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Mother's Cafe & Garden Reviews

Reviews from Citysearch

Overall Rating
  1. Our favorite place!

    Read More On Citysearch LAB in Austin 6/19/2010
  2. Not a vegitarian, NO PROBLEM U WOULD NEVER NO THE DIFFERENCE
    I love meat, but one of my friends is taking me to different vegitarian and vegan resteraunts so that I can learn to be open minded... I loved Mothers the food was so GOOD!!! You would never know the difference. I didn't feel bad about being stuffed and full. For desert we had a piece of chocolate VEGAN cake... OMG can you say orgasm in your mouth!!! I had a great experience I would recommend it ...
    Read More On Citysearch cocoapuff882004 2/13/2010
  3. This is my favorite!
    I have loved the artichoke heart enchiladas ever since I can remember! I was so sad when this place burned, but I'm thrilled to see that it is back and running. I was in Europe for a few years and when I came back, the first place I wanted to go was Mother's. Their enchiladas are amazing, but their vegan chocolate cake is even better! Top it all off with a hibiscus iced tea and you have my prefer...
    Read More On Citysearch LaraP07 12/28/2009
  4. Mother's Cafe & Garden is Delightful
    I adore the Veggie Medley, and the Vegan Spinach Lasagna. Cashew Tamari dressing on salad or with veggies is delightful. The wait staff can be iffy. Meagan used to be my fav but she's moved on to greater things. Christopher has waited on me while dining solo or with friends. He's cute and efficient. In fact, I'm sure I am in love.
    Read More On Citysearch Citysearch User 9/6/2009
  5. Decent healthy food, bad experiences
    I live in Hype Park and used to frequent Mother's cafe. I was usually by myself. The last seven times I've been there, I'm almost always treated with contempt. I assume it's because i'm alone and their tip is going to be less than a big table. I like to go there for tea and dessert sometimes and I always get a dirty look or forgotten. One time, I waited almost 45 minutes for food and it wasn't bu...
    Read More On Citysearch jonbolden 7/24/2009
  6. If you like veggie food this is pretty good
    Dive-like atmosphere but pretty good food. I'm really writing this primarily to test out Facebook Connect...
    Read More On Citysearch universeman 12/4/2008
  7. Nice food, really lousy service
    I've gone to Mother's twice now, and each time I have seriously considered not going there again. My first visit was for brunch with a friend. Our waitress was such a snot - typical Austin tattooed girl, hair in a bandanna, who disappeared for long stretches of time (we didn't even get a coffee refill once), and when she did grace us with her presence she projected an attitude that we were intrud...
    Read More On Citysearch WhatWouldKeithRichardsDo 11/28/2008
  8. Best Lasagna EVER!
    I have been going to Mother's Cafe & Garden for almost 10 years. The atmosphere is really relaxed, the patio garden is peaceful to eat in. The prices are totally reasonable and you leave STUFFED. The veggie lasagna has nuts and spinach and is so creamy I crave it constantly. There can be lines, so be prepared to possibly wait a few minutes, but it is well worth the wait...
    Read More On Citysearch heatherinaustin 9/22/2008
  9. flavorless and overrated
    horrible. thats it... one word. HORRIBLE. over priced and bland. i ordered a tempeh sandwich and i dont even think it was cooked. anyone who knows anything about tempeh knows that its got to be steamed or boiled for at least 20 min or your body has a hard time digesting it. it seems more like a place to be seen or something for trendy dieters who know nothing about vegan or vegetarian cuisine to ...
    Read More On Citysearch thewiz 7/22/2008
  10. Yummy Healthy Vegetarian Food
    This place has the whole package. It is clean, comfy and yummy. All their meals are made with fresh local ingredients that leave you feeling good after eating them. I really enjoyed their meatless lasagna and hibiscus tea. You have to try it!
    Read More On Citysearch Citysearch User 6/8/2008
  11. A lovely breakfast
    Upon entering the restaurant, i smelled the amazing aroma of pancakes and waffles. I saw many an eggs benedict and plates full of delicious migas on the way to our table. The layout of the house is so quaint and aesthetically pleasing, casual yet chic. I ordered a field green salad with grilled goat cheese, granny smith apples and homemade rasberry vinagarette...which was soo good. I also has a ...
