Hays City Store & Ice House

Had Friday night Prime Rib specials and Mexican martinis. Did was excellent and done perfectly! Our server, Jackie was attentive and prompt. The place was hopping but plenty of servers! I wish I could eat there every week!!

Had a fantastic experience here! It was our first time here and our server went above and beyond to welcome us and take care of us during our visit. The food was really good and hit the spot and the drink selection is pretty expansive. There's a lot of space here between the dining room, the outdoor patio, and the ice house. Certainly worth a stop if you are in the area.

Place was legit, after our market day I. Wimberley . We had some good food and great service. Good job on our server with the LSU purple shoes. You rock my man. Definitely did a great job. We will be back

Quite possibly the best food in Texas. The buffalo smoked wings are the best I've ever had, bathed in a blend of traditional hot sauce, basil, and other unique ingredients. Also, their wood fire pizzas are amazing. If you’re ever within 50 miles of Driftwood, Texas, this is worth the drive. Ask for to be seated in Am B's section. She's an amazing waitress, friendly, on point, and knowledgeable.

Best pork chops and Country Fried Chicken in all of Hays County! The atmosphere, food and staff are amazing here! The drive to get here in the hill country is perfect for a lovely lunch or dinner date, highly recommend this place, I’ll be back for sure! 👍🏼

I went with friends on the weekend at about 4. There wasn't any wait to get in. It was hot outside, but they had fans and misters going. The server was attentive without being overbearing and was quick to get anything we requested. I got the fish tacos. They were excellent! I got the Chipotle aoli on the side because it had a bit of a bite to it. The hays hurricane was also good and definitely had a kick to it. They have live music later in the evening and I was sad to have missed it. I would definitely go back!

I'd like to consider myself a regular here! We dine about 1-2x per week and always experience great service, food & drinks. My favorite dish is the blackened grilled chicken with black beans and jalapeño cream corn... and a frozen margarita! 😁🍹

This was my 1st time to eat here. Obviously it's a very popular place, but i feel like I just found a hidden gem. The queso was fantastic and the chopped sirloin was possibly the best I've ever had and The mushroom gravy was perfect! I was with a group of almost 30 people and the wait staff handled it very well and everyone loved their food. There were a couple of mistakes, but you have to expect that with large groups. The restaurant was packed on a Thursday night, which is a great sign, but it also made it so loud it was hard to have a conversation with those across the table. Overall, it was a great experience!

Visited around 7PM on a Sunday. It's already dark outside and was a little chilly, so they had their fires lit outside while the live music played. Service was great! Our table shared chips & queso, which was delicious. They serve the El Patio chips, which are the best around! I had beef enchiladas, which were delicious! I wasn't a big fan of the rice, but the beans were good. I can't remember what my friends ordered but I posted pictures. They liked their food choices as well. Can't wait to come back!

A lot of hype about this joint. Maybe it's because we came midday and didn't partake in the well-known outdoor space, but it was mid at best. The food was fine. The staff was in between change over so some meh service is to be expected. They looked to have a decent draft selection but most of the interesting ones were tapped out and the wait staff was not knowledgeable on what was available or worth trying. Night give them another chance on an evening to see love music, but overall, not worth the drive from SM.

I went to Hays City Store for a friend's birthday party, where another friend's band (Shakedown) was playing. It is a beautiful outdoor space to listen to music and eat delicious food. Ordering food with a date, we chose the Nachos. I was expecting a plate of many nacho chips covered with the various toppings. Instead, the nacho plate consisted of six large half-moon chips layered in beans, house-blended cheese, grilled jalapeños, served with pico, sour cream and guacamole. There was a choice of ground beef or chicken Tinga. Being indecisive, I asked if we could have both. It was indeed possible for an extra dollar. It was worth it! The nachos were very filling and we didn't need to order an entree. Our server, John, was very attentive, frequently checking on us to see if everything was okay, and filling up our water glasses.

I'm not sure if my expectations were low and that's why I was completely blown away by how amazing this was... or if this is truly one of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at. EVERYTHING tasted phenomenal and the service was divine! I was also impressed with their outdoor seating area - it reminded me of the original Salt Lick BBQ, beautiful trees, hanging lights, grass areas etc. You gotta try this place!

