FoxHole Culinary Tavern

 The FoxHole is a gorgeous, modern restaurant tucked-in among several shopping centers off of highway 183 in north Austin. There is a subtle sport-bar vibe behind a very high-end dining environment. The wood-fired grill is behind a seasonal, scratch kitchen. The seasonal, scratch nature of the menu means that it not only changes regularly, but also that not every item on the menu is consistently available. On most of my visits, the waiter started their introduction itemizing what menu features they were currently out of.

 I was very impressed on my initial visit, with subsequent visits by both myself and friends changing that opinion. The waitstaff is often inattentive, even when the patronage is light. My observations have been that often the staff were more focused on socializing among themselves than ensuring my drink was refreshed. There has also been a sense of some eminent drama on the back-end. I have overheard talk of problems in the kitchen, staffing issues, and other business that probably should not be discussed in the dining area.

 The experience that truly set my opinion of the FoxHole was they day my drink arrived with something unusual in it. I ordered a soda, and it arrived with a weird garnish placed vertically in the glass. It was large enough to be wedged in the glass so as to not float, and thin enough to suggest it was some kind plant. When I noticed it, I surmised that it was a slice of water-chestnut based on the color. When I took it out of the glass, I discovered it was a FoxHole Coaster.

 The waiter suggested that the bussers regularly put garbage in the glasses when they bus the tables; napkins, straw wrapper, and coasters. The glasses are dumped and placed in a dishwasher. The persons manning the dishwasher missed the coaster wedged in the glass, as did the waiter who filled my drink order.

 And nothing was mentioned about it afterward; no visit from the manager, no offer to comp an appetizer, just kind of a "I'm sorry, that just sort of happens" apology. My last visit was for the purpose of providing a recent review.

 I started with the Point Judith Calamari, calamari mixed with broccoli florets and julienne-cut peppers. It is a good appetizer, lightly breaded with large pieces of calamari. The appetizer is also about half vegetables, and as it is all breaded-and-fried you often are surprised with a vegetable when you might have expected calamari. While the appetizer is similarly priced as other calamari plates, you get far less calamari here. Great if you have a mix of people who may or may not enjoy calamari, a disappointment if you ordered calamari for calamari.

 The Country Fried Akaushi Steak was a good country fried steak truly set off by the jalapeno-mushroom black pepper gravy. Without the gravy, the steak itself was fair. The portion size is large enough that two could split the meal and be satisfied.

 My daughter had the Tomato Wild wood-fired flatbread. She has tried several of the flatbreads at FoxHole and noted that the Tomato Wild flatbread always seems to be crisper than the others, almost burnt. Otherwise, she enjoys it.

 FoxHole Culinary Tavern is a mixed experience. If the chef and staff are having a good day, the results are likely to be good. It seems like management there is very lax, with the staff left to their own devices regarding how to manage issues and provide service. A lot of love and care has clearly been put into the aesthetic of the place, but the staff seems far less invested.

https://www.foxholeaustin.com/

13995 N Highway 183
Austin, TX 78717
Phn 512 386 1354