Vince Young to Open Steakhouse Bearing His Name at 3rd and San Jacinto

UT football icon and NFL quarterback Vince Young is going into the steakhouse business with a new opening at the site of the former Rio Grande at 3rd and San Jacinto. With the possible exception of Don Shula’s in Miami, celebrities have usually not fared well in the restaurant business. Austin’s own Earl Campbell’s on 6th St. back in the 80’s was another casualty. And Oscar winner Sandra Bullock is still trying to get Bess Bistro into the black. But perhaps Vince’s new place will be an exception.

It’s one thing though for a quarterback to call out “Z flip 89 on 2, hut-hut” and successfully execute a football play. It’s quite another to navigate an upscale steak house through the competitive waters of downtown Austin. After the jock sniffers have had their moment, and trust me, they will be there in droves at the opening, it’ll be another thing to sustain a high-dollar place like this. I hope Vince surrounds himself with pros and that he can make a go of it. I don’t know him personally but he seems like a nice kid.

We’ll keep you posted on an opening date.