Good food and great service. The owners (Travis and Tamera) invest in making the facility's comfortable and clean. Family friendly and they can accommodate large groups (just call ahead). The drinks are awesome. Al & Shirla

Routed a long weekend from Austin to San Antonio through Wimberley just to check out Hays City Store after seeing all the rave reviews and it did not disappoint! The outdoor seating area looked like a perfect spot for a casual lunch or weekday bite, with lots of charm and shade. We were a large group of nine and opted to sit indoors, and the staff couldn't have been more accommodating and kind. They walked us through the menu, which had a great range of options ~ something for everyone, from classic comfort food to lighter fare. I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and a side salad, and it hit the spot. Everything was hearty and flavorful (and big enough to share!). It also felt like a great spot for groups. Splitting checks seemed pretty easy; their handheld device had a few hiccups, but the staff handled it quickly the old-fashioned way. Definitely worth the detour!

My friends and I are in Wimberley for a girls trip and decided to come here (after Marshall at the winery recommended it). The wait was estimated to be 45 minutes, and we were seated within 15. There is a huge (dog friendly) outdoor area, and there are a zillion misting fans to help cut the heat. Most of us started with a round (or two) of margaritas and queso, as well as artichoke dip, as our apps. Gavin, our server, gave us several suggestions on what he'd recommend (that alone merits a 5-Star review - he was WONDERFUL). I opted for the fish tacos and subbed shrimp, and I paired it with two rounds of watermelon margaritas. We all loved our entrees and had incredible service, especially with how crowded the restaurant was. We will be back!

The drinks were good, food was reminiscent of a chain restaurant. Very salty, fatty and fried. Sometimes that's the vibe and I'm okay with it. Everyone really liked the chicken fried steak and onion rings. Burger was solid. Portions are huge, we had a hard time finishing our food. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very family friendly. Lots of kids playing football on the grass, there is a climbing structure in a tree. My kids had a blast, played with all the kids. We loved it here, would definitely come back.

I came here for dinner with my parents and a friend, and it was a night to remember. We sat outside in the summer evening, and it is just one of those places that feels welcoming and relaxing. The server was a little slow with things like refills, but her amazing attitude and personality made up for that by spades. As for the food, I have rarely seen my parents this happy over a meal! My parents continue to talk about the amazing prime rib special they had that evening. I have heard all about how tender and perfectly flavored the meat was, and how the cook is a brilliant human who makes the best mashed potatoes ever. Seriously, the joy this meal brought my parents makes me even forget what I ordered. I mean, to be 100% honest, my meal was not great (the Brussels sprouts were quite something and not in a good way), but I was the outlier at the table, which is fine. My friend had a massive chicken sandwich that was so big she had what seemed like a second chicken patty she could take home as leftovers. It was a good night, and I'd go back.

Lots to love about this place. It is not a long drive from the big City but seems so country once you arrive. It has plenty of parking and the place is very big. We came on Saturday and luckily made a reservation for 7 and were seated promptly. Drinks came fairly quickly but apps took way too long imo. They were delicious especially the fried cheese curds. It is a must try when we come back. The CFS was good but nothing special. The pepperoni pizza was excellent and could easily feed 2 adults. The fish taco were very large portions. My wife said the one of them was much better than the other one. This is a very hot spot on the weekends obviously because we must have seen 100 bikers in the restaurant and the lots. It was a very Family oriented crowd and all had a great time So why not a 5 star review? Location 5 Ambiance 5 Apps 5 Food 4 Wait for food 4 Service 4 It is a great place and we will definitely come back soon or recommend to friends.

This restaurant is fantastic!!! Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and plenty of seating indoors and on the patio. Every dish was simply cooked to perfection. The fried pork chop was super moist and by far one of the best I've ever had! Sadly we did not get a chance to try their burgers, but if I ever have a chance to come back, I definitely would try!

Came to Hays Country Store for lunch today and we were greeted by Tyler. We ordered ice tea and my husband had a beer. He ordered the truck stop enchiladas and I ordered the pork chop grilled with spinach and coleslaw. That pork chop was the most juiciest and tastiest chop I have ever had. It was cooked perfectly. So yummy. You have to try it grilled. Soooooo good. My husband totally enjoyed his enchiladas. Tyler was the perfect server. He was so attentive and brought me extra ice and came by just the right amount of times. And such a great personality. I also watched him handle many tables and was doing such a great job. Will definitely ask for him next time. We will be back to have lunch again real soon! It is such a beautiful day here and we are in the ice house and the sun was shining and the place is so comfortable.

