The Hoffbrau

Austin doesn't have any good steakhouse. PERIOD. We found this one online. Supposingly the oldest and the best one. They are open from late afternoon only which is odd. Venue is very outdated but we decided to give it a try. Menu is limited to choice of steak only. The rest potatoe wedges, bread and salad come with it. Garlic dressing was what we enjoyed the most. Place was very small and slow. We had no idea how the business survives with limited menu, short hours and no renovation. It was just OK experience.

Possibly one of the best steaks we've ever had! Simple, reasonably priced, authentic atmosphere, friendly staff. Salad was fresh and crisp with a simple and refreshingly zesty lime and garlic dressing. We went with the ribeye and tenderloin, both medium-rare, both tender, juicy, and so tasty. If you're not a fan of butter or garlic, or looking for a fancy place, then I'd recommend looking elsewhere. Absolutely delightful experience for us. 💖

The Original Hofbrau has been on W 6th St since 1932, and the decor shows it. The menu is simple and the only choice is what meat you want, but it does allow for a two person operation. You will eat the “love it or leave it” salad will depend on how much you like garlic. Personally, we'd skip the potato wedges and pay extra for the order the onion rings The steaks are reasonably priced when you compare them to a high end steak restaurant. Our tenderloins are cut very thin. The menu says the bread is meant for soppin’. We get it when the meat arrives, because the steak is swimming in a butter sauce.

This. Place. Is. Amazing. We literally loved everything, and was the best steak we have ever had. We have eaten at MANY steakhouses. No frills, just delicious food. My margarita was tasty as well! Not to mention, you are greeted promptly by truly caring staff/owners. We will probably eat here once or twice a month from now on!

Still as good as I remember! So glad they're open! I got the ribeye and a bourbon+coke. Great meal!

Love this steakhouse. It is 110 times better that any other out there. The cook delivers a perfectly cooked steak every time. With every steak you get an awesome olive oil and lemon butter dressing salad, and wedge cut fresh potatoes cooked on the grill. The steaks are so juicy that you will want to sit a slice of bread in the juice an then eat it, YUM. I also like to order onion rings. They have a full bar so get your whiskey there too. I wanted to take more pictures but the food was just so good I wanted to enjoy every bite.

No frills. No nonsense. Just steak. Classic Austin steakhouse around for over 80 years and the steak is still voted one of the best in Austin. It comes with a small salad, some fried potato wedges and some bread. The steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and slathered with garlic butter that just uplifts the flavor. And a 16oz Ribeye for $32.95? I’m sold.

The steak was a little stringy and bland. Perfectly cooked though. The star was the 'love it or leave it salad' with lashings of fresh garlic.

This was one of those places you know it's gonna be good, the smell of cooking steak, the décor hasn't changed since the 70s, and the staff that look like from decades past with a smile. Their steaks were worth the drive alone to get melted butter and garlic smothering the meat. Sad to see it is now defunct. A piece of real Austin once again disappears to memory.

On our last night in Austin, I was looking for a good steak, but not anywhere fancy so I stumbled upon the Hoffbrau Steakhouse and walked in to see if they could seat us. The whole place only seats about 20 people, but luckily they were able to get us a table. This place is simple, no frills, but boy was it good! They only have six items to choose from on the whole menu. The salad is a take it or leave it -- made the same way everytime and the steak, served in a delicious garlic lemon butter sauce comes with thick cut potato wedges. It was actually nice not being overwhelmed with menu choices and you can tell they serve up some good food with such a simple menu going strong since 1932.

Holy cardiac arrest goodness! The Hoff has been on my list to try. I'm a "cow" girl and when you're looking for the no frills good piece of cow this is the place!! Came on a Friday evening and it wasn't busy. Their menu is short and to the point. What part of cow you want? Small or large? I ordered a small Tbone and when it came out I said "this is a small?!!!" While staring at a piece of meat as big as my face! Each plate automatically comes with a side salad with an awesome garlic oil dressing that is both delish and can kill 10 vampires and potato wedges as big as your head. You'll need them to sop up all the yummy galric butter that your slab of meat comes out on. Great staff no frills. Carnivore? A must.

