Waterloo Ice House 360 & 2222 Reviews

After picking our daughter up at the airport we went to Waterloo for dinner. Had burgers and appetizers. We were told this was a great place, but the food was good and service was adequate. Here in central Texas where it is hard to find a mediocre hamburger I think we will continue with our favorite places.

Was taken here with a group of people one of whom is local to the area. I am not a huge fan of TexMex food per se but if done right it can be nice. I got on recommendation the pulled pork tacos and subbed the rice and beans to have onion rings. Received two tacos with tater tots and shredded cabbage and BBQ sauce. The sauce was very tasty, I could not finish all of the food as it was so filling. The onion rings were also good. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food. For me though it was very salty, I can still feel the salt, but that is to be expected with some of this food. The service was welcoming and friendly so can't fault that and the food was quick to come out another plus, although it was very quiet. Recommend trying.

Waterloo has a diverse menu with something for everyone. They even serve breakfast and brunch. The waitstaff is polite and helpful. The best part is the outdoor seating with a bar and a great open play area for the kids. My son's favorite part is always the PacMan arcade game.

We haven't been to the other Waterloo's in town but the one at the intersection of 2222 and 360 is a great place to take the kids. There is a large, completely fenced in and secure shaded playground out back. This park like setting with picnic tables and large trees is a great place to have dinner and a drink while watching the kids play on the playscape and in the large sandbox. The food is better than typical bar food and the service has always been excellent. We go there at least once a week and always have a good relaxing time.

What more can you ask for? At the west edge of downtown, great location. Friendly service. Good, solid menu.

There aren't a lot of choices to eat in my area but Waterloo seems to be out go-to place. We always sit outside so the kids can play on the great play scape. They happy hour Tito Vodka drinks hit the spot & the Waterloo salad is amazing. It's large, fresh & full of fresh veggies and chicken. This place is nothing fancy but it's priced right, has a good selection & allows the adults to kick back while the kids play.

I visited this location while staying with my brother-in-law during ACL Fest 2014. The food is solid....atmosphere definitely family-friendly....service lackluster at best. I would likely visit again, since I have young kids, but there are many other places in Austin that are better while being accomodating to families. Oh, and this just in, Austin is nowhere near as cool as it used to be before the influx of Californian&Northeastern transplants. It's too bad really. 15 years ago Austin was the Mecca of cool...now it is no better than Dallas....seriously.

The service was good but not great. The food was just so-so, I mean sub-par and that is pretty generous. We really went to go to watch the game.

This location has a outdoor dining area and playground that is wonderful for guests with families. There is also a grassy area for the older children to play on. The menu has many options.

Food is good, Lone Star Patty Melt . . . very good, chicken fried steak very good, large portions, enough to take home leftovers for later. Atmosphere is diner style. They have a poker night on Fridays, and Mondays informal Blue Grass band. Service is excellent.

Living close, it is just a great place to go without having to fight the traffic. After a long hard day, we decided to have a drink and a light meal. We love sitting in the bar vs the dining room because it is a family restaurant. There were a couple of times when we did sit in the dining room on a Sunday for a late breakfast, kids were running in-between tables. Parents, have you not taught your children how to act in a restaurant...I don't care how casual it is! Or do you even care?!? At least the waitress took care of the problem. The food is always consistent and GOOD! I LOVE the Taco Chicken Salad and the Texas Caesar salad. Mexican Corn Soup - Excellent! Onion Rings are handmade - Over-the-Top Excellent!!! Thank you Waterloo for being a part of Austin and for being our neighborhood bar/restaurant!!

I've been a fan of Waterloo at Lamar (which I heard recently closed) for many years but recently moved very near the location on 360 at 2222. It's a large restaurant with playscape outside; on this weekday night neither were busy. My adult daughter and I ordered salads, they were crisp but small and rather bland. On a previous visit for a Saturday lunch, I had better luck with a burger, but given the recent disappointment I'm less likely to go back soon. If the playscape is something you would use - then this might be the right option for you anyway - sometimes its not about the food...

