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Moving to Austin, Texas! (1 Viewer)

ffweasel

Weasel Power
My wife has accepted a promotion to a position in Austin, Texas and we’ll be relocating probably mid to late August. 

Best safe & affordable areas most likely outside of the downtown area? Pflugerville? Lakeway? We’re neither young or FBG wealthy. Looking to purchase something within a 30-45 min commute to downtown. 

Food! Obviously a lot of BBQ and Tacos.. Must go to restaurants and food trucks? Local attractions to visit? 

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!  

 
Great news. Welcome. 

If you want to be north of town, Cedar Park is a nice area. 

Lakeway (west of town) is very nice but can be expensive also. You may also want to look south of town - Dripping Springs or even San Marcos. 

As for what to do - I have a list I send people who come to visit. Its kind of long so trying to put it in spoilers.

ETA: Back in a minute when I figure out how to do spoilers.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Things to do in Austin.

Austin isn’t a huge city like Chicago, but its pretty big and getting much bigger everyday. There are two main highways that go north and south – I-35 and Tx-1 (which everyone calls MoPac). 

I-35 divides east and west downtown Austin. Up until 5-10 years ago, East Austin was pretty rough – with the exception of a few hipster clubs. It has now exploded. There is tons of housing, bars, and exceptional restaurants over there. 

There’s a river (technically a Lake, but it looks like a river) that runs through downtown. South of the Lake is South Austin – which is an artsy, hippy type area. North of the Lake is the heart of downtown.

What’s in Austin

·     The state government – as a result, there is the capitol, the governor’s mansion, etc. The capitol is located at 11thand Congress. Congress is the main north/south surface road in downtown.

·     University of Texas – there’s not a ton to see other than a campus, but if you want to see it, its just north of the capitol. Its at MLK, which is 19th. Its very large. You can’t miss it.

Museums

·     LBJ Presidential Library – right downtown near UT campus

·     Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum – a popular destination

·     Blanton Museum of Art – on UT’s campus

·     Hope Outdoor Gallery – Downtown area where the City has set up a bunch of outdoor spaces for artists to come and make art. Its pretty cool to see.

·     Here are a few others – including some offbeat ones: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/oct/17/austin-10-best-museums-galleries

Outdoors

·     Austin people are crazy outdoorsy. So there are tons of hiking trails, beaches, boating, kayaking, walking, pools, etc. There are a few major parks – Zilker Park and Barton Springs being two of the most famous. 

·     If outdoor type activities interest you, you can check out this - http://move-to-austin.com/austin-tx-outdoor-activities/

·     The main Lake through downtown does not allow motorized boats – except for tourist cruises. There are plenty of those – both with and without dinner – if you are interested. They also have multiple bat cruises.

Bats

·     The bats are huge. There are literally over a million bats that live underneath the Congress Ave bridge. This may only be in the warmer times of the year, but they come out every night at dusk and fly to a local farm. Its pretty impressive to see. It’s a LOT of bats. The best place to see the bats (and not stand on Congress Ave) is to go to the bar at the Line Hotel at Cesar Chavez and Congress or at Geraldine's off Rainey.

Restaurants 

·     When I first moved here in 2011, I didn’t think the restaurant scene was all that great. Since then, it has EXPLODED. There is now an outstanding restaurant scene with every type of food imaginable. 

·     Here is a link to the local paper’s top 25 of 2018 list:  https://apps.statesman.com/austin360/eats/lists/47/2018-best-restaurants-austin/

·     Some of those, obviously, can be quite expensive. 

·     While Austin now has all kinds of amazing food, they are definitely known for BBQ and breakfast tacos. If either of these interest you (and the BBQ should – its really outstanding), let me know.

·     As for anything else – Italian, TexMex, Thai, seafood, steak, burgers, sushi, whatever – there are a lot of great places. If you let me know your preference in type of food, general cost and atmosphere, I can give you some specific suggestions.

·     For specific suggestions, see the end of this email.

Night Life

·     Austin is definitely known for its night life. There are A LOT of bars and A LOT of live music. There are bars that have any type of live music you like – including Donn’s Depot and the Broken Spoke, which are the places I take my Dad so he can listen to really old, great country music. For specific music venues – 

o  Downtown attached to the W are two places – 

§ Moody Theater – this is where they film the weekly Austin City limits TV show. It’s a great place to see a show.

§ 3Ten – a smaller, more casual venue.

o  Paramount and Stateside – two old, classic theaters downtown

o  Emo’s – on the east side, a big, cool music venue

o  Broken Spoke and Donn’s Depot – talked about above

o  Stubbs – Great outdoor venue downtown. There are also a few bars across from Stubbs – like the Mohawk – that will have live music

o  Sixth Street (discussed below) – every bar will have music

o  Antone’s – another cool music venue downtown

·     The most famous area of Austin is called 6thStreet. Specifically, this is the part of 6thStreet that is West of I-35 but East of Congress. They close down the street to cars on Fridays and Saturdays. Its interesting to see, but its called Dirty Sixth for a reason. Its mostly really drunk college-aged people. Its not an area I would normally hang out, but its worth seeing.

·     There are other things besides just music also. There are always a ton of comedy shows – including the one I highly recommend, Esther’s Follies. It’s a music and comedy variety show that is actually really funny. And I took my Dad to it last year and he loved it (even though it does have some Texas-based jokes). 

·     There are also a lot of theaters, so depending on who is in town, you may be able to see plays, musicals, book readings, etc.