Been eating here for 30 years. Never disappoints! Old fashioned steak and potatoes. Service is always good and they make you feel like family. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Sadly we tried a trip to get our T-bone's back on (01.14.2023) but it was not to be, the dining room was functioning as a storage shed for someone's beer delivery. Waiting patiently for somebody to fire up that grill again.

It's top of the line steak swimmin in garlic butter; how dare these people not respect an Austin legend; the olive salad is a once in a lifetime dish as well.

I was taken back on how small this restaurant us nothing fancy at all. They do have a beautiful bar. The smell of cooked meat is absolutely breathtaking. and it's really simple stupid menu you get a salad, potato and you get a steak and you get sliced bread this is a place you want to take somebody on a date whose a picky eater and can't decide what they want to eat because they don't have stress over the menu you do have to choose what kind of steak you want I can guarantee you it's absolutely delicious in fact my son ate two steaks. this is a hidden gem I would see people come in and look at the restaurant and walk back out I don't know what they thought but do your research people this is the best steak on 6th Street I didn't give them a 5 because I don't live in Austin and I can't wait to go back and have a steak with their delicious huge deep fried potatoes and the crispy salad.

I took my cousin for her Birthday here cause she wanted a steak but next level like the claimed Tru Lux Streak House. This place was better and more personally drive to serve and the steak omg!!! I would eat there every week if I thought it was ok to consume beef like that. It took me a few days to finish my steak and it was better each time wanting more. Don't sleep on this little joint with a large amount of history, hospitality, and lots of love and joy.

This no-frills locale is the oldest steakhouse in Austin, dating back to 1932. You can tell from the outside, that it has a rustic charm. While inside, isn't as rustic, it certainly is reminiscent of older times. On the walls, there are black and white canvas photos of the original restaurant owner and workers. The tables only seat enough for 30 people, and seem like the original Formica! We went to dinner at 6:30 on a Saturday, and I was a little nervous about dinner since there were only a few tables occupied. When we walked in, we just stood there, waiting to figure out what to do while a couple waitresses chatted at the bar. They then told us to sit wherever we liked, and so we picked a spot near the window. While we gazed around, we were wondering about the menu. As the waitress approached, we asked her for the menu, which she pointed to in a clear frame on the table. She asked if we wanted to start with a drink, to which we also asked for a menu. She simply pointed to the bar and said they had a full one. However, my husband likes beer, so she rattled off a list, none of which my husband really cared for or knew of, so he asked for their hoppiest IPA. I ordered the house Chardonnay, hoping for the best. The waitress went to get our drinks, and we perused the menu, which consisted of about 6 different cuts of steak, small or large. And that's it! I don't typically love a small menu, but we decided to carpe diem and go for it. I ordered the small tenderloin at $21.95 and my husband got the small New York strip for $20.95. Each entree is grilled with a garlic-lemon butter sauce and comes with two automatic sides: potato wedges and a simple salad. The waitress served the salads first, and brought over a plate of white bread and Saltines, which are supposed to be used for sopping up either the oil from the salad dressing or the melted butter from the steak. Or both! The salad. Oh boy! I have never had anything like it. The closest thing I can compare it to is a salad in Spain. Typically in Spain, salads are dredged in olive oil, and this salad was the same! But, it also had a very heavy garlic taste, too. It came with iceberg lettuce, and one grape tomato and was served on a small plate. It should have come in a bowl, because every time I dug in, lettuce fell all over the table. So I wasn't overly impressed with the salad or white bread to start, and then the steaks came. Upon first appearance, it wasn't much to look at. But they tasted phenomenal! We both ordered them medium, and even though they looked a little overdone, they still tasted delicious. The waitress brought out crispy potato wedges to accompany the steaks. For $20 each, you can expect a simple meal, with a very tasty steak. Enjoy!

