Here are additional cool places to buy things, eat, drink, and/or listen to great live music while in Austin over the next two weeks. Depending upon where you are staying, you may need a cab or car (designated driver) to visit many of these places….
SOCO (South Congress)
Ego’s – Funky bar (with live music) in the basement of office building
Doc’s MotorWorks - Sit outside… great bar, with good food
Amy’s Ice Creams – Austin’s best ice cream…
Jo’s Coffee – Great place to sit outside to watch Austin go by…
Continental Club – My favorite live music venue – Great bands, cool vibe, quality/cool staff, and cold Lone Star beer
The Gallery (above the tattoo parlor next door to the Continental Club) – Has just reopened and I can’t wait to start spending time upstairs…
Botticelli’s – Chicago Italian food and music on their patio in the back… I’m now thinking about the Italian beef sandwich…
Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar – Great seafood and oyster bar with cold draft beer… life is good…
Guero’s Taco Bar – If you have ever read this space, my Tumblr space, or any of my tweets (Twitter), you know how much I love this place. Great Austin vibe, the best people watching, quality/cool staff, unbelievable margaritas and cool beer, and delicious food… They also have live music in the Oak Garden… Be prepared to wait…
Home Slice – My favorite pizza in Austin (pies or slice and cold beer) – I love sitting at the bar, eating a couple of slices and watching the talented staff make pizza… Be prepared to wait….
Allen Boots – Everyone needs a good pair of cowboy boots… you really do….
Vespaio/Enoteca – Two Restaurants - Great Italian Food – call ahead…
Magnolia Cafe – 24/7 – Good Breakfast
Trophy’s – Another funky bar with live music
South First
RunTex – Best running store….
Threadgill’s (Between South 1st and Congress on Riverside) – Comfort food and live music
WHATABURGER – Closest WHATABURGER to the Convention Center (this link is for Merlin Mann)
Jovita’s – Fun Live Music Venue – If you are in town on a Thursday night, please do yourself a favor by going see/hear Cornell Hurd, you will have a great time…
Polvo’s – Great Mexican food
G&S Lounge – Cool (dive) drinking bar
West 5th Street (west of Congress)
Lucky Lounge – Live music, cool cat walk behind bar
Red Fez - Hookahs, cold beer, live music and/or DJ (and sometimes belly dancers)
Antone’s – Home of the blues – great live music venue
West 6th Street (East of Lamar)
Katz’s Deli - 24/7 – Good Breakfast
Wahoo’s Fish Tacos (6th St. and (on) Rio Grande) – Another one of my favorite places in Austin… Fun bar (full bar) and the best food…
Dirty Billy’s (6th St and (on) Rio Grande) – Fun new bar, cool juke box connected to the web can play just about anything…
La Zona Rosa (5th St and (on) Rio Grande, south of 5th) - Cool Live Music Venue
Opal Divine’s Free House on 6th – Good drinking bar, decks, and restaurant….
Mother Egan’s Irish Pub – Fun place
Hut’s – One of the best hamburger joints in Austin… Beer, wine, and shakes… Great rings…
West 6th and Lamar Blvd
Whole Foods World Headquarters – The mother of all Whole Foods store…
Book People – Cool, independent book store…
Waterloo Records and Video – Simply the best place to buy music…
Waterloo Ice House – Good food and cold beer…
Amy’s Ice Creams – Best ice cream in Austin…
Cheapo CDs (a little north of the intersection) - Best place to buy used CDs…
Screaming Goat Tacos y Cerveza – Great tacos and more… daily cold beer specials…
Austin Java (a little north of the intersection) – Good coffee and food…
Austin Land and Cattle Company (a little north of the intersection) - STEAK!!!
West 5th Street (at West 6th and Mopac)
Mean-Eyed Cat - Cool drinking bar – cold draft beer and live music
El Arroyo – Good food, cold beer, and margaritas
Barton Springs (west of Lamar)
Barton Springs Saloon - Funky bar… sit inside or out…
Green Mesquite BBQ – Fun place
Shady Grove – Sit outside, drink cold beer, and eat great food… they have the best queso/cheese fries….
Uncle Billy’s - Cold beer and good food – can you say pulled pork….
Chuy’s Tex-Mex – Pure Austin Fun!!!! Great food and drinks…
East Side
Hoover’s (Manor Rd) – Comfort/Home Cooking….
El Chili Cafe – Great food and drinks…
Vivo – Great food and drinks…
Odds and Ends
Cuatros – Great bar, with good food… sit inside or out… fun bar near UT…
Hole in the Wall – Great bar, with live music… on the Drag – across the street from UT…
Okay, that’s enough for now… I’ll update this post over the next few days (I think I left some fun places off the list)…
Please be safe, and have an insanely great time in Austin…
As always, comments are welcome….
