Remembering the burgers, barbecue, neighborhood bars and familiar signs that helped make old Austin unforgettable.
There was a time when finding your friends didn't require a text message. You just knew where they'd be.
Maybe it was the burger joint near campus. The barbecue place where you could stretch a lunch break into an afternoon. Or the neighborhood bar where the music was loud, the beer was cold and nobody particularly cared what you were wearing.
Every city has places like these. But Austin, Texas, had more than its share.
Many are gone now, replaced by new buildings, new businesses and a city that sometimes feels very different from the one longtime residents remember.
Fortunately, the memories have proven harder to demolish.
Players: Burgers, Longhorns and a Familiar Neon Sign
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For generations of University of Texas students, Players Restaurant was practically part of the campus experience. Opened in 1981 near the intersection of Guadalupe Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Players wasn't trying to reinvent the hamburger. It served burgers, fries, shakes and cold beer in a comfortable, unpretentious setting. Its big yellow roadside sign was a familiar sight, and the Texas-shaped Players neon sign became part of the restaurant's personality. |
You could stop in after class, before a Longhorn game or late at night when a burger seemed like an excellent idea.
And plenty of people did.
When Players finally closed in November 2014 after 33 years, customers lined up for one last visit. The restaurant had become more than a place to eat. It was part of their personal history.
Today, that familiar name lives on in a vintage-inspired Players T-shirt from Yestercool—a small tribute to a place that once occupied a big space in Austin life.
Mad Dog & Beans: The Kind of Place You Wish You Could Visit Again
Some restaurants become legendary because of celebrity chefs or national publicity.
Others become legendary because they make a really good burger.
Mad Dog & Beans, near the western edge of the UT campus, belonged firmly in the second category.
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Its burgers, fries and malts made it a favorite among students and longtime Austinites. The atmosphere was casual, the food was memorable and the experience was unmistakably old Austin. It wasn't a place you visited to be seen. It was a place you visited because you wanted to be there. Mad Dog & Beans disappeared in the 1990s, but its name still brings back memories for people who spent time around campus. And isn't that the test of a great neighborhood restaurant? Decades later, people still remember what they ordered. |
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Ruby's BBQ: Before Barbecue Became a Destination
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Long before Austin barbecue attracted international attention and hours-long lines, Ruby's BBQ was quietly doing its thing on West 29th Street. Opened in 1988, Ruby's served oak-smoked brisket, ribs and other barbecue favorites, along with an eclectic selection of sides that reflected Austin's independent spirit. There was nothing particularly elaborate about the experience. You ordered at the counter, found a seat and enjoyed good food in familiar surroundings. |
Ruby's closed in February 2018 after nearly 30 years, leaving another empty space in Austin's culinary memory.
For longtime customers, it wasn't simply about barbecue. It was about having a favorite place that felt like it belonged to the neighborhood.
Lovejoy's: A Different Kind of Sixth Street Experience
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Not every memorable Austin hangout involved hamburgers. Lovejoy's Taproom & Brewery, at 604 Neches Street, was a downtown institution for people who preferred their nightlife a little less polished. A combination of neighborhood bar, brewery and gathering place, Lovejoy's attracted an eclectic crowd. It was comfortable being different, which was part of its appeal. While Sixth Street changed around it, Lovejoy's retained much of the unpretentious character that had helped define Austin's earlier nightlife. After 18 years, Lovejoy's closed in August 2012. For its regulars, another piece of downtown Austin had disappeared. |
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Burger Tex and Uncle Billy's: Everyday Places, Lasting Memories
Not every beloved establishment needs a dramatic story.
Burger Tex, a fixture on Airport Boulevard for nearly five decades, became known for its burgers, freshly made buns and distinctive bulgogi burger. Its North Loop location closed in 2020.
Uncle Billy's Brew & Que brought barbecue and craft beer together on Barton Springs Road. The familiar South Austin location closed in 2019 after 13 years.
These were different businesses serving different customers, but they shared something important: they became part of the routines and traditions of the people who visited them.
They were the places you suggested when someone asked, "Where should we eat?" The places you returned to without thinking twice. The places where you knew what you wanted before you walked through the door.
And when those places disappear, it's not just another restaurant closing. It's one less familiar stop in a city that keeps changing.
Fortunately, the memories—and sometimes even those unforgettable old signs—have a way of sticking around.