You can pack in.
Local places to eat:
We are at Los Gallos for tacos a couple of times, at least, a week. You'll see a couple of big ol blond hair boys probably working the register and drive through. They are the owners. Tell them Sam says hi. You will want to order only 1 taco unless you are a giant. Their tortillas are unbelievably big. We've been there before when a touron orders 3 tacos for himself, we snicker, the food comes, and their table goes "holey shit" because 3 tacos there will feed an army.
I have a group of auslanders that get together for a stammtisch breakfast at Krause's every couple of weeks. Their breakfast prices are quite reasonable - my usual go to has been the breakfast sandwich on a house bun with bacon and egg over medium. But lately I've started getting the 1 egg omelet (it has at least 2 or 3) with cheddar and house fries or hashbrowns. Lunch and dinner are also good and they have music about 4 times a week. I will forewarn you that the service sometimes sucks and the kitchen can be slow AF. I know this going in, I have multiple waitresses who know our order and I don't seem to have near the problems others do but I do hear a lot of complaints about them.
Skip The Gristmill and eat at their sister joint Mozie's across the street. Great burgers. Pro tip: If going to listen to someone in Gruene Hall, order ahead some garlic fries at Mozie's, pick them up and carry them into the hall.
Other good places to eat are Freiheit (the burgers), McAdoo's (seafood - fondue rocks), Clear Springs (fried catfish and what not, suprisingly the burgers kick ass). Burgers at Lone Star Float House are good and the view doesn't suck. Same thing with the Float In. Another good breakfast spot is Granny D's up by Canyon Lake. And across the street from Granny D's is Mrs. Bush's Pies. Mrs. Bush may be a little bit on the peculiar side but her pies are legit.
Maybe grab some breakfast at Texas' oldest bakery, Naeglin's.
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If you have any other local questions, fire away.
Oh, and if you are staying in the old side... you do know that you can bring alcohol into the park. Just pour it into Yeti cups etc and noones the wiser. Now if you switch over to the old side, they'll inspect your stuff. But since your room is inside the gates of the old side, there is no inspection.