Russell's Bistro Reviews

"WE TOOK OFF HALF YOUR TOAST"
That was a direct quote from our waitress after I returned the most disgusting french toast I have ever tasted...
My $12.00 "Special Toast" was so soggy that it fell apart when I tried to use a fork...my wife's Migas were just as bad.
When in Austin...WE WILL NOT BE RETURNING!!!
Not just because of the nasty food...more so because the service sucked!!!

Vegan pancakes are a little dry. My friends liked the non vegan food.

Great local dining, had working breakfast here. It was low key and we had a hot breakfast and wifi.

Amazing patio and the best eggs benedict Ive had in town. Mimosa was kinda small, but still delish!

After having a wonderful meal at Russell's in September, we went back to celebrate New Year's Eve. This time around, we were disappointed by the unusually small portions for three of the four courses. The highlight of the meal was the dessert. Our seabass lacked flavor and my portion was slightly underdone. Free champagne in small glasses was served at 9 p.m. We looked forward to dinner entertainment, however, it was as subpar as the meal.

The spinach in my Fettuccini dish tasted like soap. I had to add a ton on salt, Meal is very bland. If there was cheese on top it would have been better.
Person with me has mash potatoes on the side. Very bland and nothing special.
We were the youngest in the restaurant, which makes me think they cater to the retirement crowd.
The food took forever! About 45minutes. The restaurant was only 1/4 to capacity.

A lost gem. The menu is fabulous. Asparagus Benedict, Grapefruit Mimosa, Lox Omlette. Quaint seating on outside payio, and we snuck into the bar to sit to avoid a wait. Friendly people, and it has the ferl of Old Town Austin--as in vintage. We'll be back again. Poached eggs on the Benedict were a little over done, or this would be 5 stars. If that changes for next time, I'll update my rating.

Sunday brunch is enjoyable here at Russel's bistro on Kerbey Lane. Parking a lil bit of a hassle, but not too bad. This place has a nice patio which is an asset any time of the year, therefore the long wait on Sundays. Now, these people are clever: while you wait you get complimentary mimosas or coffee, which makes it all even worthier. Their food is good. I adore their eggs benedict with some lox and cappuccino. Shall return.

My husband and I went for Mother s Day brunch ALONE ( our five kids were at the sitters from the night before ). We got seated right away( it was 10am) Which was such a pleasant surprise considering the day. The mimosa carafe was 18$ and tasty and full. Now this place gets four stars for the food( I m being generous because I bet they can do better) My husband ordered the migas( BIG mistake to order Mexican food at a bistro) I ordered the sweet potato hash( no bacon add avocado) and a side of vegan sausage. We decided to share a blueberry pancake after seeing a buttermilk pancake delivered to our neighbors . I ll start with the bad and the migas were BAD. The cheese tasted powdery and didn t melt at all. I thought vegan sausage( 3$ for two small links) would be homemade or atleast local. It was probably boca . SUCH a let down. The pancake looked NOTHING like our neighbors and was more like a crepe. It also came with generic maple syrup. A place like this should use REAL maple syrup. Last our hot food was served in plastic dishes. WTH? Again, I expected better from a restaurant like this. My food ( once I picked the sausage out) was the best breakfast I ve had EVER. It was so freaking good! I would definitely go back for mimosas and that bowl but there s so many Choices in Austin that I probably won t. Get rid of the Mexican food, plastic dishes and fake syrup and this place would be A LOT better!

Russell's Bistro is awesome for a couple reasons. First, it stands on its own in terms of their food and beverage offerings. However, many people might overlook it because of a certain neighbor to the south. That's fine. Whatever.
But... if you happen to find yourself waiting an exorbitant amount of time for that other restaurant on Kerby Ln., consider checking out Russell's. You won't be disappointed.

I knew their brunch on the weekends were fantastic and popular but I recently discovered that they are a great and quiet option for dinners. I think they have a serious steak on the menu and I know they have a high quality burger option that friends like but I am more likely to order something vegetarian or fish based and they score high marks in both of those categories.

They have a patio that is quite nice on cool nights.

Nice environment, great pumpkin french toast. Definitely worth coming back.

The perfect place for a mimosa and eggs Sunday morning! Been several times, I'll be going back several times more

Lox omelette and migas are tasty! Friendly service and lovely outdoor seating

Went to this place cause the wait at Kirby Lane was over an hour and a half. What a great decision. They've got some amazing food. Be sure to ask about the specials that aren't on the menu. Also, $2 mimosas for brunch. You can't really beat that.

