[rating:3]
I have mixed feelings about Hill Country. I visited with my mom, sister, wife, son, and a fellow Yelper, Janeen B. I was glad Janeen fit right in with the group and seemed to have a good time. We had planned for a larger gathering, but several people backed out at the last minute. No worries though, we still made the most of it.
One thing worth noting is that Hill Country uses a unique ordering system. You receive a ticket, walk up to the ordering area, place your order, and collect your food from there. My mom mentioned she was hoping to simply sit down and enjoy a relaxed dinner, but this process required more effort than expected and felt less intuitive than traditional table service. I also noticed after leaving that I had tipped, despite there being no conventional server interaction. That was a bit of an odd experience, and most of our group was not fond of the format.
A few other observations:
The chicken appeared undercooked on the inside, still looking pink, which was concerning. My wife noticed the same issue with her order, so it was not an isolated incident.
When it came time to pack up the leftover chicken, we were told doggy bags were not available for it. That was disappointing, as we had planned to bring the food home.
The menu did not offer much in the way of kid friendly options, which made things a little challenging with a picky young eater in tow.
The side dish selection felt limited. I tried the bourbon mashed potatoes, and the bourbon flavor was quite overpowering. No one at our table found it appealing.
On the service side, since the setup leans more self serve, interaction with staff after ordering drinks was minimal. The person at the meat station was helpful, though they were clearly focused on keeping the line moving. There was also a moment where a staff member suggested my mom avoid taking her classic Coca Cola bottle outside, citing potential concerns. She held onto it without any issue after he walked away.
Overall, Hill Country has a cafeteria style feel with bench seating. Setting aside the chicken quality and the ordering process, it was not a terrible experience. That said, I do not see myself returning. This type of setup may work well for some, but it is not quite what I look for when dining out with family. If you are in the area, Blue Smoke is another option we have found more enjoyable.
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