    Read More On Citysearch conjunction3 6/1/2008
  12. Disappointing Service
    This was my first bad experience at Mother's...but it was bad enough to think twice about not going there again. The service was simply atrocious. The waitress took forever to take our order and then she seemed to disappear for a really, really long time. When she was around, we couldn't ever get her attention. Nothing got refilled, our order wasn't right but instead of fixing it she just sta...
    Read More On Citysearch squiddygoodness 4/15/2008
  13. The food is average but the service is HORRIBLE
    I keep trying to give Mother's a chance to change my perception, but the waitstaff continues to disappoint. As far as the food goes, it's pretty average. I haven't found anything phenomenal and nothing has been horrible. The menu items are pretty standard vegetarian/vegan dishes, there's plenty of room for creativity. The waitstaff is terrible. It consists of a bunch of hipster kids who try...
    Read More On Citysearch austinlover22 3/31/2008
  14. One of the best Vegetarian restaurants: Gotta try it!
    Mother's is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Austin. It has been around a long time, and for a very good reason. You cannot argue with the quality of food they serve. I'm a meat-eater myself, but when I eat here, there is nothing lacking in substance and flavor. The lasagna is superb...try finding a recipe for lasagna that has pecans in it! Not out there, I looked! The first c...
    Read More On Citysearch chemgirlle 3/29/2008
  15. Great vegetarian food!
    My roommate and two guys friends went here Sunday night and loved it! Not only was our server nice and dealt with the two guys we were with(we hadn't told them beforehand that it was vegetarian only) but she was very understanding of our unfamiliarity with the menu. Great vegetarian food and atmosphere.
    Read More On Citysearch e893 3/17/2008
  16. Veggie-heaven
    I've gone to Mother's before and after the fire, and though the last time I went were still working on the garden-area, it's the same (or on the road to being the same) ol' Mother's. Occasionally a bad server can be had, but we've always enjoyed the food. (I highly recommend the Bueno Burger with Guacamole.) It's truly an Austin institution, which, sadly, is becoming a rare thing these days:(...
    Read More On Citysearch austiniteX2 2/29/2008
  17. food great, help terrible
    My first visit to mother's tonight was a letdown! After reading such good things about it, waiting for it to open after the fire, and finally getting there, my party of three experienced hell on earth at the hands of a very ill-tempered waitress. She seemed to hate waiting, and never checked on us, brought our orders wrong, and then charged for all forgotten items (of which there were 3). Conclu...
    Read More On Citysearch llamag 2/6/2008
  18. decent food but overpriced
    The food is pretty good, but it is a overpriced and it is always a guess as to how stoned your server is. Only sometimes is this entertaining. I do like that my roommate and I can walk to it.
    Read More On Citysearch vrh07 9/18/2007
  19. Don't vegetarians use salt?
    I wish I liked Mother's. It's walkable for me, has that cool garden area, friendly staff, but every time I give it a try I have the *blandest* food imaginable! Mostly, the food needs salt and spice! Vegetarian food can be so tasty, but everything I've ever ordered is blah. Very disappointing...
    Read More On Citysearch dawoozhie 4/22/2007
  20. Great for dessert
    During my stay in Austin, we've gone into Mother's quite a lot. The ambience in the garden area is very nice, overall just a nice place to sit. The Pina Colada is great, so is the hibiscus tea. The dessert is very very good especially the blueberry pie and the almond chocolate cake. The service is average: on a couple of occasions we got a really sweet and attentive waitress, then there was a...
    Read More On Citysearch gaiamcraft 12/19/2006
  21. The reason why vegetarian cuisine has a bad stereotype
    First of all, for what it is, it is WAY overpriced. (I'd rather spent $2-$3 more, walk across the street and get a nice plate of vegetarian pasta at Asti.) Plus, you get served by "slacker girls." If that's your scene, you'll fall in love. I got the BBQ Tofu, and it was the dryest, most tasteless tofu I had ever tasted, slathered in - get this - Peanut Butter and what they call their "special"...
    Read More On Citysearch chairvaincre 12/15/2006
  22. Best vegitarian food in the city
    I have been coming to Mothers Cafe for years and I have seldom been disappointed. The soups are incredible!
