The Wayback

I celebrated my friend's birthday at the restaurant here and the atmosphere was a cozy and classy, while feeling like home. I felt so comfortable and relaxed. The food looked like ART, and tasted even better. The service was top notch. I am thrilled to come back soon and stay for the whole day with a pool pass and also do a staycation soon. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. If you live in Austin proper, it feels like a tiny getaway to the country, even though it is just not far away at all.

This review is for the Café. Food is top notch. The biscuits are worth the trip. The French Toast Soufflé was amazing, the Crispy Chicken Sando and the Wayback breakfast are worth coming back for and sampling on multiple occasions. The service, however, doesn't match the food. If you like prompt competent wait service (the kind discerning ATX diners look for) you'll have to look for it at another location.

Wow. What a hidden gem. Cafe is wonderful. Food is delicious, Staff is friendly. We arrived 20 mins early for lunch and they went out of their way to accommodate us until the kitchen opened. We were very thankful for their hospitality. The grounds are well kept and quaint. Id totally spend a weekend here to download. Entrance into site is a little hard to see. So take your time looking for the driveway.

The Wayback is an absolutely beautiful setting for proposals planned by my company, Amore Austin. Their team is truly exceptional, always warm, accommodating, and a joy to work with. The Wayback Café creates the perfect transition from proposal to celebration for our clients. We are always excited to collaborate with The Wayback and look forward to creating many more magical proposals together.

We had a group dinner here, 10 of us in total. And it was perfect! Food was delicious, service was great and they have some of my favorite grounds/ properties. we sat on the patio while they had some amazing live music, ambience was 10/10. Everyone was so impressed and we were able to have a great evening all together.

Had an exceptional experience while attending a wedding here last night. Dinner was wonderful; brunch this morning just as expected- wonderful. Will visit again without hesitation if opportunity presents itself

This is the second time we have stayed at The Wayback. We love this property and all it has to offer. The location is close to restaurants and to downtown Austin, but it is also a quiet break from the "hustle and bustle" of the city. The cottages are spacious, and the furniture and furnishings are very nice. It is obvious that the owners personally selected the antiques in each cottage. The cottages are located around the grounds (and the pool) in such a way as to give the feeling the we are the only ones there. When we entered the office, we were warmly greeted as returning guests (even though it had been a couple of years). We plan to come to The Wayback every time we visit Austin !

We hosted our client's daughter's first birthday party at The Wayback and it was the perfect setting for a fairy garden theme. Sydney and her staff were amazing and we can't wait to work with them again! -Jordan @bigtimecreatives

The food the service and ambiance were wonderful. I would caution you to plan extra time if you go on Sunday since traffic is terrible since it's very close to Riverbend Church. The food is fresh and really well made. It's a small restaurant but it's cozy and homey! Parking is a bit tricky. Great breakfast and the biscuits are soooo good along with the homemade compote (blueberry sooo yummy). If you wanna try something a little different you should give it a try and call for a reservation!

This restaurant is part of a boutique cottages west of Austin downtown in the rolling hills. It's a charming cafe with space for approximately 30ish patrons. The hospitality is very nice and friendly. The cafe uses high quality ingredients and the food is really delicious. We were there on a Thursday' night which was nice for the half priced bottles of wine all day. Well crafted cocktails are also available too. For food we dined on: Cold pressed watermelon - cold dense watermelon packed with sweet flavor contrasted against savory cheese and nuts. Really liked this dish. Little gem salad - simple but perfectly balanced flavors. Fresh. Crisp. Refreshing. Heirloom tomatoes - ripe tomatoes simply dressed with olive oil and salt. Crab cakes - these were tasty with a great sauce and pepitas. Steak - perfectly cooked to temp and served with grilled tomatoes. We were hoping for the duck confit which I've heard is incredible but they were old out for the day. They are open for lunch as well and brunch on the weekends (that menu looks good!). One that the menu is seasonal so it will change over time.