Get their potato, bacon, egg and cheese taco - you'll just need one!

comfort food

We like Waterloo for breakfast. Their bacon, eggs and pancakes are good. They also have good chicken wings.

This was my first visit to this location. I ordered the Texas Tortilla Catfish with Bacon Green Beans, Mac & Cheese, and sweet tea. The catfish is truly Texas in that it is coated in crushed tortilla chips instead of flour or cornmeal battered. The catfish is delicious! There were two good sized fillets fried perfectly. The green beans were very good and had some bacon strips and bacon bits in them. The mac & cheese was cheesy and covered in bacon & chopped green onions. It came with two wedges of Texas toast which was good as well. The sweet tea was just about perfect. The service was fast and friendly. The prices are comparable to other restaurants. The atmosphere was relaxing. They have a bar area and plenty of indoor dining. They also have a large outdoor dining area that had fans blowing mist to keep cool.

Waterloo Ice House is a good family spot. The menu, location, service and food are all very good. I prefer Waterloo for breakfast but it is good all day.

I decided to visit this restaurant again after a few years away. Sad to say, it was the same. All their food was very greasy and everything felt very unhealthy.

We've been here b4 so many years ago and never reviewed it. We met friends here for brunch and they gave us the game room bc we had so many people. I am not a brunch person so I was glad we came at 11 for lunch options too. Our waitstadd was courteous and got our orders. We were hungry lol so everything sounded good. Hears their chicken and waffles were the thing to get. Several got their pancakes and they are huge! Taste wise they said it was ok. Just big. Breakfast food is ok here. Wouldn't come back for brunch. I actually got the mushroom swiss with tots and I was very happy. Tator tots greasy good and fried to a crisp. Burger was greasy but yum. Sweet potato fries were good too. Kids meal came with ice cream but we forgot it ahh but she was happy with her tenders and onion rings. Burgers all were satisfactory. We had a great get together meal. They rushed us out bc there was a party after us. We looters outside by the playground area. It's packed on Saturday mornings. Birthday parties and such. But cute place to chill and let kids hang out. Nice location and good Saturday location as other more Austiny places r packed Saturday a.m.

Not very many choices to eat in Austin after 8 pm at night. Pleasantly surprised that menu had good variety and food was fresh and very appetizing. It’s a bar type atmosphere but the eating is definitely a step up from tavern food. Nice choice for a late dinner. Had 7 in our party and not one unsatisfied person.

I like the homey feel of this place -- it just feels familiar. I've found the servers very efficient, knowledgable, and very friendly. The food is more or less burgers with other items thrown in for good measure. They do have a good breakfast menu. They also have a full bar and patio seating.

The food is okay (skip the queso, gives Texan queso a bad name - burgers are good). The outdoor area is Fabulous for little ones (if you manage to get a table outside). My daughter is 20 months old, and she did great on their playscape. My husband, one year old daughter, and I went here for dinner on a beautiful sunny day and were told there were no outdoor tables. We sat at one of the indoor tables and noticed that (1) half of the outdoor tables were empty and (2) people that arrived after us were being ushered to outdoor tables. When we asked about it, they mentioned that there was a waiting list for outdoor tables, which we had not been offered before, and that there was nothing that they could do. We ate and spent the rest of the time outdoors which was not too bad. If you plan on going though and have little ones that are dying to play outside, call ahead of time and get on the mysterious "outdoor table" waiting list - it's worth it! ;)

Waterloo has been around Austin since the early 80s. Always great burgers. They continue to expand their menu. The 38th Street and N. Lamar locations have parking challenges, but if you can find a spot nearby, it is worth it. The Onion rings and Cheese fries are exceptional

Good for beer and burgers.

Restaurant has a great playscape for kids and lots of shaded outdoor seating! No dogs allowed though. Food and service is average, but it's a nice place to relax if you have kids.

Stopped in twice over Christmas week for breakfast tacos and blueberry pancakes. The pancakes were fabulous, as good or better than Kirby Lanes and the breakfast tacos were excellent as well. I ordered the "Classic" which is egg, hash browns, cheese and bacon. Can't go wrong for breakfast here. Enjoy!

I like the Waterloo Ice House. the food is always consistent, good and value priced. It is always a solid choice.

We are regulars here because the quality is consistent, prices are reasonable and they have decent variety to choose from. Their queso is one of our favorites and is one of the best in the area. The onion rings are superb. They have a combo special that comes with a house salad, choice of soups or chili and any item off the sides menu for a very great price and is more food than we can usually eat.

Saw Jimi Lee playing there and had a good meal. Jimi plays every other Sunday night. Get a great show for free and have a good meal. He also had some great singers accompanying him.

I visit this Waterloo regularly. The food is predictible and good. The ladies are always friendly and welcoming. As usual my waiter was slow and inattentive but the ladies gladly wait on me in his stead. Add this to your list of where to go.

Waterloo is a good choice. Their location is designed for all types of clients. The playground for kids sets them apart. The service is ok and food good.

The Waterloo is a good place for a meal. Today I went for breakfast and they made an omelet to my specifications. The service was outstanding.

Great Burgers and large Beer selection In the heart of DownTown Austin

Service was not friendly. She made us feel rushed to order and not "Texas" friendly. The iced tea was completely watered down and cost $2.85! I mean seriously! Kids meals were a good value. The playground outside was a great bonus for the kids. The fish tacos were outstanding but the quantity of catfish in the Po-boy were not in ratio to the amount of bread. Probably would not recommend to somebody traveling in the area as Austin has so many other truly quality restaurants in the same price range.

It is rare to rate a local hamburger /fried food/salad place with five stars, but this is a can't miss place to take a family or have a meeting of friends. I meet two groups here for breakfast once a week each. The breakfast menu is extensive with egg tacos (extraordinary) , migas, biscuits, hash browns, huevos rancheros, pancakes, even a farmers burger with egg and bacon and burger patty. Lunch and dinner are equally nice, with creative salads, pecan crusted catfish (fillets or tacos), great burgers, great chili (mild - dose up your own), chicken burgers, potato and onion fries (these are great!) . Service is always friendly and food is delivered promptly. For families, there is a large sand playground, easily watched through the windows and numerous large tables are situated at the playground so you can watch the kids, drink a beer and dine outside . Austin Original!

Great Happy Hour wing specials and really good food, service was great. I always make a point to see the staff on my trips to Austin.

One should go for the music, not the food. Food's ok.

While visiting with friends, we went to Waterloo Ice House for breakfast because there is a play area for little kids - we had a 2 year old boy in tow. We were surprised by the relaxing outdoor area with picnic tables and a play area for the kids. Adults can enjoy conversation and food while the little ones play within eye view. The Veggie Hash was excellant! Fresh combination of veggies, potatoes and topped with your choice of eggs - I ordered over medium and the runny yolk was a great combo with the veggies. My only comment would be that the potatoes could have been cooked a little more to have a softer 'hash' like texture. The Hill Country Breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage and toast was very good. The eggs were nice and fluffy and a nice size portion. The toast was a good quality. The Build-Your-Own Omelette was large and allows you to select add-ons including hash browns that go inside the omelette. They actually have gluten free pancakes - perfect for the little one with blueberries. He loved the pancake! If you are from outside the Austin area be prepared for a little sticker shock. The breakfast dishes range from $10.95 on up; and the juices are $2.95 for a small and $3.75 for a large. Service was spot on - friendly and attentive.

Is it that hard to smile at patrons??? We went for a snack on 2/23/17 and the girl behind the bar never smiled or even attempted to be nice. I will never return to that place, nor any other Waterloo.

I was a regular at this Waterloo Ice House some time ago. This is the first time I’ve done take out. The virus has changed how I eat out. The service was quick, efficient and very friendly. The food was as good as I recall. I’ll do this again.

July is hot dog month. My favorite time of year at Waterloo. Be sure to try one - or more - of these great hot dogs. My personal favorite is the Bulldog - Coney dog. They also have great breakfasts. Saturday mornings are like the old small town café where people meet and make new friends.

