TRACE Restaurant Reviews

Right next to Austin City Limits, had some fantastic appetizers and cocktails before seeing a show. Great outdoor seating under Tuuci umbrellas and patio heaters too. Great place for gathering.

We recently had brunch at Trace with 11 ladies for my daughter's bridal brunch. The staff was friendly, nice and very helpful. Our waitress did a good job managing a large party. My issue is not with the people but with the FOOD! Most entrees for brunch were $15-20 each. The food was average and nothing special. I ordered the steak salad which tasted like bleach (the greens tasted like they were just dumped out of a bag) and a chewy, unflavorful pieces of steak. There were only croutons in the salad and the dressing had a very strong anchovy paste taste. Another person got waffles which was three waffles on a plate, no fruit, interesting syrup...that's it!

We had breakfast at Trace; pancakes were good, pastry was ok. One person took our order, another person delivered it, then we could not find anyone for the longest time. We did get a coffee refill but waited for our check for about 15 minutes after we were done eating. Maybe our waiter went home. Finally a different person brought our check.

The atmosphere was wonderful and our server was so sweet! We absolutely love the food, especially the shishito peppers, corn ribs, and the whole grilled fish that you build into your own fish tacos. Chef Tim and the Assistant Manager came out to chat and were wonderfully kind and welcoming during our first night in Austin. They gave us plenty of Austin places to try and made our dining experience feel so special. Even our morning breakfasts were delicious and the staff was able to accommodate all my pregnancy needs. We had such a fantastic time staying at the W as well as our dining experiences at T R A C E. Thank you Chef Tim! Ross and I appreciated everything!

Everything on the menu is fabulous! You must try the donut holes as well as the dinner menu and brunch menu .Great wine list and service is amazing as well . I will eat there every time I am on town!

Big group of us here on a celebration weekend. Busy and noisy, though the food was good and the service efficient. Not a place for a quiet night out.

Trace has a very nice menu and the wait staff was fabulous. We enjoyed breakfast there daily and had one dinner there that was very pleasant.

My wife and I usually grab cocktails and a bite to eat in the library at the W before concerts at ACL Live, but last night we decided to check out Trace and were very pleased! We sat in the bar area and were lucky enough to have Kat as our server/bartender. She has an amazing personality, was very attentive and able to modify a few items on the menu for us (order the street tacos with brisket and corn tortillas, you won't be disappointed!!) Great food, great ambiance, great service. We will definitely be back, hopefully sooner rather than later! Thanks Kat!!

We went to a Kentucky Derby Watch Party, which was a fundraising event for the Texas Advocacy Project (what an important cause!). We sat in a shady spot on outdoor couches on the patio, which was perfect for people watching. The organizers were so friendly and professional. had some cute decorations. The cocktail waitress was so sweet, but the barmen inside were less helpful (they wouldn't serve Mint Julleps). There were passed starters (veggie tacos), which were tasty but messy. I would definitely go to another event here!

My daughter and I went in for lunch one day. Found the site on Groupons. Figured we would give it a try! The server Javier was soooo nice and polite. He was very attentive but not overbearing. It was Hot outside and he never let our water glasses get empty. We ordered the lunch on the fly and the food was great. Perfectly seasoned and proportioned well. We ended up getting dessert- the Peaches-N-Creme dessert was to die for. Who would have thought that Fried black pepper shortcake would taste that mouth watering. One of the best experiences that we have had in Austin. Shout out to Javier!!! When you go there- ask for him. Well worth it! Also have to thank Tessa the manager who directed me to this website so I could sing their praises. So if you are in Austin-stop by there for lunch... Well worth it!!

I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of the brunch menu and the number of more lunch-type items. I also enjoyed the complimentary mimosa that comes with dining there during brunch. The food was great and the restaurant had the doors/windows open with live music outside. Thoroughly relaxing!!

Trace is right next to the ACL/Moody Theater so is very convenient pre-show. However for a meal (including drinks, appetizers and tip) approaching $200 I hope for a bit more. It's pretty noisy and not too intimate. Service was excellent, food was good, but not amazing. I found myself looking for a salt shaker for the quail. The cocktails and wine were excellent. However, with such stiff restaurant competition in Austin and with so many other excellent choices, we'll probably try somewhere else next time.

The food at trace is very good, but bring lots of $$$...it's very pricey for what you order...the service is very slow

My husband and I enjoyed a very good breakfast at Trace. The wait for our food was a little longer than we would have liked but the food more than made up for it.

My husband and I went here for a "date night." Service was friendly and timely. Once it got really busy (our reservation was at 7 on a Saturday and it was empty when we got there, but quickly picked up), we had a gap in service after dinner, waiting for our dessert menus, but the waiter apologized. We also weren't ignored. Other staff removed our plates and refilled our water. We didn't feel neglected. Our waiter also was helpful with recommendations. The food: very good, but not the best meal I've had. The fried chickpeas they bring to the table were tasty but a little difficult to eat. We got the blue crab hushpuppies, which were good (I love hushpuppies), but nothing over the top. We got a side of Brussels sprouts with crispy prosciutto for another starter, and they were great. Cooked just right and the prosciutto was delicious. For the main course, I had the pork wrapped in bacon on grits and my husband had the lamb with couscous. My pork dish was delicious, really tasty. My husband's lamb dish was not as good and the presentation was odd (it was all piled in a tall-sided bowl). Desserts were good, but I had very high expectations based on all the things I had heard, and they didn't measure up to stellar level. We had drunken donuts (very overrated - they were good but not as amazing as I'd been led to believe), the chocolate torte (very tasty - rich without being too much) and the meyer lemon budino (basically a dish of lemon curd, so really hard to go wrong - very good!). The wine: I had prosecco to start, which was delicious. My husband had a signature grapefruit cocktail, which was also tasty. Malbec was ok, but Oregon pinot noir was very good. Overall, a very good meal, but not consistently so. The atmosphere is very trendy and the later the night got the less fun it was (for us). We are late 30s and it was just not our scene. Seemed to be a bit high drama. If you want a bustling scene in a hot spot, it was great. If I were late 20s/early 30s, I'd love it for the scene. Now I'd go for the food.

The W Hotel offers an excellent dining experience at the Trace restaurant. This is the place where you can enjoy multiple experiences in dining pleasures and service that is second to none. Ambiance is top notch for interesting conversation, menu includes offerings that satisfy those that are traditionalist or adventurous. Enjoyed dinner with friends and family yesterday and everyone was totally satisfied. The attention to detail by the entire staff is going to win loyal patrons for this restaurant. Trendy to be sure but the management here is laser focused on the tried and true old fashioned philosophy of delivering excellent service and satisfying customers. If you're looking for a wonderful dining experience in downtown Austin, this is a place you must experience!!

My husband and I travel a lot and eat at some of the best restaurants in Chicago New York, Charleston, Denver etc the coconut cake at Easter brunch is possibly the best dessert I have ever had. The special 3 course menu for Easter was impeccable. Even the children menu was top notch.

Every Sunday I've been there for brunch there's a good DJ playing, which I like. $1 mimosas that are actually tasty, and some really good & different food items, too! I like Trace for brunch even though I think the menu is a little on the small side and it's not exactly dirt cheap... but all in all worth it. More suited to NOT picky eaters, as some of the menu items are a bit different, but I've always loved everything I've ordered. Great service from Katie & others.

I have had breakfast here twice in the last month and it is amazing! The migas are great although I would add a side of bacon here as the portion size is not huge. Kids menu has all the bases covered and an extra bonus is when ordering tea, they bring out a small kettle to steep it so you get more than one cup. My main man Promethius is the top server so ask for him and you know he will take great care of you!

My omelette was so light and fluffy I thought it was a cloud! Delicious. Service was so very attentive. We were greeted by every single staff member that we passed and asked multiple times if we were being taken care of- simply amazing service!

It's delicious now, don't get me wrong, but if your taste buds is expecting traditional oatmeal tasting oatmeal at the first bite - you'll be shocked. ^_^ We literally ate every single thing that was on our plates. LOL Crab and Avocado toast is indeed a tiny appetizer, but delish, and the farmer's breakfast was also yummy. Very conveniently located since we stayed at the W, the weather was perfect, service, my companion and the food were all great. What more could we ask for?

My first night there I had two small plates - Pistachio Mac and Cheese, and Crab Cakes. No, Texas isn't known for crab cakes, but these were terrific. There was virtually no filler, and the flavor of the crab was fresh. The pistachio mac & cheese was a unique twist on a favorite comfort food. It started with fresh pasta and there was just a hint of the pistachio flavor. On my last night I had lamb sausage over pasta. Again, the sausage was the chef's recipe and it was terrific. Highly recommended!