We live in Dripping Springs. My daughter who is a senior in high school at heard about The Wayback for taking photos, so I decided to look into it. I paid an exorbitant fee to use the grounds for my daughter and our photographer to spend 30 minutes around the property. A woman was on property in the office cottage. She never once greeted us and certainly did not offer us a drink of water or anything. We were not welcomed or given any lay of the land. We were completely fending for ourselves. In addition, so many of the plants around the place were dead. If you are a business are going to charge $150 for us to come photograph, then the least you can do is keep the floral life looking top notch. I was so disappointed. I called and asked to talk to someone and she said someone would call me back, but no one ever did, so hear I am. Don't waste your money on this place.

I had brunch here last weekend with my family and it was absolutely perfect! This was my second time coming here but it had been about 2 years since. The atmosphere at this place is so special. It's small, quaint, busy, but the staff treat you like family. They were so kind and generous throughout our time there. We had a lot of food at the table and everyone said their meal was great! I ordered the avocado toast with an egg on it, drip coffee and we had sticky buns and biscuits to start with. The drip coffee was excellent. Not your average coffee. The biscuits are freshly made each day. The sticky buns were like a dessert! Gotta try them! Others at the table ordered steak and fries, the burger, chicken and waffles, Greek yogurt parfait and quiche with a salad. We'll continue to come back here! You'll need to make reservations because the restaurant is small and is always booked!

The food was delicious and served beautifully and the menu had a good Variety of brunch items. Toddler friendly.

Wow. I don't say that often. But their roasted carrots with yogurt were amazing. Great staff great food. It's a bit loud and parking is tough but really great

What a hidden gem! When I went there on Saturday at 11:30am, only 2 other tables were filled. Very surprised considering that brunch places are usually busy on weekends. I ordered the omelet with goat cheese and sausage (sub the potatoes with side salad). I thought the omelet was just ok and the portion is pretty small. It was fine since I didn't plan to stuff myself that morning. The ambiance was peaceful and our waitress was very attentive to refill our water at every opportunity. It's the perfect place for girl brunch in Bee Cave.

I will start by saying, I have not been here for dinner since pre covid, but something was off. It is still a cozy, quaint vibe... but service and food were mediocre at best and after the cheese plate arrived with two crackers on it and we asked for a few more to match the cheese and meats and the three people at the table - they charged us for crackers! I would never go back based on principle alone. They did not handle it well, when I mentioned it and the chef just stood there with a puzzled look on his face. Do not get the crab cake, it was a texture like canned cat food if I were to use my imagination on what that would taste like and the creme brûlée was not set and pure loose cream - could not be eaten. I could barely get my guests to box up the half of the meal they did not eat. High on quaint, low on every thing else. Cannot blame it on a packed room, it was dead inside.

Relaxing atmosphere with great food and friendly service. Highly recommend this place.

I had a good time. Loved the brunch items as well as the drinks. Would definitely recommend for brunch.

Am I somewhere in the east coast by the beach? Because that's exactly the state of mind Wayback Cafe & Cottages has returned me to. This beautiful little escape is an absolute dream. We came in for brunch and just wow. From the decor (vintage and organic textiles) to the perfectly curated cafe menu (with seasonal offerings) to the delicious crafted drinks & specialty bites, The Wayback Cafe is a secret gem tucked away in the hill country. I am a huge fan of east coast oysters, and was pleasantly surprised when I saw it being offered on the menu. I immediately had to order a dozen for my appetizer! As for my meal, I ordered the breakfast sandwich with a lavender mimosa. I've never had a lavender mimosa before, but THIS WAS THE BEST!! My entire order was absolute perfection. Huge fan, will easily return to try everything The Wayback Cafe has to offer.

The Wayback is one of those places that feels like a backyard hangout--if your backyard had great local food, shady trees, and cornhole. Came here for a birthday and ended up with a mocktail that had a tiny yellow rubber duck floating in it. Not sure if it was a garnish or a gift, but now I'm on a mission to find a Jeep-driving friend to pass it on to. Chill vibes, solid food, and just quirky enough to make it memorable.

