Awards season

Swanky Austin restaurant nabs Texas' only spot on Esquire's Best New Restaurants 2019

Comedor chef Gabe Erales.

Photo by @skinnypilgrim

It’s about to get a lot more difficult to get a reservation at Comedor. The downtown contemporary Mexican restaurant nabbed the No. 10 spot on Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America, 2019.

“The best Mexican food I ate this year came from the kitchen of Gabe Erales,” beamed Esquire’s food and drinks editor Jeff Gordinier, who also raved about the masa spaetzel and a chocolate tamal from pastry chef and restaurant partner Philip Speer.

Published on November 13, Esquire's write-up focused on the chefs' food, but its undeniable that the concept’s bold contemporary space is part of its appeal. Designed by acclaimed architect Tom Kundig, the new build challenges local’s perceptions about what a Mexican restaurant is supposed to look like.

Comedor was the only Austin restaurant named to Esquire’s list in a year where national critics largely seemed largely underwhelmed with Capital City cuisine. After years of being a critical darling, Austin was shut out of 2019 rankings from GQ, Eater, and Bon Appétit. Food & Wine named Suerte to its best new restaurant list in May, but that list largely honored restaurants that opened in 2018.

Carpenters Hall scored a spot on Bon Appétit's Hot 50, the long list of nominees for its annual top 10 issue. That plaudit was mired in controversy, however, due to editor-at-large Andrew Knowlton’s involvement in the project.

Still, Austin seems poised to regain some media sparkle in 2020. Two James Beard Award nominated chefs — Emmer & Rye's Kevin Fink and Olamaie's Michael Fojtasek — have new projects in the works, and both Comedor and the red-hot DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya will eligible for next year's round of best-of lists.

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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.

dive bars whiskey cocktails openings driftwood