·     The website I think is best to find out what’s going on at night is Austin360.com. If you go there and search for just a generic event on the date you will be here, a ton of listings will pop up for what is in town. Also https://do512.comis a good site.

Shopping

·     North of town (depending on traffic, it could be 15 or 45 minutes), is the Domain. This is the area with all the high end shopping. I’d like to name the stores, but other than Tory Burch, I don’t really know anything.

·     San Marcos Outlets – San Marcos is about 45 minutes to an hour south of Austin (on the way to San Antonio). These are like the 2ndlargest outlets in the US. They are really huge.

Sports 

·     UT sports

·     Austin FC (MLS) starts in 2021

·     Minor league hockey

·     Minor league baseball

·     Roller derby (haven’t been yet, but really want to go)

Specific Restaurants

·     Tex-Mex – You’d think Austin would be a mecca of Tex-mex but its really not. I think the best truly Tex-mex is Uncle Julio’s – but that’s a chain. It is good, though. 

·     Tacos – Austin has fantastic breakfast tacos. The best places for breakfast tacos – in my opinion – are:

o  VeraCruz All Natural taco truck - https://www.veracruzallnatural.com

o  Papalote - http://yumpapalote.com

o  El Chilito - http://www.elchilito.com

o  There are plenty of others that have good breakfast tacos but those are my favorites.

o  Torchy’s Tacos – this is probably the most famous taco place in Austin. Its very good and is usually on a list of best tacos in the country - https://torchystacos.com

·     Barbecue – The most famous is Franklin (https://franklinbbq.com). The problem with that is you have to wait forever (literally 3 hours) in line. There are plenty of others that have great barbecue with much shorter lines. A few suggestions:

o  Stiles Switch – This is where I usually send people because it is excellent barbecue with a short line. 

o  LA BBQ – This is excellent but there will likely be a line.

o  Blacks – There are two Blacks BBQs in Austin – I think there was a split in the family. They are both very good. 

o  Coopers – This is downtown. I’ve only been there once but the original Coopers in Llano is always on the Top 50 list in Texas.

o  Lamberts – This is also downtown. Its fancy bbq with plates and silverware but its very good.

o  Micklethwait – This is a food truck on the east side. Its quite good.

·     Sushi – Uchi and Uchiko are the traditional kings of Austin sushi. They are excellent but VERY expensive. The other recommendation is Musashino. Its excellent also.

·     Other favorites

o  Sway – This is a modern Thai restaurant. The food is terrific but they don’t accept resevations. And you share tables.

o  Ramen Tatsu-ya – Great ramen place. Very casual but very good.

o  Home Slice – Austin isn’t a great pizza town but if you like thin slice pizza, this is probably the best.

o  Via 313 – This is a great “Detroit style” pizza place. Its very popular.

o  Launderette – Small plates. Its really, really terrific. But they do not take reservations.

o  Emmer and Rye – also small plates. Also terrific.

o  Patrizi’s – There are a bunch of new Italian restaurants in Austin. Most of them are fairly fancy and nominally Italian. Lots of small plates. Patrizi’s is my favorite Italian restaurant. Its actually a food truck just outside of a bar. They have plenty of tables set up outside on which to eat. The menu is fairly limited but the food is fantastic. They have the best garlic bread I’ve ever had.

o  Olamaie – So good. Southern/comfort food. The best biscuits you will have. 

o  Jeffrey’s – Probably the best of the steakhouses if that’s what you want. 

o  Clark’s – Really nice, fun oyster bar. Small, though. Limited seating. And – surprisingly – a terrific hamburger.

o  Truluck’s – This is a chain but its really good. Seafood. Terrific crab legs, if you like that. 

o  Perla’s – Good seafood. Great patio on which to eat it.

·     Brunch – This is a whole other ball of spaghetti. There are a lot of great places to eat brunch, so if you want to have brunch, let me know and I’ll come up with some suggestions. The one I suggestion I do have is Fonda San Miguel. Its probably the best brunch in the city (interior Mexican food) but its VERY expensive. Like $55 per person or something.

There are new restaurants that pop up all the time so I am sure I am missing some. If you have any other questions, let me know.  
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lived there from '06 to '12, and absolutely loved it.  Part of me (a big part) wants to move back.  

whoknew with a great post above... not sure I could add more other than it's an awesome place to live, even with it absolutely blowing up in the past decade-plus.  

 
Things to do in Austin.

Austin isn’t a huge city like Chicago, but its pretty big and getting much bigger everyday. There are two main highways that go north and south – I-35 and Tx-1 (which everyone calls MoPac). 

I-35 divides east and west downtown Austin. Up until 5-10 years ago, East Austin was pretty rough – with the exception of a few hipster clubs. It has now exploded. There is tons of housing, bars, and exceptional restaurants over there. 

There’s a river (technically a Lake, but it looks like a river) that runs through downtown. South of the Lake is South Austin – which is an artsy, hippy type area. North of the Lake is the heart of downtown.

What’s in Austin

·     The state government – as a result, there is the capitol, the governor’s mansion, etc. The capitol is located at 11thand Congress. Congress is the main north/south surface road in downtown.

·     University of Texas – there’s not a ton to see other than a campus, but if you want to see it, its just north of the capitol. Its at MLK, which is 19th. Its very large. You can’t miss it.

Museums

·     LBJ Presidential Library – right downtown near UT campus

·     Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum – a popular destination

·     Blanton Museum of Art – on UT’s campus

·     Hope Outdoor Gallery – Downtown area where the City has set up a bunch of outdoor spaces for artists to come and make art. Its pretty cool to see.

