Where to Eat During SXSW

This guide is old, old, old! Go to the 2008 Guide instead.

[Photos by mlovitt, cha cha, Yimay, and Ben Brown]

I’m by no means an expert on Austin food, but I thought it would be handy to note some of the places I’ve enjoyed over the last few SXSW conferences.

My focus here on listing places has been mostly those restaurants that are:
1. in close proximity to 6th Street and the Convention Center at 4th St and Neches (I like the Warehouse District a lot but most people won’t be willing to walk all the way out there for lunch)
2. relatively inexpensive and casual (or are of good value)
3. places specializing in BBQ and Tex-Mex
4. not national chains like IHOP or PF Chang’s and the like

So here’s my shortlist of where you and a few friends can sit down and grab a bite downtown in between films, panels, parties, and bands. Personally, I try to avoid eating Asian food since I can get a lot of that at home, YMMV. As a New Yorker, I also maintain the right to be snotty about Austin’s imposter Katz’ Deli.

Thanks to Yimay Yang, Karen Broyles, and Michaela Drapes for extra tips.

Downtown Coffeehouses I’ve Enjoyed (Drinks, Light Fare)

• The Hideout
  617 Congress Ave (at 6th)
  (512) 443-3688
  
• Halcyon
  218 W 4th St (betwen Lavaca and Colorado)
  (512) 472-9637

There’s also a coffee shop (Java Jive) in the Hilton that’s always too crowded and has slow service due to the huge number of people who all want coffee at exactly the same time. If you’re willing to walk, there’s also Progress Coffee (500 San Marcos St between 5th and 6th) but you gotta cross under the highway to get there.

I’ve also enjoyed Jo’s Coffee, which has two locations. The closer one is 242 W 2nd St (between Lavaca and Colorado), and the other one is located in South Congress, at 1300 S Congress (at James St). And the South Congress location will actually be featuring some cool live music acts during SXSW Music!

Eating Downtown

• Taco Shack
  Grab a quick breakfast at this local chain with some hearty but basic breakfast tacos; they also have regular tacos for lunch. Hours are limited because they cater to the Monday through Friday crowd, but it’s very handy if you find yourself hungry and around the Convention Center. They only do breakfast on Saturdays and are open until 1pm. They’re closed on Sundays.

  Downtown in the Frost Tower
  402 Brazos at E 4th
  512-473-0101

• Ironworks BBQ

  Ironworks does fine BBQ and lucky for us, it’s extremely close to the Austin Convention Center. They may not be the absolute best in the Austin metro area, but if you’re pressed for time, it’s a pretty good option. Tucked just behind the ACC, Ironworks reliably serves up tasty brisket, ribs, and chicken, along side the usual sides: potato salad, beans, pickle, onion, bread, and barbecue sauce. The beef ribs, slathered with spicy BBQ sauce, come highly recommended over the other options (some find the brisket boring). And don’t try to go there on Sundays, they’re closed.

  100 Red River St at Cesar Chavez
  (512) 478-4855

• Habana Calle 6
  As you might imagine, Habana Calle 6 is a Cuban restaurant. They’re famous for their mojitos, but the food is the real star—tasty chicken and pork dishes, the usual Cuban sandwiches, and heavenly sides. Be especially sure not to miss the fried yucca with veggie mojo, a limey, vinegary sauce that can be addictive. Tres leches cake, an Austin tex-mex dessert staple of white cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk, is also a specialty. At the higher side of moderate it can be a bit of a splurge, but if you need to be well-nourished it’s worth the extra couple of bucks. And they have great mojitos, and a back patio.

  709 E 6th St at Sabine
  (512) 443-4252

• Casino El Camino
  It’s all about the famous burgers at this low-key, classic Austin dive. “Three-Quarters of a pound of charbroiled Certified Angus Beef” or so I’m told. The burgers are giant, the fry basket is giant, and it’s a nice, dark bar to sit around and hang out with friends, as the kitchen churns out amazing medium-rare hunks of meat. Proceed directly to the small back counter window (it’s easy to find) and order, and then be prepared to wait. It can take an hour to receive your burger.