Went there for a family gathering and the waiter spilt water from the tray all down my mothers back, her purse was soaked, my jacket and pants got wet, my grandmother got hit with water too. It was a huge mess. Luckily it was water, but the thing that was the most upsetting was that he didn't even apologize. We were not mean about it at all. We were very patient and he was just very inconsiderate. The food was ehhhh and upset mine and my husbands tummies later. Not going back!

The menu offers quite a bit of variety and everyone at our table had a little something different. I was not very adventurous for our lunch, but the tortilla soup was very flavorful, though it could have been warmer (temperature). The baked potato and black beans I had were very fresh, as was everything else brought out to the table. The restaurant is very kid friendly, with a playground and menu the kids enjoyed, including a dessert. The service was consistent and the prices average. Overall, we would return for another family afternoon out.

good

Aside from the fact it is just around the corner from our house, it has a great patio with play ground for the kiddos to run around and get their energy out. Food is ok. There are some decent stuff but just average overall. But if you have kiddos it is worth a visit.

We went here to watch soccer games for euro cup. We got s good table near a big tv, had excellent attentive service, food was good, and we could hear ourselves talk. Will be going back for Olympic Games viewing

Had a great burger and fries. It was fantastic. Then had chocolate cake. It was amazing. Very cool place to hang out and enjoy good. Several TV's with sports as well.

I ate at this place at the airport. There was a line and I thought I should give it try. While in line everyone was stating these taco's were the best. Wow.. I was not disappointed. What a great breakfast!

They get five stars based SOLELY on the fact that they have Labatt Blue.

I was not sure if I made a mistake because it took a little while to get the food out, but it was worth waiting for. The chicken was grilled to order and was accompanied by fried tortilla slices. I was waiting to catch a plane and found the food to be very good and surprising for an airport lunch.

Some of the locations have play grounds and are a great place to take the kids and have drinks and bar food (it's bar food - so how good can you make a hamburger and tater tots?).

I always enjoy these locations and their service, yet this visit left more to be desired.. limited comfortable seating and the lemonade left me even more parched than before...I miss the ole-fashioned taste of good food and limited service. I do prefer the burnet road location; much more welcoming and relaxed...

Decent burger.

We go to Waterloo 360 often as it has outback seating and playscape. Good place to go after day at lake. Tonight October 3 was a mistake. Was busy outside so we opted for inside and NCAA football on TV was good choice. Kids ran back and forth. Was not that busy inside but service was "slow" not sure if our server Rain or bartender and kitchen were too but everything took too long. My food was lukewarm when it came out of kitchen. $12 for Chicken Fried Steak it should be good and hot. Our bar drinks were messed up. Asked three times for certain type of dressing on salad and still did not get correct type. This visit may have been worst ever.

Good burgers

Have you ever taken your kids to the McDonald's play land and noticed your your taste buds and your mind slowly going numb? If so, then pack up the kids next time and go the Waterloo Ice House on a nice day. If not, then McDonald's is the place for you...stay there. The indoor seating area at Waterloo is great for adults and older kids. Good burgers/tacos/sandwiches are offered with fries, onion rings, beer, etc. The menu does not disappoint if this is what you are hungry for. But the outdoor seating area at Waterloo is where you want to take the smaller kids. They have picnic tables out there with a nice play area: sand, slides, play trucks, cars, shovels, etc. are provided. While you order and wait for the food to come, the kids are free to play to their heart's content. Once the food arrives, the atmosphere is more like an outdoor picnic. It's loud and noisy and messy, and that's OK. More importantly, the food and atmosphere is so much better than any fast food joint. And you're kids will love it. It can get crowded during peak hours, but you are free to wait for your table outside in the playground-your kids won't notice the wait time.