We were a group celebrating my moms birthday. I was so impressed with the level of service provided by the staff. The lunch menu was FABULOUS!!! Our server was very attentive to our needs. The host was very welcoming and made us feel like celebrities. The crab cakes and the soup was to die for. I cant say that I have had this type of service anywhere else. Whoever manages this restaurant, my hats off to you and your staff. EXCEPTIONAL!

Visited Trace for breakfast while staying at W Austin. Good American breakfast affair. Healthy choices were available, including soy milk and Greek yogurt. Service was good and fast. Will surely visit again when staying at W Austin.

The meal was absolutely delish! I had a Butter Lettuce Salad w/pine nuts and figs- perfect starter and the Blue Crab Hush Puppies were enough for 2. The Seared Grouper was perfection. I ate there prior to an Austin City Limits Taping show and the service was incredibly fast and helpful. Over all a great experience!

I'm still in sticker shock. I went for Austin restaurant week since I've been wanting to try Trace out, and what a great opportunity to sample the menu for an "affordable price." After 3 drinks and 2 dinners I was signing a bill for over $150. That seems pretty high to me, especially for a dinner of lamb and quiona that wasn't special and I've made at home before. The waiter was nice and all, but I won't be back. Skip it and grab a drink at the bar instead if you want to experience the W.

We ate breakfast there all four mornings we stayed at the W and every meal was very good and the service was great. After the first breakfast the waiter new my wife needed coffee immediately and often her cup was never empty. We had shrimp and grits, qual and waffles, and a braised beef hash. Everything was very different for breakfast but very good. If you want to go with the standard breakfast they have that also eggs and bacon or oatmeal. Food and service was excellent!

A quick business lunch that was exceptionally nice. Excellent, attentive service. Many light options, along with a "no-rush" attitude and perfect coffee. The food was prepared perfectly (I had the shrimp remoulade and coffee), and could work quietly on email with my iPad after my meal. Definite plus, very reasonably priced, comfortable, and welcoming.

This is upscale dining in a beautiful city setting. Our server was excellent, and was supported by several others. The menu has a nice selection of delicious appetizers (try the octopus), salads (the three beet is large and delicious), and entrees. We enjoyed the cote du boeuf (a really thick cut of beef). It is prepared, presented at your table, and then returned to the chef for slicing and plating. Delicious. The wine list is nice, and has a few reasonably priced selections. No room for dessert this time.

Great restaurant tucked inside the W. Had dinner here for a friend's birthday and the food was delicious and the service spot on. Would return again. Recommended.

For a Hotel Brunch, this is a very limited assortment of offerings, and Trace offers Brunch a la carte, which is very atypical for a hotel to do so. W Hotel in Austin is fairly new, and the restaurant is nicely decorated, elegant yet cool, and modern... W Hotels do a great job in selling a 'cool' to be there brand. The food was ok, nothing great, and I would probably suggest other readers to go somewhere else for brunch. For a drink or two, the terrace seems to be a cool place to hang out, see the locals and tourists walk around 2nd Street. We will need to go back and try their formal dining, and see if this is any better.

Nice menu with good food. Avocado & crab toast. Service is good. Indoor bar is a bit small and dark.

Went to Trace for lunch while staying with friends at the W hotel. We shared several dishes and they were all excellent. Save room for dessert as they are amazing. The Lemon dessert was nice and tart.

Just came back from a very disappointing Christmas day dinner at Trace. I had not previously been to TRACE but have a very high opinion of the W properties so had high hopes. They were in vane. We arrived on time for our 1pm reservation and were seated relatively promptly...that's the best I got for this review. We sat, completely ignored, for more than 10 minutes. At the 20 minute mark a bus boy brought us water and mentioned they were busy. There were multiple open tables. Another 10 m go by and a waiter asked if we'd been helped. We said no, he exclaimed in shock and....left. About 5 minutes later a waitress showed up and asked if we'd been helped. Still no. She did finally take our order for the 4 course pre-fix menu and drinks. 45 minutes into service we got our appetizers - butternut soup for me (almost no flavor and room temp) and a Winter salad that my nearly vegetarian husband said was passable (for reference, he enjoys hot pockets, this is not a high bar). Oh, btw, our waitress did not bring our app's and I had to request the spoon since my place setting consisted of a butter knife and a napkin. Course 2 was allegedly Turkey wing comfit with roast veggies. If I understand comfit, it's cured in salt and cooked in it's own fat. What we were served was a few chunks of not wing meat, cured in nothing and dry on top of being bland (how can dark meat, and I assure you, it was, cooked in its own FAT, not be good? I assure you, it wasn't). Beans that were under cooked and well cooked but unseasoned acorn squash. To eat it, my husband had to go to the side board prep area and take a fork since none was delivered, again. At which time the couple to our left admitted to having taken my fork before we arrived when they were served food with no utensils. Apparently the act of my husband tracking down the silverware was the last straw for the 4 top sitting across from us, they had been at lunch for more than an hour and a half, they said, and their waitress (ours too) had no idea what they had ordered for desert nor what course they were actually sitting there waiting for. They got up and told us their story, congratulated my husband on managing to let me eat and headed out. They did stop at the manager station on the way out so presumably they gave them an ear full and probably paid for some of their bill. Hour and a half in for us - my husband asked for a second diet coke before the entry...again before desert, if finally arrived, in a can - just with dessert. Dinner itself was Wild rice and mushroom something for him - he was at least able to eat it. I had ordered the Prime Rib. It arrived on a piping hot plate with congeled sauce, WELL past medium and more than half fat and still, virtually no flavor. Finally I mention to the waitress that the food, is not so good. She expresses shock (actress in training?) and says she will mention. Desert and beverage number 2 show up at 2:45 along with the manager who says he has heard we aren't happy and wants to know why? We share, he takes 25% off the bill which was nice but really, at $75. per plate before beverages....just say no to Christmas at Trace. On a plus, desserts were totally edible.

Although we didn't stay at the W Hotel, we dropped by several times for happy hour, Saturday brunch as well as dinner. The scene is energetic, DJ was great, food incredible. Been to many W Hotels around the world, this one is not as polished as the Whoo Bars in London, Sentosa, New York and Seminyak but it was the best in Austin!

Been traveling to Austin for years and love the whole bar scene. We love Peche, which is a Prohibition-style bar with great mixed beverages. That is until we went to the Trace bar located in the W Austin. This was our go-to hotel until the JW Marriott opened. The drinks served by bartender Dave are the best I've ever had. He blends flavor with the perfect amount of alcohol. We don't lodge here much anymore but we always, always trek to Trace for an awesome drinking experience.

After a long absence, we returned to TRACE twice recently and were very impressed on both occasions with both food and service. It becomes a pricey dinner after all is said and done, but worth it. Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin was as tender as it gets, and the crispy bacon on the exterior provided plenty of salted oomph without overpowering. Accompanying cheddar grits were delicious. Braised lamb shoulder with spiced peanut curry and couscous was very savory, not actually spicy, and an ample portion. The Butcher burger was fine although it was the garlic fries that were truly great. Mixed feelings about the Watson's ketchup but appreciate that they are trying something different. Bluebonnet garden salad was totally fresh and dressed perfectly -- light, as we requested. We had it both visits. Service was 100% professional (although these were off-hours and they were not challenged by many patrons). Handsome room and ambiance. Quiet at off-hours.

We had a coupon that encouraged us to try Trace for dinner. When we finished our meal, we knew that we would not need another coupon to encourage us to return. The offeriings were seasonal, well-balanced, imaginative, and locally-sourced well enough to satisfy the most dedicated prophets of new trends. Almost never can I say that any restaurant or place served the "best" of anything (there are far too many "extraordinary" dishes in fine places to find many single "bests"), but I can say that Trace's grapefruit dessert was the best dessert I have ever tasted. The service at all levels was pleasant, informative, efficient, unobtrusive, knowledgeable. Even though many people can dine in the place at one time, it is arranged so that there is no sense of a very large crowd. A remarkably good experience, all-around.

I came here to meet my girlfriends parents who had come down from Houston. The W is a luxury and fine hotel and this was a great restaurant! The entrees and mains were delicious especially the prawns and tiger bread! I had a lovely Wagyu beef steak for a main and also dessert that was great! They have an awesome wine selection and the staff were very friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed my experience here!

Good service and great food for a hotel restaurant, nice wine list as well. You can order off that wine list in the living room areas, which had a limited list of only three expensive chard. to choose from. Don't be afraid to ask to see the TRACE menu if you sit in one of the other bars living rooms.

Had a quick drink here while staying at the hotel. Great professional service and well crafted specialty cocktails. Nice upscale ambience and really liked the background music selections.

Trace helped me host a birthday brunch for my father and has been the location of many other weekend brunches celebrating life. Quality food and top-notch service downtown.

