The Cedar Door at Second and Brazos in Downtown Austin

This place has developed into a real tightly run very cool and extremely spacious downtown retreat. I remember some of the previous locations of this very same building, that has been moved over and over again, until it finally landed in this former downtown parking lot. The small red house was the entire bar, now it is just the bar area and there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They have lots of good beer on tap but the favorite drink of the public is the Mexican Martini, served in a pint beer glass and oh so good. I call it a Margarita and a very good one at that. If I were staying downtown I would drink about three and then walk back to my room and take a nap. But, that's just me. All of the property around the bar has been developed and it continues daily but for however long they can hold on I think this is one of the very best downtown bars there is, and it's very close to the Convention Center so they provide a valuable service as far as I'm concerned. Free parking doesn't exist downtown but there are lots of garages and for short term parking an empty meter space is not the hard to find but you have to have some quarters handy and you never want to let the meter expire because they are vultures. http://www.cedardooraustin.com/

Double Dave's Pizza on Duval by U.T. in Austin

Well, here I go with another pizza joint on my best bars blog and why is that you may ask? Because pizza places often sell beer for on site consumption and that is my only qualification for this purpose. Besides, I've been in many bars that only sell beer so what is the difference? What really attracted me to this place is the proximity to another bar I made a video in and the ease of parking that a pizza place often provides. So, I can't tell you about the pizza at this location because I didn't get one but I've had Double Dave's plenty of times by the slice from a cart over by the stadium at U.T. and I liked it. This particular DD's location used to be a Pizza Hut or Mr. Gatti's, I can't remember which, but they are way better than that as far as my personal preference goes. It's run by Texas Exes according to a sign on the door and I'm assuming that means U.T. Alumni. The place has a boat load full of U.T. Sports Memorabilia plastered all over the place including an autographed helmet from Earl Campbell. There is plenty of seating both indoors and out and a spacious parking lot plus it is within easy walking distance of the U.T. campus. They had Oprah on the T.V. when I was in there but I'm sure they would have switched it over to the game if there was any kind of a game on at all, which there wasn't. Sometimes a person just wants to sit down and relax while having a brew and that's how I felt and that's what I did. Since this visit was after the lunch hour rush and before dinner time it worked quite well for that purpose. http://www.doubledaves.com/

Rabbit's Lounge at East Sixth Street and Chicon in East Austin

I've seen this building on the northwest corner of East Sixth and Chicon and often wondered what kind of a place it was. I had already deduced that it was a bar or club of some sort but the building has never had a sign, that I can remember, so I wasn't sure if it was even open to the public. Then last summer there was a small article and picture in the Austin Chronicle about them having some early evening Blues performances, on the patio outside, and I told myself that I was going to stop in there someday and have a beer. Well, yesterday was that someday and I'm sure glad I checked it out. I found out from the owner's son that the bar is named Rabbit's Lounge, after his dad, and that it has been open since 1969. He introduced me to his father and I suddenly felt like an old regular even though it was the first time I had ever been in there. The bar is full of nearly four decades of memories and memento's that fairly cover the walls. It's kind of a narrow room but plenty adequate and the beer is as cold as it can get without freezing. Best of all it's only two dollars, all day everyday, according to the proprietor. There is a good size covered concrete slab patio out in front of the place with a bunch of picnic tables and several working class stiffs like myself were lounging around enjoying a cool one before heading home after a hard day. With all of the gentrification taking place just a few blocks east on Sixth Street it is hard to believe this place still exists but the owner's son told me he is trying to build the business and that he hopes to run the bar himself eventually. It's a real neighborhood gathering spot for the politically active of East Austin and a cool classic beer joint with a bunch of what I would bet are at least semi-regular patrons, seated at the bar. Now that I've been in there once it's just a matter of time before I will have been in there a bunch of times. Two dollar beers, all day, everyday. I like the way that sounds, it kinda rolls off the tongue.

