1886 Cafe Bakery - Austin

1886 Cafe is so good. It really feels like you've gone back in time but in a more modern way. I got the chicken and waffles. They were the best I've had. Highly recommend.

So you think you're getting a fine dining experience, but no. You stand in line like it's a Starbucks, order your food, awkwardly shuffle over to pick up water which they won't serve you. Everything is like this in Austin, you think you're going to get something nice... They'll charge you $30 for it, and then you just kind of like wait...what was that...?

The Fat Man’s wife loves brunch. So, we found a neat little café around the corner from our hotel. 1886 Café and Bakery serves baked goods plus daytime American fare in a Victorian tearoom-style setting in the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas. My wife tried the Austin American Breakfast. This came with two eggs in any style (ordered scrambled), a choice of bacon, sausage, ham (bacon ordered), country potatoes, and multigrain toast. Her eggs were fluffy but lacked seasoning. The yellow and purple potatoes were seasoned well but could use a crunch from the grill, as they were exceptionally soft. The sweet potato, though, was lovely and cooked well. The bacon was thin but crunchy and had a good flavor. The toast had a good amount of butter, crunch, and chew. I had the Croque Madame made with shaved ham, gruyère cheese, sourdough bread, sunny-side egg, pepper jack mornay, crispy fingerling potatoes, and jalapeño chimichurri. The potatoes were cooked and seasoned perfectly, and the chimichurri was fresh and had a good heat level. The egg was overcooked, but it had a creaminess to it. The bread was lightly toasted and offered a good chew, while the ham was sliced thin with a nice saltiness. The cheese melted perfectly and gave a nice gooey texture to the bite. The pepper jack mornay was good but lacked a heat punch that the dish needed. I also tried Breakfast in a Cup with Jameson, orange Juice, butterscotch syrup, and spicy maple bacon. The bacon has an excellent spicy flavor; it was crunchy and good to chew, but it lacked sweetness. The orange juice was refreshing, and the butterscotch came through on a sweet note at the end. It had some Tajin on the rim. 1886 offers a good-sized menu of sandwiches, signature entrees, and brunch items. They also have a full bar. The Fat Man says that 1886 Café and Bakery is Fat Man Approved with 1 chin.

This place is amazing! We had hippie omelette, steak and eggs, cinnamon roll, Texas waffle and Virgin Bloody Mary’s ! Ufff best brunch we have had in Austin. Definitely coming back Next time we are in town.

I visited this establishment for brunch to commemorate my daughter's birthday. The establishment is situated within the Driscoll Hotel. I thoroughly enjoyed the Texas-shaped and Texas-sized waffle with berries, while my daughter opted for the Austin breakfast. Both dishes were delectable. I also sampled the breakfast in a cup, which was equally delicious. The ambiance of the establishment is truly captivating and exudes a sense of historical significance.