Where to Go on Gameday
Texas Football gameday is a city-wide event in Austin. Win or lose, the day is filled with tons of fun activities and events across Austin. Here is the Alcalde’s list of some of the best places to eat, drink, and tailgate before a Longhorn game.
Tailgates:
Texas Exes
Of course, we have to start with our own tailgate. Open three hours before kickoff, the Texas Exes tailgate is a perfect spot to enjoy some AC, food, and drinks right next to the stadium. The only location on Bevo Blvd. with a full-service bar, the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center is (in our humble opinion) the best place to tailgate before a UT home football game.
Bevo Blvd.
The official tailgate of location of UT, Bevo Blvd. is located outside of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial stadium and includes various members and groups of the Longhorn community including Texas Cheer & Pom, the Longhorn Band, Hook ’Em, and even the football players themselves during the Stadium Stampede. Open hours before the game starts, Bevo Blvd. includes food trucks, photo ops and signatures with Texas athletes and coaches, Texas merch for sale, and lots of options for drinks. The tailgate is open to all Texas fans—no ticket required—and is a great place for Longhorns of all ages.
Longhorn City Limits
Longhorn City Limits is a free concert every gameday on the LBJ Lawn. Previous headliners include Antwan André “Big Boi” Patton, Kaitlin Butts, and Pat Green. The concert typically starts a few hours before kickoff and is a great place to listen to some good music before an evening or day of football.
Unofficial Tailgates:
Horn-Ball Texas Tailgaters
Horn-Ball Texas Tailgaters is one of the biggest tailgates in the country. They host a tailgate at 18th St. and Trinity St. that includes shade, cooling, lighting, and seats for tailgaters. Tickets are $50 for adults (21 and up) for general admission or $250 for a season pass, and $20 for minors (under 21) for general admission or $100 for a season pass. With complimentary food and drink with your ticket and tons of activities and giveaways, Horn-Ball Texas Tailgaters have put together everything you could want for your tailgating needs.
101X & KLBJ Tailgates
Both of these tailgates are held at 18th Street and Colorado Street by the Bullock Texas State History Museum. With lots and lots of drink options, both tailgates are 21+ only and have food, drinks, and tailgate activities. It’s a great spot to spend a few hours pre-game.
Longhorn Tailgaters
Longhorn Tailgaters are a group that tailgate for every home football game. They are completely donation based and are located at the same location as Horn-Ball Texas Tailgaters—18th and Trinity. The tailgate is open to anyone as long as you contact them on their website before you come.
Bars & Restaurants:
Little Woodrow’s
The official gameday sponsor of the Texas Exes, Little Woodrow’s is a perfect spot to grab a bite and a beer before the game or watch the game without the hassle of actually getting to the stadium. Little Woodrow’s on West 6th St. has over 50 beers on tap and delicious taco options from ONETACO. They are the perfect neighborhood sports bar with backyard games, plenty of TVs, and lots of outdoor seating for those soon-to-be less scorching fall football days. (And if you’re ever traveling for a game, check with the local Texas Exes chapter—there are often Longhorn tailgates at Little Woodrow’s locations in different cities, too!)
Scholz Garten
When you ask students and alumni where to go before a football game, Scholz Garten is consistently one of the top answers. Open since 1866, Scholz is a big part of the Austin community—as far back as 1893 when they hosted a party for UT Football’s first undefeated season. They were also honored by the 1966 Texas Legislature with House Resolution #68, “which recognized Scholz Garten as ‘a gathering place for Texans of discernment, taste, culture, erudition, epitomizing the finest tradition of magnificent German heritage in our State,” according to their website. Scholz hosts watch parties for away games and tailgates for home games—rain or shine. It’s a must-go for UT football games.
Crown & Anchor
Crown & Anchor has been a staple in Hyde Park since its opening in 1987. They are the perfect neighborhood bar to stop by before the game, with more than 30 beers on tap and over 100 cans, as well as a wide variety of ciders and wines. They also have an award-winning menu and plenty of seating—and perhaps most importantly, five big-screen TVs to watch the game. Whether you stop by before heading to DKR or decide to stay and watch the game, Crown & Anchor is a great spot for gameday in Austin.
Cain & Abel’s
Cain & Abel’s is a West Campus staple. Open two hours early on gamedays, it’s one of the liveliest spots in town to watch the game, especially for current students. Recently moved from its original location, Cain & Abel’s new location—formerly known as Abel’s Dos—has a wide variety of drinks and a good menu that serves “American food with a Texas drawl.” If you want to experience the game like a current UT student, Cain & Abel’s is the place to be.
Whether you want to stop by an official tailgate, a community-organized tailgate, or just grab a bite to eat before the game, Austin has a wide variety of options for food and drinks on gameday. Check out Bevo Blvd. on your way into the stadium or join the fun at Little Woodrow’s, then let us know if you like our pre-game picks.
CREDITS: From top, Texas Athletics; courtesy of 101X Alternative Austin via Instagram; courtesy of Scholz Garten via Instagram; Matt Wright-Steel.
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