An Austin hotel restaurant that's known for nightly live music is launching a new annual event to raise money for musicians' healthcare. Geraldine's at Hotel Van Zandt will host the inaugural HAAM & G’s Annual Benefit Dinner on September 26.
Proceeds for from the dinner will benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), one of the city's leading music nonprofits. HAAM members get medical services including dental, hearing, vision, wellness, and specialty care programs, plus health navigating healthcare enrollment. In 2025, HAAM saved its members more than 16.5 million in insurance costs, according to the nonprofit's annual impact statement.
The benefit dinner will take place between 5-10 pm, giving plenty of time for a welcome reception, a four-course dinner, a raffle, and a champagne toast. Of course, there will also be live music: guests can expect to see local artists DJ Honey Pocket, Alan Eckert Trio, Mobley, and Sir Woman. DJ Eye Q & Ari on Sax will finish the night at Brass Poppy, the cocktail lounge in the hotel's lobby.
Executive chef Sergio Ledesma will create a special menu for the event, reflecting Austin's identity and taking the excuse to get creative alongside the musical performers.
An artistic touch is nothing new at Geraldine's, which serves modern Mexican cuisine.Geraldine's/Facebook
Food and beverage director Trevor Cabal sums it up as a mix of "Texas ingredients, Mexican heritage, Southern comfort and a little bit of playfulness." It will be subtle, he says, maintaining the feeling of dining at Geraldine's but with a more celebratory tone and some creative liberties. The menu won't be too on-the-nose, but it will really feel like Austin to people who are familiar with the city's culinary scene.
Although live music is a fairly common sight at restaurants around Austin, Geraldine's stands out as one of the most prominent "dinner and a show" destinations. The restaurant hosts live music during its dinner service Thursdays through Sundays every week.
More than a dining room with a guitarist in the corner or a music venue with seating, Geraldine's combines the best of both worlds — plush chairs, individual tables, and linens, plus a raised, well-lit stage in the front of the room. The musicians who pass through are both popular local acts and touring artists. They're not background noise, but shows people actually buy tickets to see.
"We’ve never wanted Geraldine’s to be a restaurant that happens to have live music," says Cabal. We want it to be a restaurant where music is part of its DNA. The artists on our stage are as much a part of the experience as what’s coming out of Chef Sergio’s kitchen or across the bar."
Cabal works to make sure the feeling is mutual for the artists. That includes special events, like HAAM & G's, that amp up the creative symbiosis between the chefs, bartenders, servers, and performers. All these people work nights, weekend, and holidays, he points out, to create an experience for others.
"We want musicians to feel like Geraldine’s is one of their places in Austin, not just another venue where they happened to play," he says. "HAAM & G’s is especially meaningful because we’re not just putting musicians on a stage and calling it a benefit. We have the opportunity to bring together Chef Sergio and our culinary team, local artists and musicians, our hospitality partners and our guests around one cause. Everyone is contributing their own craft."
Tickets to the inaugural HAAM & G's are $150 per person. Dinner, a raffle ticket, and wine service are all included. Parties of up to eight can book a table for $1,200. Guests can purchase more raffle tickets in advance or at the event, and drinks will be available at a cash bar. Hotel Van Zandt is located at 605 Davis St.
An artistic touch is nothing new at Geraldine's, which serves modern Mexican cuisine.