Emerald Tavern Games and Cafe

Review №1

Rating: 3

Date: an hour ago

Review №2

Rating: 5

Great gaming store to sit down and play games with friends, if you didnt bring anything they have a game library you can borrow from to play for a nominal fee. Great tasting themed food, drinks, and cocktails. Service can be a tad slow on busy times, but theyre worth the wait.

Date: a day ago

Review №3

Rating: 5

Date: 5 days ago

Review №4

Rating: 5

Date: 6 days ago

Review №5

Rating: 5

Great food, great drinks, friendly service, and lets you play a huge variety of games while youre at it. Love this place.

Date: 2 weeks ago

Review №6

Rating: 5

We LOVE this place! Top notch hangout for gamers! The food and drinks are excellent! Nice selection of merch, games, and crafts. Large room dedicated to Warhammer fans. D&D room. Inside and patio seating. Ordered the Draconic Wellington, and Brisket Pie, chefs kiss! Vegetarian options: Smashed potatoes and carrot sticks were well seasoned and delicious! Parking: Plenty of free parking, but it does get busy in the evenings. Wheelchair accessibility: Smooth roll, tables and chairs, wide aisles.

Date: 2 weeks ago

Review №7

Rating: 5

Date: 2 weeks ago

Review №8

Rating: 5

This is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and play games at the same time, super fun atmosphere and servers are really nice and help answer any questions you may have

Date: 3 weeks ago

Review №9

Rating: 5

The food is really salty, but the service and atmosphere was really welcoming!

Date: 3 weeks ago

Review №10

Rating: 4

First off, let me start by saying Im sure this wasnt established with the idea of being a full-on restaurant. However, with that said, its certainly not the best when it comes to service. Ive sat at a table for almost an hour without any waiter or waitress offering me anything to drink from the start. Many of them just passed by me. And, might I add, I was by myself. So, you think they might have considered I may want something... nope. Not here. Whenever Id be finished with a meal or a drink, they wouldnt come by the table to take it away unless I spoke up. Now, the food. Its okay. But, keep an eye on the prices because it is quite expensive to eat here even for one person. There are much more drink options than food options. Oh, and they dont offer free refills!! There are a lot of games to buy, which is nice, as well as the immense amount of customization options for any beverage on the menu. Look, Ive been in the service industry before, and I know things can get busy. But, cmon. If you see someone sitting alone for a while without any meal or beverage, please just ask if theyve been helped before offering them anything from the menu. Im sure theyd appreciate it. Overall, the place is okay. I just wish the drinks and meals werent so frickin expensive with such small portions and wish the service could be better... ... I may or may not be banned from this place if the owner reads this review. UPDATE: Since posting the review, I received exceptional service throughout the entirety of my visit after returning the following week! My friends and I were certainly impressed and grateful for the increase in service!

Date: 3 weeks ago

Review №11

Rating: 1

We have eaten here twice. I get that its primarily a gaming space, which is really, really cool. But if you want to eat food, dont. The food is blah, and extremely overpriced. But the service is even worse, food service is very slow. On Sunday we had four people. First the coffee came out for everyone except one 10 min later we asked. The server had forgotten to put the table number on the ticket. As I said food service is slow, so when only one food item came out we were not surprised, what did surprise us is they brought out a pretzel which was not ours. About 15 minutes later the waitress came over and said how was the food, she immediately recognized that only 1 person had food, stammered, how was the food thats come out so far. She came back 5 minutes later saying she had forgotten to put the table number on the order. Think maybe the coffee was a clue? Next came the 2 of 4 persons food. Thank 5 minutes later, they are working on the rest This is why I hate tipping in advance. We wont be eating here again.

Date: 3 weeks ago

Review №12

Rating: 3

You can pay $10 and play whatever you want! Its awesome and they have a good selection! I wouldnt recommend the events, though. I showed up on time for a paid event and a server told me to sit down, so i did. Then I stewed in anxiety for 25 minutes past the start time, worrying that theyd forgotten me, or the event was cancelled, etc. Then I overheard two workers deciding what they would do for the event that night. It was completely unprofessional and a waste of my time and money. You knew all week what time you were starting this event, and this is your job? It really depleted my faith in this location, and I wont be returning.

Date: 3 weeks ago

Review №13

Rating: 2

Theyve recently switched to full table service, changed the menu, and raised food prices without increasing food quality, again. Really dont enjoy the new experience. Theyve fallen off hard.

Date: 3 weeks ago

Review №14

Rating: 1

I got a Jameson and coke and they charged 8 bucks for the whiskey and a separate 3.50 for the coke. They sell plastic bottle run of the mill tequila as a drink for 14 bucks.. in the hood!!! The menu they give you says Espolon, but its actually made with Juarez. Talked to a manager and she basically said it is what it is . JS

Date: 4 weeks ago

Review №15

Rating: 5

A paradise for hobbyists

Date: 4 weeks ago

Review №16

Rating: 5

Date: a month ago

Review №17

Rating: 5

Edit: Reservations have been added as of last year Gotta say Im a little disappointed about my experience here. I came during St. Patricks day. Completely expected it to be busy and was willing to wait for a table. However they dont have a wait-list system? They told me to wait by the tables until one becomes free. Thats a ridiculous system. Im just supposed to hover over these people trying to enjoy their board game/food and pounce when a table is available? Even if they didnt have an exact wait time, a place where I can leave my phone number and text me when the table is ready would go a long way. Will keep the review 3 stars until I go back and potentially have a better time.

