The Goodnight Diner

The Goodnight Diner is alive and well in Wimberley!!! Whew… not sure what we would have done in the summer without the SUMMER SORBET!!! Not to mention the Chicken and Waffles… Amazing! Great to bring a bottle of wine and enjoy excellent food in a very relaxed environment. The outside area looks perfect for summer dining.

The Goodnight Diner is a great place to dine out in Wimberley and worth a drive south from Dripping Springs. The food is delicious — I’ve dined there several times in the last couple of months, tried something different every time, and always been impressed. The meatloaf is especially delicious, and the appetizers are all excellent as well. Every item on the menu is an inspired rendition of classic diner fare, and the culinary quality is all the more remarkable given the extremely affordable prices. Portions are abundant (save room for the home-​made desserts — they’re worth it!) and the staff is unbelievably courteous, attentive, and unobtrusive. Try it! The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because it’s so down-​to-​earth and unpretentious.

Hills Edge Grille is GONE! What could ever replace such a weird little hole in the wall?
The Goodnight Diner, that’s what. The kitschy little sign and the fresh yellow colored walls were new but something that certainly drew me in. Immediately upon returning home and putting away the groceries I’d gotten, I hopped on the web and found the Goodnight’s website. Cute.
The menu consists of comfort food basics like meatloaf, roasted chicken, fried green tomatoes and the iconic southern dish, Chicken and Waffles.
Upon entering the diner, the first change I’d noticed was the interior. It is still simple, but the walls had some cheery colors splashed on them, and there were cute little pictures all over the wall. I am guessing they are old family photos. The place had personality.
There were also tons of people inside. There were tons of people OUTSIDE waiting to get in! This was quite different from my last experience in this building. The one time I’d eaten at The Hills Edge, if my memory serves me right, there was only one other table aside from my own.
This was a good sign.
We were seated quickly due to my mom’s good thinking on making a reservation. Another good thought my mom had was calling ahead and asking if there was a bar or if it was BYOB. It was BYOB. After beings seated, our high school aged waiter brought us wine bottle openers and glasses, and waters.
One interesting thing I did notice was that the tables lacked any salt and pepper, or other condiments one would generally find.
After going over the menu, we had decided on three appetizers to try: the braised beef short rib served with black eyed pea fritters, the spinach and artichoke dip served with croustini, and the fried green tomatoes served with a roasted jalapeño remoulade.
The time from order to food on the table wasn’t terrible, but not terribly fast either. But I must say, worth the wait. Our appetizers looked amazing, smelled amazing and tasted better than that. I didn’t try the short rib, but my dad made short order of it, while my mom and I dug into the fried green tomatoes like they were going out of style. The roasted jalapeño remoulade was creamy, spicy, smoky goodness. I wanted to put it on everything. The spinach artichoke dip was pretty good, but I didn’t like the bread they served it with. Just was so plain and «out of the box» type crackers. We pretty much just ate it with a fork and that’s ok with me.
For the our main courses, my dad ordered the fried chicken with grits and corn bread, my mom opted for the roasted chicken quarter with a side salad and I ordered the roasted beet salad with flank steak.
My dad’s chicken and grits looked amazing. The grits were actually orange, but had great texture and chew. They were simultaneously perfectly creamy and had a flavor that none of us could quite describe. We asked our waiter what it was; he said it’s a secret… I will get to the bottom of this. I promise you that.
My mom’s chicken was juicy and seasoned perfectly, which was good since there was no salt or pepper on the table. She said she probably would have ruined it if there were though, so kudos to the chefs for knowing what they’re doing!
This is where those kudos stop though. My salad was atrocious. I’m sorry to say but I couldn’t’ even eat it. It lacked any meat and the dressing was forgotten. There was a weird rancid taste to the greens and the cheese may have been bad. I couldn’t go on. I had to have the waiter take it back. I never do that. EVER. But I couldn’t deal with it!
He asked if I wanted something else, and so against my better judgment, I ordered the Chicken and Waffles. The waiter wasn’t fazed by my reorder and gladly took my salad back. I was scared, but he made me feel OK about it.
Only a few minutes passed before I had a steaming plate of crispy fried chicken and fluffy waffles accompanied by some of their bourbon maple syrup sitting in front of me. I was so happy I made the decision not to forge ahead with the fail of a salad.
I decided to take bites of the chicken and the waffle separately before combining them for the one magic bite that would come later. The chicken made me groan with pleasure, and not quietly either. It was juicy, flavorful and plain just made me happy. The waffles were fluffy and light, as though they’d been whipped up. The syrup they have is amazing. The dark bourbon that laced through the maple creates a deep flavor that I’d never tasted when talking about syrup.
That’s when I did it — I put the two together for one bite of sweet and one of savory. I about died of happiness right there. I couldn’t have been happier I rejected my beets. If I could, I’d eat this every day. All day.

