Simplicity Wine & Eats

Can I gush about the happy hour for a bit? I’ve been here twice in the last few weeks, and thoroughly enjoyed the HH specials. Some of the small plates are really tasty, and some are kind of «meh» — but either way, the HH prices are great (half off appetizers and something like $ 5 glasses of wine and $ 2 beers).
The atmosphere is really relaxing, and you can seat yourself to either feel like you’re in the middle of town or sitting on your couch at home (sans bad reality TV).
The staff is great, for the most part. I did have an incident the last time I was there when I paid in cash, and the server took the change rather than letting me decide on a tip. If only she knew I was going to add to it… Oh well!

Simplicity? I think I get you.
Simplicity is like that neighborhood friend’s house you liked going to cause you always had a fun/​chill time with your friends, and their mom always provided good snacks.
«You’re mom forgot to get Kool-​Aid? That’s cool. Whatcha got? Sunny Delight? Hmmm, not my fave, but it’ll do.»
I’ve only been a couple times: once with a big group thing, another just with me and the wife. She must eat gluten-​free, so there are few places we both REALLY like to go. I was happy to see plenty of «GF“s on the menu, esp. appetizers, which usually are all breaded/​fried/​served on toast. So that’s why I brought her there just a couple days after my first visit.
The food all looks top notch. I need to find a way to shave the breading off the yumilicious baked brie for the wife. But we «made do» with the hummus and the spinach/​artichoke dip. The bread with the hummus didn’t knock my socks off, but the corn chips that came with the dip went great with both. Next time, she has her eyes on the beautiful looking Caprese Salad, and I may just try the sliders.
The waitress was awesome. Never too far, never in the way. We discussed a few of the menu items, even ones not «GF» to see about adaptations.
Happy hour is a steal. A pitcher and a few apps ($ 5 pitchers, some apps are half-​price) were under $ 20. Or, what one rushed burger/​fries/​soda at that-​crowded-​burger-​place-​up-​the-​road costs.
Which leads me to my favorite part of Simplicity: it’s relaxing. I had been on-​call and sleep-​deprived all week, and she had a fairly stressful work week as well. We were able to hang, and talk, and never felt like they were dying to turn over our table. It wasn’t too noisy, or too bright/​dark. Two hours later, we walked out happy and relaxed, which doesn’t happen nearly often enough.
Sure, they may run out of a beer here or there. But this is how neighborhood hangouts should be.

In an homage to the business’ name, I pledge to keep this review simple.
Happy Hour was calling my name, and after hearing this venue tossed around in conversation among the Unilocalarazzi for quite some time, I figured I’d give it a go.
Happy Hour is Tuesday — Friday, 4 – 7 PM. Appetizers range from $ 5 – 7; certain items marked with (HH) are half off during the happiest of hours. There is also a selection of gluten-​free options, denoted by (GF).
In order, I sampled:
1.) Papas Aioli: «Spanish-​style tapas of oven-​baked potato wedges with garlic ailoi. Delish!» Yes they were. And an excellent starter.
2.) Stuffed Mushrooms: filled with chicken, goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, and fresh herbs. I could probably eat a hundred of these delectable little things and then call it quits for the day. A must.
3.) Pulled Pork Sliders w/​Roasted Red Pepper Relish and Shredded Lettuce served on Sweet Rolls. Perfect marriage of sweet and savory. I’m sweet on the sweet rolls.
4.) Flat Bread Chicken with roasted chicken, basil pesto, mozzarella and tomato: Decent, but not as impressive as the previous plates. Still, they are fresh and filling.
5.) Puff Pastry with mixed berries and whipped cream topping: A dessert that’s flaky, sweet, and the perfect finale for a parade of scrumptious eats.
The staff was courteous, welcoming, and knowledgeable about their wine list; the waiter suggested Doña Auristella, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. All wines are $ 5/​glass during Happy Hour. I also noticed they took a dish of water out to the patio for an adorable little dog a couple had brought with them. Very cute.
I missed Jenny L.‘s arrival by mere minutes, which considerably bummed me out. But I have a feeling Simplicity has not seen the last of her… or me, for that matter.
Wow. Did I really compose a review with little to no references to myself, or my increasingly myopic view of the world around me? I think I did! Mostly because I’m fabulous, and awesome, and a killer dresser, of course.
Next time you’re stumped for an amazing Happy Hour venue, remember: Keep it Simplicity, stupid.
4 Stars.

