A Visit to Magnolia Table...

And, boy, it was worth it.

You can’t miss the Spanish-style restaurant right off Interstate 35, or the signature lines that come with visiting a Magnolia property.
My husband's eyes nearly bulged from his head. It was his first time witnessing the Magnolia frenzy.

We arrived at 11 a.m. and there was already a 2.5-hour wait ahead of us.
This was on a Wednesday, folks. So plan ahead if you think you want to go on the weekend.

We hopped in line and headed straight to the outside hostess who was checking in parties in the waiting areas.

We put our name in and provided our cell phone number so the restaurant could text us when our spot was ready.

But they warn you to return at least 20-30 minutes early so you don’t accidentally lose your table because you didn’t respond to the text within a few minutes.

We took the advice. And decided to cruise to Magnolia Market, a five-minute drive away, and come back 2 hours later. We gave ourselves a 30-minute buffer to our table time (just in case).

Plenty of people stayed, though, and mingled while they waited.


The restaurant has a very inviting outside garden/patio area, where you can kick back with a yummy coffee and a pastry of the day. There is plenty of ambiance to soak in, like window boxes filled with lavender, rosemary and beautiful green plants.

We scooped up two warm chocolate croissants with gooey chocolatey centers in the Take Away room.
(Double yum.) The section had some other quick bites and drinks to hold you over until the main meal,  or to take with you on the go.
That's where we spotted that fabulous Cafe sign we saw on the show.
Joanna had purchased it from the adorable couple who own Through the Porthole. Coincidentally, prior to us arriving in Waco, we met that couple while loading a container with junk in Round Top, Texas during antique week.
I was screaming happy.
Here's a peek of the to-go spot:

Inside the Take Away area. My son, Brady, checking out his options.

Plus, you could grab a souvenir or two in there as well. Like these cute mugs I nabbed for mom and my sister-in-law.


Or some books and coffee.


Then, off we went to explore Magnolia Market (see my other blog post on this visit). It was the perfect spot to burn some time until our table was ready.

I had just enough time to chat in the lobby with a gentleman in his 80s, who
was marveling at the place too.
He was from Waco and remembered what it was like when
he was a kid.
He said never in a million years could he imagine something like this.
It is pretty fabulous.



The restaurant was Jojo adorable.

Bright white and airy. Black-and-white vintage-style tile floors. Farmhouse lights and oversized pendants. White subway tile with black grout. Vintage metal signs and photographs. Scales and planters  with green plants. White napkins with Magnolia Table printed on them in black script.

This one in particular:  “The Good Ol’ Days Are Still To Come.”















Guests sat in tables, or counters with stools. Every square inch was planned out.
Larger parties could be combined.

Our party of 5 sat in a table nestled in a cute corner that we shared with another group of 5 ladies visiting from Indiana that we’d never met.

It’s so relaxed in there… We enjoyed meeting some new people, who coincidentally just visited some friends of ours in Round Top, Texas.
Here we are:

Our picks: Avocado toast, scrambled eggs with bacon, potatoes and buttermilk pancakes,
tomato soup and a turkey avocado sandwich.
The portions were generous and the flavor delicious.






Check out those pics.

For dessert, we had a vanilla cupcake from the bakery and Ella’s cinnamon sugar donuts that came with this extra dark chocolate sauce for dipping. That sauce--ridiculously good.

The service during the meal was quick and the waiter, who was from Waco, Texas, was very professional and courteous.
Others were from towns by us in Cali, like Oceanside.

The atmosphere was relaxed and we didn’t feel rushed, even though
the folks at Magnolia Table were clearly juggling lots of people waiting for a seat.

Impressive.

And, we all know they are usually the toughest critics.
So go check it out and enjoy! Have you been? Tell us what you think.
xoxoxo Jen Zerrer

Planning a trip to the Magnolia Table? Here are some tips to take away:

• Check in with the hostess as soon as you arrive and get your name in.
• There are no reservations accepted. First come first serve.
• Come as early as you can. We arrived at 11 a.m. and there was a 2.5hr wait.
• When we came back at 1 pm, the restaurant was booked full for the rest of the day.
• Provide your cell number so they can text when the table is ready.
• If you leave, come back at least 20-30 minutes earlier than your table time.
• Get Ella's cinnamon sugar donuts with chocolate sauce.
•  Be ready to eat them quick before your entire table devours them.
• Restaurant Hours: 6a.m.-3p.m. Monday through Saturday
• Restaurant Address: 2132 S. Valley Mills Drive, Waco, Texas
• Link to all the details on the Magnolia Table: https://magnolia.com/table/
•