Date: a month ago

Review №18

Rating: 5

Date: a month ago

Review №19

Rating: 5

Food is good and staff are very pleasant. The atmosphere is great. We ve been twice so far and have enjoyed several drinks and meals while playing games for 3hrs at a time.

Date: a month ago

Review №20

Rating: 4

I really enjoyed our time here! I hadnt been since the renovation, and it is lovely! Atmosphere is great! Everyone was kind and helpful and the drinks were yummy (I got an Italian soda and friend got lavender tea). Honestly, we were underwhelmed with the pretzels. Food

Date: a month ago

Review №21

Rating: 2

Date: a month ago

Review №22

Rating: 5

Date: a month ago

Review №23

Rating: 5

My DnD group rented one of their private rooms for a session and the service and atmosphere was top notch. They recently upgraded their paint selection to include AK and ProAcryl brands.

Date: a month ago

Review №24

Rating: 5

Date: a month ago

Review №25

Rating: 5

One of the best places in Austin to play table top games! Great food, drinks, service, board game variety, and atmosphere! Highly recommend!

Date: a month ago

Review №26

Rating: 5

Date: a month ago

Review №27

Rating: 5

Fish and chips are the best in town. Great beer selection too.

Date: a month ago

Review №28

Rating: 5

This place blew my expectations. Love love their atmosphere and the plethora of games. I wish my city had something like this. And they serve great food- WOW. When in Austin I will definitely take family and friends here but I will make sure to go early for an amazing game experience. Keep up with your game recommendations. It was $10 for the whole table and unlimited games. Great entertainment.

Date: a month ago

Review №29

Rating: 5

Date: a month ago

Review №30

Rating: 4

This is my favorite board game location. The atmosphere and community are great. However, they have been making a lot of bothersome changes recently that have had friends looking elsewhere. First, prices have gotten a little high, I get it they aren t rotating tables as much, but they seem to have gone a bit overboard. They got rid of the table scanners for ordering food, which was super convenient, and now have traditional waiters who don t show up often enough and I end up waiting a while for food and there are a lot more errors. Bringing back the scanners alone would be a night and day improvement

Date: a month ago

Review №31

Rating: 5

Date: 2 months ago

Review №32

Rating: 5

Date: 2 months ago

Review №33

Rating: 5

Perfect hang out place for our group to run dnd games or try out new boardgames together. Food and drinks is also good. Its been a staple since coming to austin.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №34

Rating: 5

Excellent collection of board games. While the bustling atmosphere is infectious, you can also opt for a more silent setting in the bigger rooms.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №35

Rating: 5

Date: 2 months ago

Review №36

Rating: 5

Super cool gaming restaurant. Really feels like a Tolkein tavern.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №37

Rating: 1

Update: Apparently they put a $25 hold on your card once you start a tab, and then put a hold on the difference (your total bill minus the $25) on your card once you pay your bill. THEN they charge your card for the total bill (essentially, double-charging and then you have to wait for your bank to release the 2nd charge). So my account was emptied and I had to wait 3 days before I could access my funds gain. Since I had no idea what was going on, I terminated my debit card and had it reissued. Not something I want to go through again, so I will not be returning to this place. Its a great service for gamers. But the food is pretty bad, and even though we just ordered food straight off the menu, when we got the final bill we were upcharged: extra 75 cents for this, another 75 cents for that, and so on. Over $100. Also, I asked for eggs over easy, I got eggs over hard. Just stay away from the food is my recommendation. Drinks were okay.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №38

Rating: 5

Atmosphere is amazing. Such a fun place to play games and RPGs!

Date: 2 months ago

Review №39

Rating: 5

I wish I could give this place more stars

Date: 2 months ago

Review №40

Rating: 3

I was a frequent here, at some point the food went from not so bad to very bad, I don t know what happened to it, also, I can t see the restrooms any clean now, I m disappointed of how is turning to be now. People are very nice and kind, but food and clean has not been so good lately.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №41

Rating: 5

Atmosphere was amazing, also loved that you had the option to pay to play different table top games they had or pay $10 for the day for any games they had available

Date: 2 months ago

Review №42

Rating: 5

Im not from the area, but every time I come to Austin, I try to stop here. This was my first time bringing my son, and he absolutely loved it.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №43

Rating: 5

Cool place to hang w your buds and nerd it up

Date: 2 months ago

Review №44

Rating: 3

The atmosphere is 10 out of 10 and the staff are very friendly. However, the service was a little spotty and it is a shame they got rid of the QR code to order. We would have to wait for the server (sometimes different ones came by) and they consistently forgot our order or served food cold. They always made it right, but this never happened when ordering through the QR code and paying the bill through it. They really should bring it back and this would be 5/5. No free refills on soda and they charge extra for the cheese for the pretzels.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №45

Rating: 5

Date: 2 months ago

Review №46

Rating: 5

Date: 2 months ago

Review №47

Rating: 5

Absolutely love Emerald Tavern! My partner and I come here for date nights to play boardgames, and we love their food and drinks. It s a super warm and comfortable environment. Their service style is a little slower, which is something to keep in mind if you re not planning on being preoccupied at your table with a board game, but personally, I like this because I don t feel rushed.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №48

Rating: 3

2024 update: I havent been in since the service style changed to full service. This changes the entire flow of the experience. 11/28/23 Edit: music situations There is under control now. The new kitchen lead has been changing the menu for the better. Love the place. Doesnt have a lot of gay pride on the walls but everyone there is rainbow/pride allied or rainbow/pride lifestyles. Heres some drinks I had the bar make for me in the pictures. Vegetarian options: Weak and sad Dietary restrictions: Youre basically screwed if your getting thru lactose intolerance. Capsaicin allergies (rare) are also screwed here. Kid-friendliness: Hell yes.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №49

Rating: 5

Came from out of town and stumbled upon this gem. Got a lot of help from Chris in choosing a game since I m new to this kind of stuff. Service was kind and helpful. Had such a great time!

