We felt like we had a private chef and staff during our visit last month! The food was some of the best we've had nationwide... Most of the ingredients were locally grown and selected by the chef, who even came to our table for a chat!
Delicious, exotic flavors and incredible savory combinations! Plus the cocktails were a trip down taste bud euphoria land! We can't wait to be back and recommend this gem to anyone looking for a five star experience in lakeway.
Sobani is a real unique place in Austin that takes two things very seriously. Â Their CUSTOMERS and their FOOD QUALITY!! Â It is so rare to find a restaurant that really believes that HIGH QUALITY INGREDIENTS are a MUST!! Â I travel quite abit for work, and always wonder what the resturants I eat at are putting in their food. Â So nice to know that Sobani caters to those Foodies who truly want great taste with high quality non gmo, non gluten, and organic farm to table is a must.!!!
My personal favorite is the deviled eggs app and Shrimp & Grits!!! Best ever
This is truly a hidden gem in Austin and Lakeway!!!
My wife and I were looking for something different and tried Sobani for the first time. The food was fantastic, specifically the spare rib. Their wine selection was beyond our expectations. The service was exceptional with a laid back atmosphere. Â If you are looking for a upscale meal with great service, I would recommend going to Sobani.
Review Source:Finally! I have gotten around to writing a review for Sobani! I love this restaurant! My husband and I have dined and had amazing wine here several times! The ambience is beautiful, the service is courteous and friendly, and the cuisine is out of this world. I have never been let down, and my high expectations and cravings are always satisfied! Last time we were there, my husband had the Chef's fish of the day, and I had the Gulf Shrimp and Grits.The food took a little longer to come than I thought it would have that night, but I don't mind waiting for exceptional, lovingly prepared dishes like Sobani brings to the table. So many different flavours, beautiufl presentation- first class! We drank wine and had a delicious crab cake appetizer while we waited for our dinner. We are so lucky to have this little gem down the street from where we live. The food here is something I would expect from an upscale, world class restaurant in Chicago or New York!!
They recently remodeled too, beautiful inside!
We finally tried Sobani today for the first time and overall it was a good experience. Â Only complaint was that food was a little slow to come out, but then we ordered behind a big tableful of women! Â I had the Nicoise Salad which was pretty good. Â My husband splurged and got the Sobani Burger, which I promptly sampled - then I spent the remainder of lunch with a bad case of Burger Envy. I want to go back and get my own. Â Bun toasted to perfection, meat cooked medium and juicy, lots of cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and a fried egg... SO good.
Their other menu items looked good - oyster po-boy, shrimp and grits, pappardelle... I will try - if I get tired of the burger!
Friendly attentive service. Â Nice decor... quite a few full tables during lunch. Â Will definitely go back!
Our dinner with Hubs' sister and her hubs was spectacular. From the meat, cheese and olive plate to our wine, beer and Prosecco choices, everything was wonderful. Kelly, our server, was personable and offered helpful suggestions throughout our meal.
The restaurant is located in a strip mall but do not be afraid! Hidden behind the front door is a lovely and serene space with comfy seating and white tablecloths. Â You don't need to dress up because this is Lakeway. You went boating, swimming or you came out to commiserate about the lake being lower than whale poop.
I was delighted to find a fantastic Prosecco on the menu and Hubs was pleased with his local beer. Even though Sobani is a wine bar (they have a list as long as my leg) there are also other options, including Martini of The Day.
My dinner of Braised Short Ribs were flavorful although a tiny bit dry and not as succulent as some I've enjoyed in the past. However, the parsnip puree and spicy pea salad were great and a nice pairing with the large portion of meat. Hubby loved his Braised Rack of Lamb served with red potatoes, edamame and wilted greens. Â Dessert found me taking bites of my man's peach and white chocolate torte and sipping an enormous Cappuccino.
Hubs was quite taken with the restaurant and as we left said, "We'll be back!" Â Not at all in a sarcastic Schwarzenegger voice but in a happy meaningful glad he was there tone.
Starting with positive, food had big flavors that bordered unbalanced or overwhelming but worked when paired with right wine. Â I had lamb, she had chicken pot pie. Â The wine list by glass is simply too limited (no by the glass saug blanc for example). Â Now for the quirks... Ambiance is simply off, lighting to high and what's with the nice music that randomly includes commercials? Â Simply blows up the whole atmosphere I think they are going for. Â The service was middle of the road attentive enough, friendly enough but nothing stood out. Â Finally, was excited about starting dinner with on menu "martini of day" only to find out they don't have liquor license and it's made with sparkling... Â Ok experience but for the money it will probably be awile till we're back, other options within 10 mile radius that offer a more complete experience.
