October 8Oct 8 17 hours ago, blacklab said: Correction: Hang Town Grill There was one near the Arboretum, too. Decent fries, I don't remember anything else being remarkable. The owner was apparently the same guy who owned Mezzaluna, Bitter End and now Grove Wine Bar(s).
October 8Oct 8 1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said: There was one near the Arboretum, too. Decent fries, I don't remember anything else being remarkable. The owner was apparently the same guy who owned Mezzaluna, Bitter End and now Grove Wine Bar(s). If so, that would be Reed Clemons. Pretty good operator.
October 8Oct 8 It was indeed. I have no recollection of the Hang Town on Rio Grande mentioned here though https://www.austinchronicle.com/food/do-fries-come-with-that-shake-get-down-to-hang-town-11737801/
October 8Oct 8 It was where Cabo Bob's is now. Wasn't there very long. 42 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said: If so, that would be Reed Clemons. Pretty good operator. Eh. The Grove is going gangbusters right now, but dude also had an empire in the 2000's and it all went tits up, so scoop of chocolate, scoop of vanilla.
October 8Oct 8 2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said: The owner was apparently the same guy who owned Mezzaluna, Bitter End and now Grove Wine Bar(s). The Bitter End was a few blocks from my office and we used to go there often for lunch. And then when it was Frank following Bitter End's closure. Really liked them both.
October 8Oct 8 2 minutes ago, South Austin said: The Bitter End was a few blocks from my office and we used to go there often for lunch. And then when it was Frank following Bitter End's closure. Really liked them both. I think Frank was a block north of there?
October 8Oct 8 Just now, jimmyjazz said: I think Frank was a block north of there? Several brain cells have died since then, but I recall Frank moved into the Bitter End space. If not, what was Frank before Frank opened?
October 8Oct 8 Bitter End burned down* and nothing moved in after. *suspiciously close to the ending of it's lease. Personally don't think Reed had the balls to pull that kind of move, but the timing definitely raised an eyebrow.
October 8Oct 8 49 minutes ago, Mittens said: *suspiciously close to the ending of it's lease. Personally don't think Reed had the balls to pull that kind of move, but the timing definitely raised an eyebrow. Perhaps Reed could trust a good friend with it.....
October 23Oct 23 Gonna put this here, but it goes beyond burgers: what's your go-to at Top Notch? I'm taking my sis and nephew, and I always default to the cheeseburger. I'm not sure I've ever had the fried chicken, chicken sammich, etc. What say you, surly?
October 23Oct 23 We're in the trust tree, right? I've lived in Austin since 1994 (minus 4 years in Dallas), and for several of them I lived relatively close by Top Notch, and my kids attended Lamar and McCallum. I've never been to Top Notch.
October 23Oct 23 1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said: Gonna put this here, but it goes beyond burgers: what's your go-to at Top Notch? I'm taking my sis and nephew, and I always default to the cheeseburger. I'm not sure I've ever had the fried chicken, chicken sammich, etc. What say you, surly? The fried chicken is good, although I’m not sure I’ve had it there since before Covid shutdown.
October 23Oct 23 To contribute: my daughter and I met up at Busty's on Cameron, and that burger was pretty good
October 23Oct 23 21 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said: To contribute: my daughter and I met up at Busty's on Cameron, and that burger was pretty good How's the overally divey-ness of Busty's? If we go out after Tex-Mex next Thursday, I've got it earmarked as a backup for Lala's Little Nugget. Also, for @South Austin, you gotta do something about that. I only lived in Austin for four years and made a point to hit up Top Notch after Dazed & Confused came out. Solid burger and fries combination. Kind of reminded me of Luke's in Houston (if anyone remembers that; Apparently, it's Annie's Now and looks similar). But a solid burger-stand type burger by any estimation. Also, my go-to for any burger joint where I'm not familiar with the other options is a cheeseburger how I like it. If a place can't get a basic burger all the way (with a few personalized wrinkles) right, it's unworthy. Edited October 23Oct 23 by dcbc
October 23Oct 23 Busty's is just on the better edge of dive. Not even close to gross. Cool place, good people.
October 23Oct 23 1 minute ago, jimmyjazz said: Busty's is just on the better edge of dive. Not even close to gross. Cool place, good people. Yeah, I mean, I'm not looking to get stabbed. But I like a good dive bar that isn't going for any sort of pretense other than to be a good bar.
October 24Oct 24 Author 2 hours ago, utee94 said: Fried chicken is good. I typically get the Longhorn Special. This is the correct answer.
October 24Oct 24 On 12/22/2023 at 6:44 PM, utee94 said: Crown and Anchor plus Celis White imo Celis White accelerated my surrender to alcohol by probably five years.
October 24Oct 24 6 hours ago, South Austin said: We're in the trust tree, right? I've lived in Austin since 1994 (minus 4 years in Dallas), and for several of them I lived relatively close by Top Notch, and my kids attended Lamar and McCallum. I've never been to Top Notch.
October 24Oct 24 I've order only the Longhorn special, but I'm intrigued by their double hot dog sandwich thing.
October 24Oct 24 7 hours ago, South Austin said: We're in the trust tree, right? I've lived in Austin since 1994 (minus 4 years in Dallas), and for several of them I lived relatively close by Top Notch, and my kids attended Lamar and McCallum. I've never been to Top Notch. Blasphemer! Turn in your Surly badge!
October 24Oct 24 11 hours ago, ChickenSandwich said: Next he’s gonna tell us he has never been to y mas. Actually, not at the current location. But, during law school in the 90s my apartment was behind the original Mas location off the I35 frontage road. So I've been to Mas.
