I'm heading back to TX for a few days, bringing my wife, 10 month old daughter and my wife's mother. Was hoping to bring them to a restaurant on Lake Travis for an early dinner this Friday. I haven't been out that direction for >8 years, so any recommendations would be appreciated. Am looking for a place with great views and pretty good food, and that won't mind if we bring the stroller to the table with us. Is the food at Oasis decent these days?
I have never had really good "lake" food, i.e., Iguana Grill, Carlos & Charlies, Oasis. Oasis is too crowded to be worth the trip these days. If my wife and I want a good place that's kid friendly and okay food with a great view, we usually head to Iguana Grill. The food is nothing to rave about, but at those kind of places you're really there for the drinks and view.
I live near the Lake. The only decent food on the Lake is Cafe Blue in the Volente area. It sits on the Lake with a nice view, though not the panoramic views like the Oasis and Iguana Grill. The food is MUCH better, though. The Oasis food does still suck. Iguana Grill is better. Another option is Steiner Steakhouse in Steiner Ranch. It has great lake views, and the steaks are decent, though not Flemings-quality.
Does the Lakeway Resort And Spa still have a public restaurant? I remember decent food there but that was back in the 90s. Good view of the lake.
Oh -- I forgot about the Grille at Rough Hollow (in Lakeway). I have not eaten there, but it is on the Lake and has received very good reviews.
I'm pretty sure Cafe Blue is closed for the winter now though. At least that is what a friend who keeps his boat at Sandy Creek told me.
I haven't eaten at Oasis in a very long time. Might be about 10 years now, but the fact that people above have said the food there is still not good amazes me. Why is it that they can't get the food right? I don't think producing decent food is that hard for a restaurant. I live very near Lake Belton and there is one restaurant on the water here; Dead Fish Grill. The same thing is true of it. They try to do things far more 'fancy' than necessary, charge plenty of money to have good ingredients, yet still... mediocre food at best. I am 'uphauled'
I don't know why The Oasis can't get it right. I was there a couple of months ago (first time in over 2 years), and the food and drinks (weakest margaritas in town) were no better. If you go, stick with a burger and beer. Maybe the new restaurants that are going in the complex he is building (which he will not be running as I understand) will have better food.
If it's early-- like happy hour time-- the iguana grill has half price appetizers which makes it pretty affordable. But aside from that, they are very kid friendly, and their outside area is partly covered so even if the weather isn't great you can still sit "outside" and enjoy the view.
Didn't realize Soleil was open yet. Supposedly it's connected to Robert Del Grande's restaurant group, so you'd think it would be good
I went to the Oasis for my birthday probably 20 years ago. I ordered fajitas. I got what tasted like Hawaiian Pot Roast on a tortilla. All I could taste was pineapple. Glad to hear they are keeping with tradition. The view was great, though!