De Nada Cantina patio

Where To Get Tacos and Margaritas in Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | June 19, 2022

ATX summers: the sun is out, the days are long, and there’s seriously nothing more delicious than the combo of tacos and margaritas. Let’s face it: tacos + margs is a pretty iconic duo, and Austin Texas has a BUNCH of places where you can indulge. But, as is true with most food experiences, it’s…

C-Boys Heart And Soul

14 Best Concert Venues In Austin For Live Music

By Kelsey Kennedy | June 6, 2022

If Austin is really the “live music capital of the world,” there have to be some awesome concert venues in Austin…right? Yep! The days of teeny tiny bands playing on corner stages and being “discovered” are few and far between. But Austin is still home to dozens of AWESOME concert venues. Some of them are…

Capital Bingo

Where To Play Bingo In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | May 11, 2022

Since it’s soooo dang entertaining and requires basically zero physical activity, Bingo is probably never going to go out of style. Some Austinites have even made it their primary hobby! (Hey, it’s pretty addicting..)  Besides the obvious entertainment it brings to people, playing this game also has a positive impact because bingo halls are required…

Downtown Austin skyline at night

Do You Need A Car In Austin?

By Kelsey Kennedy | May 8, 2022

Wondering if you need a car when you visit Austin? Ok, hi! Sure! I’ll answer that. As a local Austin resident and someone who is constantly hopping around ATX to eat and explore, I have a feel for the best places to stay and how you should plan to get around. Do you need a…

Best Date Night Spots In Georgetown

By Addie Gross | March 1, 2022

If you’re looking for the best date night spots in Georgetown (a suburb juuuust north of Austin) you’ve come to the right place! Whether it’s a happy hour date, a romantic dinner, or a group outing with friends, we’ve got got just the place for you. Austin has so many options for fun date night spots, but the…

Torchy's Queso in Austin

7 Absolutely Iconic Queso Spots In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 28, 2022

Queso is a quintessential Austin food. It’s a melty, gooey, shareable dish of cheese + various toppings, and it’s always served with crip, salty tortilla chips (some are better than others…more on that later.) Visitors always want to know where to find the best queso in Austin, so here’s a roundup of 7 great options…

drive thru restaurants in Austin: Top Notch Hamburgers

Drive-Thru Restaurants In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 9, 2022

When you’re driving around Austin and reeeeeaaally want a delicious meal and also reeeeeaaally don’t want to get out of the car, you need a great drive-thru restaurant. Thankfully, Austin has lots of them. Forgo the chain fast food spots, and check out one of these drive-thru restaurants in Austin. Whether you’re trying to avoid…

East Austin Restaurants

Where To Brunch In Austin With A Big Group

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2022

You’re visiting Austin with a big group for a bachelorette party or a big birthday weekend. You want to know where you can A) enjoy a boozy brunch with a big group that is B) preferably somewhere near downtown Austin or Rainey Street so you can spend the afternoon bar-hopping around. Well, here are some…

Palomino Coffee in east Austin

10 Cool Coffee Shops in East Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2022

If you’re looking for really cool coffee shops in Austin, you need to head to east Austin! (Side note: east Austin, in general, is pretty rad.) The vibe in east Austin is lots of young professionals, and the 20s and 30s crowd loves a good coffee shop. The only down side is that you’re going…

Where to stay in Austin

Where To Stay In Austin For Your Weekend Visit

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 25, 2022

Yay, you’re visiting Austin! Where should you stay for your weekend visit to this amazing city? We’ll tell you! Since the Austin Things is owned and written by local Austinites, we know all the ins and outs of ATX. Here’s where to stay for your weekend visit. Where To Stay In Austin For Your Weekend…

15 Rooftop Bars In Austin With Jaw-Dropping Views

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 24, 2022

Whether you’re visiting Austin for the weekend or you’re a local ready for a fun night, there are few things more magical than sipping a cocktail on a rooftop bar with a view of the city. The confusing part: where are all these amazing rooftop bars in Austin?  Well, some of them are a bit…

Jester King Brewing: Austin’s Best Kid-Friendly Brewery

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2025
Jester King goat farm

I’ve visited Jester King Brewery more times than I can count, and most of those times were before I became a parent. But since bringing two little boys into the world, I can confidently call Jester King austin best kid-friendly brewery for a full afternoon of fun.  If you’re looking for something fun to do…

The Best Austin Breweries With Playgrounds

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2025
St Elmo Springdale

Craft breweries in Austin are a family event. Here are some of the best breweries with playgrounds.

