Commerce Cafe

This place is a gem, seemingly gourmet food at a fraction of the price. Servings are very generous, the Roasted Chicken w.mashed potatoes , carrots was the star of the show ! My hubby had the chicken fried steak , the sauce is different , but not bad . The crispy potatoes and roasted cauliflower are borderline addicting. Im not even sure I can put into words how spectacular the popovers are !!! They have a very unique but welcoming flavor . I’m glad we live many hours away cause I’d be coming here to cash my check every week . We got a slice of derby and a slice of lime buttermilk pie which will be joining us on our drive home , but I have no doubt they will be just as rewarding !

Stopped here on a whim and we couldn’t have made a better decision. The food was superb. Our friendly server suggested the popovers and I’m so glad we obliged. They were indeed ‘stupid’ (good) as our server said they’d be! She also suggested the chicken fried steak, which is what I ordered (pictured) and it was to die for. The gravy is different, but in a good way. The potatoes it came were with crisped to perfection, and the cauliflower was well seasoned and tender. We left absolutely nothing on our plates by the time we were done. We will definitely be back because I want to try the chicken sandwich!

We have never been disappointed by anything we have been privileged to try at this wonderful Cafe! Tuesday's are excellent for happy hour. The pies are a must try as are the Gruyer and Black Pepper popovers. We could easily make this a weekly stop!

I went to Commerce Cafe for a late afternoon cup of their wonderful coffee. I also ordered the popovers (when was the last time, if ever, that you've seen popovers on a restaurant menu?) They are wonderful, served with savory butter and shredded gruyere. And during happy hour they're available at a reduced price! The people here are nice and the dining room is very pleasant.

Supper here on 3/23/2024. Convenient parking right on downtown Lockhart. We were seated right away, no wait time. Menu is rather simple and steaight forward. All available courses on one page. Interesting choices. Wife and I shared the chicken fried steak topped with red-eye gravy with duck fat fried potatoes and cauliflower. Iced tea to drink. Good sized portions. CFS was tough and hard to cut and to chew. Potatoes were strange tasting in their duck fat essence. Cauliflower was hiding under the CFS, but was tasty. Every table is close to the open kitchen and the entire space is noisy to the point that much of our table conversation had to be repeated. Shared entree with tip was $30+.

One of our usual and favorite places to eat. Every time we come in, the food is amazing and delicious and the service is super friendly. They have one of the best chicken fried steaks I've ever had and their steak is always perfect, you have to try it! My usual dish is the roasted chicken with the seared greenbeans and you can't go wrong with the fried gizzards and pickles or the popovers as a starter. This place is great for a date night, complete with cocktails and beer or a casual place to grab dinner with the family(they usually have a Monday night family meal deal). They can get pretty busy on the weekends or during First Friday but the food and drinks are always worth the wait.

Lockhart is more than just BBQ. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed Monday family night at Commerce Cafe—great food and great service! Servings were generous. As delicious as everything was, we couldn’t eat it all. Best fried chicken I’ve ever tried, hands down. Sides were on point and the biscuits had great crumbly texture. They were HUGE! We took home leftovers. I came back to the other half of my biscuit later that night, amazingly, I thought the biscuits tasted even better cold. Not sure why, but the flavors were even more pronounced after the biscuit had cooled down. All around delicious! We will be back. =)

First time to eat here. A buddy of mine took me here and praised it on the ride over, and now I know why. Had the chicken fried with potatoes and cauliflower 😋 it was delicious, and the service was great too 👌 recommend you try it if you're in Lockhart. Oh,yeah. Great pecan pie also.

Commerce cafe continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in central Texas. Located in charming Lockhart, the atmosphere is friendly and casual but the food is delicious. I love their Monday night family meal. It's always so tasty and piping hot. Even when busy they provide fantastic service!

