Originally published in Motorcycles On The Road Again, October 2005.
By Larry Gore
4700 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, Texas 78745
512-851-9300
Over the years Hill’s Cafe has been flooded and has burned, but Hill’s continues to tell the story of one of the greatest traditions of Texas.
The Goodnight family built a 20-seat coffee shop next to the Goodnight Motel (established 1941) on South Congress, which was then Old U.S. 81 or The Old San Antonio Highway. It was opened with partner Sam “Posey” Hill, hence the name Hill’s Cafe. The Goodnight’s bought out Mr. Hill in 1957. Through the years, the cafe complex has grown to accommodate nearly 500 people.
After 54 years of serving the public, Boomer Goodnight and the Goodnight family have passed the torch to Austin radio personality and community leader Bob Cole. Bob’s passion for South Austin and his commitment to the preservation of its heritage is a “natural fit” with the Goodnights that ensures Hill’s Cafe lives up to its reputation.
A visit to Hill’s Cafe has always been an investment in the true and cultured heritage of Austin, Texas. Until you have been to Hill’s Cafe, you cannot legitimately consider yourself a true Austinite.
Just glance around at the booths and tables in Hill’s. Most of them are dedicated to one Texas icon or another. The prime position, of course, honors Willie Nelson. Pictures, letters, and other keepsakes make for interesting reading if you are lucky enough to find this booth open. Missed the Willie Nelson booth?
Don’t worry, no matter where you are seated you will find lots of photos and other memorabilia to keep you interested while you dine. Even if you find someone featured that you don’t recognize it is still fun, you can also go on the web later to figure out just who in the heck it was.
Over fifty years in one location! I can hardly even grasp the thought of a place that has been a restaurant since before I was even born — and I just turned 60!
The menu is over 5 pages of mouth-watering delights. Of course they have the ubiquitous chicken-fried steak (delicious), awesome burgers, and bbq ribs. They also have a wide selection of salads, desserts to die for, a full bar. Recently, they have even begun serving breakfast.
Mix all of that in with an outdoor entertainment area that brings in some of the hottest acts from the Austin music scene and you have a surefire winner. The outdoor area looks like it is a town right out of the old west. The adults enjoy the food, drinks and entertainment. And there is a lot for the kids to do while the parents are relaxing — and it is an enclosed area so it is easy to keep an eye on the kids and to know that they are having fun and they are safe. The last time we went to Hill’s Café there was at least one young lady (“I am Samantha and I am four”) enjoying her birthday with her friends. You will note from the picture that Samantha and her friends certainly enjoyed Hill’s and are destined to become lifelong customers.
Hill’s Café is a fun place to visit, a good place to eat and is one of those places that we lovingly refer to as “uniquely Texas”.
History. Charlie Goodnight rode bareback from Illinois to Texas when he was nine years of age. He was hunting with the Caddo Indians beyond the frontier at thirteen, launched into the cattle business at twenty, guiding Texas Rangers at twenty-four, blazing cattle trails nearly two thousand miles at forty, and at forty-five dominating nearly twenty million acres of range country in the interest of keeping order.
At sixty he was recognized as possibly the greatest scientific breeder of range cattle in the west. At ninety he was an international authority on the range industry. More on Charlie Goodnight can be found throughout the newly opened Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, Texas.
The chuck wagon, invented by Charlie Goodnight, was the first restaurant known to the cowboy on the cattle drive. It was from this chuck wagon that the Charlie Goodnight tradition of fine steaks began.