Fredericksburg

(From June 2012)

A winding scenic drive, live music on the patio, thousands of bats
emerging at twilight from an old railroad tunnel nearby—could there be a more perfect Hill Country evening? This funky joint is famous for what this magazine dubbed the third-best burger in Texas a few
years ago. And we are here to tell you it still rules, as juicy and plump as ever; be sure to specify a jalapeño cheese bun (makes a big difference). A basket of delicious hand-cut fries feeds the whole table. There are other entrées, including a daily special, but really,
are you gonna pass up that burger? Beer & wine.

Monday, August 24th, 2009, 12:09 pm
Hill says:
First, our group arrived at about 4:30ish on a Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t quiet crowded yet. The place is extremely small, crowded, loud, dirty, and very hot. It only got hotter as it started filling up with customers. We kept getting bumped and brushed up against our entire meal. I am not too sure that this place could comply with any type of fire or health codes. It is not in the city limits but someone might want to check on this for safety reasons. When we first arrived, we had to help ourselves to a drink from the cooler. It took a while to finally get a waitress that we had to flag down. As a matter of fact, we were on our second drink before we were able to flag down the waitress to place our order. It was a good think we had already helped ourselves to a drink from the cooler or we would have been dehydrated at this point. By this time, it was swarming with customers. We were extremely hungry and hot. By the time our food got there, we were starving but the one thing I have to compliment them on is it was a fantastic burger. It is a little on the expensive side but well worth the money but not the rude, slow, and unbearably hot conditions. We continued to help ourselves to the cooler and managed to flag down our waitress yet again to place a milkshake order. Once we placed the shake order, a few of us stayed at the table and sent one up to try to get in line to take care of the tab. She never brought us our tab so it took a really long time to wait through the line to pay the tab. Meanwhile, this really rude lady kept emerging intro the dining room inquiring across the restaurant rather loudly about what we are waiting on. Our party informed her a several times that we were still waiting on our milkshakes that we had already paid for and had not received. After this occurred several times, the "rude lady" emerged one final time and standing in front of the entire dining room shouts out "hey" and starts flailing her arms and shouts out, "we need the table, ya’ll gotta move, ya’ll can wait outside for your milk shakes" Now, it was August, it was hot in the restaurant but it was a 102 degrees outside:( I couldn’t believe my ears. The rude lady I was told was the "owner". We were kicked out after they had our money and she didn’t even have the decency to come to our table and address us in a polite manner. It wasn’t our fault that the service was slow. Instead of her "yelling" at her staff, she felt obligated to yell at her customers. Way to go Alamo Springs! I would have understood it a little better if she would have at least walked over to our table and addressed us on a personal level and said something a little more politely like" I am sorry for the slow service but we are really short staffed today and I am really sorry that it has taken so long for ya’ll to get served". "We are really busy right now, would ya’ll mind terribly if I could find another area for ya’ll to wait for your milkshakes so I can seat some of the other customers? Instead, our party was embarrassed in front of the entire restaurant that made us look like we had done something wrong. In our party was one of the owners of a very large family owned successful Texas restaurant chain and they were absolutely appalled . Way to go Alamo Springs, that was really good for your business! We were recommended to this place by a really good friend. I am sure it might have been a great place before it made the magazine but obviously it has gone down hill. He is a very wealthy local resident so I can not wait to give him the feedback on our "dining experience". Way to go Alamo Springs! As far as the milkshake that was $4.25 each, it was melted and not worth $1.25 when we got it. It took 2 hours from the time we entered until the time we left. I probably would only consider take out for the burger but absolutely would not waste my time, energy, or money for another "dining experience" at Alamo Springs Cafe!

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(From January 2011) Everything’s made from scratch at this unpretentious local cafe. The chicken-fried steak earns its reputation with thick, tender, well-seasoned beef in a hearty crust, and the hand-cut steaks are deliciously cooked to order and bargain priced. Friday night’s seafood buffet is heavy on the fried stuff, but the Southwestern salmon is flavorful and fresh. Sides include outstanding yeasty dinner rolls and country-style veggies; the green beans simmered with bacon are wickedly good. Skip the peach pie and have a slice of the decadent Jefferson Davis coconut custard topped with pecans. Beer & wine.

