Where to go in Austin?

[lido]

Hello everyone... I will be visiting Austin next week and was wondering where to go to check out some nice SPS? What's the most popular LFS and are there any nice aquariums down there? :D

Thanks

Bill

[kburwin]

Best LFS in my opinion is Austin Aquariums. It is right near Northcross Mall off of Northcross Drive and Foster I think, not 100% sure on street names. Check out their website at www.austinaquariums.com

Enjoy your time in austin.

[fishypets]

Austin Aquariums, Aquatek and River city are my favorites. If you are looking for some "high end" sps I might be able to help you out.

[lido]

Thanks for the feedback.

This may sound sad but I like monit caps a lot and I'm trying to find some multi-color caps and efflo's.

Un-reef related:
Can you guys tell me your favorite resturants? I need to entertain the GF... :)

[auSS/Tin]

Hula Hut down on Lake Austin is awesome, kind of a blend of Tex-Mex with South Pacific, I like it a lot.

I agree with the above store recommendations as well. Austin Aquariums is having a huge sale this weekend. Oceanic tanks at cost, etc.

Bill

[PeeperKeeper]

I started to type out a long reply about the restaurants, but decided to PM it to you instead since it's off topic in this forum. Basically, I recommend Eddie V's, Truluck and Z Tejas.

As far as LFS, I like River City Aquatics best, followed by Aquatek. Gallery of Pets is in the process of improving after a change of ownership and is looking better than it used to. Austin Aquatics is a beautiful store and has nice livestock, but I prefer not to go there.

[Brett Wilson]

River city and Aquatek both have cap frags as of last weekend.

[Wryknow]

I like all three but Aqua-Tek (on Burnet road south of 183) is my personal favorite. They have a couple of really nice display tanks including a softie tank with a full sized Heteractis Magnifica. There are TONS of great restaurants in the area. If you could narrow down what kind of food (seafood, steak, tex-mex, exotic) price, and experience (quiet romantic, fun bands, close to night clubs, etc) I can give you some good recommendations.

[hammondegge]

romantic french bistro "Chez Nous" right off 6th st. - moderate
"Jeffery's" in Clarkesville - big bucks = big date! always an amazing meal
"Fino" at Lamar and San Gabriel - romantic, priced somewhere between moderate and not sooo big bucks. a fairly new place by austin's ****** chef/owners Emmett and Lisa Fox
Have fun!!

[PeeperKeeper]

Robert, what about Cafe 290?

[lido]

If you could narrow down what kind of food (seafood, steak, tex-mex, exotic)

LOL.. I like all kinds of food, but like I said it's to entertain the GF so you never know what the female gender is going to want. :roll

Thanks for the variety though it will make it easier for me to narrow down ideas I make available to her. :P

[hammondegge]

or Cafe 290, no tablecloths or candles though. :lol

[thedude]

My favorite restaraunt in Austin is Ranch 616. Incredibly cool atmosphere with great food and drinks. It really will show you a little piece of how eclectic austin really is.

John

[fishypets]

Steak I would say Austin Land and Cattle has one very tender filet and the 22oz. bone in ribeye is good also. They are located off of 12th and Lamar (not to be confused with Texas Land and Cattle) If you like sushi I would say Musashino off of Mopac and Far West. The rest of the places mentioned above are good also.

[aquadoc]

One of my favorite places to go is Castle Hill.. Off of 6th and red river I believe. It is a French restaraunt, where the menu changes daily. Realy excellent!

[hammondegge]

One of my favorite places to go is Castle Hill.. Off of 6th and red river I believe. It is a French restaraunt, where the menu changes daily. Realy excellent!
thats a good one. its on 5th - one block west of lamar

[loans_n_fishes]

The Melting Pot all the way! It's up North (can't remember the street though). Everything is fondue and very romantic...rather pricy. Probably around $100 for 2 meals/dessert/wine. Well worth it though! However, I think this is a chain so it is probably not a uniquely Austin place.

Hula Hut is great (get the Hawaiian or Thai fajitas!)...Z-Tejas is too...Dirty Martin's has great burgers (be sure to get that fried egg on it! :D ) and homemade limeade. It's definitely and Austin original. Not exactly a girlfriend impresser though. :P

[kimber]

As a member of the "female gender" :) I'd have to say Aquatek for LFS (they've always been amazing at helping out the wife of a fish nerd with getting him gifts) and MARS (yup - that's the name) for dinner.
Mars is in a quaint little victorian home downtown, but is ULTRA modern inside and one of the best meals AND bottles of wine in my lifetime. It was recommended by another Maast member for our anniversary last year and was amazing. www.marsaustin.com

DEFINATELY a girlfriend impresser!!!

[lido]

What about breakfast?

[duc]

What about breakfast?

http://austin.citysearch.com/bestof/winners/breakfast

Number 1 and recommended by everyone I know:

Magnolia Cafe
2304 Lake Austin Blvd
Austin, TX 78703-4546
(512) 478-8645

Clif

[hammondegge]

Las Manitas - Congress and 3rd/2nd

[loans_n_fishes]

Z-Tejas serves breakfast on Sundays...maybe Saturdays too. Great fresh squeezed OJ.

[fishypets]

Fonda San Miguel has a great buffet. A little on the pricey side @ 40 per person but worth every penny. IMO

[thedude]

Kerby Lane for breakfast!

[don-n-sa]

We second the nomination for Magnolia Cafe!!!

[lido]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their responses and the food was great. Plus, I also visited 3 LFS and they were all nice, but none of them has SPS worth a poot. Personally I liked Aquatek the best and actually bought some Tunze magnets for my streams. I was so suprised to see tunze equipment in a LFS!

Well thanks again... :D

[PeeperKeeper]

So where'd ya eat?

[hammondegge]

so how did you do? ;)

[lido]

Hula Hut, Amy's Ice Cream, Magnolia Cafe, North by Northwest, Sam's Boat, Mozarks, some small sushi place, and also had catered wedding food. :)