An upscale diner in Lockhart with the lively buzz of patrons and staff filling the air. The vibe is super welcoming, and the open-concept kitchen lets you watch the team in action. The staff is hustling, making sure everyone's taken care of, and the bartenders are totally engaged with their guests, adding to the overall great energy. We ordered the yeast rolls as an appetizer (it's yeast rolls, you can't just give those to folks?). At $5 for two, that was a bit of a "wait, what?!". They're not exactly a difficult or expensive item to make, so that price stood out. The roasted chicken was super tender, perfectly seasoned on the outside, but the seasoning didn't make it through the meat, so that's an aspect that should be addressed (the flavor on the outside was perfection, though!). The molasses carrots were just right--cooked perfectly and not too sweet. Mashed potatoes? Spot on! As for the chicken fried steak, we went with mashed potatoes instead of the usual duck fat crispy potatoes that come with it. The chicken fried steak was good. We had the blueberry lemon chess pie for dessert and I couldn't eat it. The compote on top was so sweet, it took away from the pie itself. The crust wasn't very good - too thick and not cooked all the way through. I'm not one to leave desserts uneaten, but I didn't love it. All in all, this is a great addition to Lockhart and sometime different from the usual Lockhart spots. We will definitely be back and I look forward to trying more.

If Yelp allows, I will give it 6 stars! The restaurant is small locall owned bussiness. Only two chefs and a bartender running the restaurant. It's clear they are passionate about their food and know exactly what they are doing. The The food is delicious, truly delicious. I ordered the roasted chicken breast. The chicken is really tender and juicy. The side dish carrots in a tangy, sweet wine sauce added a nice balance to the chicken. This restaurant has become one of the reasons for me to drive an hour to visit Lockhart. I will definitely come back

I was traveling for work last week and stopped in for a quick lunch. They have done a great job decorating the space, it's elevated but approachable. I had the side Caesar salad with the burger. The salad was fantastic! I found the burger to be tasty and well-cooked but the bun was slightly crumbly in a way I wasn't expecting, maybe slightly dry or beginning to go stale. Service was okay. I sat at the bar. And my server seemed like she may have been a little new. Small gripe, I accidentally left without taking a copy of my receipt (that's on me), but when I called to see if they could text or email me a copy of the receipt (business expense), they basically told me that my only option was to drive back down there and they reprint it. That's fine, if true, but it didn't seem like much effort was made to help me out with the situation. I would go back and try more of the menu next time I'm in the burgeoning town square of Lockhart.

I work in the service industry first off, let's start there. I just tried to go to this establishment to get a solo meal after a long day of work and just snack like food. I knew exactly what I wanted and was prepared with an order before I even walk in. I would have even gotten my food to go, because again the work in the service industry and I know what it's like for someone to come in 30 min till close, but as I pulled up and parked out front a young lady walked to the back and a young man who clearly saw me park, walked to the front window in the cafe and unuggrd the open sign right as I turned off my car. I get that week nights can be slow and staff wants to go home, but don't advertise a 9pm close time if you are going to close at 8:30 just cause you feel like it. Super rude. Definitely not southern hospitality.

My 3rd visit. When my girls and I had a weekend in Austin, we stopped for lunch on our way home to the Houston area. I was very disappointed in the biscuit which I have previously raved about. It was obviously toasted and dry. Not fresh. The popovers were delicious! The roasted chicken was tender, juicy and flavorful. The corn risotto was weirdly sour and did not taste like corn. Overall, it was tasty, but not special like my previous visits.

Stopped by for a late lunch around 2:30 pm since I heard Lockhart was the new Austin. I was the only customer at this time. The red eye cream gravy caught my eye... it was a new and interesting take on CFS. I liked it! The cauliflower was alright, but it was the smashed fingerling potatoes that stole the show. Crispy and delicious. Finished by ordering a lemon buttermilk slice of pie, but it apparently had not set. They brought me this instead... on the house! Had I known they had that, I'd have ordered it. Really really good... so much so that I added the cost of the slice to my tip. Very attentive folks who clearly take pride in their restaurant. Recommend them highly.

FARM TO TABLE! Incredible food!!!!! everyone working there was so nice. cute view of the town square. i cannot emphasize enough how amazing the food was. such moist meat. they source locally and meats from the farmers market. they make EVERYTHING themselves except the ketchup haha. THE BREAD was to die for. we got a bread appetizer that really hit the spot. i would recommend everyone dine here.

