Curious where Austin's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been seeing especially high review volumes this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Austin businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each o received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are on a hot streak this summer.
Vamonos
Open since April, this Tex-Mex spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Tex-Mex" on Yelp.
Citywide, Tex-Mex spots saw a median 1.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Vamonos saw a 31.4% increase, maintaining a healthy four-star rating throughout.
Located at 4807 Airport Blvd. in North Loop, Vamonos serves up classic Tex-Mex fare such as tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, burrito and salads, as well as tequila, beer and cocktails.
Wonder Bar
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about North Burnett's Wonder Bar, the bar is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, Wonder Bar bagged a 45.8% increase in new reviews within that time frame, with a slight downward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to its current 3.5 stars.
Open at 11500 Rock Rose Ave. since May, Wonder Bar serves specialty cocktails, as well as a small food menu that features tacos, burgers, buffalo wings, mini corn dogs, fried pickles, chicken sandwiches and more.
High Note
Zilker's High Note is also making waves. Open since April at 300 S. Lamar, Suite A, the Mediterranean breakfast and brunch spot has seen a 45.2% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 3.1% for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
High Note offers diners fresh, health-conscious food, juices and cocktails that are made in-house, with menu items such as the yellow coconut curry, roasted Mediterranean chicken and salmon poke being highlights. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
True Food Kitchen
North Burnett's True Food Kitchen is currently on the upswing in the New American category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 3% increase in new reviews over the past month, this New American spot increased its new reviews by 15.4%—and kept its rating consistent at four stars.
Open for business since February at 11410 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 100, the restaurant offers a seasonal, rotating menu that features health-conscious New American fare such as kale salads, pizzas, grain bowls, beef and turkey burgers, lasagna and seafood. Dishes can be catered to various specialty diets, such as vegetarian, vegan, keto and paleo.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
