1886 Cafe & Bakery

We had a fabulous brunch at 1886 on a beautiful Saturday in Austin. They don’t accept reservations on the weekends, but when we walked into the Driskill Hotel lobby around 10 AM we were greeted by two very friendly hostesses who let us know that a table would be ready in about fifteen to twenty minutes. Not a bad wait at all. We spent the time wandering through the gorgeous historical lobby, and fifteen minutes flew by. We were shown to a table in the dining room. The dining room of 1886 feels like a café in Paris! White marble, green wood accents, high ceilings, lots of natural light, waiters in long white aprons bustling past. It was such a fun environment for brunch!
For beverages, I ordered a cappuccino ($ 4) and my boyfriend had a pot of tea ($ 3.25). Both were a great way to start the meal. For our entrees, I ordered the Hippy Hollow ($ 13) with a buttermilk biscuit on the side ($ 2.50), and my boyfriend ordered the Hangover Burger ($ 15). The Hippy Hollow is scrambled eggs with spinach and goat cheese, served with potatoes and fried tomatoes, and the whole meal was AMAZING. I loved every bite. It also came with a side of whole wheat toast (which I didn’t realize when I ordered the buttermilk biscuit) but I’m a big bread fan so I ate all the toast and the biscuit… and it was all delicious. Especially with the homemade jam that came with both. My boyfriend also loved the Hangover Burger – it’s a burger topped with an egg over-​easy, hash browns, and spicy bacon. Crazy decadent, and the perfect brunch burger. It came with scrumptious shoestring fries.
I can definitely recommend this place as a brunch spot if you’re visiting Austin. We were so pleased to get to enjoy such amazing food and great service!

Back for breakfast again after our second stay in the Driskill. This time we tried the Hippie Hollow and Hangover Omelette. Both were very tasty, but the steak and eggs with biscuits and gravy are hard to beat. Also, took a savory croissant to go. That made a great afternoon snack later on.

Food– four stars. Executive chef – 5 stars. He was so great and informative but quite honestly the attitude of the girl at the register left such a bad taste in our mouths that not even the chefs culinary expertise could correct. I think her name was Lily Ann. She was cold, rude, snippy and totally unpleasant to us BOTH times we were there. The first time we asked for a muffin to but cut in half, her reply,“I will give you a knife and fork and you can do it yourself.” I’m paying $ 5 – 6 for a muffin it’s not too hard to cut a muffin. And THEN when we went to order slice of $ 13 Quiche Lorraine (!!!) she just dropped it in the box as if it were leftovers. I said that we wanted it warmed, and she snidely replied «of course you do (a la ‘Annie’ from «Bridesmaids» in the plane scene). Grabbed the box, removed the quiche heated it and returned it as if it was a huge imposition. I wish she weren’t the one we had to interface with because the food and environment are worthy of more stars. There’s no food so great that bad service can’t ruin and no food so bad that great service can’t improve.

This place has great pastries and a classic atmosphere for eating alone or with friends. The coffee could definitely improve though – it’s definitely overpriced and with cups as small as they are, refills should be offered.
The staff are generally friendly and helpful, but the bakery does not consistently have someone working in it which makes ordering food more difficult as I have to go into the hotel to find someone to help me.
Overall a great place that I go to frequently.

I feel like this place used to be great — but somehow, they just slipped.
The question is — did it get worse, or did my expectations just get higher?
I don’t know. But I do know that the service we received was not the best (everyone involved seemed nice, just not very professional. I really wanted some recommendations, but didn’t get much help). I recommend against the buffalo cauliflower, it was kind of soggy and flavorless. I DO really recommend the cheese soup, which I thoroughly enjoyed despite my lactose intolerance. We tried a few other appetizers, but everything was kind of lackluster.
The atmosphere is cool, the drink menu looks extensive, the location is killer (i mean, the Driskill ya’ll!), and the portion sizes are GREAT — but the appetizers weren’t awesome and the service was not super helpful.
We did get some cookies to go — and my chocolate chip one was STELLAR. I’ll be back for baked goods.

ROACH ALERT! A big cockroach was crawling on the wall and the staff did nothing for about 30mins (eventhough they all saw it and it was in plain view on a white wall… they even reseated two customers that were right next to it). Appalling !
Food was OK.

The ambiance is wonderful, with no reservations allowed on Christmas eve, we were surprised to be seated immediately at noon. We now know why, food is your typical hotel food with creative names. Don’t bother getting the bloody mary, it’s terrible. With several tables available, we were seated next to silverware drawer, talk about a mood killer.

My first impression of this café was the much too casual host and hostess at the front, one was handing the other a handful of trash and they were cracking jokes before they sat us. There was an awkward fake follow– they seemed to be seating us so we started to follow when they suddenly turned around and I almost ran into them, and was then told to wait another minute.
Our waiter was nice but couldn’t make recommendations to my friend about cocktails because he «didn’t like cocktails» and he almost seemed a bit snobby about it and not helpful.
The food was just not good. The best thing we had was the cheese soup. The cauliflower app was just terrible, undercooked and bland. The crostini was hard to eat, chunks of bread. The cheesy tots were like undercooked fried dough.
I will probably not be back.