  517 E 6th St at Neches
  (512) 469-9330

• Las Manitas Avenue Cafe
  I have many fond memories of dragging myself out of bed at seven in the morning to get ready for the Interactive conference and heading off to Las Manitas, or “little hands,” for fuel for a long day. Las Manitas is a well-loved Austin restaurant that’s been around since 1981 and specializes in Mexican and Central American fare. If you weren’t out late the night before (or even if you were!) the breakfast tacos are worth the effort to get out of bed. Give me some tacos with eggs, potatoes, bacon, with a side of some plantains, and freshly squeezed orange juice or coffee, and I’m good to go. Relax a bit in the warm Texas weather at the picnic tables on their big outdoor patio in back.

  If you don’t make it in time for breakfast, there’s always lunch. Plus, I hear the vegetarian chorizo, made out of soy bean gluten, and scrambled with eggs, onions, and serrano peppers is incredible. Unfortunately, they don’t serve dinner, but, tomorrow is, of course, another day.

  211 Congress Ave at 2nd
  (512) 472-9357

• The Boiling Pot

  Ah, the Boiling Pot. I remember the glee in my friends’ faces when we first discovered this cajun seafood chain. You order dinner by the pound, and eat it on a long wooden table. Everybody gets bibs and paper towels and tiny wooden mallets. Dinner consists of a mixture of boiled shrimp, crab, crawfish, corn and potatoes, and sausage, which is dumped unceremoniously onto your table. Spicy boiled seafood that you eat with your hands + ice cold beer = a very fun, but messy time. It’s a very unique restaurant that you probably won’t find at home. Just remember to wash your hands vigorously before and after. (Sorry, vegetarians, as all they have for you is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!)

  700 E. Sixth at Sabine
  212-472-0985

• Angie’s Mexican Restaurant

  In a quaint house at the top of of a hill lies a great Mexican joint. If you have the courage to cross under I-35 on 7th, you’ll be rewarded by delicious, delicious carnitas tacos. Angie features traditional Southwestern/Mexican food that’s full of fresh ingredients, including their famous made-from-scratch corn tortillas. They cater mostly to a lunchtime crowd and there’s usually a wait but you can sit outside and enjoy the sunshine while you feast.

  900 E 7th St, just past Brushy
  512-476-5413
  

• Stubb’s BBQ

  This 24 year old Austin restaurant also doubles as a famous live music venue, although I’m not sure if they’re more famous for the concert acts or their legendary hickory-smoked barbecue. It’s a different vibe from other downtown restaurants, with large tables, rustic walls and wooden floors. They also have a good selection of appetizers and sides like serrano pepper cheese spinach. It’s always lively and fun at Stubb’s, especially with a big group. Closed Mondays.

  801 Red River St, at E 8th
  (512) 480-8341

• Moonshine - Patio Bar & Grill
  Alright, I know I said I was focusing on casual, inexpensive places, but I want to make an exception for Moonshine’s classic American fare since it’s so close to the ACC. And if you eat here for lunch, entrees run $11-14, but you can eat for less if you stay on the sandwiches and salads side of the menu. My friends also tell me that the pork chop they serve at dinner is divine. They also have a Sunday Brunch from 10:00am to 2:30pm with a $12.95 buffet, $3 mimosas & $3 Bloody Marys. 

  303 Red River St at E 3rd
  (512) 236-9599

• Chez Nous
  If you’re up for feeling fancier than the previous places, check out Chez Nous, regional French cuisine in a soulful brasserie atmosphere. They have a dinner prix fixe deal at $25 that includes a choice of soup, salad or paté maison, as well as entree, and a dessert. Unpretentious, friendly, and a welcome respite from Sixth Street. Note: Lunch is only served Tuesdays through Fridays. Closed Mondays.

  510 Neches at E 5th
  512-473-2413
  

To Help Your Insides Recover

• Casa de Luz
  A vegan friend of mine clued me into this tucked-away gem, Casa De Luz. Casa de Luz is a nonprofit organization with a dining area, an auditorium, classrooms and gardens. Its goal is to promote healthy living, enlightenment and natural nutrition. For organic, vegan, and all natural food, this is the place to go. Now, skeptics might think that macrobiotic, vegan food is entirely tasteless and boring, but they’re wrong! The atmosphere is homey, the unsweetened tea is perfect for a warm spring day, and the food is surprisingly creative, as well as filling. The menu changes daily. Last year, when I dropped in, my meal consisted of fresh, homemade vegetarian soup, vegan tacos, some wonderful sides of fresh veggies, all topped with a delicious mock cheese.