·     Here are a few others – including some offbeat ones: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/oct/17/austin-10-best-museums-galleries

Outdoors

·     Austin people are crazy outdoorsy. So there are tons of hiking trails, beaches, boating, kayaking, walking, pools, etc. There are a few major parks – Zilker Park and Barton Springs being two of the most famous. 

·     If outdoor type activities interest you, you can check out this - http://move-to-austin.com/austin-tx-outdoor-activities/

·     The main Lake through downtown does not allow motorized boats – except for tourist cruises. There are plenty of those – both with and without dinner – if you are interested. They also have multiple bat cruises.

Bats

·     The bats are huge. There are literally over a million bats that live underneath the Congress Ave bridge. This may only be in the warmer times of the year, but they come out every night at dusk and fly to a local farm. Its pretty impressive to see. It’s a LOT of bats. The best place to see the bats (and not stand on Congress Ave) is to go to the bar at the Line Hotel at Cesar Chavez and Congress or at Geraldine's off Rainey.

Restaurants 

·     When I first moved here in 2011, I didn’t think the restaurant scene was all that great. Since then, it has EXPLODED. There is now an outstanding restaurant scene with every type of food imaginable. 

·     Here is a link to the local paper’s top 25 of 2018 list:  https://apps.statesman.com/austin360/eats/lists/47/2018-best-restaurants-austin/

·     Some of those, obviously, can be quite expensive. 

·     While Austin now has all kinds of amazing food, they are definitely known for BBQ and breakfast tacos. If either of these interest you (and the BBQ should – its really outstanding), let me know.

·     As for anything else – Italian, TexMex, Thai, seafood, steak, burgers, sushi, whatever – there are a lot of great places. If you let me know your preference in type of food, general cost and atmosphere, I can give you some specific suggestions.

·     For specific suggestions, see the end of this email.

Night Life

·     Austin is definitely known for its night life. There are A LOT of bars and A LOT of live music. There are bars that have any type of live music you like – including Donn’s Depot and the Broken Spoke, which are the places I take my Dad so he can listen to really old, great country music. For specific music venues – 

o  Downtown attached to the W are two places – 

§ Moody Theater – this is where they film the weekly Austin City limits TV show. It’s a great place to see a show.

§ 3Ten – a smaller, more casual venue.

o  Paramount and Stateside – two old, classic theaters downtown

o  Emo’s – on the east side, a big, cool music venue

o  Broken Spoke and Donn’s Depot – talked about above

o  Stubbs – Great outdoor venue downtown. There are also a few bars across from Stubbs – like the Mohawk – that will have live music

o  Sixth Street (discussed below) – every bar will have music

o  Antone’s – another cool music venue downtown

·     The most famous area of Austin is called 6thStreet. Specifically, this is the part of 6thStreet that is West of I-35 but East of Congress. They close down the street to cars on Fridays and Saturdays. Its interesting to see, but its called Dirty Sixth for a reason. Its mostly really drunk college-aged people. Its not an area I would normally hang out, but its worth seeing.

·     There are other things besides just music also. There are always a ton of comedy shows – including the one I highly recommend, Esther’s Follies. It’s a music and comedy variety show that is actually really funny. And I took my Dad to it last year and he loved it (even though it does have some Texas-based jokes). 

·     There are also a lot of theaters, so depending on who is in town, you may be able to see plays, musicals, book readings, etc.

·     The website I think is best to find out what’s going on at night is Austin360.com. If you go there and search for just a generic event on the date you will be here, a ton of listings will pop up for what is in town. Also https://do512.comis a good site.

Shopping

·     North of town (depending on traffic, it could be 15 or 45 minutes), is the Domain. This is the area with all the high end shopping. I’d like to name the stores, but other than Tory Burch, I don’t really know anything.

·     San Marcos Outlets – San Marcos is about 45 minutes to an hour south of Austin (on the way to San Antonio). These are like the 2ndlargest outlets in the US. They are really huge.

Sports 

·     UT sports

·     Austin FC (MLS) starts in 2021

·     Minor league hockey

·     Minor league baseball

·     Roller derby (haven’t been yet, but really want to go)

Specific Restaurants

·     Tex-Mex – You’d think Austin would be a mecca of Tex-mex but its really not. I think the best truly Tex-mex is Uncle Julio’s – but that’s a chain. It is good, though. 

·     Tacos – Austin has fantastic breakfast tacos. The best places for breakfast tacos – in my opinion – are:

o  VeraCruz All Natural taco truck - https://www.veracruzallnatural.com

o  Papalote - http://yumpapalote.com

o  El Chilito - http://www.elchilito.com

o  There are plenty of others that have good breakfast tacos but those are my favorites.

o  Torchy’s Tacos – this is probably the most famous taco place in Austin. Its very good and is usually on a list of best tacos in the country - https://torchystacos.com

·     Barbecue – The most famous is Franklin (https://franklinbbq.com). The problem with that is you have to wait forever (literally 3 hours) in line. There are plenty of others that have great barbecue with much shorter lines. A few suggestions:

o  Stiles Switch – This is where I usually send people because it is excellent barbecue with a short line. 

o  LA BBQ – This is excellent but there will likely be a line.

o  Blacks – There are two Blacks BBQs in Austin – I think there was a split in the family. They are both very good. 

o  Coopers – This is downtown. I’ve only been there once but the original Coopers in Llano is always on the Top 50 list in Texas.

o  Lamberts – This is also downtown. Its fancy bbq with plates and silverware but its very good.

o  Micklethwait – This is a food truck on the east side. Its quite good.

