Austin Restaurants over 30 years

[lovebenton0]

Let’s get into more history here. (The Dallas group started this. ) Inspired by fifi’s recent Houston restaurant history thread -- and by fifi herself -- I’m laying out some history/memory sparkers here. I’ve been in and around Austin for most of thirty years so . . . I tried to organize a bit along chronological lines. Please keep in mind I said a bit. Jump in anytime!

Nighthawk -- Gone but not forgotten by many Austinites. On Christmas Eve in 1932, Harry Aiken opened the Nighthawk; burgers were 15 cents. Known by many Austinites still around now as one of the steakhouses to go to in the 70s and 80s.

Threadgill’s -- Serving up good food to Austin since 1933. Famous for their chicken fried steaks, chicken livers (at least the chicken livers are famous to me!), mountains of real vegetables, live music, and an historical building in the original location on North Lamar. One of the first places I ate in Austin when visiting back in the early 70s. Second location is south of the river. Am I right that the second one opened in the ‘90s? Everybody needs a Threadgill’s.

The Tavern -- 12th St. and Lamar. The Tavern opened the year they shut down Prohibition, 1933. Long been a place to drink beer and stuff down burgers and apps for college students, neighborhood regulars, and other folks. It’s been flooded, more than once, closed down, renovated and back open again. It’s dim, it’s woody, and looks like a chalet plopped down in the middle of Austin. But it’s still there and deserves a mention. Now they serve breakfast.

Green Pastures -- Originally a private residence of John Henry Faulk, then his sister, Mary Faulk Koock who opened the restaurant. Serving food to the public, for actual cash, since the 40s, Green Pastures is a location to be enjoyed. According to recent reviews, the new chef Charles Bloesma is moving this historical and culinary institution into the 21st century.

Driskill Grill -- In the historic Driskill Hotel downtown. I don’t know when the Grill opened for business and have only been there twice. Recently several of us enjoyed a wonderful early evening drinks and appetizers b/day party for a friend in the Grill. Maybe one of you can fill us in on the history of the Grill.

Castle Hill Café -- Open since 1986, Castle Hill Café is the nice little casual place near downtown on 5th St. you go to for fine dining. They change the menu at least one a month and never lack for business.

Old Pecan St. Café -- Been around since I was first coming to Austin in the early 70s. Think they opened in 1970 actually. An old-timer on 6th St. before that was even a River City concept. For me it is memories of long walks in the evening and stopping in for good coffee and a rich desert.

Kerbey Lane Café -- All right I have to say it. Pancakes. I know about all the other stuff they do -- but for me Kerbey Lane Café means those best ever gingerbread pancakes. And they’ve been doing that since the mid-80s.

The Filling Station -- Across from Palmer Auditorium, and just down the block from Sandy’s. One of the theme restaurants in town. Filling us up for about 30 years.

Dan’s Hamburgers -- Remember the Dan and Fran burger saga? Perhaps somebody else can give us more on that bit of Austin’s cheap eats history.

Sunday mornings, a two block walk to the N. Lamar location for a sinfully, sleazy, good breakfast of eggs, biscuits and gravy. Huevos rancheros. Or thick sliced tomatoes and a fried egg on toast. Had a friend who was working overseas; when he came back to the States the first thing he wanted when he got off the plane at old Mueller Airport was to hit Dan’s for burgers, those crispy thin onion rings, and about the best shakes in town.

Hut’s Hamburgers -- Need I say more. On the cheap eats list, voted best burgers from 1987-1996.

Sandy’s -- Walk up for burgers and the real frozen custard in town. Sighs and laments. The last place I had a good frozen custard was in southern Mexico off a street cart.

ZTejas -- Fusion -- Opened in 1989 with “New American Cuisine” by Jack Gilmore (and one of the best brunches in town IMHO). A newer step in the food scene here -- Mexican/Cajun/Native American. Love the fried spinach and Navajo bread.

And now a word from you all. Please. I’ve barely scratched the surface here.

The famous, the infamous, and the not so.

What eateries stand out in Austin’s restaurant history to you?

[fifi]

Nighthawk -- Gone but not forgotten by many Austinites. On Christmas Eve in 1932, Harry Aiken opened the Nighthawk; burgers were 15 cents. Known by many Austinites still around now as one of the steakhouses to go to in the 70s and 80s.

OMG! I remember Nighthawk frozen foods. I had no idea that Nighthawk was an Austin original. I wonder if that is still around.

Edited October 14, 2004 by fifi (log)

[lovebenton0]

OMG! I remember Nighthawk frozen foods. I had no idea that Nighthawk was an Austin original. I wonder if that is still around.