Amazing!!! A must try staple in Austin!! This establishment has been around forever! It's generational! Really cool that the establishment is in it's original location!! Loved the authenticity and originality! Very take it or leave it steakhouse!! I loved it! Starts with a take it or leave it salad with lettuce,olives, and tomatoes tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic! I loved it!! So did my husband! Enjoyed a top sirloin and my husband had a ribeye, both smothered in garlic butter sauce that will make you drool!! They provide a nice slice of bread for the sopping or you can dip you thick cut steak fries in the yummy butter renderings! They were under construction, adding on a patio area and maybe a bathroom! Lol

This place has mastered simple. The menu is on a a small table placard and consist of 7 items. A chicken breast and 6 different steaks. (They get an extra star just for that). And they have a full bar. Great location - right in downtown Austin. It's surrounded by several hip bars. It has a small dining room, but when our group showed up at around 6:30 on a Wednesday during SXSW, there was no one there and we all sat comfortably right in the middle of the room. Two servers were immediately taking our drink orders. I ordered an Old Fashion. Two big mistakes in making this guys Old Fashion are too much ice (Best made w/1 big ice rock) and muddling a bunch of fruit. They did neither. They mastered the simple here - a well made simple Old Fashion with one box rock ice cube. Of course we ordered steak. I had the Ribeye. Fist you get a salad. A simple bed of lettuce with some cucumbers and 2 cherry tomatoes. Simple. But the dressing! It's a simple (see the theme) oil and vinegar mix infused with garlic. It was awesome. Then the steak comes. Now this was not the best steak I've ever had, but this is not Del Friscos either. And it was $24, and not $50. But it was good. It was actually real good. Perfectly medium rare as I requested. And as many others have mentioned it came in a pool of yummy garlic butter. It also comes with fried potato wedges which serve as a great way to consume more garlic butter. It should come with a defibrillator but you can't ask for too much from a dive steak house. It was a great meal, great atmosphere, great service, and a great price. They close at 9. If they were open at 12, or 1am the line would be down the block.

Pros: Steak, Wedges, Service Cons: AC It was my birthday, and I wanted a steak. We ended up here, and what a find! I was a little iffy with the 3.5-star rating, but it was really good! My wife and I loved the history of the place, which you can read about (and see in all of the pictures on the walls), but we also thoroughly enjoyed our steaks. I had the large bone-in ribeye; she had the small strip. Both were great! The garlic butter sauce on top (and all around) complemented a really nice cut and cooked piece of meat. The potato wedges were also good, and and the bread for soppin' was also nice to have. The salad was just ok... I understand the whole "take it or leave it" thing. The service was also great. The only con was that it was pretty warm in there. It's Texas... crank the AC! That said, I would definitely come back here. No need to go to a fancy steak place and spend $60 or more, when you have this Austin institution.

The best steakhouse anywhere to be found. Ribeye with bone is to die for after their outstanding salad. This is the place to eat real steak.

Went here for the first time last night. Will definitely be back. The food was simple and great. The service was charming. This place is what Austin was when Austin was still Austin. So wonderful to see a 4 generation family business still going strong. This is not a fancy-ass steakhouse where you go to show off. This is an awesome piece of history serving up tasty cuts of delicious beef served the way you should serve them, dammit. Eat here and remember why your grandparents were awesome.

