Texas Eats · checked by hand, fall 2026

Texas's oldest restaurants

Restaurants, barbecue joints and cafés that have fed Texas from the same address since 1960 or before: 9 places in all, oldest first, each checked in fall 2026 against a 2025–26 source. The oldest, Scholz Garten in Austin, goes back to 1866. The note under each place names what its year rests on.

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Which year counts

We count from the year a place opened at its current address in its current form, going by the place's own history or a published one. A brand's earlier start somewhere else doesn't count, and neither do the years before a move; if two sources give different years, the later one wins. Know a Texas place from 1960 or earlier that's missing? Send us the source.

Other guides: Barbecue joints, Tex-Mex, Taquerías, Kolaches, Chicken-fried steak, MICHELIN & James Beard, Restaurant inspections. City pages: Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, El Paso.

Oldest first

  1. Scholz Garten

    1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin

    On the menu: bratwurst, schnitzel · Since 1866

    Beer garden and restaurant near the Capitol, established by German immigrant August Scholz in 1866 and serving brats, schnitzel and beer.

    Wikipedia: Scholz bought the lot at 1607 San Jacinto Boulevard in 1862 and established the garten there in 1866 (it notes a closure during Prohibition); Tasting Table (2025) gives the same address.

  2. Yale Street Grill

    2100 Yale St, Houston

    On the menu: omelets, pancakes, milkshakes · Since 1923

    Heights diner and soda fountain that opened as a pharmacy in 1923 at this corner, serving omelets, pancakes and milkshakes.

    Houstonia (Dec 2025): opened in 1923 as a pharmacy at the Yale Street Grill location; it has changed owners several times.

  3. Dirty Martin's Place

    2808 Guadalupe St, Austin

    On the menu: chili cheeseburger, fried pickles, 1926 Nachos · Since 1926

    Guadalupe Street burger joint, "an Austin tradition since 1926," that began as a dirt-floored drive-in.

    Its own site: since 1926. The Austin Chronicle lists it at 2808 Guadalupe and says it began there as a drive-through with a dirt floor.

  4. Schilo's Delicatessen

    424 E Commerce St, San Antonio

    On the menu: Reuben sandwich, split pea soup, homemade root beer · Since 1942

    German deli on East Commerce Street, in business since 1917, in a former bank whose vault is now the walk-in cooler; known for its Reuben, split pea soup and house root beer.

    Its history page: "In 1942, Schilo's moved to its current location" (it dates the business to 1917, earlier as a saloon in Beeville).

  5. Jacala Mexican Restaurant

    606 West Ave, San Antonio

    Tex-Mex Since 1949

    Near-North Side Mexican restaurant on West Avenue, opened in 1949 in a tiny building.

    San Antonio Current (updated Aug 2025): its founders "originally opened this near-North Side restaurant in a tiny building" in 1949.

  6. Bud Jones Restaurant

    1440 SW Military Dr, San Antonio

    Chicken-fried steak On the menu: country-fried steak, fried fish, beef enchiladas · Since 1958

    South Side restaurant opened in 1958 in the old Walsh's Grocery at Military and Commercial, known for country-fried steaks with gravy and all-you-can-eat fish. Opened in 1958 in the former Walsh's Grocery at Military and Commercial.

    Its own site: Bud Jones "opened Bud Jones Restaurant in what was once Walsh's Grocery Store on Military and Commercial," and that building has had many additions.

  7. Mexican Manhattan

    110 Soledad St, San Antonio

    Tex-Mex Since 1958

    Downtown Soledad Street Mexican restaurant opened in 1958 that has expanded several times in place.

    San Antonio Current (updated Aug 2025): opened 1958 and "undertook multiple expansions to serve its growing clientele"; no relocation mentioned.

  8. Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse

    2202 Inwood Rd, Dallas

    America's ClassicBarbecue On the menu: brisket sandwich, onion rings, jalapeño sausage · Since 1958

    The original Inwood Road barbecue joint opened by William Jennings "Sonny" Bryan Jr. in 1958, now open 24/7; a James Beard America's Classic (2000).

    Wikipedia: founded 1958; the original Inwood location remained open as of 2022 and runs 24/7 since 2016. Its own site lists 2202 Inwood Road.

  9. Louie Mueller Barbecue

    206 W 2nd St, Taylor

    America's ClassicBarbecue Since 1959

    Long-running barbecue landmark in downtown Taylor. In this former gymnasium in downtown Taylor since 1959; the business dates to 1946 and opened as its own entity in 1949.

    Wikipedia: the current location, a former gymnasium in downtown Taylor, has been occupied since 1959.