Visited Austin Recently (Houston, San Antonio, Round Rock: transplants, college, live)

[goodman3]

Visited Austin recently. Had the opportunity to go around to different places places mostly south of river.... downtown, Barton area, Riverside area.... had mixed experience with people. Being from great lakes, was amazed with large population of hispanics but found them very friendly and helpful. However, I felt business owners in the downtown and east area seem iffy with hispanics and asians.

Went to a coffee shop on Congress and found person behind counter snooty. Same experience with taco place and burger in Barton area. And if you are not in to hipsters, tatoos and rings on people..... well, be ready....

Also went to P Terry's on Barton and Lamar in the evening. Wait was long and the stupidest thing ever. For an eco friendly town, cars should not be made to wait that long. car exhaust just fuming away while waiting for your order. Plus food is over-rated. Ended up parking and went up to counter. I don't think the counter folks expected me to talk to them in straight english. Are these ppl local Texans or transplants from the north? I'm guessing they are transplants from the north carrying their baggage. Southerners are usually friendly.

Overall, residents are very nice and friendly.

[Gorfml]

cool story broseph...

[Aquitaine]

SoCo is definitely a hipster area. There are some excellent restaurants around there (South Congress Cafe brunch...yum) but you will encounter lots of what you described. Not unusual elsewhere in Austin either.

It reminds me of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Doesn't look that great, it's very expensive, lots to do, but glad I don't live there.

[cm4]

Never can tell about the behind the counter help. Some people don't want to be there and wear it on their sleeve. All in all, I think people are friendly here.

Body art? Not for me either, but it seams to be a trend that is growing.

PTerry's? Tastes fine, but not worth waiting in a drive through line very long.

[hound 109]

I felt business owners in the downtown and east area seem iffy with hispanics and asians.

What was "iffy" about business owners towards hispanics & asians? (i have no idea what you were trying to say.....& isn't alot of the areas just east & southeast of downtown hispanic??)


Also, Where is "the great lakes" area? Buffalo? Duluth? Thunder Bay? Lansing?

And why are you amazed at the number of hispanics in Austin? Do you know nothing about our demographics? or our geographic location?

hmmmmmm.....


hound <-----prefers Mexican Restaurants that are 60% filled with Latin families having a nice evening out......than those that are 60% filled with "hipsters"

[ImOnFiya]

Originally Posted by hound 109

What was "iffy" about business owners towards hispanics & asians? (i have no idea what you were trying to say.....& isn't alot of the areas just east & southeast of downtown hispanic??)


Also, Where is "the great lakes" area? Buffalo? Duluth? Thunder Bay? Lansing?

And why are you amazed at the number of hispanics in Austin? Do you know nothing about our demographics? or our geographic location?

hmmmmmm.....

For reference, Great Lakes area includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio (with likely references to Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio).

I think what he's trying to inartfully say is..being from the midwest with relatively 'few' hispanics (outside of Chicago). Most peoples view of hispanics are sterotypical: doe-eyed, not particularly smart, un-American "Paco" sombrero characature (celebrated at many midwest college campuses' drunken minstrel greek bashes on Cinco de Mayo), the Mexican and central American nationals who don't speak English, and repeatedly getting into culture-clashes with namely, blue-collar whites over jobs. The OP came in with a slighly-biased negative view of hispanics which he found to be 'normal' (ie, speak English and a few shades lighter than the Mexican and c.a. nationals) and probably down to earth.

As for the business owners, I'm sure you've noticed many local sit-in restaurants having white college co-eds (with largely minority African-American and especially Hispanics noticeably absent). Let's just say, it's not because young minority applicants don't apply..

[I don't think it's deliberate, but I believe there is a bias in terms of who has the alternative and fraternal Austin 'look' many trendy, "image-conscious" Austin estalishments want.]

I have been told by some managers that customers (mostly white) respond better to 'cool' people like themselves. Among minority waiters in Austin, you're better off being black (this improved esp. after 2008 - probably thanks to President Obama and/or liberal white guilt) than being hispanic (particularly, dark skinned who routinely work in the kitchen sight unseen as cooks and/or dishwashers) and getting a server job at the more trendy establishments. Pathetic, I know. Plus, on average not many minorities go to the these restaurants as patrons (because of the extra cost) and those that do go tend to be Asian, which makes African-American and hispanic customers stand out even more.

