From the restaurant thread...
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Originally Posted by me
These are some of the places I'll miss if/when I move back to the metroplex.
BBQ: County Line- not the original location, but the one on 2222/360. The fresh bread, the mixed platter with Beef ribs, brisket, turkey, sausage and a cold beer. I can't think of a better after church meal. (This is the place where Cap's parents and met Ms. Cap's mom for the first time.)
Runners up: Rudy's (bbq on a budget), The Salt Lick (good but overrated)
Tex-Mex: Trudy's - Texas Star. I'll be the first to admit the food isn't terrific. I stick to one or two items I know are can't miss (Fajitas, Flaquities, Chile Relleno). The reason to come here is the drinks. Happy Hour with the Mexican Martinis (they cut you off after 2) or some cold dos equis is the bomb and it just means 'austin friends' to me.
Runners up: Maudies (drinks again), Taco Shack (breakfast tacos), Serrano's (symphony square location only)
Burgers: The Tavern - I know you've probably heard of Hut's or Dirty's or Waterloo Icehouse (all good burgers), but none of those guys serve your dead cow sandwich on a Kolachi roll bun. That's right I said Kolachi.
Runners up: Hut's (sixth street), Culver's Butter Burgers and Frozen Custard (locations all over Wisc, Minn, SD, ND, Iowa and... Austin?), Top-Notch drive-in (dazed & confused)
Steak: Eddie V's - A valentine's day tradition three years running. The filet is an experience. We also have nothing but high marks for the service (something I can't say for Ruths Chris or Trulucks).
Runners up: Austin Land & Cattle (not to be confused with Texas Land & Cattle), NxNW (20 oz porterhouse Sunday Special)
Dessert: Mozart's - great place to get some cheesecake and a cup of joe. This is the place you end a date or meet somebody for the first time. You can sit out on the deck and plot your next enterprise as you stare across Lake Austin at the hills of million dollar homes.
Runners up: Amy's Ice-Cream (please tip), Austin Java Co. (keep austin weird)
Best of the rest...
Romeo's - good Italian joint on Barton Springs near Zilker Park
East Side Cafe - They grow their own veggies
Hyde Park Bar & Grill - the "Hyde Park Fries" are the ultimate comfort food
Threadgills - Unlike Hard Rock Cafe, a music-themed restaurant that's genuine
Hula Hut - it's as "westlake" as I'll go
Whole Foods World HQ - it's the place to see and be seen
Stubbs - wait for a great band...
Ringers - best sports bar ever... except the overpriced beer and spurs fans
Starseeds Cafe - Kerbey Lane is played out
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Since I moved there are two newer sports bars downtown that I heard are better than Ringers.
Champions @ 4th & Trinity
3rd Base @ 6th & Mopac
From my experience there are always enough Mavs interlopers to make you feel secure. Secure enough to talk shit whilst rooting obnoxiously. There are probably more Spurs fans around than normal being that most of them had to buy new Western Conference Champs gear - since they burned their old stuff in January when they jumped off the bandwagon.
As for attractions/events...
You've already missed the kite festival, eyeores birthday, Marley festival. Blues on the green (Zilker), 4th of July (Zilker), and the Hot Sauce festival (Waterloo Park) are still coming up though. They're still doing movies in the park I think. That's once a month sponsored by Alamo Drafthouse so check out their website. Pecan St festival will probably come around/ Crawfish festival might be over already. Check out
www.austin360.com.
FREE/CHEAP STUFF TO DO (some are date spots):
Lake Austin hike & bike trail/ check out the bitches then check out the bats
Zilker
Botanical Gardens (Zilker)
Barton Springs Pool (Zilker)
Mt. Bonnell
Toy Joy
the Capitol building
The Bob Bullock Museum is worth going to once
Walk the Drag (Guadalupe - Guad-a-loop)
Walk South Congress (SoCo) - First Thursdays of Each month
Lake Travis
LINKS
http://www.downtownaustin.com/directory/
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/
http://www.austinchronicle.com/
http://www.austin360.com/
http://www.firstthursday.info/
http://www.toyjoy.com/
http://www.originalalamo.com/
STREETS & NAVIGATION
Use MoPac or Lamar to travel North & South - 35 is for suckers and truckers
North/South streets through downtown are named for texas rivers geographically from west to east - Rio Grande, Nueces, Guadalupe, Lavaca, Colorado, CONGRESS AVE, Brazos, San Jacinto, Trinity, Neches, Red River
All numbered streets run East/West except 1st street which starts in front of City Hall and goes south into 78704. The street that should be 1st is called Cesar Chavez.
15th st = Enfield
20th st = MLK
26th st = Dean Keeton (north side of UT campus)
2222 through town = Koenig (Kay-nig)
Loop 1 = MoPac
360 = Capital of Texas Hwy
183 = Research Blvd
71 = Ben White Blvd
6th st = Lake Austin Blvd west of MoPac
other pronunciations not covered
Manchaca = Man-shack
Burnet = Burn-it
Hook 'em = Go Horns