Congress Restaurant Review
The Austonian
200 Congress Ave. (Second St.) 
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Austin, TX 78701
512-827-2760 | Make Restaurant Reservations
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Congress Restaurant is one of our 2012
Hot 10 Austin Restaurants | Top 10 Austin Food Rating Restaurants
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Visit the photo gallery of Congress restaurant.
Cuisine
Open
Dinner Tues.-Sat.Features
- Romantic setting
- Private room(s)
- Full bar
- Reservations suggested
- Valet parking
- Dressy
Wine
Great Wine List* Click here for rating key
 Chef David Bull, formerly of Driskill Grill and most recently Bolla in Dallas, returned to Austin to orchestrate the opening of an ambitious triple-establishment affair. The crown sophisticate is Congress, replete with crystal chandeliers and white lounge chairs that invite a lengthy stay. In a city proud of its casual image, Congress ups the ante quite a bit. Nonetheless, Bull knows this town, and pipes in classic rock music lest the proceedings go too black-tie. Choose from a three-course menu or a fixed seven-course tasting menu. Some creations are redux classics, such as the beef tartare with fried oysters, kimchi, steamed rice and black bean paste, or white lobster bisque, decanted tableside. Less conventional, the tête de cochon reinvents head cheese sans aspic in favor of a wickedly good whiskey-bacon marmalade. Innovative desserts have included sweet potato beignets with salted butter ice cream, pecan brittle and toasted meringue. The 500-plus-bottle wine list might prove overwhelming if not for sommelier June Rodil, who meets the challenge of pairing every bold course Bull offers. While one could easily spend four digits on a couple bottles of wine, Rodil can also recommend some values under $50.
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RESTAURANT AWARDS
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