Bakehouse Restaurant on Manchaca near Stassney in Austin

This was a favorite of mine when the choices for food were few and far between in South Austin. As far as I know they still serve good food there and I need to go back and get some sometime soon. On this day all I wanted was a beer and the requisites for the blog. I got them and then I was gone. The bar is small but can hold about a dozen people or so, the restaurant is much bigger and they have comfy booths inside or tables and chairs in the front room that used to be more like a patio, plus they have picnic tables on a deck outside that wasn't there until fairly recently. The parking lot is a pretty good size and you can do your laundry next door at the washateria, while you eat lunch or dinner, if you so please. It is within short walking distance of the Austin Community College South Campus so I'm guessing they get some good crowds at times. On this particular afternoon between lunch and dinner things were pretty quiet but that's the way I like it when I'm just trying to show a place to buy a beer for on site consumption. It's located on the right near the library just before you get to Stassney Lane on Manchaca while driving South. It's very near Crockett High School and ACC. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6PUyG53I58 http://www.austinbakehouse.com/

Red House Lounge behind Stortini on Manor Road in East Austin

I've wanted to check this place out since it was behind El Gringo before it became an Italian Restaurant called Stortini. Tey are owned by the same people who run El Chile Mexican Restaurant and El Chilito in that restaurant row section of Manor Road around Chicon that includes Mia Madre, Eastside Cafe, Hoover's Home Cooking, Vivo, Clementine and the aforementioned Stortini, about a half mile east of Interstate 35. Two of us had large Fireman's 4 beers while one member of our party drank water because she was getting a wee tipsy and hungry. We tried to order one of the half price pizzas available until 7 p.m. but by the time we received service it was five to seven and they said that special was over. It's a nice place with a fine a comfortable patio but the ever present doorman was a bit disconcerting, considering business was pretty slow. Also since one of the people in my party is an assistant manager and sometimes server at another successful area business, she was a bit put off by the aloof and uncaring attitude of our server. I'm pretty used to that treatment everywhere I go in Austin, so I barely even noticed, but I guess she could have pretended to be a little bit friendly. I kind of liked the place but since they don't open until 5:00, and I work right down the street and get off at 4:00, Vivo, Hoover's, or Clementine are more likely to get my Happy Hour business if I decide to stick around the area after work, which I occasionally do.

http://redhouselounge.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlreEfaMZo

Kick Butt Coffee on Airport East of Highland Mall in Austin

I found this place on the web a few weeks ago and after I visited here with some friends on a recent Saturday they had a big write up in The Austin American Statesman. Coincidence, certainly, but it shows I'm on the right track. I had two cohorts with me on that morning with one ordering coffee and the other two of us getting a beer. I thought the place was just fine and far out shined the places that I stopped at that were closed on a Saturday afternoon. What kind of nonsense is that? Saturday afternoon is prime beer drinking time and now those beerjoints will have to wait and see if I try again, I may not. This place is a little out of the way for a South Austin boy like myself but it fronts right onto Airport Blvd. not far past the bus station and before you get to Highland Mall while driving west. The parking is plentiful and the people are friendly. I took lots of pictures and made video while the owner of the place worked on his computer and never questioned my actions, I liked that. They have outdoor seating and free WiFi plus you can buy a set of foam rubber numchucks at the counter as well as foam throwing stars. Little kids can beat up on their Grandma's without hurting anyone or getting in trouble. Sounds good to me. http://www.kickbuttcoffee.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olzgbSwVqUw

Third Base Sports Bar on W. 6th before Southbound MoPac in Austin

I knew how to get here because I checked out their web page and because three people had already told me it was there. As you zoom towards MoPac going 80 miles an hour slow down to twenty and turn left onto the 5th Street turnaround then turn left into the parking garage, walk over to the elevator and take it down to the first floor. It's a cool place even if you don't like Sports Bars, but I do sometimes. They had Pool Tables, Shuffleboard, Video Games, a huge Bar and lots of flat screen T.V.'s. The drinks were reasonable, the food looked good and the parking was free. I liked the company I was keeping and it provided great video and lots of good pictures while having a jolly old time. It's all about pacing. Don't drive drunk. I'm not kidding. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6LBbt2r2JI http://www.thirdbaseaustin.com/

La Palapa at 290 W and Cameron Road in Austin

La Palapa is very good in many regards but I wasn't here to review them I just wanted to make a video and take some pictures for my blog and I did that while having a lot of fun with two very interesting people who have been filling a void in my life with much success. It makes a hard job much easier and makes work fun. I can't keep up by myself most of the time. This place started out perfect and everyone had a positive attitude and my wife told me to be sure and look at their lights in the Cantina because that's what she wants for our backyard. So I did, and my only complaint is that the waiter totally ignored us after we scarfed down a basket of chips and two bowls of salsa and wanted more right away. I kept telling the people with me to walk over to the table where there were four people instead of three and ask them if they were done with their extra chips, since they got two bowls right off the bat, but they wouldn't do it. After the waiter came very close but kept his back to us while he waited on other people close by I realized he told me his name but I couldn't remember it, when suddenly Consuela showed up to bus our mess up to that point, and she seemed happy to oblige. We still tipped him good and will, no doubt go back, because this place is wild when they have Karaoke in la Cantina de la Palapa. Drive north on Cameron Rd. and turn right after the gas station on the corner. Lots of parking most of the time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJlGUaaLSAY