I first heard about The League Kitchen and Tavern via a radio advertisement. I had frequented the area near their Avery Ranch location several times, but never noticed the restaurant. It is set back a little ways from Parmer Lane, and its corner location in a small shopping center is easy to miss. The Avery Ranch location has a small sports-bar vibe, the store is divided into a bar with booths side and a general dining side with booths and tables. They also have a small outdoor patio.
On our initial visit, the waitress described the theme of the restaurant as 1920s, prohibition era, though I feel the decor was more reflective of the 40s or 50s. The menus was also meant to reflect the 1920s, but with a modern take. For example, as this was our first visit we were treated to a "deconstructed dump-cake". In other words, the cake was not dumped on anything, but a sprinkling of crushed nuts served as a garnish (so, technically it is no longer a dump-cake).
The service was great, with a courteous host and attentive staff. We started with Bacon Mac and Cheese and Coconut Shrimp as an appetizer. The mac-and-cheese was fantastic; creamy, gooey, cheesy sauce coating seashell macaroni noodles with bacon and breadcrumbs. The serving size would be a meal in itself for two people.
The coconut shrimp had a far lighter breading that other restaurants, which greatly improved the dish by comparison. The sweet apricot sauce paired perfectly with the coconut, making it a real treat to eat. Four pieces of jumbo shrimp made it a plentiful dish.
My go-to for first time visits to a pub-style restaurant is the fish-and-chips, which was lackluster by comparison to the appetizers. Good, but no better than most the local pubs. You will be relying on the tartar sauce and malt vinegar to make the meal interesting. The french-fries were also standard fair, and I next visit I opted for the truffle upgrade to the fries for a better experience.
My daughter had the Southern Burger, described on the menu as a burger including sugar-cured bacon, cheddar, tabasco shoestring onions, and brooklyn barbeque sauce. I would expect the burger to have a sweet, tangy flavor based on the description, but in her opinion it was on the bland-side. She also noted that on our first visit the burger was over-cooked (ordered medium), but was correct on our next visit.
The G-Ma's Old Fashioned Dump Cake was complimentary on our initial visit, which was a nice touch. Again, though, the verdict on the cake was "okay", good, but nothing special.
On our next visit, we tried the lobster roll sliders as an appetizer. While good, the three small sandwiches were probably not worth the $16 price.
I was excited about seeing a Prime Rib Sandwich on the menu, looking for something closer to home than the incredible sandwich at Bartlet's. The sandwich only served the re-enforce our initial experience; kind of mediocre. The shaved prime rib had the flavor and appearance of cooked deli roast beef, the swiss cheese was barely noticeable, requiring the horseradish and au jus to add any zing to the experience.
I enjoyed The League's atmosphere, and could see popping in if I was in the area and wanted to catch a game while having a burger. The Bacon Mac and Cheese is definitely worth going back for. The other items I have tried so far have not been anything to be excited about.
Price: About $15 a plate.
Avery Ranch Store
10526 W. Parmer Ln.
Austin, TX 78717
Phn: 512 366 5627
