Waldorf School Association

8702 S View Rd
Austin, TX 78737

Larry M. writes: I went to this school last fall to present my film to a high school film class (wish MY high school could have offered a film class), and I went in, extremely nervous, waiting for the bored, I-hate-you kids to sit and sneer and laugh at my…

Collings Guitars

11025 Signal Hill Dr
Austin, TX 78737

Robert N. writes: I recently took my 6-month-old Collings D-1A (that's a "normal" dreadnaught style acoustic guitar with an Adirondack Spruce top in place of the less expensive and less spectacular sounding Sitka Spruce top) to a friend of mine who has been playing…

Geo Growers

12002 W Hwy 290
Austin, TX 78737

Peggy K. writes: Easiest transaction ever. We were getting ready to put in our vegetable garden and wanted to put down our spring mulch. I received a recommendation for Geo Growers. I went to their website and found descriptions of the dirt and mulch and prices.  I…

The Backyard

13101 W Highway 71
Austin, TX 78738

Randall R. writes: Dear California transplants,

Please remember that, like you, most of us are not from Austin.  What brought us all here was the quirky, artsy, creative nature of the city and the surrounding landscape.  I'm guessing most of you are no exception.

I am…

Rosie's Tamale House

13436 W Highway 71
Austin, TX 78738

Clark H. writes: Huh? Yeah, it's confusing. There is a Rosie's Tamale House across the highway (Hwy 71) and 100 yds further west.

Don't get confused - your life (and mine) has enough regret in it already.  This one is a tiny red shack on the same side of the road as…

Dr. Lindsey Hoppe, DDS

11420 Bee Cave Rd
Austin, TX 78738

Justin B. writes: I have a crush on my dentist.

It's hard to flirt with a dentist, though, because she's got her hands in your mouth, uncovering fetid pockets of decay, and your salivary glands are working overtime while her assistant is sticking all sorts of…

Madrone Ranch Stables

8801 Madrone Ranch Trl
Austin, TX 78738

Rachel F. writes: Okay, I'm not just giving this place five stars because I managed it for nearly four years.  Madrone Ranch Stables is conveniently located in West Austin, just past Lakeway off of Hwy 71 and Hamilton Pool Road.

The instruction at Madrone Ranch is…

Great Austin Properties

Austin, TX 78738

Catherine D. writes: This company is owned by Micheal Reilly who is without a doubt the best agent/broker in Austin. He knows the city well & goes above and beyond a normal agent.  He is the best especially if you are relocating from another state.  I wish there were 6…

Town Lake Village Apartments

1201 Tinnin Ford Rd Ofc
Austin, TX 78741

Larry M. writes: Catty-cornered to Town Lake (not adjacent, as they claim) this kick ass complex is in a super location, on the quiet east side portion of Town Lake, across from the Hostel off Lakeshore Drive.

Beautiful area, and enlightened project with free yoga…

Cici's Pizza
Neighborhood: Oltorf/East Riverside

2237 E Riverside Drive
Austin, TX 78741

Riley V. writes: I'm not really a buffet kind of guy.  But something about Cici's appeals to me.  So I went to check out this one on Riverside.  I was surprisingly impressed with the Cici's in this area.  It is clean and organized, with a good staff.  Honestly I went…

El Jacalito Restaurant
Neighborhood: Oltorf/East Riverside

2030 E Oltorf St
Ste 110
Austin, TX 78741

Christina W. writes: Walk into Jacalito's and you will be the fanciest thing there. However, it's appeal is so much more than glitz. This place has good, cheap food (ie $5.99 fajitas on Saturdays, breakfast tacos for $1) and, perhaps best of all, $2 beers pretty much all…

Baby Acapulco

1705 S Lakeshore Boulevard # A
Austin, TX 78741

Celeste A. writes: Visited for breakfast food at lunchtime on a Sunday and it was pleasant on the patio. Less than stellar chips. Good migas for breakfast. They also make good chicken tortilla soup. Well stocked tequila list. A great Herraduro Anejo Mexican Martini and…

Montecito Apartments
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)

3111 Parker Lane
Austin, TX 78741

Ben H. writes: Awesome apartment, good managment and fun place to live.  The apartment is in south Austin close to just about everything.