·     Sushi – Uchi and Uchiko are the traditional kings of Austin sushi. They are excellent but VERY expensive. The other recommendation is Musashino. Its excellent also.

·     Other favorites

o  Sway – This is a modern Thai restaurant. The food is terrific but they don’t accept resevations. And you share tables.

o  Ramen Tatsu-ya – Great ramen place. Very casual but very good.

o  Home Slice – Austin isn’t a great pizza town but if you like thin slice pizza, this is probably the best.

o  Via 313 – This is a great “Detroit style” pizza place. Its very popular.

o  Launderette – Small plates. Its really, really terrific. But they do not take reservations.

o  Emmer and Rye – also small plates. Also terrific.

o  Patrizi’s – There are a bunch of new Italian restaurants in Austin. Most of them are fairly fancy and nominally Italian. Lots of small plates. Patrizi’s is my favorite Italian restaurant. Its actually a food truck just outside of a bar. They have plenty of tables set up outside on which to eat. The menu is fairly limited but the food is fantastic. They have the best garlic bread I’ve ever had.

o  Olamaie – So good. Southern/comfort food. The best biscuits you will have. 

o  Jeffrey’s – Probably the best of the steakhouses if that’s what you want. 

o  Clark’s – Really nice, fun oyster bar. Small, though. Limited seating. And – surprisingly – a terrific hamburger.

o  Truluck’s – This is a chain but its really good. Seafood. Terrific crab legs, if you like that. 

o  Perla’s – Good seafood. Great patio on which to eat it.

·     Brunch – This is a whole other ball of spaghetti. There are a lot of great places to eat brunch, so if you want to have brunch, let me know and I’ll come up with some suggestions. The one I suggestion I do have is Fonda San Miguel. Its probably the best brunch in the city (interior Mexican food) but its VERY expensive. Like $55 per person or something.

There are new restaurants that pop up all the time so I am sure I am missing some. If you have any other questions, let me know.  
Great info! Thank you. We’re really looking forward to the move and my toddler Is going to love having a yard and plenty of parks to run around in. 

 
Went to Uchi tonight. I"m sure Jiro makes better sushi but if that's true ... man I need to experience it. Because Uchi is fantastic.

 
Things to do in Austin.

Austin isn’t a huge city like Chicago, but its pretty big and getting much bigger everyday. There are two main highways that go north and south – I-35 and Tx-1 (which everyone calls MoPac). 

I-35 divides east and west downtown Austin. Up until 5-10 years ago, East Austin was pretty rough – with the exception of a few hipster clubs. It has now exploded. There is tons of housing, bars, and exceptional restaurants over there. 

There’s a river (technically a Lake, but it looks like a river) that runs through downtown. South of the Lake is South Austin – which is an artsy, hippy type area. North of the Lake is the heart of downtown.

What’s in Austin

·     The state government – as a result, there is the capitol, the governor’s mansion, etc. The capitol is located at 11thand Congress. Congress is the main north/south surface road in downtown.

·     University of Texas – there’s not a ton to see other than a campus, but if you want to see it, its just north of the capitol. Its at MLK, which is 19th. Its very large. You can’t miss it.

Museums

·     LBJ Presidential Library – right downtown near UT campus

·     Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum – a popular destination

·     Blanton Museum of Art – on UT’s campus

·     Hope Outdoor Gallery – Downtown area where the City has set up a bunch of outdoor spaces for artists to come and make art. Its pretty cool to see.

·     Here are a few others – including some offbeat ones: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/oct/17/austin-10-best-museums-galleries

Outdoors

·     Austin people are crazy outdoorsy. So there are tons of hiking trails, beaches, boating, kayaking, walking, pools, etc. There are a few major parks – Zilker Park and Barton Springs being two of the most famous. 

·     If outdoor type activities interest you, you can check out this - http://move-to-austin.com/austin-tx-outdoor-activities/

·     The main Lake through downtown does not allow motorized boats – except for tourist cruises. There are plenty of those – both with and without dinner – if you are interested. They also have multiple bat cruises.

Bats

·     The bats are huge. There are literally over a million bats that live underneath the Congress Ave bridge. This may only be in the warmer times of the year, but they come out every night at dusk and fly to a local farm. Its pretty impressive to see. It’s a LOT of bats. The best place to see the bats (and not stand on Congress Ave) is to go to the bar at the Line Hotel at Cesar Chavez and Congress or at Geraldine's off Rainey.

Restaurants 

·     When I first moved here in 2011, I didn’t think the restaurant scene was all that great. Since then, it has EXPLODED. There is now an outstanding restaurant scene with every type of food imaginable. 

·     Here is a link to the local paper’s top 25 of 2018 list:  https://apps.statesman.com/austin360/eats/lists/47/2018-best-restaurants-austin/

·     Some of those, obviously, can be quite expensive. 

·     While Austin now has all kinds of amazing food, they are definitely known for BBQ and breakfast tacos. If either of these interest you (and the BBQ should – its really outstanding), let me know.

·     As for anything else – Italian, TexMex, Thai, seafood, steak, burgers, sushi, whatever – there are a lot of great places. If you let me know your preference in type of food, general cost and atmosphere, I can give you some specific suggestions.

·     For specific suggestions, see the end of this email.

Night Life

·     Austin is definitely known for its night life. There are A LOT of bars and A LOT of live music. There are bars that have any type of live music you like – including Donn’s Depot and the Broken Spoke, which are the places I take my Dad so he can listen to really old, great country music. For specific music venues – 

o  Downtown attached to the W are two places – 

§ Moody Theater – this is where they film the weekly Austin City limits TV show. It’s a great place to see a show.