I'm confused by the low reviews but you know some days are better than others and I was lucky enough to catch this place on a rock star type day! This place has been there forever with a cast iron flat top from the 60s! I ordered the chicken and a small ribeye which comes with salad and sopping bread. The salad was amazing with green olives and a olive oil drwssing that has fresh garlic blended in a blender!!! Hands down the best salad ever and the waitress even broight me more when I commented on how good it was, no charge! The chicken and steak were moist and cooked to perfection, drenched in margarine with garlic infusion for a better taste! It would have been under seasoned without the margarine sopping butter! This is a no frills texas steakhouse please understand that! I used an outho7se bathroom and there was checkered table clothes on picnic tables. Also the inside is quaint but old. I kind of like it that way, showing off the old texas dive steakhouses that centered around good food! The server and cook were so sweet and even gave me a side show view of their kitchen. They were so proud of the cast uron flattop and cast iron fryer for the potato wedges. I xan understand why because not vending to the new streamline cooking techniques is amazing! Lets face it old cast ironed seasoning is something to applaud! Out the door for $40.00 for two dinners, salad, bread, ice tea and a shiner bock....um you can't go wrong! Check it out and you will agree!

Was in Austin for business and a client recommended trying this place out. She told us that it was an Austin institution- "the oldest restaurant in Austin", and a must to try... Definitely a lot of history in this place (since 1934). Looks like a hole in the wall (my kind of place), but serves up a mean steak. They do not have menus because you basically have a choice of steak, steak, or steak... But seriously, they have a choice of the 17 oz. T-bone, 10 or 14 oz. Sirloin, 10oz. Ribeye, or the 7 oz. NY Strip. I got the 10 oz. Ribeye, and it didn't dissapoint! The dish came and there it was sitting in a decadent pool of butter! Yes, they cook all their steaks in butter, and boy does it make a difference in flavor and tenderness. My only criticism was that it was a little overcooked (I wanted medium rare, but it was definitely medium). Nevertheless, I didn't care because the quality of the meat was super tender and flavorful. We also had a simple side house salad which was tasty (iceberg lettuce, olive oil with lots of infused garlic to give it a little kick, tomatoes, and lots of yummy green olives), and an appetizer sampler which had sweet onion rings (awesome), jalapeño poppers, GIANT steak fries/wedges, and deep fried mushrooms. It was all good in my book... Not a place for a diet, but worth every drop of butter. Service was fast and friendly. Definitely recommend this spot if you're ever in the area!

The waitress was the best. Super friendly and did not rush me. Since i did not kbow what steak to get!!! The salad simple but delicious. The steak in the lemon butter sauce with white bread was the bomb !!! The potato wedges r on point!!!. Come!!! U will not b disappointed!!! My husband and i r on vacation and recommend you give this place a try!!

The place is very timey and has alot of character. 80 years and it doesnt look like they changed a thing. The food is ok, the steaks come with thick potatoes and a side salad. The potatoes were nice and crispy, and pretty good actually. The salad is made of shredded lettuce, and what seems like a cup of oil, i would say it was over dressed but all i tasted was just oil. The steak wouldve been a lot better if there were little better quality, and for the price i expected as much. The steak lacked a good sear, although the flavor wasnt bad from the butter sauce that they drown the steak in.

More like 2.5 stars but I'll round up to support an Austin institution. Rocked up around 1:00 on a weekday and it was dead empty. I had a friend with me in the states for the first time and wanted to take her to try some Texas steak. This place has been the same since the 20's or something and they haven't updated the menu or anything...I mean I get how that's charming and all but sometimes change is for the better. Until 4pm everything is 10% off. You have a list of about 5 choices of protein and every dish comes with potato wedges, sliced white bread, and a 'take it or leave it salad' (hint: leave it) I'll break down the components for you. Steak: I ordered a small sirloin rare. Which is usually nice but this one was cold throughout and stringy and hard to chew. I truly felt like a carnivore but not in a good way. Butter Sauce: the steak comes coated in this stuff and yea, it's indulgent and delicious. Sliced White Bread: the nice lady who owns the shop told us that when Hoffbrau first opened its doors, sliced bread was brand new and that's why they still serve it. IMO this is a bad call, I would have loved some real fresh bread to sop up my butter, not cold soft slices of sugary sliced white bread. Salad: a bunch of limp lettuce soaked in oil with a cherry tomato and an olive. Skip. Potato wedges: basically a potato that had been quartered and fried. No salt. Couldn't even be helped with ketchup. All in all, I can acknowledge that this is an Austin institution and if you live here, yea I guess go give it a try just to say you did, but I will definitely not be coming back and if you're visiting, there's a million other places I'd recommend higher. Sorry Hoffbrau, sometimes old habits have to die hard. Ps: there is an outside bar that serves sliders and things and I think that is probably a better bet for a bite

