The Parlor in Hyde Park near UT off of Guadalupe in Austin, Texas

I remember going here with the Men's Club, and a couple of female honorary members, but for some reason it never made it to my blog. I'm sure the reason was a good one, like I was too lazy to be bothered, but I did post a video on YouTube. Well, here it is, in all of it's splendid glory, from about eight months back. Parking is mostly streetish, the pizza is better than average and the beer is cold. It's not cheap though, especially when a half dozen sots all get glug, glug, glugging at the same time. The pinball machine took me back to bygone days and the clientele and employees seemed friendly enough but that one guy was giving me the evil eye, big time. They have an outdoor patio and it's much larger than their North Loop location. It's like the smallest pizza chain in the world.

Maudie's Cafe on South Lamar Boulevard near Alamo Drafthouse

Maudie's is well known for their Tex Mex in Austin and this is only one of several locations around town. It was originally built as a Pizza Hut and operated as such at least through the early 80's if my memory is correct. I know that because I used to occasionally take my son here for the pizza buffet, and a beer or two for dad, when he was about five years old. He's crowding 30 now. Anyway, it's much better as a Mexican Restaurant and Cantina then it ever was as a cheap pizza joint. The margaritas were very tasty on this visit but I was too busy taking pictures and video to pay much attention to how they were made. They passed the "I'll have another" test with ease, and in my particular case they passed it twice. The place itself is comprised of an indoor eating area with a small bar that seats six or seven and an indoor/outdoor second seating area. They also have a skinny deck with a cool view of downtown and the neon signs and rooftops of the strip shopping center next door where Thundercloud Subs and the Alamo Drafthouse are located. I didn't eat here on this visit, except for the chips and salsa they forced on me, but I have eaten here in the past, as well as some of their other locations and I've always been satisfied. This is perhaps Maudie's funkiest location in town and one that I have a real fondness for.