C B.
Yelp
What a cool and cozy place! My wife and I had plans to visit for a while. The Jingu House was originally the residence of the Jingu family from Japan who created the amazing sunken gardens in Brackenridge Park. Its preservation and conversion to a restaurant had won awards and we were eager to see the results.
They don't take reservations, but spur of the moment, we had time for a late lunch today and decided to go. The Japanese Gardens are incredible - but on a cold, drizzly afternoon, we ascended the winding ramp (my wife can't use steps) and went straight to the entry, turning our backs on tantalizing views of the gardens..
Turns out, this was the takeout door. Fortunately, I had seen photos of the dining room so I knew we we'd gone to the wrong entry. We ducked out and found the second door for the dining room. In spite of the confusion, the intimate space is wonderful, with views all around looking across the park. We sat at a comfortable table, well worth the climb up from the parking lot.
Our waiter was personable - explaining the order & payment app while also taking our order. I've struggled with similar apps before, but this one was simple to use and made it easy to add to our order and eventually to pay and tip.
I was a bit suspicious of the "Asian-Mexican fusion" food concept, but it worked! I really enjoyed my pork bao - with nopales. We had a nice plate of gyoza and my wife warmed up with yummy miso soup.
I asked our waiter if the popularity of the gardens brought in big crowds. We were there with only a few others so small dining room never felt crowded. He said that was something they dealt with having outdoor seating in good weather, and there's also takeout.
We did spend time admiring the gardens, but it's the food and atmosphere at the Jingu House that will bring us back.