Thistle Cafe

Went for lunch after having not eaten there in a while only to discover that Thistle Cafe now automatically adds an 18% service charge to all checks with no disclosure, verbal or written, provided. Given we had a 25 minute wait for food and couldn't do a thing about it, this was completely unacceptable. However, the worst part was once we received our food, my dining partner had a 12 INCH HAIR in their salad. Upon showing it to the owner, we did get a new meal but ZERO EFFORT was made to either comp the bill or a future meal. For such an absolutely disgusting experience that basically ruined our meal, you would think they'd make more of an effort. Never going back there again. Cons: undisclosed service charges and hair in food more

I used to live nearby, so I came here when I wanted something other than Mexican or Chili's. The food was always so-so, way over-priced for the quality of ingredients, but the reason I'm writing this review is because I have never experienced such rudeness and hostility from a business owner, EVER. She is always there, and I often witnessed her abusing other customers also. I just could not understand what this woman's problem was....here people are giving her business good money for her food, and she must think they will keep doing it even if she snaps at them, yells at employees, rolls her eyes at the simplest question, and heavy sighs at the smallest request. I have talked to other people who used to eat here as well and they had the same thing to say....I might still eat there but the owner gives me heartburn!!! If you want to meet a real-life ""soup notsi"", just pay her a visit, but don't waste your money. p.s. misspelling of a certain word was intentional more

We love this restaurant for both lunch and dinner. For lunch, their chicken and rice soup is very special and their wraps are spectacular (my favorite is the shrimp wrap). They serve delicious iced hibiscus tea that gives the Four Seasons a run for their money. In a city with so many steak options, Thistle does a wonderful job with their steaks for dinner. The ambience is lovely, as they transform their space with linen table cloths and lighted candles. Their wine list is varied and VERY reasonably priced. We eat at Thistle Cafe often, but also use them for catering and have never been disappointed. Don't forget the chocolate chip cookies... they are the best in central Texas! Pros: Great food and a great value Cons: Spotty in Sundays (sometimes open, sometimes closed) more

Thistle was the perfect place on the way back from the lake. I took my 2 screaming kids in there and they greeted us with open arms and great service. My kids ordered the shrimp wraps which they loved and my wife and i ordered the meatloaf and pizza. everything was great nothing bad to say about the place. PS try the cookies and fries , best in austin and that's a bold statement. more

Five of us went to Thistle yesterday for lunch to celebrate a birthday. The food was excellent, our waiter was charming and funny. Three of us had the Dijon Turkey Cheese Melt, one had the Steak Wrap and one had the Seafood Cobb Salad. We shared a bite of each others dishes and we all loved them. Loved the lively atmosphere. Pros: Great balcony, great service, GREAT food! Cons: None that I could see! more

Oh how I love the Thistle! It is hard to find an all around wonderful restaurant like this one. From delicious food, great service, and wonderful ambience, it is everything a person could want. HMMM my mouth waters just thinking about it. The Davenport location is great for lunch for either the business bunch looking for a quick bite of the ladies who lunch and want to sit on the patio over looking the beautiful Hill Country view while sipping a class of Pinot Grigio, Do not be discouraged by the line during the lunch rush, although it maybe long the service is good and the food is out promply. Dinner is a completley different experience. In addition to the extensive lunch menu are the dinner specials which range from decadent lamb chops, to juicy steaks, and my personal favorite the enchiladas w/ verde sauce. Dinner is full service, good place to go for a romantic date, but go a little later if you want to avoid the little ones, families tend to dine during the earlier dinner hours. In addition to the incredible food, I have found the staff to be extrmley friendly and accommodating. My husband is a very picky eater and always has ridiculous requests but the staff always goes out of their way to make his food just how he wants it. I could go on and on..Just go see for yourself! Pros: Ambience, friendly/prompt service more

Food was good--BUT the service was terrible! My fiance and I wanted to host our rehearsal dinner there, and while their chef was great and willing to work with us, the manager (owner?) Susan, was so rude to my fiance and me. We had a question about our bill and she basically got mad as US, asking us who we thought we were to question her restaurant and her authority? Hopefully this was not a race issues, but it might as well have been for how condescending she was! And yet even after that, my fiance and I were still willing to give them another shot and upon calling the owner, she basically yelled at my fiance again, showing that she unprofessionally held a grudge for well over 3 months. She also told us that since we were only having about 30 people at our rehearsal dinner, then we weren't really worth her time. Talk about a place I will NEVER go to again. Unprofessional and rude--Thistle needs to remember that they are in the service industry. Pros: Great salads Cons: BAD service more

If you enjoy kids, noise and houswife chatter, you will love it here. If you have time check out the location downtown, much better food. Pros: Food can be Good but Not at this Location Cons: Food can be Good but Not at this Location more

They have the best wraps and hamburgers in town. Everything is always really fresh and the service is always fast. We love lunch there - they have a great outside patio but their dinners are nice for something different. Very bistro feel at dinner time. Pros: Great Wraps, Salads, Burgers Cons: Parking and sometimes seating more