First time coming here and we will definitely be back. We are new to the area and always looking for a good dining place. We came across this restaurant on Yelp and decided to walk in. It was a Sunday morning/afternoon and we did not have a reservation but they had open seating at the bar. Our drink orders were taken immediately. To start off, we had the "Morning Bun", a cinnamon roll with roasted pecans on the side. The cinnamon bun was warm and freshly baked. Quite delicious especially with the pecans. Highly recommend and it's enough for two, really even for three people if you just want something sweet to start with. I had the Omelet and my friend had the Avocado Toast. The omelet came with spinach, bacon, goat cheese, and potatoes on the side. I ordered mine without bacon and added a side of sourdough toast. I have to say this was one of the BEST breakfasts I have ever had! The omelet was hot and fresh and the ingredients were amazing. And since I have been in Austin, I have not been able to find good sourdough bread but this was the best sourdough bread I have had since moving here. The ambiance is quite nice inside but they also have outdoor patio seating. We opted to set indoors at the bar, but given the size, it can get quite loud and I would likely go for outdoor seating next time. The service was okay; I did read other reviews about the service and while we didn't have a problem getting service, we were sitting right at the bar. But I did see customers leave their tables just to come up and ask for something they had ordered but hadn't received. I like iced tea and they brew their fresh. But I was given my tea in a small tumbler, like something you would make an old fashioned in. They have large "beer can" style glasses and my friend received her cold coffee in the bigger glass. I went through the tiny glass of iced tea almost as soon as the server brought it out. She never offered to refill and I had to ask for more. Why wouldn't you serve iced tea in a normal sized glass like any other dining establishment? I asked if they could make my omelet with egg whites and was told "no". No egg whites? I have been cooking for more than 40 years and even cooked in a few nice restaurants. It takes only SECONDS to separate yolk from the whites. If your cooks don't know how, I'm happy to come by and show them. I have never heard of such a thing. You can't possibly be so busy that you can't take the 10 extra seconds it takes - and honestly, it really only takes about 5 seconds. And I was told no "special requests". I just wanted to add mushrooms to the omelet. Sad that I can't add something simple like mushrooms and you can't do egg whites. Last, we had no idea that reservations were needed. We were offered immediate seating at the bar or outside; we opted for the bar. However, when we arrived, all tables but one were empty. When we inquired about this, we were told the tables were all reserved for people coming in soon. We dined for quite a long time, and when we left, two of the tables were still empty. Sitting at the bar is very comfortable, but it would have been nice if we could have had one of the tables that remained empty the entire time we were there. But again, amazing food and we are looking forward to a return visit to try lunch and dinner and I highly recommend for breakfast.

This place is adorable!! I love meeting friends here for a little respite. It's tucked away on a bend off Bee Cave and has soft, natural lighting, great craft cocktails and a seasonal menu that is expertly prepared every time. Highlights have been grain bowls, gorgeous salads and their dinner is always spot on for the perfect date night.

I've come here 3-4 times but today was my last. Service is on and off. Today I was quite rudely greeted by a lady on staff and reprimanded for sitting down outside with my elderly mother. I was asked if I would even order food. There was only 2 other couples there (inside) and the place was very quiet on a Wednesday morning when they opened. I put 3 stars instead of 1 because the server, a young gentleman, was very sweet before we left. + The views are very pretty and relaxing. The menu is a bit overpriced but it is essentially a hotel/cottages so the pricing is reflective of that. We live around the corner so we just ended up going to Civil Goat Coffee which never lets us down. I wish I could support this business but today was an unprofessional experience. Service is what keeps a business afloat.

Arrived at this place with no reservation. A member from our party walked in first and was told there were no available seating. Within minutes, the rest of our party members (2, myself included) walk back in and they said we may sit at the bar, however, they initially had said there were no seats. That was a bit questionable. The avocado toast was ok, nothing special. The bread on the second photo (I forgot the name) was actually very good. I would recommended you try it!

They were packed and even though we had reservations It took so long for someone to come over. The view was scenic and stunning. We tried to walk around a bit to take it all in and walk of our meal and someone actually told us we couldn't, rude. The food that was actually available was good but the bartender came out to talk shop about drinks and let us know what 2/3 drinks we ordered she couldn't make. Not cool and the explanation didn't make sense. I'd return again to give a second chance. As a white girl that likes nice experience the rest of the crowd seemed upity and paired with the off putting staff it's a solid food.

