8600 Burnet Rd
Austin TX
458-6544
Overall Rating: 0/+3
Local burger/sandwich/texmex/home-cooking chain.
Overpriced and Underflavored
Reviewer: Chris
Original Review Date: 09/27/2005
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
I always liked Waterloo--I used to eat at the 38th St. location on occasion. Hadn't been in years. Went to the Burnet Rd. location, near work. Damn, I was disappointed. The first disappointment came when the order-takin' honkey-tonk gal (it's like eating in a bar there) told me it would be $9.04 for my burger, fries and drink. WTF? I was too shocked to ask if there was a mistake. I'm still not sure what happened. I ordered a cheeseburger, which is supposed to come with fries, at $6.25. I asked for cheddar cheese (maybe that's extra?). I also asked if they could give me half fries and half tater tots, because I am a tater tot fiend (maybe that's extra?). And I got a Coke. Somehow that totaled up to $9.04. Jeezus.
As for the grub, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't really that good. The (very thin) burger didn't have much flavor. The tots were also low on flavor and high on grease (not necessarily a bad thing). I thought the bun was pretty bad--seemed kind of stale, thick. Their menu states that their buns are "custom baked every day." Maybe they are "custom served a week later" or something. The fries are the fresh-cut variety, similar to Hut's, if I recall, that end up being kind of limp, but are fairly tasty--no problem here with the fries.
I really tried to find ways to give this Waterloo a decent rating, but I kept coming back to that ridiculous total and unimpressive burger, so 0 stars it is.
Update: Got takeout from Waterloo a few weeks after the above review. Onion rings quite good. Fries quite good. Burger still pretty bad, and bun still crappy.
Well Let's talk.
Reviewer: BoB Pietrasik
Review Date: 03/19/2008 10:12PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
I tried the one on Burnet a couple of times, enuff said I will never go back.
I tried the one near 6th street I didn't like it either, however my wife likes the
chicken fried steak, I didn't.
bad service
Reviewer: Danita Day
http://www.waterlooicehouse.com/
Review Date: 08/13/2007 03:46PM
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
We have tried the new location at Escarpment/Slaughter 3 times and had horrible service each time. Everything from slow service (15 mins. before a waiter acknowledged us), lost order, forgot to turn in order, you name it! After the 3rd time we have decided not to return. We always liked the S. Lamar location and we were excited to have a Waterloo in our neighborhood. Unfortunately it's been a huge disappointment.
Crazy Expensive for a Crappy Burger
Reviewer: amysuehere
Review Date: 04/02/2007 05:07PM
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
Not even a good place for the office group. We all agree on how horrible the burgers are.
Sawdust-dry buns that completely disintegrate half-way through the burger and a cardboard pattie
very poor service
Reviewer: Jim Lawrie
Review Date: 07/16/2006 01:28PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
Over the years, I’ve eaten and enjoyed the food at many of the Waterloo’s locations in Austin. But the only exception is the one on 38th and Medical Parkway. Like the other locations, the food is decent, but for whatever reason, the service has been consistently poor. On two of those occasions my friends and I just simply walked out. I went there this morning, seated myself, and waited 15 minuets without any service. This marks the third time I’ve walked out.
I can understand the occasional bad service due to any number of things. But to be consistently bad is just such an unnecessary problem.
nothing special
Reviewer: Jason
Review Date: 05/29/2006 06:37PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
I went to the location on 6th and Lamar. Burger was decent, mashed potatoes the same. Nothing special about it and kind of pricy for the size of the meal.
Never treated so poorly at a restaurant in my life
Reviewer: Debbie Lawrence
Review Date: 05/12/2006 09:19AM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
A group of 10 of us went to the Waterloo Ice House on Burnet Road. When we figured out we could seat ourselves (5 minutes with no contact by anyone walking by us) we set up at two tables in the back of the restaurant. A woman (who I later found out was the "manager" came to take one of the chairs and fights with us over it. (There was a stack of chairs right behind her). After 25 more minutes of being ignored, she came and slapped down some menus and utensils, but not a word. Sometime after that a waiter came to take our order. We were in the restaurant a good 45 minutes before we received water and our drinks. The meals were served and bills presented with no other conversation from our waiter. As we were leaving, I asked to speak to the manager which turned out to be the rude woman. When I tried to speak to her about the above, she was completely defensive. She said she could give us a few gift certificates, "if she thought we would come back"!!! Some scummy guy at the bar, who I think was her boyfriend added his two cents "Do you want her to wipe your *** for you too?". A terrible representation of Austin, can't believe people eat there. BTW, food wasn't that good either. Worst experience at a restaurant ever.
Pretty rotten and getting worse every day.
Reviewer: David M. Schneiderman
Review Date: 03/12/2006 12:53PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
The food and service at the Waterloo on 38th Street used to be exceptional. But, over the last couple of months the servers have been incredibly unfriendly and disrespectful. Looks like all the friendly, cheerful, and helpful servers aren't working there anymore. I suspected there must be a reason why they've all left the Waterloo. As luck would have it, I ran into a couple of old Waterloo servers while dining at a different restaurant. (No sense ever going back to the Waterloo.) Turns out they all left because of the bad work environment created by a new manager. Service at the other restaurant? Outstanding! Just like it used to be at the Waterloo when they were working there.
Waterloo is great!
Reviewer: Curt Ulbright
Review Date: 01/17/2006 04:35PM
Rating: +2/+3(Goooood)
Maybe Chris should go to the location on 38th! The service there is way above-par, and the food is spectacular. You can expect excellent service when Kevin is working.