Old School Bar and Grill

 On a Sunday, we had the need to be on 6th Street.  We were on our way to Tears of Joy and we were trying to decide on what to have for lunch.  My daughter is a minor, but unbeknownst to many minors can eat at the bars that serve food in Austin as long as it is before a certain time, like maybe 8pm.  So, as we happened to be walking by the Old School Bar and Grill, their greeter stopped us at the door and asked if we wanted to see a menu.  We decided to roll with it, and ended up on the third-floor balcony overlooking 6th Street, waiting for our lunch.

The Old School Bar and Grill is in a really beautiful building, one with a great deal of antique charm.  We were escorted through the ground-floor eatery up two flights of wooden stairs to what appeared to be the dance-floor and stage on the third-floor, and from there to the balcony.  This was the perfect day to be eating outside, maybe in the high 60s and just a little cloudy.  They had probably only opened within the last hour, but the wait-staff proved to be very attentive to the handful of patrons already out on Sunday.

 A couple of items caught my eye on their menu.  They serve a Blue Cheese Buffalo Burger, a hamburger patty seasoned with buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and bacon.  I considered this as an option until I saw they have fish-and-chips, my base-line pub-food of choice.  I elected to have the fish-and-chips, while my daughter went with a burger.

 In addition, there drink menu included a concoction called "The Granpa", a collection of fruit liquors that sounded tasty.  I am one who likes my drinks to taste good, and not require developing a taste for them.

 The order was filled in roughly ten minutes.  The Granpa proved to be an excellent choice; sweet while not syrupy and strong enough to offer a mild buzz.  The fish-and-chips were better than average, but not near the top of my list of good dishes, making me wish I had went with the burger.  My daughter enjoyed her burger, but was neither impressed nor disappointed.  The home-style fries were as good as any other part of the meal. 

 All-in-all, the meal was well worth the $30 spent on two plates and a drink.  I will be going back to try that burger. 

 Old School Bar and Grill Austin Texas

 401 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701

 (512) 722-6351

The Cedar Door

 The Cedar Door on 2nd (Willie Nelson Blvd) and Brazos has been an Austin Original since 1975.  What drew our attention is its claim as the "Home of the Original Mexican Martini".  In my review of Chuy's, I point to their Mexican Martini as one of the best in Austin, so it only made sense that I needed to try the original.

 Recently remodeled, the Cedar Door has an impressive outdoor seating section overlooking Brazos, banquet rooms, and glass garage doors facing 2nd St.  The interior was spacious, with large flat-screen television within easy viewing distance in any direction you looked but also not everywhere you turned you head.  You could watch the televisions or focus on the conversation at the table with equal ease.  

 The staff was friendly, and it seemed like the servers make a point of letting you enjoy your food and the atmosphere while themselves not getting in the way.  Our waitress did not hover around our table or her section of the restaurant, but kept our drinks filled.  The check came a little more slowly than I would have liked, but then it is the kind of place that encourages you to sit and relax.

 The menu, which also recently changed, included what I would consider common sports-bar fare.  For example, we ordered fried mushrooms as an appetizer and I had the chicken-friend chicken.  The fried mushrooms were similar to those you get at Cheddar's, and the chicken-friend chicken was a step below Applebee's.  Price-wise, though, these same items were slightly less expensive than from the two places I mentioned.  We went with the top-shelf Mexican Martini, and we didn't like it as much as its counterpart of Chuy's.  It was good, maybe even a little smoother than Chuy's Mexican Martini, but it lacked the same spicy-kick.  

 If you are not a fan of spicy food, then you would probably favor the Cedar Door's drink over Chuy's. 

 Over all, it was a cool place to eat; just a couple of blocks from 6th St, good food, great atmosphere, and a competitive price.  If you are looking for a place that everyone can afford to hang-out at before hitting the bars on 6th St, then check out the Cedar Door.

 The Cedar Door

 2nd and Brazos

 Austin, TX

 512-473-3712