Very creative menu that's off the beaten path in a culinary sense. Black pepper popovers, molasses carrots, BLT with a fried egg, etc. And if you like your fries thin cut with skin attached and just a tad overcooked (by normal standards) then you might say as I did, that they're the best you ever had! For sure, we will be back.

The food was really good! I had the chicken fried steak and I cleaned my plate. I don't know what's in that gravy, but it was really tasty.

I stopped in here for dinner based upon the Yelp reviews and it did Not disappoint. Delicious risotto, Gruyère pepper popover, and draft beer all tasted great. Wonderful service, too. I'll be back!!

holy moly this food was delicious. they make their own pasta and everything is farm to table! the pasta was just like in Italy. devine flavor. server was the coolest. cookies were a dollar and so good! highly recommend!

This is my favorite restaurant in Lockhart and I eat here very regularly. Deeply appreciate that they carry 44 farms grass fed steak and burgers! So good. They bake their own bread and have spectacular desserts at a reasonable price. If I want broccoli instead of a different side, the staff are always so gracious and never treat me like a pain in the ass. Such kind folks serving very solid and tasty meals. My one wish is that someday there will be weekly or even daily specials so that I can eat here more.

This was the best found gem! The food was incredible and so unique- not to mention farm to table! The service was great too and ambiance was super Texas with an upscale feel. We got the pancake, biscuits and gravy, and the burger! It was divine! We will definitely be back!

What a wonderful meal at Commerce Cafe! It's a nice little place downtown. The service great! We enjoyed the Steak Bavette served very tender, accompanied by really fresh broccoli and mash potatoes. The Chicken Fried Steak was seasoned so well. It was served with a little different twist on red eye gravy that had a delicious spice to it. The smashed duck fat potatoes were scrumptiously crisp and I loved my green beens too! To top it off, they have homemade cookies, cakes and pies for the sweet tooths. The juniper berry cheesecake is really good. They have a descent wine menu, a brunch menu on weekends, and a special on Monday, like mom use to make! We definitely want to return and enjoy some more! Thanks!

Commerce Cafe is a really nice addition to Lockhart and located right on the city square. The location is perfect and they have seating indoors and outdoors for those who want to admire the funky looking Caldwell County Courthouse while they dine. Commerce Cafe's menu is a mix of classics with a contemporary twist. I really enjoyed their risotto and their tomato soup. I tried many of their vegetarian sides, and most of them were very good, especially the fries, green beans and mashed potatoes. The only big disappointment so far is their popovers which are huge and mushy inside, but not in a good way... I'm sure the texture appeals to some people, but for me it's a no-go. Lots of nope. Where they shine most is with their desserts, especially their daily pie selection. Most of them are classic southern pies, known recipes, but they're usually done pretty well. My husband who loves pie is a big fan. Whenever I go to Lockhart to meet someone, he asks "can you please bring back a slice of pie?" Commerce Cafe's also got some alcoholic drinks and cocktails, as well as non-alcoholic options. If you're sober like me, I recommend their watermelon soda. It's pretty darn good and refreshing. Commerce Cafe has become one of our local eats. The only caveat? Their opening hours are limited and they're closed on Sundays. Bummer!

So Lockhart is known for barbecue, but this little gem of a cafe is one of my favorites. I make an occasional day trip from Austin and always stop here for the best tomato soup and grilled cheese I think I've ever had. I've brought a table of four in where we all ordered the same think and loved it. There are other greats on the menu as well, mind you. Fried pickles, sandwiches, elevated diner cuisine. All freshly made. I would love to get to take home some of their delicious homemade pickles. Cute restaurant with traditional diner seating. Tables and counter option. Helpful staff treats you like you want to be with the perfect amount of attention, not overdone but welcoming. Just be sure to check the hours before you plan your day around eating here. Closed every Sunday and also not open for lunch on Mondays.