§ 3Ten – a smaller, more casual venue.

o  Paramount and Stateside – two old, classic theaters downtown

o  Emo’s – on the east side, a big, cool music venue

o  Broken Spoke and Donn’s Depot – talked about above

o  Stubbs – Great outdoor venue downtown. There are also a few bars across from Stubbs – like the Mohawk – that will have live music

o  Sixth Street (discussed below) – every bar will have music

o  Antone’s – another cool music venue downtown

·     The most famous area of Austin is called 6thStreet. Specifically, this is the part of 6thStreet that is West of I-35 but East of Congress. They close down the street to cars on Fridays and Saturdays. Its interesting to see, but its called Dirty Sixth for a reason. Its mostly really drunk college-aged people. Its not an area I would normally hang out, but its worth seeing.

·     There are other things besides just music also. There are always a ton of comedy shows – including the one I highly recommend, Esther’s Follies. It’s a music and comedy variety show that is actually really funny. And I took my Dad to it last year and he loved it (even though it does have some Texas-based jokes). 

·     There are also a lot of theaters, so depending on who is in town, you may be able to see plays, musicals, book readings, etc.

·     The website I think is best to find out what’s going on at night is Austin360.com. If you go there and search for just a generic event on the date you will be here, a ton of listings will pop up for what is in town. Also https://do512.comis a good site.

Shopping

·     North of town (depending on traffic, it could be 15 or 45 minutes), is the Domain. This is the area with all the high end shopping. I’d like to name the stores, but other than Tory Burch, I don’t really know anything.

·     San Marcos Outlets – San Marcos is about 45 minutes to an hour south of Austin (on the way to San Antonio). These are like the 2ndlargest outlets in the US. They are really huge.

Sports 

·     UT sports

·     Austin FC (MLS) starts in 2021

·     Minor league hockey

·     Minor league baseball

·     Roller derby (haven’t been yet, but really want to go)

Specific Restaurants

·     Tex-Mex – You’d think Austin would be a mecca of Tex-mex but its really not. I think the best truly Tex-mex is Uncle Julio’s – but that’s a chain. It is good, though. 

·     Tacos – Austin has fantastic breakfast tacos. The best places for breakfast tacos – in my opinion – are:

o  VeraCruz All Natural taco truck - https://www.veracruzallnatural.com

o  Papalote - http://yumpapalote.com

o  El Chilito - http://www.elchilito.com

o  There are plenty of others that have good breakfast tacos but those are my favorites.

o  Torchy’s Tacos – this is probably the most famous taco place in Austin. Its very good and is usually on a list of best tacos in the country - https://torchystacos.com

·     Barbecue – The most famous is Franklin (https://franklinbbq.com). The problem with that is you have to wait forever (literally 3 hours) in line. There are plenty of others that have great barbecue with much shorter lines. A few suggestions:

o  Stiles Switch – This is where I usually send people because it is excellent barbecue with a short line. 

o  LA BBQ – This is excellent but there will likely be a line.

o  Blacks – There are two Blacks BBQs in Austin – I think there was a split in the family. They are both very good. 

o  Coopers – This is downtown. I’ve only been there once but the original Coopers in Llano is always on the Top 50 list in Texas.

o  Lamberts – This is also downtown. Its fancy bbq with plates and silverware but its very good.

o  Micklethwait – This is a food truck on the east side. Its quite good.

·     Sushi – Uchi and Uchiko are the traditional kings of Austin sushi. They are excellent but VERY expensive. The other recommendation is Musashino. Its excellent also.

·     Other favorites

o  Sway – This is a modern Thai restaurant. The food is terrific but they don’t accept resevations. And you share tables.

o  Ramen Tatsu-ya – Great ramen place. Very casual but very good.

o  Home Slice – Austin isn’t a great pizza town but if you like thin slice pizza, this is probably the best.

o  Via 313 – This is a great “Detroit style” pizza place. Its very popular.

o  Launderette – Small plates. Its really, really terrific. But they do not take reservations.

o  Emmer and Rye – also small plates. Also terrific.

o  Patrizi’s – There are a bunch of new Italian restaurants in Austin. Most of them are fairly fancy and nominally Italian. Lots of small plates. Patrizi’s is my favorite Italian restaurant. Its actually a food truck just outside of a bar. They have plenty of tables set up outside on which to eat. The menu is fairly limited but the food is fantastic. They have the best garlic bread I’ve ever had.

o  Olamaie – So good. Southern/comfort food. The best biscuits you will have. 

o  Jeffrey’s – Probably the best of the steakhouses if that’s what you want. 

o  Clark’s – Really nice, fun oyster bar. Small, though. Limited seating. And – surprisingly – a terrific hamburger.

o  Truluck’s – This is a chain but its really good. Seafood. Terrific crab legs, if you like that. 

o  Perla’s – Good seafood. Great patio on which to eat it.

·     Brunch – This is a whole other ball of spaghetti. There are a lot of great places to eat brunch, so if you want to have brunch, let me know and I’ll come up with some suggestions. The one I suggestion I do have is Fonda San Miguel. Its probably the best brunch in the city (interior Mexican food) but its VERY expensive. Like $55 per person or something.

There are new restaurants that pop up all the time so I am sure I am missing some. If you have any other questions, let me know.  
We’ll be living in my wife’s hotel until we find a home. It’s by Lady Bird Lake near Congress Bridge. Is the area walkable or will I need a car to get to good eats until we move to the burbs? 