Is it hard to understand exactly why a business is successful? Sometimes, I wonder… hmmm…
Could it be the sheer variety of places to put you and your crew (tables, raised tables, couches, covered or uncovered patio, etc.)?
Could it be the comfy seating areas with couches for you and peeps?
Could it be that it is Jenny’s home away from home?
Could it be the wonderfully pleasant waitstaff?
Could it be the laid back vibe this place has?
Could it be the choice of front or back patio?
Could it be that lacks pretentiousness? *
Could it be the sheer spaciousness?
Could it be the wonderful apps?
Could it be the prices at HH?
Someone could say «You ask a LOT of questions, mister!»…and they would be right. I have tried to put my finger on what it is, but suffice to say — if I get an invite for a meet-​up here — I will reply a hearty «IN» every time!
So perhaps it is the culmination of all of these qualities — and an owner that clearly knows that the KEY is in the name. Simplicity.
*As Amy D. aptly called it in her review.

Let me just cut to the chase on this one:
1. Three-​cups of French Press for $ 5 is the best coffee deal I’ve found in Austin. I seriously thought about ending this review right here, but that would be a little short even for me.
2. I couldn’t care less about wine or beer. But if you do, they offer over two dozen wines by the glass and/​or bottle, and a dozen different beers by draft, pitcher, or buckets of bottles. Knock yourself out.
3. The magic time here is Happy Hour, 4 — 7pm Tuesdays through Fridays: $ 2 beers, $ 5 pitchers, wines by the glass for $ 5, and bottle discounts.
4. I’m not familiar at all with their menu entrées. I have tried their $ 6 Hummus app plate, which is good, but at $ 3 during HH, it’s great. They always seem to be tweaking the menu here, I’m waiting for a crudités platter with a vegan queso.
5. The ambiance strikes me as a half-​bistro, half-​coffeehouse lounge-​type affair with «sink-​into-​me» couches and chairs. There’s a front and back patio. I personally enjoy the current display of photo-​art along the walls. I’ve met the photographer.
6. Simplicity’s ample parking would get an extra star from me, regardless if I liked the place or not.
7. I’ve never had an issue with service here. I think Dana is great. I think Ben is a hoot. They’ve always been on top of their game when I’m here.
8. This place is closed on Mondays. I’ve seen it packed on other nights, but I’m mainly here when it’s a quiet respite with people I like hanging with, especially after dealing with real life and before heading downtown or elsewhere.
9. There’s a bunch of hip and cool wine bars all over Austin, I just don’t think there are that many where you can enjoy a French Press and a wine or beer and actually hear yourself engaged in a conversation. And I’m first to admit that sometimes that makes little difference to me, but every so often, it’s exactly what makes Simplicity as good as it gets.

I guess I have to lead by saying I’m a tree-​hugging, Prius-​driving greenie. I actually live in an earth-​sheltered home (it’s underground, just like in The Hobbit). It makes my heart super happy to spend my hard-​earned dollars at a business that strives to run a green enterprise, and that is why I adore Simplicity Wine & Eats.
The décor is primarily industrial, something like a converted garage. Not necessarily all the way attractive, but it does remind one that these guys are serious about a low waste operation. To break up the cold hard surfaces, they’ve added a couple of sofas, so there is still a comfy place to lounge if you don’t want to perch on a barstool or conference chair.
Speaking of low waste, all of the dishes, utensils, bottles, etc. are recycled or compostable. Simplicity even brags that they are a «100+ seat restaurant that only produces 3 bags of landfill trash per week.» Impressive.
The food menu is, well, simple. There are just 17 savory dishes & 3 desserts served tapas style, with no plate priced more than $ 7.50 (bacon-​wrapped quail breast over grits) and most around $ 5-​$ 6. The place seems to me more like a bar that offers food than a full-​on restaurant; I probably wouldn’t come here for a special meal, but the offerings work great for pairing with the wine. The spinach artichoke dip was delicious!
I had a lovely time at Simplicity, chatting with friends over a couple bottles of wine, and somehow my portion of the bill at the end of the night was less than $ 20 (including tip). Sweet!
Also nice:
–excellent, friendly service
–outdoor seating areas both at the front and the rear of the place
–super cheap Tue-​Fri HH w/​15% off bottled wine, *every* wine at $ 5/​glass, beer at $ 5 pitchers & $ 2 pints/​bottles, and ½ off apps
–several gluten free and vegan options marked on the menu
–French press coffee
–local artists’ work displayed on the walls
–north of 45^th street!
Know before you go:
–opens at 4p (3p on Sundays)
–closed Monday
–extra parking in back

