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Posted
50 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Or....maybe we're all just getting older, and can't handle all the shit that never even used to phase us.  Goddammit.

Along those lines, over the past few years, I've noticed that this is me and Asian food.  I used to eat a moderate to heavy portion of an Asian dinner no problem.  But nowadays, I usually feel like shit when I do, even when it's higher quality and not the cheaper MSG-loaded variety.  I can still throw down a thick greasy burger and be fine.  But ordering Asian food these days, while still very pleasing to my palate, will usually make me feel like shit.

Or maybe this is just a phase.

Posted
6 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Along those lines, over the past few years, I've noticed that this is me and Asian food.  I used to eat a moderate to heavy portion of an Asian dinner no problem.  But nowadays, I usually feel like shit when I do, even when it's higher quality and not the cheaper MSG-loaded variety.  I can still throw down a thick greasy burger and be fine.  But ordering Asian food these days, while still very pleasing to my palate, will usually make me feel like shit.

Or maybe this is just a phase.

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Posted

And the worst thing about it, is that after you eat Asian food and feel like shit, you find you need to eat Asian food again and feel like shit again in just an hour or two.

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Posted
6 hours ago, South Austin said:

Chuy's is already there, and it started its nosedive before the pandemic.  But the only thing propping it up is its national chain portfolio acquisition that keeps pumping out outposts in places like Oklahoma, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Kentucky, where diners will go to a place affectionately known as "Chuy's" that offers "Tex-Mex" with its origins in Austin, Texas, so it must be good.  And that's because people are dumb with inoperable tastebuds.

 

4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

I haven't been in years.  That said, they still have the chuychanga with deluxe tomatillo and chips and salsa with creamy jalapeno as well.  As long as they can still execute on those items, I'd have a fine meal there.  Don't really give a shit about the rest of their menu.  But then....I'm also not desperate for it, see the fact that I haven't been in years.

Less about the food (which, to be clear, is a factor of it being crappy. But like Brisket said they have some things that are edible/good).

More about the lack of maintenance and investment into the brand and restaurants. It's working class families and people who want a break from their usual breastraunt in a very dingy, dirty, old dining area. The kitsch and decor is falling apart where it's not rusted and dusty. Everything is chipped and in need of fresh paint. The tiles are cracked and the tables wobble. The whole place (not just the bar) smells like stale Natural Light that spilled on the floors and were never mopped up. 

That's what I mean about it becoming the new Baby A's. A one-time restaurant turned dingy flophouse where the darker, more troubled souls go to drink industrial grade booze to kill the feelings they have.

Posted
1 minute ago, Vegas64 said:

A one-time restaurant turned dingy flophouse where the darker, more troubled souls go to drink industrial grade booze to kill the feelings they have.

Damn....now you're making me all nostalgic.

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

A one-time restaurant turned dingy flophouse where the darker, more troubled souls go to drink industrial grade booze to kill the feelings they have.

I think you may have stumbled upon a genius new branding and marketing campaign for Chuy's.

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

 

Less about the food (which, to be clear, is a factor of it being crappy. But like Brisket said they have some things that are edible/good).

More about the lack of maintenance and investment into the brand and restaurants. It's working class families and people who want a break from their usual breastraunt in a very dingy, dirty, old dining area. The kitsch and decor is falling apart where it's not rusted and dusty. Everything is chipped and in need of fresh paint. The tiles are cracked and the tables wobble. The whole place (not just the bar) smells like stale Natural Light that spilled on the floors and were never mopped up. 

That's what I mean about it becoming the new Baby A's. A one-time restaurant turned dingy flophouse where the darker, more troubled souls go to drink industrial grade booze to kill the feelings they have.

Look, I am no ardent Chuy's defender, but there are over 100 locations in 15 states.  Some of them new.  I ate at the brand new location in Austin near South Congress/IH35 a couple of weeks ago.  Bright and shiny with outstanding service, albeit nothing spectacular on the menu.

Posted
13 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

I mean, we probably all have a Baby A's story which is best forgotten to time.

And most likely that story involves consuming margaritas of the blue or purple variety...

 

 

Posted
29 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

I mean, we probably all have a Baby A's story which is best forgotten to time.

I've had to go to the North Austin Baby A's several times in the past few years for networking events and I'm convinced it's a front for cartel money laundering.  There's zero chance that place makes a profit.  