On a separate note for anyone that fishes, any good bass fishing lakes around Austin?

 
We’ll be living in my wife’s hotel until we find a home. It’s by Lady Bird Lake near Congress Bridge. Is the area walkable or will I need a car to get to good eats until we move to the burbs? 

On a separate note for anyone that fishes, any good bass fishing lakes around Austin?
Lbj is ok.  But the better lakes are in East Texas.  

 
We’ll be living in my wife’s hotel until we find a home. It’s by Lady Bird Lake near Congress Bridge. Is the area walkable or will I need a car to get to good eats until we move to the burbs? 

On a separate note for anyone that fishes, any good bass fishing lakes around Austin?
Don't know about fishing but if you are staying in a hotel near the Congress Bridge, you don't need a car. You can walk and/or uber anywhere you need to go.

 
Austin is a great place but one thing to be aware of when making your decision on where to live - traffic is pretty horrible. That and affordable housing are the biggest complaints people have about the city.

So just be mindful of that when choosing where to live. If either you or your wife are going to work downtown, you may want to look for something near a bus line that goes downtown. Austin is doing everything in its power to discourage people from driving into the city. So if you are coming from a surrounding neighborhood, often the bus is the best way to travel.

 
Great info! Thank you. We’re really looking forward to the move and my toddler Is going to love having a yard and plenty of parks to run around in. 
Not sure where you are moving from, but be very mindful of snakes down there, especially rattlers.  My buddy's dog was bitten by one that was hiding under his grill in Austin.  All four of the venomous snakes are down there, so just be cautious.

I love Austin.  I grew up in Dallas and would never consider living there again.  But Austin?  I'd entertain that for sure. 

 
Not sure where you are moving from, but be very mindful of snakes down there, especially rattlers.  My buddy's dog was bitten by one that was hiding under his grill in Austin.  All four of the venomous snakes are down there, so just be cautious.

I love Austin.  I grew up in Dallas and would never consider living there again.  But Austin?  I'd entertain that for sure. 
I’m in Chicago and originally from Michigan. Thanks for the info. I’ll have to especially be cautious with the toddler and when walking on trails. 

 
Welcome! I live in an area in NW Hills called High Vista. Absolutely love it. Can be to two Costcos or Domain in 15 mins, airport or downtown in less than 30, but you’d never know you’re within y100 miles of a city within the green, hilly neighborhood. Public schools are amazing.
How are home prices & property tax? 

 
Austin is a great place but one thing to be aware of when making your decision on where to live - traffic is pretty horrible. That and affordable housing are the biggest complaints people have about the city.

So just be mindful of that when choosing where to live. If either you or your wife are going to work downtown, you may want to look for something near a bus line that goes downtown. Austin is doing everything in its power to discourage people from driving into the city. So if you are coming from a surrounding neighborhood, often the bus is the best way to travel.
My wife will be working at the hotel (near Congress Bridge) where we’ll be living until we find a home. I stay at home with the boy until he starts school. Another couple years or so. 

I hear/read about the traffic issues, but I imagine it can’t be worse than rush hour Chicago traffic. Painful. Chicago has better public transportation options so far from my understanding. Austin will have to really do something with so many people moving there everyday. 

 
How are home prices & property tax? 
Home prices are on the rise but still affordable, especially if you're OK living out in the 'burbs.

Property taxes are on the high side, but knowing what I know about taxes where you currently live, you'll probably be paying less.

Good luck on the move.  I'm jealous.

 
I’m in Chicago and originally from Michigan. Thanks for the info. I’ll have to especially be cautious with the toddler and when walking on trails. 
Yeah, it's not something you've had to be mindful of, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious and learn a few tips to avoid them.  Simple stuff like if you see a log or rock across a trail, step on it and peer down first before continuing.  Don't just blindly step over the log/rock.  Little things.  You'll be fine, but it's never a bad idea to be careful in the warmer months. 

 
Home prices are on the rise but still affordable, especially if you're OK living out in the 'burbs.

Property taxes are on the high side, but knowing what I know about taxes where you currently live, you'll probably be paying less.

Good luck on the move.  I'm jealous.
Would imagine he'll do well selling a house in Chicago and buying there, but I'm merely speculating.  

My best friend moved up to Portland in 2001, bought a house here in 2004, got laid off, so he sold his home in 2006 and moved back to Austin.  His house here was nice, but small and not in the best neighborhood.  He bought a way bigger, newer house in a nicer neighborhood for less money.  I know that was a while back, but I'm guessing FFW will do okay if he's selling in Chicago.  :thumbup:

Oh, and Chicago taxes are ludicrous.  I couldn't believe the amount of taxes they stuffed into things when I visited last summer.  Course, I'm from a state with no sales tax, but jimminy crickets, Chicago....I needed a loan by my second day there. :lmao:

 
Home prices are on the rise but still affordable, especially if you're OK living out in the 'burbs.

Property taxes are on the high side, but knowing what I know about taxes where you currently live, you'll probably be paying less.

Good luck on the move.  I'm jealous.


Also - I'm a real estate lawyer and part of my practice is protesting property tax appraisals. So happy to help or refer you to someone if you need it. You should protest the value every year.

 
Oh, and Chicago taxes are ludicrous.  I couldn't believe the amount of taxes they stuffed into things when I visited last summer.  Course, I'm from a state with no sales tax, but jimminy crickets, Chicago....I needed a loan by my second day there. :lmao:
No joke. Out of control. 

