Lee M.
Yelp
The Local is a new restaurant to the Shady Hollow/Cherry Creek neighborhood in SW Austin. They opened in late October 2023 and are located nearest to Juiceland in the same strip (Shady Hollow Village) as Mail & More, Tino's Greek and Twin Liquors (not far from Randall's).
My wife Rachel and I stopped in here on a cold winter night hoping for some food and some quality time on our Date Nite. I was made aware of The Local coming to our 'hood, thanks to the Community Impact. Frankly speaking, I had expected it to be a bar with food - like a Vincent's or Brick's Pub (Thankfully, it is NOT!!).
The night we stopped in, we were met by Nate (one of the Owners) who promptly seated us.
My first impression of The Local was a pleasant surprise, as it is a family (and friends) focused restaurant (or bistro if you prefer) that happens to have a nice, full bar (with beers on tap). I REALLY liked the vibe here, as this space seemed to be intentionally designed for comfort (and not just velocity). My fave elements were 1.) the high-backed booths that were super comfy and provided privacy, 2.) nice, chill, background music, 3.) ambient lighting, 4.) dividers between the booths and bar area that helped define the spaces between the booths, dining room and bar area, 5.) a nice mixture of materials that included lots of wood and muted colors, 6.) No TVs (since it's not a loud sportsbar).
Our server Tiff was amazing, checking back frequently and refilling our waters on several occasions. Rachel had the Grain Bowl with Steak (added) which she loved. I had a Turkey Club (it was great, nice portion!) and a side salad.
The maple dijon vinaigrette dressing on the side salad was wonderfully light, yet flavorful. All in all, it was a great experience, and the chill vibe was just what we needed.
When we chatted Nate after our meal, we learned that he and his wife, Tiff (co-owner, who waited on us) had actually studied what was missing in this part of town and intentionally set out to deliver this specific experience. We also learned that THEY are in fact local, living off of south Brodie, south of Shady Hollow.
For those of us who like to shop local and supporting our neighbors, The Local gets a hearty recommendation from us. You should check 'em out too!