A friend of mine invited me here tonight, 9/14. I'm a vegetarian, I went in not having very high expectations. In all I got the black bean burger, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, we shared onion rings and cheesy bread. I gotta say all of it was fantastic. I was ultra impressed. I was not expecting much. The onion rings were some of the best I've ever had, they do the breading so well. I haven't had an old-fashioned that good in a long time. Service was great too, employees were super friendly & welcoming.

My favorite place for a burger here in texas. Specifically the bacon jam burger , best burger ever !

New to Texas, this is the type of place I was looking for, the ambiance, music, food, drinks (their light cherry lime aid allowed me to enjoy a drink and watch my sugar) and excellent service from everyone especially Flavio (I hope I got that right). Would definitely come again. Had the steak salad it was delicious.

Went in for lunch in the bar and it was great! Fries are fabulous! our server was super friendly and the food was good! They even have a band sometimes so grab a beer and some live music! My greek salad was super fresh and the grilled chicken on top was so tender! Also great chips, queso and salsa!

My husband and I returned to the Hays City Store for lunch while in the area. When we arrived the parking lot was full and we were searching for a place to park when someone kindly guided us where to go. After parking we walked up to the host/hostess stand. We were greeted and asked about seating in the patio area, in the covered patio area, and inside the restaurant. We decided to sit in the patio area as there was no wait and immediately sat down. Luckily the weather was sunny and cool. After sitting a waitress came over, brought us some menus, and took our drink order. A few minutes later she brought our waters and took our order. During our time sitting and waiting for our food we had a different waiter approach us. He said that he would be taking care of us the rest of the time. It was a little awkward but despite the changes both of the wait staff was friendly and did a good job taking care of us. We ordered the PK Nachos as an appetizer to share. They came with a choice of Tinga Chicken or Ground Beef. I decided on the Tinga Chicken. For my meal I ordered the Bacon Jam Burger with Onion Rings. After eating we decided to take a sweet treat home for dessert so we ordered the Pecan Pie with Cream to go. The PK Nachos were really good. They came with beans, cheese, Tinga Chicken and jalapenos with a side of guacamole, sour cream, and Pico de Gallo. The chips were strong enough to hold all of the ingredients and the Tinga chicken is what gave them flavor. I'm glad I got to try them. The Black Jam Burger was yummy. The burger meat was a good size and when you add in the bacon jam, cheese, and onion strings it creates a delicious combination of flavors with every bite. The Onion Rings were really good. They were crispy on the exterior with a semisweet onion on the interior. I ate mine with Ketchup but they were so good that you could also eat them just as they are. Lastly we brought home some Pecan Pie with Cream. The Pie was so sweet that we couldn't finish it. It had pecans and chocolate in it. The cream was a nice addition. Overall the service was good, the atmosphere is laid back with plenty of seating choices, and the food was delicious.

Very popular place so you may have to wait. Food is hit and miss, my burger could only be ordered well done, nothing else and it was very well done to the point you really couldn't taste the meat. Stay away from the burger like my relatives did and you will be fine. Decent pricing, friendly and reasonably fast service. Not sure I'd return.

I stopped here for lunch one afternoon with a coworker and was pleasantly surprised. The service was fast and friendly and the food I saw go by me looked great. I had the colossal Cobb salad and enjoyed the meal. The name is a little misleading because it was a regular sized salad but the flavor was great and the large chicken tenders really topped off the salad. Even though we sat inside the outside dining area looked like a place to enjoy an every meal as long as there is a cool breeze. I will definitely come back.

One of my favorite local places. Food is always fresh and delicious. They have a beautiful outdoor seating area as well as a closed off patio and small inside area. The patio has fans and is heated in the winter. Staff is usually friendly and fast. I will say, this place is insane on the weekends. It gets packed early and stays busy all weekend. I believe they do take reservations, but since we're local we just stick with going during the week to avoid the weekend crowds. Their pizza is my teen's favorite there, but it's only available after specific times. I personally love their Frito Pie, burgers, but their grilled chicken with sautéed spinach is my absolute favorite. The chicken is seasoned well and paired with their garlicky spinach as a side is perfection.

