Diners' Choice: Contemporary American restaurants in Austin

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Contemporary American cuisine in Austin? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

wink

4.9

4.9 (2360)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

How many of the great moments of your life were experienced at a table over a meal with friends and family? Dinner at wink is like coming to big dinner party where great food, quality ingredients, and Austin hospitality set the stage for yet another memorable experience at table. Wink happily embraces omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, pescetarians, and special dietary issues based on what we have in our larder! "The way we eat represents our most profound engagement with the natural world." - Michael Pollan

Top review

LawrenceVIP

Dined 3 days ago

A treasured neighborhood spot. Food was exceptional and service was attentive. Fairly pricey but totally worth it!

Honey Moon Spirit Lounge

4.9

4.9 (359)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Central Austin

About the restaurant

Honey Moon Spirit Lounge is a vintage-chic restaurant/speakeasy with a well curated menu of elevated comfort food and modern American share plates. The menu includes a craft cocktail list emphasizing fresh juices and classic ingredients, and an extensive and diverse wine list featuring varietals from around the world with a selection of beers and ciders, and a tap of local craft brews.

Top review

Jen

Dined 7 days ago

The drinks and food at happy hour are always excellent, and best mocktails in town! Love the biscuits!

Foreign & Domestic - Austin

4.8

4.8 (2135)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Central Austin

About the restaurant

We are a bustling neighborhood restaurant in the heart of north loop. We are one of Austins oldest farm to table concepts. Our menu is foreign in style, while domestically sourced. Our menus change with the season, farm availability, & on chefs whim. Join us for our nose to tail tasting menu nightly if you appreciate whole animal usage. Our wine program is aimed toward biodynamic natural small production wines. If you'd like to have pre or post dinner cocktails, our awesome neighbors include the tigress bar & drink.well.
Please note that we have a 15 minute grace period on reservation arrival times. Should you find yourself running late, please give us a call or the table may be released to a waiting guest.
Tables of 1-2 guests will be reserved for 1.5 hours, tables of 3-4 will be reserved for 1 hour and 45 minutes, tables of 6+ will be reserved for 2 hours. These times reflect standard dining times of our guests. Should you feel that you need additional time, please notate this.

Top review

carla

Dined 4 days ago

Delicious as always, lovely food and service. Can’t wait to go back!

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Popular dish

Parisian Gnocchi

Popular dish

Gruyere & Black Pepper Popovers

Popular dish

Roasted Berkshire Pork Collar

Pecan Square Cafe

4.8

4.8 (604)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Clarksville

About the restaurant

Pecan Square Café, located in the heart of Clarksville, serves simple, seasonal food inspired by our home in Austin. With a focus on market driven ingredients and an evolving roster of dishes, the menu is straightforward but elevated. The beverage program delivers dynamic variations on classic cocktails, with an approachable and sophisticated wine selection. Open for lunch, brunch, and dinner seven days a week. Service is easygoing, warm, and casually elegant.

Top review

melissaVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Love PSC!! One of our favorites. The pizza is amazing. Service is terrific!

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Experience

Happy Hour | Monday - Friday

June's All Day

4.8

4.8 (1101)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

South Austin

About the restaurant

June’s All Day is a little bit of Paris in Austin—a neighborhood cafe and bar offering late breakfast, brunch, and an all day menu late into the evenings, along bustling South Congress Avenue.

The bistro-style food menu (think Croque Madame, Steak Tartare & Frites, Grilled Chicken Paillard, & Steak au Poivre) is complemented by a frequently changing wine & bar program including unique bottles and classic cocktails The restaurant has a wraparound patio (open year round) and is ideal for people watching and hanging with your friends.

Top review

Bob

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

The dishes are very creative and the taste is first rate. Our server was excellent and we enjoyed the eclectic crowd. Wonderful evening out.

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Experience

Happy Hour | Monday - Friday

Carillon Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (952)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

The Carillon is a New American restaurant featuring familiar food with a refined twist. The Carillon provides a sophisticated and approachable dining experience for all occasions. Our culinary team masterfully creates dishes with local, fresh, and seasonal produce and organic, grass-fed or free-range proteins. The Carillon offers ‘a la carte’ or 3-course dinner for $55 tasting menu, which can be skillfully paired with award-winning wines.

Located at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, The Carillon delivers an impressive and memorable experience. Complimentary self-parking in the Conference Center Garage for dinner guests; bring your ticket to be validated. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Top review

SusanVIP

Dined 2 days ago

We can always count on The Carillon for creative cocktails, delicious food, attentive service, and a beautiful setting for relaxed conversation.

Hestia

4.7

4.7 (2108)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Hestia, named after the Greek goddess of the hearth, is a modern live-fire grill house. Dishes find inspiration from a custom 20-ft hearth which anchors the kitchen and dining room. Our menus offers an opportunity to explore and showcase techniques that highlight the role of fire in food. You may choose to order from our a la carte menu or experience our chef curated tasting menu.

We accept reservations 60 days in advance. For event inquiries, please visit our website.

2024 Michelin One Star

Top review

Mike

Dined 4 days ago

Best dinner I’ve had in a few years. Spectacular food, some incredibly creative, all delicious. Every dish. Service was wonderful, perfect balance of professional and warm/friendly.

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Dry Aged 8oz Texas Wagyu Bavette

The Well

4.7

4.7 (678)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Located in Austin's iconic 2ND Street District at 440 W. 2nd St., The Well blends top-tier nutrition, local and sustainable farming, and authentic flavors for a culinary experience that redefines healthy food in Downtown Austin.

Top review

Eric

Dined 3 days ago

We loved the atmosphere! The food the service, it was my first time here with my gf and we enjoyed every aspect of it, the healthy food the seatings, we are definitely returning

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4.7

4.7 (61)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

West Austin / Westlake

About the restaurant

The Well blends clean ingredients, local and sustainable farming, and authentic flavors for a culinary experience that redefines eating well in Austin, Texas.

Top review

Alice

Dined 3 days ago

Amazing food and very healthy options. The service was great.

The Kitchen American Bistro - Austin

4.6

4.6 (150)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

The Kitchen Austin is now open for weekend brunch and dinner, we are so thrilled to be part of this vibrant community!

Our nationally acclaimed Chef/Partner Michael Bertozzi and his team are creating gorgeous seasonal dishes inspired by global flavors.

Top review

Lisa

Dined 1 day ago

Really fantastic experience. Food came out fast and was amazing. The servers went out of their way to accommodate our notoriously picky children. We tried multiple items and was impressed by each of them. Recommend very highly for a wonderful meal in a beautiful location.

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