Prefer sitting outside. Good service and good food, never waited too much. Inside the environment is quite noisy

After checking in our hotel , I watched the visitors channel. I watched the restaurants and it was typical vistors info with typical restaurants. There was one that stood out. Waterloo's Ice House. It was set up with many draft beers, casual food and TVs games fun for all. The even have a playground. I checked out of my hotel and went on to roundrock and was tired. I checked in my hotel to find a Waterloo's next door. I was tird and hungry and the USA soccer game was on. So throw the suitcases in the room and walk next door. We were greeted by Cesar and he helped us get the best table to watch the game. He was our waiter and the best we had in Austin ( We ate at Ruth Chris to night before) He always was very attentive and we felt served. He made me a drink I never had before a Machtini? A choclate martini. very good. My husband had to choose between many draft beer like a kid in a candy store. The food was even better. The hamburger is not the frozen variety you usely get. It may have been hand pressed. I had the Chicken tender dinner. My daughter eats chicken tenders all the time. The are dry are processed but you will not get this here. They are HUGE! It was like 4 chicken breasts, juicy and fresh. The mashed potatoes are not instant but real potatoes. The brocolii was fresh and crisp. Unfortunately the salad was just a salad but good. If you are in Austin, and want a nice relaxed meal with good home cooking food try Waterloo's. Look for Cesar, he is an awesome server.

This Waterloo offers a very nice family oriented facility. The menu is large and the service was outstanding. Sadly my food was disappointing but not bad enough to take them off my list.

dry and tired

We are here on July 4th. We had a party of 9, and we got right in. We did the location off of 71 across from the galleria area off of bee caves in Austin. The salad with the candied pecans and green apples and feta was amazing. Our son got the chicken wings and could not even finish them, which is unbelievable since he is 14. We got various burgers and all were great. The beer was cold and the staff very friendly. For sure try this one out!

Waterloo is a decent chain in Austin, but the selection is fairly typical. Don't expect anything too special on the menu. The bar service is always pretty good, but the restaurant mainly attracts families.

It was alright. Nothing special. I was just glad I got free beer on gift cards I got from my work. Yay for Fat Tire on tap.

Perhaps ideal for early dinner with small children with outside picnic tables and playground. Food is good with lean burgers. I enjoyed the "crumbled blue cheese" burger with the "skinny rita". They have a nice beer selection, and convenient location at the juncture of 360 & 2222. Service was excellent.

Waterloo Ice House is one of those atmospheric Austin icons that has endured decades of popularity for good food, funky country decor, and regional cooking. Everything is good. I like the pecan crusted catfish, either on a plate with sides or as tacos. The chili is very good (mild and thick so you can take it up a notch or two on your own), but pleasing to the kids too.Burgers and salads are excellent, along with . fries and chicken fried steak. Breakfast is a traditional treat, with many egg dishes, biscuits, bacon, sausage and pancakes. KIDS: The 360 location has a terrific sandy playscape and outside tables that are a hit for kids of all ages.Full bar. Better service inside, but very friendly anywhere in the house. Recommend it!

I like the Waterloo for breakfast but they offer a broad menu. The food is good and the venue is family oriented. The outdoor seating is great for kids. The service is reliably slow so plan to enjoy the experience.

Good burgers and onion rings.

This location has some of the best servers and employees. Everyone is friendly and professional. Lunch/Dinner all I have had are the burgers with tater tots. We eat here after church on Sundays. Breakfast has been good. It is really fast on Sundays. There has been times that the food has gotten to the table in less than 5 minutes from ordering. Sunday brunch is crowded. There is an outside seating area.

Great outdoor play area for the kids and some indoor play area for kids with a few video games. Food is good and prices are reasonable. Service is prompt and courteous.

We like to go to the one at 2222 and 360 cause it’s close. Has a good salad we like and never busy. Good kids playscape makes it a good choice when we have the grandkids. They just need to try a little harder, some new menu items, specials, kids options, bigger and more TVs in the bar, I don’t know what but we dont want to lose it and the dwindling crowd has us concerned. Good for families with school age kids and the bar usually has some locals hanging out. Try it if you live nearby, or have a big crowd , it can probably seat you now...

While driving past this location yesterday I noticed their sign say fluffy, lite pancakes. So we tried them today. They were wrong. Both buttermilk and blueberry pancakes were the opposite of “lite.” Server was nice, though. Coffee was hot and fresh.

We took our extended family of 10 out for dinner and this place was suggested since we had two little ones with us. What a nice surprise. We were seated outdoors (one of those lovely evenings in Austin) so it was very casual and our two Littles played all evening. So nice to sit outdoors and have a leisurely dinner. The food was great. Had a $2 margarita that was perfectly sized and yummy. All in all the food was great, we had a relaxed environment and our waitress was superb. She's a newby but she was perfect.

