One of my favorite restaurants in Austin is Chez Zee. Brian and I like to save it for special occasions. A new school year has begun and so we went as one last summer break hurrah. This restaurant is the perfect mix of upscale bistro and eclectic Austin hangout. People of all ages can be seen dinning among the various hanging lights and cupcakes (yes, hanging cupcakes.)
Their food is incredibly delicious and ranges in price from $15-20 entrees. Their food is super fresh, locally harvested/ in house made and you can tell. For an appetizer, their fried pickles are a must! We got the happy hour half portion this time, but usually the pile of pickles is huge. You might as well ask them to box half your meal, because you absolutely have to get dessert. Their bakery display is very impressive and their desserts come large enough to share (and then some).
If you want a nice meal, but feel awkward in fancy restaurants, Chez Zee is for you.