McKinney Falls State Park
Neighborhood: Southeast Austin

5808 McKinney Falls Parkway
Austin, TX 78744

Justine H. writes: It may not be the most fantastic of all parks, but it's pretty amazing how much it is possible to escape into wilderness while remaining so close to the city.

Close enough, in fact, that when we first moved here, my husband and I basically lived at…

Four Hands
Neighborhood: Southeast Austin

2090 Woodward St
Austin, TX 78744

Kevin N. writes: The Funky Candelabras, besides being a really great band name, describes only one set of the many wonders you'll find at this Austin area staple.  We caught them during one of the big sales that they run this time of year, and the place was awash…

Sunset Valley Farmer's Market

3200 Jones Road
Austin, TX 78745

Tara H. writes: You are probably asking yourself, "Why in the world would I drag myself out of bed on a Saturday morning to buy produce?"

I'll tell you why.

Sunset Valley Farmer's Market is so much more than organic produce. It is the miracle hangover cure.

My sister…

First Wok

603 W Stassney Ln
Austin, TX 78745

Steve M. writes: Holy smokes!  I've lived in the 'hood for a while and never tried this place - partly because NG House, over on Westgate, is so damn good; but mostly because I've been lazy and felt that corner looked a little shady.

Well.  I stand corrected, and very…

Casa Maria

4327 S 1st St Ste 102
Austin, TX 78745

Don P. writes: If we lived in a perfect world where salsa was currency (I'm still working with the Fed on this), then Casa Maria would be Fort Knox.

I'm a bit of a salsa snob partly because I love the stuff but mostly because I'm pretty sure that the "manna" that…

Confidence Plumbing

9500 Claxton Dr
Austin, TX 78736

Kristen F. writes: Our water heater went out a few days ago.  We got five estimates because we couldn't believe how much higher the estimates were from contractors compared to Home Depot and Lowes.  Home Depot and Lowes both admitted that it's their basic estimate, and…

Beijing Wok

8106 Brodie Ln # 109
Austin, TX 78745

Jaye J. writes: I used to live near this place and ordered from them a lot. I was an addict of the corn and crab soup. Real crab, corn, broccoli in an egg drop soup. After a while though, I just started making my own. Still, I've never found a soup like this at any…

Brodie Food Mart

7612 Brodie Ln
Austin, TX 78745

Mac G. writes: This place ROCKS!

They have everything you need all in one stop, they offer all the regular goodies found at a convenience store plus a lot of the extras.

- Large selection of cigarettes (all the ones offered at smoke shops)
- Beer (huge selection as…

V.I.P. Nails

5510 S Ih 35
Austin, TX 78745

Tracy G. writes: No appt needed, walkins always welcome, the ladies of VIP are always there...7 days a week.  

I have gotten spa pedicures there for a couple of years now, and even talked my husband into them as well.  They turned a "normal" guy into a metrosexual.…

Aaron Brothers Art & Framing

5400 Brodie Lane, Suite 920
Austin, TX 78745

Tara H. writes: I went here last night to frame this poster I bought in London and despite the fact that they were closing in forty-five minutes AND that they were helping the loudest couple in history I received excellent service.

Sean, one of the people working at…

Doubledave's Pizzawork

3421 W William Cannon Dr
Austin, TX 78745

Devin C. writes: One of my greatest weaknesses is a ooey, gooey pizza.  I don't mean that in a bad way.  Nooo - the deep pan crust is just undercooked to perfection, the cheese is thick and kinda bubbly.  Double Dave's satisfies my weakness.

If you're a family out…

Home Depot the

1200 Home Depot Rd
Austin, TX 78745

Charlotte S. writes: The only thing that I've bought from the main store is a bath towel rod. Since it's just  a bath towel rod the only thing I can say about it is that it's adequate. It holds my towel.

