Downtown eats

[rage-a-holic 4,243]

Gimme your go-tos. I'm taking the girlfriend to see an IMAX at the Bullock and want to eat somewhere before or after. Trying to get her a good sampling of US/Texas food. Not interested in asian/sushi.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

You could try Ranch 616.  I haven't been there in awhile, so I can't really vouch any more, but we used to love it.  It's a short drive from the Bullock but parking is probably doable.

Ranch 616

[South Austin 51,564]

Louis 106.

[YGIFS 19,445]

Feeling good, Louis?  Louie.  106, 107…whatever it takes.  
 

as to OP question, it‘S not a glamorous scene, but if you just wanna park once during SXSW; the Carrillon across the street from the Bullock is phenomenal for dinner and I think they still offer a tasting/prix fixe menu and obviously a la carte.  

[LCHorn 2,529]

14 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

Gimme your go-tos. I'm taking the girlfriend to see an IMAX at the Bullock and want to eat somewhere before or after. Trying to get her a good sampling of US/Texas food. Not interested in asian/sushi.

I feel like if you’re going to the Bullock it’s a lot easier to go east-west than head downtown (plus trying to park).  I’d go to someplace like Salty Sow on Manor or stalk @HenryJames at Sour Duck.  Maybe Dai Due.  
 

Hotel Ella is also close for something fancier.  

[ftf82 481]

55 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

I feel like if you’re going to the Bullock it’s a lot easier to go east-west than head downtown (plus trying to park).  I’d go to someplace like Salty Sow on Manor or stalk @HenryJames at Sour Duck.  Maybe Dai Due.  
 

Hotel Ella is also close for something fancier.  

100% this.  Whenever we have anything in that area (e.g., Friends of LBJ Library event) we either go East Austin or Hopfields.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

I know of no great place to put this:  without planning it, we ended up downtown last night at dinner time, so we decided to drop into 24 Diner (6th & Lamar).  We've eaten there plenty, but it's been a year or more.  Man, that place needs a reboot.  Torn booth upholstery, dirty menus, almost empty at 7 PM.  I had some biscuits and gravy that weren't great (the fried eggs were fine), and my wife got the roast chicken which she said was decent or better, but her veggie sides were a mess.  Beer choices sucked.

Time for a new concept.

[royiv 9,044]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I know of no great place to put this:  without planning it, we ended up downtown last night at dinner time, so we decided to drop into 24 Diner (6th & Lamar).  We've eaten there plenty, but it's been a year or more.  Man, that place needs a reboot.  Torn booth upholstery, dirty menus, almost empty at 7 PM.  I had some biscuits and gravy that weren't great (the fried eggs were fine), and my wife got the roast chicken which she said was decent or better, but her veggie sides were a mess.  Beer choices sucked.

Time for a new concept.

Isn’t that property slated to be torn down for a tower? Wouldn’t surprise me if they’re hanging on with below market rent while the owner is finalizing the plans for redevelopment.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

12 minutes ago, royiv said:

Isn’t that property slated to be torn down for a tower? Wouldn’t surprise me if they’re hanging on with below market rent while the owner is finalizing the plans for redevelopment.

Not sure.  Rings a bell, was Waterloo Records offered a spot in that space once it's built?

At any rate, I think 24 Diner's days are done without some serious rethinking of concept and execution.

[royiv 9,044]

10 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Not sure.  Rings a bell, was Waterloo Records offered a spot in that space once it's built?

At any rate, I think 24 Diner's days are done without some serious rethinking of concept and execution.

Yeah, I recall Waterloo was looking for a temporary spot to move to until they could move back in once the new development is completed. It’s been a minute since I’ve heard anything about it, but the pace of new projects in Austin has slowed quite a bit this year.

[irishtexan 11,413]

23 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I know of no great place to put this:  without planning it, we ended up downtown last night at dinner time, so we decided to drop into 24 Diner (6th & Lamar).  We've eaten there plenty, but it's been a year or more.  Man, that place needs a reboot.  Torn booth upholstery, dirty menus, almost empty at 7 PM.  I had some biscuits and gravy that weren't great (the fried eggs were fine), and my wife got the roast chicken which she said was decent or better, but her veggie sides were a mess.  Beer choices sucked.

Time for a new concept.

I've never liked that place. I've been a few times because my wife used to love their veggie burger, and if we're hungry after record shopping at Waterloo it's pretty convenient. But I always pushed to go to Counter Cafe back when it was open a few doors down.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

15 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

I've never liked that place. I've been a few times because my wife used to love their veggie burger, and if we're hungry after record shopping at Waterloo it's pretty convenient. But I always pushed to go to Counter Cafe back when it was open a few doors down.

I'll be honest, more often than not it's the 2 AM joint we go to after a night out.  It works for that -- especially the various potato hash dishes.  Same niche Katz's used to serve, but obviously a completely different menu.

[stc 1,441]

you haven't done that in a while. post covid they close at 11pm. 

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

1 hour ago, stc said:

you haven't done that in a while. post covid they close at 11pm. 

Yeah, it's been a while for sure.  Might want to change the name of the place, right?

[ftf82 481]

They're just following in the footsteps of 7-Eleven

[4th&Five 41,111]

We flew in a few months ago and landed around 9:30. Everyone was hungry and we didn’t want fast food so settled on Magnolia only to learn they close at 10 now. I would guess 90% of my visits there since HS in the 90’s were well after 10pm. Seems wrong for them to close early. 

[Mack Tripper 691]

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