This is not your typical, quick in and out Lunch by all means. This was a suffisticated and stylish setting in the W Austin Hotel, an impeccabledate lunch, top service and all the food we ordered came out very satisfying. The Goat cheese gonzales mushroom gratin is to dye for. Enjoyed my Chicken Paillard. The Gulf Shrimp & Grits is one of those soul soothing meals you savor over for a while. The market snacks are great for sharing and always unique and different. So, whenever you are looking to impress and get a real break from it all, make TRACE your special Brunch, lunch and dinner destination.

The menu is good, and the food cooked well to order. I especially enjoyed the homemade sausage! However the service was spotty despite being only a handful of customers present. Not impressed for Luxury Hotel Restaurant offering.

Not open for breakfast until 730...no other restaurant in the hotel...There is a sort of take out mini operation with bananas,apples and sweet rolls,in the anteroom to the bar,but no tables and they give you a sack to go forth and find a place to sit...there is free coffee,but it is not advertised,before 730..

Went here with dogs. Sat at outdoor patio service was fine but food not. One of the recommended dishes was biscuits and gravy. Did not finish and return to kitchen. Got chicken and waffles. Not much of improvement. Wife got Benedict and not good at all. Don't understand how this place is at top hotel and subpar food. But I see many reviews below average

I was a part of a larger group celebrating my friend's birthday. They put us in separate room, which was nice but a little bit crowded for about 20 people who showed up. Everything we had was excellent, just the service seemed quite slow--maybe because it was a large party? We arrived at 7:00 p.m. and left first at 10:30 p.m. I did not mind, but it may be an issue for other guests. The only comment I have is that the prices seemed pretty high compared to the small portions of food and I am a tiny person and not a big eater.

Went to Trace the first time for my Birthday weekend celebration. It was by accident. We were walking by and saw the menu, decided to give it a shot. I am glad. We went there for Brunch, sat outside. Live band was playing and it was perfect. The Service is Good. Vegetarian friendly, thats a Plus. Took Family there the 2nd time, same great experience. Highly recommend for Weekend lazy Brunch. Gotta try Dinner sometime, they are the only Restaurant in Austin (that I know of) which has a Fix Vegetarian Menu for Valentine's day celebration. How cool. :) All the Cocktails are awesome. The Veggie Burger is great. Omelletes are fresh. The Drunken Donuts are to Die for.

We spent NYE at the W and enjoyed a great meal at Trace, the in-house restaurant at the W. We rang in the new year with a variety of small plates and a couple of bottles of wine. Don't miss the drunken donuts!

Madame and I had heard a great deal about Trace, and were finally able to visit on a rainy and foggy Monday evening in December. We had a truly excellent dinner and experience. The restaurant is in the W Hotel, but also has an entrance of its own on First Street; the space is of moderate size, smartly-decorated, and has nice high ceilings that would seem likely to minimize noise levels. On the night we were there, only a handful of tables were occupied (the fog made travel a real adventure that evening) so noise did not enter into the equation. What did please us a great deal were the food and service -- the menu and cooking are innovative, seasonal, and regionally-influenced in ways that work together quite well indeed. I had an arugula salad, followed by short ribs that had been marinated in coffee for 48 hours (it works!), accompanied by a small but delicious fruit-and-veg stir-fry with a little sneaky heat. Madame's crispy quail, served with corn pancakes, also was a hit. Wines are on the expensive side but are quite well-selected -- we had a Minuty rose, a longtime favorite of ours. Madame's dessert of persimmon pudding (!) was really unusual and quite fine. Bread from the nearby Easy Tiger bakery was terrific, and was accompanied by three imaginative kinds of spread. Service was friendly and efficient without being intrusive, and in all it was a great evening. There was even entertainment of a sort, in the form of a blind date gone quietly wrong, just a few tables away. No loud voices or tears, but it was clearly the dating equivalent of the Hindenburg disaster... trust me. We were quite sympathetic with one member of the pair... Trace accepts all manner of plastic, and there is valet parking available at the door. Prices run toward the high end, but not unduly so given the quality of food and service, along with the pleasant ambiance. We'd certainly hope to return, perhaps on a less-foggy evening --

I got a deal for dinner on a site. The valet was not taking anyone but hotel guests due to a wedding. No one mentioned anything when they called that afternoon to confirm. We found parking a block away. The decor is nice. The half booth was comfy. The wine list by the glass was disappointing because the selection was limited and extremely overpriced. I chose a cocktail, vodka with soda and a dish of limes. I got vodka with water and a lime. Not worth complaining about. We had a charturcerie with 2 cheeses, pickles, proscuitto, and two pates. Cheeses were unremarkable. "Pickles" were somewhat pickled veggies with no flavor. The pates were too cold and hard, one was gummy and floverless, the other one a bit better. The toast was good. On to entree. We both ordered strip steak. It comes with a few small purple potatoes and carrots. The steak was a bad cut with gristle right thru the middle (both like this). Barbq sauce pretty good. Veggies adequate tasting but small serving. My water was not refilled frequently. The red velvet moon pie was a weird mishmash of pieces (cheesecake, dulce de leche, moon pie dough, and basil ice cream. The ice cream was good. It was disjointed and ordinary. A pre-paid dinner cost us $30 due to 2 drinks! The sevice was lackluster. We were not asked if we needed help with with wine list, not offered dessert suggestions, and not checked on thru the meal. Paying was very slow. Don't waste your money,

Had breakfast at Trace while staying at W Austin hotel. Great service and very tasty. Same modern atmosphere as hotel, very nice.

Would have liked a few more choices for the lunch menu but the food was good. Great breakfast but it was like $40.

Our party was here for a pre nuptial event. We were part of a group dinner. It was a little cramped in the corner of the restaurant, and the lighting was pretty low. Had to hold a candle up to see the menu, that also may be a function of my maturing years. The selection of the menu was very good, I was surprised how many were excited and ordered the Mac and Cheese. They were all thrilled with it. I ordered the beet salad and the gumbo, both were very good, but not to New Orleans standards. Several around me had the duck with butternut stuff ravioli, they were very very happy with their selection, and I was amazed that my wife ate duck and with gusto. Dessert selections were very nice but nothing exciting, but I'm not a dessert person. Althea was in charge of service and did a Great job! The room was one large room, very modern, I guess in keeping with the W image. Since I'm the old fashioned type, like more light, and quieter rooms, it was not my cup of tea. However, I'm sure it is the certainly the place for the younger more dynamic types.

We enjoyed a Sunday evening dinner at Trace and were not disappointed. While the menu selections were limited, we found the arugula salads to be delicious. My wife enjoyed crab cakes and I was absolutely overwhelmed with the great tasting pork chop - probably among the best pork chops I have ever eaten! Stephanie was our server and did an excellent job.

Excellent lunch and dinner. Thank you Quinee for making the service perfect. Every dishes was tastefull on plate, and good balance trough the whole meal.

Our first experience at Trace was prior to a concert at the adjacent ACL Live. We informed the server at the start that we had a deadline and we just ordered expensive burgers. She disappeared for a long time and we barely made it to our seats before the show. The second time we did not have a drop dead time and it was a quiet Monday night. We could have skipped out after the appetizers and no one would have noticed. To say the service is slow is stretching it. The food is good and the portions are the right size - not the current supersized platters. I noticed little of the locavore philosphy in the menu. We had oysters, pimento spread, a Nieman Ranch burger and braised lamb. Maybe winter has hampered the gathering. Try parking in the CIty of Austin garage across the street. Its seldom full. If you are an OpenTable member look for 1000 point reservations for Trace.

I came here with my staff for dinner on a business trip to Austin. From the get-go, the waiter sneered at us when we asked to split the check (we know this is a pain, but need it to be reimbursed and always tip generously because of the inconvenience). The other patrons, who looked like a swarm of Paris Hiltons and Donalds, sat around talking but barely eating anything. And it was a good thing- there was a hair in my mac and cheese, and my steak, which I asked be well-done, was bloody. The ironic thing here is that this was by far the most expensive restaurant at which we ate, with the worst food we'd had in Austin, and the people here acted like they were doing us a favor by serving it to us. If you're looking for a good upscale dinner, try an option like the Roaring Fork instead.

Great menu with interesting options and great standards. Brunch had a fantastic DJ. The service is extremely good and accommodating. Not our typical hotel restaurant... superior.

My husband and I ate here before a concert at the ACL theatre upstairs. It was before the heat got too bad, and the place was opened up to the outside. The restaurant features local and organic cuisine. I must say, for a large hotel, this was a pleasant surprise. The food was fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. The service allowed us plenty of time before our concert. We will be back. The wine list was also well-chosen and reasonable.

A quick bite and drinks in the bar area. Service was top notch. No issues. Nothing special but easy if you are a guest of the hotel.