Review Source:It was just o.k... Â I was expecting greatness and got below mediocre with a hefty price tag. Â We had the pear and arugula salad and the lamb. Â note: Â there is nothing at all kid friendly on the menu. Â Anyway, food was o.k. I guess, nothing special, and after forking out $70.00 for a tiny piece of lamb and a bit of salad I can say pretty certainly that I won't ever have a reason to go to Sobani again. Â It wasn't bad, it just wasn't really worth it (to me).
Review Source:We have been back to Sobani about six times since my initial review, including two special birthday celebrations! Â The food has been uniformly delicious and I particularly enjoy the beer selection with my favorite veal scaloppine! Â My husband is addicted to the short ribs and our guests have liked everything they have tried. Â My last visit, I tried the salmon over shaved fennel, and it was scrumptious. Â The chocolate Vahlrona cake is a big favorite, not too sweet and just the right level of chocolate indulgence. Our waiter this last time was more outgoing, and that was nice and they were kind enough to treat the 72 year old birthday girl with her dessert on the house. Â We will be back!
Review Source:Sobani is just down the street from us and I have had a hard time convincing my husband that we had to go. I had already been there for lunch with a girlfriend and loved it. Â I think the strip mall street front put him off. Well, Â we just finished dinner. Really fresh, interesting and well executed dishes all around. We had the veal and seafood pasta. The wine list is extensive and reasonable. The wine I wanted was not available, so I was contemplating ordering a bottle. The server suggested two other wines that she thought I would like, and brought them to the table promptly. I thought that was really great service, and I really liked one of the ones she suggested. The individual dinner rolls, served in tiny terracotta pots, were delicious and they were served with cranberry butter. I had the Veal with a side of brussel sprouts and tried the spaezel. We split the pear walnut, blue cheese salad. Great place to go, even if you aren't from the neighborhood - I am sure the drive will be worth it.
Review Source:Ok, I hate to be the voice of dissent, but husband and I have now been here twice for dinner, with about a year in between visits. Be both thought the same thing after each visit, even before discussing our opinions with each other: Meh. I'd really like to give this place 2.5 stars if I could. Â :(
I don't mind the strip-mall location, as that's just how we roll out here in Lakeway, and I have had some truly excellent meals in hidden gem strip-mall restaurants. The interior is kind of wierd, not really very comfortable. Also, both times we have been, the service is just odd. We are ignored for about 10 minutes after being seated, even though the couple that came in much after we did and sat right next to us were getting their wine before we'd even been aprroached - and we had the same waiter. We are younger than the typical Lakeway patrons, which i think works against us out here, but I don't care - we're there spending money just like everyone else. not cool, whatever the reason. After that, our server was just kind of  not personable.  It was Valentines, so we want to be left alone, but he was just strange. Not rude at all, but not at all kind either.
We noticed on this second trip that the wine by the glass options are VERY limited. like only one wine of each category available by the glass, for a total of maybe 6 or 7 options? We didn't like any of the options by the glass, so ended up purchasing a bottle we didn't really want. Despite having a great micro-brew on his first trip, there were now no beers on the list. I'm sure they offer beers, so why take them off the list in such a beer-loving town?
As for the food, I'm sorry, but it's just not up to par for the prices, especially considering sides must be ordered separately. I have ordered the duck breast and the veal scallopini, and on both occasions my meal was surrounded by a very strongly flavored brown sauce that, to me, tastes burnt. Its also totally overwhelming for both the duck and the veal - already flavorful meats on their own. The romaine salad was kind of lukewarm and just totally unremarkable, and it was clear the bacon on it had been cooked much, much earlier in the day - it was chewy, and not in the good way. Husband had hangar steak on our first visit, which was just OK. This recent trip he had chicken pot pie, which was probably the best thing we've ever had to eat there, but for $22 with no sides it's not that good. We ordered speatzle for a side and they were cold and unappealing in look and taste.
Sadly, we both find the food at Sobani to be a bit tortured, covered with added flavors and sauces rather than allowing the natural flavors of the foods to shine through. The service is off. The decor is off. The best thing we had on both trips was the wine (and the beer when it was on the list). With all the options we have in this area now that are consistently good or great, we won't go back for a third try here. Perhaps it's just not to our taste, since so many love it, but this place comes across as thoroughly mediocre but trying really hard to look like its not.
