Spec-TACO-lar

Austin's homegrown taco chain blazes into downtown with new restaurant

Austinites will soon be able to dip into the downtown location of Torchy's Tacos.

Torchy's

The eternal local debate of Tacodeli vs. Torchy’s Tacos may never be fully settled, but for a few months Torchy’s will reign as the first of Austin’s two beloved taco purveyors to set up shop in the city’s core.

While Tacodeli is still working on its new Congress Avenue space, Torchy’s is opening its anticipated new downtown location on December 11. Located on the bottom floor of the Northshore Austin at 110 San Antonio Street #120, the outpost will offer the same menu that turned the former food truck into a phenomenon, with more than 60 locations in three states.

“Our fans have been begging for a downtown Torchy’s, and we finally get to oblige with the highly anticipated opening at Northshore, making tacos more convenient for downtown residents, commuters, and tourists checking out our beautiful city,” said Torchy’s Tacos CEO G.J. Hart in a release. “As we look to find new markets for our Damn Good tacos, our roots remain in Austin — a place where each new location is an opportunity to continue to share our tacos with the city we love.”

The commitment to the community extends to partnering with nonprofits. As with all Torchy’s locations, the downtown shop will continue the tradition of offering a taco of the month — for December, a twist on al pastor tacos called the Preacher — that will benefit charities like MD Anderson Cancer Center, Make-A-Wish, and Phoenix House.

Downtown denizens will also be happy to know that another feature was carried over from newer locations like Guadalupe Street and Mueller. Along with green chile queso, fans will be able to enjoy a bar menu that includes beer and margaritas.

Although December 11 is the first official day of business, hungry Austinites can get a sneak peak of the new location at a preview party on December 10, open to the public between 5-8 pm. The shindig will feature entertainment, drinks, and, of course, plenty of free tacos.

Iced Out

Rainey Street bar Icenhauer's closes after ongoing sales losses

Photo courtesy of KVUE

Icenhauer's has closed.

Austinites spent Sunday celebrating one last time at a Rainey Street staple: Icenhauer's.

The bar's owner, Michael Icenhauer, said all of the construction in the area is taking a toll on the bar's sales.

"We've been losing money since April 2023, and it's just not something we want to deal with anymore," Icenhauer said. "Our best year, our best month was ... we were down 20 percent. Our worst month, we were down 70 percent. So the last year and a half has been brutal for us."

Other Rainey Street bars like Reina, Container Bar, Bungalow, and Stagger Lee have all closed since 2022.

With this latest closure, longtime Central Texan Shelby Campbell said this is just another example of how the story of Rainey Street keeps changing.

"I remember being down here when it was all just little houses and tiny bars and everybody was just like that kind of a quaint feeling when you wanted to escape the crazy Sixth Street," Campbell said. "And now, to see so many high-rises, it's honestly wild."

Campbell has been living in Central Texas over the past 10 years and still hopes a part of the "old" Austin she knows can be preserved.

"I think it's a booming city and I don't think it has any signs of slowing down, which again, there's a lot of positives in that," Campbell said. [...]

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

closings rainey street downtown