We had guests in town and wanted to treat them to a special dinner and Trace restaurant at the W Hotel in Austin exceeded our expectations. From the moment you enter the restaurant your senses are heightened and you know you're someplace special. We started with the charcuterie. A wonderful selection of cured meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables. I had the grilled Niman Filet of Beef which was cooked to perfection. My husband and son had the 24 Hour Braised Short Rib and it was falling off the bone tender and beyond delicious... it's what I will be ordering on my next visit. Our daughter-in-law slowly savored the Wild Game Trio of wild boar, antelope and venison sausage... another hit. The desserts were masterly crafted and passed around the table so we could all try a bite of each. Bravo... bravo we can't wait to go back. This is the place to go for a very special dinner, One of the best dinners we have had in Austin or anywhere else and their prices are very reasonable. If you haven't tried Trace you're missing out!

The service was subpar, we waited for our drinks to be made for 15 minutes and they were not busy. When they came they were warm. Apps were good. My husband had the octopus which was fantastic and my arugula and avocado salad was good. But our main meals were not good. The steaks were under cooked, we sent them back and they came back just as under cooked. The only saving grace was the music. I would not go there again.

Love the concept of this restaurant where they trace the food and tell you where it came from. The local farmers. My husband and I had breakfast and it was beyond good. You could truly taste the difference and then the ambiance and experience is so great at Trace. It was truly a great and memorable experience. Loved the food, worth it!!!

This was my first visit to Trace. Honestly, I had heard of the place but it was not high on my foodie radar. They have some sort of specialization sustainability. locavore,etc. We when for lunch and found it to have very attractive interior, somewhat formal. We sat at a table near the big French doors that opened to the patio. All in all very pleasant. I had the pork terrine with onion marmalade and a fish, some kind of grouper. The terrine was blow me away delicious, served with pieces of toasted Italian bread. The wife had a brisket sandwich with cole slaw and little F.F'd onions. She thought it very good. For desert she had a lemon tart with various gels and creams. Tart but delicious. The waitstaff, Raoul, was very attentive, cheerful and knowledgable. They have an interesting brunch menu that I can't wait to try

I am very much a foodie and chef; and found my first experience at this restaurant so disappointing in every way. When you arrive, there is nothing to tell you where you are which way to go, you see a bar in one really really loud room that is serving 18.00 martinis, although there are several different room to wonder in to, there are No places to sit; and it is so loud that you cannot even hear the person right next to you. After going through each of the rooms, I still had to ask 3 different individuals where the restaurant was....Finally got through the maze to arrive and were seated. Ordered the crab cakes which said 3 to a plate, so my friend and I thought we would share and ordered a Cesar Salad...Food arrived was horrible.

Trace is an amazing restaurant to have breakfast they have plenty of organic fresh produce and their waffles and pancakes (my personal favorites) are amazing everything is made in the kitchen that morning and is always delicious. Menus are updated constantly. Some waiters/waitresses speak Spanish, and dogs are allowed outside and are given a bowl of water.

I was downtown just for a day while on vacation and wanted to treat my hard-working brother to a nice lunch on a weekday. WOW! Not only was the presentation amazing, the food was cooked to perfection with nice sized portions, and friendly staff all the way around. I had the grilled gulf redfish fish over mixed greens and my brother had the ahi tuna melt sandwich (which was tower of a sandwich). Look for the entrance to Trace to the left of the W between Austin City Limits on the corner and the hotel valet entrance. I imagine this would make for a nice romantic dinner as well, then you could go next door to the W lounge. Very nice outside seating as well.

Very nice breakfast and fast & friendly service. It has a very nice modern atmosphere and seating both inside and outside. I can definitely recommend Trace for breakfast.

Don’t think of this as a hotel restaurant. Yes it is part of the W, but it stands in its own merits. I was able to sit outside as it was a beautiful day. It was a fantastic setting with trees. Indeed it’s on the street, but it didn’t feel like it. I had a mushroom dish that was beautifully done. I would not normally try that, but I’m glad I did. Service was good. Not especially fast, but yet it was attentive. I didn’t feel rushed so that was good with me. Enjoy!

It's always strange to me that almost every W that I have visited (and their has been a bunch) that their restaurants are always just average and usually over priced at that. They are one of the best hotels, hotel bars, pools, lounges etc but the food isn't on par with the rest of the hotel itself and Trace is no different....no wonder it's like number 448 in Austin.

We had breakfast outside on the patio. The food was pretty good, priced rather high.Overall, a good experience.

Trendy places are always dicey. You expect to pay more because they often take advantage of the buzz. That said, their needs to be something to keep the buzz going. Unfortunately in the case of Trace it isn't there. The menu was interesting but the food was average AT BEST. The fish was fishy as if it was less than fresh, and the crab cakes were in a thick breaded crust which completely overpowered the crab. Couple this with small portions (a 5 ounce piece of fish with no sides for $28 for dinner) and it was a less than satisfying experience. The service was cordial but less than attentive, except for the guy pouring the water who was on top of it. They even messed up part of our order and rather than offering to fix it they just said they misunderstood and hoped we were OK with what they brought. We were on our way to a show so we ate what they served and moved on. Needless to say, we won't be back. Plenty of other good food between the 2nd Street and Warehouse Districts.

They had a jazz band outside Sunday morning. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is great. There is shade for even outside sitting in the heat of summer.

The Trace Benedict dish was amazing! Atmosphere was fun and eclectic. Indoor and outdoor seating with live mellow music. Very relaxing!

Great vibe, outdoor seating is delightful, indoor equally pleasant. Interesting menu selections, service is efficient and not intrusive.

I am only reviewing the Trace bar as we did not eat in the restaurant. We arrived and asked the hostess if we could sit in the lounge area of the bar so she seated us there and gave us a menu. She did not inform us we needed to go to the bar for service so after sitting there 10 minutes we moved to the bar. Maybe she could have communicated that small tip with us. The bartender was not friendly and seemed irritated. It was 11pm but this is a hip restaurant in the W hotel where things are still pretty happening. We asked for a food menu and were told the kitchen was closed. After trying to clarify if there was any way to get food we found out they had a room service menu you can order from. Why did he not just give us that menu in the first place? Again, communicate, please. Now moving on the the restrooms.... they were totally disgusting. There was pee all over the floor. gross. I love the W Hotel and have stayed there and enjoyed the service of the hotel but this experience has turned me off of Trace.

3 of us went lunch here. Great spot and very comfortable atmosphere. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. Corn bread is a must have. The butter it’s served with is so tasty. Just a little bite! Corn chowder special was delicious. Sandwiches are good sizes with lots of fries. Definitely worth stopping

Absolutely love this place so much I went twice!! Drinks were amazing and I had the best food in Austin!!

having read nice reviews we tried Trace, despite my general dislike of restaurants in hotels. Trace did nothing to change my view. As befitting a W hotel, the restaurant was stark with hard surfaces reflecting sounds. No table clothes on top of the scratched tables. There was a live DJ outside playing music way to loud (speakers were inside as well as out). The menu was nice, particularly the Fixed Price Specials. However the presentation and food was just ok. The duck liver pate in a mason jar was hard to handle, my wife's pork dish was over. cooked. Deserts were not appealing. The there were the bugs crossing the dining room floor. The manager said they cam in from the outside door to the patio, but it added to the lack of attractiveness to the place.

Wow, who would have known so many people are out ‘till 2:00am. It was a Thursday evening and the place was packed with young and beautiful, not so young, but not too far from beautiful, and a few that don’t fit into either of those categories. It was fun for all.

I have eaten at Trace a couple of times for lunch and it was good but not exceptional, so I went for dinner recently without high expectations. However; I was pleasantly surprised by choice of entrees and the quality of preparation and presentation. I would highly recommend the Nieman Ranch lamb- it was incredible! The redfish was also good and the side-dish of burnt ends Mac and cheese was as good as it sounds. For those that don't know, burnt ends are the crispy outside edges of a brisket.

Most people think of Trace as the trendy hip place for drinks outside on couches watching the beautiful people check in to the W, waiting for ACL to open or watching million dollar wedding party's board luxury busses on Saturday afternoons... And it is... And it's fun and cool, but don't overlook the menu, Sunday brunch is good, really good, Trace Benedict is my favorite but last visit 8 separate orders and everyone was very happy, first bloody or mimosa is complementary and live music during brunch off course, it's Austin!

Great service, bloody mary's were tops. Comfortable surroundings and nice location.

We only ate dessert here but it was great. There was a cool outdoor seating area but it was too cold and windy for us today. The hotel is also very nice. Also had breakfast here the next day which was good.

We were visiting Austin for just a few hours before our flight, since we are not from the area we didnt know where to eat; so my cousin went to groupon.com to check any specials and found Trace that for $25.00 you get the value of $50.00. Without thinking we bought it and searched the address in the GPS. We only had 45mts to eat. When we arrived we were amazed that it was part of the W Austin. We were dressed very casual and were worried, but we were the only ones. Our waiter was very nice and friendly, we explained that we were on a hurry due to our flight and he was very helpfull. Food was brought promptly and was very good. The desert was my favorite, the Drunken Donuts! Heavenly! The decor is very modern and nice. Good place to eat!

