Austin Sports Bars Becoming More Upscale
Time was when Austin sports bars pretty much had loads of beer, popcorn, burgers and fries, queso and chips and of course, massive and abundant TVs. And that was about it.
Well, that was then. The times have changed. Where did it start? Probably when Matt Dodson and the boys from Z’Tejas launched Cover 3 on Anderson Lane. Aside from naming their restaurant after a football defense, they put things on the menu previously unseen at sports bars. How about Mongolian Pork Lettuce Wraps or a Grilled Shrimp and Crab Tower? Or perhaps Hong Kong Salmon with Shitake mushrooms and Sauteed Gulf Snapper with Blue Crab? It’s safe to say that Cover 3 raised the bar.
How far? Well the place is crowded in the absence of any big televised sporting events. I asked a group of women there one night if they knew the meaning of Cover 3. Not a one of them had a clue. In fact they acted surprised that the restaurant had a sports theme. “We come for the food,” said one. “Well there are a a lot of cute guys here most nights,” said another. Now that’s raising the bar! In fact things have gone so well that Cover 3 gave birth to Cover 2 on Research.
And many more upscale joints have entered the fray. The Draft Pick on Riverside is another good example. Maurad Belcacem has been known for his Texican restaurants. You would think that The Draft Pick might have been out of his comfort zone. Nonetheless, he pulled it off beautifully. The menu is not quite as sophisticated as the Cover spots, but the grilled Wings are totally amazing and the Grilled Tilapia is a show stopper. The Swiss ‘Shroom is a great burger and the sweet potato fries are a blast. I would stop here: game or no game.
Another relatively recent player is the Upper Decks at 301 Barton Springs. I love the PEI Mussels, the Fish Tacos, and the Sweet Asian Wings. And how many sports bars ever served Shrimp n’ Grits before? The green chile cheese grits are spot on with the plump gulf shrimp. And the Flat Iron steak is another excellent choice.
Even golf has gotten its own upscale treatment at the Domain off Mopac. The Range Golf Club and Sports Bar blends upscale casual cuisine with lots of tvs, and uniquely, eight virtual golf courses in HD where diners can pause to get in a quick 18 or have their food served to them while at the “course.” I’ll tell you what. I’ve played the real Pebble Beach but the virtual Pebble Beach at The Range along with Sweet Potato Fritters, Thai Crab Cake, and Crispy Pork Bellies and a good bottle of Caymus is cheaper than the green fee alone out in Carmel! And with the new technologies, these virtual courses are a blast. The Range is a good fit for the Domain.
And Zingers out at the Galleria in Bee Cave is a fun little joint. Really nice menu with one of the best Patty Melts around. Love their fries as well. It’s got a neighborhood kind of feel to it which is hard to pull off at the trendy Galleria.
Third Base with locations on W. 6th, Round Rock and Southpark Meadows is another one of my favorites. The 6th st location opened in 2007 and has been a fixture ever since. Manager Danny Perry highly recommends the Carnitas Tacos and I tried the organic Tuscan Chicken which was excellent. I want to try the Trotolle Pasta and Sausage on my next visit. Again, not your usual sports bar fare. The place has a great atmosphere as well.
Bikini’s Bar and Grill on N. IH-35 is probably the closest to the sports bars of old with an almost totally male audience but the scantily clad female servers (hence the name) are easy on the eyes and the food is actually not bad at all.