Date: 2 months ago

Review №50

Rating: 5

We had a really great time at Emerald Tavern. I absolutely love playing games here. The food and service were wonderful. Im really glad the kitchen is full service now instead of the QR codes on the table to order food. Great evening with friends.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №51

Rating: 5

They actually handed me a menu and I ordered food from a person. Its like a miracle. Food and drink service were both faster than they are when I have to handle ordering myself on an app.

Date: 2 months ago

Review №52

Rating: 5

Such a vibe! I really enjoyed the themed drinks and the game selection. The tables are big enough to play games and have private rooms for reservation. The staff is super friendly

Date: 3 months ago

Review №53

Rating: 2

BRUH PLEASE change your service back to the QR code ordering. Ever since they changed to a full service restaurant at the end of June service is out of this world TERRIBLE. I love love loveD this place but the service is so bad we only saw our waiter once in a 3 hour period :D so sad you guys pleeeeease

Date: 3 months ago

Review №54

Rating: 1

Used to be great. The quality of the food now sucks, they also upped the prices to a ridiculous amount and it also takes forever to be made. They also almost halved their available games for sale. They also took away mobile ordering and now have a horrible process for it where all the table has to go on one card.

Date: 3 months ago

Review №55

Rating: 2

Food quality and menu choices in the last year have really taken a downturn -- I used to love coming here back in 2021/2022, but now fried food often comes out way overdone. The last few times we ordered pretzels, the beer cheese has had a super grainy texture. Non-alcoholic drinks are usually very good, though. The QR system has been thrown out the window for servers handling tables, but you have to go out of your way to flag someone down to actually get orders or other food/drink requests in. We never had anyone come around to ask if we wanted refills for the waters we had. Seems like the selection of board games in the store has been generally reduced too every time weve gone in. Im not sure whats been going on behind these changes, but unfortunately, I dont think my group will be returning here. The downturn in food and removal of QR code ordering was the last straw.

Date: 3 months ago

Review №56

Rating: 4

This has been a favorite of mine since 2020. I love attending the magic pre releases and hanging out with friends to play games here. The food and drink have been a huge factor in why my friends and I come here. However this last week, I did not have the best experience with the new ordering system. I enjoyed the ease of the QR code but now you have to wait for a server to come take your order which makes the whole process a little slower and splitting the check is no longer an easy thing to do. I hope the old system returns soon!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №57

Rating: 5

Date: 3 months ago

Review №58

Rating: 4

overall, I had a very enjoyable time here. there are so many different games to play and its overall a fun time. my only gripe is the food. theres very few food options. the pictures of the menu arent accurate to the actual place anymore, its only whats on the online menu, so if youre hungry then I suggest going to the SLAB for BBQ next door. the drinks were good, although the prices were a bit extra in my opinion. there were many options for drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic), so youll definitely find something for you. if youre looking for a fun hang out spot, this is definitely somewhere to check out

Date: 3 months ago

Review №59

Rating: 5

Ive been here several times with both large and small groups, and the service is always excellent. In the rented rooms, you order through a QR code, but it does list all options currently available as well as shows when items are no longer in stock. The menu is constantly changing, so you will always have a different food experience. The food has always been good from my experiences. Highly recommend their London fog drink. Delicious, creamy, and just sweet enough. I also recommend the affogato, depending on what kind of mood youre in. Depending on the menu at the time, I recommend the pretzels with cheese sauce, and the burgers (honestly any of them). As I write this, we are on the solstice menu and will be enjoying the holy mole **edit- the holy mole is absolutely delicious. Extremely juicy and tender. The mole sauce is very tasty and not overly spicy nor overly sweet.** They have a ton of games to select from as well as have a bar for both alcohol and non alcoholic beverages. All of them are made very well. They have a great old fashioned, and offer different whiskey options for said old fashioneds. The atmosphere is very kid friendly, as well as very conscious of LGBT lifestyles. Its an extremely comfortable place to hang out and enjoy being with friends or even just hang out for a bite and drink.

Date: 3 months ago

Review №60

Rating: 5

Date: 3 months ago

Review №61

Rating: 5

Y all, this place is so great. The food is surprisingly good, lots of draft beer and coffee options, the staff are so friendly, and they have tons of games to rent/buy/browse. I think the only thing they could improve is to put individual lights on the tables so they could dim the overhead lights for ambiance, but this place is easily a 9/10

Date: 3 months ago

Review №62

Rating: 4

Food was yummy-- pub fare is on point. Coffee was strong. Our waitress Dana was delightful. Games were the best and they had great suggestions for kids.

