Good news and bad news

Popular South Austin tapas bar closes for good as acclaimed Mexican restaurant moves in

It’s out with tapas and in with tlayudas at 2717 S. Lamar Blvd. After two years in business, popular South Austin Spanish restaurant El Chipirón has closed for good.

The news was revealed in a release from El Naranjo, the acclaimed Oaxacan restaurant from 2019 James Beard Awards semifinalist Iliana de la Vega. The restaurant will open a second location at the former home of El Chipirón in just two weeks, on September 17.

El Chipirón appears to have quietly shuttered in late June. Owner Pablo Gomez closed the restaurant to take care of maintenance issues, at the time billing the closure as temporary. The restaurant, a highlight of Austin's ever-shrinking Spanish dining scene, had been in operation since June 2017.

Although El Naranjo has made a few cosmetic changes to the space, it will employ the same basic footprint as the former tenant, including the wraparound 22-seat bar. Unlike its original location on bustling Rainey Street, the new spot will also boast ample parking.

The menu, however, will be identical to the Rainey Street outpost. Diners can expect several dishes using house-made masa, a variety of moles, and a full bar with a focus on tequila and mezcal.

For now, the South Austin El Naranjo will be open for dinner, Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30-10 pm. A rep tells CultureMap that customers can look forward to expanded hours in the coming months.

El Chipirón shuttered after two years in business.

El Chipiron/Facebook

El Chipirón shuttered after two years in business.

closings openings

Cat's Out of the Bag

Classic Austin dive bar Mean Eyed Cat opens new Driftwood outpost

Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

There ain't no grave can hold Austinites down when it's time to break in this new dive bar.

An Austin bar with a lot of personality has its eye on a new location. The Mean Eyed Cat is opening in Driftwood on Thursday, November 21.

This Johnny Cash-inspired bar has certainly always had the country aesthetic: the weathered wood, the live oak-shaded picnic tables, the black-and-white photos on the wall, and even the occasional taxidermy specimen. The same rustic vibes continue in Driftwood at 8750 W RR 150, Bldg. 100, according to a short press release.

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood interior This new bar already looks like it's been collecting antiques for decades.Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Good luck getting there on Google Maps. Right now, it drops a pin at the intersection of Ranch to Market Road 150 and Elder Hill Road. However, it appears to be next to Mad Rooster's Liquor Store — we can see the side of the building through the window and the same road signs. We've reached out to a spokesperson to get the proper directions.

The Austin original has been around since 2004, and this offshoot is only its second location. The promises "the same laid-back, offbeat charm that made the original bar an icon."

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood interior What's a dive bar without a pool table?Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Before the Austin location was a bar, it was a chainsaw repair shop that was aptly featured in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Chris Marsh was who converted it to a watering hole and Christened it the Mean Eyed Cat, and he later sold it to current owners Matt Luckie, Max Moreland, and Jed Thompson, placing it in a lineage that also includes Lavaca Street Bar & Grill, Sign Bar, Lala’s Little Nugget, and more locally beloved staples and oddities.

All the proper references are there in Driftwood, including several saw blades on the wall, Johnny Cash memorabilia, and lyrics on every available surface, including a picnic table that ominously says "HURT." First and foremost on the menu are whiskeys and classic cocktails, keeping things as simple as anyone would expect at a dive bar.

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood patio A spacious patio takes advantage of the Hill Country surroundings.Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Despite the relatively remote location, commenters on Instagram have already spotted people inside and started chomping at the bit. It sounds like opening day will be a lively affair.

The Mean Eyed Cat in Driftwood will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 2 pm to 2 am, and Fridays through Sundays from noon to 2 am. Happy hour will be weekdays from 4-7 pm.

dive bars whiskey cocktails openings driftwood