Old San Francisco Steakhouse

[slkinsey]

I have a friend who is going to be spending a month in Austin. Back in the day, she had a job as "the girl on the red velvet swing" at the Austin Old San Francisco Steakhouse. For those who don't know, this is a girl in a skimpy "1890s style" outfit swinging on a red velvet swing high above the room and, at least in those days, eventually swinging high enough to kick a bell attached to the ceiling at the front end of each swing.

I'd heard rumors that the Austin Old San Francisco Steakhouse was going through roigh times and might have closed. Then I heard it was back. Anyone know about it? Is it still there? If so, what's it like these days and how's the food? Also, are they still doing the bit with the girl on the swing?

[Carolyn Tillie]

I have a friend who is going to be spending a month in Austin.  Back in the day, she had a job as "the girl on the red velvet swing" at the Austin Old San Francisco Steakhouse.  For those who don't know, this is a girl in a skimpy "1890s style" outfit swinging on a red velvet swing high above the room and, at least in those days, eventually swinging high enough to kick a bell attached to the ceiling at the front end of each swing.

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I can't answer your question about the restaurant, but historically the "girl on a red velvet swing" came from the infamous Evelyn Nesbit who was charged with murdering Stanford White. My grandmother was a friend of Evelyn's and it was a story that stuck with me for years. It was even re-told in the movie Ragtime.

[MissAmy]

I'd heard rumors that the Austin Old San Francisco Steakhouse was going through roigh times and might have closed.  Then I heard it was back.  Anyone know about it?  Is it still there?  If so, what's it like these days and how's the food?  Also, are they still doing the bit with the girl on the swing?

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I've never been, but have driven past it recently and it appears open. It's one of those place I have always wondered about but never actually gone inside. Maybe I should change that. Does anyone know what the food is like?

[NewYorkTexan]

I have a friend who is going to be spending a month in Austin.  Back in the day, she had a job as "the girl on the red velvet swing" at the Austin Old San Francisco Steakhouse.  For those who don't know, this is a girl in a skimpy "1890s style" outfit swinging on a red velvet swing high above the room and, at least in those days, eventually swinging high enough to kick a bell attached to the ceiling at the front end of each swing.

I'd heard rumors that the Austin Old San Francisco Steakhouse was going through roigh times and might have closed.  Then I heard it was back.  Anyone know about it?  Is it still there?  If so, what's it like these days and how's the food?  Also, are they still doing the bit with the girl on the swing?

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They closed about a year ago and I just doubled check that the listed telephone number does not work anymore.

OSF Steakhouse had a reputation of being family friendly, but I never heard great things about the food.

[tetsujustin]

just to note, I believe the Houston one also closed a while back.

Guess the swing wasn't enough to bring in the customers.

[FoodMan]

For what it's worth, the food was not that good. I've been to the Houston one a couple of time before it closed and the best thing they had were the thick cut French fries. The steaks on the other hand were gristly and chewy and never cooked right.