April Bloomfield to revamp Driskill Grill project

Chef April Bloomfield is moving from long-running Austin menu work into a more visible hotel dining-room project at The Driskill Grill in downtown Austin. The Observer reported on May 16 that Bloomfield’s version of the restaurant will focus on Texas beef, dry-aged steaks and chef-driven sides in the hotel’s historic dining room. The project sits inside The Driskill, the 1886 hotel now undergoing a multi-phase renovation with MML Hospitality overseeing food and beverage concepts. OpenTable now lists The Driskill Grill as a reimagined American steakhouse under Bloomfield’s creative direction, with Nick Erven named executive chef. ### How does this fit into Bloomfield’s move to Texas? Texas Monthly reported on May 20, 2025, that Bloomfield was joining Austin-based MML Hospitality as executive chef and that reopening the historic Driskill Grill would be her first major project with the group. The magazine said she would also work on other MML properties, including Pecan Square Café and Jeffrey’s. (observer.com) MML Hospitality says it was founded in Austin by Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman and later expanded with hotelier Liz Lambert. That matters here because the Driskill food-and-beverage overhaul is being executed through MML’s partnership with the hotel’s owners and Hyatt. ### What exactly is changing at the Driskill Grill? The Observer said Bloomfield’s menu will lean on regionally sourced Texas beef, dry-aged steaks and chef-driven sides. (texasmonthly.com) Its report described the room as a restored steakhouse return inside one of Austin’s best-known historic hotels. OpenTable describes the new concept as a “classic American steakhouse” and says Erven will run the kitchen as executive chef under Bloomfield’s creative direction. (mmlhospitality.com) The listing also points to old-world service, chilled martinis and the hotel’s storied dining room as part of the positioning for the relaunch. ### Who is running the broader Driskill project? The Driskill said in a July 23, 2025 renovation announcement that Pixiu Investments, Woodbine Development and Hyatt Hotels Corporation were undertaking a full restoration of the property. (observer.com) The statement said the overhaul would cover 175 guestrooms, common areas, meeting space and food-and-beverage outlets. (opentable.com) That same announcement said the first phase would include the reimagined Driskill Bar, Driskill Grill and a new bar called The Victorian, all operated by MML Hospitality. The second phase is scheduled for completion in summer 2026, with the full transformation tied to the hotel’s 140th anniversary in December 2026. ### Is the restaurant open yet, and can people book it? (prweb.com) OpenTable currently lists The Driskill Grill at 117 E. 7th St. in Austin with daily dinner service from 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Thursday-through-Sunday brunch hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The page also lists a business-casual dress code, a $50-and-over price point and a direct phone number for the restaurant. (prweb.com) A hiring post on Poached, published May 14, advertised an open call for hosts at what it called the “newly renovated and rebranded” Driskill Grill under Bloomfield. That posting suggests staffing was still being built out this month even as reservation inventory appeared online. ### What is still unclear? The Observer story did not specify a formal launch date, renovation completion date for the restaurant itself, or reservation-release plan beyond reporting the concept details. (opentable.com) The Driskill’s own dining pages surfaced in search still show older or broader hotel dining descriptions in some places, which suggests the rollout across official channels is still catching up with the relaunch. (poachedjobs.com) The Driskill Grill’s own public-facing details are therefore coming from a mix of sources: the Observer’s report on the concept, the hotel’s 2025 renovation announcement, and current reservation-platform listings naming Bloomfield and Erven. Those are the clearest signposts available as the project moves from renovation into service. OpenTable is the clearest place to watch next for bookable dates and menu updates, while The Driskill’s renovation schedule still points to a broader hotel milestone in summer 2026 and a 140th anniversary in December 2026. (observer.com) (prweb.com)