Best French Fries in Austin
Fries are one of the most amazing and underappreciated food (food groups? Is that ok to say?) in the world, so it only seemed appropriate to round up the best french fries in Austin in honor of National French Fry Day.
They’re so very simple: fried potatoes with a bit of salt. Yet they’re one of the most crave-able foods. They’re perfect in the car straight from the drive-thru line, and they’re equally amazingly served next to a $100 cut of meat at a high-end steakhouse. You can keep ‘em simple and eat them straight from the plate, or dip them in special sauce, top them with truffles, smother them with queso, or load them up with smoked bbq.
Americans eat something like 4.5 billion pounds of fries every year, and Austin Texas happens to have LOTS of good options. Full disclosure: this list could honestly be about 400 restaurants long because ALL fries are good fries. They’re fried potatoes, y’all! But, to help you find the best ones, fast, this list is only the top 20 fries in Austin.
By the way…these aren’t in any particular order. Again, this is all about #inclusion. There are so many different styles of fries (loaded, sweet potato, shoestring, waffle, happy hour deals, etc.) so the ranking often depends on your own personal preference. So if you want to eat the best fries in Austin today just read through the list, look at the map, and pick the one that sounds best to you!
Best French Fries in Austin
Hopdoddy Burger Bar - Shareable Truffle Fries
Hopdoddy is the king of burgers and fries in Austin. Their original South Congress location has a line out the front door every weekend. And for good reason! Their fries are amazing. They hand-cut them from select Kennebec potatoes and season them perfectly. They’re served in big, shareable serving bowls so everyone at the table can get a big handful.
They have a bunch of shareable options, like Hot Honey and Sage Sweet Potato Fries, BBQ Ranch, and Green Chile Queso Fries, but the best seller? The classic Parmesan Truffle Fries. So dang good.
WEBSITE | 1400 S Congress Ave Suite A190, Austin, TX 78704
Launderette - Frites with Manzano Sauce
Not sure how they do it, but Launderette makes the most perfect frites you can imagine. They’re crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and they STAY THAT WAY. For real. If you don’t gobble them all up in a minute (which you should, honestly…), they stay nice and golden and crisp even after sitting in the middle of the table for 20 minutes. It’s a miracle.
These beautiful fries accompany their Plancha Burger or Fried Chicken Sammie perfectly.
WEBSITE | 2115 Holly St, Austin, TX 78702
Chi'lantro BBQ - Kimchi Fries
Chi'lantro's world-famous kimchi fries have to be on this list of best fries in Austin. The Korean-Mexican fusion mini-chain offers caramelized kimchi on top of your fries. Next, pick your choice of protein (bulgogi is a good one!), and they smother the whole thing in cheese, Sriracha, and their secret sauce.
Chi’lantro BBQ has a few locations around Austin, so this is an easy one to try. Plus, these fries are loaded up with tons of protein so you can totally count on a plate of these fries for dinner.
WEBSITE | 1509 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Hopfields - Fries tossed in Aioli & Herbs
This adorable French-inspired gastropub is the place to go for delicious (kinda fancy) fries in Austin. They’re best paired with mussels or a steak and a glass of Saison.
Hopfields tosses the fries in fine herbs and serves them house-made aioli. You could definitely just go in for a drink + a side of fries, but they really are delicious with one of their classic French entrees.
WEBSITE | 3110 Guadalupe St #400, Austin, TX 78705
The Salty Sow - Duck Fat-Fries
Everyone in Austin knows that The Salty Sow has some of the most insanely delicious fries around. But the real kicker is that they’re on the happy hour menu and cost $5 from 4:30-6:30 daily.
Their gourmet fries are dipole fried with duck fat (yep!), served with cold bearnaise and a 110-minute egg. They are absolutely decadent. Photo: Salty Sow Facebook
WEBSITE | 1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
Workhorse Bar - Sweet Potato Fries
Who has the best sweet potato fries in Austin? It’s really hard to beat a huge plate of sugary sweet fries at Workhorse Bar on North Loop. They give you a massive portion to go with your burger, and you honestly might just want to eat the fries alone. They’re SO good.
They’re seasoned with nutmeg and they have a pretty hefty sprinkling of brown sugar on top. So they’re EXTRA sweet potato fries. Absolutely delish.
WEBSITE | 100 N Loop Blvd E Suite B, Austin, TX 78751
Holdout Brewing - Curly Fries
Everyone everywhere needs to go to Holdout Brewing and try everything on the menu. True, that’s a lot of superlatives, but the menu is just ridiculously good! The fries are no exception.
Whether you’re ordering a full meal or you’re just stopping by for a pint, get a bowl of the curly fries to munch on. They’re seasoned perfectly, just the right amount of crispy, and have that perfect “spring” in them that you want in a curly fry.
WEBSITE | 1208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78703
June’s All Day - French Fries
When you want to feel very chic, stop by the cute countertop bar at June’s All Day on South Congress and order a glass of cold white wine and a side of french fries. They’re delicate and salty, and they taste perfect on a hot summer day.
WEBSITE | 1722 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
Kokos Bavarian - Belgian Fries
This awesome Bavarian Brewery and Beer Garden has such a fun outdoor ambiance. Stop by the Biergarten with some of your pals and order a big plate of their Belgian fries!