Date: 3 months ago

Review №63

Rating: 5

Our server Dana was amazing and was very attentive!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №64

Rating: 5

Dana was so responsive and kind! Had so much fun and she checked up on us the whole time!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №65

Rating: 5

Dana was awesome! Right amount of check ins and great service. I love the atmosphere and will be coming back!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №66

Rating: 5

Love the welcoming and casual atmosphere here. The extended menu is more than what you d expect from a bar menu, and also appreciate the beer and cocktail options. The staff is always extremely friendly and ready to help. And Dana was keeping on top of the table service. Keep up the great work!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №67

Rating: 5

I had such a great time playing some MTG with some friends, and all the food and staff were amazing. We had Dana for our server and she was killer

Date: 3 months ago

Review №68

Rating: 2

They stopped serving their regular menu before 3 on weekends. The brunch menu only has 5 options and 3 of them were out when we arrived at 2 expecting to be able to order our regular items off of the regular menu. Will be glad to change this review if theu change back to offering the regular menu at the regular hours.

Date: 3 months ago

Review №69

Rating: 5

Much better in the new (ish) location!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №70

Rating: 5

Need I say anything? This place is awesome! Friendly staff, fun games and a tasty wellington!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №71

Rating: 5

I had a wonderful time at this place fun/friendly environment. One of the employees named Chris was so helpful with the miniatures I was spent a lot of time helping me and telling me everything the store has to offer.. the food was great too!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №72

Rating: 5

Thanks to Chris and Dana, I ll definitely be back for more food and more games!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №73

Rating: 5

Dana made our night even more fun! She kept things lively and was kind. Such a personable and attentive staff member! Thank you Dana, amoretto lemonades for everyone next time!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №74

Rating: 4

Food was mid but the service was wonderful!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №75

Rating: 5

Date: 3 months ago

Review №76

Rating: 5

Great place to hang out, play some games, and grab a bite!

Date: 3 months ago

Review №77

Rating: 5

While a little pricey it is definitely worth it, however I do wish they would install mist things or fans outside as my group is large so we always sit outside and the summers are just brutal.

Date: 3 months ago

Review №78

Rating: 5

Date: 3 months ago

Review №79

Rating: 4

Very entertaining and unique venue for gamers of all kinds. Manager was terrific and staff friendly and attentive. Food was a bit of a disappointment but the drink menu was creative and delicious.

Date: 4 months ago

Review №80

Rating: 5

This place is wonderful. The atmosphere is great! You can enjoy very good beers while playing games. You can rent a game for 5$. I love it, Ill give it 5 stars and I am looking forward to coming back. The only negative note is the food. If you want to serve British food, please, let it be real British. Its a bit awkward asking for a pint of Londons Pride and being answered: How many ounces? Or ordering a full-English breakfast, asking for HP sauces and being answered: Whats HP sauce? I suggest that all cooks there would go for a week in England and have a real taste of their full breakfast, even in the worst chain like Wetherspoon. The beans and the sausages were completely another taste from what I used to eat in England. Apart from that, everything was great. Its an excellent place!

Date: 4 months ago

Review №81

Rating: 5

Date: 4 months ago

Review №82

Rating: 5

Date: 4 months ago

Review №83

Rating: 5

I m not into the gaming myself but the food is really good here!!!

Date: 4 months ago

Review №84

Rating: 4

Date: 4 months ago

Review №85

Rating: 5

Update: They updated their system and it makes sense now. Thank you ET for listening, appreciate all that you offer and do! 3 stars for how they run their menu. Example: they charge you for ANY kind of milk in your Chai tea or hot chocolate. If I dont pick a milk do I just get a cup of syrup? Insanity. Many weird charges like this. Its poorly written menu just charge the full price instead of pretending something is a good price and adding more and more costs to it. I know a business needs to make money but this is grossly disappointing. Love the atmosphere and the staff are great but its frustrating.

Date: 4 months ago

Review №86

Rating: 5

Great place to play board games with friends, nice environment, quick service when no too busy

Date: 4 months ago

Review №87

Rating: 5

We had a small teen party at Emerald Tavern. The atmosphere and space was great! Food was good and included mostly fries (chips), burgers, and chicken tenders--no complaints. The grilled cheese was ok. The star of the show was the fish and chips. Generous portion, crunchy, and delicious. Ordering is easy via QR code. Food and beverages are pricey, but the atmosphere was worth it to have space for some tabletop gaming. Fun place!

Date: 4 months ago

Review №88

Rating: 5

Date: 4 months ago

Review №89

Rating: 5

Date: 4 months ago

Review №90

Rating: 5

Great staff, great vibe, great food.

Date: 4 months ago

Review №91

Rating: 3

The food is genuinely so bad. I ordered the pretzel and cheese was congealed and powdery, then I ordered the baked apple with custard and they brought it out completely melted, like the apple was sitting in an ocean of melted custard . idk how you could even serve that with a straight face lol. No one in our group ordered anything and had a positive review, but maybe we ordered the wrong stuff. The coffee was good however. I loved my iced honey oat latte. They have a lot of flavor selections. Also a lot of beer and cocktail options that seemed good but we weren t drinking. Atmosphere was nice! I loved the theme and they had plenty of tables. I guess they close at 9:00 on Sundays and at 9:01 they started BLASTING Closing Time, so loud we couldn t hear each other talk, which was rude imo but not a huge deal. I also made a reservation for $45 then when we got there reservations weren t required, so kinda just wasted $45 haha. I would go back for the big tables and to have a pitcher of beer or coffee and game, but definitely don t go expecting a good meal.