Goodnight Café has moved to WImberley!!! We are so fortunate to have them here. The food is excellent, the staff friendly and efficient. Where have you been lately where everything is made from scratch? YUM!
BTW they are in Poco Rio at 15 401 Ranch Road 12 now — AWESOME!

They had my full attention at «chicken and waffles.»
My family loves to find new places to add to our list of dining options, Jack Allen’s in Oak Hill being the current favorite «default» destination. Since my parents live out in Dripping Springs, sometimes it’s nice if they don’t have to come all the way in to Austin. The Goodnight Diner just became reason enough for me to make the commute.
I declined on the appetizer, but everyone else raved over the fried green tomatoes, so if you don’t loathe those demon fruit from hell like I do, give them a try. I ordered the sriracha chicken and waffles, and was unsure how the fire of the hot sauce would go with the sweet. My concerns were unfounded. The chicken breast is actually marinated in sriracha AND yogurt, so the spiciness is muted, but the meat turns out juicy and savory. So it is not the spicy assault you might expect, but it is still delicious chicken. A bite of waffle and chicken together was my preferred way to enjoy this entrée. Also, there are no sides with this, just a huge chicken breast and ¾ of a Belgian waffle. It was just enough for me, having had no appetizer.
The other entrees at the table were similarly praised. The chicken and dumplings are served more like a soup, with a broth and lots of chunks of vegetables, but still deemed delicious. The bowl was also still steaming after 20 minutes, so it would make great cold weather comfort food. The burger was a large hand-​formed patty, and came with string potato fries. My dad ordered the BLT and asked to add avocado to it, which was no problem.
Only my sister in law ordered dessert, and I’m glad she did. Lemon and lavender mousse with a white chocolate sauce — we had never tried anything quite like it, and it was perfection. I ordered a Mexican Coke as my dessert, as there was room for little else.
Service was attentive and knowledgeable, and I know we will be returning.

This place made me think «Anything in an old house has to be good.»
The salad was frickin’ fantastic with silky, savory goat cheese and perfectly toasted, melt in your mouth warm walnuts. The greens were perfectly crisp, and completed a salad on the level with elite ‘big city” restaurants. Not forgetting that this place is an old house residing in a small Texas town. A restaurant with unique identity and a terrific find.
However, the chicken was mightily disappointing. I ordered the Sriracha chicken, but that familiar flavor did not come through in the slightest. The waffle was very forgettable as well, and the value extremely poor at $ 11.50 for 1 small waffle and 1 piece of bird. I am convinced the bourbon syrup drives the price up, because that stuff is liquid crack. Expect a charge for extra servings.
Highly Recommended

Love the Goodnight Diner! We moved to the area recently and this is our favorite local spot. The restaurant itself isn’t fancy, just a few tables inside a simple room … the food is where it’s at. We had the fried green tomatoes, beet salad, chicken and waffles and a burger all was fantastic! The desserts looked delicious, we’ll try those next time instead of the appetizer. Can’t wait to return! Very family friendly, we sat there a while longer while our daughter finished sampling her fare and no one seemed to mind at all. The staff was welcoming, the chef came out to say hello, she wanted to know what we thought of the food. Down home cooking and definitely worth trying if your in Dripping Springs.

Comfort food basics. Their gravy is THE BEST in Austin. Hands down. Both hands. Feet too. I wanted to plant myself there and try more, but my stomach disagreed at the time. I have tried a lot of Chicken Fried Steak’s in Austin (Hoover’s, Threadgill’s, Jack Allen’s). The presentation isn’t much so that «wow» factor won’t pop out, but your mouth will be singing a different tune. I felt like I was in the 1950’s with the setting it was in. The rustic building and everything about the area screams old town. My one complaint was the vegetable of the day, bok choy. I passed. Not what I’m looking for in a comfort food joint.
Had some vegan’s sitting next to us, I found the cook/​waitstaff trying to accommodate them flawlessly. Props.
Go here. Keep this place in business. I guarantee you once you try it, you’ll be back.
I’m serious about the gravy.