The Kennebec potatoes are double fried and served with mayo and andalouse sauce. You’ll definitely want to grab a pint of their Belgian ale to pair with them.
WEBSITE | 4715 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78702
Clark's Oyster Bar - Shoestring Fries
Probably the most controversial fries on this list, Clark’s Oyster Bar has world-famous shoestring fries, and you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. They’re exactly what they sound like: fries that are cut so small, they’re the size of shoe strings.
Since they’re so teeny tiny, these fries are consistently the same texture and they don’t get soggy as the meal goes on. So you can munch on them slowly while you sip a martini and chat with a girlfriend.
WEBSITE | 1200 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703
Hank’s Austin - Basic Fries
This darling all-day cafe in Windsor Park is well known for its french fries (be sure to add parm!) and happy hour deals. It’s a perfect little spot to grab a happy hour drink and an app or go all out on a cheeseburger paired with some of their delicious sweet potato fries.
WEBSITE | 5811 Berkman Dr, Austin, TX 78723
Dai Due
Three words: Beef. Fat. Fries. Get them. While Dai Due isn’t the type of place where you’ll want to just sit down and order a drink and fries (you’ll want to make a reservation in advance and order a full meal here!), the fries are a must-try item. They’re fried in beef fat and served with homemade beet ketchup and chile mayonnaise.
They come as a side on the dry-aged wagyu double cheeseburger, but no matter what you order, you should get an extra side of these scrumptious fries.
WEBSITE | 2406 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
Mama Fried - Loaded Outlaw Fries
Ok, it’s really hard to not pick favorites on this list, but let’s just say that this *entire* food truck is dedicated to fries….so it’s gonna be really hard to beat. They have epic-loaded outlaw fries that are topped with things like barbacoa, queso, jalapenos, Texas red chili, and parmesan.
The food truck is parked at Armadillo Den, an awesome bar and music venue in far south Austin. It’s a really great Friday night experience.
WEBSITE | 10106 Menchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78748
Oasthouse Kitchen + Bar - Carnitas Poutine
Oasthouse’s Carnitas Poutine is a happy hour special, so stop by from 3-6:30 for a discount on these absolutely delicious plates of fries. The hand-cut fries are covered in smoked pork belly gravy, pulled pork, cilantro, red onion and pickled jalapenos, and goat cheese.
WEBSITE | 8300 N FM 620 e, Austin, TX 78726
Hyde Park Bar & Grill - House-cut Buttermilk French Fries
One of the OG (yet golden!) fries in Austin, the buttermilk french fries at Hyde Park Grill are not to be missed. They dip their scrumptious hand-cut fries into a homemade buttermilk batter, fry them, and serve them with black pepper, salt, and their signature Hyde Park dipping sauce.
Photo: Yelp, Paul D.
WEBSITE | 4206 Duval St, Austin, TX 78751
The Grey Market
This new little market and diner at the base of the Thompson Hotel have the fluffiest potato wedges you’re going to find in Austin. They’re big, thick cute potatoes that are fried to crunchy golden perfection on the outside with a pillowy soft on the interior.
They come as a side on some of the sandwiches like the fried chicken sandwich or the burger, or you can order them as a side. Honestly, it’s worth popping in here for a beer and a side of fries…
WEBSITE | 501 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701
Carpenter Hall - Fries With Burger
The nationally-renowned restaurant at the Carpenter Hotel has a pretty famous burger, and it comes with a side of their thick-cut, perfectly salty french fries. Or, if you just cant’ get enough, order an extra side of their fries with golden beet ketchup.
WEBSITE | 400 Josephine St, Austin, TX 78704
Second Bar + Kitchen - Black Truffle Pommes Frites with Aioli
Second Bar + Kitchen has a location at the Austin airport, so if you find yourself stuck there with some time to kill, GET THESE FRIES!
The truffle Pommes frites are perfectly fried, pillowy soft on the inside with a golden crunchy exterior. They serve them in a cone with a big shaving of Grana Padano (a hard, salty cheese) on top and truffle aioli. Beware: you’ll start craving these fries every single day.
Photo: Yelp, Kelly L.
WEBSITE | The Austonian, 200 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
Buddy’s Burgers - Drive Thru Fries
Ok ok….let’s go ahead and admit that lots of folks will be mad that Buddy’s Burgers is on this list instead of P. Terry’s. Honestly, it’s a personal preference (because a lot of people love those soft/sometimes soggy fries at P. Terry’s…), but Buddy’s Burgers in north Austin honestly has the better fries. Both the seasoned fries and the regular fries are awesome.
WEBSITE | 9001 Cameron Rd Ste 101, Austin, TX 78754
Jewboy Sub Shop - Seasoned Fries
As if the subs weren’t delicious all on their own, it’s worth visiting Jewboy Sub Shop for the fries alone. They’re hot, fresh, and heavily flavored with a salty/garlicky special seasoning.
WEBSITE | 6701 Burnet Rd Unit A3, Austin, TX 78757
This post is part of the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance City Guide! To see more guides to the ATX food scene, click here.
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