Took a little day trip out to Driftwood and decided to try out Hays City Store. The weather was a little chilly but we decided to sit outside since they provided personal propane warming stations as well as blankets! It was much appreciated and they gave off a lot of heat! We ordered a cup of tortilla soup, the side of onion rings (4) and the NY strip. The NY strip was cooked to specifications, juicy and very well seasoned. The portion size for $35 was great as well. The chicken tortilla soup was flavorful and the fresh avocado, cheese and tortilla strips on the top was a nice touch. I can understand why their onion rings have won them awards because they were amazing! Just the right amount of batter, very large and when you bite into them, it doesn't all fall apart. We really enjoyed our time and meal and we will return with our kiddo when the weather gets warmer since there is space for kids to play.

Food always great! Service A+, ambience relaxed atmosphere indoor and outdoor. Also have great music and awesome frozen Jack Frosts!

This is our Go-To hangout. We enjoy the food, live music, attentive managers and warm, hospitable wait staff. Don't be put off by sometimes challenging parking. I have NEVER failed to find a good spot just by being a little patient. The minute you walk up, you're greeted by helpful hosts who try to meet your requests quickly. Usually after 6:00 there's already live music from one of a variety bands already playing. In short, this is a terrific place to hang out!

This restaurant is consistently great!!! We love going to HCS. We enjoy sitting at the outdoor bar this is is our favorite bar!!! We love the indoor bar too, indoor bar has more comfortable seats!!! We recently sat outside in the cold at one of the picnic tables ( with one of their heaters on the table) not too cold with that heat in front of us but I would have preferred to be in the bar area outside! They have the best frozen margaritas, my favorite of any place I have been!! We love every meal we have ever ordered there!!! Seriously. We are regulars. So thankful that they are close to our home Keep up the great service,HCS

We live in San Antonio and after getting off I-35, it was a nice ride there and the ride home took us through Devil's Elbow and the beautiful hill country on 281. There were 7 adults and 6 children and we did have reservations. It was a bust Saturday afternoon (1/11/25). We weren't rushed at all and were celebrating a birthday. We were occupying our table for about 2.5-3 hours. The service was great! Our waiter was very honest in his recommendations when we asked. He was very thoughtful about what we would need with all the children. Food was delivered hot and fresh. The cheesesteak had a definite bite from the Hatch green chile. Personally, too hot for me so I shared the meal with the people at my table that liked the added spice. The fries came out a little cold but our waiter was in it and brought out wonderfully hot, fresh fries promptly. The chicken fried steak was delicious. The onion rings, we were told us one of the things they are famous for and there's definitely a reason why...they were so yummy. Not greasy and breaded to perfection. The shepherds pie was delicious too. The children got pizza which was the size of a large paper plate and they loved it. The drive, the service, the atmosphere, and the food made the afternoon of family fun even more enjoyable. If you want an enjoyable afternoon take a chance on Hay's City. You won't question your decision. All around great experience!

Finally got around to trying this spot. The parking lot is always packed. They have ample covered outdoor seating as well as indoor. The place was pretty poppin' for a Thursday afternoon lunch crowd, a good sign in my opinion. I thought the inside seating looked like an old diner. I personally enjoyed the vibe. I tried the G.O.A.T burger and my husband got the chicken fried chicken. He loved it said definitely would get again. My burger was excellent. Service was ok. There is plenty more on the menu that looks so good, I'm looking forward to going back.

We really enjoyed our time at Hays City Store! They have a ton of lunch specials and happy hour deals every day which is great. We took our family there for lunch, and they loved the margarita flight and the mother clucker sandwich the most! The BLT was a solid choice, and my kiddo's burger was perfect. Hubby got the soup because he was a little under the weather, and he said it was solid. I had a burger, and since they ran out of buns I just had it lettuce wrapped along with a side of Cole slaw. Cole slaw was good, and the burger was nice as well! Next time I'll definitely get the fish tacos! There is a small rope trampoline outside which is nice for kids of all ages. Just be aware that it isn't fenced in and right in the parking lot, so make sure to keep an eye out for those smaller kids! They also have little picnic tables for kiddos to sit at which is sweet! Our server was LOVELY! She was so friendly, and she made every part of the meal easy to enjoy! We appreciated her kindness and also the kindness of other servers around us! Hays City Store is a solid choice for anyone, especially families that want to get some energy out of their kids at the playscape and grab a couple drinks or brunch!