I feel as though my Simplicity review needs an update, since I am there so very often.
Meat Eater and I come here a few times a week, and hang out on the couch, and have some drinks. It’s like being at home, but someone brings me beer, and we people watch.
We have had the pleasure of getting to know the waitstaff, and they are all super awesome. Everyone has a great sense of humor and a massive amount of wit. They are knowledgeable when it comes to Meat Eater wanting wine, and they are wonderful when they bring me lime juice for my Lone Star beer (yo, don’t judge).
I love the hummus and the black bean dip, and Meat Eater loves the little tiny quails wrapped in bacon and the sliders.
The Happy Hour kicks ass, the couches are comfy, the food is tasty, and the beer is cold.
I love Simplicity and I want to marry it, but I don’t think that’s legal.

This would’ve been a five-​star review, but the shenanigans our server pulled at the end of a friend’s birthday celebration lost them a couple stars.
It was 8:30 PM on a Saturday night and we were one of about four tables of people there. Odd for a Saturday night, I thought, and wondered they weren’t busier. Service was good, eats were pretty cheap and the wine was flowing.
One thing that I did think was strange was the fact that they state all of these facts about the environment on their menu, so you’d think that they’re a pretty green restaurant, and then you see that they serve food to you on styrofoam plates and leave you to eat with plastic disposable utensils. WTF?
Our nearly $ 200 bill comes, which is always such a dreaded moment when you have to split it eight ways. Now, keep in mind that nearly all of us are former service industry folks so it’s pretty much a guaranteed good tip and you better believe that we’re not going to screw you. Three out of eight of us attempted to pay with $ 100 bills, when they were told simply, «Oh we don’t take those.» Huh? It’s not like they were trying to pay in pesos or like they were just buying a snocone. Our server’s lack of accommodation made for a big mess trying to figure everything out, some hurt feelings and lots of annoyance.
Simplicity Wine and Eats ruins friendships.

I’ll admit when I first moved to the area and drove by this place all the time, I thought the exterior was kind of pathetic. Its next to some mattress store, in an awkward parking lot that looks as though it needs some fixing. Well, it turns out this is my absolute favorite wine bar these days. They have the best happy hour specials, and as I’ve said before they don’t hijack the bottle prices. Average bottle is about $ 21. Split it with a friend and go home happy! I like that the space is huge, there’s always somewhere to sit and I usually snag a couch or two while having good conversation with friends. It makes me feel like I’m at home.
The food:
: I’ve eaten most of the «starters» and have to say that although their hummus is not traditional, there is something in it that makes it seem a bit like crack. The cheese & fruit plate is great, as well as the spinach artichoke dip, the edamame, the s’mores, the papas aioli is do-​able, and baked brie just ain’t my thing. The best part? They are all ½ off during happy hour! The strawberry shortcake was a winner as well. Or maybe I’m just easy to please.
The service:
:Always attentive, never overbearing. They don’t rush you out if you’re done drinking & eating while still immersed in conversation. Each waiter I’ve had is knowledgable as can be when it comes to wine. They’ve never steered me wrong. And I like that if you buy a bottle, they’ll pour you a taste to see if you like it. If you don’t, they’ll take it back and you can choose something else. Now that my friends, just completely rocks.
Drinks:
:The beer is cheap, and $ 5 for a pitcher during happy hour. But as you must remember, this is a wine bar. I only get beer if I have been wine-​ing it up too much. Hey, it happens. I have tried some very good wines here! As always, I am a Malbec fan. I’ve tried most of their Malbec’s here. My favorites are the Postales from Patagonia (a Malbec/​Cab mix) and also the Sensual (I only got it because of the name) and it was good! Ventured into some French wine recently, a Granache/​Syrah blend. It was quite deserty, a very different route for me but I enjoyed it.
+1 For an all around fantastic place!

