Gourdough's on South Lamar has Closed. You can find the same great donut burgers at their south 1st street location here.
Did you say, "Hamburger with a DOUGHNUT for a bun?" Yesirree! And you're saying it actually tastes good? You bet your sweet buns!
While the Gourdough's concept may sound like the strange late-night imaginings of a college kid with the munchies, the reality of it is actually a well thought out, deeply flavorful, gourmet treat. Is the whole donut hamburger idea a little gimmicky? Sure. Is it worth checking out and even worth waiting for? Definitely.
The El Camino Burger
We first found Gourdough's Big. Fat. Donuts. years ago as an unassuming food truck stationed outside Gibson Bar on South Lamar and decided to order these strange burger concoctions because they sounded really interesting. And, if I'm honest, because we were at Gibson drinking and really needed some food. It was absolutely love at first bite. Everything about Gourdough's says fun, clever, and totally worthy of a good time out, a special occasion, or just a well-deserved carb-load. If you're a fan of puns, and YES I AM, the fun starts as soon as you start reading the menu. Just go ahead and order the Bacon Me Crazy doughnut sandwich ($9.99) and the Mother Clucker fried chicken entrée ($10.99) because you know you want to.
Goudough's Public House is the even better brick and mortar version of the same fantastic fare. With guests in town and a sunny afternoon perfect for patio brunch/lunch birthday celebration, we took to the Public House on South Lamar recently and found it to be every bit as delicious and thoughtful as its original. Gourdough's Public House is warm and inviting with large oak wood community style dining tables and bar as well as smaller individual tables and a great patio for food, Jenga, cocktails, and general merry memory making.
The opinion of our group was that the food was rich (of course) but more sophisticated and layered with "grown-up" flavors than we anticipated for a restaurant boasting a giant donut-man statue outside a la "Kip's Big Boy." The craft beers were plentiful, the atmosphere right on target, and the price was right. As for downsides, we waited a looong time to be seated. We were quoted 30-45 mins and ended up waiting more like an hour and fifteen. It wasn't at all surprising given the crowd size, some covid limitations, and the fact that it was prime Sunday brunch hours. But no worries, we enjoyed a few draft beers while we waited. As a mom with a new baby in tow, I began to worry that I might not have prepared properly for such a long outing. However, once seated, the food came quickly and our entire party agreed it was well worth the wait.
I even did something crazy in a bid to scupper the new baby-weight waistline, and ordered a salad. Wha?? At Gourdough's, you say? Yes, your annoyance is warranted. But, after the Wiz Kale-Leafa artichoke dip appetizer (delicious) and the Popeye's Roids salad, covered with enough blue cheese crumbles and walnuts to stop a freight train, I was stuffed, satisfied, and very pleased with the buttery garlic donut served on the side. See, you CAN order healthy and still enjoy a donut at Gourdough's!
An American Gastro Pub located a few miles east of IH-35 off Manor Road, Salty Sow is known for its unique savory menu, featuring appetizers like Triple Fried Duck Fat Fries with a 110 minute egg a...
Located in the Warehouse District, Bar Chi Sushi features Austin's best sushi happy hour from 4-7 daily and all day on Sunday. Executive Chef and owner Leo Wong designed the menu that has been a ma...
Another Italian hot spot on our list, Juniper is a relatively new Austin restaurant opening in 2018 that features Northern Italian cuisine in one of the most modern and stylish decors on the East s...
Intero is one of our city’s best Italian restaurants. Austinites Ian Thurwachter & Krystal Craig have joined their talents to bring us fantastic farm-to-table cuisine with a local touch. Working wi...
Tucked alongside the Thompson Austin, just around the corner from the 6th Street Historic District, is Diner Bar. This is NOT your typical hometown diner, folks! Chefs Mashama Bailey and Kristine K...
Ember Kitchen in downtown Austin's Seaholm District brings a modern and elegant twist to upscale dining with the use of a Josper Grill to combine the effects of a charcoal grill with temperature c...
A Texas native located in the historic Norwood Tower that was once Austin's tallest building, Perry's Steakhouse and Grille features an elite steak menu and decadent ambiance that is perfect for a ...
This South Lamar sanctuary has a lot going on behind the ivy covered walls. The stories are as rich as the food and a trip here entails much more than just eating a meal. The owners have created a...
Our favorite Indian restaurant in Austin, the Clay Pit features one the more affordable menus on this list with a solid dose of stylish ambiance to boot. It's inside the Bertram building, one of Au...
No longer stationed on 2nd Street but still bringing the quality and care we remember. You’ll now find Second Bar + Kitchen at the East Austin Hotel and next time you fly you can visit them in ABIA...
Last updated on Jun 15, 2023 by Angela Hall
