Another Longtime Downtown Bar — Buffalo Billiards — Has Closed Permanently

Downtown Austin Bar Shutter
Downtown bar Buffalo Billiards announced that it is closed permanently, according to its Facebook page, presumably due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the state mandate to keep bars temporarily closed at this time. The 201 East Sixth Street building had previously been the Missouri Hotel in 1861. It became Buffalo Billiards in 1999, opening with two levels, pool tables, shuffle boards, and more. There had been an online auction of the bar’s furniture, equipment, and the such. This is just the latest downtown Austin shutter, from B.D. Riley’s to Mugshots.

Hill Country Beer Garden Pop-Up
Driftwood brewery Vista Brewing opened up a pop-up beer garden in Bee Cave development Hill Country Galleria this week, as of September 24. On deck are beers (draft and barrel-aged), wines, ciders, snacks (cheese boards, pretzels, dips, etc.), live music, and a farmers market-style stand on Sundays at 10 a.m.. It’s found at 12700 Hill Country Boulevard, Suite T120, offering patio dine-in service from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, and then from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Advanced orders can be placed online too.

Women-Owned Restaurant Grants
The Texas Conference for Women, with the Texas Restaurant Association, gave out $177,500 in grants to 71 women-owned restaurants across the state that have been impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Each received $2,500. In Austin, this includes Baby Greens, Brentwood Social House, Buenos Aires Cafe, Crema Bakery, Drink.Well, Foreign & Domestic, Killa Wasi, Nightcap, the Steeping Room, and others. The conference is being held virtually on Thursday, October 1.

Austin Juice Bar Chain Closes Early for Election Day
Austin-based juice bar chain JuiceLand will close all of its Texas locations early on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, so that its employees and customers will be able to go out and vote. Each location will close at 1:30 p.m. (it typically closes at 9 p.m.). Many restaurants and companies across the country, including Austin’s Nixta Taqueria, are now offering paid-days off on Election Day so employees can vote.

Forthcoming South Austin Hotel Restaurant
The Hotel Magdalena, the latest hotel from the Bunkhouse Group, off South Congress on Music Lane, is now open. Its on-site restaurant, Summer House, will open in November, focusing on live-fire cooking methods.