Austin/North Loop

North Loop is in Austin, several miles north of downtown, but not as far north as what is now called "North Austin". This article also covers the "Brentwood" and "Crestview" neighborhoods, as well as the area around ACC Highland (formerly Highland mall).

Get in

Crestview station, 6920 North Lamar Boulevard, 30.338333°, -97.719167°. Capital MetroRail commuter rail station and Capital MetroRapid bus station

See

Wall of Welcome, 7100 Woodrow Avenue, Crestview, 30.3426°, -97.7253°. 120-foot-long community public art mosaic. 2018-09-15

Do

Buy

Blue Velvet, 217 W. North Loop, 30.3185°, -97.7246°, +1 512-452-2583. Vintage clothing.
Monkeywrench Books, 110 E. North Loop Blvd, 30.31791°, -97.72168°. Anarchist bookstore.
Room Service Vintage, 107 E. North Loop Blvd, 30.31753°, -97.72173°, +1 512-451-1057, rsvintage@roomservicevintage.com. Noon-6PM daily.
Game Over Videogames, 911 West Anderson Lane #106, 30.3472°, -97.7145°, +1 512-454-4263. Classic & used videogames from Atari to Xbox360.
BookWoman, 5501 N. Lamar, 30.3231°, -97.7279°, +1 512-472-2785. Independent feminist bookstore also specializing in LGBTQ texts.
Half Price Books, 5555 N. Lamar, 30.32377°, -97.72641°, +1 512-451-4463. The largest used/remaindered bookstore in Austin.
Asahi Imports, 6105 Burnet Rd, 30.3364°, -97.7391°, +1 512-453-1850. Japanese grocery store.
Breakaway Records, 211 West North Loop Boulevard, 30.318331°, -97.724494°, +1 512-538-0174, breakawayrecords@gmail.com. Daily noon-7PM. Sells used/new records, cassettes, and audio gear. Particularly well-stocked in jazz, dub, blues, soul, and indie rock with a decent electronic section as well. The Featured Labels and Staff Picks sections are well worth seeking out to find otherwise hidden gems. 2022-05-12

Eat

Dan's Hamburgers, 5602 N Lamar Blvd. (near Lamar and Koenig), 30.32482°, -97.72726°, +1 512-312-5361, info@dans-hamburgers.com. Big, greasy burgers and tasty milkshakes. There is also Fran's Hamburgers; the story is that Dan & Fran divorced and each took part of the franchise.
Chekos Mexican Restaurant & Bar, 1304 W Koenig Ln., 30.33084°, -97.73085°, +1 512-407-8480. Daily 7AM-9:30PM. Jalisco-style Mexican food.
Torchy's Tacos, 5119 Burnet Rd, 30.32337°, -97.73921°, +1 512-382-0823. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM.
Amy's Ice Creams, 5624 Burnet Rd, 30.33226°, -97.74031°, +1 512-886-6153. Su-Th 11AM-10:30PM, F Sa 11AM-11:30PM.
Epoch Coffee, 221 West North Loop Boulevard, 30.31860°, -97.72455°, +1 512-454-3762. open 24 hours. Open 24 hours a day, but this spacious coffee shop would be worth visiting regardless. Good coffee, board games, free wifi.
Mandola's Italian Kitchen, 4700 W Guadalupe St #12 (The Triangle), 30.3157°, -97.7332°, +1 512-419-9700. Referred to by some as the best Italian food in Austin. Everything on the menu is affordable and delicious. Try the bruschetta alla checca, the trenette al pesto, or any pizza. They also have fabulous coffee, dessert, and gelato selections. From 3-6PM on weekdays they have a great happy hour.
Santa Rita Cantina, 1206 W 38th St., 30.3067°, -97.7444°, +1 512-419-7482. Fantastic and reasonably priced Tex-Mex. Their enchiladas are amazing, and their Mexican martinis are the best in town. Great happy hour specials, too.
Top Notch Hamburgers, 7525 Burnet Rd, 30.35116°, -97.73358°, +1 512-452-2181. Daily 11AM-10PM. As seen in the movie "Dazed and Confused." An Austin burger institution. Dine in, carry out, or order and eat from your car. Charcoal-grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, etc.
Zucchini Kill, 701 E 53rd St, Unit C, 30.315276°, -97.716631°, +1 737-215-5936. Su 10AM-4PM, M closed, Th-Sa noon-8PM. Vegan bakery with feminist/punk zines. 2022-05-12

Drink

Barfly's, 5420 Airport Blvd., 30.31675°, -97.71409°, +1 512-452-6455. M-F 5PM-2AM, Sa Su 7PM-2AM. A small, dark dive bar populated by an older, blue-collar crowd on weeknights (especially Thursday night pool tournaments) and a decidedly more hip, collegiate crowd Friday through Sunday. Drinks are cheap and stiff, costing anywhere from $1.50 for bottled Lonestar (the "national beer of Texas" according to the label) to $7 for a generously poured double-shot. No food is available, and there is nothing on draft, however the bar does boast two pool tables, an impressively eclectic jukebox (Willie Nelson, The Misfits, Van Halen, and Refused all make appearances), a few arcade games, and a large outdoor smoking patio (smoking in Austin bars is banned by a city-wide ordinance) with tables and benches. Barfly's does become rather crowded on weekends by 10, and seating is virtually unheard of by 10:30. Get there early or be prepared to stand.
Workhorse Bar, 100 E. North Loop Blvd Suite B, 30.31784°, -97.72205°, +1 512-323-5700, workhorsebar@gmail.com. Park yourself on a stool and get ready to feel like a local who's having his third beer at 3PM on a Tuesday. 2016-04-04

There are also a number of small brewpubs serving their own house-brewed beers to the local cognoscenti.

Pinthouse Pizza, 4729 Burnet Rd, 30.3187°, -97.7391°, +1 512-436-9605. Grab some award-winning beers and great pizza at this local favorite. 2018-12-09
Draught House, 4112 Medical Parkway, 30.3111°, -97.7429°, +1 512-452-MALT. Amazingly quick turnover of their fast-rotating seasonals. Drink it today because it won't be on tomorrow. A neighborhood pub that features 78 taps with an ever-changing selection of unique self-brews in a classic English pub environment that doesn't come off feeling cheesy. Locals bring folding chairs and dogs and tailgate in the parking lot. Check the website for great specials. Often crowded. Homebrews are $2.25 on Thursdays before 11PM.
Uncle Billy's, 1530 Barton Springs Rd, 30.3111°, -97.7429°, +1 512-452-6258. Tendency towards lighter beers, but their Haystack Hefeweizen is predictably good and some of their hoppy seasonals have been excellent.
Black Star Co-op, 7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100, 30.3383°, -97.7189°, +1 512-452-2337, info@blackstar.coop. The world's first member-owned brewpub. A cooperative with house brews from brewmaster Jeff Young.