The crispy pork shank and the street corn were to die for. The cocktails were fun, refreshing, and suited the extremely hot weather (we ate outside). Try the Aranciate Refresca! All in all, I would go back. Service was uneven. Waiter was hovering about the entire meal, but once dessert was over and we wanted the check, he was no where to be found.

Up scale atmosphere. Not your typical "keep it weird" Austin place to meet for lunch. First class lunch menu at first class prices. Flavor and presentation did not disappoint me.

We met with friends on Saturday night; the place was great, food tasty, and service excellent. The appetizer servings were a little tiny for the price - one interesting observation is that they replace one of a 3-scallop entry with a turnip that is almost identical to a scallop. Oysters were extremely tiny. The crab cakes were awesome, and the sorbet ice cream to die for.

I expected no less from the W Hotel and it lived up to my expectations. We just came for a drink and some appetizers and ended up staying for dessert. Elegant surroundings and impeccable service. Drinks were good and the crab cakes and mushroom soup were excellent. Also had the sweet potato cheesecake for dessert. The food is served so that it is very visually appealing and you are not disappointed with the flavor either. It was nice to get away from the younger crowds and enjoy a nice and quiet meal.

Trace was pretty much what I would expect for a restaurant in a fine hotel. The menu was fairly straightforward and not very inventive except for the side of Mac and Cheese. It was out of this world and I wish I had made a meal of it. I ordered a filet mignon which came perfectly to order. My friend had the wine and was satisfied. We didn't have a reservation and were surprised that even though it was a Wednesday night it wasn't very busy. Our server was prompt and professional. Overall I really wish I had gone to an Austin speciality BBQ place as I was only in town for three night.

This was our first time eating at Trace and it certainly delivered. The atmosphere was pleasant and comfortable (although the labyrinthine entry was not especially user-friendly); the service (courtesy of Michael, a.k.a., "Chi Chi") was superlative; and the food consistently flavorful and well-presented. The chicken dish was particularly good---everyone at the table commented that they "...never order chicken because it's always the same and rather uninspiring..."----and worth trying. The fried okra was outstanding and a favorite for our group. The desserts finished off the meal with a flourish---the doughnuts and their various toppings were all quite nice. Overall, an enjoyable evening and we will definitely return. One opportunity for improvement, and it's at the W, not the restaurant: if you valet park at the W they will tell you that the restaurant will validate your parking so it will be complimentary. What they neglected to tell us was that complimentary parking is only for 3 hours; we missed our window by 25 minutes and incurred a $21 parking charge. Ridiculous and very poor form, as we had spent $375 for dinner and drinks. They need to fix this!

I am shocked this place is so highly rated on TA. Our dinner and breakfast experiences were not good. They were shorthanded due to COVID it seemed based on the way our waiter was rushing around all night at dinner. Our server in the outdoor area seemed stressed and was not very personable. They may have forgot our entrée order, as there was a huge time gap between our salad and our entrée with no sign of our waiter or our meal. Finally it came without apology for the wait or explanation. It also came differently than ordered on the menu. My wife had the roast chicken breast, but it came with an entire half chicken. It did not have the broccolini or fingerling potatoes as the menu described for the dish, but instead had sautéed spinach and some kind of serrano brown and white rice. At this point we just going to made do vs. risking sending it back. I had the Salmon and while it was a very small portion, it was cooked to perfection and delicious. For desert we tried the pecan pie, one of my favorite deserts normally. Their pecan pie tastes like pure sugar and molasses. We could not eat it being so sweet. The homemade ice cream on the top was very good and luckily disguised the tastes of the pie we had. Another lengthy wait to get the bill and we were back to our hotel room in the W. On the positive, they have a very nice outdoor patio atmosphere to dine, which we enjoyed. Breakfast the next day....Ok, maybe our dinner experience was an anomaly we thought. Trace opens at 7am for breakfast and we arrived at 7:20am (7:30am reservation). They are the only breakfast option for the W Hotel in Austin, where we stayed (and breakfast was included in our rate). We were the first in the restaurant for the morning. We were seated at a nice table inside, overlooking the patio. Then someone started sweeping up with a broom all around us, with dust flying in the air. Why was he doing this with customers and why wasn’t it cleaned before it opened for the morning? Service was poor. We waited for long stretches without any understanding of why things were taking so long. My wife tried to alert the man behind the bar, who seemed in charge, and he acted bored, gave no apologies, and didn’t thank her for bringing the issues to his attention. No wonder we were alone in the restaurant. We ordered Eggs Benedict and a side of sausage links (two small links for $5), which took 30+ minutes to arrive. Finally after about 20 minutes, the chef came out and apologized, letting us know there was a problem with the grill and brought some fruit in the meantime (nice gesture I guess, but we didn't want it). We thanked him and let him know we appreciated the communication. It is no fun sitting in the dark wondering what is going on with your food. Once the Eggs Benedict and sausage was delivered it was cooked perfectly. However, my wife found some bone fragments in her thinly sliced ham. Mine was very good, however the side of pork sausage links didn’t taste very good and was extremely greasy (stay away from the links). I was not going to mention this to the W Hotel, where we stayed, but they heard about the breakfast delay from the restaurant and they nicely made an adjustment. I informed them of the other issues at Trace since they brought it up to me. Without asking they gave me a partial credit on what we spent at Trace. It was nice of the W staff (who were very professional), but not enough to encourage me to every try Trace again. I saw no remorse from Trace personnel at either breakfast or dinner which would make me think they cared enough to get it right the next time. With Trace being the only breakfast option for the W, it would make me think twice before staying there again.

Thankfully I read the reviews about Trace. It was a great find. We went for breakfast and the food was outstanding. Monty recommended the shrimp and grits because my daughter is a huge fan. He said they were the best anywhere. He was right. The shrimp and grits were so creamy. I've never had better. The eggs benedict was also outstanding. The hotel was beautiful. The outdoor dining patio was the perfect spot for breakfast on a cool November morning. If we had stayed longer, I'm sure we would have eaten at the Trace again. Everyone agreed it was one of our best meals in Austin.

I had dinner on a Friday evening while in s business trip. Everything went very well, food and service were great. The menu is pretty standard, but the food quality is outstanding. I highly recommend it. Parking garage conveniently located just across the street.

This is a good restaurant located in the W Austin Hotel. The food is very good and reasonably priced. After dinner, enjoy some drinks in the bars (there are two bars and 4 or 5 rooms to enjoy them in). The red room (also referred to as the secret bar) and the record room (full of vinyl records) are my favorites.

We were staying at the W, but really didn't plan to eat here. It just so happened that there were tornadoes and storms that evening, so we ended up taking our chances here. The restaurant was quite slow when we were seated--I think we were the only people in there at the time. My husband had the Niman Ranch pork chop, and I had a non-descript quail dish, both pretty forgettable. There just wasn't anything inspired or original on the menu. The waiter was not only inattentive, he ignored our questions about the menu. He served us some bread, and goes, "that butter's supposed to be good. It's from France". When asked where in France, he just shrugged, mumbled, and walked off. He didn't return until we were ready for the check. I'm giving them one star for the dessert we took back to our room, the drunken donuts. They were freshly made beignets, served with various liquor infused dipping sauces. Those were the one thing on the menu I haven't seen everywhere else.

Came for dinner before a concert at ACL Live. The cocktails were impressive and had fun, complex flavors, but everything else about the experience was lackluster. The salmon was over-cooked and generally the dish lacked flavor. I was also surprised at how small the portion size was for the price. Our server was nice and well-intentioned, but hard to locate when we needed anything - he seemed to be stretched pretty thin between tables.

Love this place! It's located in The W downtown Austin and has a very calming scene. The food is great, a lot of options! Small portions though.

I always get the lox and bagels. The coffee is great, the hard boiled egg perfectly cooked and I enjoy being pampered by the staff. If it isn't hotter than hell I prefer to eat on the patio.

The breakfasts were among the better breakfasts in most hotels...not your typical eggs and bacon, but great adaptations of localized breakfast items. The dinners were OK, nothing special, though the outdoor seating is nice on a good weather day. The only problem was that we requested outdoor seating when we reserved a table (reservations highly recommended) and when we arrived, we were told the best they could do was a table that was technically indoors, but next to the open doorway. Then, before we were seated, additional people joined our group so we needed a larger table and there weren't any except in a corner "private dining area". We asked if anyone had booked that area and were told it was not booked but we couldn't be seated there without management approval...which took about 30 minutes to obtain. It looks like management could benefit customers by providing a bit more empowerment to the staff?

Had dinner here before a concert at ACL theater next door. Excellent small plates. Tried the Scallops, shrimp and grits, heirloom tomato salad and more. Each dish was excellent.

