The best restaurants in South Congress.

Home Slice Pizza has a dine-in room on South Congress Avenue and a smaller takeout counter beside it, which is the separate branch called More Home Slice. The dine-in room is no-frills, with bar seats facing the kitchen where staff toss dough and build pies. A back patio with its own bar and outdoor picnic tables give diners places to eat when the dining room is full.

The draw is New York style pizza, thin and quick to arrive. Diners from other cities weigh in with approval, and the praise runs through margherita, pepperoni, and clam pizza. Calzones, salads such as the Pear Gorgonzola and the Caesar, meatballs, and tiramisu round out a table. Staff greet diners fast and keep food coming even on a busy Friday night.

Practical notes: a line is normal, parking is a struggle, and prices draw some complaints. A few diners call it overrated, so expectations matter. A drink at the back patio bar is the popular answer while the table gets ready.

Aba sits in a large complex on South Congress Avenue, with indoor rooms, a dedicated bar, and outdoor tables. On hot days the patio uses fans and mist, and diners report that it stays comfortable. Several call it their favorite meal in Austin, and one noted it was not barbecue.

Hummus is the center of the menu. The crispy short rib hummus draws the most mentions, followed by garlic, smoked garlic, brisket, and poblano versions. Falafel, kebabs, and the heirloom chicken carry the main course, and a lamb kebab, steak, and crab turn up in other accounts. A diner whose friends are from Syria was pleased to find muhammara. Another described the cooking as Mediterranean with a California touch.

Practical notes: reservations are the standard advice, and same-day lunch tables sometimes appear online. Service gets the most mentions of anything, with a few diners noting rushed stretches. Bar seats can be scarce during happy hour when an event outside fills the spots. Prices run high, and diners say the plates justify it.

More Home Slice Pizza is the casual, to-go side of Home Slice, with a window for ordering and a small footprint. One diner noticed that the takeout counter kept a steady line while the main room felt slower. Another called it the most accurately named pizza joint of all time.

Slices are the format. Diners describe thin New York style slices with a well cooked bottom and lively flavor, and mention pepperoni, white pizza, and a margherita. Daily specials rotate, with meatball and peppers and spinach with white sauce named by one pair who ordered four slices after finding two not enough. A meatball and a Rice Krispie treat joined the order. Caesar salad appears too.

Practical notes: ordering is quick, and staff earn praise for kindness and care with takeout orders. The price of a slice strikes some diners as high, and a few felt a slice was less fresh on one visit. The takeout line is the better bet for speed.

Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery on South Congress Avenue is built for takeout. Diners place their own orders on a tablet at the counter, the menu shows photos for every item, and pickup comes together fast. Staff come out to check that all is well and have helped diners who picked the wrong store online.

General Tso chicken, orange chicken, and sweet and sour chicken are the standard orders, along with crab, wings, lo mein, drunken noodles, and barbecue pork fried rice. Hot and sour soup, egg drop soup, and wonton soup lead the soup list. Sesame balls arrive crisp outside and soft inside, and diners have mentioned a half price Rangoon day on Wednesdays. Portions are big and fairly priced.

Practical notes: delivery estimates can run long and some regular delivery customers report uneven quality, so many diners collect their own food. The online ordering page has frustrated a few, another reason to use the tablet in person. The kitchen also handles catering, and its catering manager earned praise for follow-up.

Joann's Fine Foods on South Congress Avenue has a retro diner look with a resort feel, and diners call the room cute and comfortable. Breakfast is served all day, which suited one traveler craving it mid-afternoon, and a patio extends the seating in good weather.

Hashbrown nachos are the most mentioned appetizer: crispy hashbrowns, pico de gallo, sour cream, black beans, and green sauce, filling enough as an entree with an egg on top. Enchiladas lead the mains, especially the green chicken version, and chicken fried steak, fish tacos, blue corn pancakes, breakfast tacos, and a breakfast sandwich all appear. Polenta is a seasonal favorite for one couple, and tequila drinks and margaritas are a draw.

Practical notes: happy hour in the afternoon brings discounted appetizers and margaritas, and brunch lines are common. A couple of diners found the host stand unwelcoming, one was surprised by a charge for syrup, and one found a biscuit dry, so a few details are worth asking about.