Date: 4 months ago

Review №92

Rating: 5

Had a lot of fun here , will recommend this place 10/10 Their drinks and coffee was great and game selection and the person who was recommending them was so nice , food options could be better Food

Date: 5 months ago

Review №93

Rating: 5

Date: 5 months ago

Review №94

Rating: 5

We came here with a group of friends, and it was very fun coming here. They have board games and video games, and you can even bring your own board games to play with. The food was good too.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №95

Rating: 5

Some of the best and most friendly staff around. Good eats, great drinks, lots of fun stuff to-do.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №96

Rating: 4

A really fun place to hang out. My cocktail was $14 and was quite watered down and not worth it. I feel guilty for spending the money on it. Otherwise, Id still come back and get a coffee or a beer and play some games.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №97

Rating: 5

Good food. Great games. Highly recommended.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №98

Rating: 5

The food was delicious, the drinks were fun and imaginative, there were a ton of options for board and card games, and the man in charge of the games, Chris, was a delight. He was passionate and knowledgeable, with tons of suggestions for novice game players.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №99

Rating: 1

The staff has been great but the rules at this place is awful. If you have a large group 5+ be prepared to pay a lot of money to reserve a table. You can t grab a spare chair for a table because that is against their rules. Even standing around a table is against their rules. You can t put two tables together either. The back room has plenty of space with no one there but can t sit there unless you play warhammer. The food is incredibly pricey as well. Up until recently I was a regular but no longer.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №100

Rating: 5

Ac was not adequate on the bar side of the venue but its a super cool and unique place to hang out.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №101

Rating: 4

Great place but the food has taken a downturn in taste and quality the last several months. Not sure what happened. But the service and atmosphere are still great and we havent stopped going - we just dont eat here anymore.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №102

Rating: 5

Im Wes [redacted], and The Emerald Tavern is my favorite spot in town.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №103

Rating: 5

What a fantastic place to meet friends for great food, fabulous drinks, and a wonderful selection of games.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №104

Rating: 5

Ive been coming to ET for years now! It has been consistently packed with people playing boardgames. The atmosphere is great for those who love the hobby.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №105

Rating: 5

Date: 5 months ago

Review №106

Rating: 1

ET no longer caters to gaming groups larger than 4. The war games room is now for Warhammer 40k only, two chairs per table. You have to reserve tables now, at a steep price. We originally went to ET because it didnt require reservations or charge for tables. Our group of 6 to 8 were there twice a week, we all had dinner, multiple drinks, and usually dessert. Prices for food and drinks recently rose about $2. Even iced tea is $4 a glass, and no free refills. We have basically been kicked out because we cant afford to pay for reservations on top of the expensive food and drinks, and they have made themselves unavailable to a group our size based on limiting the tables. We will no longer be going to ET to play, and I will not be buying my games and supplies there anymore.

Date: 5 months ago

Review №107

Rating: 3

This place is a great spot to play board games with friends. I used to enjoy all their food entrees but lately their food options have started to not taste as good and the quality has diminished. Overall still a great spot for hanging out with friends and playing board games.

Date: 6 months ago

Review №108

Rating: 5

Seeing tables and tables of people enjoying board games, food, and each other is really a heart warming experience, and thats just when you walk in the door. I come here at lunch and camp out to work remotely when its not too busy. Love it!

Date: 6 months ago

Review №109

Rating: 5

Date: 6 months ago

Review №110

Rating: 5

Date: 6 months ago

Review №111

Rating: 5

Date: 6 months ago

Review №112

Rating: 5

We came this afternoon and Harry and Mateo were amazing! Mateo immediately understood the games our group was into and would want to try and made some great suggestions! Harry was amazing at checking in with us and even helped me look for some games that my 5yo would love. They are both SO good and passionate at what they do. Definitely made us want to come back again and again!

Date: 6 months ago

Review №113

Rating: 5

Emerald Tavern is such a fun place to go hang out with friends, play board games and have some drinks. Rented resistance for $5 and played with 6 friends for about an hour, so worth it! All staff was kind and professional. Highly recommend!

Date: 6 months ago

Review №114

Rating: 5

Date: 6 months ago

Review №115

Rating: 5

Just lovely!!! Wonderful people, great atmosphere, and extremely attentive to allergies and sensitivities. A lot of the food is fried, so be aware that it is fairly heavy fare, but it does taste good. The breading on my chicken thighs got a bit singed, but the chicken itself was fine, so not a big deal. They also have some really nice non-alcoholic mocktails - I really recommend the Cleric. The tomato basil soup is also incredible, I got jealous eyes from the rest of my table. They have an online ordering system that was just as smooth as butter. One of the easiest ordering experiences of my life. Overall, just a wonderful experience. Kind and gracious people, a code of conduct thats extremely reasonable (essentially common-sense guidelines about being courteous and not breaking the games), and a very fun and welcoming atmosphere. I definitely plan to come back someday, once my friends and I can get our schedules to line up again.

Date: 6 months ago

Review №116

Rating: 5

We had so much fun! Every single staff member we interacted with was super friendly and helpful. Drinks and food were also delicious! We will absolutely be coming back!