And most people don't even think about it..

[goodman3]

Originally Posted by hound 109

What was "iffy" about business owners towards hispanics & asians? (i have no idea what you were trying to say.....& isn't alot of the areas just east & southeast of downtown hispanic??)


Also, Where is "the great lakes" area? Buffalo? Duluth? Thunder Bay? Lansing?

And why are you amazed at the number of hispanics in Austin? Do you know nothing about our demographics? or our geographic location?

hmmmmmm.....


hound <-----prefers Mexican Restaurants that are 60% filled with Latin families having a nice evening out......than those that are 60% filled with "hipsters"

Good questions, hound. Belonging to one of those ethnicities, I have no tolerance for attitudes of wannabe transplants. I embrace diversity and feel sorry for those who don't. I was amazed at the number of Hispanics bc as you said, I was not familiar with the background of the area. I should have known that Texas used to be part of Mexico and therefore have a large Mexican presence.

And as one poster here suggested, it is unfortunate that business owners in the hip parts of Austin purposely do not employ Mexicans in the counter. Seems to go totally against what the town tries to portray - a friendly and diverse community.

And when it comes to food and culture, I am always interested in diversity. We spent much of our time in Austin in Taqueria Arandinas in E Riverside. Their food reminded me of a Mexican takeout where I live that serves the best barbacoa nd lengua tacos I have ever had. I was glad we stumbled in to that area and highly recommend its many Hispanic offerings. The Congress area is ok but realized its for tourists, hipsters and yuppies. Again, no hispanics on the frontlines.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by goodman3

The Congress area is ok but realized its for tourists, hipsters and yuppies. Again, no hispanics on the frontlines.

You got that right. There's more hipster ink walkin' around in "SoCo" than the NY Times uses in a month. Went to the highly touted Gueros once a couple years ago and thought it sucked.

There's the local Taqueria La Tapatia "chain" around Austin, Cedar Park, & Round Rock that's pretty decent.

You should've walked over 4 blocks west from South Congress on Elizabeth to 1502 South 1st Street for some of the best BBQ in the state at John Mueller's trailer. Of course he's usually sold out by 2 or 3PM. Get there early (11AM).

[goodman3]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

You got that right. There's more hipster ink walkin' around in "SoCo" than the NY Times uses in a month. Went to the highly touted Gueros once a couple years ago and thought it sucked.

There's the local Taqueria La Tapatia "chain" around Austin, Cedar Park, & Round Rock that's pretty decent.

You should've walked over 4 blocks west from South Congress on Elizabeth to 1502 South 1st Street for some of the best BBQ in the state at John Mueller's trailer. Of course he's usually sold out by 2 or 3PM. Get there early (11AM).

Thanks, will do on the next visit. I'm ok with hipsters as long as they don't behave like the snooty wannabe's behind the counters.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by goodman3

Good questions, hound. Belonging to one of those ethnicities, I have no tolerance for attitudes of wannabe transplants. I embrace diversity and feel sorry for those who don't. I was amazed at the number of Hispanics bc as you said, I was not familiar with the background of the area. I should have known that Texas used to be part of Mexico and therefore have a large Mexican presence.

And as one poster here suggested, it is unfortunate that business owners in the hip parts of Austin purposely do not employ Mexicans in the counter. Seems to go totally against what the town tries to portray - a friendly and diverse community.

And when it comes to food and culture, I am always interested in diversity. We spent much of our time in Austin in Taqueria Arandinas in E Riverside. Their food reminded me of a Mexican takeout where I live that serves the best barbacoa nd lengua tacos I have ever had. I was glad we stumbled in to that area and highly recommend its many Hispanic offerings. The Congress area is ok but realized its for tourists, hipsters and yuppies. Again, no hispanics on the frontlines.

Good Post. That taqueria sounds like a great find. As the previous poster mentioned, the Tapatilla mini chain is similar.

Too bad you didn't check out NW side of town. (Use the corner of Mopac & 183 as the center and draw a 5 mile circle around it). More techie, less hipsters & lots of Asian, Latina & Nerd culture around (with a few rednecks like me thrown in).

Check out other areas of Austin, as well as San Antonio & even Houston on your next visit.