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Threadgills WHQ downtown gonna go adios

Brisketexan

By Brisketexan
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wood

wood 11747

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I’m speaking more to the idea that austinites always have to complain about the city losing its cool. That is “same as it ever was.”

It’s not as long as many here, but I’ve lived here for 20 years. My parents met at UT and I spent my falls as a kid going to Texas games and spending weekends in Austin. I’ve got nostalgia for threadgills as I do with many places in Austin. In fact, my wife and I had our rehearsal dinner at threadgills 12 years ago. That’s a great memory.

That doesn’t change the fact that if we kept the doors open for every place that gave us fond memories from our past, this city would be full of mediocre establishments.

Austinites complaining about Austin losing its cool vibe is often blown off as being not true because people always complain about stuff like that ... but that doesn't mean Austin's not losing that, or that the people lamenting that change aren't right. Austin really has lost a great deal of the cool, laid-back vibe it had. Having lived here across 5 decades, I don't see how anyone can dispute that. Re: keeping open old establishments 'just because', I really don't think anyone here's really advocating for that, but maybe I missed it.

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Horn21

Horn21 175

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44 minutes ago, wood said:

Austinites complaining about Austin losing its cool vibe is often blown off as being not true because people always complain about stuff like that ... but that doesn't mean Austin's not losing that, or that the people lamenting that change aren't right. Austin really has lost a great deal of the cool, laid-back vibe it had. Having lived here across 5 decades, I don't see how anyone can dispute that. Re: keeping open old establishments 'just because', I really don't think anyone here's really advocating for that, but maybe I missed it.

IMO, I think it's a lot more about the human nature of longing for the past.  A place like Threadgills hasn't actually been all that cool for quite some time.  What makes me sad about Threadgills going away is the loss of the tangible location of past experiences.  But I haven't actually stepped foot inside more than twice over the last 5 years.

Sure, there have been plenty of newer places that have opened over the last 10+ years that I would consider garbage.  But there have also been a lot of really cool places to open as well.  A lot of the old establishments that have closed have closed because they no longer offer anything more than nostalgia. 

I guess what makes me roll my eyes at all the "Austin isn't cool anymore" crowd is that I don't think I've ever heard a realistic alternative of what they wish Austin would look like.  It's by and large just a bunch of old man shaking his fist at the clouds type complaining.  It's a continuously growing city...that's just a reality.  Am I pleased with all of it?  No.  But I think it's done a pretty good job of remaining cool and laid back, all things considered.  There are all kinds of places around town that satisfy the whims of the cool and laid back.  If you can't find those places, I don't think you're trying very hard.

Now, if the city lets UT develop over Muni, I reserve the right to take back everything I just wrote.

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wood

wood 11747

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3 hours ago, Horn21 said:

IMO, I think it's a lot more about the human nature of longing for the past.  A place like Threadgills hasn't actually been all that cool for quite some time.  What makes me sad about Threadgills going away is the loss of the tangible location of past experiences.  But I haven't actually stepped foot inside more than twice over the last 5 years.

Sure, there have been plenty of newer places that have opened over the last 10+ years that I would consider garbage.  But there have also been a lot of really cool places to open as well.  A lot of the old establishments that have closed have closed because they no longer offer anything more than nostalgia. 

I guess what makes me roll my eyes at all the "Austin isn't cool anymore" crowd is that I don't think I've ever heard a realistic alternative of what they wish Austin would look like.  It's by and large just a bunch of old man shaking his fist at the clouds type complaining.  It's a continuously growing city...that's just a reality.  Am I pleased with all of it?  No.  But I think it's done a pretty good job of remaining cool and laid back, all things considered.  There are all kinds of places around town that satisfy the whims of the cool and laid back.  If you can't find those places, I don't think you're trying very hard.

Now, if the city lets UT develop over Muni, I reserve the right to take back everything I just wrote.

