David, the bartender, was more concerned about his conversation with a co-worker than either serving more drinks or giving us our check. I had to speak loudly to get our check to pay and leave. He then threw it at me and turned around. Talk about rude and it wasn't even busy Friday afternoon.
No wonder this place has such poor ratings with this horrible type of service!
Service was horrible. We waited over an hour and half for our food. I had to get up multiple times to ask for refills. We even got our checks before the food even came out.
That bartender Courtney was the absolute ever! She's a keeper!
I wasn't expecting to like this place, since I'm not a big Cain and Abel's person, but this spot rocks! Huge deck on Lake Travis, huge tantalizing drinks, and decent food.
Classic Austin spot on the water - great place to watch a game or for larger groups. The food is surprisingly good too!
They gave themselves a tip, which is the opposite of the purpose for a tip. On top of that the fries tasted like they hadn't changed their greese in way too long, aka nasty and the burgers were over cooked tasting burnt.They didn't even bring condiments for a burger when both my father and I said we wanted everything on it. Also the prices were a bit high for the quality of food that my family and I are. The only reason I give this place two stars is that the staff was kind and curtious. The kids did enjoy feeding the unfinishable fries to the turtles and large fish, whom did not seem to mind the taste. In the end it was a long drive for a great view, time with family, expensive service and bad food.
The lake view was what was gorgeous. Poor service. Yes we were told that they were short on staff, but when we get texed for our table we wait 30 minutes. While everyone else is getting served when we were seated first. No, I would not return.
Delicious food. Very accommodating to those who are Gluten Free. Drinks were a little pricey but our server was awesome! The atmosphere was GREAT and we got sat right by the water. Would go back anytime just to sit at the bar and watch a sunset though. Really cool place, they are doing good things!
Cool spot, good food, awesome staff! Patrick and Austin helped us out with food choices and even gave suggestions on places families could go to truly enjoy the Austin experience! I'll visit again!
Great location, never busy, decent food but parking can be a bit of a hassle.
Abel's is awesome for a summer day on the lake. The atmosphere is awesome and it has a feel like you're dining on the lake. I don't go here enough, but whenever I do I have a good time and great good food.
The food is pretty good. Not every item on the menu is great, but it's all good enough. The view is really why you come here. Hula Hut (next door) is good too, but this place isn't quite as loud. I like coming here for brunch.
Great patio right on the water. Oysters aren't very big but they are super cheap at happy hour. Easy access boat parking as well.
Came here for lunch on a Monday. No wait which is always great. Beautiful views of the lake. Queso and guacamole were flavorful and a great start. The few items I actually wanted on the menu, they didn t have which I was bummed about. Settled for a salad with grilled salmon. It was good. A little too much dressing. Recommend getting it on the side.
This place looks like a great place to come during football season. Huge TVs and a beautiful view.
great location right on the lake! food is okay but the atmosphere is awesome!
Good food great view. Often times not enough wait staff. Nice if you wanna watch sports or see the lake. Not too special
This place has some of the rudest bartenders I have ever seen.
Y all should hire nice people.
Only thing great about this place is you kind probably find a seat no problem one game day. And that its near Mozart's and Hula Hut. Food is mediocre. Clientele even worse.
Worst bar and even worse bartender. Stopped in after hiking to get a cocktail and maybe some munchies. The bartenders didn't even acknowledge us for a good 10 minutes. Then when they did I asked if they had an IPA and they looked at me like I was foreign and said I have over 200 drafts. It also smells very bad we were sitting right next to the bar mat. Decided to leave and go next door to Hula Hut. Much much much better, enjoyed our time there and we'll never be back to Abel's. After leaving Abel's quickly as we walked out the bartender didn't even acknowledge us again. Realized I had left my phone there because I was disgruntled and got home to find that I did not have it. Called the hostess to ask if they had found it said I left it at the bar. They went there to check and came back and said they had not found it and recommended I call the next morning. I decided to drive back and had my earpiece in that told me that my phone was there. I asked the bartender if they found my phone and he didn't even look behind himself and said we haven't had any phones turned in. Two customers at the bar said we turned a phone in its right there. The bartender looked frazzled turned around looked at the phone waited a few minutes and then finally grabbed it and handed it to me. I worked in the business for many years bartending 10 years in Chicago I know what it's like to be a bartender. I will never ever ever go back to this place, it smelled and the service was atrocious. Do not go here it is a bad place even the views are not good because they have the windows closed. The restaurant was empty even though Hula Hut was packed that has to tell you everything.
The view is nice and the food is decent but don't go here if you need to be somewhere. It took well over an hour to receive our food.
This was my second time; the first time I do not really remember. This experience was bad. The service was terrible. The chips & dip trio we ordered as an appetizer arrived when the luke warm food arrived. The chips were like out of a bag, like Tostitos, and there was only half a serving, not enough to eat half the queso, salsa, & guacamole. The chicken sandwich was only okay and the fries were cold & greasy. For the price of 13 for the entree and 10 for the chips & dip trio, it was not worth it.
