Shady Grove was a cultural institution in Austin, serving up green chile burgers, margaritas and live music for nearly 30 years along Barton Springs Road. The restaurant first opened in 1992 under the prowess of Chuy’s owners Mike Young and John Zapp, growing in notoriety for its Southwestern-inspired menu and summertime live music performances.
Its tenure as a must-visit Austin watering hole ended in May 2020, with the business shuttering just two months into the COVID-19 pandemic as the Texas capital’s restaurant scene struggled amid the loss of in-person dining levels and trying to pivot to a contact-free, takeout domain.
A Little Shady’s management team has been keeping Central Texans in the loop on the restaurant’s progress, confirming last week the long-awaited day has arrived. A Little Shady will host its opening day on Tuesday, August 4, with doors opening at 11 a.m.
“A Little Shady celebrates the nostalgic charm of the American Southwest,” the business wrote online. “Our refreshed restaurant concept brings a “greatest hits” menu of longtime favorites – including the famous burgers, frozen Shady Thangs, and classics like Green Chile Cheese Fries, Grilled Wings, Chicken Fried Chicken and The Hippie Sandwich.”
It was celebratory news heard in and beyond Texas, with the opening date announcement garnering nearly 2,000 likes and hundreds of comments on Facebook alone.
“So excited!!! Shady Grove was one of my all time FAV restaurants in the ATX growing up,” Lauren Casarez Salisbury wrote under the announcement. “It was tradition to eat at Shady Grove then hit up the Trail of Lights every year. Can’t wait to enjoy A Little Shady!”
Many commenters reflected on their favorite menu options from the OG restaurant, including the green chilies queso, tortilla-crusted queso catfish and the hippie chick sandwich. But for many, Shady Grove wasn’t just a restaurant but a place interwoven into the fabric of their lives.
“I met my husband at the original Shady Grove in Austin. We’ve been married 21 years now,” Susan Harris Hinds wrote, while Mary Kennedy Eng added: “First date with my husband, married 30 years now!”
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