October 24Oct 24 And for the record, I've had burgers at Dan's, Counter Cafe (original location on Lamar), Hut's, Shady Grove, Sandy's, Dirty's (my kid brother used to work there), and Player's. And maybe other old school joints I'm forgetting. For whatever reason, I've just never made it to Top Notch. Even my wife thinks that's odd. She was born and raised in Rosedale (McCallum class of 1991), and whenever her parents took her out for burgers, it was Top Notch. Edited October 24Oct 24 by South Austin
October 24Oct 24 6 minutes ago, South Austin said: And for the record, I've had burgers at Dan's, Counter Cafe (original location on Lamar), Hut's, Shady Grove, Sandy's, Dirty's (my kid brother used to work there), and Player's. And maybe other old school joints I'm forgetting. For whatever reason, I've just never made it to Top Notch. Even my wife think's that's odd. She was born and raised in Rosedale (McCallum class of 1991), and whenever her parents took her out for burgers, it was Top Notch. If I'm gauging your relocation to Austin right, I think Mad Dog and Beans was gone by the time you got there. So you get a pass on that one.
October 24Oct 24 2 minutes ago, dcbc said: If I'm gauging your relocation to Austin right, I think Mad Dog and Beans was gone by the time you got there. So you get a pass on that one. I got to Austin in 1994 and Mad Dog and Beans closed in 1995 (according to the internet).
October 24Oct 24 3 minutes ago, South Austin said: I got to Austin in 1994 and Mad Dog and Beans closed in 1995 (according to the internet). The internet is wrong. It closed in 1992, two weeks after I got to Austin. I probably ate there four times during those two weeks. I started eating there some time in the early 80s when my sister was at UT, and it was my first stop after I moved into the dorm. Edited October 24Oct 24 by dcbc
October 24Oct 24 14 hours ago, dcbc said: Yeah, I mean, I'm not looking to get stabbed. But I like a good dive bar that isn't going for any sort of pretense other than to be a good bar. the silver medal, across the highway from busty's, is an actual dive bar that's really great and has a solid burger. busty's is a manufactured mickey mouse bullshit dive bar. Edited October 24Oct 24 by stc
October 24Oct 24 1 hour ago, dcbc said: The internet is wrong. It closed in 1992, two weeks after I got to Austin. I probably ate there four times during those two weeks. I started eating there some time in the early 80s when my sister was at UT, and it was my first stop after I moved into the dorm.
October 24Oct 24 Texas Exes website says Mad Dog & Beans closed in 1995. https://www.texasexes.org/our-spots
October 24Oct 24 If I remember right it closed for a short time and then re-opened. Owner had “tax” issues.
October 24Oct 24 2 hours ago, South Austin said: I got to Austin in 1994 and Mad Dog and Beans closed in 1995 (according to the internet). I hope you had a cheeseburger platter at GM. Actually I'm not sure when they closed, I know it was still there in '93.
October 24Oct 24 2 hours ago, Mittens said: 2 hours ago, South Austin said: Texas Exes website says Mad Dog & Beans closed in 1995. https://www.texasexes.org/our-spots I walked by the location on 24th for years after it "closed." This has to be some sort of cruel joke.
October 24Oct 24 I lived at Castilian freshman year and walked by it in 1984-5 frequently en route to West Campus and buildings on 24th like Welch, Painter, and RLM. Thereafter, I lived closer to 26th and went that way to ETC and the engineering complex and it fell out of mind.
October 24Oct 24 3 hours ago, HenryJames said: No fucking way was it open in 1995. I remember. It was the year Mandela died in prison.
October 24Oct 24 8 hours ago, HenryJames said: Think it had tax issues from inception. My understanding was that they had a side business that they couldn't report to the IRS. 5 hours ago, Deej said: I remember. It was the year Mandela died in prison. And you were eating a burger there? Edited October 24Oct 24 by dcbc
October 25Oct 25 1 hour ago, dcbc said: And you were eating a burger there? Why would he be eating a burger in Mandela’s prison?
October 25Oct 25 19 minutes ago, South Austin said: Why would he be eating a burger in Mandela’s prison? I'm just making assumptions based on his posting history.
October 25Oct 25 Author The real tragedy is that after they cleared the lot, they put a Johnny Rockets in the center behind it and made the old Mad Dogs a parking lot for it.
October 25Oct 25 Longhorn specials is what you get at Top Notch. Get rings and tots.Hangtown Grill on Rio Grande was Dave’s in the 93-95 window, because we ate there plenty in law school.GM was still there then as well, needed some vitamin g many Sunday afternoons.Mad Dog and Beans was open between 92-95 in fits and starts, IIRC. It was closed for a while because of tax issues, then re-opened for a bit, then closed for good.There. There’s some Austin burger history.
October 25Oct 25 On 10/23/2025 at 12:41 PM, South Austin said: We're in the trust tree, right? I've lived in Austin since 1994 (minus 4 years in Dallas), and for several of them I lived relatively close by Top Notch, and my kids attended Lamar and McCallum. I've never been to Top Notch. Same. Austin since 1986.
October 25Oct 25 11 hours ago, Brisketexan said: Longhorn specials is what you get at Top Notch. Get rings and tots. Hangtown Grill on Rio Grande was Dave’s in the 93-95 window, because we ate there plenty in law school. GM was still there then as well, needed some vitamin g many Sunday afternoons. Mad Dog and Beans was open between 92-95 in fits and starts, IIRC. It was closed for a while because of tax issues, then re-opened for a bit, then closed for good. There. There’s some Austin burger history. Now do Holiday House, 2Js, Burger Tex, and the Night Hawk!
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