At The Wayback Café, the ambience is stellar. I loved the decor and the vibe of the restaurant. We went there for a ladies night out/birthday party and were delighted by the relaxing space. The food presentation was beautiful but lacked flavor. I would give the food a so-so and this was my 2nd time there with the same opinion. Overall vibe of the place was awesome. I would go but just for drinks and an app.

This place came highly recommended from a brunch/lunch perspective. You must keep in mind that this place is first and foremost a bed and breakfast concept. Parking is very challenging, there aren't enough spaces. If ever we go again we will not get alcohol. We could have bought several bottles of Tito's for the price of 4 drinks. The crab cake (cake, there is only one) was delicious but small and came with what appeared to be a small side salad. Had we known that, we wouldn't have ordered the Cesar salad which was gigantic and the dressing was diluted and without flavor. I had the salmon which was on top of a very tasty sauce. It also came with a serving spoon full of risotto topped with burnt chewy broccoli. My husband had the short ribs chile relleno which was good but very small in portion. The scalloped potatoes needed a bit more cooking and the beets although beety, lacked favor, almost as if they were canned. The service was excellent. It did take awhile for the entrées to come out. We decided to forego dessert as it was clear it was clean up time.

We found the Wayback on Yelp and looked forward to eating there. We traveled a Hal hour and found it closed with a notice on the door saying it he number of days it would be closed. It was have really helped to not waste our time for the notice to be on Yelp. We will go back and will update the review.

What a fun little place, hidden away in Beecave. I will start by saying this place is a bit tough to find. If you are not on the prowl, you will drive right by it. Once you are in and find a parking spot, you get to walk around this nice home away from home. There are bungalows, a pool and a small cafe/restaurant. When I say small, I mean it. We are talking about less than 10 or 12 tables max. We chose to sit outside since they had the AC on full blast in side. Outdoors is split between the patio and the yard. For being outdoors and surrounded by trees, I was incredibly surprised of the lack of mosquitos. We did have a few flys to deal with but we survived. We ordered the ceviche, flat bread, gnocchi and chocolate cake dessert. The ceviche was by far the favorite. It was incredibly fresh tasting with the perfect amount of chips to go with it. I would probably not order the flatbread again. It seemed dry and lacking of any flavor. The gnocchi was good but also wasn't fantastic. Ending on the cake was a great choice though. I definitely wouldn't have complained if it came with a scoop of ice cream but the whoop cream did the job. Overall, we love the spot. A wonderful date spot and extremely nice staff.

This was a beautiful find really was just looking for a nice breakfast place and I found it. Their breakfast options are amazing can't go wrong with anything as well as they do have a bar for the afternoon cocktail if you need one they're really known for their colleges spread throughout the whole country right here but didn't stay there to get but I highly recommend this place for a drop in breakfast or brunch!

The Wayback is so peaceful, fantastic food and lots of fun - like the watercolor class my friend and I attended. Music with dinner on the patio was special while visiting with family while enjoying Chef Ron's delicious food!

Our lunch of polenta with mushrooms and cerviche with taro chips was really good. The taro chips weren't as good as on a previous visit. I love the atmosphere here, however the place was completely full and it became rather noisy inside. The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive! I'll return when the weather is cooler and one can sit outside.

Incredible all around and from Beginning to end! Incredible customer care. Excellent staff!

We finally made it to this place and had an amazing meal. And that's saying a lot for Austin that serves imaginary food by fantasy chefs. This place is a bit pricey and serves phenomenal flavors. The waffles were the best I have had yet and I have been lookin' for a long long time. Good job Way back! We will be back with the rest of our crazy family & friends!

