Serenade American Brasserie

Review summary

1. A

   Azucena

   VIP

   Austin

   33 reviews

   2.0

   33 reviews

   Dined on January 12, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   For starters, one of the items I ordered was not available. Then the Gougeres arrived excessively toasted and they were not tasty. Then I ordered Blue Crab Benedict and it was mediocre. The Apple tart had the apples completely caramelized and too sweet. The vanilla ice cream that accompanied the tart was solid and small. Even though the decoration of the restaurant was very pleasing, and there was no noise because it was almost empty, I don't recommend this restaurant.
   

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2. F

   Felicia

   VIP

   Austin

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 12, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   I recently visited this restaurant and, unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience from start to finish. Here's a breakdown of what went wrong: 1. Food Quality: I ordered the Chicken Pillard, which is supposed to be a thinly pounded chicken breast. What I received was a plain, grilled, meal-prepped chicken breast topped with some arugula and dressing poured over. It lacked flavor, effort, and any sense of creativity--something I could have easily made better at home. 2. Service: Upon arrival, the hostess mentioned that our server "didn't want to be there because it was cold." The issue? We were sitting indoors, and no one--not even staff--was outside. Why the weather was even brought up remains a mystery. After taking our order, the server informed us they were leaving, and no one came to our table for the rest of the evening. We had to walk to the bar to settle our tab, which is unacceptable. 3. Order Issues: To make matters worse, the order was incorrect. The dish was served at the wrong temperature and included items we specifically asked to be omitted. It felt careless and unprofessional. 4. Ambiance: The decor and vibe might work for a casual brunch with friends, but it's not suitable for dinner. The lighting was excessively bright--more like a cafeteria than a dining experience--which ruined any potential for a cozy or enjoyable evening atmosphere. Overall, this was a frustrating and underwhelming experience. Between the subpar food, poor service, and mismatched ambiance, I would not recommend this restaurant for dinner. At best, it might be worth a try for brunch, but even then, I'd have my doubts.
   

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3. J

   Juli

   VIP

   Austin

   14 reviews

   3.0

   14 reviews

   Dined on January 8, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   The food was underwhelming. I ordered the Basconnaise Salad with added bavette steak. The salad promised baby greens, fennel, haricots verts , radish, and smoked almonds. It sounded yummy. It’s really a greens with a couple of haricots verts and a couple shaves of a radish. The steak was fine, but under seasoned. The others at our table felt equally underwhelmed with their selections. We were the only people in the restaurant so it was quiet and we could chat which was nice. The decor was also lovely with blue-green gray walls and booths, the brass entry gate, and the bird mosaic wall. While the price was comparable to many of the wonderful downtown restaurants, the menu offerings and preparations are not (or at least not yet - it is only 3 months old).
   

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4. L

   Lauren

   Austin

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on January 5, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   If you’re looking for a dining experience that perfectly blends French elegance with bold Texas flavors, this restaurant is a must-visit! From start to finish, every bite was an adventure. We started with the whipped chèvre spread—possibly the best goat cheese I’ve ever had. It was perfectly balanced between tangy and savory, with a delightful crunch. We even saved the last bits to pair with our entrees! The Bacon Jam Gougères were the ultimate French/Texas fusion—flaky, savory, and absolutely indulgent. For entrees, the duck confit was cooked to perfection, and the sea bass had an unexpected twist that elevated it to the next level. Both were amazing and highly recommend. Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, we ended with the pecan pie-inspired éclair. Imagine all the richness of pecan pie reimagined in a light, airy pastry—it was pure genius and the perfect sweet finish to an extraordinary meal. The ambiance was warm and inviting, the service flawless, and the menu’s creativity unmatched. Whether you’re celebrating or just treating yourself, this place delivers an unforgettable experience. We can’t wait to come back and explore more of this incredible menu. Props to the chef of this fantastic addition to the Austin restaurant scene.
   

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5. S

   Sarah

   Austin

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 1, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We had a small group attend the New Year’s Eve celebration. We were placed in a private room so that we did not have to sit out on the outdoor patio as the temperature was cold. All the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. I cannot consume, gluten or dairy, and the menu had many options for my restrictions, which was nice. Would highly recommend!
   

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6. A

   Ali

   VIP

   Austin

   3 reviews

   1.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on December 25, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   empty place, made us wait 20 minutes to be seated, rude hostess, food was not good either.
   

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7. S

   SOLOMON

   Jacksonville

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on December 21, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Disclaimer: Serenade is inside the W Austin, so don't get lost like we did. The Hostess NySha was so lovely and she took great care of us and got us to our Waitress Julia, who was absolutely amazing. They were a great team, both recommending must try items. It's out anniversary so they gave us some champagne 🥂 which was lovely. We got a Chevre Spread which is a must try, like the flavors are all unreal just mesh together. I got the Duck and my wife got the Chicken dish and they were both lovely. The duck is next level, like fall off the bone next level. All together we had a great time, they took photos of us for us and we took the rest of the fun into Downtown Austin.
   

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8. E

   Erin

   San Francisco

   13 reviews

   3.0

   13 reviews

   Dined on December 19, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   Food was great. Typical hotel restaurant vibe and the service was needing a lot of training.
   

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9. K

   Kirsten

   VIP

   Amarillo

   66 reviews

   3.0

   66 reviews

   Dined on December 16, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   The food was just okay. For an upscale restaurant in a luxury hotel, the ambiance left a lot to be desired. There were spots of paint and wallpaper peeling/missing from the walls. Seating surfaces had rips and were fastened with blue painter's tape. Overall, the vibe was not in line with the prices of the food (or the hotel rooms upstairs). Service was annoyingly slow for a Monday morning breakfast with few customers.
   

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10. S

    Serena

    VIP

    Austin

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 15, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5

    We were one of the only tables there and the service was terrible. We even said something to our waiter as we did not understand why it took over 15 minutes to get a drink when we were one of 2 tables in the entire restaurant. We were a table of 4 locals who enjoy fine dining and were excited to give this place a try. We won't be coming back which is unfortunate as its a beautiful space but the service was terrible and the food was ok.
    

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