Phil’s Ice House

There’s a dude named Eric G who wrote a review for this place 16 days before me. Eric sucks and his review is ridiculous. It epitomized why South Park very poignantly critiqued Unilocal.Everyone is a fucking food critic. Well, sorry Eric. You’re fucking wrong. Buffalo sauce is supposed to be heavy on the vinegar and it kicks ass here. So do the fries. And the Maine root soda. You want to talk about pretentious douche-​nozzle shit? Look in the mirror and see the dude who’s complaining because he can’t get his precious Diet Coke. This place is awesome. Try the ’04 burger. The jalapeño cheese bun might be the best burger bun in Austin, and you can even get a 512 pecan porter! Or if you’re a soda lover, or a child (like Eric), try a Maine root soda.

The weird thing is, I’ve walked and driven by many times, and I’ve eaten at the Amy’s Ice Cream in the same building, and somehow I missed that there was a hamburger place on the other side of the wall. This was the best hamburger I’ve ever had in my life. Every little thing was just right. It tasted like it was straight off a backyard grill, with fresh ingredients and a bun worth eating on its own. The fries were awesome, too: Thick-​cut, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Wow, writing this is making me hungry. I just might head back over there.

Terrible. Been wanting to try Phil’s, but after doing so I would never go back
The Buffalo sauce on the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich had way, way, way too much vinegar in it. The sandwich lacked seasoning to balance out the flavors. The Ranch dressing used for the sandwich was sour.
Furthermore, the fries were mediocre. But the worst offense and a stereotypical Austin douche bag move is not having Coca-​Cola or Pepsi products on the soda fountain for diet flavors. Maine Root soft drinks blow, and especially the diet flavors.
Burgers with mediocre fries and no Diet Coke is a fail in my opinion.

Great place for families. Our kids enjoyed the play space and the burgers were really good. There were a lot of options so everyone was happy.

Excellent food. One of the best burgers I’ve had in years. Nice playground for the kids.

Settled for the mini burgers and sweet potato fries. It was filling. Playground was nice but there was a bunch of pigeons attacking people out there! Lol. Amys ice cream had an interesting selection of flavors.

This place is probably more deserving of a 3.5. We have been here 3 times now and each time is on par with what I would expect. Great service, ‘OK’ burgers, nice selection of beer, ice cream, and plenty of playground for the kids.
For someone without kids, it might seem kind of odd to go to Phil’s. However sometimes I don’t want to stand in line on a Friday for a gourmet burger, yet I don’t quite want a fast food burger either. Phil’s fits that perfect and I’m able to grab a beer as well.
They have a great selection of different styles, though I usually stick to my typical Blue Cheese. Don’t bother ordering it to a specific temp, this place seems to flatten their burgers so you’re likely not going to get what ya want in that regard. Mixed fries are awesome… the best of both the sweet and regular potato. Oh, they even have a Gluten Free option if that’s your thing.
Prices are perhaps on the upper end for the product you receive. Take note that this is not a table service restaurant, so adjust your tip accordingly. Do be aware that Credit Cards don’t have a tip option, so be kind and bring a little cash.
They had four beers on tap, about 10 bottles, and 4 different wines. Cost was about 5 $ each for the draft and a healthy pour of wine.
Next is the attached Amy’s. Great selection of ice creams for a desert to stay or take home. There is also a large play area outside which makes Phil’s a fantastic place for anyone with small children. Kids can eat, play, ice cream it up while the parents can enjoy a burger and a drink.
We will be back!

Phil’s is my family’s favorite Texas burger eatery. We have eaten at higher and lower priced burgers and fries joints, but Phil’s has the perfect balance in terms of taste, freshness, atmosphere, service, and price point. Tonite, we tried the South Lamar location. It is bigger than the Burnet location but the foods tasted just as good. The service was very friendly. My only complaint was the bathroom entrances being located outside the building.

Love the burgers at Phil’s on So. Lamar– But they can’t seem to get a «to go» order right. I honestly believe that the guy in the back does it on purpose. I used to go to Phil’s once or twice a month but got so frustrated that I don’t even try anymore. There are so many burger options on So. Lamar now. An «In n’ Out» coming soon too. One or two bad employees can ruin a business that an owner has put a lifetime into building.

I take my son here quite a bit. We absolutely love it! The burgers are amazing. He loves the corn dogs, and grilled cheese too.
If you like a little heat, the 04 is the way to go. It is fantastic. We love the sweet potato fries too.
There is a playground outside and an Amy’s ice cream inside. It’s a perfect lunchtime spot for your little ones.
But if you ask my son the best part, he’ll probably say chasing off all the pigeons who try to steal your fries!

I really enjoyed my visit this time. 78 704 burger was delicious. Nice n juicy and huge. I feel like it’s improved. Yum. The brentwood burger is great too, mmm bacon and cheese went great with the burger.