Run, don't walk to Sobani if you are looking for a splendid meal paired with a creative wine list. Executive Chef Jon created a spectacular meal for us. We gave him full rein to play in the kitchen and create whatever he thought we'd enjoy. He knocked our socks off! I have to tell you that we are big foodies and enjoy off the beaten path wine lists....Sobani offered amazing food and some really fun wines! This is by far one of the best meals I've ever had! I have a new favorite restaurant in Austin...and Sobani is it. It may be across town from me, but it's well worth the drive! Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Review Source:Armed with a gift certificate we tried Sobani for lunch, last Thursday. What a good find! Sobani is a cool little restaurant in Lakeway (off 620) that's in a strip mall next to a small Sears store.
I had a Greek salad and the curry mussels for lunch. The salad was plentiful and the curry mussels were off the charts good. This was a good sized portion for lunch and the curry added a nice little kick. My wife ordered the fish and chips. The fish was lightly battered and served with homemade tartar sauce and ketchup. Empty plates confirmed that we enjoyed the meal.  A jumbo sized cappuccino and pumpkin fig pie finished me for the day. I also had a taste of their chocolate soufflé desert and it was also very good.
I did have a chance to see their dinner menu and it looked great as well with many interesting seasonal dishes. Â As others have mentioned their wine list is pretty extensive. We did have a chance to speak with Jon Gaboric, the GM and Exec Chef, Â discussing his menu, nice guy...
Yes, their prices are approaching expensive but, I believe, well worth with. We will return for dinner (and soon).
One of my to 3 best restaurants in Austin - easy.... Â Gotta try Grilled shrimp with curried egg plant, the Romaine salad is very special - crisp with smoky bacon and a very light vinaigrette (note: NOT a Caesar), butternut squash soup with nest of spicy veg was perfect... Â Jon does it again with Ever (yes, Ever) as our waiter. Another perfect meal at Sobani's.
Review Source:Stopped by on a whim to feed our afternoon lunch hunger and wasn't sure what to expect. Â Food was awesome!
Had corn chowder, VERY good. Â Kobe beef sliders and turkey, cheddar and cranberry sandwich were so delightful and fulfilling to eat. Â Bread that they served everything on was the best we had tasted, I think it's called Brothers Bakery... and it's local to Austin. Â We were the only ones there at that time so I can't comment on the atmosphere and prime time service, but we would absolutely go back for lunch again... or dinner!
We went to celebrate my husband's new business tonight- It was our 2nd visit- Eric made us feel right at home and let us know that Wednesdays were Half price wine nights( I think only on bottles). But we tried the Starmont unfiltered Merlot- it was great- the waiter strained it for us into a carafe- Spectacular! Â We started out with the Anti-Sushi platter which had cheeses, olives, pancetta, etc. Â All of it good! (well maybe the anchovies - but just because I'm not a fan). Then we had soup and salad! Â The Butternut squash soup was really great- the pork bits were really peppery- so it gave the whole soup a spicy bite which was really a great contrast. Â My husband had the romaine salad which he said was not anything spectacular- Â Then for the main course he had the Duck breast which he really liked and said had tons of flavor. Â I had the Veal Scallopini which I wasn't expecting to be lightly fried- but it worked and with the cabbage and wine reduction- it was really good. Â We were so full after that we got dessert to go- the chocolate mousse cake which we'll try later. Â Go to this place- it's great and it needs more business! Â I want this place to make it!
Review Source:I'm a bad person. I'm a bad yelper and I have to come clean about this. I ate here a few months ago and had one of the most stellar dining experiences I've had anywhere in the world. This is definitely my favorite meal in the Austin area.
I went back to Sobani a second time tonight just for dessert to cleanse myself from a disappointing meal at Uncle Billy's. I had the Vahlrona chocolate cake and a savory espresso. My lady sampled a few wines and settled on a sparkling white which she loved.
The servers each time are the most attentive and generous both with wine samples and their conversation. I've read that Sobani means neighbor and that's apt because that is the feeling I get when I come here.
At the end of the dessert, Chef Jon stopped by to let us know about our their new menu items which included a chocolate specialty that features a zesty orange cream and bananas that were finished like a creme brulee (the actual words escapes me, so please forgive me) on top of the chocolate. When Jon realized that the waiter forgot to mention it and saw how good the dessert sounded to me, he offered to go make it for me real quick. He did and it was worth it.
I love their Vahlrona. It's rich and one of my favorite desserts. This new dessert topped that. It's almost like a chocolate truffle with a scoop of light orange whipped cream. The orange whip cream bursts with orange instead of being a subtle flavor--just the way I want it.
