Austin Monthly Finds Warm, Healthy Comfort at Honest Mary’s

Megan Kimble of Austin Monthly admits her fondness for grain bowls made her likely to approve of Honest Mary’s. However, the fast-casual spot, which opened in October, exceeded her expectations.

Kimble noted the “bright and inviting” interior (“like a stylish friend’s living room”) and the prevalence of locally sourced ingredients. She opted for a signature bowl, although there are also options to build your own.

I ordered the Songbird, with black forbidden rice, French green lentils, steamed kale, rainbow carrots, beets, toasted pumpkin seeds, and tahini citrus miso sauce. It was the perfect warm comfort on a cold night. All the sauces at Honest Mary’s are exceptional, but the tahini citrus miso sauce alone will keep the place in business.

She ends the review calling the restaurant “honest-to-goodness delicious.”

Across town, Austin Monthly’s bar reviewer Moira Muldoon was led to King Bee. She found the bar was “a comfortable place to chat,” noting that it had a diverse range of ages.

Noting that there is a lack of “fancy” in the space, Muldoon praised the “extremely good” pizza, sampling the Cheez-illa pizza with all sorts of cheeses and the Queen of Hearts with hearts of palm, sundried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts.

King Bee is widely known for owner and bartender Billy Hankey, who Muldoon found “easy to talk to.” In terms of cocktails, Muldoon wrote:

The bar has become known for its frozen cocktails. The Bee’s Knees — made with gin, honey, lemon, and an edible flower — is popular. It tasted fresh and like honey. I wish I’d realized I should have tried the flower too.

Muldoon summarizes by saying, “what [the bar] does — drinks, pizza, and room for conversation — it does really well.”

ON THE BLOGS: ATX Eats and Treats had nothing but praise for her meal at Intero, particularly the beet passato, and Christina, Going Places enjoyed the creative drinks and tasty bites at Black Sugar Caffe

• Restaurant Review: Honest Mary’s [Austin Monthly]
• All Coverage of Honest Mary’s [EATX]
• A Girl Walks Into a Bar: King Bee [Austin Monthly]
• All Coverage of King Bee [EATX]