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Food  Restaurants

The nearly 100-year-old Driskill Grill reopens after three years

We taste-tested the downtown restaurant’s menu.

April 13, 2023
A plate of duck breast with baby carrots on a table in front of the Driskill Grill's dining room.

Try some elevated Texas fare in the nearly 100-year-old dining room.

Photo by ATXtoday

After a three-year hiatus initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the nearly 100-year-old restaurant inside the Driskill Hotel reopened last month.

The Driskill Grill — widely known for its old Texas charm and for being the site of former president Lyndon B. Johnson’s first date with Lady Bird Johnson — relaunched with a new menu featuring modern takes on classic dishes.

In the name of journalism, we took a trip downtown to try out the restaurant ourselves. Here’s what we recommend:

  • Samantha’s Ghost — This cocktail, named for the four-year-old ghost said to haunt the hotel’s halls, is a refreshing mix of mezcal, tequila, and lemon.
  • Classic steak tartare — This tartare is served with a bone marrow aioli and and crostini.
  • Whiskey infused duck breast — This dish is complemented with a mushroom risotto and sugared carrots.

Make a reservation for The Driskill Grill, at 117 E. 7th St.

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