 
Offer on house was accepted and we officially head to Texas on the 21st! We ended up choosing a home in the Shady Hollow area of Austin. It’s near some great schools and the commute for my wife’s job is reasonable. I know we could have got more house in the burbs, but happy nonetheless. 

During my house hunting visit I had some good BBQ, TexMex, and a Gourdoughs donut. The city, albeit hot, was great. I’m ready for more! 

 
Offer on house was accepted and we officially head to Texas on the 21st! We ended up choosing a home in the Shady Hollow area of Austin. It’s near some great schools and the commute for my wife’s job is reasonable. I know we could have got more house in the burbs, but happy nonetheless. 

During my house hunting visit I had some good BBQ, TexMex, and a Gourdoughs donut. The city, albeit hot, was great. I’m ready for more! 
Bet your winters will be better in Austin than Chicago!!!

 
Shady Hollow?  That’s way down south.  Fortunately you won’t make my traffic any worse.  But welcome!

 
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Welcome to Austin! We've been here for about 2 1/2 years from Dallas and actually planning on moving to FL next year once our lease is up to be closer to the parents as they are getting to the point that we want to be there for them.

You chose to move down south. We lived in that area when we first moved here and then moved all the way north to Leander. We couldn't stand the traffic on I35 going north. But, the traffic headed south sucks too but at least we don't have to us I35 anymore, most of the time. Looks like your wife should be able to just jump onto MoPac to get to work. But, you cant win either way. You are near Circle C Ranch which is a plus.

To me the weather here is great except for the summer and lots to do and eat. I hope you like it.

 
Also - I'm a real estate lawyer and part of my practice is protesting property tax appraisals. So happy to help or refer you to someone if you need it. You should protest the value every year.
Wish I knew this recently although was successful in my second appeal this year. Such a shady outfit.

 
Welcome to Austin! We've been here for about 2 1/2 years from Dallas and actually planning on moving to FL next year once our lease is up to be closer to the parents as they are getting to the point that we want to be there for them.
That’s the reason we moved back to the Midwest from California a few years back. It’s time to move again though. Everything I’ve been told or read looks real positive for Austin. 

And avoiding I35 was always the plan!

 
Welcome. Hope you enjoy it.
bump, thanks for the list up there. it’s been a few years since you wrote it, do you have a few recent additions to recommend? I’m heading to round rock 5/9-5/15 and will try and get to austin at least twice for a meal.
 
Welcome. Hope you enjoy it.
bump, thanks for the list up there. it’s been a few years since you wrote it, do you have a few recent additions to recommend? I’m heading to round rock 5/9-5/15 and will try and get to austin at least twice for a meal.

My favorite restaurant in town now is La Piscina. It's in the Proper Hotel and it's fantastic. Highly recommend if you like ceviche and fajitas.

Also, lately I've found myself hanging out, eating, and drinking at a lot of the hotel restaurants and bars. It's a pretty good scene at most of them. For example, the lobby bar in the Proper is PACKED on Friday and Saturday nights. Also, my friend just told me that the weekend scene at Nido at the Loren Hotel is quite popular. And the Zanzibar at the Marriott is pretty fun.

A few other places that are good:

  • Nixta Taqueria - Its a taqueria that won a James Beard award last year. Only downside is no reservations so there can be a wait.
  • Joe's Bakery - Great old school Tex-Mex breakfast and lunch.
  • Dean's Italian Steakhouse - Pretty good. Red Ash is better. But when you can't get a reservation at RA, Dean's is a solid backup.
There're also a bunch of new restaurants that I have not tried yet like Ember, Luminaire, Holiday, and Ling Kitchen that are all supposed to be good.
 
If you want to stay local to Round Rock and want some awesome wings, try Wings n' More in Pflugerville.
that place looks bomb, definitely will be eating there next week
Please get the chipotle ranch flavor and report back. I crave that ish like nothing else. It is not "ranch-y" at all.

Edit: Get the wing n' tender combo, best bang for your buck.
 
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Tip
 
We’ll be living in my wife’s hotel until we find a home. It’s by Lady Bird Lake near Congress Bridge. Is the area walkable or will I need a car to get to good eats until we move to the burb
On a separate note for anyone that fishes, any good bass fishing lakes around Austin


You definitely need a car
 
Tip
is that your house Cos? and I also would like to know of any good bass fishing lakes near austin/round rock! tia
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
I traveled there just to eat at FRanklins. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I went to Terry Blacks as well. Not as good IMHO. Just seemed like something was missing. Sides were better tho at Blacks.
 
Q
Tip
is that your house Cos? and I also would like to know of any good bass fishing lakes near austin/round rock! tia
Yeah, mine for now. Since I already moved to CT, it would be best if I sold it soon. Market probably won't peak until mid-late June

Lake Austin has good bass fishing. Its a smaller lake but has public ramp. Lake Travis can be good, but it needs to be 2/3s full.
As mentioned above, far far better bass fishing in East Texas, like sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend, Lake Fork, but they're all 3-5 hours away
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
I like interstellar better, but lordy it's expensive
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
I like interstellar better, but lordy it's expensive

YES! I volunteered to pay for lunch since my buddy hosted me for a few days and the other guys took care of dinner the night prior. I felt like Chevy Chase in Vacation when Cousin Eddie asked him for $55,000 dollars and he put his wallet back in his pocket. To be fair, we DID order a TON of stuff, but the sticker shock when they rang it up all up floored me.

