Touchdown!

7 Austin restaurants to score Sunday brunch without missing NFL football

Watch the game in style at Cover 3.

The return of NFL football means many Austinites are now spending Sundays setting fantasy lineups and watching their favorite teams go at it. Nothing wrong with that, but don't let all that gridiron action halt your brunch game.

Luckily, Austin is filled with great bars and restaurants to get a brunch fix and catch pro ball. From North Austin to South Lamar, West Fifth to the east side, football fans can score big at these seven neighborhood spots.

Backspin
Get into the football-viewing action during Backspin’s brunch, which is on Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm at its South Austin location. The menu features a few standard items, such as breakfast tacos and French toast, but it’s the house-made specialties, like the cheddar drop biscuit sandwich (sausage, fried egg, and cheese on a cheddar biscuit), that shine at this sports bar.

The Cavalier
The brunch menu at this east side dive runs the gamut from deviled eggs to poutine to chicken and waffles, and there are many great drink options. This includes $5 Bloody Marys, $3 mimosas, and plenty of special cocktails, like the tequila-centric Trash Can Punch. Brunch at The Cavalier runs on Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-3 pm. And FYI Saints fans — New Orleans' games are always on the main screen here.

Cover 3
Upscale but comfortable is the best way to describe this sports bar with locations downtown, Allandale, and North Austin. Brunch stretches from 11 am to 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and it features a Bloody Mary and mimosa bar that lets you to dress up the drinks. For eats, definitely get the chicken fried New York strip steak and eggs or the tinga chicken breakfast enchiladas.

Doc’s Motorworks Bar & Grill
The brunch portion of the menu at Doc’s isn’t quite as elaborate as some of the other spots on this list, but it’s nonetheless a great spot to watch football. Check out the fried egg sandwich or migas, and be sure to take advantage of beverage specials on Saturday and Sunday, which include $3 mimosas, $5 Austin Eastciders Blood Orange mimosas, $3 select drafts, and more. Deals apply to both locations.

The Park
For those looking for brunch, football, and a party combo, look no further than The Park on South Lamar Boulevard or in the Domain Northside. From 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday, indulge in a $16 brunch buffet with all the staples, such as French toast, migas, and pancakes. Drink specials actually run until 5 pm, and that includes a $5 Bloody Mary bar and a variety of mimosa options. Need to dance? Hit the patio and let the DJ get you moving.

Revelry Kitchen + Bar
From 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday, take in the “Funday Brunch” at this spot over on East Sixth Street. Grab a $6 Bloody Mary or a $4 mimosa to go with the pulled pork hash skillet or chicken lollipop wings and waffles. Reverly even serves up orders of churros, which is just fun. Adding to the mix is DJ kidGorilla, who spins throughout the day.

Uncle Billy’s Brewery & Smokehouse
Few things are as synonymous as beer, barbecue, and football, so it's impossible to go wrong with this brewery/smokehouse on Barton Springs Road. Brunch stretches from 9 am to 2 pm, Friday to Sunday, and it includes some tasty, meaty options, such as smoked brisket hash and ground brisket migas. While kicked back, keep things in line with one of the Lazy Day Lagers.

where-drink where-to-eat drinks sports brunch

Refill, revere, rejoice

Austin distiller will refill Kentucky Bourbon bottles for $1 in gameday stunt

Photo courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Still Austin is filling up empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles and adding its own label in a display of Texas dominance.

Cheap bourbon isn't usually something people line up for, but in this case they know it's good. Still Austin Whiskey Co., a favorite Austin distiller, is offering $1 refills of its own Cask Strength Bourbon on empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles on November 23.

The promotion celebrates the Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats football match the same day. This is a highly anticipated game because the two teams have only been matched up once, back in 1951. Kentucky coach Mike Stoops reportedly also upped the ante by saying the Longhorns have "no weaknesses."

Essentially, this is a parallel challenge by Still Austin: Replace your Kentucky Bourbon with our Texas spirit and watch the Lone Star State win again.

"Why would I ever taint your bourbon with dried up Kentucky juice[?]" asked a (frankly, terrifying) customer on Instagram.

There is a misconception that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association itself points out that, "According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon."

Still Austin CEO and co-founder Chris Seals is setting the record straight with a little snark, inviting both fans and "skeptics" to stop by to take advantage of the deal.

“We’re deeply grateful to Kentucky for inventing the stuff, but after 200 years of the same old bourbon, people want something new,” said Seals in a press release.“The idea that great bourbon can only come from Kentucky is a myth based on decades of misinformation. We’re inviting everyone still holding onto this old guard notion to ‘Kentucky Fill Up’ to experience the difference for themselves.”

The product he's chosen to represent the brand, the Cask Strength Bourbon, is described as "a deeper more 'metal' version of our beloved straight bourbon." It's 116 proof (58 percent ABV) and has won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Still Austin will only refill 500 bottles. Here are the rules: The bottles have to be 750 milliliters, clean, intact (with the original cap on hand), and they must have originally contained bourbon from a Kentucky Distillery. There are two time slots for refilling at 9 am and 11:30 am. Patrons can get tickets ahead of time at stillaustin.com.

In addition to the fill-ups, Still Austin will host a watch party starting at 2:30 pm. More Texas-Kentucky crossover will include Frozen Texas Julep cocktails, Texas fried chicken, and an armadillo derby race. There will also be exclusive merch and giveaways. Still Austin is the official corporate partner of Texas Athletics.

whiskey university of texas longhorns