Last week the ladyfriend and I decided go out on a date. First stop was at a wine bar directly across the street from Simplicity. After paying $ 12 for a glass of wine and $ 10 for a salad, we decided to check out Simplicity across the street because the Unilocal reviews said that it was cheap.
We swung on by and were pleasantly surprised by the nice leather couches and the quiet atmosphere.
The waiter was super friendly and seemed to know a lot about the wines that they had. I ordered a glass on his recommendation, which, quite honestly I didn’t enjoy. He switched it out in a heartbeat with a much more enjoyable glass.
We ordered some s’mores, which were quite tasty, but they used HEB brand graham crackers, so not as amazing as they could be.
Love that they are a green organization.
I could totally see myself swinging by here to catch a game on their tv and chill at the bar and work while having a few glasses of wine or beer (they do have multiple beers on tap).

The internal conflict was strong on rating this place.
1. We enter.
«Ooo they do have AC. Thank sweet sweet baby Jesus. And it’s cozy. 3 stars.»
2. We get menus.
«Drinks for $ 5-​$ 9? That’s some kind of crazy. 4 stars.»
3. The cheese plate comes out.
«The menu said 3 cheeses and 3 fruits. I see 3 fruits and 2 cheeses. It’s not the artisan stuff, either. That was $ 6. I could go across the street* during happy hour and get a ginormous cheese plate for $ 10. I could’ve gone to HEB and had a cheese feast for $ 10. 2 stars.»
4. Food comes out.
«Yumyum avocado and shrimp yumyum your bacon-​wrapped quail bits are yumyum what kind of sauce is this yum. 5 stars.»
5. Environmentally conscious explanation on the menu.
«Cool. A lot of stars.»
Our waitress was sweet and we were greeted warmly upon entering and leaving. The patrons all looked happy. We felt a-​ok.
*Apothecary.

Went to Simplicity for happy hour a few weeks ago. Still, 3 stars. Good deals on wine, especially the $ 7 mini carafe special.
But their appetizers are lacking…

Simplicity is one of many neat little restaurant additions off Burnet. Boasting «free sarcasm within» at their store front says it all. Simplicity is a reasonably priced, down to earth wine and tapas bar minus pretentiousness.
I went to a birthday party at Simplicity and the staff was great and accommodating. The restaurant has enough space for groups as well as cozy spaces for dates or meeting a friend for Happy Hour.
The tapas range from $ 4.95−6.95 and during happy hour one tapas offering is usually discounted. Some of my favorite dishes are the fruit and cheese plate, anduille sausage accompanied by 2 spicy mustards and the truffled estofado de pollo. Not a fan of the pork satay.
One of the best nights is Thursday when they have live music. Another plus is Simplicity is one of the few places that honors group buying discount/​coupons during happy hour and towards drinks. They also have free WiFi.
If wining and dining here in the summer beware. They take the green to an extreme, the AC will not be kicking.

My friend is in the process of introducing me to all the likes of Burnet Road fun and recently this was a stop on our never ending tour.
I love wine, food, and good conversation so needless to say what is there not to like about Simplicity. It is very casual as I was in work out clothes from earlier in the day, it was also very easy on the wallet! They have an outdoor patio so for fall that is always a good option. Sitting outside, sipping wine in Austin, Texas — does life really get much better?
They peppermint cheesecake was hands down the best peppermint cheesecake I have ever had in my day. It was delicious.
The staff was very, very friendly and helpful.
Interesting fact for all you green lovers out there: they are a 100 plus seat restaurant that produces less waste than the average family of four. I think that is just awesome!

The good:
— Wine prices for HH — $ 1 off glasses and they pour a generous 5.5 oz glass.
— 15% off bottles at HH and reasonable priced bottles
— They serve Prosecco!
— The balsamic tomatoes with fresh mozzarella (on HH special $ 4.95)
— They seem eco friendly (composting disposable dishes, etc.)
The bad:
— Either the wait staff was situated in San Antonio and had a long way to walk, or the service was slow as me on a Monday morning.
— It was really HOT inside the restaurant
— Some of the plastic utensils looked like they were used, wiped off with a dirty rag and put back out (eeeww).
— Garbanzo bean dip was bland
The spectacular:
— I was in the company of some awesome Unilocal women
While they had redeeming qualities and prices, there are no excuses for dirty utensils and bad service. Since I cannot rate the place on the company and there are no ½ stars, I am rounding up to 3 stars.