Comfort food. Doesn’t look like much, but it’s pretty damn good.
I had the chicken-​fried steak, and it was good through-​and-​through. Mashed potatoes were nicely done, and the buk-​choy was an interesting and unusual touch.
Waitstaff was excellent, and prices were very reasonable. Would go back.

The Goodnight Diner is definitely a hidden gem in Dripping Springs. My steady and I were on the way to Wimberly and decided to stop and see if we could find a place to eat in DP. We end up on Mercer St, pass a «Barber Shop» on the left and find The Goodnight Diner on the right.
Holy Wakamole! What a find! First off, The ambience is very friendly and warm. The place is BYOB. Even cooler. The menu is one page but filled with salads, soups, appetizers, sides, drinks (non-​alcoholic), and entrees.
I had to try the chicken fried steak and was impressed. A well-​battered steak served on top of rich mashed poatoes served with green onion as a garnish My steady ordered the hometown burger and was equally impressive.
Dessert options are not on the menu, but happen to be on a blackboard in chalk, consisting of freshly made sorbets and other options. The sorbet we selected was the honey melon chocolate chip (yes thats right). So good. We are set to go back and try something else. I hear the chicken and waffles are astounding.
By the way, the wait staff was good.

Golly, this place is worth the drive. Excellent service and amazing food — what more do you want? The sriracha chicken was delicious and comes with the best waffles I have ever had, the gnocchi was amazing with a unique presentation, and the desserts, including the toffee ice cream, were just phenomenal. Heck, even the coffee was special. The above superlatives may make you think that this reviewer has OD’ed on the lithium but believe you me, it is all sincere. Seriously, just go there sometime and find out for yourself.

The Goodnight Diner has quickly become one of our favorite dining places over the past few months. We’ve tried just about everything on their menu, and every item is fresh and delicious.
Our favorites: the roasted beet salad, vegetarian gnocchi, the chicken and waffles, and believe it or not — the burger. They are one of the few places in Austin that actually know how to cook a rare burger, and the homemade pickles are to-​die-​for. The fries are also yummy — my husband often orders an extra side of them so I don’t steal his off his plate.
The décor is very modest and «hole-​in-​the-​wall,» but we like it that way. We also love the mix of music — mostly oldies and classic country — they pipe in.
The only con is that because they are so small, they will occasionally run out of their most popular dishes on a busy weekend if you get their too late. This seems to happen most often with the vegetarian gnocchi and sometimes with their pork chops, but we usually turn it into an excuse to sample something new off their menu.
I’m thrilled that we no longer have to drive into town to get a decent meal and hope these guys are here to stay.

Diner in Dripping Springs with fresh, fantastic food!
We tried this place on the way to Blanco and were blown away. There were four of us and we had pork tenderloin, vegetable gnocci, fresh salads, and a cheeseburger. Everything was outstanding, so when the dessert menus came out, we had to try a few things. The brownie sundae and banana crème brûlée did not disappoint!
We will definitely be going back, and might have to try the chicken and waffles!

We were driving through Dripping Springs and since my friend loves old towns I suggested we take a detour through the historic downtown. We found this little place that looks like a house turned café with reused wood from floor to table. Just the kind of historic classic café that we both love!
We started with a delicious Roasted Beet Salad that was served with toasted walnuts and goat cheese dressed in a tangy vinaigrette.
We decided to share the Chicken & Waffles and the Fish of the Day.
The Chicken & Waffles had a nice bit of spicy kick well balanced with a dark bourbon laced maple syrup!
The Fish of The Day was Steelhead Trout served with sauteed greens and orzo topped with a light yet rich and complex Beurre Blanc Sauce. The fish was moist and delicate and was a bit overwhelmed by the sauce but otherwise delicious!
I would definitely stop by again when in the neighborhood!

