Austin Restaurants|Austin, Texas, United States

Garrison

Name: Garrison
Telephone: 512-524-4700

An Austin grill with a global twist

VERIFIED LUXURY

Learn How We Inspect

Garrison is a hidden dining gem tucked inside Fairmont Austin.

At the very end of worldly food hall concept Revue, find the facade of a porched white house framed by Greek revival pillars, an American flag and a Texas flag. Enter to the left and the Garrison experience begins, with not a white tablecloth in sight. Instead, the unique dining room exudes rustic-industrial drama, thanks to dark wood tables, blue clouds projected on the walls, exposed beams and piping visible in the inky ceiling space.

Backlit shelves filled with chopped post oak wood line the room, a testament to the kitchen’s dedication to live fire. Fresh flowers and cushioned pink and blue chairs add playful pops of color throughout the space, and a sleek open kitchen lined with black subway tile provides a backdrop for the laser-focused work of chef de cuisine Jordan Sanchez and his team.

Our Inspector's Highlights

Garrison recently rolled out a five-course tasting menu designed to showcase the four pillars that drive the restaurant’s culinary vision: seasonality, experience, sustainability and heritage. Highlights include a smoked tomato tart, and succulent wagyu beef rib cap.
The new tasting menu comes with an adventurous beverage pairing option that includes duos like a smoked tomato fromage blanc tarte with an agave-based horchata milk punch, and crab paste tagliatelle with nama genshu sake.
The wood-paneled private dining room has the mood of a cozy cabin made modern with touches like streamlined turquoise chairs and geometric lighting fixtures. It seats 16 but can fit 25 standing.
Each chef in the Garrison kitchen is given a chance to contribute to the menu, resulting in an array of flavorful global dishes like vegetable gado gado (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce), za’atar-glazed carrots with puffed sorghum and mint yogurt, and housemade squid ink paccheri (tube-shaped pasta) with manila clams.
Not in the mood for red meat? The Austin restaurant treats its whole-grilled fish and hearty vegetable dishes with as much care and panache as its prime cuts. Seared Texas redfish with smoked broth and a side of hearth-roasted beets delivers as much flame-kissed flavor as the juicy steaks.

Things to Know

Although Garrison’s facade features green doors at the centerpiece, you will actually enter the restaurant to the left of the porch area.
The hotel connects to the Austin Convention Center, so expect it to be particularly busy when events and conferences come to town.
Arrive early (or stay late) to enjoy a drink at Fulton, Fairmont Austin’s vibrant lobby bar. There is nightly live music and the cocktail menu — which spans from familiar to curious — designed by beverage director Andrew Grenz is not to be missed.
On your way to dinner, be sure to pause and admire the massive marble installation outside the entrance to Revue. This incomparable dalmata stone, a marvel of nature presented in quad cuts, was sourced from Italian mines in 2015.

The Food

The menu at Garrison focuses on grilling and smoking proteins, from dry-aged steaks to whole fish.
Look out for playful dishes like tater tots with aerated Gruyère cheese and black truffle, or wood-fired avocado with fig leaf dashi and pickled strawberries.
While you’ll find far fewer cuts of meat on the menu than your average Austin steakhouse, the selections here are top of the line. Sup on wagyu eye of ribeye from local ranch Ranger Cattle or a 28-ounce porterhouse from Colorado-based Niman Ranch.
Other steakhouse favorites are given the Texas treatment at Garrison. Opt for smoked heritage chicken served with apricot salsa verde or dig into a grilled pork chop with peach kasundi (Bengali mustard) and summer squash.

The Drinks

Beverage director Andrew Grenz oversees Garrison’s bar program, including a selection of no-proof cocktails like Luxe Bergamot, a blend of Fairmont’s own Lot 35 creamy Earl Grey tea, yuzu, lemongrass and blueberries.
The Austin restaurant’s extensive wine list features coveted Old and New world selections, from Château Lafite Rothschild and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti to Harlan Estate and Opus One.
Garrison’s craft-focused spirits collection includes mezcal from Oaxaca, sotol from Chihuahua, an extensive Caribbean rum selection, Japanese whisky and, of course Texas whiskey from select producers, including Balcones Distilling and Garrison Brothers.

Amenities