The Wayback

Love this restaurant!!! The feed is amazing & the friendly service is even better!

I had an amazing time at The Wayback! My first trip to Texas and I will definitely be back to see them. Quiet, cozy and scenic location not far from downtown Austin. The room was clean and the perfect place to relax and unwind after a day of exploring. Everything from the cafe was delicious, especially the wine. The staff were all friendly and helpful. Sydney and Vicki treated me like family. I can't say enough good things about this place! If you make it to Austin, do yourself a favor and check them out.

Wonderful! There are about two restaurants that we love going to again and again in Austin and now there's a third. The staff and family owners are so welcoming. We were greeted warmly like we are family and given a table next to the window where we could enjoy the company of our friends in conversation with tasteful wine and a view of the beautiful Texas Hill Country that would make people in other parts of America jealous. They also had an outside seating area with a perfectly manicured fire pit.

And then the food started arriving... the Cheese Board and the Market Salad were both made to perfection with the freshest ingredients that combined all the right flavors and textures. I had the Salmon Potato Cakes for my main course and it was unlike anything I've had before–anywhere! Did I just go to Heaven? I believe I did.

Find out for yourself because eating is believing. You won't be disappointed in this charming, family-owned piece of heaven called, The Wayback.

My husband and I stayed at the Wayback for a staycation and we are obsessed!! 😍😍 We loved that the cottages are tucked away, the beautifully designed interiors, the pool, the spicy margs and their yummy menu! The cherry on top is their amazing staff that makes you feel so welcome and at home! Can’t wait to go back! ☺️

The cottage was well designed and beautifully decorated. We had a very relaxing time in a picturesque surrounding. The property is lined with trees and wildflowers. Our cottage came with a mini fridge so we brought our own snacks but the cafe breakfast was great.

Came here for the very first time and was such a great experience. I ordered the burger and honestly it is the best burger I’ve had. I also ordered the watermelon margarita which Raquel made (bartender). She’s really great, sweet, and makes you have a good time.

Great lunch spot discovery for us! Charming cozy interior with veranda fir outdoor dining. Menu is short but versatile. I had the grilled gruyere cheese sandwich which was amazing. My companions raved about their meals as well. Most lunch options $10-15.

We really wanted to love The Wayback. The setting is beautiful! Surrounded by gorgeous grounds despite being very close to a busy road with beautiful, stylish cottages and a saltwater pool.

We arrived on a Monday afternoon and were checked in by Sydney, who was friendly and showed us to our cottage/room. She offered us a picnic basket (charcuterie) and wine and asked us to place the order before 6pm when she'd be leaving. For us, coming in from out of town during COVID, we were a little taken aback that there would be no service at all after 6pm (who doesn't want a glass of wine or cocktail on vacation!). I inquired about dinner and breakfast to which she gave us suggestions nearby (Civil Goat comes highly recommended). There was no mention of the cafe, which looked to be closed.

We were pretty disappointed, but assumed that it was closed because of COVID. Since there were just 2 staff on the property, and Sydney told us that she'd be leaving at 6pm and coming back at 9am, we were only left with options for getting food/wine/coffee off the property. I will note that Sydney did not mention to us that the cafe would be open in the daytime (you have to come in and ring a bell, which was relayed to us later).

We bought some beer to enjoy by the pool and were reprimanded by Vicki who told us that it was part of the rules (which were never relayed to us). We are absolutely happy to follow rules but unfortunately, we aren't mind readers, and who can blame you on vacation for wanting to enjoy a beverage by the pool (and not being given any alternative options!). This is not where I'd recommend staying if you want full hotel service (like room service, or snacks and lunch by the pool as well as dinner).

Vicki was very defensive when I came with this feedback and told me to "use favor" to get dinner. I don't know about you, but when I'm on vacation, I don't necessarily want to order delivery to eat on plastic plates in my cottage (you cannot eat food from outside the hotel on the property unless it's in your cottage). This would make sense if there was a full restaurants and bar with service all day and into the night, but there isn't. Had we have known this, we would've chosen something like airbnb which would at least have a kitchen to make the day a bit more self sufficient, instead of having to drive to a destination for any meal or snack (or pay for delivery). This is also not IN Austin (about 25 minutes outside), so you have to be strategic about where you're going to go and know opening/closing times. If The Wayback had provided information about how to get food/cocktails from their own cafe, we would've loved to utilize their services. Instead, we were told to "read the fine print" which included a $200 fine for any alcohol consumed outside of the cottages. It ended up being a very expensive two nights with added stress of a very jarring conversation with Vicki (which Sydney had to diffuse) and multiple uber eats orders. I will also mention that nobody changed our towels or sheets during our stay, or tidied up the cottage, which I thought was strange for a hotel. Again, if we wanted an airbnb, we would've gotten one (at a much lower rate, without rules and with more amenities like a kitchen). The TV was also so small it could be mistaken for a computer monitor. And who wants to watch TV on vacation? Those who have to stay in their cottage and drink wine that they bought at a liquor store and eat delivery sushi. :/

I also mentioned that this would be information I'd like to have had before booking and Vicki told me she didn't appreciate me "threatening her with a review". Seems strange to be threatened by the hotels fine print being put in a review. Disappointing use of vacation and money, especially in these trying times.

Holy cow! What a Gem! The grounds are amazing, the cottages are adorable and the owners are local business owners who obviously poured their hearts into this vision.

*Check out SUNDAY BRUNCH 😍 and definitely order some if their awesome coffee.

*Super fast WiFi!

Finally a new Sunday spot near bee cave.

The Wayback Cafe & Cottages in Bee Cave Texas is definitely a welcome and relaxing space. It is discretely located just off of Bee Cave Parkway and is only 8 1/2 miles from downtown Austin.

The cafe menu has a very nice foodie selection of house made and locally sourced organic ingredients. Definitely try the smoked trout spread if it’s on the menu!

Cheers and enjoy!