23 Coolest South Austin Coffee Shops

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2025
Carpenter hotel coffee

I normally wouldn’t say that coffee shops are “cool.” I’d call them serene, calming, or excellent places to work or start your day. But in this case, these South Austin coffee shops are cool. And that’s not just because South Austin, in general, is just a cool little area of ATX… It’s also because the…

Better Half Bar Is Still The Best Lunch In Downtown Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 7, 2025
Better Half Bar beens and greens

It’s not new, and it’s not a trendy, but Better Half Bar in downtown Austin is still the best place to get lunch in downtown Austin.  Better Half Bar is an all-day coffee shop, restaurant, and bar. They have a robust coffee program that opens early in the morning, an all-day menu featuring breakfast, lunch,…

Evan LeRoy (James Beard Nominee) Launched A Special Menu, And It’s Insane

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025

There are only two Austin nominees in the James Beard Award – Best Chef Texas category, and Evan LeRoy is one of them. And if you haven’t been to the new LeRoy and Lewis brick-and-mortar restaurant in South Austin, seriously, what’s wrong with you? 🙂 I’ve been geeking out about LeRoy and Lewis being one…

Lace Up Your Hiking Boots: Here Are The 15 Best Hiking Trails in Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025
Violet Crown Trail

Austin is a very outdoorsy city with lots of great hiking trails. Ask anyone who lives here and they’ll tell you that the terrain of Austin, with the limestone cliffs and numerous creek beds, lends itself to lots of great, easy hiking. So if you’re looking for a fun weekend adventure, here are 15 of…

FREE In Austin: Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park (And It’s A Gem!)

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025
hiking at Walnut Creek Park

I love scoping out free things to do in Austin, because sometimes it seems like the cost of simply walking out your door is $400 these days! (Does anyone else feel this way?) There are loads of free things to do in Austin, but one of my very favorites is finding incredible public parks and…

Where To Eat On South First Street

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025
Best South First Street Restaurants

South First Street is a powerhouse of amazing restaurants in Austin. It runs parallel to the popular South Congress Ave, but unlike the tourist destination that SOCO has become, South First is mostly full of locals who have found their favorite neighborhood restaurant or bar. After years of living walking distance to these restaurants, I’m…

How Does SXSW Work + How To Do SXSW For Free 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 5, 2025
SXSW live music | How To Do SXSW For FREE!

South By Southwest Festival (also known as SXSW, SX, or “South By”) is a massive festival that happens in Austin Texas every spring. Although it started in the 1980s as a small-ish festival of 700 people, it has expanded and it’s now one of the biggest international stages to showcase the best and brightest in…

Best New Restaurants in Austin (With Map) – February 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 3, 2025
House Wine

It’s hard to keep up with all the new restaurants opening in Austin! Use this guide + map to find something new to try near you.

20 Classic Austin Restaurants For Your Bucket List

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 15, 2025
Top Notch

Austin has a rich history of restaurants; some have even been around since way back in the mid-1800s!  If these classic Austin restaurants have managed to stick around that long (amidst all the trendy, modern-day restaurants that are opening nearly every week), we all want to know why. And so, after running around the city…

Mexta Restaurant Review: I Wouldn’t Recommend It

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 13, 2025

Well, I already shared my TL;DR in the title, so I’ll go ahead and cut right to the chase about the new Mexico City-inspired restaurant in downtown Austin: Mexta isn’t going to be on my Best Restaurants in Austin list, at least for now. Here’s my review of Mexta where I’ll share both the (very)…

Uchiba Is My Favorite Of The Uchi Restaurant Empire

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 10, 2025
Uchiba Austin patio

I recently went on a double date to Uchiba and felt compelled to say why this restaurant is my very favorite among the Uchi restaurant empire.

9 Austin BBQ Spots You Need To Visit

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 9, 2025
Black's BBQ Austin

Whether you’re local to the Austin area or you’re visiting for a long weekend, one thing is really clear about this town: we love our barbecue. I mean, we LOVE it. In fact, ever since Franklin Barbecue put Austin on the map for being one of the best places in the United States to eat…

Map Of The Best Breakfast Tacos In Austin (For 2025)

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 9, 2025
East Austin Restaurants

It’s not hard finding breakfast tacos in Austin, but what about the best ones? We’re talking about soft homemade tortillas that are softly dusted with flour, warm, fluffy eggs, and homemade, fiery salsas. Sure, you can get decent breakfast tacos on just about every street corner in Austin. If you’re a and you want to…

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