3.5 /​5
Big Fan of the 78 704 Burger, deliciously made on a sourdough bread. I like the combination of the mix basket fries of regular and sweet potato fries.
Great family environment. I would suggest calling before arriving, the wait can be pretty long.
3.5÷5
The ORIGINAL NORTH LOCATION on Burnet Street has 6x better quality food. ⁵⁄₅

I’m giving this place 4 stars cos it’s a great place for an impromptu gathering of many folks with kids. We had a relatively unplanned bday party here. Just showed up with balloons and opened up a tab to get food and drinks for the guests as they pleases. We had ordered bday cake from Amy’s next door. Both Amy’s and Phil’s staff were extremely helpful with cups, spoons and even. Borrowed knife to cut the cake. The adults had fun as did the kids at the playscape. We would totally recommend this for low key birthdays. Everyone’s happy with fast food, beer and icecream in one spot!

Good place for burgers AND ice cream since Amy’s ice cream is here as well. The burger meat is really good and juicy and the sweet potato fries are delicious!

** The management has assured me that they will be looking into this to clean it**
I came here hoping to love it, knowing that Amy’s ice cream is a pretty solid brand, and they have fulfilled parents needs for brews, burgers, playgrounds and dessert. I’ll admit, there are families everywhere, but for me, this place is really not managed well.
I tried to sit outside at the plastic coated picnic tables, and there is black layers of dirt in the open holes on the table. Like inches thick. A power washing during closed hours could remedy this. Bees swarmed the area due to the food that had not been properly disposed of, and I had to move indoors to prevent being stung.
Once indoors, I was fighting gnats and flies the entire time. Food caked on the floor, ketchup on bottles that had not been cleaned in a while and when we finally got our food, I was almost afraid to give my kid her hot dog, because it was a funny color. My order was wrong and my bun to my burger was rock hard in some places. They cater to families, but in the very least I’m afraid to see what the kitchen would be like, as this place just is not clean at all. I think Amy would be embarrassed.

I ordered the Allandale burger which was okay, but nothing spectacular. Liked the mixed fries. The service was okay. It is a great place to meet friends with kids, since they can enjoy the playground.

The burgers at Phil’s are hard to beat. The have a long list of combinations named for different Austin neighborhoods. The key ingredient in most of them is the bun. The bun they use has a sweet deliciousness that is a great contrast to the more savory burger within. I usually opt for the 78 704 which is a spicy combination with jalapeño and avocado. It has just the right amount of punch so I am reminded I ate something hot a couple hours later…
The playscape here is a huge hit with my kids. It has made this their favorite place to eat in town. Factoring in the Amy’s Ice Cream attached to the restaurant, I think the boys would be happy to never leave.

Judging by the growing number of Phil’s plastic cups in my pantry, I clearly like this place. I was a fan of the Burnet Rd. location as well, and I’m happy to report the food is just as tasty at this location. I’m a purist and stick with the Allandale each time, but I have been known to get crazy and order the mini version of the Allandale as well. The sweet sourdough buns are really what do it for me here – they are perfection. The mixed sweet potato and regular fries are divine and I love that they have Maine Root fountain sodas here. And I have a special place in my heart for restaurants that keep napkins on the table. I’m not talking paper thin white ones from the quaint ol’ Johnny Rockets-​style joints, but sturdy napkins where you can take two and not twenty. This location is a bit bigger than the Burnet one and Amy’s Ice Cream is actually inside this one, as opposed to just being attached. It’s still a kid’s mecca with the playground and photo booth here as well. (Note: If you are not a kid person, avoid this place on the weekends at all costs!)
My only complaint is the staff is a bit inconsistent at this one. Sometimes I get super friendly service and sometimes I end up with a surly teenager/​college student. Along with that, it seems like there’s no consistency with how long it takes to get your order, and it has nothing to do with how busy they are.
Parking is easy in the attached lot during the week, but does get a little crowded on weekends, FYI.

5 stars, that’s a pretty bold statement Gary! Why yes… yes it is.
Here’s the thing, I looked at the menu (items all named after Austin neighborhoods), chose a sandwich, sat down and ate the sandwich, and really REALLY enjoyed it.
Their burgers are tasty! And if you’re not feeling for a burger, I recommend the Hot and Crunchy Fish Sandwich. The toasted sourdough bun is seriously something to dream about. Usually it’s awkward when you’re eating with a friend and don’t say much, but the sourdough bun will give you an excuse not to say anything. Overall very PHILing too (ha…ha).
Now let’s talk about those fries. First off I don’t know any place that automatically serves mixed traditional french fries with sweet potato fries. Secondly those fries are a crispy hot pile of deliciousness! And thirdly, if you’re not a french fries type of person, Phil’s fries will surely change your mind. Seriously, the fries are legit.
I love the restaurant space which is shared with Amy’s. The photo booth that I sat next to was a kid’s magnet. I was sitting there eating for 10 minutes when a kid ran out of it. I don’t recall seeing a kid walk in, and I sure don’t know why they were in there for so long. Minutes later another kid ran into the booth and just sat on the seat.
Phil’s Ice House isn’t a place to hype about to your friends; instead just take them there and let the food and the atmosphere speak for themselves. My review may not have convinced you that this place is 5 star material, but it’s a 5 star to me… and that’s all that matters.

Hamburgers are SO done in this little town and that’s why this place is different. The burgers are worthy of exploring and don’t forget the «other things» menu. I’m gonna try the Frito Pie next time just because.
Mexican Coke from the fountain burns as it goes down and I for one couldn’t wait to fill up my glass again.
AND an Amy’ Ice Cream shop in the same place guarantees you’ll need a nap when you get back from lunch.