What Are The Most Romantic Restaurants In Austin?

By Kelsey Kennedy | November 21, 2024

68 Shares

Whether you’re looking for an extra good first date night idea to impress your cute Bumble date you've been chatting with, or you want a tried-and-true restaurant to celebrate a 20th wedding anniversary, we’ve got you covered. There are lots of fun date ideas in Austin, but if you want a truly sexy, romantic restaurant in Austin, here are some great ideas. (Map included below.)

About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheWacoThings.com!

The Most Romantic Restaurants In Austin

1. Comedor

Comedor is a modern Mexican restaurant in downtown Austin, and it's a great place to pull out all the stops to wow your date!

It recently landed on the recommended list from the Michelin Guide, which puts it at one of the top restaurants in the country.

The free-standing downtown Austin building has been applauded for its architecture (it feels a bit like a speakeasy - dark black and boring on the outside, but walk in and it's actually filled with light!) and features soaring ceilings and a romantic courtyard.

The modern Mexican cuisine always delights and surprises. The bone marrow tacos have been a crowd favorite since day 1, but the tacos and quesadillas, seafood, cocktails, and creative desserts are all elaborate and memorable.

WEBSITE | 501 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701

2. Dip Dip Dip Tatsu-ya

Ever had shobu on a date? DipDipDip Tatsu-ya makes for really fun and makes for a memorable and romantic date experience. This restaurant is from the same team behind Ramen Tatsu-ya, Kemuri Tatsu-ya, and Tiki Tatsu-ya...so they know how to create ambiance!

You’ll choose the broth, and it’s brought to you all hot and steamy. You select a few types of meat and veggies for dipping (their omakase is a fun way to try a wide variety) and you cook it yourself in the hot broth.

If you’ve been to lots of Austin restaurants and you want to try something totally different, book a reservation here! They also have a fun cocktail list, great wine, and sake.

WEBSITE | 7301 Burnet Rd Ste 101, Austin, TX 78757

3. Hestia

As far as romantic restaurants in downtown Austin go, Hestia is at the top of the list. A live-fire restaurant, Hestia prepares your food on an open flame that makes the whole place smell so smoky and yummy. This is a very upscale restaurant, so plan to splurge here. They were awarded their first Michelin star in 2024.

The ambiance is just about as romantic as it gets, with simple modern decor and floor-to-ceiling glass walls that give you a view of downtown Austin. Also, in order to enter this restaurant, you have to walk through their Basque-style tapas bar. (Ever enjoyed wine out of a Spanish porron? It's pretty fun - and funny - date activity.)

Hestia is a perfect place to enjoy a few different aspects of date night (wine bar, dinner, view) all in the same location.

WEBSITE | 607 W 3rd St Suite 105, Austin, TX 78701

4. Uchi, Uchika, or Uchiba

Uchi sushi restaurant was started in a tiny red bungalow on South Lamar back in 2003 by James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole. Even though there are now lots of locations of this award-winning sushi restaurant all over the country, it's pretty cool to go to the original location.

However, as an Austin local who has eaten at al of the Uchi Austin restaurants several times, I can recommend any of them as a romantic date night experience in Austin.

Here's the difference among Uchi, Uchiko, and Uchiba:

Uchi is a bit more romantic (dark, sultry, low ceilings, slightly more sophisticated/expensive). It's inside a small renovated bungalow.

Uchiko is a little brighter, faster-paced, and more of a farmhouse/Asian fusion menu (larger dishes). It's in a small shopping center in central/north Austin.

Uchiba is inspired by a Japanese izakayas so this downtown modern restaurant also has grilled skewers and more whisky-based cocktails, plus their signature "perfect pairs" which are a small bite of food paired with a shot-sized beverage. It's on the ground floor of a downtown high-rise building, and the buildout is INCREDIBLE! It must have been quite the expensive ordeal!

Depending on the vibe/location you’re looking for on your date night, any one can be a great fit! Since this list is all about romance, though, Uchi and Uchiba are the two most romantic sushi restaurants in the family.

WEBSITE | (Uchi) 801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704, (Uchiko) 4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756 (Uchiba) 601 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701

5. Juniper

Juniper's Northern Italian cuisine is serve in a bright, modern space in east Austin. It's a fantastic dining experience, every time.

The restaurant itself is beautiful and small, with modern touches and lots of windows. The outdoor dining space was updated during the pandemic and is an equally pretty place to enjoy this food!

While there are a la carte options here, the tasting menu is the way to go. (Get the wine pairing if you really want to go all out.)

WEBSITE | 2400 E Cesar Chavez St UNIT 304, Austin, TX 78702

6. Fonda San Miguel

You’ll be wowed by this place even before you walk inside…that front door alone is a show stopper! (As is the foyer… and the artwork … and the cocktails…) Fonda San Miguel is one of the preeminent interior Mexican cuisine restaurants in the United States and has been wowing its guests for decades.