Sure, there are still cool things to do, but they're all overrun with hordes of people and you have plan a day around most any of them ... whereas before you could do any of them on a whim and then go do another one and maybe another all in the same day with zero planning, having to worry about pre-purchasing parking, etc. I know complaining about it won't bring back the good old days, but it doesn't make me or others wrong when we point out what's happening. A good example of what I'm talking about is Blues on the Green. If I just happened to be in the area and thought about it, I used to pop into their shows in the back of the Arboretum by the cows. I'd show up right when the show started and sit with 100 or so other people about 30 feet from the band.  Now it's a half day thing in Zilker with 15,000 people and all the traffic & parking issues, etc, that come with them. Nope. Thanks. It's that way now with a lot of fun shit we used to easily do. Now it's a big fucking hassle and just rarely worth the trouble.

But yeah, as I said above, I do think Threadgills did tend to mail it in re: their food sometimes, which probably contributed to its demise.

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bluto

bluto 4982

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Agree with wood on the hassle aspect of it and I was only there from 03-15 roughly. 

When people ask if I miss Austin I tell em yes...in years without session, during the early summer when UT is out, on weekdays when ppl are at work, during the hours of 10am to 3pm and 7pm to 10pm. Otherwise, shit is just too big of a hassle. 

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utee94

utee94 16070

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8 hours ago, Lobo said:

So places that are great to live sometimes get crowded and change?   Got it. 

Austin is horrible.  Nobody should ever move here.  I feel sorry for anyone who lives here.  They should definitely move out, immediately.  I wish I could move, too.

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South Austin

South Austin 53157

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15 hours ago, Horn21 said:

IMO, I think it's a lot more about the human nature of longing for the past.  A place like Threadgills hasn't actually been all that cool for quite some time.  What makes me sad about Threadgills going away is the loss of the tangible location of past experiences.  But I haven't actually stepped foot inside more than twice over the last 5 years.

I've gone to Threadgills about three times in the past five or so years.  As soon as I step in the place I'm hit with nostalgia and think, "Why don't I come here more often."  Then the food comes, and it's absolute garbage. 

Yeah, I'm sad to lose an iconic part of my old Austin memories.  But that has nothing to do with the current quality of the establishment.

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4th&Five

4th&Five 41907

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On 9/24/2018 at 9:11 PM, wood said:

Sure, there are still cool things to do, but they're all overrun with hordes of people and you have plan a day around most any of them ... whereas before you could do any of them on a whim and then go do another one and maybe another all in the same day with zero planning, having to worry about pre-purchasing parking, etc. I know complaining about it won't bring back the good old days, but it doesn't make me or others wrong when we point out what's happening. A good example of what I'm talking about is Blues on the Green. If I just happened to be in the area and thought about it, I used to pop into their shows in the back of the Arboretum by the cows. I'd show up right when the show started and sit with 100 or so other people about 30 feet from the band.  Now it's a half day thing in Zilker with 15,000 people and all the traffic & parking issues, etc, that come with them. Nope. Thanks. It's that way now with a lot of fun shit we used to easily do. Now it's a big fucking hassle and just rarely worth the trouble.

But yeah, as I said above, I do think Threadgills did tend to mail it in re: their food sometimes, which probably contributed to its demise.

Yep. Rarely is anything free here ever worth it because it’s just too crowded. 

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closetojumping

closetojumping 65293

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On 9/25/2018 at 9:01 AM, HenryJames said:

The one on north Lamar is still open.

I had chicken fried steak, San Antonio Squash, fried okra and steamed broccoli there today for lunch. It was all fucking delicious. 

Also, their okra still tasted fresh made. I could be wrong, and it was great either way, but it seems like the pieces are much heartier at Threadgill’s than elsewhere. 

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Guest Lobo

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Had the chicken enchiladas special there on Monday.  Digestive tract was completely wrecked until just now.  I'm at a conference at the Hilton convention center.  First one to use the 6th floor restroom this morning.  It was pristine, untouched, and certainly unclogged.  Just from emptying my bowels, no toilet paper at that point.  Clogged up an industrial, convention center Hilton toilet.  So I'll miss the music and the cold beer, but I won't miss the food.  It looked like I had eaten and then subsequently defecated a mid-size brown Muppet.  