Posted
6 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

I've had to go to the North Austin Baby A's several times in the past few years for networking events and I'm convinced it's a front for cartel money laundering.  There's zero chance that place makes a profit.  

Okay. You sort of buried the lede here.

What "networking" events are held at Baby A's in North Austin lol?

Sounds like you mean drug deals, meeting of the (aforementioned) cartel leaders, or what?

Posted

 

On 8/5/2025 at 9:38 PM, Texzilla58 said:

A bag of those is my wife’s standard order at a place like this.  Typically if she eats fried chicken or cfs there is a 50/50 chance she just peels off the fried batter and leaves the meat.  “You want this? “ if there’s gravy I’ll usually eat it as I was raised that wasting food is a sin and a starving kid in Botswana will die if I leave it on the plate.

So how was you're wife's experience in the latest season of My 400 lb. Life?

Posted
1 hour ago, Vegas64 said:

I mean, we probably all have a Baby A's story which is best forgotten to time.

 

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

And most likely that story involves consuming margaritas of the blue or purple variety...

 

 

Fucking Purple Margaritas. Many a night went sideways before it started on old barton springs road. Or by the airport. 

Posted
18 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Fucking Purple Margaritas. Many a night went sideways before it started on old barton springs road. Or by the airport. 

So much this.

If we managed to still make it out after getting the ball rolling with a few purples it was always a shit show. A 2 Mexican Martini HH at Trudy's wasn't quite as bad, but it was a guaranteed soup sandwich episode as well. 

Posted
3 minutes ago, The Royal We said:

So much this.

If we managed to still make it out after getting the ball rolling with a few purples it was always a shit show. A 2 Mexican Martini HH at Trudy's wasn't quite as bad, but it was a guaranteed soup sandwich episode as well. 

Baby A's purple ritas.

$1 happy hour ritas at El Arroyo.

Everclear ritas at Nasty's.

A significant percentage of young Brisket's poor decisions can be tied to Austin margarita consumption back in the day.

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Posted (edited)

Trudy's used to do a $1 tequila floater night, Wednesdays I think.  Even after they started counting your Mexican martinis, they never counted your double margaritas.  It was not uncommon to roll out of there after downing 5 or 6 of them, with floaters.  But only if my then-gf-now-wife was driving, of course.  Lucky her...

 

 

Edited by utee94
Posted
14 minutes ago, The Royal We said:

So much this.

If we managed to still make it out after getting the ball rolling with a few purples it was always a shit show. A 2 Mexican Martini HH at Trudy's wasn't quite as bad, but it was a guaranteed soup sandwich episode as well. 

Fun fact, Trudy's implemented the 2 Mexican Martini limit in part because of the rec sports crew rolling in there after intramural games and getting hammered. First it was two mexican martinis, and whatever else. So we'd order one when we got there, have a shit ton of frozens, then get a 2nd one as our last round. Then it quickly become "2 and you're cut off." Ooof. Good times, good times. 

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Posted
20 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Baby A's purple ritas.

$1 happy hour ritas at El Arroyo.

Everclear ritas at Nasty's.

A significant percentage of young Brisket's poor decisions can be tied to Austin margarita consumption back in the day.

My first legally purchased drink was a Shady Thing at the Grove. We were off and running after that!

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Posted
1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

Baby A's purple ritas.

$1 happy hour ritas at El Arroyo.

Everclear ritas at Nasty's.

A significant percentage of young Brisket's poor decisions can be tied to Austin margarita consumption back in the day.

Hell yea. 

Yes.

I don’t remember Nasty’s. 
 

Let’s get Abel’s $6 Texas Tea on Thursdays a much deserved honorable mention. 

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Posted
18 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Let’s get Abel’s $6 Texas Tea on Thursdays a much deserved honorable mention. 

Used to blow off my Thursday 3pm class my last semester to hit up Abel’s 

Posted
17 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Fun fact, Trudy's implemented the 2 Mexican Martini limit in part because of the rec sports crew rolling in there after intramural games and getting hammered. First it was two mexican martinis, and whatever else. So we'd order one when we got there, have a shit ton of frozens, then get a 2nd one as our last round. Then it quickly become "2 and you're cut off." Ooof. Good times, good times. 

anyone who went to UT in the early 00's has met at least 5 people who claim to be the reason for the 2 mex mart limit. also knew a guy who claimed he was banned from trudy's for inventing the mexican martini challenge...have 2 at each location in 1 night. 

