Here's what the team has to say about Phil's Icehouse:
Judge #1: I was looking forward to this month’s selection. From the website it looked like a cool Austin-ish place to go. The atmosphere is very Austin like and thought this could be a place to come back to. I ordered the Violet Crown which is a bleu cheese burger with sautéed onions and a jalapeno bun, with optional hot sauce. I bit into the burger and found the burger rather unseasoned. Once I poured the hot sauce on it the overall flavor improved. The bun to meat ratio was a bit off, and I really did not care for the soft bun. The sweet potato fries were good but not crisp as I would have liked. Overall I doubt I would go back or recommend.
Judge #2: Decent burger, was a little dry though. Another one of those pillowy sweet buns that makes it look like at first too much bun for the meat. Bacon was crispy though, and overall it tasted like a decent burger someone grilled at home. Fries were good, no standard Coke or Pepsi for soads, and while I wasnt impressed with Phil's environment, it helps that it's attached to an Amy's and has a playscape for the kids, so likely I will take the little one here someday.
Judge #3: To quote another attendee: "Meh". I had the (bacon cheeseburger), and perhaps I needed to get a more complex burger, with more sauce or something. But like good Texas BBQ, a good Texas burger stands on its own, without needing a lot of sauce and complexity to add taste. The patty itself needed seasoning. The veggies were nice and fresh, but again didn't add much taste to the dish. The sourdough bun was sweet and yummy on its own, but it actually overshadowed the burger itself, which didn't have enough salt or smoky meaty taste to counter the bread.
The fries were probably the most boring fries I've had as part of this challenge. Seemed straight out of the freezer bag. Certainly edible, but ... meh.
I spent $12 for a burger and shake at a family diner-style place in the middle of the day. Not a particularly good value.
Judge #4: Phil's is a must if you are nearby. The variety of burger choices is simply amazing and their overall quality is spectacular. The burger at Phil's is pretty straight forward, nothing fancy about this place. My burger was good with the proper amount of toppings and a great bun. The meat was a little on the tough side for me, I am tasting perhaps some frozen patties maybe? Still a good burger that I would eat again. The fries are as near perfection as I have ever had. Phil's gets high marks for their environment because they share a building with Amy's Ice Cream and have a photo booth inside. The cool factor is there. Overall, a good Austin burger, worth the trip.
Judge #5:
Love some Phil's Icehouse
Got the 78704
Not disappointed
Judge #6: I went back the day after and had the 78704. Good burger. I think that's the best one I've had there.
* Note: this judge has been vegetarian for the past several months and this was the first meat he had consumed in a LONG time.
* Note: this judge has been vegetarian for the past several months and this was the first meat he had consumed in a LONG time.
Judge #7: I ordered the special, i think it was chili-frito-pie burger with the combination sweet potato fries and regular fries. Burger was dry and the fries were average.
Besides the unique names on the menu and the concept of being next to Amy's Ice Cream, Phil's Icehouse was not as impressive as it was hyped out to be. Great service, unsellfish with quantity and the food was FAST! I may have to try it again with ice cream next time :)
Judge #8: I ordered a Phil-a-buster. Very bland. Nothing stood out as above average. Fries were sad, and my beverage came in a very small container.
The atmosphere wasn't bad though. Good amount of natural light made it feel welcoming.