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Here is a pic of the original Night Hawk restaurant from UT's History Center photo collection. (Sorry, I typo'd the name in the first post. )

And, fifi, there was a Night Hawk restaurant opened in Houston, as well as one in San Antonio. The guy was cruisin'.

The restaurants closed down one by one for various reasons, mostly through the 80s -- changes in eating habits, economy, loss of fire for a location and the new place never caught on. Just wasn't the same. The last restaurant, that had been bought out from the Aiken family, was the Frisco Shop. The Frisco Shop is still open for business -- and one of the few places you can get scrambled eggs topped with chili. Mmmmmmmmmm! (A dish I was raised on for breakfast -- Dad loved it, I don't know what his background on that was. I never knew then it was a Night Hawk thing.)

There's a lot of history in the Night Hawk/Harry Aiken story. He was one of the first to employ across racial lines, and across gender lines for management positions (during WWII he trained and promoted women), many years ahead of his time. You can see his mixed bag of employees in the above photo link from 1935. If anyone wants to read an in-depth article on the history of the Night Hawk the Austin Chronicle did a fine job.

[FistFullaRoux]

Magnolia Cafe - Head to head with Kerby, Tha Mag wins for me.

Dirty's. Not only the best restaurant name ever, but one of the best burgers I've ever had, and the best fries ever. Second place is Hut's.

Any number of little shacks and converted trucks that come and go and sell breakfast tacos for dirt cheap.

The original Schlotzky's on Congress (near the Continental Club)

And when do the BBQ wars start? I vote for County Line...

[fifi]

Yeah Judith... I remember the Night Hawk restaurant now that you mention it. I don't think I ever went there. We probably didn't "get" the history and connection.

FistFullaRoux... Are you saying that Schlotzky's originated in Austin???

[FistFullaRoux]

As I understood it when I was living there, Schlotzsky's restaurant #1 was supposedly the one a block from the Continental.

Update: I heard right..

Not that the number 1 is anything special. It's outfitted just like the rest of the stores, and there's no real sense on it's place in history, but just the fact that a nationwide chain started in south Austin is pretty cool.

Edited October 14, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[fifi]

As I understood it when I was living there, Schlotzsky's restaurant #1 was supposedly the one a block from the Continental.

Update: I heard right..

Not that the number 1 is anything special. It's outfitted just like the rest of the stores, and there's no real sense on it's place in history, but just the fact that a nationwide chain started in south Austin is pretty cool.

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Wow! Who knew? I love Schlotzsky's.

[Richard Kilgore]

Yes, indeed. I used to eat at Dirty's, and the Nighthawk on Gudalupe, and the original Schlotzky's on S. Congress.

But no one mentioned Taco Flats (The first year the sign said proudly: 1,000 Tacos returned. The Second Year: 2,500 Tacos returned.) Perhaps for good reason.

And Janet Joplin used to sing at Threadgills.

Canadian Cheese Soup at the old Driskoll was a favorite.

And the Pecan Street Cafe when it, Gordo's Pool Hall, and Esther's Pool were the only places of interest on the street.

And The Raw Deal (sign over counter: If you don't like the Raw Deal, just remember -- you came lookin' for the Raw Deal, the Raw Deal didn't come lookin' for you!)

[lovebenton0]

Magnolia Cafe - Head to head with Kerby, Tha Mag wins for me.

Dirty's. Not only the best restaurant name ever, but one of the best burgers I've ever had, and the best fries ever. Second place is Hut's.

Any number of little shacks and converted trucks that come and go and sell breakfast tacos for dirt cheap.

The original Schlotzky's on Congress (near the Continental Club)

And when do the BBQ wars start? I vote for County Line...

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I knew I could count on someone to call for the Q!

Yeah. County Line is on my list.

Stubb's -- started in Lubbock and moved to Austin about 30 years ago. 8th and Red River. The live music and Q place in Austin.

So . . .

BBQ?

Which places do you remember?

How have BBQ restaurants changed?

What about the old gas station bbq pits?

[FistFullaRoux]

I lived in Austin for about 3 years in the early 1990s. I worked at the plasma center north of campus next to Ruby's. I still prefer County Line. Salt Lick is OK, Stubbs is all right, Ruby's didn't do it for me, but County Line just has the edge that makes me actually want to eat BBQ. I'm not a big fan of the sauce. County Line is the only meat that stands on it's own without it.

At least I didn't say Bill Millers... (echk)

[RobInAustin]

Re: Dirty's on the Drag.