I attended my first Women Who Wine event here last night, and my fellow Unilocalers provided fabulous company and conversation!
Unfortunately I can’t say the same thing about Simplicity. The space was hot (as in where’s the air-​conditioning??) and loud. Menu items other Unilocalers so generously shared did not wow me. The service was sporadic and very laid back. I was prepared for the disposable cutlery, but most definitely not for used/​dirty cutlery to be presented for use. Yuck.
But I came prepared to have a good time. And I did. Thanks to the lovely ladies from Unilocal

A small, dark wine and food bar that likes to see itself in the wall of mirrors.
Spacey apathetic service.
Delicious Prosecco and Malbecs.
Assorted beer available on tap or by the bottle.
Cushy sofas or a variety of table sizes.
Assorted hot and cold appies. Some good some not.
HH from 4 to 7 with $ 1off glasses.
Too many hard surfaces that result in a high noise level.
Awesome company.
My first experience with the W3’s and it was well worth leaving the unicorn horn at home.

Like the mixed bag of furniture inside (sexy padded barstool = yay, cafeteria chairs = ugh) the experience here was a combination of the impressively delicious and the boring.
Our wine was nice, relatively inexpensive. The bruschetta was amazing. Seriously. I could have eaten 45 pieces. Likewise with the bread pudding. The hearts of palm were decent but then, they were wrapped in bacon, which makes everything better. The buffalo calamari were booooring. The sauce seemed straight out of a bottle and it was overall meh. Likewise with the fondue. There were some chunks of artichoke and tomato but overall just bland.
I dig that they do the green thing with the thick paper plate action — apparently they recycle every single thing and their waste for the whole place is equivalent to a family of four. Rework the menu, get some cooler chairs, dim those lights a tad and this place would be a nice regular stop.

Simplicity (noun): absence of luxury or showiness; plainness.
I certainly can’t complain that they’re advertising this place falsely. Perhaps it’s partially because they’re so new, but there is definitely a sense of plainness about this place. From the laser-​printed-​on-​printer-​paper menus to the cardboard bowls the food is served in to the flat wooden spoons they’re using as utensils (which made me feel like I was supposed to be eating a little cup of ice cream), everything just felt… cheap. If it weren’t for the large paintings on the walls, even the décor would be completely non-​descript, reminiscent of a strip mall restaurant in a small town.
Liz C. and I tried the by-​the-​glass shiraz (Archetype) and malbec (Alamos), and both were OK, if a little on the young-​tasting side. We moved on to carafes of the house cab/​merlot blend (Copper Ridge), which we liked better — although the price ($ 7 for a two-​glass carafe) or the greater leeway always given to one’s second (or third) glass of wine may have accounted for this fact.
A smattering of tapas was also sampled: the crab croquetas, the brie, the eggplant spread, the slow roasted garlic, and the cajun spiced edamame. Tapas are each 3 – 4 ounces (i.e., really small) and all cost $ 3.95. Frankly, the two items that were modified least from their original state — the brie and the garlic — were our favorites. The edamame was overcooked and underspiced (and the portion was a little chintzy for $ 4), the eggplant spread was cold and bland, and the croquetas, while fine, weren’t anything I’d bother ordering again.
Like the rest of our experience, the service was also fine, but not great. Although this probably marks me as a rude customer, I was a little annoyed when our server basically told us it was time to leave right at the stroke of 11:00, which is their published closing time.
While I appreciate the idea of simplicity, I think a better word for this venture might instead be «uninspired.» With all the fabulous wine bars in this town, I think this one had better take a close look at reinventing itself, and quickly.

I mean, don’t get me wrong: the name’s spot on here — clean lines, no frills, spartan, and you get the distinct impression that this particular stretch of Burnet may just turn into a destination area of town yet. It’s another creative victory of sorts for lower Burnet Road, and deep into a leisurely Sunday night, staff here was attentive but comfortable, as the moniker on the marquee might imply. I’ll say this: they’re definitely not trying to do more than they’re familiar with at Simplicity, and that’s a good thing.
We tried on a potpourri of different items, from the crab coquettas (absolutely terrific and worth revisiting), some slow roasted garlic, a malbec worth remembering, some creative bean spread and a Cajun take on edamame (who knew?). Though we didn’t go for the paella or sangria they serve up on Sundays, it’s here. We’ll be back, definitely, with time to kill.