The rest of my purchases are from the gardening department which has…

Cherry Creek Catfish Co

5712 Manchaca Rd
Austin, TX 78745

Allison P. writes: This is an old-school style catfish joint. I expected that man sitting across from me in the sear-sucker suit with bow-tie to put on a straw hat as he walked out the door. I was pleasantly surprised by the decor, from the outside I expected the place…

Lowe's of S E Austin

5510 S I H 35
Austin, TX 78745

Carla S. writes: Well it's nice to have a Lowe's so near by.  It's also nice that a Lowe's is a Lowe's is a Lowe's.  It's the 2nd place I've been to in Austin that we have in Orlando.  That's comforting in that I get stressed when having to purchase anything at a…

Fit and Fearless Krav Maga- South

1901 W William Cannon Rd
Austin, TX 78745

Daniel B. writes: See the downtown location review for more of my thoughts. These guys have made fitness and self-defense so much fun. They have serious fight  and fitness training, with a laid-back atmosphere. I had tried other martial arts, but the energy of Krav…

Thrift Town

5726 Manchaca Rd
Austin, TX 78745

Rose M. writes: The last time I visited Thrift Town, I thought I was going to have to arm-wrestle the cashier for my coffee table book entitled, "The Wonderful Private World of Liberace".

"That's ----in' beautiful," she said, as she thumbed through the pages.

Thrift…

Top Cash Pawn

4715 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78745

Alexandra L. writes: If my boyfriend had been in the market for a hollow-body electric guitar this past weekend, he would have scored at Top Cash.  He found a Joe Pass Epiphone in pretty good shape for $450, including a nice hard-body case, baby.  (Although, the jack was…

Reuben's Wine & Spirits

107 W Stassney Lane
Austin, TX 78745

Carla S. writes: Great variety.  

They have a really good deal on Hendricks Gin which should be a review in and of itself.

Location is awesome for me, we're practically neighbors.

San Juanita Tacos

5607 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78745

Alexandra L. writes: We drive by this place all the time - it's on the southeast corner of Stassney and Congress.  The exterior yellow paint looks like it used to be sunshine bright, but has now faded with time.  It appears to be a tiny shack, a step up from a taco…

Capstone Dental

4422 Pack Saddle Pass Ste 201
Austin, TX 78745

Alex M. writes: Seriously, the best dentist.

Dr. Howard cleans your teeth himself and has the most gentle touch. I've never been jabbed by a tool or had my cheek inverted by the suction wand. No, this is a calm, happy, relaxed family-run dentistry practice. They have…

Agape Christian Ministries

6215 Manchaca Road
Austin, TX 78745

Jackson R. writes: This church has moved, so be sure and call or check the web site to get directions.

I attended Agape for two or three years while it was in my neighborhood and learned an incredible amount while I was there. Pastor Wilkerson does an amazing job of…

Hill's Cafe

4700 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78745

Dawn B. writes: our hill's cafe experience last night was a total letdown.  

i had been a few times before, with decent memories of tasty food.  
recently moving one block away had inspired me to make this place a weekly hangout.  we needed to stop by and check this…

La Posada Mexican Restaurant

6800 W Gate Blvd # 143
Austin, TX 78745

Krishelle L. writes: NOTE: Because this restaurant is near my home, I am using the star system to compare it to 'like restaurants' in the area. If I was comparing the restaurant to the entire city I would have given it only 3 stars.
I had seen this Mexican restaurant in…

Ellis & Salazar Garage & Body Shop

4501 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78745

Jill W. writes: I got in an accident on Lamar way before I ever moved here (1997), and a friend recommended this body shop.  They were fast, really easy to work with, and since they are a "service first" shop, State Farm paid them directly so I didn't have to deal…

H-E-B Grocery Store

6900 Brodie Ln
Austin, TX 78745

Dawn B. writes: it was like a page from a movie.  single girl lives blocks away from this brodie HEB.  she falls in love with it, and visits daily.  she knows every corner and isle, like a lover's body.  the homemade tortilla section gives her chills of desire.  she…