Its not the best hamburger I've ever had (that goes to the Double Double at InN'Out in Southern California), but it IS the best burger in Austin.

For the first time since 1926, they RE-Modeled the place the last three weeks. It is CLEAN, no more grease soaked walls and floors and the bathrooms are finally for real. So the original ambience is gone, the vent hood actually works, so the place "smells" clean. but the burgers taste the same, thank god.

I live two blocks from Ruby's and can honestly say I never eat there, the meat is dry and tastless.

There is place that is "historical" as its been there for years, the mexican food place on Guadalupe at 30th, next to Centennial liquor...can't remember the name, "El Carmen"? maybe...I only know it is the WORST NASTIEST MOST GAWD AWFUL FOOD I ever ate. Can anyone explain WHY that dump is packed on weekends?

Cheers,

Rob

Cheers

[FistFullaRoux]

Re: Dirty's on the Drag.

Its not the best hamburger I've ever had (that goes to the Double Double at InN'Out in Southern California), but it IS the best burger in Austin.

For the first time since 1926, they RE-Modeled the place the last three weeks. It is CLEAN, no more grease soaked walls and floors and the bathrooms are finally for real. So the original ambience is gone, the vent hood actually works, so the place "smells" clean. but the burgers taste the same, thank god.

Dirty's? Clean?

Does not compute. Part of what I liked was the thin layer of grease all over everything. At least the food is still good.

[RobInAustin]

Dirty's? Clean?

Does not compute. Part of what I liked was the thin layer of grease all over everything. At least the food is still good.

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Sadly, the Austin Fire Marshall disagreed with you. He finally said the wall behind the grill was so soaked with grease they were afraid it would catch fire, plus the two main drains finally failed so they and floor had to go too...

It "looks the same" only different. You should have read Kelso's column in the Statesman this morning about what they did!

PS, the Aventis blood donation center next to Ruby's closed recently. Building now vacant.

Cheers

Rob

[FistFullaRoux]

Sadly, the Austin Fire Marshall disagreed with you. He finally said the wall behind the grill was so soaked with grease they were afraid it would catch fire, plus the two main drains finally failed so they and floor had to go too...

It "looks the same" only different. You should have read Kelso's column in the Statesman this morning about what they did!

PS, the Aventis blood donation center next to Ruby's closed recently. Building now vacant.

Cheers

Rob

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I actually went and signed up for the Statesman online (what a pain in the tuchus THAT is) so I could read the column. I've been afraid to really read anything about Austin, because it may make me want to move back. Until I read about Joe Bates. As an unofficial roadie for a number of bands in town, I knew Joe as a helluva guy. Sad thing to read...

But the Kelso thing was pretty funny.

[lovebenton0]

Sadly, the Austin Fire Marshall disagreed with you. He finally said the wall behind the grill was so soaked with grease they were afraid it would catch fire, plus the two main drains finally failed so they and floor had to go too...

It "looks the same" only different. You should have read Kelso's column in the Statesman this morning about what they did!

PS, the Aventis blood donation center next to Ruby's closed recently. Building now vacant.

Cheers

Rob

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You can read about Dirty's clean up here.

[lovebenton0]

BBQ? Tex-Mex? Mexican?

Vegetarian?

Influx of other ethnic/regional restaurants?

What trends have you observed?

How do you think our restaurant history reflects how we’ve evolved in our dining out preferences? Or not?

[FistFullaRoux]

And how can I forget Thundercloud Subs? I have a lot of respect for the place, because in addition to making a fine sandwich, they really support the local music scene. Lots of their employees are musicians, and for the most part, their schedules are extremely flexible to allow for gigs and practices.

Also, Amy's Ice Cream. First place I ever saw someone mixing stuff into ice cream on a slab.

[RobInAustin]

Just an update on my last post. The evil, vile, nasty pseudo Mexican place on Guadalupe, to be avoided at all costs despite it being there forever is "El Patio"...

Does ANYONE know why the place stays busy even tho the food is awful?

[jess mebane]

The regular dinner. Puffy tacos. Sherbet for dessert? These Rio Grande Valley comfort foods and more keep the gringos piling in.

As for me, I'd like to observe a moment of silence for one of the truly great Austin institutions that is no more: Dot's. Burned down this morning.

[FistFullaRoux]

The regular dinner.  Puffy tacos.  Sherbet for dessert?  These Rio Grande Valley comfort foods and more keep the gringos piling in. 

As for me, I'd like to observe a moment of silence for one of the truly great Austin institutions that is no more: Dot's.  Burned down this morning.

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Oh, man. Major bummer. I had forgotten about that one.

At least everybody is OK, according to channel 8.