I keep reading review after review comparing this place to Kerby Lane (the original, right next door). Honestly, after the long wait for service and a waitress who treated us with disdain throughout (that's right, freckle nose, I'm talkin' to you), I found myself much more likely to revisit my old Kerby staple next time.

Ok, so I went here all of once, it was peak brunch time on a Saturday, and they probably weren't functioning at top form. It probably didn't help that nearly everyone who worked there looked like they were barely 20 if a day young ladies hired more for their appearance than any work history. I'm gettin' old and these days I'll take skill over skinny any day. I couldn't help but wonder who was actually in charge. It was not apparent that there was much of a system in place at all.

Loved their avocado toast! Unfortunately they serve that after 5 pm. I also loved their pecan crusted chicken and the spinach.

Very nice place to eat. Environment is inviting, staff was fast and friendly and the food is good. I ate there for breakfast and was pleased with the overall experience. I recommend this place. I will be back for sure.

Food was really really good. We got the eggs Benedict and the pumpkin French toast. One of the best eggs Benedict s I ve had. Coffee was ok, but maybe that was the lack of Sweet N Low.

Have visited the little hidden gem many times with my girlfriend Julie Brown.. and have thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance and food. Romantic and cute.. and reasonably priced for such great food.

Exceptional food in a laid-back atmosphere...a refreshing change from over-priced, hipster havens.

Nice atmosphere, sad they took many eggs benedict items off the brunch menu.

Well made fresh ingredients in a quiet atmosphere. You can have a pleasant conversation with friends.

Burger was really good but it's kind of expensive. The tables had a weird finish to them that made them kind of sticky/tacky which wasn't incredibly pleasant. It has a nice patio but inside is kind of weird. Weird mix of coffee shop and restaurant. Good food though.

Awesome neighborhood gem! Quality food, reasonable prices, superb staff! Nice patio that is wonderful during those cooler autumn days and nights. What more could you want! Highly recommended!

Very good, relatively simple food. Very helpful manager compensated us a bit after we had problems redeeming an OpenTable gift card.

Came here for a Sunday brunch after the Kirbey Lane Cafe wait was very long. It was a great option. They offer free mimosas while waiting for your table (awesome!). Parking is horrible. The food was really good. Service was pretty poor. I would come here again for the food and drinks. The eggs Benedict are amazing. A must try.

Dependable, never a long wait, you know exactly what you're getting, above average diner food, great GF options and baked goods, favorite patio in this part of town.

Eggs Benedict w/ reg. bacon instead of Canadian - this is what you should order-awesome ... and I hate everything

The Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict served on a croissant were delicious! The outside patio has heaters and was quite pleasant at 11:00 am on a drizzly day. Looking forward to having pecan pancakes the next visit!

I had the salmon with asparagus and crab macaroni and it was excellent. I sat on the patio which made it even more enjoyable.

Stopped in here before catching my flight out of Austin. No need to wait hours for Kerbey Lane when right next door is a great spot for brunch! I loved the atmosphere and the food. Make sure you get a savory croissant to enjoy with their fresh strawberry jam butter. Yes, you heard that right. It's jam mixed with butter! My friend let me try their's. I had the pulled pork sliders which were also fantastic!

This used to be my goto for brunch, but they took their crab cakes benedict off the menu, and last time I was there the food was just sub-par - overdone eggs, skimpy fruit bowl etc. Service was still stellar as usual.

Was great place once. But had horrible experience on my recent visit in every aspect.

- The whole place stank like a toilet. Obviously there was some drainage issue

- We were told we'll be seated inside once a table is available and we can sit outside and order till then. But that was completely forgotten by the staff and had to sit outside in 107 degree weather for ages. We had keep hunting down the server to place order and refill water etc

- The eggs in all our eggs Benedict's were overcooked and solid. When we asked to change it the waitress showed a hell of an attitude. Then they brought back a new plate with eggs put on half eaten muffins. If you screwed up the food at least have the decency to put a new muffin under the damn egg

- We asked for ice but never got any. Again it was a 107 degrees and we were sitting outside

- The cups had lipstick marks on them

- Needless to say we did not leave any tip and the waitress was bithching about it right in front of us

Probably one of the worst restaurant experiences ever

Amazing food, service, and mimosas. We love the patio! It's even great for kids.

Loved the atmosphere, location and especially the food. Great place for breakfast and brunch.

Good coffee and great migas! Definitely a must visit for brunch in Austin.

Housemade desserts, Anderson's coffee, and cozy ambience make this a great stop for dinner or for after dinner dessert.

