My boyfriend and I finally made our way to Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill and was it worth it? Yep! We’ve been longing to eat here because we received a gift card from my boyfriend’s aunt and also because it is rated quite highly in Yelp in the downtown area.

They have two locations in Austin, Texas – one in Downtown and the other is in North Austin ‘Avery Ranch’. This review will be based in their Avery Ranch location up north but note that the menus are basically the same. The oil they use in all their cooking is rice bran oil.



Downtown – Menu for Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill

303 Red River Street

Austin, TX 78701

Avery Ranch – Menu for Moonshine Comfort & Cocktails

10525 West Parmer Lane

Austin, TX 78717



Interior & Exterior Mood





They have a beautiful place to sit outdoors however their interior is pretty cool. They have a huge bar area and comfortable dining seats in the dining area. I love how Southern but modern the interior design feels. The kitchen is also visible the moment you walk in and it’s awesome to feel the energy of the staff bustling around. We immediately get seated near the back of the restaurant in a booth and they brought popcorn and water to the table.



What to Order at Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill?

These dishes are the top rated and reviewed dishes on Yelp:

Appetizers

The Original Shrimp Corndog – $12 honey mustard

Chicken Fried Steak – $16 chipotle gravy, yukon mashers

Daily Deviled Eggs (north Austin location only) – $7

Mains

Fried Chicken & Waffles – $16 lemon butter, maple syrup, chipotle gravy

Chicken Fried Steak – $16-17 chipotle gravy, yukon mashers

Beeler’s Center Cut Chop – $22 demi, peach chutney, herb salad, yukon mashers

Cornflake Fried Chicken Salad – $14 avocado, bacon, cheddar, tomato, honey mustard

Charcoaled Hanger Steak – $22 demi, salsa verde, yukon mashers

Jalapeno Hanger Steak (downtown location only) – $24 salsa verde

Seared Rainbow Trout (downtown location only) – $23 bacon cornbread stuffing, chile, sage, butter

Sides

Pimento Mac & Cheese (North Austin version) – $6

Green Chile Cheddar Grits (downtown location only) – $5

Dessert

Skillet Apple Pie – $12 vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce

Cee’s Food Review on Three Dishes

In almost 99% of any restaurant options that have a Southern cuisine setting – I will choose Fried Chicken as an entree over anything else. It’s bad for my overall diet, I know. But it is SO good! You can’t get many options like this when living elsewhere than in the South! #comfortfood

But, fun fact, I chose to order the Chicken Fried Steak and my boyfriend ordered the Fried Chicken & Waffles.

Fried Chicken & Waffles – $16 lemon butter, maple syrup, chipotle gravy







Would I order it again? Yes

Is it worth the price? Yes

The chicken was either pounded or sliced up in some way because the pieces of chicken didn’t feel super heavy. The breading was so delicious, it never fell off of my chicken – it was part of the chicken. You might be thinking, “ummmm doh”? But some fried chicken places make breading that actually doesn’t get cooked through, so you taste the sogginess of uncooked breading and it doesn’t stick to the chicken. I do think though they could have removed the chicken from the deep fryer 1-2 minutes early so it doesn’t taste too dry out.

I loved the spices they used in the batter as it really gives you a “zing” in your tastebuds. Dipping a piece of fried chicken in the maple syrup — the spices and sweetness of the maple syrup start dancing in my mouth and my eyes get really big. It was so delicious. I asked my boyfriend to switch entrees. Lucky enough, I’m dating a really kind soul, so he was more than OK with it.

I didn’t really like the chipotle gravy. Not because it wasn’t good. It’s just not my preference for how I eat Southern fried chicken. I love eating fried chicken with just maple syrup with it.

And… here’s another preference of mine. I don’t like eating “waffles” with this dish. I’m so basic, fancy Belgian waffles just aren’t for me. Eggo Waffles is where it’s at!

But, the right way to eat this dish is to slice a piece of the waffle, add a piece of chicken on it, and add the sauce.

Chicken Fried Steak – $16-17 chipotle gravy, yukon mashers







Would I order it again? No. I would rather order the Fried Chicken & Waffles.

Is it worth the price? Yes

Don’t get me wrong. The chicken fried steak was delicious. But it was something about that chipotle gravy that just didn’t hit the spot. It was good… but it wasn’t great. It didn’t excite my taste buds as the Fried Chicken & Waffles dish did. The yukon mash potato underneath the steak was good, but I feel like I could make the same mash at home.

If it’s your first time eating Chicken Fried Steak and you are in the South for a short period of time, you have to try it out! It should be on everyone’s food bucket list!

Pimento Mac & Cheese (North Austin version) – $6

Would I order it again? Yes

Is it worth the price? Yes

It tastes like restaurant quality Mac & Cheese and it is definitely worth $6. I love when chefs add fine breadcrumbs on top because it truly does add the right amount of texture. As I am slowly learning how to add more elements to Mac & Cheese and actually liking it, my recent “aha” moment is with green onions or chives mixed together with the macaroni. It’s super delicious and the crunch of the greens given a refreshing take to your bite. Check it out next time you eat Mac & Cheese!! 🙂

Ok, here’s my big disappointment which I would love ANYONE who knows the reason why chefs do this…

Why do chefs sometimes use penne for Mac & Cheese? Yes… I get that you can apply any pasta sauce to any pasta noodle but I just can’t get it through my head why this is even ok unless you ran out of macaroni. Anyways, let me know if you know in the comments below!