Commerce Cafe presents as a lovely mid- century diner that offers a downtown dining experience reminiscent of the 1960s but Commerce Cafe offers so much more with the fresh and ever evolving eclectic and refined menu that always exceeds your expectations, no different than Foreign & Domestic has for years in Central Austin with such a forward and fresh menu every time along memories of Saturday Bake Sales and Indie Chef Week events a few years ago. There is so much to write about my first dining experience at Commerce Cafe after dining many times at Foreign & Domestic in Austin, so being that the menu is ever changing to advantage what's in season at local farms, ranches, and what fruits of the sea are available each week. I'll start with the Popovers with Gruyere cheese and black pepper that are iconic and known to many from Food Network coverage for their amazing taste and golden brown flaky tender texture that are appreciated far and wide once taste how exquisite they are and you learn that like Yorkshire Pudding that Popovers like made here are a rare fine for not many pastry chefs and bakers are able to achieve the level of what's served here as evidenced by rarely ever seeing Popovers on the menu anywhere short of a Michelin star restaurant. Like many home bakers, I went as far as buying a special Popover pan a few years ago after having the Popovers here and reading the story and recipe online, but being a novice my attempt failed and only made me more appreciative of what the owners and the team at Commerce Cafe consistently accomplish everyday with great effort, talent, and tenacity that many aspire to. Sitting at the few seats available at the counter of the open kitchen is a great experience for the first timer dining here as well as the frequent guest as it brings everything to life to watch the chefs in action creating the dishes you order along with all the others. Our table tried a number of items on the Happy Hour and Dinner Menu including Popovers, Hush Puppies, Japanese Fried Chicken, Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese, Mushroom Rissotto, Wine, Craft Cocktails, and amazing sides of exquisitely prepared Carmelized Molasses Carrots, Collards Greens, and the Crispy Fingerling Potatoes that are seasoned so well with herbs that they greatly compliment your meal or could be a meal alone, considering the taste and portions. If you're looking for a nice healthy family meal of comfort food, romantic dinner experience with your special someone, or you desire an experience like being a judge on a Chopped or Iron Chef Food Network show, Commerce Cafe is a place you'll feel at home and will rate as a destination for future visits.

We've visited this quaint country chic cafe a couple of times. They have an all night happy hour on Tuesdays in case you want to sample some good starters. Both times I've started with the peach salad. It is a fresh sampling of summer. I've had the risotto as well as the chicken. They have a variety of fresh pies to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The food here is so good! I highly recommend anything that had their red eye gravy on it!

I tend to stick with checking out restaurants that have a decent number of Yelp reviews. The more reviews, the more that outliers are weeded out and you can get a good gauge of the quality of a restaurant. It all comes down to statistics. That's why I was a little hesitant to check out Commerce Cafe. As a relatively new restaurant that opened up right around the pandemic era, they haven't yet accumulated a bunch of reviews. I'm so happy I took the plunge because this is a five-star restaurant hands-down. I stopped by for some takeout on a weekday while I spent a week in Lockhart. Located in downtown Lockhart, Commerce Cafe looks like your run-of-the-mill cafe from the outside. Don't be fooled though as you're going to experience elevated cuisine here. I went with the popovers to start which was a new experience for me. It's tough to describe but it's basically puffy bread that's served with butter and served warm. I'm not sure exactly what was in it, likely some cheeses, but it was delicious. For my entree, I went with the chicken biscuit with fries. As your dipping sauce, you can go with some standard ketchup or aioli. Leave the ketchup for your standard meals and go with the alternative here. The chicken was juicy, the biscuit was flaky and buttery, and the fries were crisp and well seasoned. All-around, five stars here too. While the food is the star of the show, the service didn't disappoint either. Even though I only ordered takeout, the lady over the phone was super nice on the phone and also when I was picking up the food. Even though I initially called, I ended up using their online ordering system which was a seamless experience. You can make changes to your order with ease. While Commerce Cafe is only a year old or so, I think it's already one of the best restaurants in Lockhart. Keep it up!

All the food we had was delicious. Our party had strawberry salad, roast chicken, chicken sandwich, and Brussels sprouts - all were tasty. The speciality drinks were good as well. A couple things to be aware of - in the evening you will need to choose your seat near the blinds because the setting sun is difficult, pay attention to speakers because the music is played loud, also there is one huge AC vent and it is set to the comfort level of the open kitchen, so it is very cold. I do appreciate the open kitchen as food was handled properly and the two people working did a great job of working fast and putting out great food. Service was good. Will return and leave room for dessert next time because the pies looked delicious.