  (Though Casa de Luz might be a little out of the way, but if you time your meal right, you can hop on the free Austin bus, the Dillo (Gold Line Map and Schedule in PDF), back across the river downtown Austin and save on cab fare.)

  1701 Toomey Rd [map]
  (512) 476-5446

You Have a Friend with a Car

• Star Seeds

  Star Seeds is a quirky, eclectic diner, may be small and have a spacey waiting staff, but during SXSW, it quickly becomes one of the hippest places in town. Not to mention that Star Seeds is open all night; it’s one of Austin’s 24 hour eateries.

  Tucked away among motels and the highway overpass, it’s a good place to go after you’ve been hopping from party to party all night; it is known for its cheap prices and excellent breakfast menu. Spring for one of the famous giant breakfast tacos—you can have up to five ingredients including, but not limited to, refried beans, hash browns, cheese, eggs, sausage, and tomatoes. The omelets are some of the fluffiest around, and the hummus is surprisingly good as well. Though the crowd might be more Brooklyn than Texas, the drinks are the size of your head. Be sure to check out the entertaining flyers in the lobby as you wait.

  Just off northbound I-35 at E 31st St
  (512) 478-7107

• Bouldin Creek Coffee House and Cafe

  Bouldin Creek Coffee House and Cafe is a charming and comfy coffee house where I like to relax and not think about whatever party I’m going to next. Full of mismatched tables and chairs, it’s a quirky restaurant where you order your food at the counter, grab a mug of hot and strong coffee, and then seat yourself, as you await your giant breakfast. It’s an obvious favorite of hipsters and slackers, but gives off a homey, welcoming vibe. And they’ve got breakfast all day! Plus, most anything on the menu can be made in a vegan version.  I’m a meat-eater and even I love the veggie chorizo, it’s that good.

  1501 S. First St at Elizabeth
  (512) 416-1601

• Magnolia Cafe

  One of the most popular SXSW destinations, Magnolia is a greasy spoon diner, traditional family restaurant, Mexican food joint, and coffee house all rolled into one. The family owned and operated Magnolia Cafe is over two decades old and a great slice of the Austin food scene. Open 24 hours a day, “8” days a week, folks from all over love to snag a booth and dig into the yummy Magnolia enchiladas (stuffed full of avocado, black olives, tomatoes, and cheddar and jack cheeses) or, if it’s late enough to be breakfast time, a stack of their famous pancakes. Citizens have a choice between gingerbread, buttermilk, whole wheat, and corn meal. Or maybe the Neptunian Landscape is more up your alley. It’s a pile of grilled potatoes, mixed together with avocados, green onions, and a special verde and lemon sour cream sauce, topped with jack cheese. This local institution is also known for its warped, charming decor, which is mostly the work of local Austin artists; it’s not uncommon to see punk rock skulls mixed in with alcoholic rabbits on the walls. The South Congress location is also not far if you find yourself in the neighborhood; there’s also another location by UT.

  2304 Lake Austin Blvd.
  (512) 478-8645

  1920 S. Congress Ave.
  (512) 445-0000

And if you are feeling spendy: Try out La Traviata (314 Congress Ave, between 3rd and 4th) for some tasty Italian. I’ve also read that Eddie V’s (301 E Fifth St at San Jacinto Blvd.) is good for a take on gulf seafood (if you can’t find that at home), Shoreline Grill (San Jacinto Blvd. at 1st St.) is known for for prime rib and crab cakes, and Roaring Fork (701 Congress Ave. at 7th St) is good for “upscale cowboy food.” The Roaring Fork also gets bonus points in my book for having what looks like a great bar menu. And for the truly upscale experience, there’s the Driskill Grill in the Driskill Hotel (604 Brazos St, at 6th St).

UPDATE: Also see some Chowhound discussion of this guide.