Had an early morning event at Austin city hall, decided to have breakfast at the W hotel's Trace restaurant. small restaurant and very nice setting. was early and able to select our own seats. being connected with the W Hotel this is a somewhat upscale experience including the prices. we decided on the Austin breakfast which was your basic eggs potato bacon and toast. the food was served quickly and hot. the potatoes were quite good they were fingerling type potatoes one being purple. it was quite filling and delicious. that being said there are a few things I would do different. considering the atmosphere and location you would expect the service to be more upscale. almost every time we were served I was served first before my wife especially when the food server delivered our breakfast he put my plate down and then reached his left arm across my face too serve my wife. sorry but I'm funny that way he should have served my wife first then came back around the table to serve me. another one of my pet peeves is frozen butter how are you supposed to spread rock hard butter on toast. at the very end I realized the meal included juice and coffee but the juice was never mentioned when we were making choices of scrambled, types of meat and bread. when I mentioned it to the wait person they said you have to ask for it. seems to me they should have asked us since it was included with the meal. It was obvious to me that they forgot to ask and was trying to put the blame back on me. needless to say since the meal cost $20 each we got our juice. I know this is Austin Texas but this is the W Hotel and not your Small Town Diner. Overall the experience was good and was a great start to our day.

Go for the desserts. I will go back just to get drinks and dessert. They are fabulous. The Roasted Gulf Snapper is also very good. Don't waste your time on a steak. The beef is over priced and poor quality. Nice place to meet friends for drinks in the Livingroom Lounge. Very comfortable and the music is not too loud.

My friend and I were guests at the W and had a few hours to kill before going to the airport, so we decided to stop into the first floor hotel bar, Trace. Our bartender, Colton, made excellent food and drink recommendations. He was friendly and attentive without being overbearing, and also recommended good spots we might have time to see before heading to the airport. It was a shame the weather wasn’t optimal for the roof, but we felt our experience at Trace more than made up for it!

We ate breakfast here every morning of our stay at the W Austin. Enjoyable outdoor seating and great service. All of the breakfast selections were excellent.

Unique menu with locally sourced ingredients and very attentive service. Prices you would expect for the W Hotel but worth it if you get what they are doing. We ordered 3 different brunch items (waffles, omlette, migas) and all were presented beautifully and we all enjoyed tasting each one. A side of slab bacon was worth the calories! The service was really outstanding; low key,knowledgeable, always available but never hovering. We liked the jazz band being in the front bar so you could enjoy the music in the dining room but still easily have a conversation without shouting over the music. Overall a great meal and experience.

If you love to sit amongst a pile of dirty glasses and bottles, then the W Hotel in Austin is your place. We went to listen to Twilight Trio, who are great by the way, and have some drinks. We arrived, and asked to be seated on the patio. We were told the patio was reserved and unavailable so we had to sit in their outdoor couch area which had very little seating. We finally got a seat, which smelled like cat urine, and the table was completely full of empty drink glasses and beer bottles. Even when a server appeared, no one came to clean up the mess. after being there two hours, we finally left because we literally had no place for our glasses and were tired of sitting amongst the mess. In addition, the patio had one couple on it. It was empty for the two hours we were there. The service in terms of accommodating us, and the lack of service once there was horrible. Sad, because the band and the location are great.

We arrived late on a Thursday night and just barely made our reservation at 9:45pm. We expected to be rushed but they were happy to see us and never put any pressure on us to get in and out. We had a couple of drinks and a few appies and the food was really good. Especially the octopus appie and the squash salad. OOverall a great place to go.

We were there for breakfast. Food was good, and the service was excellent. Love their migas, the shrimp and grits was a little too soupy for me. They have a kids menu with items such as French toasts and egg plate for $9 and under.

Fantastic breakfast on site at the W Hotel. Breakfast brisket hash was delicious and the whole table enjoyed their meals. A little pricey but it is a hotel restaurant so that is expected.

Traveling on business with colleagues and we tried at the last minute to get into one of the many BBQ restaurants in Austin. When in Rome as they say. Anyway, a couple of the top BBQ joints weren't open on Monday and the one we did find had a 1 hour wait. So we walked around the block and saw a nice place at the W hotel, walked in and got seated right away. Normally I shy away from restaurants that don't have a lot of people seated, but we decided to try Trace. After sitting down and looking at our menu, we were a bit surprised to see a lot of wild game options. We had a glass of wine, pulled up our big boy pants and went on the hunt (pun intended). I got the combination dish of Venison Chili, Wild Boar Sausage and Antelope Steak. WOW! It was excellent! Not gamey at all and very lean. If you are in an adventurous mood, give this a try...you won't be disappointed.

We enjoyed dinner outdoors, just far enough from a table of very happy girls in a bridal party. The food was great, and the service was even better. We would happily return.

The Trifecta of what to avoid in a restaurant. I really tried to like Trace. I really did. I frequently see concerts at Austin City Limits and want a decent nearby restaurant to go to before the show. Over the past year I have gone to Trace a half dozen times. Each visit was disappointing to say the least. The food ranges from poorly conceived (popcorn over raw oysters) to just plain bad (a cheese burger). I never knew it was possible to ruin a burger. Most of the servers are inexperienced college kids who don't have a clue when it comes to serving customers in a restaurant. On my last visit the main restaurant was closed for a private party so we ate at the adjoining bar. One cheeseburger, a club sandwich, four drinks, and a bottle of water cost $100.

What a way to celebrate Thanksgiving. A quiet corner table. Close family. An amazing meal which far exceeded our expectations. The limited Thanksgiving meal offered several appetizers, three mains and three desserts. I chose the Parker House Buns - 2 perfect warm sesame-coated buns with an aioli with a kick, pickles and some of the best chopped beef. While we had to make our own sandwiches, the end result was succulent and exciting. I also got to taste the full-flavored delicious sweet potato soup. My main course was the short ribs in an intense beef sauce with pearl onions and small potatoes. Some of the best beef in Austin. The turkey roulade that others had was also very good. Finally, my cheesecake sent me into orbit and escorted me out the door in style. Now, we need to try their regular menu but my mouth is already watering.

Went here for Brunch with 7 other girls. It was soooo amazing. The food was so good & the mimosas were made perfectly. The service was great too!

5 days and 4 nights with 3 breakfasts. All were good. We had coupons. Prices are high but they delivered well. Espressos, tea, pancakes, migas, eggs be edicts, oatmeal, fruit plates, Danish, grapefruit- all done well. Makes me hungry for breakfast just to write about them.

Trace has a really great brisket omelette. The service is great and they give dogs their own ice cream. Indoor and outdoor seating is available, and you can rent out a whole room if you need to!

I had the opportunity to dine here recently for a business dinner. Service was spot on and food was excellent. The bartender had a great suggestion with my wine prior to moving to our table. The hangar steak was great but the star of our family style meal was the chicken fried quail (amazing preparation). Look forward to going back.

I was staying at the W hotel and had dinner here one night with a conference group. I had the salmon with roasted potatoes and it was very tasty! Really enjoyed the meal. Service was prompt and polite. Drinks at our table were always kept refilled. Dessert was a miss though. The crem brulee looked nice but the consistency inside was more like hummus. The taste was an overpowering lemon or something. Not sure what happened with it, but I only had a bite. Someone else at my table ordered a double chocolate cake type of thing which they said was delicious. Wish I could have ordered that instead! What is really odd about this restaurant is the entrance via the hotel lobby. You have to go through the bar area which seems like you are intruding on parties in the different rooms within the bar. Then you have to go through a walkway that seems meant just for employees. If you are staying at the W and want to go to dinner at this restaurant, I'd recommend exiting the hotel lobby, then go in the restaurant from the exterior. Less likely to get lost that way.

Both my companion and I had had family Thanksgiving opportunities melt away so she graciously agreed to do a luncheon as our Thanksgiving celebration. Downtown traffic was confused with a huge Tday marathon so she drove by the Hyatt and picked me up. The Trace was really fun, they have the most amazing maze to get from the W lobby to the Trace reception, fun rooms, nice art, ... We were able to sit outside, weather was great, service smooth and server engaging, meal was very nice, fellow diners were comfortable, patio had a nice conversational buzz that made the open space actually feel very comfortable, will go back!

We love popping into Trace for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The setting is lovely and sometimes for breakfast we love sitting outside and enjoying coffee and people watching. The dinners are fabulous and rather than going over every dish we've tried which is almost everything it's pretty easy to say the attention for detail, quality ingredients and creativity of the chef never disappoints. Whether you're going for brunch or late night it's a great vibe and very cool place to hang out and the food and drinks are amazing!

I love coming here for the weekend brunch. It is a brunch menu instead of buffet and I prefer it that way. The food was great and fresh. I love the shrimp & grits - to die for. So far I have had great food each time. The service is great. The staff are always flexible and bring bowls and dog friendly items for my 4-legged friend. Plan some time around the brunch - they are not in a hurry and sit on the patio. Enjoy the live music!

