Downtown’s Austin Grill serves as a culinary reminder that Texas and its wild western flavors are about 1,300 miles from Silver Spring.
And I’m talking country miles, the kind of distance that stretches forever without signs of life. Bland, boring miles that roll into a monotonous horizon. Yep, 1,300 miles of that, all lumped into a soft flour tortilla.
It’s a pity, because the cool, kitchy decor (think Route 66 meets TGI Friday’s) could make the place a fun, silly indulgence. But beyond the bar (not reviewed) lies a desert wasteland where lost cattle and old tastebuds go to die.
The carnitas tacos ($10 for two) are warm but limp tortillas stuffed with dry, painfully bland cubes of roasted pork. It’s a similar story with the chorizo, egg and cheese tacos ($10 for two). Dull, possibly powdered eggs and boring cheese mute what little smoky flavor the slivers of sausage may have to add.
At least the place bores vegetarians equally with its grilled portabella sandwich ($10). A big, squishy mushroom cap and rubbery melted cheese languish on a toasted kaiser roll, and the only thing that saves it from complete mediocrity is a chipotle-accented mayonnaise (read: thousand island dressing) served on the side.
Both taco dishes and the sandwich are served with bland beans (black or pinto) and hard, dry rice that’s either undercooked or left over from the night before.
Just skip it — all of it.
Austin Grill, 919 Ellsworth Dr, Silver Spring, (240) 247-8969
Photos: (lead) The bar inside Austin Grill; (above) two tacos. Credit: R. Pace/SSP.
August 21, 2008
19 Comments at "Dining: Austin Grill"
Jennifer, you should try Austin Grill’s brunch. It’s surprisingly really good! I like the Magnolia eggs: scrambled eggs on an english muffin covered in chile con queso. The chorizo burrito is good too.
The food is horrible there. Bland tacos. I had an undercooked burrito once. Couldn’t they have kept the burrito in the microwave for another two minutes? The beer selection isn’t that great. Austin Grill was one of the first places to open in the new DTSS-Ellsworth project (late 2003). It used to be packed because it was the only bar/restaurant on the whole block.
I’ve eaten there several times, and each time it’s been the same story…not only bland, boring food, but botched orders and chaotic service. I’ve given up on it completely. I’m three blocks from El Gavilan and I get better food there, cheaper.
I feel conflicted about the Austin Grill. As CAH mentioned, the brunch has some strong points, but I think that there are better places in Silver Spring for Tex Mex-type food. If the waits at Eggspectations are out of control, sure, it’s good enough, but if enchiladas and tacos are what you’re craving, Austin Grill isn’t the only option. Then again, I really like knowing that there’s some place in town with Shiner Bock on tap.
You’re right. Maybe we should all go to Eggspectation. Ooh, what about Panera bread? Red Lobster? Potbellys? “Romano’s?” You fail to realize that Austin Grill, a locally owned chain, represents an OASIS in a desert of monotonous chain restaurants that are even LESS authentic and even MORE bland than you claim Austin Grill to be. Perhaps you should consider the slim restaurant pickings of locally owned operations in corporate, bland, generic Silver Spring before you make such an unenlightened dismissal of the Austin Grill.
Editor’s note: This poster’s screen name has been modified. — JD (Apr 17, 2008)
In agreement on the food…. but you should review it as an entertainment venue sometime… It’s a great place for music… plus, even if you’re just getting a drink at the bar - ya still get chips! :-) They also totally help foster the music scene between open mic night, a song writer’s night, etc….
So… despite the blah food, I’m happy to continue to support them… cause for the entertainment factor, I’d be super bummed out if they ever disappeared from downtown.
And.. they’re music is always free…. unlike some unnamed irish bar next door that shakes ya down for cash everytime ya walk in….. I remember when they first openned they used to offer free shows (i.e….free as in, for the cost of your $5 pints of guinness)… that disappeared real quick.
Their chips are always stale, their drinks are priced like it’s a fancy restaurant (unless you get happy hour pricing, then it’s reasonable). Since Jennifer reviewed Mi Rancho, I have never been back to Austin Grill.