Such a cute spot for brunch. The food here is quite good. Food: Banana bread - very good Avocado toast - excellent Steak and eggs - delicious

My husband and I went for brunch - food was awesome, service was awful. TL:DR Ordered our food and our waiter disappears. After watching two tables sat after us get their food and pay I finally went up to the bar to at least get fresh drinks while we waited. The bartender is awesome (sangria is a must try), but still no food or waiter. The manager came out and rudely said "I'll come check on y'all ten more times" - a statement which was made all the more irritating by the fact that we also never saw him again. Thankfully, the food was amazing! The french toast soufflé was possibly the most delicious thing I've ever tasted and definitely try the ceviche. All that to say - go for the food & pray for good service.

We had an enjoyable afternoon luncheon at The Wayback Cafe. The use of fresh ingredients shone in dishes like the flatbread with squash, which was very delicious. The servers were attentive and friendly. Unfortunately, it was a bit too windy for us to sit outside on the lovely patio (though others appeared to be enjoying themselves at the outdoor tables). I wish they had warned us how spicy the shrimp and grits are. My mom and stepfather shared them, and they were hotter than he normally enjoys. The salads were very good - I really enjoyed my burrata and mixed greens, though the large butternut squash slices were dry and thick and difficult to eat - we took them home and steamed them for another dish.

Super cool experience here in an area that is not the most densely populated with restaurant options. The grounds are really nice and quaint with beautiful mature trees. The inside was also awesome though, it's a little small but I think that helped make if feel cozy almost as if you were having a big family dinner. Food was great overall. Every dish that came out had an awesome look and the flavors were great too. I'm not a huge duck fan so I will say the duck cassoulet that's pictured wasn't my favorite dish. But that was me branching out so if you're a duck fan you might like it better than me. Everything else I had though was top notch to my taste. The burrata was great and bigger than you would expect. Also had lobster Mac and cheese which hit the spot as well. Service was very friendly and very attentive. Would strongly recommend stopping by even if it's a little out of the way for you.

This place is sooo chill. Great menu and even better vibe. Highly recommend sitting at the bar for your first experience (we had Jules as our bartender and she was fun and full of energy). The burger and shrimp and grits were delicious and the lentil soup was comfort food at its finest. My wife is gluten sensitive and they even whipped a special dessert just for her. The cocktail menu is solid also. Will definitely be back!

Gorgeous restaurant and can't wait to go back. Brought out two kids with us for a quick breakfast out but could have stayed for hours. Beautiful grounds, felt fresh and clean and had the best service. Wonderful ambiance for meeting up with girlfriends, taking the family or going on a date lunch. Highly recommend!

This is a wonderful getaway destination restaurant that will transport you to the French countryside! The most refreshing craft cocktails and a perfect spot for a girls brunch or couples night out. Love that there is plenty of parking and each dish is made from scratch. It is truly a gem of a location and one of my top places in Austin! Bonus, you can get a pool pass during the summer months and sip cocktails under an umbrella all day!

Came here with two girlfriends at noon for brunch. I made a reservation a week before and it was easy to snag. There was a large party sitting on the patio (maybe a bridal or baby shower), and it looked like a perfect place during the spring or fall weather with a medium sized group. I got the avocado toast and it was great. Service was also good. It was a little confusing arriving, since they have no check in booth. You walk in and look for the host? Also parking was very tight at noon on a Sat. I noticed some people parking off the side of the road, which seemed dangerous. I would plan to arrive early. And like other have mentioned the entrance from the road is hard to find!

We stayed for a weekend at the Wayback Cottages! I will say the cottages are very cute and we really enjoyed being there. It was quiet and very pretty. We liked the food at the cafe as well. However, we brought our 2 toddlers and I would not recommend for kids. There is a a 50$ fee PER kid PER night that they do not charge until after you check in. I would say this is really not a kid friendly place and I am guessing that is why the charge is in place. Overall would recommend for a couples getaway or girls trip.

Fantastic " Experience!" The food was delicious; the service impeccable; and the ambience remarkable! I felt I was in a secret hideaway!