Out for a quick business dinner with colleugues at the Trace in the W downtown. What started out as a meal for three soon grew to eight as other clients joined. The staff was very attentive to the slight disruption and moved tables and took orders in stride. Everyone enjoyed their drinks, wine and food. The W staff even threw in some freebe desserts for everyone. Quiet enough for a serious business dinner, but lively enough to keep the blood pumping. I'd go back nexttime I am in Austin

Was a part of a large group. Maybe 45 people. They did a nice job of keeping things moving and still tailoring dinner to individual preference to a great extent. Food was well seasoned and plated and many of the recipes were somewhat original. 1 wall opens up to the outside, this can be good or bad. Makes it something of a high end picnic like experience, bugs included... worth a stop if I’m the area.

5 of us went to brunch Sunday April 30 at Trace at the W Hotel. It was a beautiful day so we sat outside on the patio. I was excited since I had never been there. The restaurant is very chic and had a crowd but not full. At the brunch they have a local DJ playing music. The music was fun and a lot of great songs that you could sing along to (or at least we did). They got us seated then took our drink, appetizer and entrée orders. The first round of drinks came right out except the Coke our designated driver ordered, we had to ask for it a second time. The apps followed fairly quickly. 2 of us had the kolache (think Texas Pig in a Blanket), one had Wilted Kale Salad, and 2 the Crab & Avocado Toast. I had the Crab & Avocado Toast and it was very good (fresh crab and guacamole with a little spicy kick). We all enjoyed the starters but the person with the salad wasn’t too impressed. The entrees came out and the serving staff had a hard time figuring out who had what. By then we needed water and drinks, too. When our waitress finally came by after the entrees were served, we asked for another carafe of Mimosas and water. The waitress disappeared and didn’t show back up for 15 minutes, by then we had finished our food. She dropped off the Mimosas but forgot the water, so we asked for water again. She went by another table, took their order, headed towards the kitchen and still no water. We finally flagged down a bus boy that went and got our waitress, when she got there we asked for water again. We finally got water long after the meal was finished. They were slow to clean the table and pick up our plates. There were a few flies out so we stacked all of the dirty plates on the end of the table. When we flagged down the bus boy about the waitress and water, he asked if he could take our plates. What a silly question, they were in a pile and should have been picked up a long time ago. They weren’t that busy so I don’t know what was up with the service but it was unacceptable. It’s not hard to refill a water glass. Our entrees were tasty but nothing outstanding. One had the Fat Kid Sandwich (chicken fried steak, really good thick bacon, sunny side up egg, pimento & cheese and potato chips all on the bun), 2 had the Patty Melt which looked good and 2 had the Creole Eggs Benedict (biscuit with Cajun tasso ham, egg and topped with crawfish etouffee). The Creole Eggs Benedict were good but not great. Everybody enjoyed the food and was generally pleased but nobody thought the food lived up to the hype and our expectations. Well to sum it up the patio was nice, the music was fun, the food good but nothing special, and the service sucked. You should not have to wait 15 minutes for water or need to ask for it 3 times. Bad Bad Bad. Very disappointing.

So let me clarify by saying that I wasn't actually a guest at W Austin. My bff was visiting from LA for her bachelorette party and I met up with everyone at the W's restaurant Trace for her big bachelorette brunch. Oh. My. God. It was honestly the best brunch I've had in a long time and I think part of the reason was the awesome staff (bottomless mimosas don't hurt either lol!). Anyway our waitress Ashley was such a sweetheart and really made us feel special...something that I know can be tough with a big ole group of loud girls. The food itself was ONNN point. I got the brisket omelet and devoured the whole damn thing. What I tried from my friend's plates was delicious also. The reason I'm posting this review on here instead of just Yelp is because I had a really amazing interaction with the female concierge (Melissa?) too. I snuck over to her desk after brunch to arrange some manicures for the me and the ladies that afternoon and she was so so helpful even though she knew I wasn't a guest. Just excellent customer service all around. Thank you W Austin for making our day fun and easy :)

I loved my breakfast at Trace. The service is excellent, and the coffee strong, the way I like it. For breakfast, I had the shrimp and grits, a traditional southern favorite. The grits were hot, creamy, and smoky from the piece of sausage that is included in the meal. Surprisingly, I was the only person eating breakfast for an hour. But then again, perhaps not so surprising given that it was a Sunday morning after a Saturday night of partying in Austin. In any case, Trace is highly recommended.

We were spending the weekend @ the W hotel and basically that’s the only place we ate during our stay. My husband wasn’t too keen with the menu options but he managed to find something for himself with few modifications. Mary and Ana both very nice and accommodating. I enjoy sweet and savory combinations like the ribs with peach ketchup and the tomato sorbet salad, if I remember correctly the name. For breakfast I enjoyed the poppyseed pancakes. Deserts are worth a try. Enjoy!

I enjoyed a wonderful meal at Trace on March 13. We ate our way through several appetizers and I highly recommend trying that if you're up for a number of tastes rather than one entree. Not only were the staff lovely and accommodating during my visit, I accidentally dropped my glasses case on the floor rather than into my bag and the staff actually retrieved them for me, set them aside, and sent them to me once I realized they were missing several days later! If you like good food and staff who care, Trace is the place.

I recently ate at Trace with a large group on a friday night. My italian friend visiting from Milan and I decided to split the pasta. I told the waitress to tell the cook that it was a Michelin star dish. She came back and said how flattered she was and that she had never heard of Michelin Star. I for sure have never told anyone that. never. good for them. keep it up. nice spot. especially for celebrations.

There could not be a more central location to all things happening in Austin in the evening. Great place to meet people for a drink.

We had poor service (order for side dishes not placed until too late, so they came after we had finished our entrees). It seemed like the effort was on how many different ingredients can you combine in a dish, and how artfully can you present it, was way more important than how the food tastes. We are not unsophisticated diners, but all three of us were disappointed in our entrees and desserts. Sometimes grand ideas don't translate into good food.

Was only here for breakfast while staying at the hotel; good Migas and coffee, excellent service. Definitely one of the better breakfasts I have had in a hotel in recent times, plenty good enough to merit its own review.

We arrived at the restaurant after 9pm (it closes at 10pm). We had a nice seat outside and a very friendly/good server named, Carlos. We had a Cesar salad with salmon and the baby gems salad with shrimp added. They were both really good! It was a nice, easy and enjoyable experience.

I stay at the W Hotel Austin regularly and eat very often at Trace restaurant. The food is very good, locally sourced and well prepared. The wine selections are thoughtful, thorough and well priced. The highlight however is the amazing and energetic staff. from the mangers to the the people who bus the tables. They truly try to make your meal enjoyable. I actually look forward to seeing some of my favorites each time i go, Even if I stay at a another hotel, i would make an effort to go to Trace restaurant.

We had a few different people taking care of us when we went to Trace so the service was a little choppy. The food, though, was very good. It's a beautiful restaurant with an all-around appetizing menu. For a starter I got the Handmade Strazzapreti Pasta. First, it was enough for an entire entree. Second, it was DELICIOUS. Very rich and savory and not too strong on the blue cheese. I definitely recommend. I followed that up with the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. The meat was really nicely cooked and very tender. The sides that came with it (cheddar grits and apple salad) were a little...m'eh. My friend started with the beet salad, which was was excellent and raved about the redfish. Really nice drink selection and charming atmosphere. I'd go back again. And a little tip: all the bathrooms are unisex. There's a sensor on the FRONT of the sink to activate it. I'm sure I looked like a total idiot flailing my hands around every part of the faucet to get it to turn on. Luckily, no one was there to see me.

What a wonderful dining experience. Excellent service and the food was total craftsmanship. The menu is quite expansive but what triggered me was the home made pasta dish. Utterly flawless. This restaurant is located adjacent to the W Austin and partners very well with the SPG brand.

My wife & I stopped in for Sunday brunch right when service switched from breakfast to brunch. We were promptly seated once the menus switched but it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to finally greet us, and it wasn't even our waiter that greeted us first but instead the gentleman who provided us our glasses of water. Once we were finally greeted (by multiple waiters as time went on) my wife & I agreed that, while everyone was friendly, the service staff seemed content congregating by the POS systems chatting with each other instead of taking care of their guests. Our brunch lasted twice as long as it should have simply due to the fact that service was so slow and inattentive. Service aside, however, the food was incredibly delicious and nicely presented; I could tell that the mind(s) behind the dishes were very much so focused on elevated dining. The food & drinks were so good that I would definitely go back, even if the service were the same. However, I would certainly hope that the service would be better.