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46986

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16 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I had chicken fried steak, San Antonio Squash, fried okra and steamed broccoli there today for lunch. It was all fucking delicious. 

I'm a fan of the chicken & dumplings myself.  The CFS/CFC seems to have declined a bit, but maybe they rescued it, based on your review. 

My biggest complaint is the price bump.  I've consumed a liquid shit-ton of Shiner Bock there over the years, but I'm pretty sure the price of a CFS wasn't anywhere near $15 even 10 years ago.  No doubt rising property taxes -> rent is the big driver, but there does come a day when it's just a little too much when you're feeding 8 people at one sitting.

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4th&Five

4th&Five 41907

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2 hours ago, Lobo said:

Had the chicken enchiladas special there on Monday.  Digestive tract was completely wrecked until just now.  I'm at a conference at the Hilton convention center.  First one to use the 6th floor restroom this morning.  It was pristine, untouched, and certainly unclogged.  Just from emptying my bowels, no toilet paper at that point.  Clogged up an industrial, convention center Hilton toilet.  So I'll miss the music and the cold beer, but I won't miss the food.  It looked like I had eaten and then subsequently defecated a mid-size brown Muppet.  

giphy.gif

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closetojumping

closetojumping 65293

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27 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm a fan of the chicken & dumplings myself.  The CFS/CFC seems to have declined a bit, but maybe they rescued it, based on your review. 

My biggest complaint is the price bump.  I've consumed a liquid shit-ton of Shiner Bock there over the years, but I'm pretty sure the price of a CFS wasn't anywhere near $15 even 10 years ago.  No doubt rising property taxes -> rent is the big driver, but there does come a day when it's just a little too much when you're feeding 8 people at one sitting.

Well, to be fair, I'm not a very good measure of quality or value when it comes to something like CFS. If I'm in the mood for it, I'm ordering it, and I don't even look at the price at that point. There's a place in Houston called Ritual that probably charges $20+ for the damned things, but holy shit, they're excellent there. Regarding quality, CFS is like sex, in my opinion. The worst I ever had was so good I couldn't stand it. If I'm in the mood, I'll get it at a random Cleburne Cafeteria or Luby's visit and enjoy the hell out of it. The trick for me is I only order one about every 3 months or so, mostly because I'd like to see the age of 50 down the line.

BTW, off topic, but pound for pound, the best I think I've had that wasn't homemade is at a place near River Oaks in Houston called Ouisie's. They also have chicken fried venison sometimes in the winter and that's pretty damned good too.

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orange dream

orange dream 1288

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[csb] Had a friend in college who was dating a girl who was from California.  When her mom came to Austin for a visit she wanted to be taken to a place with local flavor so they ended up at Threadgills.  As orders are being taken and it is the Mom's turn she, says "I'd also like the chicken fried steak, and can you make mine medium rare please"  The waiter looks at her dumbfounded and says" Ma'am we just pull 'em out when they float to the top"  She has no idea how to respond to that and my buddy told her not to worry about it.  The girlfriend's mom just laughed when the food arrived.  [/csb]

The fried okra was always great and I recall thinking i could eat the broccoli rice casserole  by the pan if they'd let me.

 

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RamjetFDO

RamjetFDO 10642

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Took my son and his wife there for my "last meal" at Threadgill's (downtown).  

It was a regular lunch destination with my Grandfather when he was alive.  We'd meet there, and he'd tell me old stories (some from WWII, some from after, some just "life").

I'll miss that place.

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happyfunball

happyfunball 481

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50 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

They are still open as of now and there is nothing to suggest they are closing any time soon.  Had some gelato a couple of days ago.  Solid.

https://austin.eater.com/2018/10/17/17983360/uncle-nickys-italian-cafe-austin-restaurant-juniper-via-313

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Juniper and Via 313 Are Opening an Italian Cafe With Sandwiches
Uncle Nicky’s is taking over Dolce Vita’s old gelato space in Hyde Park

 

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