Lucky Robot Restaurant on South Congress Avenue has a playful look and a Japanese menu that spans sushi, ramen, dumplings, and bao. Diners describe a funky room, irreverent but relaxed, with a bar where guests watch the kitchen. Service earns frequent praise.

Robot ramen, with fresh noodles, pork broth, ajitama egg, pickled ginger, and bean sprouts, warms diners on cold days. Wild boar ramen has its own fans. On the raw side, the hira hira roll, nigiri, sashimi, and chirashi bowl get the praise, and omakase is mentioned. Dumplings arrive in pork and ginger, spinach and shiitake, tofu, and crispy barbacoa versions, and pork belly bao and Brussels sprouts start many meals.

Practical notes: waits are common on weekends, and the restaurant texts when a table is ready, so walking the nearby shops fills the time. Reservations help. Parking is a challenge and prices run high, and one diner preferred ramen elsewhere, so the sushi and dumplings may be the stronger order.

White Tiger sits on South Congress Avenue next door to the Continental Club and is a dive bar first. Diners describe a gritty but welcoming front room, a covered patio deck, a small bar in the back, bar games, and a stage with live bands. Friendly bartenders get named in several accounts.

The surprise is the food in the back. A diner who expected little praised the boneless chicken karaage, crisp outside and tender inside, and the drunken noodles. Fried pickles, a burger, wings, bao, miso soup, fried rice, and a chicken sando also appear, along with a crab dish. Another diner found the chicken sando interesting but not a repeat order. One visitor looking for reasonable prices near the Continental Club found them here.

Practical notes: bands in the back can overpower conversation, so sit up front for talk. A few diners were surprised by added fees on the tab, so check the receipt. The patio gets heavy use in nice weather.

June's sits on South Congress Avenue and plays a French cafe style, with outdoor seating that diners compare to a street cafe. Inside looks like a typical cafe, and the patio is what sells the room. Wine gets heavy mention, and happy hour covers drinks only.

Brunch gets the most attention for creative dishes rather than the standard menu: fried baby eggplant with salsa verde and aioli, pancakes, a tartare, and well made cocktails. At lunch, the spicy chicken sandwich with fries is a repeat recommendation, and a burger and steak with frites sit nearby. Boston lettuce salad and French onion soup cover lighter orders, and a salt cod dish and carbonara also appear.

Practical notes: the room can be packed at lunch, but a spot at the bar often opens. Walk-ins sometimes work outside peak hours. Service is praised in most accounts, though a few diners report slow wine or kitchen timing. A burger that fans loved is no longer on the menu, according to one disappointed diner.

Two Hands sits in a complex on South Congress Avenue, a light, bright room with plants and shops around it. Brunch is the main event, breakfast items draw the crowd, and the room fills fast. Diners praise the drinks as much as the plates.

The lemon poppyseed waffle gets repeat mentions. The Two Hander burger uses Montana wagyu and comes with shoestring fries, and a wagyu steak and eggs gets praise for flavor and value. Bowls with quinoa, salmon, brassicas, or harissa chicken suit lighter appetites. The smoked salmon toast, crispy Brussels sprouts, and a breakfast burrito appear often. The rose strawberry matcha and turmeric chai stand out among the drinks.

Practical notes: reservations help, and the host stand takes a phone number when the room is full, which leaves time for the shops. Parking nearby costs money. Service draws mixed comments, with some diners praising friendliness and others reporting slow starts. Takeout uses compostable materials.

Toasty Badger sits on South Congress Avenue in a building diners say has real Austin history, and the room is styled like a seventies diner with paneled walls and bar seats. Several diners say walking in feels like visiting a relative's house. The room is small and the tables are close.

Pancakes are the headliner, with diners calling them massive, light, and delicate, and a pancake of the month rotating. French toast arrives towering, and eggs benedict, a breakfast sandwich, biscuits, fried steak, and a smash burger fill out the menu. Hash brown squares are crusty, and gluten free pancakes are available. Servers list their favorites for first timers.

Practical notes: an online reservation does not guarantee a seat on arrival, since seating is first come, and there is little room to wait inside on hot days. Parking is tight, with only a few spots on the property. Some diners found the pancakes good but not extraordinary, so expectations matter.