Date: 6 months ago

Review №117

Rating: 5

Date: 6 months ago

Review №118

Rating: 5

Date: 6 months ago

Review №119

Rating: 5

Food and drinks were yummy and well priced. Our poutine came out a little lukewarm, but in there defense it was pretty busy. Workers were really nice and helpful, and overall the atmosphere was very open and welcoming. I definitely recommend the d20 drink roll, i got a nat 20 ;) Food

Date: 6 months ago

Review №120

Rating: 4

Had a blast every time. The food is definitely not something to write home about but its the games, booze, and service you want. I highly recommend for a good time. Assuming gaming is your thing.

Date: 7 months ago

Review №121

Rating: 5

Great place for a group of board gamers to meet and chill. Great place for decent food and drinks, good people & chill vibes.

Date: 7 months ago

Review №122

Rating: 5

Been coming here since I have moved to Austin 2 years ago from Louisiana. Love the concept of the place. Food is good and the drink selection is awesome. Great job to the service team for stepping up for the weekends lately as well. Hoping to be in for an event here soon.

Date: 7 months ago

Review №123

Rating: 5

We arent from the area, but had to come check the place out! We had coffee, played a game we rented, and bought some too! We didnt eat, but the food smelled great and looked good on other peoples tables.

Date: 7 months ago

Review №124

Rating: 5

Friendly staff, good food, great atmosphere. They deserve the money I throw at them

Date: 7 months ago

Review №125

Rating: 5

Date: 7 months ago

Review №126

Rating: 5

Really cheap if you want to try new board games with friend. $10 for unlimited games

Date: 7 months ago

Review №127

Rating: 5

I love coming here to play cards with friends. The food is top notch and cafe drinks are amazing

Date: 7 months ago

Review №128

Rating: 5

Date: 7 months ago

Review №129

Rating: 3

Love playing games here. They don t however have any gluten free or dairy free options other than salad with no dressing. Would love to see them get a few more options like at least a GF bun and fries everyone can eat. If you have dietary restrictions eat beforehand The games tho are fun and it s fun to be around a nice board game crowd Dietary restrictions: No gluten free or dairy free options, and they will up charge you for a slice of tomato if you try and get a lettuce wrap

Date: 7 months ago

Review №130

Rating: 5

Date: 7 months ago

Review №131

Rating: 5

Date: 7 months ago

Review №132

Rating: 5

Date: 7 months ago

Review №133

Rating: 3

This used to be my favorite place for indie RPGs and other odd and creative games that arent produced by the bigger franchises. Now its all gone. And they took down all the signs so even if you go for board games you cant browse by category or easily find what you want anymore.

Date: 7 months ago

Review №134

Rating: 5

Phenomenal fish and chips

Date: 7 months ago

Review №135

Rating: 5

Date: 7 months ago

Review №136

Rating: 5

Date: 8 months ago

Review №137

Rating: 5

Love this place!

Date: 8 months ago

Review №138

Rating: 5

Date: 8 months ago

Review №139

Rating: 5

Fantastic board game club, great events and great people. I go weekly. The bar is very well stocked with options and the food is great

Date: 8 months ago

Review №140

Rating: 5

I had the tomato basil soup, a side salad with vinaigrette and two teas, a basic English breakfast tea with milk and a London Fog. Everything was delicious. The staff was friendly and the whole vibe of the place was great. This is a really fun place to play games with friends and to try new games as well. Super fun.

Date: 8 months ago

Review №141

Rating: 5

Great drinks, awesome game selection and chill vibes

Date: 8 months ago

Review №142

Rating: 5

I come here and rent a room for small group work events and sometimes just casually with friends. Employees have always been friendly and helpful. The womens bathroom has always been clean. Their nonalcoholic drink selection (cafe/sodas) is very good. Their game board/table top accessories selection is also very good. They always have some fun new dice at the front counter where you can rent boardgames. If you book one of their rooms the board game rentals are free which is a nice touch.

Date: 8 months ago

Review №143

Rating: 5

My GF slayed me cause she rolls 6s like the devil. Legit

Date: 8 months ago

Review №144

Rating: 4

Lovely spot that I enjoy playing board games with friends at. The food is a bit pricey but outside of that it s great! Keep in mind that if you don t bring your own games someone in your group will have to pay per game or for the day. I m used to board game spots letting us rent games for free but it s not a huge deal since they re in the Austin area.

Date: 8 months ago

Review №145

Rating: 5

Love the new place!

Date: 8 months ago

Review №146

Rating: 5

Date: 8 months ago

Review №147

Rating: 5

Some have questioned the lgbtq friendliness of the emerald tavern because of a lack of rainbow decor. I would say, look at the staff, theyre almost ALL lgbtq. Its a very safe place. Kid friendliness: No one will give you a second look for having children here to play games. No highchairs, changing tables or boosters though Parking: Mind the yellow flood zone markings of rain is in the forecast. The parking lot WILL food Kid-friendliness: Weve brought our child here many times and we often see children ages 6-12 playing games here

Date: 8 months ago

Review №148

Rating: 5

Date: 8 months ago

Review №149

Rating: 5

This is one of the best board game restaurants that I have ever seen. Id love to see more places like this?.

Date: 8 months ago

Review №150

Rating: 5

Dietary restrictions: Plenty of options for allergies. Recommended dishes

Date: 9 months ago

Review №151

Rating: 5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №152

Rating: 5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №153

Rating: 2

A tavern for games. They reached past their potential. Games try, food don t buy. Food : 2/5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №154

Rating: 5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №155

Rating: 5

My company booked a room here to celebrate. We ordered food and drinks and brought our owns games. It was really fun, clean, the staff are so nice and brought everything we requested. I would come back again!