If you’ve seen the HBO series, «Mildred Pierce,» then you might remember that the main character launches a restaurant that features chicken and waffles, a food combination that scores with customers.
Well, Dripping Springs has its own version of Mildred Pierce in Jana (and Chris) who are cooking up mouth-​watering, double-​moist chicken breast encrusted with a snappy, savory batter that’s not the typical Southern-​fried shell. And the waffles are a pleasant counterpoint balancing sweet and savory. The bourbon-​flavored syrup is decadently rich.
And the brownie that we took home was hot from the oven — moist and delicious.
Patronize this wonderful out of the way spot for a rare treat.

Good addition to the options available in Dripping. Service was great, prices are very reasonable and food was very good. Only complaint is the limited menu. The night we went there were only 4 options. We didn’t try the Salisbury Steak, but the Pork Chops and Chicken with Waffles were both great. The Chicken Fried Steak was reported as over breaded and a little tough. Appetizers of Fried Eggplant, Potato Skins and Pierogies were all great. And being a BYOB spot is huge for the picky wine drinkers amongst us!!!

Comfort food with a gourmet twist? Yes, please! This new place in Drippin’s historic downtown is definitely putting a creative spin on Southern classics like fried chicken, braised short ribs and pork chops. But they’re also mixing in the unexpected. Like pierogies? You don’t see these on many menus down south. This appetizer combined mashed potatoes and ground pork, folded up in dough. These are lightly fried and served with a fantastic sour cream flavored with smoked paprika.
Another twist: the Sriracha Chicken & Waffles. Boneless chicken breast was battered using the famous Thai hot sauce, which gave it a subtle chili-​pepper flavor with a bit of a kick. The sweet, cake-​y waffles were served with a dark maple syrup that matched the intensity of the chilies.
This Roasted Beet Salad was delicious and like something you’d expect to see at the Four Seasons. The tender sweet beets were served with roasted walnuts and lots of creamy goat cheese, and dressed with a tangy lemon-​dill vinaigrette.
Ahh, that Smothered Pork Chop! Extra-​thick and juicy, covered with a brown gravy that had just a hint of sweetness. Underneath, soft slices of caramelized sweet potato and fresh, crunchy green beans.
The décor is pretty simple, with some re-​claimed wood here and there. During the day, it’s operated by a completely different group as the Sunrise Café; at 5:30 pm it transforms into The Goodnight. Make a note — it’s BYOB. If you forget to bring your own beer or wine, there’s a well-​stocked Shell station just around the corner.

Okay, at risk of sounding like a local who doesn’t know a decent eatery. I want to say that my wife and I are dedicated food-​o-​philes. We’ve hit just about every café and restaurant from Marble Falls to Manchac, including all of Austin in between. My wife is the BEST gourmet cook, so we tend to be VERY critical of our dining out experiences.
Being D.S. residents, we’re always hopeful at the prospect of a new dining venue in our own backyard, especially given the current very limited choices.
It was thus with a bit of trepidation we showed up on a quiet Thursday night, to try our luck, in spite of the somewhat lukewarm reviews given previously.
On initial entry, we were still a bit hesitant, as there was only one other table of diners (misery, or pleasure, always loves company).
To further fuel our concerns, the interior environment was not necessarily indicative of a fine dining establishment (hint to the lovely chef and owner: lose about 90% of the artfully camouflaged flourescent lights, install some indirect wall lighting, add a few pictures on the walls, and slap some tablecloths on the tables, and you’ll have an environment that matches the excellent cuisine we experienced).
We’ve long since learned that D.S. apparently has a large pool of young, heretofore inexperienced waitresses. Nothing in our experience changed that notion, as our young lady, although very pleasant and extremely eager to please, seemed to struggle with the basics of restaurant service (including lack of general knowledge of the small number of items on the menu).
Nevertheless, we shrugged off the awkward service as being due to the inherent teething process that any new eating establishment has to endure (other than those corporate, canned franchise joints of course).
My wife and I have been life-​long carnivores, but recently, after having read the compelling book «Eating Animals», we’ve decided to try eliminating, or seriously limiting, our beef and chicken consumption (go ahead. I dare you… read this book and decide to keep supporting the corporate animal compounds).
I ordered the intriguing sounding vegetable gnocchi, my wife opted for the steelhead trout. Oh, another note here: A previous reviewer had panned the trout dish, which according to the waitress, came standard with a «beet sauce». Being properly forewarned by the other comment about this particular preparation, Dorothee elected to have her trout au naturale, and it was prepared to perfection. I guess we’ll never know what the house preparation was all about. Who knows, we may very well have overlooked the taste treat of the evening!
I’m no foodie reviewer, so I’ll spare the intricate details of each our meals, except to say that we were very, very pleased (and pleasantly surprised) at the lovely presentation and taste of each dish. We couldn’t have asked for more.
Afterwards, to satisfy my always-​active sweet tooth, I opted for the butterscotch meringue pie, expecting a Marie Calendar wannabe or worse. Wow, was I surprised! My dessert was an individually baked little pie, in a round, homemade-​tasting crust, with a baked-​Alaskan style meringue topping. To die for!
The best part of all was when the bill came… two full-​on meals, dessert and coffee, all for the princely sum of around $ 27 (aided, of course, by the lack of a liquor license nor corkage fee for customer-​supplied wine).
I just can’t find any serious fault with this place. I fully expect that as the hard-​working owners get their mojo together and smooth out the rough edges, Austinites are going to be beating a path to the door of the Goodnight Diner.
And, I do wish them well. We’ll be back soon.