The coffee is the bomb and that is not ever the best thing there. It's the people.

Good food great service price little expensive for breakfast

Very lovely place to eat and relax. Food was very good.

One of the best weekend brunches I've had in Austin. Great price, great mimosas, even better Anderson coffee.

we love Russell's for dinner. Today we dropped by for brunch. It was fantastic. Lots of options including vegan and vegetarian. We ordered the sweet potatoe hash and the banana nut pancakes. Both were exceptional. our winner was the vegan sweet potato hash. It was full of tasty, perfectly cooked kale (which Russell"s excels at), crispy sweet potato nuggets, onion, tomatoes covered in a flavorful pesto. Can"t wait for our next meal at Russell"s

I love Russell's! The food is wonderful and the staff is lovely. The outdoor seating is great when the weather is nice.

Most amazing eggs Benedict I have ever had in my life!!

Food was good. Took a while to get water and our food, and a couple orders were wrong, but they were corrected quickly.

Great atmosphere, helpful waitstaff and great food except for the unfortunate suspected mild food poisoning after Valentine's day dinner. Likely from the spinach salad so not the fault of the restaurant.

Food was bland boring and I have had better baked goods and exquisite plates of food at more prestigious bistros. This place could be compared to a novice bistro at best. Palette of the chef must lack and not understand complex tastes.

Didn't find the service friendly. My cappuccino was mediocre.

I go to Russell's because of their coffee, their tomato bisque, and the smug feeling of satisfaction from walking past all the people outside Kerbey Lane waiting for a table.

Not a huge menu but the complementary mimosas or coffee is a nice bonus. Food is above average.

This is a great spot for brunch on the weekend. Although the menu isn't huge, there's still a good selection plus unique rotating specials. The A/C inside doesn't work well but to make up for it there is ample covered outdoor seating on the patio. The food itself is great and the staff is friendly. Oh and make sure you try their Strawbery butter!

Awesome food reasonable prices upscale service. Nice dining experience.

Great options for everyone, my favorite is eggs benedict.

Best Eggs Benedict in a Sweet little spot.Neighborhood eatery that welcomes all.Wait staff is friendly and conscientious.Prices are very reasonable.Parking is around town but they do have a parking lot that fills quickly.No concrete jungle here.YOU will love the ambiance of this dear little place while enjoying the culinary delights.

The atmosphere is nice and the wait staff are extremely nice.

Food is hit or miss. Mine, pictured here was amazing. Their migas were fantastic! My friends ordered an eggs Benedict but... The egg yolks were hard (we overheard other tables saying the same thing as well). My friend returned it and the 2nd try was only slightly better. The manager never physically came out to apologize like the waiter said but did discount the meal as promised. So maybe some miscommunication on their end.

I would come here again, everyone deserves another chance and it's not like the food was bad.

I love the breakfast here, it is served late and is fantastic. I have had most of the items on the menu and they are all amazing. The coffee is usually very strong and is from Anderson's Coffee right next door. I really like their baked goods they have as they are from Russell's bakery which is very good. Their strawberry preserves with sourdough toast is fantastic. They always have nice servers and a fairly good view. The street is always super crowded so parking is limited, but so worth it.

Russell's Miga was very filling. Although there is no meat in this dish, the combination of potatoes and egg garnished with light salsa hinted at Texas's spanish culture. Comes with your choice of flour or corn tortilla! The home local brewed coffee (drip) was rich. I went on a Saturday so it wasn't packed and the service was quick from start to finish.

Russell's bistro was such a treat! We have been twice, once for dinner and once for brunch: Both were equally amazing! Their food is fresh and creative and the wait staff is very friendly and attentive!!

Russell's is great if you're into quality eggs. Thick, yolky and filling would describe my gustatory participation. Their strawberry butter is new and fun which is accompanied by a croissant. I would describe this bistro as a consolation prize to a breakfast at the Four Seasons.

Welcome to Russell's Bistro! Located in Jefferson Square.

Pleasant place. Food is pretty good. Free refills on tea.

Great spot for a coffee and pastry or savory dinner - wonderful patio!

Lox omelet... onions ,Feta cheese, tomatoes inside. Lox on top. . If you love lox, this is the way to go.

We went here on Sunday morning when Kerbey Lane Cafe (next door) was an hour wait time. Russell's is a higher level of cuisine complexity than Kerbey. Is it better? About the same.

Upsides is a great patio to sit out front and people watch. Good service. Good fresh food. They really do try to take care of those who are waiting... free mimosa's anyone?

