Get Drinks, California Burritos, and Records at Austin Newcomer Troublemaker

The team behind East Austin restaurant now-closed The Hightower revealed what they’re turning the 1209 East Seventh Street space into: a bar and record store called Troublemaker. The name is from Willie Nelson album, which was released in 1976 and features popular songs like “Uncloudy Day.” It’s opening on Friday, November 8, starting at 7 p.m.

Hightower/Troublemaker co-owners chef Chad Dolezal and general manager Victor Farnsworth are partnering with Austin record shop End of an Ear and co-founders Dan Plunkett and Blake Carlisle. (The record shop, which opened in 2005 on South First, relocated to near Ben White on Clawson Street in 2016). That means actually selling records, as well as letting people play records from the store’s stock and bringing their own. There are also plans to host live music.

Food-wise, the smaller menu will focus on California burritos: carne asada, potatoes in French fry-form, cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Variations will include carnitas, pollo asado, and chorizo made with Impossible Meat. Dolezal lived in San Diego, so he has a fondness for this burrito style.

Olivia Schnell, Hightower’s bar manager, is staying to oversee Troublemaker’s drinks program. Rounding out the Troublemaker team are Dan Healy and Andy Uhler. Uhler was a reporter for nonprofit news organization Marketplace and had spent ten years at KUT.

Dolezal and Farnsworth opened Hightower in 2014, and closed the New American/Texan restaurant known for its great happy hour deals five years later last month. They already planned on holding onto the East 7th space for something new.

Troublemaker’s regular hours will be from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. weekends.

This article has been updated to include Troublemaker’s opening date and hours.

• Troublemaker [Facebook]
• Troublemaker [Instagram]
• All Coverage of The Hightower [EATX]