The Driskill Grill
While I did not have the chance to eat at the upscale Driskill Grill, it has an incredible reputation for fine dining. The four-diamond restaurant has been ranked the number one restaurant in Austin year after year. While the food is pricey, The Driskill Grill is innovative, luxurious, and known for its fantastic wine list. In fact, it is the only Austin restaurant to receive the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine (it received the honor in 2009). I took a peek inside, and the restaurant oozes classical elegance. The circular tables with white tablecloths are outfitted with wooden upholstered in beautiful green fabric speckled with golden Texas stars. The carpet on the floor has the same colors and patterns, and the walls feature mirrors with etchings and subdued light sconces.
1886 Bakery and Café
The 1886 Bakery and Café overlooks 6th Street and is the more relaxed and less expensive option. It was named Austin's Best New American Cuisine by a Zagat Survey in 2007. They offer a variety of homemade sweets; when I first arrived, I stopped by and grabbed a croissant, which was rich and flaky, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie, which was delicious. Their ice cream is made in-house, and some of the other decadent desserts they have include the original 1886 chocolate cake, Texas pecan pie, butter pecan custard, New York style chocolate cappuccino cheesecake, and so on. They also serve lunch and dinner menus, with everything from burgers to pasta.
I came back to the 1886 Bakery for dinner, and I had a fantastic house salad with specialty sherry dressing, which was creamy and delicious. For my entrée, I had the tomato and garlic risotto. It was rich and flavorful, but not overly creamy, as some risottos can be. It was served with crisp and tasty grilled asparagus. My guest really enjoyed the gazpacho soup.
For my breakfast the next morning, I ordered a decadent cream cheese Danish. I also tried the popular and enormous cinnamon roll, which is made from croissant-like dough and drizzled in rich frosting. It was slightly dry, but still very tasty.
The Lobby Lounge
The Lobby Lounge is an eclectic and large, open gathering space for all types. It offers a bar that serves drinks and snacks, and has plenty of space to spread out and enjoy them. When I went to the lounge, there was a live band entertaining the patrons. I saw some people reading, some people listening to the band, some people chatting and drinking with friends, and others watching sports on the televisions placed throughout the lounge. The lounge is completely Texas-themed. The carpet has designs of horseshoes and Texas stars. There is a massive cowboy statue in the center of the area in addition to many cowboy paintings. There is a steer head mounted on a wall and many cow-skin chairs and tables. It is classy but embodies the rustic Texas spirit.
Other Amenities::
I was a little disappointed to find out that The Driskill did not have a pool or hot tub, but not entirely surprised since it is an older building and in the confined space of downtown. Fortunately, they do have a fitness room that is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. Additionally, they have a business center that is open 24/7, in addition to free Internet access in the rooms, which is actually quite hard to find these days (most hotels charge you an arm and a leg).
The Driskill Hotel also offers two unique services that help it stand out from the rest. One is called the Pampered Pet Program. The hotel is pet-friendly, and for $50 per animal, you can have access to a specially designed pet bed complete with The Driskill Hotel logo, doggie treats, a chew toy, and food and water bowls. The other is the Driskill Deputy program offered for kids, which is free. When your children check in, they are deputized with a sheriff's badge and given a official sheriff's certificate “signed” by Colonel Jesse Driskill. They will receive a Driskill Hotel coloring book with crayons and are treated to cookies and milk from the hotel’s 1886 Café & Bakery.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.