit and miss.
The reason I never select Magnolia as a destination is because I had a bad experience at their other location years ago — so I steer clear of anything with the «love butter» as that is what made me sick after my first visit here back in 2000.
This year, during SXSW, I ended up here on a rainy night with friends and ordered a cup of tortilla soup. It was not life changing, but it was light, edible and it did not make me ill.
During a recent visit, I ordered the Reuben sandwich. Now usually, I like a good Reuben, but this was dense. The cheese was not very melted and the sauerkraut seemed overly fermented. Maybe it was the late hour, but I ate ½ of that sandwich and I could not sleep. It sat like a rock in my stomach all night long. After that visit, it will be a long time before I cave to the peer pressure.
Sorry Magnolia… I know you are an Austin institution and people love you, but I just don’t get it.

Before saying goodbye to Austin, I wanted to get one last breakfast fix and this place was recommended to me. Arrived at 10:45am on a Sunday and found parking on W. Johanna St. which is adjacent to the restaurant and despite there being quite a large crowd lining up, I was able to sit at the bar immediately. I overheard a waitress on the phone telling someone the wait would be about 20 minutes for a group during that time.
I ordered the breakfast special ham and eggs benedict. It came out in less than 10 minutes and it was delicious. Great, friendly service along with great food. Can’t beat that combination.

Like your old high-​school sweetheart Magnolia isn’t what it once was, but you still cut it some slack.
Stopped to have a late lunch with a friend at the South Congress location and it’d been a while since I’ve been here. (Parking and the claustrophobic feel of the Lake Austin spot make me skip that one).
The good? A place where weirdness still holds forth, servers get to be who they are, and the vibe is come as you are/don’t judge me. And, a 24-​hour comfort café is good to have in this town, believe me.
The not-​so-​good? Well, if you’re anywhere close to a normal meal time you’re going to wait: deal with it. The food? Varies: some days some things are awesome, and others, well, just not awesome. The service too can suffer when crowds push the servers — you just have to be patient. #Asshats are not welcome at Magnolia.
The real reason I can’t do four stars to a place I’ve known for decades? The food isn’t out of this world, but the prices can be. In my last visit almost $ 15 for a sandwhich and an iced tea. Now, maybe you just moved here from California and you think that’s cheap: it’s not. When toast, some home fries and a few fillings cost you more than $ 10 you are officially not cheap anymore.
Should you go? Yes, it’s one of the ever-​diminishing old Austin staples and I’d sooner eat here than any chain any day. Should you expect greatness? No, you should expect a sandwhich.
It’s okay, but like your high school ex (or you) it’s unlikely to ever be great again.

Man oh man. I’m glad I talked myself into driving out here for my friend’s birthday. He was raving about the place so much, I was curious. It’s a small place but cozy. It gets full house pretty fast but everyone speaks softly & smiles a lot. It’s a happy scenery. I enjoyed my food, from the appetizer to the main dish. I do not regret this trip. The customer service is also amazing. Consistent. Everyone we had the pleasure of dealing with were all very attentive & sweet. I definitely say give this place a shot!

Spinach & Artichoke dip is delicious! It came with yummy (garlic?) bread for dipping as well as chips. The generous portion was more than enough for 3.
My Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (special) were pretty good; a little sour, but good. Our guest loved his Garden Enchiladas, he especially loved the chopped nuts. My husband liked his Veggie Popeye omelette, which was very large.
We came here about 2 years ago and had the most amazing home fries. We’re kind of bummed they are more like roasted potatoes now. Still good, but not as good.

Checked out this gem of a Tex-​Mex style restaurant last night after a evening of cocktails and fun. If you’re in Austin, you need to check this spot out. We tried the quesadilla, queso and my best friend had the chicken sandwich.
Service was quick and attentive. You gotta dip the chicken sandwich in the queso, :). Good food, and I’m glad I was brought in to dine here.

We went to Magnolia for two late night stops while in Austin. The café, which would probably be called a diner on the east coast, serves breakfast all day which is highlighted by their delicious pancakes. The omelettes are also a great option and are huge.
There are a ton of options for other Tex-​Mex food if that’s what you are in the mood for as well. Magnolia really encapsulates the spirit of Austin — the Tex-​Mex, the diversity and the friendliness.

Kind of curt greeting with a grunge looking or typical habitué of the Austin streets slamming a pen on a clipboard to write my name down. But then it got better. Waitress lady was nice and attentive. Food is solid, not the best I’ve had, but would come back for sure and probably will. Pancake was loaded with ingredients. I had wheat pancake with bananas and pecans. Not sure why but anytime I’ve ordered an omelette north of San Antonio the ingredients are not integrated into the egg batter. Basically, the egg is cooked like a pancake then the ingredients are placed on top and the egg folded over. So when I’m eating it the veggies get all spilled out on the plate. Maybe the grunge greeter can do a cultural anthropology paper on why that is.

Magnolia… Kerbey Lane… Magnolia…Kerbey Lane… Magnolia! When I first moved to Austin choosing between the two was a never ending tug-​of-​war on my tummy. And of course everyone in town has their favorite, but Magnolia seems to speak to my Carolina roots. I mean, grits and shrimp… that’s Charleston all day long! And of course there’s the Texan in me that can’t go without a breakfast taco and migas plate.
Aside from their eats, service is pretty high on the list too. How polite was it for one of the managers on duty to talk with me about food sustainability when I’m sure she had much better things to do. Overall genuine service and comfort breafast food at it’s best. Looking forward to giving Magnolia a solid 5 stars once they do something about the condensation from one the vents leaking on the bar area.