I Was there last night, and had the Spaghetti, and as always it was Amazing!! In addition to the food, the ambiance was great! Our waiter was spot on with refills and conversation. We wanted for nothing!!! Can't wait to go again!!

get the fried chicken sandwich, you won't be disappointed! weren't able to try the popovers today, but heard a rumor they were phenomenal - maybe at some point! Foreign and Domestic is also great if you're in Austin, sit at the bar, it's a great vibe!

Recently held my son and daughter-in-law's rehearsal dinner at Commerce Cafe. They have a lovely room upstairs that accommodated our 44 person dinner easily. I worked with Rachel on a dinner menu via text and calls, as I live 2 1/2 hours away. She was very helpful and accommodating. The event turned out beautiful. We did our own table arrangements, but the venue supplied tablecloths and place settings. We had options on the bar and menu. We chose their incredibly juicy and tender chicken, rich and delicious potatoes, asparagus and salad. We also did an assortment of pie slices and Commerce supplied 4 different kinds. Everything was hot, fresh and delicious! The strawberry and blueberry buttermilk pies were a big hit. I've had many a buffet meal before, but this one was outstanding! Our guests all commented about how much they enjoyed dinner. Sarah; the owner was on hand and made sure everything was perfect. The venue also has A/V equipment and we were able to play a slideshow. It was a wonderful event and I thank Commerce Cafe for making it so successful.

This restaurant is a can't-miss spot when in Lockhart. The two best pasta dishes I've had in the Austin area came out of this kitchen. The rigatoni and the bolognese. True old school cafe vibes with old school prices. Super great value. Their deserts are solid, too.

Excellent addition to the heart of Lockhart. Giant portions, delicious food and great environment. Highly recommend.

Loved that the kitchen is open for us to view everything being made from scratch. Delicious food! We tried the chicken fried steak and the BLT. Ask for their garlic aoli sauce, you will thank me later. Cant wait to come back and try more. Their salads and pop overs looked delicious!

SO good! honestly unexpected for a small town. the side of cauliflower was delicious - i could've had 3 of those servings just for dinner because of the flavor. bartender is great and the fries were seasoned perfectly. def come here :)

What a gem, the view of the market square is gorgeous, the inside if the restaurant is gorgeous, the staff are great and the food is indescribably delicious. I had the chicken fried steak, the batter is light and just enough, the sauce is awesome, the little potatoes were fried to perfection in duck fat and gently sprinkled with light cheese. The green beans perfectly seasoned with distinct flavour notes of lemon and herbs. I'm waiting for my peach pie to warm, I am confident it won't disappoint

Delicious breakfast and good service. Highly recommended. The French toast was delicious and the hash browns were crispy outside and soft inside.

Awesome spot! High quality, great food and drinks. Reasonable price for such good food. Excellent service. I think we found our new spot.

Who knew? I certainly didn't. Foreign & Domestic has a child in Lockhart! I spied this new restaurant on the square in downtown Lockhart and pulled over to check Yelp. I saw a solid menu and decided to try it out. I was very happy that I did. Very cute interior that reminded me of NYC, or even Austin. I had the Crispy Pork Chop Sandwich, which was huge and delicious. I didn't notice that it came with handcut fries, which were perfectly cooked, so I ordered the Stewed Okra and Tomatoes. That was so rich and so good, and again a very generous portion. For $15 I was stuffed. No liquor license yet, but on the way. In the meantime, you can BYOB. They have only been open for two months. Can you imagine opening a restaurant in this current atmosphere? Give these folks some love and reward yourself with some great chef inspired Southern comfort food.

Food was AMAZING! Soup and grilled cheese hit on a cold Texas day! French fries were to die for but remember to get the sauce and ketchup. A+ for sure and we will definitely be back!

