19 Best Restaurants To Celebrate Your Birthday Dinner In Austin
Your big day is coming up! In an effort to provide some inspiration for your birthday dinner restaurant in Austin, here are a bunch of restaurants to celebrate your birthday dinner in Austin.
There’s obviously no one-size-fits-all restaurant choice for your special day. Some folks want a casual brewery dinner where you can easily get separate tabs, and others want an upscale steak-night dinner.
So whether you’re inviting the kids along for a Sunday afternoon hangout on your bday in Austin, or you’re hoping for an intimate birthday dinner reservation at one of the best Austin restaurants, you’ll find something great here.
Per usual, we’re making a map of this so you can search by location if that’s important to you. Don’t forget to read through each paragraph below for helpful tips about price, ambiance, parking, and more.
Happy birthday to you, and best of luck in choosing a really fun spot to celebrate your birthday dinner in Austin!
19 Best Restaurants To Celebrate Your Birthday Dinner In Austin
1. Este
It's a new restaurant in Austin, and it's SO good! This is from the team behind Suerte, so expect the same phenomenal masa program (those corn tortillas…swoon) but add in a coastal seafood element.
The result? A fun, festive, lively restaurant with AMAZING cocktails, a gorgeous patio, and even a private event space next door if you're planning on booking a full dinner party with a small crowd.
WEBSITE | 2113 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
2. Fresa’s
This will forever be one of the best places to celebrate a birthday dinner in Austin. It’s casual enough for a family-friendly gathering, but in the evening hours, it’s fun and festive under the twinkle lights and could be a good spot for a group of 6 or 8 couples to gather and ring in your next year around the sun. It’s truly one of the best outdoor restaurants in Austin.
The margaritas are awesome, as are the tacos, the queso, the homemade churros…basically all of it. And while there is indoor seating available in case of rain or cold weather, the patio is 100% where it’s at.
WEBSITE | Two locations
3. La Condesa
Looking for a REALLY good upscale Mexican restaurant for your birthday dinner this year? La Condesa has been in downtown Austin for years and years and continues to prove itself as one of the best restaurants in the city. It feels so celebratory, with the tall ceilings, bright decor, excellent service, and pitchers of margaritas.
The food is amazing, the mezcal list is out of this world, and you can book a big table if you’re looking for a spot to do a big birthday dinner in Austin.
WEBSITE | 400 W 2nd St A, Austin, TX 78701
4. Hestia
Want one more upscale downtown Austin dinner idea for your birthday? Hestia! It’s a live-fire restaurant from the Emmer & Rye group (that means they cook your food on a big hearth on open flames - the entire restaurant smells a bit smokey and delicious.)
One of the best parts of this gorgeous space is that in order to enter, you have to walk through its own Pintxos bar called Kalimotxo. Arrive early, enjoy a glass of wine to kick off your birthday dinner, and plan on an absolutely phenomenal dinner at one of the greatest restaurants in downtown Austin.
WEBSITE | 607 W 3rd St Suite 105, Austin, TX 78701
5. Loro
If you want a casual birthday dinner restaurant in Austin, Loro is one of your best bets. It’s great for splitting a tab because everyone walks up to the counter to order, and then the servers bring your food to you.
But they also have really (really, really really!) good food from the two masterminds behind Franklin BBQ and Uchi, incredible cocktails on tap (try that sake slush!), and some gorgeous outdoor patio dining. It’s sure to make an unforgettable birthday dinner spot for you.
WEBSITE | 2115 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
6. Home Slice Pizza
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly birthday dinner restaurant in Austin, the Home Slice location in north Austin is one of your best bets. Here’s why: the famous NY-style pizza that you know and love from the South Congress location, plus a really fun cocktail program to make it all super festive, plus an outdoor playscape to keep the kiddos entertained.
Everyone loves pizza, and everyone is going to love your choice for your birthday dinner in Austin.
WEBSITE | 501 E 53rd St, Austin, TX 78751
7. Uchi
Uchi is one of the hardest-to-get reservations in Austin, so book early if you’re planning on this being your birthday restaurant in Austin! If you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s an upscale sushi spot in a tiny renovated bungalow house on South Lamar.
It’s one of the oldest upscale restaurants in Austin, and the creator, Tyson Cole, won a James Beard award, which is kind of a big deal. As it has grown in popularity in Austin, Uchi has opened sister restaurants in several other cities, including Houston and Denver.
WEBSITE | 801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
8. Eberly
Perfect for dressing up for a beautiful dinner out with the girls, Eberly is one of the most stunning restaurants in south Austin.
They offer valet parking (making it wayyy easier if you’re planning on wearing your highest heels) and have a gorgeous interior dining space, an excellent menu of New American cuisine, and a fun cocktail and wine list.
WEBSITE | 615 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
9. Justine’s
We’re lucky in Austin to enjoy beautiful patio weather for a good portion of the year, so if you’re looking for a fun patio restaurant in Austin for your birthday, try to snag a reservation at this absolutely gorgeous French restaurant in east Austin. (Psst; it’s also listed on our list of the most romantic restaurants in Austin.)