Great service and food. Casual dining pets are welcome. Fun with friends! Loved it will always visit this place! Here from Ohio!

Friends from Dripping Springs took us there in a small road trip to Kyle, TX. Mostly outdoors with a great pavilion that contains a bar and lots of seating. The atmosphere and ambiance is fantastic and relaxing. The menu is expansive with just about everything you could expect to eat in Texas. Of course I drank amber beer, the Austin Brewery and the Shotgun Amber as alternative to Shiner. It was great and got a huge Chicken Fried Steak and some onion rings. I was stuffed at the end and happy as a great experience and meal. I definitely recommend coming here if in the area for some Texas hospitality.

Our server Savannah was so sweet, kept checking on us making sure we had everything. Had the chicken tenders with onion rings, I got 2 piece which was a good thing because it was huge! There is indoor and outdoor with live band at 6pm. We stayed indoors because we had a newborn with us. It was a really nice rustic exterior. Just know that the tables and benches are like picnic sets so if u need a chair make sure to ask.

If you enjoy a lively conversation, lots of people, great food and service, add in some fun for the kiddos, great drinks & cocktails.... This is your spot! Sit outside under the trees and lights, love music on certain nights....Make a reservation if you can or plan to wait 30 min for a table on the weekends.

Food was very good and the service was great as well. Prices were also very resonance. The history of this spot is fascinating as well evolving from gas station/market to a top restaurant in the hill country. We will be back!

Fun place, good drinks, and good food. I ordered the Diablo Con Carne pizza and a frozen margarita. Wasn't crazy about the crust on the pizza, but holy cow did the rest have tons of flavor (and heat!!!). I was told the heat came from the spicy chile oil, but by no means are you to sleep on the fresh jalapeño!! Margarita was good and live music was a bonus. The Mrs had fish tacos with a large hunk of fish in each and some tasty green chile sauce included. Good stuff....we'll be back.

I love the atmosphere at this place. Live music outside. You can eat outside - there's a bar outside you can eat at or you can eat inside. I've never had a bad meal there. We had their enchilada special, which was delicious. And always love their casa with the guac and meat in it.

Throwing a 5 Star at this place because they kinda do it all pretty well and there's not much else around that comes close. Great Family environment! Old school cafeteria/grocery that's been updated for the Millennial sensibilities. There's indoor and plenty of outdoor seating with lots of TV's to watch the game. They are dog and kid friendly, which was amazing since we had both with us during a trip to the Hill Country. We thought all the ladies working there were super hospitable and helpful on a cool rainy day. Food is honestly super well made and I was a little bit surprised honestly. I came in expecting just standard salt and pepper country cooking, but the quality and presentation for sure changed my expectations. There's mostly burgers, pizzas, and fried foods to choose from, but none of it comes out tasting lazy or looking thrown together. Chicken breast where you can tell that it's chicken and green beans that aren't from a can. The food tastes good and I'm making sure to come back whenever I'm out this way again. Plenty of reasonably priced drinks too, if I didn't have a drive back to Houston waiting for me after my lunch here I would've sampled a 2 or 12 of them.

I came back after a year and Was excited to have the same experience as last time. I was so sad to be let down... big time. I guess since gaining popularity, the quality of food has gone down. Service is still good but wait was soooooo long! 1.5 on a Saturday. I was willing to wait because I thought the food was worth it, but now I wouldn't wait. They've added a cute little net Playground for the kids which made the wait bearable but again, it was not worth it in the end. Maybe will try it again when i know it's not busy to see if that changes anything. We tried the chicken fried chicken, the chicken fried steak, the kids cheeseburger, the kids cheese pizza, the southwest salad, and the home run appetizer sampler.

Good food and friendly services. The chicken strips and mac & cheese were good. Will definitely go back.

Great place and always busy. Food awesome. Try pork chops. Always juicy. Have entertainment at night.

