Best Restaurants in Round Rock, Texas

As someone who grew up in Austin, Texas, Round Rock is one of the cities I visit most often. It's only about a 15-20 minute drive away from me, and over the years, it has become one of my favorite food destinations in the Greater Austin area.
Round Rock is home to some of the best ethnic restaurants around, and for that reason, I find myself making the trip there at least once a week just to eat. If you're a foodie looking for the best places to eat in Round Rock, follow along because these are the spots you won't want to miss.

Here is the map of all my favorites.

Happy Dragon

Happy Dragon serves Xian Style eats. They’re known for their biang biang noodles, along with a really solid sweet and sour fish.

I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve ordered here, though I usually skip the dumplings and focus on the noodle dishes instead. Other favorites include the spicy crispy chicken, Cumin lamb noodles, pig ears, and cucumbers! All their noodles are hand pulled or made from scratch here.

Click here for their website.

Bay Leaf

Bayleaf is my go to spot for North Indian food in Round Rock, Texas. I’ve tried quite a few of the popular Indian restaurants in the area, and a lot of them tend to focus more on South Indian cuisine.

For South Indian food, I usually recommend spots like Rock N Grill or Sangam Chettinad in North Austin. But if you’re looking specifically for North Indian dishes, Bayleaf is where I would go.

The things I recommend getting here are their North Indian chaat dishes. I especially enjoy their aloo tikki chaat, which has a nice balance of flavors and textures.

Other dishes I like here include their butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo, lamb peshwari, and malai kofta. Their naan and other smaller dishes are also solid and make this a great spot to visit with a group so you can share multiple things. I think they have the best naan in town. Their Lamb Biryani is also next level!

Ros Niyom

Ros Niyom is 100% worth the drive to Round Rock. The reason is simple, this is where you will find truly authentic Thai dishes in a low key setting that actually delivers on flavor.

They have, in my opinion, the best moo ping in town, grilled in a traditional style and packed with flavor. The som tum is properly spicy and pairs perfectly with the moo ping.

If you want to order like a local, my go to is the moo ping, two orders of sticky rice, som tum, chicken wings with the sauce on the side, and the tom kha soup, which is the best in Austin. Another must try is the pla tod nam pla, a deep fried marinated whole trout in fish sauce served with shredded mango and a spicy lime sauce. We also enjoy their curry puffs!

Of all the Thai spots on this list, this is the one you cannot skip if you are looking for the best tasting, traditional Thai food. I do think P Thai is slightly stronger overall, but they do not serve many of the classic dishes you would expect, like som tum or pad see ew.

Click here for their full menu.

Ghama Zone

Ghamma zone is a must try spot in Round Rock, Texas. I’ve been several times, and while they’ve recently added sushi to the menu, the real highlight is definitely their traditional Korean dishes. I also recommend the dino rib, a 48-hour tender galbi style beef rib served sliced. It takes around 20 to 30 minutes to prepare, but it’s incredibly flavorful and melts in your mouth. Other favorites include the Galbitang and the Yup Duk level rice cakes. Their website is here.

Sushi Yume

The best bang for your buck sushi in Austin that isn't omakase, it’s Sushi Yume. Honestly, the quality and taste is so good I'd rather eat here than most omakase spots in Austin. Consistently good and very nice. service. The uni is high quality as well! There's no reservations and wait times can be long but so worth it. Their Unitoro chirashi bowl is my favorite item here. Click here for more. This is my favorite restaurant in Round Rock.

Please note the space is small and the wait is usually up to 1-2 hours. Get the fried squid and the tempura as well. I love their salmon on salmon roll, 10 piece nigiri combo, and and of the dons.

Little Mamas

Little Mama's is probably the best Filipino spot in the Austin area. Technically, it is not located in Austin, but I personally drive out here specifically for their Filipino food.

They have pretty limited hours and the indoor seating situation is not the most ideal, so I usually recommend getting your food to go. However, the quality of the food makes it worth the trip.

My favorites here are definitely their lechon kawali, halo halo, and their chicken and pork skewers. Everything has a lot of flavor, and they do a great job showcasing Filipino classics.

If you’re looking for Filipino food in the Austin area, I would definitely start here. Little Mama’s is the spot I recommend checking out.

Round Rock Donuts

Round Rock Donuts is a Texas staple, and for many years, people have driven to Round Rock specifically to try their famous donuts with that signature deep yellow color.

Personally, I actually enjoy their kolaches just as much as their donuts. My usual order is an assortment of kolaches along with a bag of donut holes. Of course, if you want the full experience, you can also get their famous jumbo donut, which is so large that you can practically eat it like a cake.

The main thing to know is that this location can have a very long drive through line, especially during busy hours. A little life hack is that if you want the donuts without the wait, you can always visit their Cedar Park location instead.

WiseGuys

Wise Guys might be the only Chicago style eatery in the greater Austin area, and they do a really solid job bringing those flavors to Central Texas.

Their tavern style pizza is the main thing I recommend trying. The thin, crispy crust is very reminiscent of what you would find in Chicago, and they also offer other Chicago classics like Chicago dogs that you do not really find at many places around Austin.

One thing I really appreciate is that their giardiniera is legit. It adds that spicy, tangy flavor that is essential to a lot of Chicago style dishes. If you are craving Chicago food without leaving Austin, Wise Guys is definitely worth checking out. I also recommend trying their italian beef

Deck Hands

Deckhand Oyster Bar & Seafood is a staple amongst the Asian community in Austin. They serve Vietnamese Cajun seafood, with classics like peel and eat crawfish and other seafood boils.

While their Viet Cajun dishes are solid, the sleeper item here is actually their deep fried calamari. In my opinion, it is one of the best seafood dishes you can find in Austin. The texture and seasoning were always on point, and it was something I looked forward to ordering every time I went.

I haven’t been back in a few years, but this was a spot I used to really enjoy, and it remains a memorable Austin seafood spot for me.

Hung Ky

Hung ky is a really good Chinese Vietnamese fusion spot that opened more recently in Round Rock. They have a pretty extensive menu, and a lot of the dishes showcase both Chinese and Vietnamese influences.

One of the things I really enjoyed here was their tamarind whole crab. It was flavorful and a great dish to share. I also really liked their bò lúc lắc, which is essentially Vietnamese shaken beef. The beef had great flavor and was one of my favorite dishes from the meal.

Other things I recommend trying are their Vietnamese lotus stem salad, which comes with juicy shrimp and pork, as well as their coconut heart salad with shrimp and pork. Both are large portions and packed with flavor.

Overall, pretty much everything I tried here was solid, and I think it’s a great option if you’re looking for Vietnamese dishes with some Chinese influences.

Hoody's

Hoody's Subs is known for their Italian sandwiches, but honestly, the best thing on the menu might actually be their Philly cheesesteak.

Their Philly cheesesteak comes loaded with shingled meat, gooey melted cheese, and this extra spicy chili sauce that really brings everything together. The sauce adds the perfect balance of acidity and heat to cut through the richness of the sandwich, and it honestly makes the whole thing work.

In my opinion, this is hands down one of the best Philly cheesesteaks you can find in the area, with maybe only R&B's Steak & Fries competing with it.

The portions here are also huge, and the prices are very reasonable. For those reasons alone, Hoodie's is a must visit if you’re craving a really good sandwich.

Yammys

Yammys is another Filipino spot that I think is worth checking out. What initially brought me here was their viral iLocos empanadas, which were really solid and a unique item that you don’t find everywhere. The vinegar sauce goes perfectly with the rich longanisa and ooey gooey egg on the inside! The filling is also green papaya and mung bean.

I did enjoy some of their other dishes as well, although I will say that the consistency has been a little hit or miss depending on what I ordered. That being said, I still think they are a really great Filipino gem in the Austin area.

Some things I recommend trying are their lechon kawali, pancit, and halo halo. If you’re looking to explore Filipino food in Austin, Yummy is definitely a spot worth adding to your list