You’ll definitely want to start with a French 75 and escargots and their phenomenal lump crab salad before moving on to their Royale With Cheese (one of the best burgers in Austin) or perhaps their absolutely amazing Steak Frites. Try to dine outside if possible!
WEBSITE | 4710 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78702
10. Taquero Mucho
Want PINK and MARGS and FUN and MUSIC? Taquero Mucho it is! With two locations in Austin, this bachelorette party destination is the ultimate birthday dinner spot if you just want to let loose and have fun.
And while the pink looks a bit gimmicky on the Instagram account, we promise you that the food is actually really, really good. Of course, you’ll want to start with Anti B*tch Juice or a classic pink margarita but also get the choriqueso FOR SURE, as well as some of those delicious crispy shrimp tacos.
WEBSITE | 508 West Ave, Austin, TX 78701
11. Pinthouse Pizza
Looking for a super casual birthday dinner spot in Austin where families and friends can come and go as they, please? Go to Pinthouse Pizza. There are three locations in the Austin area, as well as a Pinthouse Brewing location (which has food but no pizza).
All three pizza locations have order-at-the-counter pizza and beer, big picnic tables, TVs with the game on, and a super casual ambiance that welcomes kids and families.
WEBSITE | Three locations
12. Matt’s El Rancho
Absolutely classic, always festive and fun, and has some of the strongest margaritas in Austin…Matt’s El Rancho is a birthday dinner destination that every Austinite has to try at least once! They have a HUGE indoor/outdoor restaurant in south Austin that’s been open since 1952.
Go for their famous Bob Armstrong Dip queso, their SUPER strong margs, and some tacos made with homemade tortillas. Matt’s also has a giant parking lot (rare in this part of Austin.)
WEBSITE | 2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
13. Maie Day
A beautiful steak dinner is always a good idea for a birthday celebration, but forget the stuffy steakhouse chains and head to Maie Day!
It’s located in the South Congress Hotel and features fun, shareable apps, locally-sourced steak, and an absolutely beautiful indoor space and outdoor patio where you reserve a big table, order a few rounds of drinks, and ring in your birthday with some of the best food in Austin.
WEBSITE | 1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
14. Industry
The option to easily split a tab is a popular request for birthday dinners, and Industry fits perfectly. Originally from San Marcos (about an hour south of Austin), Industry opened a second location in Austin in 2022, where they serve their hearty, delicious, homemade food like burgers, tacos, chili, bowls, and guac, as well as cocktails on tap and a good local beer list.
Order at the counter, and a server will find your number and bring you your food. This place has lots of really big tables both indoors and out.
WEBSITE | 1211 E 5th Street Ste 150, Austin, TX 78702
15. La Piscina
Go all out for your birthday at this rooftop restaurant at the Proper Hotel! La Piscina, from the MML hospitality group, serves tableside fajitas on homemade tortillas and excellent drinks.
One of the best parts? A view of downtown Austin from the 5th floor of the Austin Proper.
WEBSITE | 600 W 2nd St 5th Floor, Austin, TX 78701
16. Carpenters Hall
Carpenters hall is the perfect upscale/casual mix that Austin specializes in. Upscale: nationally recognized as some of the best food in America with a natural wine program that will wow you. Casual: outdoor patio dining under a shady grove of oak trees.
If you haven’t yet been to Carpenters Hall, it’s definitely worth considering booking a table here for your birthday dinner in Austin.
WEBSITE | 400 Josephine St, Austin, TX 78704
17. BBQ Ramen Tatsu-ya
What are the best big group restaurants in Austin for a birthday dinner? Here’s a new one that opened in autumn 2022! BBQ Ramen Tatsu-ya features exactly what you think it might: bowls of ramen with a BBQ twist.
It’s in a large indoor/outdoor space (the building that used to be Contigo, for any of you old-school Austinites). Order at the counter and take a seat, and your specialty cocktails, fun apps, and big bowls of bbq ramen will be brought straight to your table The outdoor spots have heaters and a fire pit, and the indoor dining room features a wood-burning fireplace, so it’s an excellent option if you have a winter birthday.
WEBSITE | 2027 Anchor Ln, Austin, TX 78723
18. Spicy Boys at St Elmo Brewery
Ok, if you’ve run through this entire list and you STILL can’t think of a good restaurant to celebrate your birthday in Austin, here’s a tip: just go to a brewery. St Elmo is one of the best, and it has an amazing food truck (Spicy Boys) parked outside where your birthday guests can go order food if they’re hungry.
And if they just want to stop by and wish you a happy birthday, they can enjoy a quick beer and a “hello” and then be on their way. It’s very casual, low stakes don’t require a reservation, and St Elmo often has live music or trivia.
WEBSITE | 440 E St Elmo Rd g2, Austin, TX 78745
19. Grizzeldas
One more super fun option for a birthday dinner in Austin! If you need an excellent east Austin restaurant for your meal, consider this one.
Grizzelda’s checks all the boxes: it’s fun, cute, pink, festive, has amazing apps and entrees and cocktails, and the outdoor patio is COVERED, so you’re good to dine outside even if it’s raining.
WEBSITE | 105 Tillery St, Austin, TX 78702
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