Ok so the 1. The beer was warm and flat! Never in our life have we left a beer on the table. We did this time. It was awful. How? Idk
2. All 5 of us had a TERRIBLE MEAL! We ordered 2 burgers which are obviously frozen. They looked plastic. Plastic tastes better than those burgers. We got sliders. Looked plastic. Plastic tastes better than those sliders. Fish and chips. Let's just say one of us is sending the fish back to the sea as I write this. And the final meal was popcorn shrimp and plastic tastes better than those popcorn shrimp. The view was awesome and our waitress was a sweetheart so there's the plus.
My husband and I and 2 of our friends went to lunch here on a Saturday. We were greeted with a friendly hostess and sat outside. Great atmosphere, clean restaurant....
Emily was our server, she did an amazing job! So efficient, so sweet and friendly. :)
The sun was super hot that day and there were no more umbrellas and the sun was beating down on us so the manager found an umbrella and got it all set up for us. Totally went the extra mile! The food was excellent! We got the mussels as an appetizer, I had the shrimp tacos and my husband had the fish tacos. Our friends got the cheeseburger and the crawfish and grits. All of it was outstanding! The order for the crawfish and grits was put in late by accident and the manager came to our table and apologized and took care of that for us. WOW! That's exceptional! The blood Mary was incredible too!
I was SO pleased with everything! Excellent, excellent, excellent!
Aside from a beautiful open view of the lake, they don't have very much to offer. The food is not very savory and the atmosphere lacks character. I've been there several times and every time I go there I leave with the same reaction, why did I drive here again? Not very impressed at all.
Abel's is an awesome restaurant overlooking the lake. I recommend going here when it's nice outside and sitting on the patio.
This is the first time I have walked out at a restaurant! Worst service ever from waiting 5 minutes to be seated by a hostess when there is no line to taking over 1 hour 15 minutes and never receiving our food! We watched 2 tables come and go before walking out. If I could rate it zero or negative stars, I would. Don't waste your time.
The burger was one of the best burgers I've ever had and it didn't fall apart as you were eating it. The view is great as well. The sweet potato fries were also very satisfying.
had a great spinach salad with a beautiful view. waitress was kind and helpful.
Great views sitting right on Lake Austin. Really good burgers. The fried stuff is not great and I love fried stuff.
Great food and ambiance. Located next to Mozart's Cafe and right on the water, you can't go wrong here if you're in the mood for some comfort food or American fare. The burgers were cooked perfectly and the brussel sprouts were so tasty, mostly because they come paired with bacon!
Nice view , staff was friendly, food was ok not what expect but ok
Great view, pretty weather, awesome fajitas and chips and queso. The time before the food was lousy though.
We enjoyed the food and views. The service was slower than one would reasonably expect and they ran out of mimosas during our brunch
They have a great view of the lake. Chicken Fried Steak plate tasted like beef for some reason. Not quite sure why is that. Calamari are great though. Great place to hang out, have some light appetizers. Waiter is great but there are no hostess to get us to our table, weirdly.
Nice but limited brunch menu. Food and service was great. Can't go wrong with a dog friendly patio overlooking the river.
This is probably the worst place I've ever been bad foods bad service don't ever step foot in this horrible place
Beautiful girls, good food, nice view of the lake, what's not to like?
Beautiful place to get a meal on the lake. Literally. Their deck is basically a pier over the water. The food is good, but somewhat overpriced. The drinks are definitely overpriced. You are paying for the location, and sometimes that's what's important.
My party waited thirty minutes for a waiter and twenty minutes for drinks. It took me one minute to complain and threaten to leave. If you seriously want to be served by young-life crisis staff who can't understand how a business, much less restaurant, is supposed to work, by all means come here.
Atmosphere and view are fantastic, food could be better but there are some good choices!
Great location WORST SERVICE in the world. I have to order more than 5 times for a simple tonic water in order to get it. AND IT TOOK 20 minutes to get when i was sitting on the bar. Ridicules.
Service was the worst here. I waited kept messing up orders and food wasn't coming in on time.
Great little burger bar. Flavorful beef and friendly service
I paid 12 dollars for the worst turkey sandwich I have ever had at a restaurant. Oscar Mayer makes better turkey than whatever they slapped on a soggy piece of "Texas toast," aka white bread from HEB. I'm pretty sure the American cheese was a Kraft single. I took a couple bites of the sandwich before throwing in the towel. The chips were closer to stale cardboard than potatoes. The whole place smelled of stale beer, which reminded me very much of my time living in the dorms at college. Fond memories aside, I would not recommend this place to anyone, unless I was trying to ruin their evening. The only redeeming qualities were our waiter was pretty good and there was a decent beer selection. Bottom line, don't waste your money here. I guarantee you will be disappointed.
Service was a little slow, but the food is good and the views are excellent
The lakefront location is great, plenty of boat parking, car parking not so much
There is nothing like sitting outside next to the water enjoying a drink and a meal with friends. This is a place to make that happen. Nice selection of appetizers, drinks, entrees, and deserts on the menu. Everything we had was tasty. Good service. And the dress code is Austin casual.