At our previous experience we had mussels, braised lamb shank and culotte steak. The lamb shank fell apart and so tasty. The same goes for the steak. I have never had anything here that I did not love. The menu changes about once a quarter, but I imagine it remains stellar and I'll find out soon.
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Austin and I don't see that changing. I'm excited for their seasonal menu changes. It's a hidden gem away from the city and worth the drive, especially if you love fine dining and wine.
Thank you Chef Jon.
Excellent place. Â My wife and I have visited twice now and both times were great. Â Food, wine, and staff were all top-notch. Chef really does care about consistent quality. As an example... on our last visit, the waiter came by to check on our entrees and despite our responses that everything was fine, he noticed of his own accord that my steak was a bit over the medium rare that I'd requested, so he inquired. I told him that while it was a bit over ideal, it was certainly close enough and still tasted excellent so I was fine with it. Over my objections, he insisted on removing it from our bill. After our dinner the Chef came out to see how things were and apologize for the steak. Â Again, he refused my requests to pay for it. Â Class act service... all too rare these days.
Looking forward to going back.
This has to be hands down one of the best meals I have ever eaten, not to mention stellar staff and dining experience. From a foodie, that means a lot. While staying in Lakeway for a romantic getaway, we found this place on yelp and decided to give it a shot.
We showed up early and were the only ones in the restaurant. Our server let us sit at the bar for happy hour ( half priced glasses of wine) and proceeded to conduct a tasting of several to make sure I had the one I wanted. Our server, Ever, was stellar. He suggested wonderful dishes, was friendly and approachable, and made the dining experience one to remember.
We got: The mussels ( amazing sauce), a melon/shrimp salad with spicy chili dressing, I had some lamb with mashed potatoes ( out of this world amazing, fell right off the bone), and then we had a molten chocolate cake and white chocolate mousse for dessert.
Not to mention the wine was amazing as well.
Yes, the bill was high, but it was worth it. I need another excuse to come back,and soon.
My husband took me here last night for dinner. Â We had the asparagus appetizer, it was cripsy and light and delicious. Â We had scallops and bouillabaisse Marseille style - they were both fabulous. Â No dessert as they were all made with milk - Â kind of used to that, but it would be nice to have dessert options milk free. Â SO, had a nice glass of port to finish off dinner. The acoustic guitar player, Mikaela Dewar - was an excellent addition to the dinner.
Unconventionally, it's in a strip mall - but once inside you would never know. Â
The menu will change in September, we were told, as the Chef likes to use fresh ingredients in season.
My friends and I took a girls' trip to Lakeway and wanted to go out for dinner one night away from the resort. Â First we wanted to go to Dominick's/Ciola's until we realized it was closed. Â We didn't want to drive all the way to the Hill Country Galleria for a nice meal, so after a search on yelp, we decided to try Sobani and made the reservations.
I passed it on my drive to check in and, uh... it's in a strip mall. Â Next to Sears. Â Didn't look super promising for a swanky girls night out. Â But yelp rarely steers me wrong, and I was also too lazy to come up with a back up plan. Â Besides, if a place has "Wine Bar" in the name, at least the wine ought to be good.
Well, the wine was good! Â A lot of unique selections, and we settled on 2 tasty bottles. Â But the food was also AMAZING! Â They brought out the complimentary bread in little individual flower pots - too cute! Â And the butter... omg, I don't think I've ever raved about butter, but it was a lemon herb something delicious variety. Â We started with 2 orders of fried asparagus (to die for) and the mussels. Â We each ordered entrees, and I got the Redfish Saltimbocca. Â I don't usually pay for redfish at a restaurant because I'm used to getting it out of the Gulf for the price of bait. Â This one was worth it! Â I've never seen it prepared this way with prosciutto and sage. Â We split the creme brulee for dessert. Â
The service was great, and once you walk through the strip mall exterior, it's very nice on the inside. Â They do a good job of blocking the view of 620 and have nice outdoor seating as well. Â It's not cheap, but I thought it was a great value for everything we got for less than $50/person before tip. Â What was crazy to me is that it wasn't very busy for a Friday night. Â I see all the houses in Lakeway, so I know there's enough $$$ there to sustain a fancy restaurant. Â Go check it out so that it's still in business when I visit next year!
The service and attention from the chef and our waiter made the experience very personal and memorable. Â The mussels were wonderful. Â All entrees were very good . Definitely save room for dessert. Â The fruit cobbler and the chocolate dessert are both amazing. It was a great meal. Â We were a group of 5 - which included a 9 year old who devoured his food - a steak, dessert, and all of the bread.
