Review of The Blue Star Cafeteria in Austin, Texas

When Blue Star Cafeteria first opened in the Rosedale neighborhood of Austin, I admit being skeptical. I peeked in its windows and thought, "Oh, here we go. Another snooty, industrial-themed, high-ho-silver space with an inflated ego and even more inflated prices." When it comes to restaurants, I love being wrong. That's why, despite my initial reaction, I gave Blue Star a try on my birthday. This was a risky endeavor since no one wants ho-hum cuisine and rotten service on their special day. It doesn't bode well for the coming year.

When we entered Blue Star, the track-lit, concrete, stainless steel surroundings alluded to the restaurant's name, but this place turned out to be table-service only. In fact, it was anything but a tray-infested, sneeze-guarded, buffet-style joint. It was a cafeteria like we always wanted--open, clean, and friendly with plenty of attitude (not that my lunch lady was lacking the latter).

To my utter pleasure, the food and the service exceeded my expectations. I dined on the Bowtie Pasta and Chicken (13.95) made with a roasted-corn cream bisque. My partner ordered the namesake Cafeteria Meatloaf ($9.95), which came with mashed potatoes, gravy, and broccoli. The flavors were good without overwhelming our palette. The service was attentive and friendly, and on this weeknight, we found the noise level acceptable.

While enjoying my birthday meal, I noticed information about Blue Star Cafeteria's food and drink happy hour with its many half-price items. We returned several weeks later to try it out. Happy hour at Blue Star runs M-F, 4-7 p.m. Our repeat happy hour visits speak volumes about the first venture. Some of our favorite happy hour menu items include the over-sized Shrimp Cocktail with Pea Salad ($4.49), the Veggie Pizza ($5.50), the Crab Cakes ($4.69), and the Star Burger ($5.00). I am especially partial to the Shrimp Cocktail and Crab Cakes. My partner's favorite is the Burger and, honestly, you can't beat the happy hour price of five bucks. We have also tried the Grilled Chicken Quesadillas ($6.95) and the Grilled Rosemary Chicken Pizza (7.00). To our amateur, but adventurous taste buds, they lack the same appeal as the other dishes. From the choices of happy hour drinks, we enjoy the Pom Secco ($4.50) and the Sparkling Fruit Cocktail ($3.75).

Although we are not the pickiest eaters, we do appreciate quality food and attentive service at sit-down restaurants. At Blue Star, it's hard to beat the quality of the food for the price. Plus, two people can easily share a couple of appetizers as an early dinner during happy hour.

As for service, the staff at Blue Star Cafeteria are friendly and remember us by name, which lends the restaurant a neighborhood feel. We have only been with groups of adults so I cannot comment on the kid friendliness of the place. I can, however, comment on the noise. When Blue Star gets hopping, so do the upper decibels. The open environment and concrete floors attract and conduct noise like the Gulf of Mexico attracts hurricanes. Thus, this is not the place to go if you are looking for romantic dining. Essentially, Blue Star's mission is to offer upscale comfort food at a reasonable price. While I still find some of their evening dining options too pricey for my wallet, I'd say they've succeeded overall in offering a little something for everyone.