Ring Side At Sullivans

Oh. My. Burger.
After hearing friends rave about the sunday happy hour, I decided I had to check it out. Stopped in with my dad and got a table, accidentally in the main restaurant not ring side, OOPS! They were very helpful about it and got my stupid butt to the right place.
We got lucky because there was tons of stuff going on around town and managed to grab a table right off-​but by the time we left we had to fight our way out-​a live band started up right before we left as well, and they were LOUD; basically drove us out.
We started with the bleu cheese chips which were TO DIE FOR. I mean, my diet went down in a flaming pile of calories but it was worth every agonizing moment on the treadmill. Paired with their signature cocktail, it was okay but a little bitter for me. Next up? Bleu cheese burger (a lot of bleu cheese, I had a craving) and it was amazing. A totally ridiculous amount of food but I ate as much as I could handle. It was cooked just right with a toasty bun and melty cheese-​all you can ask for. I don’t even remember how the fries were because I was so focused on my burger.
The service was good, but it seems like we got lucky. Our waitress was friendly, professional and knew the menu inside and out. The rest seemed to not know where tables were and were kind of auctioning off food to the whole room-​a little funny but unprofessional.
And then the bill came. Moment of truth. Under $ 30.
Wait. Huh?
The happy hour prices are so cheap and so worth it, though I’m not a big fan of crowds and tend to just snake tables when forced with a «figure it out yourself» situation I will be back!

Brought several college students to Ring Side for their famous «Best Burger in Town» for $ 5 at Happy Hour last night, and unfortunately, the experience fell short of expectations.
We arrived around 6pm and were easily able to find two tables to seat the six of us. This was nice because typically in the past, I would have to wait around like a vulture to snatch up a table in the crowded bar, even if it was just for a two-​seater.
The waitress arrived to take our drink orders, and unfortunately, since I was with underaged, college students, everyone except for me ordered water, while I requested a Fireman’s Four (actually, I preferred something on tap, but they only had bottled beers). For some reason, it took the waitress ten minutes to bring out our beverages, and after she did, she left without taking our meal orders to chat-​up some patrons at another table.
When our server finally returned, we all placed our orders — 5 burgers cooked medium-​rare, and 1 sliced steak. Simple. The students were excited, as I had already hyped up the tantalizing taste of these filet mignon burgers to them, having visited Ring Side several times in the past.
It took awhile, but our food finally arrived, and we each cut into our burgers, only to discover that every single medium-​rare had been cooked to medium to medium-​well! How is that acceptable in a steakhouse? Being shy college students, none of them wanted to complain, so I was the only person who requested my burger be sent back. I actually had to wait another five to ten minutes before I could inform our waitress, since she again, was chatting away at another table.
I did appreciate the quick response to my request of receiving a burger cooked the way I had ordered, and the waitress came by to check on me, shortly after the kitchen delivered my new burger (even though checking on your customers in a timely manner is what I consider a standard service expectation).
The burgers themselves were delicious. A half-​pound of juicy, tender beef, placed between buttered and toasted sweet buns, and topped with Bibb lettuce, a hearty slice of tomato, sliced red onions, and sweet and crunchy pickles. This paired with crunchy, homemade kettle chips (and my Fireman’s Four) made the Happy Hour deal all the more satisfying.
At the end, our waitress came, dropped off the check, and then hurriedly came back to pick up the signed copy and left, without even saying thanks or come again! Needless to say, unfortunately, the service ruined most of the dinner experience for me. I’ve frequented Ring Side many times before in the past, and, although their service was not always consistent, they were generally decent and courteous. However, this time, with our inattentive waitress (who only came to refill our water twice, and that was upon our request), not having any of our burgers cooked correctly, and then being scooted out the door, I’ll have to only give 2-​stars.
Ring Side, I’m sorry, but it’ll be a long time before I return or refer others to visit.

Okay, I’d like to say that I’m a little tired of places advertising certain things and then not providing what they said they would provide just to get you out to their establishment.
I went to the Sex in the City premier party held at Ringside last night. They loured me in with $ 5 martinis and complementary hor’dourves along with Saks 5^th Avenue Salon, make-​up artists, vendors and door prizes.
The staff there was so friendly. There concoction of $ 5 martinis was great. I had two. Red over heels and a martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. Yummy! They gave you a ticket for each drink you bought to enter into the raffle prizes. They said the first drawing would be at 6pm. They did the drawing at 620p. The ticket they drew, no one claimed the prize and they didn’t call another number. I was confused at that.
I would have given this 5 starts if they would have had the hor’dourves they said they were going to have, drew for a door prize on time and actually had someone win the door prize. I gave my two tickets away and went to the next party.