Date: 9 months ago

Review №156

Rating: 5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №157

Rating: 5

Im part of a backgammon club that meets here twice a week. The food is great, especially the fish and chips. The service and atmosphere is amazing. I catch myself smiling a lot while here.

Date: 9 months ago

Review №158

Rating: 5

True English style tavern food with interesting memu twists and fun and delicious drinks. The game rental is awesome and the people there are super helpful, a great place to spend an evening or pick up a new nerd sport.

Date: 9 months ago

Review №159

Rating: 5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №160

Rating: 5

I came here to play magic the gathering with my group. This place is awesome. The food was on point! I had the Dublin thighs and they were SLAM! It was a super chill place with a very friendly staff. We played here for several hours and loved every moment. We will definitely be back!

Date: 9 months ago

Review №161

Rating: 5

Date: 9 months ago

Review №162

Rating: 4

What a great place to play games and eat food! You can rent games for $5 each, or unlimited for $10/table for the day. Fried fish was excellent & huge. Pretzels were great! Fried cookie dough was not good at all...more like a bad, oily pancake. Overall, Ill be back.

Date: 9 months ago

Review №163

Rating: 5

We went for a fun DnD one-shot night. The atmosphere was great. The fish-and-chips and pretzels were delicious, and it included a free drink in the ticket price. Great job, Emerald Tavern, trying out a game we hadnt done before in a long time.

Date: 9 months ago

Review №164

Rating: 5

Great place to sit and play a game! Parking: Theres always parking even when the restaurant is packed Food : 5/5 |

Date: 9 months ago

Review №165

Rating: 5

There should be more nerd cafes!

Date: 9 months ago

Review №166

Rating: 4

Good game selection, but the food was not as it was shown on the menu. The pictures show the food much better than it actually is. It was disappointing that it was so different than what was shown. I had a decent size party all eating and we were a bit let down. Now the game selection was excellent and the size of the building was great. I think with a little focus on the food this location could be excellent. I will return for the game selection alone. Parking: Easy with plenty of room. Kid-friendliness: Kid friendly. Good game selection.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №167

Rating: 5

Wow! What an experience! In all my years of patronage I have seldom encountered an establishment as fine and well-cultured as this Emerald Tavern. The moment I entered the door, I was greeted by 2 generous and attentive apprentices. These days its hard to find a place where a wizards apprentice will engage with their guests on the human level, so this was already a major boon to my fine dining experience. I was directed to the table which I had made reservation for. I was fascinated to learn that in lieu of a traditional hardcopy menu, the wizards of ET have created a magical ordering system. I had only to simply scry the menu directly to my Mobile Orb! What a fascinating innovation in the world of service! I used my Orb to order the Tavern Burger, with English Chips (extra crispy). While I waited for the kitchen gnomes to complete my order, one of the apprentices came back to offer me a magical puzzle to bide my time. In this puzzle, I used my knowledge of arcana and crystallography to free 6 familiars from a dark cave. Once all 6 creatures were free, I enlisted their aid in locking up the dreaded Black Dragon. It was a novel experience, which brought me back two hundred years ago at least to when I adventured in the Lost Caves of Golgudîr to slay Balthamus the Maleficent. While I was reminiscing on adventures past, the apprentice returned to my table with my Tavern Burger. Eureka, what an experience. I have never had a meal so well prepared before in all my years of adventure. Let this be known to all wizards who scry my review, the Emerald Tavern is a must-visit for those who consider themselves wise in the magic of eatery.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №168

Rating: 5

Date: 10 months ago

Review №169

Rating: 1

Cool idea!! However the service was lacking in every department. Learning how little they pay and how poorly the owners treat the staff, it makes sense. There are other places in Austin doing the same thing but better.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №170

Rating: 5

Fantastic food. The entirely self service menu and check out/tab handling is super annoying to me but everything else was wonderful. Nice getting to eat, drink and play tabletop games and shop too. Great concept.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №171

Rating: 5

Just hanging out at the spot where everybodys playing board games was a blast. Tons of gaming selections

Date: 10 months ago

Review №172

Rating: 5

First time visiting in the last few years, and oh my god, I was blown away. The food here is EXCEPTIONAL, a lot of dishes even being better than the Austin elite food scene. The whiskey baked Brie appetizer and Draconic Wellington entree rivals anything I ve ever had even at the nicest Austin restaurants. All this plus great drinks and being able to play unlimited board games for $10? Literally, there does not exist a better way to spend an evening.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №173

Rating: 5

Date: 10 months ago

Review №174

Rating: 5

Date: 10 months ago

Review №175

Rating: 5

The food didn t last long enough for a photo! Had a great time here with a friend. A+ to the staff for putting up with my dad jokes ( You really are the Chosen One, Harry! for taking care of my glass, and Barret for asking me if his name was a FF7 reference).