If you want a romantic spot to impress your date, bring them to Fonda and indulge in margaritas with top-shelf tequila, teeny pastor tacos on homemade corn tortillas, a chocolatey-rich mole on moist chicken, and the best tres leches cake in town.

WEBSITE | 2330 W N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78756

7. Olamaie

Date night restaurants in Austin: Olamaie Austin

Olamaie is a modern southern restaurant near downtown that won its first Michelin star in 2024. It’s near downtown in a small, renovated bungalow, so it has short ceilings, low lighting, and modern decor.

I think what sets Olamaie apart from other fine dining restaurants is the genuine care the servers give their guests. They somehow make you feel like you're the mot important person in the world, every time you dine there...which makes it incredibly memorable!

The wine list is amazing, the food menu is evolving based on what’s available, and the service is stellar. If you want a romantic date night experience in Austin, book a table at Olamaie.

WEBSITE | 1610 San Antonio St, Austin, TX 78701

8. Barley Swine

A farm-to-table tasting menu is an excellent idea for a romantic date night! You get to taste and discuss and evaluate each tiny plate, and it makes for such a fun time with your significant other. You don't have to order anything - it's all prix fixe and brought out to you - but you can select your own beverage pairings.

Barley Swine is owned by the same team who started the popular Odd Duck restaurant in south Austin. It’s a beautifully rustic farm-to-table restaurant in north Austin with simple decor, a romantic atmosphere, and some of the most phenomenal food in the Austin dining scene. They won their first Michelin star in 2024.

WEBSITE | 6555 Burnet Rd #400, Austin, TX 78757

9. Jeffrey's

For a more traditional steak + red wine + cheesecake date night, you need to book a table at Jeffrey’s. It’s known as Austin’s original fine dining restaurant, dating back several decades. This tiny Clarksville steak house is the place to go when you reeeeaally want to go all out and splurge on a phenomenal strip steak and a really great bottle of cab.

WEBSITE | 1204 W Lynn St, Austin, TX 78703

10. Lenoir

Whether you want an indoor or outdoor date night spot, Lenoir is one of the best places in Austin for a romantic dinner. The “hot weather menu” means that they use food that can be grown in this climate, so the food has lots of Mediterranean/Spanish influences.

The small bungalow only has a handful of tables (book early!) but the outdoor wine garden is a bit more spacious. Both are absolutely lovely.

WEBSITE | 1807 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

11. Lutie's Garden Restaurant

This is one of those restaurants that is SO beautiful, you might ask yourself, "but is it actually good??"

I'm here to tell you that this restaurant is definitely doesn't just rely on its looks alone. (But it definitely is one of the prettiest restaurants in Austin!)

Lutie's Garden Restaurant is a phenomenal dining experience. Every interaction with your server and ever menu item placed on your table is full of intention. Read all about why I love Lutie's right here on my personal blog.

WEBSITE | 4100 Red River St, Austin, TX 78751

12. Justine's

Our top pick for romantic restaurants in Austin, Justine’s is seriously the sexiest restaurant in Austin. For starters, they serve French food, and there’s nothing more romantic than that! The entire vibe is dark and red and low lights, and the patio is all moody with string lights. The inside is super sexy, with bright red walls and a dark wooden bar.

If you love Pommes frites and steak and mussels and cream, definitely pick Justine’s for your next special occasion date night.

WEBSITE | 4710 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702

13. Sammie's

Best Upscale Special Occasion Restaurants In Austin

Italian food always makes for an incredibly romantic date night spot in Austin, and Sammie's is a beautiful spot to check out. It's small (make reservations or plan on getting there early and snagging a seat at the bar), but they have amazing Italian cocktails, a great list of Italian wine, and the best old school Italian red sauce in the city.

WEBSITE | 807 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703

More for you:

A few related topics that might be helpful for you:

The Prettiest Restaurants In Austin

Best NEW Restaurants In Austin This Month

Austin's Best Cocktail Bars

Austin's Best Wine Bars

100 Date Ideas In Austin

Ok, so what makes a restaurant a good candidate for a romantic date night? It's obviously pretty subjective - you might prefer a dark and loud low-ceilinged restaurant while your friend wants a bright, quiet, open-air space. But typically, romantic restaurants are places where you can hear your date well (aka not a club/dance environment), a place with absolutely perfect food, and something memorable, like a unique menu, location, or service.

Criteria for a romantic restaurants in Austin:

- Not too loud…yelling at your date kind of ruins the calm, romantic vibe..

- Phenomenal food. The best of the best of the best because if you’re going out on a date, you want to truly indulge on a memorable, perfectly prepared feast.

- Consistently friendly, helpful service.

- Low lighting (because duh..) Most of these places have low lighting but a few are bright, outdoor spaces for those of you who prefer that ambiance on a romantic date night.

- Beautiful ambiance, both indoors (in that lovely low lighting) and outdoors (for those gorgeous spring evenings that we get here in Austin.)

Posted in FOOD