I thoroughly enjoyed today’s Sunday brunch at 1888 café & bakery.
I’ll admit I love this place mostly for the fact it occupies a beautiful, historic bakery and restaurant in Austin’s oldest hotel. I love the stained glass windows and the tiles and wood and brass that cry ‘late nineteenth century’. What a pleasure it is to dine in this space!
And even if you’re not a sucker for history, the food is very good too. I had the huevos rancheros, which was served over a rich, chorizo chilacile base, and topped with creamy queso fresco and avocado. My friend had the New York strip steak served with a soft, sweet, southern biscuit and white gravy.
Prices are reasonable given the location (in the heart of downtown Austin) and the quality of the cuisine and service.

This place has class. That’s what drew us here. I’ve lived in Austin for 18 years and passed by the driskill many times but never stopped for drink or food. Well today is a rainy day after Thanksgiving and we wanted to complement our good but small lunch at blue Dahlia with a dessert. We still decided to have the delicious cheese soup and my honey had the gigantic banana split and I went for the lovely pistachio maraschino gâteau which tasted good but looked greater than its taste. Overall a really good afternoon stop and prices are very reasonable.

This place has charm, but they don’t have good food, especially for the prices. I was staying at The Driskill and tried eating here a couple times, to disappointment.
For breakfast, I ordered the migas. They were not cooked so well, the solids not incorporated into the eggs appropriately. The beans were not cooked well. The corn tortillas had a bad texture, as if they came from a bag and were not even reheated very well. They were somewhat rescued by hot sauce, which my waitress offered but neglected to bring (she also neglected to check on my for several minutes).
I returned for lunch one day, choosing the quiche. It was bland and served with a jam that did not compliment it very well.
Perhaps the pastries are good?

Woah is all I can say — like this place was AMAZING! Not only was the atmosphere incredible, but the ice cream was delicious and I even was able to order an adult coffee float! Yes, it had Kahlua, ice cream, and coffee in it! I got the standard ice cream sunday and I was in heaven! This is a must visit when in Austin!

It’s alright. Every time we go here the waiters are a little too quirky, second guessing our menu choices or making comments about the restaurant’s water pitchers. They’re dressed so nicely and it’s a fancy hotel so it’s always surprising.
The food is tasty but the last time we ate here my husband and I both felt a little ill later that night. Not sick but just off. Appetizers are the best part of the menu.

Staying at a nearby hotel but decided to take a walk down 6^th Street to find a more interesting breakfast. This hidden jewel inside the Driskill was the perfect place. Delicious vegetable quiche, decedent almond croissant, perfect latte!
Manager Andrea was delightful as was newly promoted head pastry chef Delora.

I am currently visiting Austin, TX for Ann Arbor real estate and just stopped in to have breakfast at 1886 Café & Bakery. They have the highest standard of excellence when it comes to presentation and service. Their fresh breads and goodies are made from scratch every morning to be served that day to customers! I could not believe my eyes when I saw the gorgeous stained glass door I knew their food would impress. I suggest the salmon or the eggs!

Great place for a quick breakfast. We got coffee and fresh pastries. Highly recommend the pain au chocolat (croissant). Cappuccino was perfect. Great environment to start the day.

He decidido que cada vez que visite Austin tengo que desayunar o almorzar aquí. El lugar, al interior del hotel Driskill, es elegante sin exigir un dresscode formal. Es comodísimo y los platillos son Texas Size pero con una sazón más especial. Crush total con este lugar.

I am from Houston, but every time that I come to Austin I try to make a point to come to 1886 Bakery and Café for brunch, and it’s for a reason: they take care of details. The eggs Benedicte are cooked to perfection, the pastries are just perfect as well, flavor wise, texture wise, and they are fresh and crispy. The orange juice is freshly squeezed. The vegetables are sautéed with just the right amount of oil. Nothing is overbearing, everything is well balanced and tastefully done and presented.
The attention is excellent, and the place is very nicely decorated and clean.
I am giving them 4 stars though because the coffee could improve. I was a little disappointed with the flavor, I think they can use better quality beans, and they should because the are a «bakery and café».
Nonetheless, I highly recommend this place for brunch. Just get your coffee elsewhere.

Lox and cream cheese great
Thick cut bacon great
THICK Toast GREAT
Pancakes good
Nice place, clean classy. GO THERE not sure why this place has 3.5 stars.

It’s very difficult not to give this place 5 stars. You come here and experience luxury at its finest. From walking up to The Driskill’s grand entrance to their gourmet menu. It’s filled with all things that make your heart flutter. Hard not to stare at your surrounding while you admire first class architecture. Better yet, take pictures of the restaurant while trying not to look like a tourist. Little do they know I’m a genuine born and raised Austinite.
The food here was excellent. Exactly what you would expect from a place of luxe. Unfortunately, the staff would get 0 stars from me today. Great thing the food, location, vibe and atmosphere made up for it. Would definitely be back for brunch with friends. Was an excellent selection to see my bestie before she flys out to San Fran for the weekend. Come here for all the above. The experience is worth it. Cheers!

We came here for New Years brunch. There was a short wait, but they will call your cell when your table is ready, so we were able to roam freely around the stunning Driscoll hotel while we waited.
The atmosphere is really very lovely and elegant; it feels a bit old-​world European.
Our omelettes were delicious and just the right portion size. I ordered the Lady Bird Omelet– egg whites, spinach, onions and goat cheese. It came with beautiful, colorful purple and orange potatoes, sprinkled with sea salt. Perfection! We took home a dark chocolate cake to eat later (their signature bakery item) — hands down one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had.
The reason why I can only give four stars is because of service. We only saw our server maybe twice, and she completely forgot my coffee (it later came halfway through the meal.) Other than that it was a great experience, good for special occasions or brunch with the girls.