Went to the cafe for breakfast this morning and everything totally exceeded expectations -- fabulous setting; fantastic interior and exterior design (even the restroom was gorgeous); thoughtful details and attentive service (we sat outside and it was a little breezy so they offered me a blanket to put over my shoulders); delicious cappuccino and latte served generously in mugs; high quality crockery and silverware (something I appreciate); one of the best quality yet compact wine lists we've seen (Italian, French, Spanish, Napa, Oregon and local wines); very tempting cocktail list. If there for breakfast, you have to try the banana bread with yoghurt and granola starter (it's decadently epic!!). We can also vouch for the quiche & salad (perfect buttery pastry crust and filling) and chicken and waffles (boneless, crispy chicken that wasn't greasy; waffle was light and fluffy with a crisp finish) every individual element of each dish was prepared to perfection. Will be back!

Avoid. Made a reservation for my parents bday and the night before it was stormy and a massive thunderstorm rolled in. Day of the reservation, still rainy and thunderstormy and so we canceled our rez only to find that we were charged $125 dollars for cancelling within 24hours of the rez. I mean, I get it, we didn't cancel in time to avoid the fee but COME ON. Dick move. Will never be going here again. Just lost a customer for life. Way to be wayback.

The cafe is a cute stop but I can not give this restaurant more than 2 stars. We had a nice birthday lunch planned for my girlfriend and six friends. Food was good, drinks were good, pretty average but the vibe & atmosphere make up for the food. I brought 6 cupcakes to celebrate my friend's 50th birthday & was immediately told the charge was $5 per person to serve in the restaurant. Really? After spending hundreds of dollars on an overpriced burger and salad, you are going to nickel & dime me on cupcakes. It's a bad business model and we won't be back. My friend, who's birthday it was, felt a little awkward too. Thanks for that.

Excellent sunday brunch experience. Truly a Westlake Hills hidden jewel. Must enjoy a overnight stay in one of the cottages and dine at the cafe. The owner Vicki is so kind and Jules the waitress has the most welcoming and vibrant spirit. Will be returning soon!

This is a cute little hidden place that you can easily drive past if you're not paying attention. It's a small and cozy atmosphere and if the weather isn't cooperative, there's not much seating with just the indoor option. We had reservations for a Saturday at noon and it wasn't overly busy. The service was great. Menu was pretty large, especially the drink and cocktail menu. The biscuits with the orange marmalade were good but I think the marmalade was the star of the show. I got an elevated version of avocado toast. It was good but nothing special and a bit expensive for what it is. Although I realize when I'm ordering avocado toast there's really only so much you can do with it. The cocktails were good including the espresso martini. I would have liked it to be a tad sweeter and my friend struggled to drink hers because of it being bitter, but overall I thought it was a good way to end brunch. Cocktails were expensive as well at about $16 each. It's been a long time since I've spent $65 on brunch (and that's just for 1 person). Overall, I'd probably go back again but it's not one of those places I'll crave.

Beautiful ambiance. Read the menu carefully. Waffles do not come with maple syrup and the staff may take an hour to get it to you if you ask for it. Also maybe your coffee will come after your meal has been served and they may take 10 minutes to get you milk then another 10 to get you sugar. I know the waitress was young but my goodness. Girl don't go clearing tables when you haven't helped your customers. Then the manager had enough nerve to just make excuses. I was wondering why this place was so available for reservation on a Sunday. I still recommend it just bring your patience and read the menu carefully.

If you want to go have a nice tasty, Healthy brunch with fresh food this is the place to come! Wayback is always my go to brunch place; it's by far one favorite places. Friendly staff, great ambiance, great service, amazing fresh organic food straight from their own garden, and will specially made coffee/drinks to your preference. I would recommend everyone try this place. I always enjoy walking around outside with a nice fresh beverage enjoying the hill county and beautiful villas!

