West Sixth Anchor Bar J. Black’s Closed | Eater Austin

"After more than a decade as a West Sixth entertainment-area landmark, J. Black’s closed its doors — its last day of service was Saturday, February 17, as announced on Facebook. I recall J. Black’s first opened in Austin in 2007 as part of The Manera Restaurant Group and was known for pizzas and drinks; it even served for a time as the official watch-party site for Philadelphia Eagles fans. The concept expanded with a Dallas location in 2010 (closed in 2015) and a Houston location in 2013 (closed in 2017). The Manera group also operates the freshly opened Southern seafood kitchen TLC in the Lamar Union, but with four restaurants in the complex having closed (Cantine, Delicious, El Burro and most recently Vox Table) the group might be facing an uphill battle despite often being crowded. The group also faced scandal in 2015 when board member Judson V. Sutherland faced prostitution charges stemming from an FBI sting. Sean Fric of J. Black’s is additionally involved with Mueller’s new Southern restaurant Colleen’s Kitchen and cocktail bar The Golden Goose." - Erin Russell