Watch this video to understand better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnf4igBCc1s

Spiderhouse United States Art Authority 2906 Fruth in Austin

Austin has a strong and vibrant art community and anytime a new venue opens where artists can showcase their work, it is a good thing. If they sell beer and wine it's even better. Spiderhouse fills the bill with their latest acquisition of the old Austin Plasma Center building. Instead of bums and students selling their bodily fluids the building now gives starving artists and budding performance art practitioners a place to show what they've got. There is a pretty good size room with a stage and a small gallery in the front as well as a separate room that houses a handsome looking bar. It is located near the corner of Guadalupe and 29th Street directly next door to Ruby's BBQ and easily within walking distance of the University of Texas at Austin. As of right now they are only open for special events but they seem to have one or two a week at least. I know they have already hosted art openings and a fashion show and I'll keep and eye on their calendar for future occasions. The exterior looks like some sort of government building on the front. In fact it reminds me of a small town post office, but both sides of the building are adorned in huge and very interesting looking murals, both black and white and full spectrum color. Along with the original Spiderhouse and their subsidiary businesses, Eco Clean and I Love Video this is a much needed and greatly appreciated addition to the alternative art scene that helps make Austin what it is. http://www.spiderhousecafe.com/

Milto's at 29th and Guadalupe in Austin Texas

Let's face it, drinking a beer or mixed drink in a different bar everyday for a year is a hard thing to do, but finding a different place that sells a beer, for on site consumption, every day is a little less difficult. All you have to do is have a beer license in Austin Texas to have me blog about you and I welcome suggestions. This place is considered a two fer because I made a video next door, and then this one, which made it two for one stop. Actually three, which you will see tomorrow. This is the best Pizza in town for people who love thin crust New York City and Long Island Style Pizza. They sell beer and they stick to a recipe that works. They used to be painted up like a New York City "Big Apple" tourist T-Shirt but that decor changed with the times. The pizza did not. They still make the best New York City Style pie in town by far, hands down. I like some other Pizza joints around here and they make great Western and Central New York State style Pizza's, but Milto's has the city, NYC, down pat. It's on Guadalupe at 29th in a very hopping and vibrant part of town. Of course, the same could be said for much of the rest of Austin as well, and much will be in days to come. You'll just have to tune in every day to find out. Milto's has calories with no guiltos, baby. Plus salads, spaghetti, cheesecake, vino and of course, beer.

J Black's Feel Good Bar on West 6th Sixth Street in Austin Texas

Location, location, location. I guess you've heard that before, haven't you? I think it might be because it is such true and accurate advice. This place would die in a shopping center in far South Austin but it is a huge success in the downtown West Sixth Street Entertainment District. This is my favorite restaurant and bar section of town. There are at least ten eating and drinking establishments within a short walk of each other and the Whole Foods Flagship Store and National Headquarters is located at the end of the street just across Lamar from the best record store in America: Waterloo Records. Across the street from them is BookPeople and REI, well you get my point. J Black's Feel Good Bar is where I would take a date once I knew her well enough to hope that she would become amorous at the end of the evening. Fifth or sixth date, no pressure, great dinner in a very swanky cool joint and your odds skyrocket. It's so strange how such a blatant ploy can still work so well in this modern skeptical world. When I asked to take pictures in this place they were fine with it but they wanted me to wait until they had put away all of the bottles of liquor that were sitting on the bar as a result of restocking. I only had 20 minutes left on the parking meter so I ignored their request and you can't even tell. Not to mention the fact that it makes no sense to hide that you are doing a huge bar business, in a very successful and swanky joint, on the best side of town. Anyway, this is a great place with nice furniture and unique architectural details like the exposed beam, wicked looking ceiling in the back lounging area and the deck on the roof. Be sure to click on the pictures to enlarge them and look at all of the neat details. Cork Floor is some great stuff, check it out. http://www.jblacks.com/