The food was outstanding, we tried the fried olives and that was a surprise! Everything was delicious. I will go back anytime

My wife and I went to Trace on a Thursday night. We had an 8:15 reservation and were seated at about 8:20. Our server came right over and greeted us. She was wonderful. We informed her that we were ready to order as we were hungry. We ordered an appetizer, a steak and a fish entree. Our appetizer came out right away and was very good. We had the crab meat hush puppies. It is a large appetizer and could easily be shared among four people. We waited...and waited...and waited...I asked our server when our meal was going to be coming. She told us it was coming right out. Ten minutes later I asked about our meal again, she again said it should be right out but she would check on it. She was gone for about ten more minutes. When she returned to the table she did not have our food, but offered to get us another glass of wine. Finally at 9:35 our meal was served. Remember we order steak and fish...two VERY easy things to cook. Our server apologized, comped some of our meal and was very attentive. She also informed us that she had informed the manager of our wait and the he should be right over. I understand sometimes things get messed up in the kitchen, but over an hour is a very long wait especially when I started asking about our meal 20 minutes before it was served. The MOST shocking part was that we finished our meal, it was good, and paid....NEVER SAW A MANAGER..that I was told would be coming by. This is a restaurant attached the W Hotel in Austin. I was VERY disappointed in my evening. It was also very loud in the restaurant as there was at least one large group in the back "party" room...and boy were they partying. I am not sure there is ever a reason to scream at dinner. Just saying.

We had an issue with small portion sizes at lunch. I also thought my linguine could have benefitted from the addition of a couple of seasonings. The setting is Wonderful, however.

Like many of the reviews of this restaurant, we ate here prior to seeing Boz Scaggs at ACL. Our friends had never been to ACL and we thought eating at Trace would be just the thing. It started off poorly when they said they didn't have our reservation for a party of 6 even tho they called to confirm a few days before. We sat for 15 minutes with no one bringing us anything. We ordered drinks and it was 35 minutes before the waiter asked to take our order. The waiter was so inattentive that one of the guys started getting us drinks from the bar. The menu is very limited and the prices were high for what we ordered. Our meal took 2 hours and we only ordered entrees because we were running out of time before the concert. When the bill came, the tip was included and we almost missed it since we didn't expect that for a party of 6! The waiter said nothing. Management's responses to the reviews below seem to be welcome suggestions but obviously, no changes are being made, which makes it a certainty we won't bother trying this again!

While we just had breakfast, the food and the service were top notch. great atmosphere for any meal. adjacent to lobby and night clubs

This is THE PLACE to have dinner before a concert at Moody Auditorium. The food is great, the drinks are well made. Nice atmosphere and great service.

If you go there, say hi to Gilbert the manager. He is such a lovely individual. We had appetizers, desert and wine (which Gilbert recommended) - so so so GOOD!!! My high school friend and I met here after many years and Gilbert made sure we enjoy our time there. It was one of the high lights of our trip. Great memories were made.

Took my teenagers to eat breakfast here and was disappointed overall. First, hotel lobby is like small dungeon. No signage, just have to wander through rooms to find restaurant. Dark. Maybe the guest rooms are nice and bright, don't know we did not stay here overnight. Service at restaurant was friendly, but inexperienced. Food not brought at one time. Had to wait for 10 min for butter. Had to wait for 10 min for waitress to find change after paying bill. Food was pretty good. Eggs Benedict was beautifully presented and perfectly cooked. Pancakes, omelettes, oatmeal, shrimp and grits were all good - for $165?? I was sorry we went to the W considering it just wasn't special enough to warrant the cost.

Migas were great, my date's food (egg white omlet) was not so much. Decent wine list, overall a good breakfast spot especially early morning when it's quiet.

I loved their shrimp and grits and their creamed kale was like nothing I have ever experienced before. It was excellent! I would highly recommend this place.

Decided to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Trace. Small selection, but all fresh, farm raised and organic. I must say the food was delicious. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive and it was a great start to our day in Austin.

This place is way overpriced, but if you are in the W, then you don't care what anything costs, do you ? The burger was very tasty, but for $15, I better get massage with a happy ending too.

We had the pleasure of dining at Trace several times during our stay in Austin. The menu is filled with original recipes using fresh and local ingredients. We had breakfast, brunch and dinner there and every meal was exceptional. The service is top notch as well. Don't miss the Sunday brunch! Loved it here!

We had lunch here during the week. The BLT was fabulous and the duck confit sandwich was even better. The sides were especially tasty. The service was impeccable and the outdoor dining very soothing. The prices were high, but not unlike the rest of the places downtown. Very millennial kind of environment. Quite touristy.

We had a fabulous Drag Brunch! Performers were really amazing and absolutely stunning and the food & service was superb! Will definitely recommending it to all my friends! Shared this fun experience on my YouTube Channel @Rob Mahor if anyone wanna see it:) It was the best!

Fun evening with party of 7. Good was delicious and beautifully presented. Our server, so knowledgeable and just plain fun, made for a fabulous occasion.

Trace recently had a change of chefs and it certainly helped the restaurant! The food selection was much better and more interesting. I had lunch 7 and or breakfast for business 4 or 5 times during my stay. The staff, as always from the mangers [thank you Ryan} to to the table clearer s are all excellent, personable and make an effort to remember you and and your likes. The new menu includes 2 new salads selections that are excellent as is the burger, and corn soup and 2 artisanal antipasti one of meats and other of cheese, which make a wonderful meal in itself! . The staff was kind enough to get me a cake to celebrate a friends 90th birthday at lunch!

The decor of this restaraunt is amazing. We got a table outside and the huge fans made you almost forget you were in the middle of Austin summer. The waitstaff was amazing and very attentive. I had a perfect sangria. Sadly the food wasn't close to my expectations. I've been traveling all summer and have eaten so much amazing food so when I come somewhere with a good price tag I have expectations. The fig salad was extremely salty. The fig wrapped in cheese were delicious but the greens were nearly inedible due to seasoning. I also got chicken which was very bland. The dish had a beautiful presentation but lacked any flavor. My boyfriends steak was better but didn't compare to the Brazilian and Argentinian steaks we've had at the same price tag. I liked the place but I just hope their food gets a flavor boost soon!

I've been here countless times. some nights the dishes border on exquisite, other times (perhaps because I know how good it can be), it's a bit of a let down. My rating therefore is a reflection of the swings between average - excellent. The menu is dynamic and some of the food is consistently exquisite, particularly the mac & cheese as well as the octopus. Patio seating provides a great vantage point to watch the world walk on by while still feeling comfortably removed and ensconced in a private setting.

I don't have a problem paying for quality - and we love going to Hudson's Jeffrey's and The Carillon. My husband and I have eaten at Trace a few times now and neither of has have been terribly impressed. The cocktails run about $15 or so and are not very large not do they seem like they contain much alcohol for the price you are paying. We have tried a number of different appetizers, entrees and desserts and nothing has been anything to get too excited about. The last time we went, I had the ribeye (which I believe was the most expensive item on the entree menu that night at $50) and it was certainly not worth the price they charge. The cut was an adequate portion though not very large. The quality of the meat also did not seem all that good. I had the steak medium rare and it was quite gristly and difficult to chew/swallow. To top it off, the steak wasn't very flavorful. I had a better steak the following week at Ross' Old Austin Diner for around $14. Like most hotels, the food and drinks are quite over priced and the quality of the food leases a lot to be desired. Look around, there are far better places to eat in Austin.

All foods we had at The W came from their restaurant, Trace, and all were excellent with generous portions. Bar appetizers we loved: popcorn and pulled pork tacos. Absolutely delicious egg dishes: scrambled and the Eggs Benedict. Cheesecake was great. Yes, the prices here are high, but that's to be expected in a high-end hotel in the downtown of a big city.

Visited using a Groupon, and had high hopes given I'm around the area often with business clients, but not worth the visit in my opinion. First, parking is scarce around this area. So if you don't want to walk 3-5 blocks you'll need to cough up $7 for valet, which for an evening out may be ok but not for regular business luncheons. Second, prices are high given it's the W Hotel and I guess they feel they need to charge a premium. Third, food was unimpressive. We had the Cobb Salad listed under "Large Plates" for $13. The portion was the size of a dinner salad you get most places, which left me still hungry in the end. Plus the tasteless chicken with that day-old taste was very pleasing either. So that left me wanted dessert. The Warm Doughnuts were good - but who can mess up fried dough. Also had the chocolate sampler, but not something you want to order when sharing with business associates. Overall, the food is overpriced for the portion & quality, plus the $7 parking puts me over the top to never care to visit this restaurant again.

Loved the evening we spent here. Superlative service, interesting menu, great wine selection and wonderful ambiance. Enjoyed being able to have a reasonable conversation without fighting the din of noise often found in trendy restaurants. (Granted, it wasn't very crowded. There was a huge motorcycle rally in town so many people were avoiding downtown.). Will certainly return.