Oily/garlicky salads to start the meal followed by ribeye drowning in garlic butter. Cut of meat was mediocre, large potato fries were somewhat underwhelming. The atmosphere was straight out of the 70s with orange tables and was in general old and not very clean looking. I know many have cited this as "charming" or "authentic," but quite frankly I cannot recommend and would not go back. There are too many really good places to eat in Austin. I regret spending my time and money at this "historical" establishment.

Gotta be honest. This was so disappointing. One of the Austin landmarks and there is no reason for it to still be open. Poor service. Passable food. Overpriced. Avoid.

It's steak, it's Sixth Street, it's seriously authentic and if you don't get it, you just don't get it. But if you are the kind of diner that loves an experience with no fluff or frills, you will appreciate what the Hoffbrau serves up. In other words, if you want servers that line dance on cue, or a place that serves up a fully loaded baked potato bigger than your steak, you'll have to go elsewhere. Not the Hoffbrau's style. I'll let the other reviews I've read (the good ones) report all about the food. Those Yelpers do a great, descriptive rendition of a Hoffbrau meal. But I want to tell you more about the true Texas nature of this place. It's the kind of place that when an older lady came in alone for dinner, the proprietor, who had never met her before, ate with her so she would have company. The lady wasn't me, but we saw it unfold at the adjoining table. It's that kind of place! The heart of Texas beats here!

Every single bite was heaven. We had the NY strip and the Top Sirloin. Omg the love it or leave salad was perfect. No wonder this place has been around 4ever They have their food and systems down. Great service, food was outstanding, and great experience. Hole in the wall with the best steaks out there. They add lemon butter sauce on your steak that you sop up with the yummy wonder bread they give you. Sounds silly but ohhhhh so good.

As far as good, old fashioned restaurants go, Hoffbrau is a neat little spot. The atmosphere, food, and service are just good enough that you'll come back again, but hardly world class. The advent of newer, more upscale (and more expensive) steak houses means that the Hoffbrau isn't going to top any "Best of..." lists any time soon. That said, I imagine I've got a much better chance of seeing Willie Nelson or Jerry Jeff Walker at the Hoffbrau as opposed to somewhere like Sullivan's.

So this may seem like an odd review since I haven't been to the Original Hoffbrau in over 20 years (my career took me out of Austin after graduating from UT in 1995) but still worth a read. With all the amazing dining options and culinary experiences in Austin, this place is one for the books! It's so perfect in its simplicity but the food and the overall experience cannot be matched. "Back in the day," there was no menu. The server came up to the table and said, "We have a t-bone, a ribeye, a strip steak.... or we also have chicken." You simply ordered your cut of steak and that was that (never ordered the chicken ). If you wanted beer, they brought you an ice chest to choose from a few options -yes, Lone Star was an option) and always amazing (again, in simplicity but bursting with flavor). The beer was ice cold and I mean ICE COLD, just like it should be on a hot Austin day. The salad and potato wedges were automatically brought to the table (unless otherwise requested). All the food always tasted amazing! Best steaks around, in my opinion. Even though the prices were extremely affordable, dining here felt like a special occasion every time! I still miss this place today and vow to return when my travels bring me back to Austin. It looks like the old spot has "grown up" a little with a full bar and online presence but I am confident the experience is still one of a kind. I miss you Original Hoffbrau! Until we meet again......folks, if you haven't tried this place, ya'll are definitely missing out!