Pepperoni pizza was delicious! Their curbside customer service was friendly and timely.

I absolutely love hays city store. You gotta make a reservation or call ahead... Especially I'm busy summer peak days. But the food is great and the ambience is outstanding. We ate inside since it was a hot summer day. But I also like the outdoor patio and bar

I'd like to start by saying the live music is amazing!!! They have amazing staff who really cares about making people have a lovely time! Our server was very sweet! The food came out very fast by this girl. She stopped at our table a few times to give us our food! She was very kind and asked us if we needed anything else! She was very sweet and I asked for her name. She said it was Maddy we had a very nice talk! Everyone there runs back and forth and they really do work very hard! Highly recommend this place!

What's not to love. We love the atmosphere, food, drinks, music, outdoor dining and service. It's a gem in the country side. The burger with tomato bacon jam is to die for. I don't even like burgers that much but I love that burger. I love that they have frito pie on the menu when I feel like eating. We come here often. You can say we are regulars.

Finally made it to Hayes city store after following their IG account for years. We cruised up at 7 PM on a Saturday night and it was packed. The wait times were two hours for outside and 1.5 hours for inside. We got lucky and scored a seat at the outside bar, where we ended up getting drinks and eating. They had a fun live band playing classic rock, but I wish they had been a little louder to hear better in the bar. We ordered the fried chicken salad and the fish tacos. We both loved the salad, but unfortunately, the fish in the fish tacos was very overcooked and dry, so we didn't eat much of that. Either way, super fun spot I will definitely check out again when I'm in the area.

The is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. First off, every single person who works there is extremely friendly and attentive. It's always great service! The food is delicious, I order something different everytime and it's all good. I had the chicken fried steak my last visit and it's one of the best I've had. The mash potatoes are made from scratch and are great with the cream gravy. Drinks are fairly priced and they have an extensive beer menu. The live music is always rockin! I highly recommend this spot!

Great food and service to match. Consistently good. Reasonably priced. Relaxed atmosphere. Because of its popularity, parking can be an issue.

Great chicken fried steak... as a person raised in Texas, there are three basic (main course) food groups: BBQ, TexMex, & ChickenFried (yes, there is also steaks & burgers & stuff, but having traveled all over this country & the world- you can get great steaks, burgers & whatnot in a lot of places - the three things you really can not find to a True Texan's satisfaction anywhere else is decent BBQ, TexMex, or Chicken Fried Steak / Chicken Fried chicken. You wouldn't think it was rocket science, but... (Of course, it's tough to find epic pizza, ala Bertucci's or Chinese food, ala CA/HI/WA here - if you can help me: DM). Anyway, CCC used to be my goto for the perfect Chicken Fried Steak here in Wimberley, but since it burned down... now, for the best in the area, I head up to the Hays City Store. While it's not exactly the same - the food is as good, they have great live music, and it's always lively. Being a small town kinda guy, the fact it's usually packed with folks from both Hays & S.Travis Co isn't its best feature (but you can make reservations!), but that's also an indication of just how good it is. I absolutely recommend the Hays City store, especially if you have friends or family visiting from out of the area or even for a casual date night- (& their motto should be) it's "a very easy place to have a great time".

Stopped in today for a late lunch. Glad we did! I was disappointed at first that the beef filet was taken off the menu. So I ordered the G.O.AT burger instead with onion rings and a side salad. It was so delicious! Burger came out medium as ordered. Flavors were perfect. Onion rings were tasty. I ordered the side salad with pico and goat cheese added. The ranch tasted homemade! That's a great compliment since I'm a ranch dressing snob! Hubby ordered the 9 piece fried shrimp with coleslaw and fries. He loved his! I tasted it and it was nice plump tasty shrimp! Not all breading with tiny shrimp. Decided to try the Berry Heaven for dessert. OMGeeee!!! It was so good. A warm churu cheesecake danish with fresh berries and whipped topping! I couldn't stop eating it! We will definitely be back!

April 17, 2023 We stopped to use the RR on the way to Wimberley and this restaurant was hopping on a Monday afternoon. Menu looked good with plenty of outdoor seating

We've been going to Hays City for many years and have NEVER had a bad meal, bad time, bad waiter...or anything bad. It's always awesome food and great service.