I joined my two adult daughters and my 2 year old grandson for lunch at The Wayback Cafe. From the moment we walked in, I was very impressed. We were greeted and seated immediately. Our waitress took our starter and cocktail order and recommended the Splish Splash Mocktail for my grandson. Our drinks arrived quickly and my grandson was very excited when he saw his. A colorful drink served in a lowball glass with a slice of lime topped with a yellow rubber duck! The bartender saw his reaction and let us know that it made her day. We enjoyed a Coconut Mojito and the Watermelon Margaritas. Both were great options for a hot, Hill Country day. We started with the Petit Charcuterie & Cheese Board which was the perfect portion size for three adults. We ordered the Crab Cakes, the Open Faced Turkey Sandwich and the Roasted Beef Tenderloin Sandwich. All three were amazing! We ordered the cheeseburger and fresh fruit, off of the child's menu, for my grandson. We were very impressed that the quality of food was on the same level as our adult entrees. Our waitress was very attentive. Once we were finished eating, she cleared our table so we could continue enjoying our cocktails and visiting. My grandson wears glasses which tends to attract attention. This visit was no different. The manager stopped by to tell him how cool his glasses were. At one point we had four people at the table visiting with us and interacting with my grandson. There's just something about a 2 year old in a pair of glasses! Needless to say, our entire experience at The Wayback was 5 Star. I look forward to going back soon!

We were helped by a few people to be seated outside, everyone so kind. They were busy but didn't show it. I Hosted a small baby brunch and couldn't have dreamed up a more ideal location. Fresh juices were fantastic. Had burrata to start served with ciabatta asparagus and cherry tomatoes, so good. my chicken and waffles was crispy, hot - just delightful. Friends got salads with shrimp, chicken, quiche - all delish. Highly recommend this brunch spot!!!

My daughter and I had such a lovely and leisurely day at the Wayback Cafe and Cottages. Even though it is located just 20 minutes from the center of Austin, the Wayback provided a delightful retreat from the city. We started with a yummy brunch in the wonderful little cafe. Then we progressed to our poolside lounge chairs that my daughter had reserved in advance, for the afternoon (for a small fee). There were exactly enough chairs for the 10 people who made reservations for that afternoon. A bar and bartender were conveniently located in a cabana adjacent to the pool. He provided drinks throughout the afternoon. The grounds of the Wayback are beautifully landscaped, including big trees to provide some shade by the pool. It was indeed a delightful, quiet, and lovely little resort and great afternoon! There were about 10 cottages and plenty of parking. I highly recommend the Wayback!

Employees are very friendly and caring. Food is delicious!! The ambience is charming and cute!!

Wow it has been so long since I've had a genuinely unpleasant time at a restaurant. Based on the way this business presents itself online, I expected to come to this establishment and unwind, read a book, have a cocktail, get some food and just enjoy myself since this is a "café." Truthfully however, I have had better dining experiences at an IHOP than here at the Wayback Café. Firstly, when I called to make my reservation, I spoke to someone who told me that there would be no problem seating me outside since I'm coming to eating during a time in-between the lunch and dinner rush. When I arrived I was seated inside and told I was not allowed to sit outside even though there was one family already outside and five empty tables. It was incredibly disrespectful and deceitful of them to do that to me after I had already arrived. After being seated, none of the staff came to check on me, gave me silverware/water, or even a menu for 20 minutes. *I'll give credit to where credit is due: I believe the literal business owner came out from the kitchen and pointed out to her staff that no one had waited on me yet after I had been sitting there for 20 minutes. Secondly, I have a neurological condition that makes loud places very stressful environments for me, so when I made my reservation for the patio, it was very specific that I wanted to have space outside. I brought a book with me that I intended reading for one of my college classes and I was unable to read any of it because it was so loud inside of the small café. One drunk man was loudly discussing politics as well which added to the unpleasantness of the environment that I was quickly beginning to feel trapped in. After I ordered my food, I immediately requested a to-go box and the bill because I honestly could not wait to leave. The food was decent at best and at worst, I could've easily made the same dish at home. Additionally, the portions are small for the price you are paying (and one would assume that the atmosphere is what customers are actually paying for, however, the atmosphere I was put into is one that I would not wish on anyone ever). I also intended to buy a lot of food and drinks, but after being ignored for 20 minutes, I was hesitant to give them anymore of my money. Overall, this experience was mostly disappointing for me because I had been looking forward to trying this restaurant for a few months and it was my birthday so I wanted to do something nice for myself and ended up feeling extremely stressed out by the time I left.

Had a great meal, crab cake benedict was really top notch. Very cute space and setting and the service was friendly and attentive, though I did notice it was pretty empty for Saturday brunch!