Had dinner on last Monday we ordered lasagna for three food was great drinks well made. Service very good. Nice staff and I like that u can see the kitchen

Had our first, BUT NOT last meal at the new spot in Lockhart. The staff was very friendly and the restaurant was very casual. You order at the counter and seat yourself. We had a little bit of A lot! Started with the Popovers and Peach Salad. Both of these were delicious, but I loved the Popovers 1000%! Fresh, warm and just the right amount of cheese. Peaches, candies pecans, and cheese - WHAT's NOT to love!! Main course was two plates of the roasted chicken and the other was Spaghetti Bolognese. Both of these plates were absolutely amazing!!! Perfect temperature and flavor, we cleaned the plates. Chicken was very moist, not dry at all. The pasta is made fresh by the chefs, which is a huge PLUS! Dessert was different, and we devoured every last bite of it. All and all - HUGE Yes!! 10 out of 10 and we will be back again and again!! Worth the drive if you don't live here.

Horrible service!! We were seated 30 minutes later still no food however, the couple who came in and were next to us were served 20 minutes later while we waited for our meal. No excuse for poor service.

The food is spectacular and the atmosphere is relaxing and cute. The ONLY complaint I have is their hues of operation. There have been multiple times I've wanted to stop by (by myself and with others) around 2-3pm and they are weirdly closed for a few hours in the middle of the day- disappointing and have to take business elsewhere to settle for some place else.

We have eaten at Commerce Cafe quite a few times since it opened. It started out GREAT but honestly the last couple of times (recently) the food has been SO salty we couldn't eat some of it - which was not the case earlier. New chef with a super salty palate? Not sure but unless they dial it back we will not be eating there again. That said, if they get the salt issue handled we will definitely head back in ... and update our star rating. The service is always super friendly and prompt and the space is cute and welcoming. Hopefully they will correct their issue!

On a road trip from Ft Worth to Port A when we looked for a place to eat on Yelp. I saw Commerce Cafe and saw that it got a 5 star review. I did not read any reviews and just decided to try it out. We were more than happy with the service, food quality, price, and ambiance. What a nice surprise. We were thinking just your run of the mill home cooking cafe. The food is on a different level than what you might expect. We will be back on our next trip to the coast.

Wow another great place to grab a meal in LKHRT! I had the Cheeseburger today. The 'rents had the spaghetti bolognese and the BLT. Everything was good. I'm a sucker for buttermilk pie...and it was divine. The homemade organic strawberry jam on the pie made it one of my favorite pies ever! My review wouldn't be complete without mentioning Elizabeth. She and the other waitress are TX State (Southwest Texas State University) students or Grads, and they tagged team our every need during our short time there this evening.

Enjoyed lunch yesterday with 5 friends. Excellent food and service. Had the burger with a big bowl of carrots instead of fries. They were flavorful and the perfect texture. Burger was delicious. Tried the fries which were great. Two people raved about the chicken fried steak (a huge plate). The veggie sandwich was also good. Full, we walked around the square before returning for dessert, sharing creme brulee, cheesecake and a chocolate cream pie with a light topping. All delicious. Prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality and quantity of food and drinks. Everything is made in house. Attentive service and hard working staff. We'll go back. The drive from Austin is not bad.

Tasteful space with well cooked meals. A bit on the salty side, better to keep it minimal and let folks add to taste. Also the mocktails are slightly overpriced. Otherwise , one of the best options for high quality fare in Lockhart. We'll be back

Amazing food, made fresh from scratch. Cocktails are also on point. Hidden gem in Lockhart. Great for a dinner date on the square.

Wow. What a treat!! The menu is very well thought out and you can tell the ingredients are fresh and locally sourced. Upscale diner cuisine without the upscale price. We will frequent this gem often!

I'm picky. I was a chef. I make my own miso. I grow my own food. This place is 100% the shit. Great staff. Wonderful small town vibe. Local food. Cooked perfectly( every single plate was on point) this will be in the solid rotation and closer than Austin for me.

Amazing food, amazing service. Don't sleep on the popover, it's incredible.................................

Absolutely delicious ! Came in for brunch and had the most amazing chicken biscuit sandwich and burger . Everything from the ice tea , latte, food and service were perfect . It's a thoughtful menu and sort of feels like someone who loves food has taken their best dishes and put them out there for everyone ! What a gift !

Really great food, the wife and I went for our anniversary dinner and both left with full belly's and smiles on our faces.