Classic Austin Restaurant Hudson’s on the Bend Reopens for a Fourth Time

Longtime Austin restaurant Hudson’s on the Bend has reopened for a fourth time with new ownership. The revamped Hudson Bend restaurant reopened on July 1 at 3509 Ranch Road 620 North.

The new menu at Hudson’s seeks to establish that the restaurant is “not just for special occasions anymore,” writes new owner Carlin Farner to Eater in an email. There are some classic Hudson’s standbys, like crab cakes, hot and crunchy avocado, and smoked elk back strap, alongside dishes like smoked duck ravioli, shaved Brussels sprouts with duck bacon and watermelon radishes, and steaks. Chef, co-owner, and Farner’s husband Joseph Farner most recently owned sandwich truck Press Kitchen ATX, and plans to make use of Hudson’s smokehouse and wood-fire grill.

Chef Jeff Blank opened Hudson’s on the Bend in 1984, where it was known for serving game meats like rattlesnake cakes or antelope. In 2016, he sold the restaurant and affiliated food truck Mighty Cone to chef Billy Caruso and sommelier Chris McFall, who closed the restaurant for renovations. It reopened in November 2016 to critical acclaim, then suddenly closed just three months later in February 2017. It reopened with new owners and a new name, Hudson’s Hill Country, in 2018, but that closed in February 2023.

The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday for dinner. Thursday it’s open from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It’s also open for Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m.