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Posted
2 minutes ago, stc said:

anyone who went to UT in the early 00's has met at least 5 people who claim to be the reason for the 2 mex mart limit. also knew a guy who claimed he was banned from trudy's for inventing the mexican martini challenge...have 2 at each location in 1 night. 

Ha. Probably true. The only defense I have is that our group of about 8-10 rec sports folks where there 2-3 times a week. 

Hoo. Did the 2 martini challenge twice, once for a buddy's b-day. Glad we had a DD. 

Posted
21 hours ago, Vegas64 said:

I mean, we probably all have a Baby A's story which is best forgotten to time.

. . . if not immediately following its occurrence.

Posted
1 hour ago, stc said:

anyone who went to UT in the early 00's has met at least 5 people who claim to be the reason for the 2 mex mart limit. also knew a guy who claimed he was banned from trudy's for inventing the mexican martini challenge...have 2 at each location in 1 night. 

Unless he was going to Trudy's in the early 90s, he did not invent the Trudy's Challenge.

Posted
On 8/7/2025 at 11:04 AM, dcbc said:

No matter what I order at Chuy's, I always leave feeling bloated and awful.  I think it's probably an abundance of salt in their salsa (or everything I eat there).  It's another level compared to most Tex-Mex places I go.  I try to avoid it at all costs.

Maybe don't eat there when it's your time of the month.

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Posted
20 hours ago, Js1 said:

Used to blow off my Thursday 3pm class my last semester to hit up Abel’s 

 

21 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Hell yea. 

Yes.

I don’t remember Nasty’s. 
 

Let’s get Abel’s $6 Texas Tea on Thursdays a much deserved honorable mention. 

 

21 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Abel's cheap tequila on Thursday nights was the trigger for some poor decisions and blacked-out weekends in West Campus.

Dumb question but does Abel's still exist on 24th and Rio Grande? And if so, is it still the place to be in West Campus? I lived in WC for 3 years and it was the only secure and anchored thing in my life during those times. Core memories at that place (even before the renovations).

Posted
7 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

 

 

Dumb question but does Abel's still exist on 24th and Rio Grande? And if so, is it still the place to be in West Campus? I lived in WC for 3 years and it was the only secure and anchored thing in my life during those times. Core memories at that place (even before the renovations).

Original location got demolished in 2023 for a mid rise I believe. I know some title attorneys that office next door. They told me it was fading all the way back in 2018. It was always empty on visits between 2018 and it’s closing in 2023. 
 

I don’t know much about the new location. In my opinion, it’s a tent with a bar in a parking lot. The original was a large 2 story indoor bar with a good sized covered deck/in the shade outside. It’d get hot out there, but it was always fine at night. Even in the summers. 
 

The Tavern on Lamar is as close as you’re going to get the original Abel’s. It’s always been an outstanding bar in its own right. Just not super walkable from West Campus. 

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Posted

I always thought The Tavern was vastly superior to the original Abel’s to watch games. The Tavern had very large indoor TVs for the mid 2000’s and a crazy satellite channel package for the times. 
 

I hated watching Texas away games at Abel’s. You’e watch on a 36’’ screen mounted on a rafter from about 15 yards away. Other than ambience, watching at home was always better. 

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Posted
3 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Original location got demolished in 2023 for a mid rise I believe. I know some title attorneys that office next door. They told me it was fading all the way back in 2018. It was always empty on visits between 2018 and it’s closing in 2023. 
 

I don’t know much about the new location. In my opinion, it’s a tent with a bar in a parking lot. The original was a large 2 story indoor bar with a good sized covered deck/in the shade outside. It’d get hot out there, but it was always fine at night. Even in the summers. 
 

The Tavern on Lamar is as close as you’re going to get the original Abel’s. It’s always been an outstanding bar in its own right. Just not super walkable from West Campus. 

What did your buddy (or anyone) account for the fall from grace and campus verve / zeitgeist for Abel's? Shocking it fell that out of favor

Posted
8 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

What did your buddy (or anyone) account for the fall from grace and campus verve / zeitgeist for Abel's? Shocking it fell that out of favor

From what I gathered, it was a slow fade. They still did big business on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and gameday. I don’t think they owned the land, so they were doomed as soon as it got sold. 

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