Ordered what I thought would be a simple signature item, a Waterloo Salad and received a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. Below is what I received vs what I ordered. Very disappointed.

The burger was pretty good. The price was decent. Service was quick and employees friendly. We stopped in after browsing in Waterloo Records which is adjacent.

Visited here with family from grandparents to toddlers. Great menu with choices for everyone. There is a playground to keep the kids busy while waiting to be served. Server had only worked there three days, but was efficient and did a good job. Sat in the "patio" area out back - very pleasant. Only negative was the dessert. Not very good.

Always good food and super service! Waterloo 360 rocks! The wait staff is very attentive, friendly and personable. They go out of their way to be of service!

we go here about once a week. Food is good. Usually have the brunch burger and my wife likes the chicken fried steak. You can usually tell if they get a new cook as the steak and be better or worse than last time. Service is OK.

Once again, the Waterloo hits the spot. I stopped here on the way home from Austin and had the pulled pork tacos. Get whatever you want. I have stopped here multiple times, and everything is great. Happy hour is awesome. I recommend the Tito's Texas Mule. I was waited on by Miles. He was very attentive and knowledgeable. Also a great conversationalist. He was working the bar area, but if you can request him.

Went there with a group of friends for a meeting. I'm gluten free and avoid dairy, so I know I'm a difficult one to feed. The server was very kind and brought me a sheet of items that could be adjusted. I ordered a chicken dish but she recommended I try another chicken option. Good choice on the chicken, it was everything she said it would be. That is where the nice bit stopped. The mashed potatoes had a heavy dose of pepper in it, which made it rather unpleasant. And I don't know what went wrong with the zuccinin not sure if it was off or if somebody splashed some turpentine on it. It was terrible.

Or is it a chain restaurant with a bar? Not sure. Just OK, not bad, I go there once every couple of months. Others may rave about it more than I do.

Been going to Waterloo for many years and am never disappointed. Staff is great along with their drink, especially beer, selections.

On the weekends expect a crowd in the morning and evenings, as this is a place that will fill up with families. Great playground area and outside seating area, plus a full bar. Comfort food menu of the basics featuring burgers, but there is something for everyone.

decent burgers and salads.

Recently my family was out of town, I was tired of leftovers and the Steelers were on Sunday night football. I decided a beer and a sandwich in front of the TV at Waterloo beat staying home. I ordered a Shiner and the pulled pork sandwich after I parked in front of a TV in the bar. It was a nice change of pace but I wish I had ordered a burger. The sandwich was served with a tomato based BBQ sauce on the side which I thought was odd. I was expecting something with more seasoning like the NC style pulled pork so I was disappointed. I added some pickles which helped. We've eaten here many time but usually had burgers and there wasn't a one of those that we didn't gobble happily.

For a quick beer or just good food, I like Waterloo. The burgers are good as are the Chicken Fried Steaks and just a little snack during happy hour. I enjoy going here from time to time.

Have eaten here many times but this time, the food was basically tasteless and poorly prepared. After taking our order, it took a really long time for the food to be served. A simple cheeseburger had the meat very well done and the bun fell apart from obviously being frozen at some point. Bun was hard and had to be cut with a knife to eat. Normally, the server asks how you want the meat done but not this time. Half the meat was sticking out without any bun and made a real mess in trying to correct it to be eaten properly. The batter on their onion rings was very bland as well. One party ordered mustard and mayo on the side. The mayo was on the side but the mustard was on the burger. Normally food is great but this is the third time we have encountered problems with various ordered entrees.

Waterloo is a good choice. Their location is good for sports, casual dining, and for families with kids. The menu is broad and food very good. The service can be unpredictable. I come here from time to time.

This is a good place for breakfast that I forget to consider. Have been to lunch there only once and it was fine. Good basic Texas cuisine. Very good service the times I have been there. They have a great outside area for nice nights. Good place to have a beer and sit at picnic tables with friends.