    Read More On Citysearch roadnate 11/24/2006
  23. Love it!!!
    GREAT tasting Veggie food!!! I'm not a vegitarian but I still Love the dishes here! The staff is great and doesn't mind making recommendations or explaing the dishes further. The dishes themselves are brought out timely and did I mention it is GREAT??
    Read More On Citysearch sieon_ah 10/30/2006
  24. Love this place!
    As a vegetarian this is the best veg restaurant in town. Lots of variety on the menu for veggies and non-veggies. The ambience in the garden room is very romantic and peaceful - also great for kids.
    Read More On Citysearch faaith5 10/21/2006
  25. Time has passed, and with it, the flavor...
    I used to love Mother's Restaurant, but the last two times I've been (spread over a couple of months), the food was abysmally bland. The artichoke enchiladas used to be brimming with flavor, and now they're just dull. The same was true for other items with the exception of the tasty salad dressings.
    Read More On Citysearch sablatt 4/18/2006
  26. the first and not the last time
    This was the first time I went. I am always biased towards eggplant dishes, but I got the Bueno Burger instead. This was by far the BEST vegetarian burger I have ever had. I can't even make them this good at home. It was the combination of sprouts, home-made dressing, and whole wheat bun. I'd go back to try something else. The vegan cake will make anyone rethink their attitude towards vegan...
    Read More On Citysearch eggplantlover 3/28/2006
  27. Great Lunch Stop For Anyone
    This is absolutly an Austin establishment. The food is always wonderful. Every time I go I try something new and I have never been disappointed. The Steamed Veggie Platter, my sound a little boring, but is exploding with flavor and very filling. Espically with the Tamari Cashew dressing. Definalty recommend to anyone.
    Read More On Citysearch nshepherd 3/22/2006
  28. Mothers Cafe
    This is an excellent local resturant. They have a wonderful selection of vegetarian dishes. Dishes range from homecooked style, to Mexican, Itallian, and more. They have the best appitizers and desserts. Prices are around $7.00-$10.00 a dish, but well worth it for the quality. Most of the dishes are pretty healthy as well.
    Read More On Citysearch Citysearch User 11/14/2005
  29. A place that has vegan pancakes is great in my book.
    This is a great place for a vegan since everything is labeled well and most things can be converted from vegetarian to vegan. The ambience is cozy, they are always busy, and the food is super tasty. I like trying something new each time I go, since they have such an extensive moderately priced menu I never have a hard time selecting. PROS: great vegan selection CONS:
    Read More On Citysearch Citysearch User 11/3/2005
  30. Great Vegan/Vegetarian in Austin
    I'm not a Vegan/Vegetarian myself but I love Mothers. The food is delicious and you can't miss the Sunday brunch. Their Migas platter and Mimosas are a must have. For dinner I recommend the Mushroom Stroganoff. Delicious! I recommend this place highly.
    Read More On Citysearch Citysearch User 11/3/2005
  31. The best food in Austin.
    Awesome food: Spinach salad, cashew tamari dressing (can be bought for $4/bottle), chile relleno, enchiladas mole, complimentary chips and salsa, hibiscus mint tea (the best I've ever had), TLT, most of their soups, mushroom stroganoff Mediocre food: Bueno burger, BBQ tofu, sage mashed potatoes, guacamole I have eaten at Mother's a million times and I've never been disappointed. Although I h...
    Read More On Citysearch maozed 9/19/2005
  32. Amazingly great Vegetarian Food!
    I love having lunch at Mothers Cafe. I am always amazed at how they can make ordinary vegetarian food taste so good. So far, I have enjoyed everything I ordered from their menu. They've also got great fresh squeezed orange juice. I would recommend eating in their garden. It just makes the whole experience fun. The prices are reasonable. I would highly recommend eating here. You will always feel h...
    Read More On Citysearch Citysearch User 9/18/2005
  33. Give Mother's a Try!
    Yes, some of the dishes are very bland....eg. peasant's meal, jamacan stir fry, chili melt. But it's vege and healthy, what do you expect? The pace of the place is slow, so service can be slow. But, for three years now, I've gone to Mother's to relax and not worry about having to find the one vege meal on the menu (I hate eating out at places with their "token" salad or vege burger, hello I ne...