Amazing. When I crave steak. This is where I come. Friendly staff. Small and cozy. Everything is always cooked to perfection. Seems like they are adding an outdoor patio soon. Will return soon. That lemon butter sauce along with the steak and steak fries Are DELICIOUS.

Brother-in-law and I were in town for some golf. We asked about a dive with good food. This wasn't really a dive, but food was good or at least interesting. The steak is literally floating in butter. The steak came with a salad with that had a corn oil dressing, yup. They did stay open for us and after a couple beer the steak was amazing. Also opted for onion-rings. They had beer and steak, nothing really to complain about.

Holy Cow. Seriously!! Holy Cow!!! I think these steaks are holy. I LOVE his place. They can cook a steak. I love the atmosphere. So laid back and casual. The history of the place is amazing. This place has a lot of heart. Excellent service. The waitress,Amanda, was on top of everything. She is super nice and put my to go box together. This place has it all. Amazing food and service.

This place was a nice surprise! It is no frills, which we appreciated, and the best steak we have had in awhile! The chef has been cooking awesome steaks for 47 years! Our waitress was friendly, informative, and very attentive. The menu is small, but they know their talent and do it so well. Do yourself a favor and give it a shot on your visit!

It's the original.... you need not say anything else! Amazing steak and sauces and fries

This place rules if you just want to have a great steak at a very good price. The place has been around for years and years. It's not fancy at all, but it's a very unique kinda place right on W. 6th street. I will definitely be back again. The steak was perfect.

The place is a hole in the wall. The decor is dated, but nostalgic. The food on the other hand is very good. Dinner starts with a "Take it or Leave it" salad, a simple iceberg lettuce, sliced green olives and a tomato in a garlic, lemon and oil dressing. Some people complained it has too much dressing, you can ask for it on the side as my wife did. I thought it was the right amount. We split the large T-bone steak. It was cooked perfectly and dressed in a garlic butter sauce. The flavor was excellent and the butter sauce can be soaked up with the sliced bread or dip the fried potato wedges into it. The potato wedges are good, but could use a little salt. Overall a very pleasant meal and an Austin tradition. Cheaper than the other big steak houses downtown and well worth the experience.

That ribeye so delicious and the excellent service the only downside was the limited side menu other than that it's should definitely be on anyone's list when they visit Austin and their in the mood for some fabulous steak

The steak was fresh ... the music, fresh. This is why you come to Texas, Austin and downtown. Music and meat. It's Austin.

The gentleman who cooked our steak has been working there for 47 years. Simple menu and accommodating waitresses. The food is not what you expect to get but it's exactly what you need. A must try place in Austin!

Short review: No. Longer review: Seriously. No. A medium rare steak was raw. "Salad" was chopped lettuce with two cherry tomatoes. Seriously. No.

We loved this place - so glad we got the last seats of the evening. This is a very popular busy spot, so don't count on getting a table. It's small time, family run historic place with non-trendy atmosphere - just good old history - if it ain't broke don't fix it....including the menu item "our love it or leave it salad" - it's the only salad option there is and it comes with the meal no matter what. HEALTHY EATERS - keep walking and don't stop here. Those of you who enjoy food for the love of food - come on in. Staff was super nice and did their best to make it a great meal - the steaks....OMG - die happy is my motto - and the butter lemon garlic sauce on the steak will kill you but man you will have a smile on your face and be asking for more as you fade away. We both had the rib eye - yah - death by steak...fabulous! And it's a thin cut so you don't completely stuff yourself beyond reasonableness - who wants to be bloated in your coffin? Done to perfection on a medium rare and a medium. Salad - ok another DOA - the dressing is super salty and super garlicy - YUM!!! I swear I had my sodium intake for the week on this one - but it was delicious. Served with plain old white bread to sop up the dressing and the steak sauce. COMFORT FOOD to the max.