The ambiance reminds me of a french bistro... not the refined haut couture but rather a neighborhood family owned place who takes pride in making good food.

Worth a trip? Perhaps.
Memorable? Not really apparently :)

Amazing Friendly Staff, Excellent Coffee, Exquisite Food, Very Large Patio, All Around Outstanding!!!!!

Great food! Main props go to the kitchen. Every time I go food never disappoints!

The house breakfast is just right, but I'm a fatty and ordered the pancakes too. They warned me that 2 were huge, and MAN!!! did they deliver. It's great and the service is amazing! I don't know if the photos do the deliciousness, but enjoy and eat up!

the food was great! my friend and I ordered the banana pecan pancakes and eggs benedict. the poached eggs were nicely done. unfortunately, the service there was poor. no one greeted us when we walked in nor did they acknowledged us when we left. the waitress was not welcoming. she wasn't friendly and she didn't offer to help us when we wanted to move our seatings indoors. the staff team was mundane and unwelcoming. they all seemed like they'd rather be elsewhere. if only customer service was as great as the food, I'd recommend russell's bistro. unfortunately, it isnt.

Good cappuccino, and 1/2 sandwich 1/2 salad, but they were all out of all the desserts I wanted to try. I settled for cookies. The place was slow and quiet around 1pm, but they have a busy lunch crowd.

Easy 5 star. This place was great... they had vegan options, which was really great for my spouse ( the server told us the owner is vegan) but plenty of regular breakfast options on the menu such as eggs, sausage, ect. Prompt service, they take reservations so it's great for bringing a group to brunch, and the food was good and came out quickly. We will be back!

Nice relaxing place to eat with a great menu. Love their salads!

Some of the best eggs benedict in Austin! Great service and delicious food all around. I think that it's locally owned and I recommend it to all my friends when they come to town. I wish they had a little bit more extended brunch hours though

If you aren't familiar with the area, you just might miss this quaint restaurant in the middle of a busy medical center. Russell's offers an intimate environment to catch up with friends, complete with indoor, cafe-style seating as well as an outdoor patio (that's cooled with fans in the summer and heated in the winter). The Bistro offers several pastries and cakes from the original Russell's location on Balcones Drive. They offer espresso drinks and a wide variety of wines. They offer brunch, lunch, and dinner, but brunch is definitely my favorite. Don't miss the $2 mimosas on the weekend! You will not be disappointed by any of their entrees.

Our waiter Alberto was amazing he was so attentive brought up my food promptly check to make sure everything we had was enough I ordered the taco plate my son had the pancakes

Excellent food. Very good weekend brunch choices. Reasonable prices.

This is a really great place for Sunday brunch. Their menu has a large number of items, so everyone should find something they like. I definitely would not try and do a large party here, the space works best for parties of 4 or less. I am really found of their eggs benedict. If there is a wait for a table they will sometimes offer you free coffee while you wait.

Disappointed they removed their desert display. They only had a couple items available and only one gluten free item. They also need to organize and clean up their dining space. Too much clutter on the counters. Good coffee.

food was delicious, and plentiful. atmosphere was nice, music playing was nostalgic to the 90s lol. restaurant was clean and the staff was friendly. We came on a Sunday about 12:30 and a table was available right away despite google saying we'd most likely have up to a 30 minute wait. the prices were good too. i had the chilaquiles, Russell's was perfect for brunch :)

My friend works here. Great service and friendly staff.

Cozy and pretty neighborhood bistro. Food and service we're both good. We went at just the right time and had the place nearly to ourselves to celebrate our early Valentine dinner. From the crab cake appetizer to the brussel sprouts with Pecan crusted chicken, it was good. We will go again.

This is my wife's favorite brunch spot. She really likes the French toast and I can't get enough of the strawberry butter. The place can fill up pretty fast, but they give you a free mimosa out coffee if you have to wait.

Pretty good breakfast. Much shorter wait than most places in Austin. The lemonade mimosas were tasty!

Great for a straightforward lunch. Good soup, sandwiches and salads. Lots of ladies who lunch here.

I don't come here enough. It's a very cute place to go for dates, brunch, lunch, or dinner. The service is amazing, the vibe is very comfortable and welcoming. I love coming here to eat. Everyone is very friendly and does a great job at filling your needs. All around service is wonderful along with the staff

Russell's is great if you're into quality eggs! Thick, yolky and filling would describe my gustatory participation. Their strawberry butter is new and fun and accompanied by a croissant. I would describe this bistro as a consolation prize to a breakfast at the Four Seasons.