A new chapter

Legendary East Austin restaurant ends 31-year run after sale to acclaimed local chef

Eastside Cafe is calling it a day after 31 years in business.

Eastside Cafe/Facebook

An East Austin institution is ending its 31-year run. Eastside Cafe owner Elaine Martin has announced that the long-running Manor Road restaurant will close on January 31.

According to a January 14 release, Martin has sold the property to acclaimed chef Sam Hellman-Mass, the owner of Suerte, and former partner at Barley Swine and Odd Duck. Hellman-Mass will continue to use the property as an owner-operated business with a commitment to local sourcing. No further details were revealed about the upcoming concept.

Eastside Cafe was originally founded by Martin and Dorsey Barger in 1988, and was one of the first restaurants to settle on the now booming Manor Road. It was also one of the first spots to embrace the farm-to-table movement, growing their own produce in an adjacent lot and embracing local sourcing long before the concept became an industry buzzword.

In November 2011, Barger parted ways with the eatery to open urban farm and guest house HausBar and Martin has been the sole proprietor since. Although the main dining room was freshened up over the years, and the building next door switched from kitchen shop Pitchforks & Tablespoons to Elaine’s Pork and Pie in 2012, the feel of the restaurant remained the same. Guests could always find mainstays like the Shiner Bock bacon meatloaf and baked brie with chutney on the menu.

“Serving the East Austin community is something that is incredibly close to my heart,” Martin said in the release. “As I close the doors of Eastside Cafe, I’m inspired by all the memories made, food served, and community encouraged in this house, and I’m excited to see the way Sam makes the space his own.”

The last day of business for the restaurant will be January 31, but the restaurant will live on in home kitchens throughout the city thanks to two cookbooks, available now on Eastside Cafe’s website.

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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.

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