This has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. However this visit was the end for me. I went early on a Saturday night. Upon arriving I went to the restroom to wash my hands. The restroom is located in the adjacent bar and it was standing room only with sports fans. packed wall to wall. It took me 15 minutes to get through the lively crowd. Once I made it back to the tabel the salad was amazing as ever. Yet the steak was disappointing. It was not the high quality beef that they offered in the past. I had to apologize to my friends as I could tell they were not impressed. The service was adequate. I was given a bill and paid in cash and when I received my change it was not right. I asked the waitress for the receipt and sure enough when she brought the receipt she brought me the 20% that she had mistakenly held out. She said it was busy and it was her mistake. This has been my experience.

I've been going to The Hoffbrau since I was a kid. Although I've lived in ATX about 20 years, I'm originally from Houston. Whenever we came to ATX for a game (Mom's also a UT alum) we'd eat at the Hoffbrau. There's pretty much no middle ground when it comes to this place. You either love it or you don't. I'm surprised to see some 3 star reviews. Here's my take: The steaks are not the highest quality beef you can find, but the way they cook them on the grill and the butter sauce that served with it make it totally unique. Totally fattening, greasy and yummy too. The steak fries that come with it are sooooo good when you sop them in the butter and meat juice that invariably forms on your plate. You don't have many choices for steaks; they usually have small and large t-bones and top sirloins.....that's it. They also do a grilled chicken breast. The salad they do is almost a religious experience. Before the health department messed things up, they used to rub garlic cloves all over a wooden salad bowl before mixing it up. Doing that infused the salad w/ intense garlic flavor. They can't use the wooden bowl any more (damn that health dept!), so the salad isn't quite as garlicky. No matter because it's still amazingly good. It's basically just iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, salad olives, oil.....and garlic, lots of garlic. It's so good we always make sure to take home 1 or 2 bottles of the dressing. I've heard you can also find the dressing at Whole Foods, but I've never checked. I applaud The Hoffbrau for hanging tough for all these years. All their old neighbors sold out. The whole area around the restaurant is like a totally different place from what it was even as recently as about five years ago. I guess Katz's is still across the street, but everything else has changed. Please don't ever change Hoffbrau! Your cholesterol-laden meals make me happy and content.

I know I'm really late on this, but we came here on Valentine's Day due to hour+ waits everywhere else. Felt like I was walking into my grandmothers kitchen and the food tasted like it too. We met the owners as well as the chef who had been there for decades. Take some time and read their history on the menu. I guess we're the kind of romantics who can drink a beer, eat a steak, talk to the waitress about motorcycles, and feel like we found the best Valentine's Day in Austin.

Let's fix a misnomer: that is not a generous helping of garlic butter sauce that your steak is floating in. It's a pool of oil, people. Today was the first, and probably the last, time I've been to the Hoffbrau. I enjoyed the no frills menu. The waitress came out, listed the cuts available, and we told her what we wanted. Service was quick and both of the ladies were super sweet. The salad was a surprising highlight. Iceberg lettuce, green olives, and a garlic-y oil dressing was good. The steak came out first. That was the rarest medium I've ever seen (I had the 17oz t-bone). Everyone else I was eating with had ordered medium rare, and short of the brownish tone on the surface, theirs looked rare, with well done spots. Weird. One had a t-bone, two others had the sirloin. The potato wedges were inspried appearing, but bland tasting. The other appetizers (onion rings - good, fried mushrooms - eh, jalepeno poppers - really eh) did not have any flavor. It was unfortunately the blandest meal I've had in a long time. It makes me sad. I really thought Hoffbrau was going to work out.

If only I could give Hoffbrau 10 Stars I would!!! Love this place, I'm a Cali Native, but every time I come to Austin, I make it a point to come here! Steaks R awesome love the salad dressing and big ol wedge fries! I miss You Hoffbrau! Love this place

This place is absolutely amazing! They don't have a lot of options so don't go here expecting not to eat a steak! & that's the way it's suppose to be! The staff is extremely knowledgable and it is best to follow there suggestions! They provide excellent service and are extremely courteous! I will be returning, with FRIENDS !