Date: 10 months ago

Review №176

Rating: 5

Date: 10 months ago

Review №177

Rating: 5

I love this place. Chill atmosphere, friendly staff, good food, a nice bar, and a decent collection of rentable board games to enjoy. They have private rooms you can rent and they will deliver food and drink as you play. The game store is jam-packed with all of the latest, most popular boardgames as well. Great place to hang out and spend good quality game time with family and friends.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №178

Rating: 5

The staff was amazing. Beer selection was out of this world. This is a quirky place with tasty, different food. I had tomato basil soup, I believe, and wow, was it flavorful! Very fresh tasting... I also ate their fried chicken thighs, but I dont remember the name of them on the menu, and amazing homemade mashed potatoes that I thought I would have leftovers of because the helping was very generous, but they were so delicious that I had to eat every last bite! Many tables for playing games on, lots of seating in the back area, lots of different things to purchase. So much cool stuff that I took pictures to show my family.

Date: 10 months ago

Review №179

Rating: 4

Date: 10 months ago

Review №180

Rating: 5

Date: 11 months ago

Review №181

Rating: 5

Date: 11 months ago

Review №182

Rating: 5

Date: 11 months ago

Review №183

Rating: 1

This place looked really cool so we thought we d try it, went in at 12 noon for lunch and they weren t busy at all. A couple of groups were well into their games but once we ordered from the terribly nondescript online menu (vague descriptions, no pics) we finally settled on about $70 of drinks and food. And it took FOREVER. And no one bothered to get my husband another beer when he was ready- definitely using the term tavern, loosely, I see. Basically, the food was literally okay. We d been walking around shopping all morning so I went to the bar to get some water, and was promptly informed by a little girl dressed as a cat that I could get my own while she hung out and didn t do anything. After the crumby service, we decided to scarf our food and get out of there instead of hanging out because frankly, lunchtime on a Saturday being that dead should have been our first red flag. Would recommend people avoid this place unless they prefer over-priced, mediocre food combined with an awkwardly suffocating atmosphere. The layout is really poorly executed, too. Cutting the restaurant in half due to the games ( I get that they are a focus) makes the restaurant look closed on one side and it is really misleading as to where to sit. They should unscrew their floor space and put all those games on wall shelves to create a gallery effect while capitalizing on the place s huge square footage, instead of having a bunch of wilted wall flowers for bartenders and waitresses who don t even do their meager job. Go ahead, tattoo whatever insect you like on your face or whatever, but for the love of Ireland, learn how to get a man another beer.

Date: 11 months ago

Review №184

Rating: 5

This is my all time favorite hang out spot! They have a great game selection to both purchase and rent. I love the online ordering process too. The food and drinks always come out super timely and you dont have to interrupt your games to place an order or anything. Paying and tipping is also very convenient too. Ive had multiple fantastic experiences renting out private rooms for D&D games, and Ill definitely be coming back again soon. The staff is incredibly attentive and they make you feel right at home. I recommend any and all of their cocktails as well as their aioli fries.

Date: 11 months ago

Review №185

Rating: 5

Date: 11 months ago

Review №186

Rating: 5

Date: 11 months ago

Review №187

Rating: 5

Date: 11 months ago

Review №188

Rating: 5

We come here to play games. The staff is always nice and respectful. You can get a room, table and even reserve a table or a room. We enjoy coming here to play. They have games too and have demos. The food is always good but expensive and when we come we are often encouraged to try something new. When we come come here it is really nice and good experiences.

Date: 11 months ago

Review №189

Rating: 5

Date: a year ago

Review №190

Rating: 5

Date: a year ago

Review №191

Rating: 5

Attended a family birthday party here on Saturday!! This is a great place for family and friends to spend time together!! Our party age range was 5 years to 90 years and we had a blast! The staff recommended some excellent games for us to play and we purchased a few of them. The only negative was the food service. We had a reserved room they offer and ordered a good amount of food and drinks. The food was delicious and arrived in a good timely manner. The pretzel rolls are fantastic with the honey mustard dip! The only negative was once we received our food, there was no follow up to remove the used dishes. I asked if I could take the bin they use for dirty dishes to our room and was told a server would come and help us but that didn t happen. After eating, We needed some space to plays games so we ended up taking our dirty dishes and glasses up to the counter area where the bins are for dirty dishes. This is a fun and special place for all ages and a great place for a celebration! We ll go back for more fun!!

Date: a year ago

Review №192

Rating: 5

One of the neatest gamer places in Austin! A perfect place to gather with friends. I recommend a making a reservation!

Date: a year ago

Review №193

Rating: 5

Love going here for our weekly game nights. There is nothing I have tried on the menu that was not really good, but the samosas are the best, imo. The staff is really helpful and knowledgeable especially when we want to rent something new. They always have great suggestions. Love this place.

Date: a year ago

Review №194

Rating: 5

Date: a year ago

Review №195

Rating: 5

Emerald Tavern is a unique experience, combing food, alcohol, coffee, and gaming into one awesome experience. I did not try the food, but I did have a couple of coffees and a Mexican Coke. Service was very good, and the online ordering experience worked very well. My son and I played Battletech at one of the smaller tables, which was maybe 38 x 38. It was slightly smaller than recommended for the campaign we played, but worked very well for our purposes. We could have reserved a table in advance, which I would recommend if you need a larger table. The staff was great - everyone was friendly and engaging, and the atmosphere was great! I will definitely be back.

Date: a year ago

Review №196

Rating: 5

Date: a year ago

Review №197

Rating: 5

Date: a year ago

Review №198

Rating: 5

Date: a year ago

Review №199

Rating: 3

Why are there no fans outside?

Date: a year ago

Review №200

Rating: 5

Great food. Great atmosphere! Zoey, you rock! I ll be back for sure.

Date: a year ago