One thing that is great about Austin Grill is that kids eat free (with an adult, no urchin drop offs) on Tuesday nights. Two free kids’ meals per one adult dinner. A kids’ music performer that adults can actually enjoy, John Henry English, also entertains the families on Tuesdays.
Free kids’ meals, not having to cook + tequila…no complaints from me!
I’ve been going to the Austin Grill since it opened. Maybe it’s just me but I’d say things started slipping a little after the chain was bought by Thompson Hospitality.. food not as good, employee morale down. Seems to me that they are trying to push what was a local chain that still had a kind of mom&pop feel to it much further into TGI Fridays territory. I’m just hoping that the commitment to the local music scene also doesn’t fall victim to corporate ambivalence.
Being part of a big corporation doesn’t have to lead to a 100+ chain of soulless restaurants unless that is the strategy… I hope it’s not but I’m afraid that is the strategy of Thompson Hospitality.
Do they still have late night happy hour? If so, still worth it for cheap Shiners/margaritas after 10pm and no brunch lines. Occasionally, they have a good special (I had a pretty good duck taco there awhile back). And as Jessica said, it’s a pretty OK family restaurant.
On the corporate conspiracy front (hey, I have an image to maintain), they were bought by Thompson Hospitality a few years back, but Thompson is a semi-local (VA) business and not really a corporate giant, so no Live Nation style rants from me.
Mio Rancho is the best bet in downtown silver spring area for Mexican food.
Wow, you are kidding. I’ve never had a bad meal there. Good to great Tex-Mex and friendly staff.
Add my name to the list of people who think the food at Austin Grill is awful. The food was just about acceptable when it first opened, but quickly went downhill towards the barely edible.
I agree that it’s a good place for the local music scene, and if one goes only to hear music, drink Shiner Bock (their margaritas are also bad) and eat kinda okay chips and salsa, it will due.
Still, there is no reason they can’t make decent burritos. If Chipoltes can do it, so can Austin Grill. Obviously, they just don’t care.
I’ve been playing the open mic at the Austin Grill since it opened… 100+ times believe it or not. Maybe I’m just lucky but I’ve never had stale chips :) and the steak tacos have been pretty consistently good IMO.
I don’t have much to say about the Thompson Hospitality connection but I do hope they can find a balance and maintain some local flavor (and I think providing a venue for local music is a large part of that… of course I’m kinda biased on that point).
Yeah, food’s usually just OK, but there’s nothing like a Shiner Bock and a bowl of queso on the patio on a nice spring day. Their queso dip is worth the trip (they put Shiner Bock in it). Their migas plate won’t cure a hangover like the real Austin deal, but the brunch is a good alternative to the usual wussy mimosas-and-muffins fare. (And a good choice when the line at Eggspectation is a mile long and you’re about to pass out from hunger!)
Ditto on viewing it as an entertainment venue– good support for local singers and songwriters, and you can get a late bite to eat. The Songwriter’s Showcase is always fun.
I support this review. We don’t go out very often, and we wasted our previous opportunity on Austin Grill. Don’t go near the veggie burrito–there is a mere tablespoon of cubes veggies in there, with the bland bland bland rice and beans. Even the “spicy” sauce lacked zest. But worst was the dessert–the lids apparently fell off of the nutmeg AND cinnamon when they were making up the apple pie, and it was inedible. I mean, atrocious. I also could not recognize any apple flavor in it. I know I deserve what I get for $2 pie at a “Tex-Mex” joint, but this was indefensible.
That’s right Grill Guy, when all else fails, break out the “local vs. chain” card. Not like that dead horse hasn’t been beaten into the ground.
I’ll tell you what, why don’t I just go the local tex mex down the street….and avoid this subpar place all together. Local, Regional, McDonalds…it doesn’t matter to me. If the foods good, I’ll eat it. If not, I’ll skip it. Press on Penguin!
Jennifer always knows quality when she tastes it.
Cross reference her reviews with the Washington City Paper’s Best of DC 2008 picks in Silver Spring and you will see a theme: on these calls the Penguin dropped it first:
Editor’s note: This comment has been deleted. — JD (Jun 24, 2008)
Holler back.