Had a very nasty experience here, unfortunately. Came early to watch the World Cup Final because it is right by the Lake but I was treated very poorly by the operations manager. Granted he was frazzled because his Host or Hostess didn t More
Food was great, the gator bites are really good, the service was excellent as well.
I used to love coming to this place on sundays, view is great oysters are fresh food on menu is ok. I decided review because the last 3 times service was horrible.Im writing this review as we leave because again service was terrible. Waited at the bar 30 min for a table, we ordered 2 drinks and bartenders never came back around. Then was given attitude when i flagged down the bartender whom i had opened my tab with she said you can order from anyone not just me i said well no one is coming around to check on us. 30 minutes passed I got up and went to check on our table and were finally sat down. My boyfriend went to close out the tab at the bar and he s just standing there being ignored. Another 15 minutes for someone to come around and take our order for a dozen oysters waited for another 15 minutes finally got fed up and left.
Good views and good drinks distract from the extremely okay food.
Good food and drinks on a beautiful day sitting outside on the patio overlooking the lake!
The staff was very friendly and provided excellent service. Great view of the lake.
I wish I could rate it a 0. Unattentive staff despite no one being there (wonder why). Was sitting at the bar and maybe saw the bartender 2 times the hour we were there. I resorted to asking the wait staff to get my check. I would NOT go here.
We booked the upper deck for a late lunch event. It was beautiful and laid back and so, so easy and affordable! Thank you for giving us the best space for a late rehearsal meal.
New menu items, lost some favs but added some greats. Lots of taps cocktails and friendly staff.
Came here for an office party. Knowledgeable bartenders and great food.
My chicken fried steak arrived without gravy and was almost cold by the time gravy did arrive. Service was lackluster at best
Come for the view but the food is good too. The two best items are the Cali Chicken Sandwich (keep the chips as they are better than the fries) and the Salmon Salad. Bring your puppy as they are allowed outside... which is the best part anyway. Here is a picture I took while flying my drone.
Food is reaaalllyyy good and it s not as overpriced as you may think.
And the view is AWESOME
Good food. Air conditioning was out on July 7th! Too hot even though we ate outside. If they get a working AC the experience would have been better.
Went with a group of 10, several visiting from out of state and had to wait over an hour for our reservation, returned to the restaurant and they turned us away claiming 'they had no food left'.
Not sure if it's poor managment or austin folk eating a lot of food, but "running out of food" on memorial day weekend and not having the decency to warn your customers waiting outside for over an hour is pretty awful.
I will not be returning or recommending this restaurant to anyone looking for a good time or decent service.
Let's talk about "Texas Tea" for a sec. Order one of these from the bar, and you might lose your mind. It only takes one. They're served in mason jars, taste delicious and packed full of alcohol. A dab'll do ya.
Had a nice time there tonight with family. The grilled salmon was nicely cooked on a tasty bed of garlicy spinach ... Nice views close to downtown.
Able's is a perfect place to go on a night with beautiful weather if you are looking for a great patio and atmosphere. The food is very tasty and they have a variety of good items on the menu. I had the fish tacos and they were delicious! The only minus is the service was very slow. Our waiter was friendly but everything took a while.
Great Service Thanks To Our Amazing Server "Christoff" Definitely Will Be Returning Soon !
Robert, our waiter, was very attentive. My Tortilla soup was delicious. The view of the lake was pleasant to look upon, so quiet. Also, it is dog friendly.
35 minutes not even a glass of water, horrible service
Abel's on the Lake / Abel's Ribhouse is a popular restaurant chain in Austin, Texas that serves American food with a Texas drawl. With three locations - Abel's North, Abel's on the Lake and Cain and Abel's - this restaurant has become a go-to spot for locals and tourists alike.
At Abel's on the Lake, you can enjoy delicious food while taking in stunning views of Lake Austin. The restaurant features an outdoor patio that overlooks the water, making it the perfect spot for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends. The menu at Abel's on the Lake is filled with classic American dishes like burgers, sandwiches, salads and steaks. But what sets this restaurant apart is its focus on barbecue.
Abel's Ribhouse is known for its mouth-watering ribs that are slow-cooked to perfection over hickory wood. The meat falls off the bone and is smothered in a tangy barbecue sauce that will leave you wanting more. In addition to ribs, Abel's Ribhouse also serves other barbecue favorites like brisket, pulled pork and sausage.
At Cain and Abel’s location you can enjoy live music every night of week! This location offers an extensive menu featuring appetizers such as nachos or wings; salads such as Caesar salad or house salad; sandwiches such as Philly cheesesteak or chicken sandwich; burgers such as bacon cheeseburger or veggie burger; entrees such as fish & chips or chicken fried steak; desserts such as apple pie ala mode or chocolate cake.
The atmosphere at all three locations of Abel’s restaurants is casual yet upscale with friendly staff who are always ready to help you choose from their extensive menu options. Whether you're looking for a quick lunch during work hours or planning a special occasion dinner with family members – there’s something here for everyone!
If you're looking for great food in Austin then look no further than Abels' restaurants! With their focus on quality ingredients cooked to perfection over hickory wood fire pits combined with excellent service makes them stand out from other restaurants in town!
abels.com