To all the bad reviewers of this place, y'all are crazy. I was in Austin on a business trip back in March of this year and this place was an excellent find. I happened to be walking along the sidewalk looking for a bite to eat for supper when it caught my eye. There were tons of people eating outside under the covered patio. I ventured in and sat in the front area at a table next to the front counter and grill. Hoffbrau is like going back in time many, many decades. It's nothing fancy, but that's what I liked about it. (Places like Ruth's Chris and Outback are just flat out boring compared to an awesome independent establishment like Hoffbrau.) The service was very friendly and very quick, despite the fact that they were busy at that particular time. My steak was cooked perfectly and the sides that I had were top notch (steak fries and side salad). When I'm in Austin again, I'll definitely make a point to pay Hoffbrau another visit.

Finally, a steak place that I dont have to dress up for! Ive been here 3 times, and I will definitely be back. The steaks are perfectly cooked and served in butter. You could ask for no butter, but then what would you dip your potato wedges in? The potato wedges rock, the salad is tasty, if a little overdressed for my taste, and the onion rings are on point. If you want beef, potatoes, and onions, come here. They will tell you what cuts they have for the day and then your choices are salad, potato wedges, onion rings, or not!

In 2000 my wife and I found this establishment while in Austin. We have talked about how great the steaks were for years and I compare all steaks I eat against my Hoffbrau experience which was the best I ever had. In 2016, we finally made it back and the steaks are as good as I remember! This restaurant has a long tradition of food excellence and you will not be disappointed when you visit. It has been owned by the same family for many years and most of the staff have worked their for 30+ years. Smothering a steak in butter is genius and brings out such a good flavor. The salad was simple but so delicious! I think it was called the take it or leave it salad and I definitely took it! You MUST try their steaks at least once before you die! Put this place on your bucket list and be prepared for the most succulent steak you have ever eaten in a historical building off 8th street!

I do not eat steak. So why review a steak place? Well for the chicken of course! Being the only one at my table out of seven people to order a chicken breast wasn't a good omen, so I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken was well cooked and quite tasty, probably aided by the fact it was swimming in butter. But you only live once, right? Also, high marks are deserved for the amazing $2 onion rings that were thinly sliced, light and crispy. The salad didn't have a lot of substance; it was just ice berg lettuce and green olives, but the garlic vinaigrette dressing was so good I can see why you'd buy a bottle of it (which they sell).

As Hoffbrau's web site says "we have been serving grilled steaks out of this little joint on West 6th Street since 1934 and have served generations of families" The Hoffrau is a no frills place that was built in the last days of the depression and it really hasn't changed at all since then. It has one big room where they serve up the steaks on rickety tables and they grill the steaks behind the counter. Bathroom is outback somewhere. Since the place has been there forever, it actually has some interesting history associated with it. Over the years, regulars have included LBJ, Ann Richards and other "famous" Austinites. The walls have a number of interesting old black and white photos (dating back to prohibition) that are cool to check out. The menu is just plain jane consisting of T-bone, sirloin, and chopped steaks as well as chicken breast for those of you that don't eat red meat. In the old days, it wasn't a bad place to get a moderately priced good steak but today, I think the quality of the meat is mediocre & the prices are actually kinda high. Not only that but all your sides cost extra so your meal can end up being expensive. A trip to the Hoffbrau is more about the experience than the food. I guess that if you want to get a flavor of "old" Austin then you probably should visit the Hoffbrau once.

Yeah, it's been around for years and years. The steak is cooked well, but unfortunately it's floating in a moat of "butter sauce" that ends up making you queasy. The potato wedges are tasteless. The salad was a small plate of limp lettuce doused with vegetable oil. I mean, I should have just stayed home and drank a bottle of Wesson Oil, then gone to Texas Land & Cattle. A restaurant that has managed to stay around for 70+ years deserves better. And so did I......