Barley Swine

About Barley Swine

Shelves of pickling jars line the bar, dried herbs hang over a busy open kitchen, and the dining room is long, dark-wooded and warmly lit. Dinner is a fixed-price tasting of seasonal small plates drawn from Central Texas farms, with wine pairings and a deep beer list at the bar. It opens Thursday to Sunday only, from 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 4:30 p.m. at the weekend, closing by 10 p.m. The Michelin star sits alongside 4.7 on nearly 1,500 Google reviews, and regulars like that the service stays casual rather than stiff. The desserts and the take-home cookies get consistent praise. The dissent is about value: a couple of recent diners found the menu stretched past two hours with long pauses and flavours they called one-note for the price. Dress is smart but not formal, and there is a free lot plus valet on Burnet Road.