According to historical records, The Tavern with it’s distinctive one-of-a-kind architecture in Austin was built in 1916, before Lamar Boulevard was created. It opened as a grocery store on Ruiz Street, which, at the time, was on the outskirts of this town of 30,000.

R. Niles Graham hired Hugo Kuehne who brought the building plans from Europe and modeled the house after a German Public House.

The Enfield Grocery Store operated in the building until 1929 when the store moved next door so that a steak restaurant could be opened.

The best steaks in Austin were sold there for fifty cents. Legend has it that a popular and secretive speakeasy and brothel operated upstairs.

When prohibition ended in 1933, The Tavern was legally born. As a restaurant and bar, few Austin gathering places hold as many significant life memories for soldiers, students, legislators, Presidents and our town’s general citizens.

Peter Mansbendel was commissioned in 1934 to create the ornate carvings that line the outer border of the historic building even to this day.

When Lamar Boulevard was paved, city officials tried to tear down this historic structure, however, The Tavern survived.

In 2002, when the decaying building no longer met city code requirements, a partnership of longtime Austinites, Steve Harren, Stan Miller and Bob Cole stepped forward to restore and operate the Tavern for future generations.

The Tavern is clearly an Austin landmark and institution. So that our great city does not lose it’s charm and character, the City of Austin has declared, through the direction of City Manager Toby Futrell, to cut bureaucratic red tape for The Tavern and future small business ventures in Austin.

The Tavern – A defining part of Austin’s unique and cultural identity.