At the VERY end of ringing it all up, my buddy threw a packaged brownie on top and said "here, this too". I was pissed. He didn't eat it during the meal, so I took it with us everywhere we went and kept forcing it on him.
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
I like interstellar better, but lordy it's expensive

YES! I volunteered to pay for lunch since my buddy hosted me for a few days and the other guys took care of dinner the night prior. I felt like Chevy Chase in Vacation when Cousin Eddie asked him for $55,000 dollars and he put his wallet back in his pocket. To be fair, we DID order a TON of stuff, but the sticker shock when they rang it up all up floored me.

At the VERY end of ringing it all up, my buddy threw a packaged brownie on top and said "here, this too". I was pissed. He didn't eat it during the meal, so I took it with us everywhere we went and kept forcing it on him.
Yeah, that's what has turned me off to bbq joints. Back in the day it was basically peasant food heavy on the regional influence and something anyone could afford.
It's still very good, but I'm as enthusiastic about it as I would be for a $50 pizza or a $35 chicken dinner.
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
I like interstellar better, but lordy it's expensive

YES! I volunteered to pay for lunch since my buddy hosted me for a few days and the other guys took care of dinner the night prior. I felt like Chevy Chase in Vacation when Cousin Eddie asked him for $55,000 dollars and he put his wallet back in his pocket. To be fair, we DID order a TON of stuff, but the sticker shock when they rang it up all up floored me.

At the VERY end of ringing it all up, my buddy threw a packaged brownie on top and said "here, this too". I was pissed. He didn't eat it during the meal, so I took it with us everywhere we went and kept forcing it on him.
Yeah, that's what has turned me off to bbq joints. Back in the day it was basically peasant food heavy on the regional influence and something anyone could afford.
It's still very good, but I'm as enthusiastic about it as I would be for a $50 pizza or a $35 chicken dinner.

When I lived there I really just preferred Rudy's. Their turkey is/was totally underrated and the brisket and sausage were great too. Plus, what's not to like about thrown a loaf of Wonder bread to bring to your pic-a-nic table to eat the meat with?

I may get slammed for this but I never went to Franklins, not once. Salt Lick? Sure, a few times because it's an "experience". But I felt the food was just as good at Rudy's but for half the price.
 
Franklins BBQ is there and is fantastic. With order ahead online it is a breeze in and out.

Was in Austin last year and my buddies insisted we go to Interstellar and not Franklin's. Was very good - I enjoyed the free Lone Star while we waited, but I'd sure like the Franklin experience one day to compare/contrast.

We (4 of us) ordered about $175 worth of food. While I enjoyed everything, the one item that was gobbled up first surprised me - it was this smoked pepper turkey that just tasted like heaven. All four of us reached for the last piece at the same time. :lmao:
I like interstellar better, but lordy it's expensive

YES! I volunteered to pay for lunch since my buddy hosted me for a few days and the other guys took care of dinner the night prior. I felt like Chevy Chase in Vacation when Cousin Eddie asked him for $55,000 dollars and he put his wallet back in his pocket. To be fair, we DID order a TON of stuff, but the sticker shock when they rang it up all up floored me.

At the VERY end of ringing it all up, my buddy threw a packaged brownie on top and said "here, this too". I was pissed. He didn't eat it during the meal, so I took it with us everywhere we went and kept forcing it on him.
Yeah, that's what has turned me off to bbq joints. Back in the day it was basically peasant food heavy on the regional influence and something anyone could afford.
It's still very good, but I'm as enthusiastic about it as I would be for a $50 pizza or a $35 chicken dinner.

When I lived there I really just preferred Rudy's. Their turkey is/was totally underrated and the brisket and sausage were great too. Plus, what's not to like about thrown a loaf of Wonder bread to bring to your pic-a-nic table to eat the meat with?

I may get slammed for this but I never went to Franklins, not once. Salt Lick? Sure, a few times because it's an "experience". But I felt the food was just as good at Rudy's but for half the price.
Rudy's is a great chain
Probably the best bbq chain with more than five locations. Never exceptional, but more importantly never bad.
 
My wife has accepted a promotion to a position in Austin, Texas and we’ll be relocating probably mid to late August.

Best safe & affordable areas most likely outside of the downtown area? Pflugerville? Lakeway? We’re neither young or FBG wealthy. Looking to purchase something within a 30-45 min commute to downtown.

Food! Obviously a lot of BBQ and Tacos.. Must go to restaurants and food trucks? Local attractions to visit?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Mexican food - Amaya's Taco Village
Superior basic texmex. Their crispy tacos are legendary. Fat, hand made corn tortillas, fried to order and brimming with great picadillo (taco meat), salad and cheese. I dream of them.
Steak -Austin Land and Cattle at Lamar and 12th. Not too be confused with the inferior Texas Land and Cattle chain.
Seafood - Cypress Grill, mopac and wm Cannon. Cajun place has the best fried shrimp in town and also catfish and oysters. Papadeauxs also very good, more selection, but fried shrimp not as good.
Cajun - Evangeline's on South Brodie. Best gumbo, mache choux, etoufee. Po boys, etc.
Hot dog - Costco. Really
Hamburger - regular old fashioned Short Stop
Fancy - Hopdaddys

Notable
Jack Allen's
Blue Corn Harves
Peached Tortilla
Jim's (old school breakfast joint /diner}
Texas Roadhouse Great value steaks and fried catfish {chain}
Capt. Benny's - raw oysters. Seafood, patio
 
mexican food is probably the only food I won’t eat while out there, lots of meat sweats in my future
 

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