Review Source:My husband and I met his parents here a couple of weeks ago. Â They got their first, so as we walked in, we saw them sitting at the bar having a good time laughing with the bartender. Â The bartender was giving them wine tastings. Â Already, I loved this place! Â The chef comes out to talk and joke with you. Â The seafood gumbo was yummy! Â I want to go back and try the gourmet grilled cheese for lunch!
Review Source:Let me preface this with the fact that we specifically came in because we were told they have half off appetizers during happy hour. So, with that in mind I'd like to say that first of all, the restaurant itself is ghastly overpriced. The menu on their website DOES NOT match the actual happy hour they offer, which is a measily 3 appetizers. The service was okay, because the bartender was friendly, but even that cannot make me rate this place more than 2 stars. The crab cakes were crab bites, and they were $7 for three small bites. The melon ball shrimp salad for $5 was the only thing worth ordering, and even that was mediocre. The "frito pie" is a deconstructed "frito pie" and the meat in frito pie was salty and the appetizer was very lacking. They do not offer any specials on drinks, and the discount they offer on wine is not that great either. The main qualm I have is the inconsistency. We went to their website, it lists tons of appetizers, I called to ask what was on happy hour and they claimed it was 1/2 off appetizers, so that is why we came in. Upon arriving, it was NOTHING like the menu and the three appetizers listed above were the only things on happy hour. The selection is pathetic here & I can honestly say if they don't expand their happy hour options, this restaurant is going to flop.
Review Source:I think the waitress was having an off night or new. Â
There was another waiter that took our menus after bringing our tomato salad appetizer, which was very good, and our original waitress thought we had already ordered. Â Then came back thinking she had lost our order.
We'd have long waits between seeing her, the food itself was very good, although not hot out of the oven it seemed and we had to send our side of horseradish mash potatoes back because they were cold as well.
Coffee came out in French Presses, which was impressive, but the water was lukewarm, which wasn't. Â
The homemade sorbet was excellent.
Just think it was an off night, we'll give it some time and most likely try it again.
Even though the food wasn't hot, you could tell it was quality.
I went with my boyfriend's family and we had a wonderful time. Â The food is delicious, definitely some of the best I've had in Austin. Â The restaurant it really nice, classy and a bit modern. Â It is the kind of place you could go with a group of friends or your family. Â I would highly recommend and will be back when I visit Austin next.
Review Source:My husband and I tried this two nights ago and were very pleasantly suprised. Â The food was great. Â I had pumpkin soup and it was sooooo yum! Â Hubby had the muscles and they were great too. Â We had good wine pairings as well. Â Main course was hangar steak and desert was a chocolate dish with pear and ginger ice cream. Â All very good.
Interior is boring but pleasant. Â Service was very good and waiter was very attentive and pleasant. Â Being a restaurant owner in bee cave, and my husband a chef and sommelier, we are very picky, so it's great to have an awesome new "neighborhood" restaurant that we will continue to frequent!
When Keri B. told me that a wine bar was going in where the Honey Ham store was previously and next to a Sears outlet in the Lighthouse Market strip mall in Lakeway I could not imagine it being an inviting atmosphere. But dang someone did an awesome transformation of this space from the concrete floors and blond wood accents to the wall of windows opening to the patio in the back creating a contemporary cozy atmosphere.
I stopped by for lunch so I have yet to try any of the extensive wine list of 30 by glass and 70 offerings by the bottle but I love how the wine list is categorized by White Wines with Some Sweetness, Light or Fruity Reds, Spicy or Earthy Reds, etc.
The lunch menu offers 4 different Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches that come with a side salad (8.00) 4 different Salads and some Hardier items that if I recall correctly top out at 10/11.00. Between the 3 of us we shared the Havarti Prosciutto & Basil Grilled Cheese, a Shrimp and Melon Salad (large perfectly cooked shrimp with melon balls and sauteed greens served with a sweet chili dressing and topped with toasted slivered almonds) and a Smoked Salmon Plate (with grilled bread, capers, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce and a boiled egg). Everything we tried was beautifully plated and delicious.
I asked our waiter what Sobani meant and he said Neighbor in Japanese. Well this is one neighbor that I wish was closer to my hood and the only reason I am holding back on 5 stars is that I have yet to experience the Contemporary American Fusion Dinner Menu and WINE.
It is rare that I offer a review, however, I must say that due to my dining experience there last week, I wanted to acknowledge Sobani's creative -- staff, menu, wine, and atmosphere.
These folks are passionate, attentive, yet, laid-back; the food was tasty, healthy, and the service was flawless.
I'm going to be back very soon!!
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