First look at Eberly

South Austin's newest restaurant and bar opens in stunning fashion

Eberly, the highly anticipated South Lamar restaurant and bar from former co-owners of Stubb's, John Scott and Eddy Patterson, officially opened on Saturday, October 15.

Named after Angelina Eberly, who stood up to Sam Houston and his Texas Rangers in 1846 to help preserve Austin as the capital of Texas, Eberly occupies 15,000 square feet described as “a thoughtful collection of dining, drinking, and thinking spaces.” At first glance, the industrial building formerly occupied by a print shop looks stark, but walking in reveals a stunning space full of warmth and charm.

A collaboration between Michael Dickson of Icon Design Build and Mickie Spencer, the impossibly beautiful Eberly sports a mixture of old and new styles. The front part of the building houses an ample dining room where art nouveau mingles with midcentury modern design. At the back is a welcoming lounge, modeled after the lobby of a grand hotel, which is home to the historic Cedar Tavern bar of New York City fame. The spaces are connected through a Victorian study, inspired by the glass conservatories at Kew Gardens, which has an adjacent sunny patio on one side and backs to the open kitchen on the other.

We positively love the gender-neutral bathroom with single occupancy design that includes floor-to-ceiling doors in peacock blue and “vacancy” light fixtures outside each stall. Soon to open is a rooftop terrace overlooking downtown. If we had one complaint it would be that all tables for two are set up on a banquette, which leaves no privacy for intimate dining in such a romantic space.

Helmed by executive chef Jim Tripi and executive pastry chef Natalie Gazaui, Eberly features contemporary American cuisine, while Cedar Tavern offers a full menu of classic tavern food like Scotch eggs, fish and chips, and a burger with duck fat fries. High-end touches like charcuterie, raw oysters, and caviar keep the NYC vibe alive.

Tripi has nearly 30 years of culinary experience in hotels and restaurants in New York; Chicago; San Antonio; New Jersey; Dallas; and Austin, where he was part of the opening team at the flagship Whole Foods. Gazaui served as the pastry chef for McGuire Moorman Hospitality for five years before joining the Eberly team.

The menu at Eberly is familiar yet creative, subject to change daily depending on seasonality and availability of ingredients. We sampled the wood-roasted East Coast oysters topped with spinach, cream, pork belly, Parmesan, and olive oil-preserved tomato; a crudo of snapper (was that lightly salt-cured?) in a tangy green apple and serrano aguachile with a garnish of fish chicharrón; fork-tender braised short ribs with caramelized onion reduction atop apple-celery root fondue with crunchy broccolini; and a delightful potato galette that was creamy and crispy, topped with lightly dressed baby arugula.

Dessert is not to be missed. After much deliberation, we chose Natalie’s Basque Cake, Gazaui’s nod to her heritage, and were absolutely wowed by the presentation and flavor combinations. Crunchy honeycomb, quince paste, dainty scoops of pear poached in Txakolí, and Manchego cheese ice cream played the perfect accompaniment to the moist almond pastry.

Beverage selections include classic and signature cocktails, as well as an ample wine list and beer on tap. Although prices are dear, the beauty and serene vibe of the space make it worth a visit. We foresee a bright future for this innovative gathering spot.

The Eberly study, inspired by the glass conservatories at Kew Gardens.

Photo by Merrick Ales

The Eberly study, inspired by the glass conservatories at Kew Gardens.

Games on the Go

This outdoorsy mountain trolley is now a vintage arcade in Austin

Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The trolley still bears most of the markings from its past life in Tennessee.

Some classic arcade games are now on the go in Austin with the launch of the Austin Arcade Trolley. Housed in a renovated trolley car, this new mobile arcade shows off eight vintage 80s and 90s games, while keeping some of the transportation nostalgia intact, too.

Austin Arcade Trolley owner and ex-corporate salesman Trey Tschoepe said in a press release that the idea came about after attending birthday parties with his 6-year-old daughter. The parties inspired a desire to "keep Austinites young at heart." It wasn't intended as a business, but Austinites can now book it for their own events.

The vintage games include:

NBA Jam
Golden Tee
Ms. Pacman
Atari
The Simpsons
NFL Blitz
Mortal Kombat
Street Fighter II

Austin Arcade Trolley interior Even though the aesthetics are different, both halves of this bus are very retro.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

It's not just limited to those classics, though; a 55-inch screen will let guests play more than 30,000 other games. Minecraft, Roblox, and Tetris are a few of those offerings.

“Not only are we delivering nostalgic fun that accessible to all ages, but we’re also doing it in style with a vintage trolley car converted into a mobile arcade," said Tschoepe. "There’s truly nothing else like this in Texas or anywhere else.”

There certainly are other mobile arcades, but the trolley is unique not just for its vintage selection but a delightfully outdoorsy look. The back of the vehicle looks like an arcade, but the front and exterior sidestep the expected design elements — neon colors, envisionings of cyberspace — by keeping everything as-is.

Austin Arcade Trolley interior This part of the trolley basically looks like any other mobile arcade.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The wooden interior still has some passenger benches, and the outside even displays its original affiliation: the Tennessee town of Pigeon Forge, where it was designated a "Fun Time Trolley."

Tschoepe did put some work in, even though he kept the aesthetic intact. He purchased the decommissioned car in May 2024 and spent six months implementing custom woodwork and other design updates.

Now it can fit 15 guests in the arcade section, with space for 7 more in the seating section. There's also wifi and air-conditioning, and guests are encouraged to bring their own snacks and drinks onboard.

Austin Arcade Trolley interior This part of the trolley brings light to an airier side of gaming.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The trolley is available for hourly booking every day. The case price is $375 including delivery, setup, and unlimited play within the booking time, which happens in two-hour increments. It can travel around Austin as well as to Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Dripping Springs, Bee Cave, Buda, Kyle, and Lakeway.

Tschoepe welcomes kids and adults for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, weddings, corporate and team-building events, and anywhere else it's needed.

“We’re excited to spread the fun throughout Central Texas," he said.

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