Hell Yeah. On a particular Sunday Funday, when four ladies decided to don crazy wigs for no other reason than they had been drinking since 10 a.m., said ladies decided to push their luck by going into Ring Side at Sullivan’s. This was after hitting up the East Side Studio Tour, Long Branch Inn, and Rio Rita (see my reviews). We knew we would stick out like sore thumbs in Ring Side, and I am sure at least one of us thought we would be asked to leave, but we ventured anyway. Not only were we not asked to leave, but we were waited on by two of the nicest lady bartenders in town. We partook of delicious $ 5 mojitos and martinis, and half-​price appetizers (note: this starts at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays). The blue cheese chips are slap yo mama good. It is a subdued atmosphere, but good to know that even the stuffier clientele don’t mind a few colorful wigs (they may be seeing blue hair in their future).

I went there for happy hour and had a 5 dollar burger. it was amazing, cooked to order and tastes so good, and you get a choice between 3 cheeses that you can have on it. I had the swiss and it was wonderful. i had to force myself to finish it because it was huge. I am not a martini fan and the drink was a little too strong and the fries were too spicy but wow. Make sure you go during happy hour when everything is 5 or half priced.

Good steak! (Not the best in Austin, but good) However, the service and the jazz make this place! Good place to listen to some jazz in the lounge. Sullivan’s is worth your time for some good food and even better service.

Sullivan’s has some of the best steaks in Austin. I had ordered the filet mignon steak, baked potato, and a salad before the meal. The salad was very fresh and crisp. The dressing was not over-​saturating the salad and wasn’t too skimpy as well. When the steak came out (promptly) it was juicy and perfectly rare… just the way I like it. The baked potato initially comes out without any toppings, but is added by your waiter/​waitress at your table. My experience at Sullivans was excellent. The waiter was prompt and the drinks came in a timely manner. Overall excellent.

I have only had their Burger at the bar for the $ 5 happy hour price. But let me say! The best Burger in Austin. It’s fresh ground steak and you can get it medium rare. Its like heaven on a bun. Gone are the days of well done «fast food» style burgers trying to act like «Great» burgers. Man! I want one now!

Head out here for ‘the best burger in town’ A delicious mouth-​filling treat perfectly done medium rare.
I also tried the mozzarella and tomato salad and the crème brûlée — fantastic. The tomato in the salad was so firm and my steak knife so sharp, it was like slicing an apple. Yum!
The live performance was similarly awesome, close enough to preserve the intimacy of the place, but not so loud that you couldn’t talk. Great place for a first date.

I hope I don’t ruin it for all the burger lovers who have been braving the über-​uppity crowds in Sullivan’s bar during happy hour for one of Austin’s best kept secrets — the half-​off ($ 5) gourmet burger with made-​from-​scratch potato chips. The burger itself is quite a meal in itself, as the patty is about ²⁄₃ lb. The great thing about this burger is that the meat is perfectly tender and seasoned, and appears to be some quality grade meat, unlike what you’d get at most other specialty burger places like Fuddruckers or Hut’s. I’m not quite sure how to communicate how different it is, but you’ll just have to eat it for yourself. I suggest ordering it medium or medium rare. You can also choose bleu, cheddar, or swiss cheese. They serve the burger on a perfectly toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion and cups of dijon mustard and house mayonnaise. I love the freshly cooked, thick-​cut chips that accompany the burger, and they’re great for dipping. All that to say that that I’ve brought friends here to experience the burger for themselves many times, and no one’s ever been disappointed. Call for hours. I think Sunday’s happy hour is all day.

This music venue next to Sullivan’s Steakhouse is a must for jazz and neo soul lovers.
I walked in on a new-to-Austin-I’m-just-gonna-walk-in-places night, and this place was on fire… not a place to sit, and the crowd was mixed 50 – 50 black-​white, and that is RARE to find in the warehouse district, so sweet.
People danced to the slow grooves, together, alone, black and white together. This venue has a halo around it as far as I’m concerned
Go early, expect to pay for it, but it will be worth it given the talent AND the stellar service.
Still trying to figure out the name of the performer I saw… she could out-​Jill Scott, out-​Angie Stone, out-​Soul-​Sista any of those girls on American Idol.