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(From February 2011) Colorful, delicious, and consistent are the key words at this ultra-popular Southwestern spot. Choose the bright, cozy interior or the charming courtyard and dive into the mahimahi tacos (truly in the top five of the fish tacos we’ve sampled) or the blackened chicken with roasted-red-pepper coulis. Hankering for a pomegranate or chocolate martini? This is your place. Bar.

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(From March 2012)

Executive chef Ross Burtwell exceeds the hype with his version of haute home cooking. Starters are deliciously diverse, like a velvety blue-cheese fondue with house-made russet potato chips for dipping, a savory chowder of curried pheasant and apples, and a piquant salad of spinach, Rio Grande grapefruit, and Gorgonzola. Entrées are fresh and local: oak-smoked pork tenderloin, grilled quail stuffed with jalapeños and wrapped in bacon, and even a reimagined (and how) CFS starring Angus ribeye smothered in chunks of lobster and napped with green-chile gravy. Bar.

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(From June 2011) All-you-can-eat catfish draws loyal locals to this unpretentious surf-and-turf spot, where combo platters pair the name-sake fish with everything from jumbo shrimp and stuffed crab to ten-der frogs’ legs and oysters (a succulent delight, and just as good tucked into a po’boy sandwich). There’s also a respectable selection of grilled seafood, hand-cut steaks, and CFS, as well as a 21-item salad bar and a bottomless pot of bacon-infused pinto beans. Be sure to save room for a slice of Tootie’s Buttermilk Pie. Beer & wine.

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Photograph by Ian Blackie

(From July 2011)

When you have a hankerin’ for juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs, make your way to this funky barbecue joint at the edge of town. The ribs are heavenly, especially slathered with the tangy German sauce, but don’t hesitate to try the tender chicken, chopped beef, or sausage. All meats are slow-cooked over mesquite in large brick pits. Dine in or carry out, but be aware that they often run out before closing time, so plan ahead. Beer.

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(From February 2012)

The homey FHF restaurant has undergone a glamorous makeover. In this updated setting, chef Asa Thornton continues to delight with his fresh take on classic bistro dishes, like Sunday’s Benedict Oscar, in which a tender grilled steak and succulent crab serve as a base for a poached egg and lemony hollandaise. But he considers all appetites when planning the menu; options always include burgers along with the requisite soups and salads (try the delish tuna niçoise). As you’d expect, offerings change with the seasons. Bar.

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(From June 2011)

It’s primarily a takeout place, with limited, alfresco seating on Main Street, and the only beverages offered are canned sodas and bottled water. But you’re here for the pizza. Really, really good pizza. The toothsome, hand-tossed crust is baked to crunchy perfection and served under your choice of sauces, cheeses, vegetables, and meats (with some regional options, like Axis venison sausage). The Chicken Pesto, piled with chunks of succulent breast and artichoke hearts and napped with bright basil, is our favorite pie, but do not leave without trying the so-called Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. Authentic? No. So scrumptious you’ll seriously consider ordering another one before you’ve finished eating the first? Absolutely!

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(From March 2011) Beans are our litmus test for Tex-Mex: If a restaurant gets them right, everything else should be spot-on. Hilda’s refrieds are creamy, and the charros, in an onion-garlic broth, are toothsome; both have the perfect amount of pork fat. Warm chips are muy fresh and the tortillas are extraordinary (the restaurant started as a tortilla factory—no wonder it’s a mistress of masa). Gorditas arrive crisp outside, tender inside, and filled with seasoned beef and guacamole. The menu includes traditional faves plus more, and everything’s made fresh daily. While the location is a bit off the beaten path, it’s well worth finding. Bar.

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(From May 2012)

Hankerin’ for a toe-tappin’, hallelujah afternoon? Grab a few friends, a burger, and some dominoes at Hondo’s Gospel Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m., where you can feed your soul and your body. Or come any night Wednesday through Sunday for live music and dishes that include a plate-size chicken-fried steak, spicy green-chile chicken enchiladas, and no fewer than nine burgers. Bar.

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