Hands down, this was the best meal and the best service I’ve had in years. Sure, any brand new restaurant (they opened 6 weeks ago as I understand it) is going to have a few growing/​service pains like forgotten water for some diners. Our water was there immediately, as were wine glasses and a wine opener. Our servers were attentive and friendly. The food was brought out promptly. The restaurant was packed when we arrived — less than a five minute wait for a table — and the waitstaff seemed to handle everything in stride. There were a couple of large groups and everyone seemed to be chowing down and enjoying themselves.
We had the Panko Fried Eggplant appetizer and it was out of this world — melted in your mouth. The Potato Skins were not as heat-​hot as they should have been, but they were so delicious it didn’t matter. We could have asked our waitress to re-​heat them, but it was no biggie, so we just gorged away. They were topped with cheddar cheese, apple-​wood smoked bacon (I think) and cream fricassee (or something similar) Muy delicioso!
I had the Smothered Pork Chop — presented alluringly on a bed of green beans and some sliced sweet potatoes. I’m trying to sound like a food critic, but this was just some really good food. I’m not sure what the sauce was, but it was so good and savory that I was sopping it up with my sweet potatoes and with each bite of the pork chop.
SweetiePieHoneyBunch had the House Salad with chicken the adder. I tasted a bit and it was really good. The greens were really fresh and the salad dressing was light — all in all very tasty. If I wasn’t already full from everything else, I would have ordered my own salad.
I really don’t get too excited about food much any more — but I’m excited about this place, and we intend to go back. Knowing what we know now, we would happily wait longer at the bar — which I’m sure we will have to after everyone discovers it and beats a path to the Goodnight Diner.
Also, what a creative idea to share the space between a breakfast place — The Sunrise Café and a dinner place — The Goodnight Diner. That’s smart business if you ask me.
I’m surprised to read the other negative reviews — this was not our experience at all. I hate to wax negative, but I think there are some unhappy unenlightened closed-​minded people out there who are better off having their «high quality» gourmet Sysco based family dinner at Taco Bell.
Real, fresh, down-​home, home-​styled, handcrafted-​with-​loving-​care, local food from local folks giving their all to a local restaurant enterprise is pretty much as good as it gets.
Alex & Kim

Lots of potential. We went on a Friday night. I think the restaurant was struggling with serving the crowd as they were out of several items. But the food we had was excellent. Burger was excellent — shoestring fries, no feeling of fast food or food service (Sysco) items. Nice bun, great homestyle bacon, and very nice lettuce, onion and tomatoes. Wife did say Chicken and dumplings could have been a little warmer.
The lighting probably needs to be dimmed a little if possible and some candles on tables might be a nice, inexpensive touch.
Over time, if they can work out some of the kinks, I think this will be an awesome restaurant that deserves patronage. I will definitely go back soon and give it another try and hopefully be able to order some of the more unique dishes on the menu.
Note — it is BYOB right now. Not sure if it will stay that way, but if they can swing it, I think it adds to the uniqueness of the place.