    Read More On Citysearch mematteucci 9/4/2005
  34. Awesome food and service
    I just recently turned vegan and recently moved to Austin and I must say that Mother's Cafe was a very pleasant experience. I went with my whole family(of 6) and so I got to try a number of dishes. Out of all the dishes we chose I loved the Bueno Burger the most. Its great. The vegan soup of the day - potato cilantro was very flavourful too. My family also loved the mexican corn soup and the...
    Read More On Citysearch gayathrib 6/27/2005
  35. Disappointment
    Since moving to Austin, all Ive heard is how great Mother's is. Ive been several times now. I find the bland food-mostly flavored with lemon and tamari, over priced and unappetizing. I've gone back for brunch, because the vegan pancakes are excellent. We've never had problems being seated and the staff is always great. The harpist is a nice touch, but the garden room desparately needs a mak...
    Read More On Citysearch alywil 3/20/2005
  36. My favorite vegetarian
    Every meal at Mother's is a delight. I have always received friendly, efficient service, and the food is excellent. The cashew-tamari salad dressing is the best I've ever had, and the entrees are always great. Even my carnivore boyfriend loves it. Highly recommended!
    Read More On Citysearch kittykat05 3/17/2005
  37. Excellent Food and Atmosphere
    My wife and I loved the environment and feel of this restaurant. The outdoor garden and fountain are very nice. We happened to go when there was a man playing the harp, which really created an excellent atmosphere. So far it has been the best restaurant I have visited since living in Austin. The only thing I did not like was the server took a long time to finally take our order. Another wait...
    Read More On Citysearch rasero25 7/17/2004
  38. Great food but only okay service.
    As a vegan, I was very excited about eating at Veg restaurants in Austin (a city I'm very new to). I was surprisingly pleased with the tasty vegan dishes served at Mother's and even more surprised with the vast variety for me to choose from. The desserts are wonderful too! I think their garden is such a beautiful place to eat in. The only downfall to this awesome restaurant is the staff people. T...
    Read More On Citysearch fatti 7/4/2004
  39. Not really like "my mom's" cooking!
    It's so nice to have vegetarian restaurants around! I think this place is relaxing and unique... I love the patio... try the lasagne... mmmmmm!
    Read More On Citysearch cherrylynn 1/31/2004
  40. Mother, Are You Listening?
    This place needs a new menu like nobody's business--hasn't changed since I moved here in 1999. And except for the lasagna and salad, I've been extremely disappointed with everything I've ordered: I, too, can slap BBQ sauce on a slab of tofu and bake it--and I'd choose a tastier sauce; any store-bought veggie sausage is better than theirs; and the sage mashed potatoes taste weird, weird, weird. ...
    Read More On Citysearch klokanek 1/19/2004
  41. Wanna Like It...
    I really want to like Mother's; it's vege, it's in my neighborhood; it's friendly. I've eaten there almost ten times now, every time hoping that I will find my Mother love. No dice. It's not the staff, or the ambiance, or the service or anything like that. That' s all good. Unfortunately, it's the food. Way too salty, and yet at the same time totally bland. It's a bizarre accomplishment. Some...
    Read More On Citysearch stillhungry 11/15/2003
  42. good food, bad service
    The food at Mother's is to die for. I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat much meat, and I love the selection at Mother's. From the stir-fry to the lasanga to the chile relleno, it's all good...except for the service, which is phenomenomally horrific. You can easily wait 30 minutes before getting a seat in the restaurant--when it's half-empty! And you could die of thirst before a waitperson n...
    Read More On Citysearch rusty_s 4/29/2003
  43. this place kicks ass
    I've been going to Mother's Cafe since I was 4, and it's still my favorite restaurant!! I recently turned Vegan, and they have THE BEST vegan chocolate cake!!! My friend was skeptical about the meatless dishes, until she tried the spinach enchiladas...now it's her favorite restaurant too :) I recommend the black bean nachos, quesadillas, and their smoothies are the best I've ever tasted!! Defini...
    Read More On Citysearch SneakyNinja 12/18/2002
  44. w/ so much good veg. food, don't bother
    with so many great vegetarian places in town, don't bother with this one. when i moved into town, i kept hearing how great this place is -- and so close to my new home. first: it's quite crowded, and it takes forever to get a table. there's no convenient place to wait, either. i've gone several times, different times of day, ordering vastly different meals. each time i've had the same disappo...
    Read More On Citysearch amydrummond 11/22/2002

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