One of East Austin’s historic, drinking establishments The White Swan was formerly a quiet little bar that catered to older Black folks and blue collar workers through the week transforming itself into a slightly more raucous young folks club on the weekend.
Those days are gone.
The bar is now part of owner Randall Stockton’s family of drinkeries [Rio Rita, Beerland, Shangri la] we had a good time, the time we went, once we made it past the obstreperous doorman. Expect strong, cheap drinks, plenty room to mill about and a soundtrack that might veer from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion to the Gourds to Flaming Lips.
Nearby you have Galloway Soul Food and Sam’s Barbecue, two of Austin’s finest East Side restaurants, lots of information out there on these two joints. I’ll put up some hot links in comments below.
1906 E 12th StAustin, Texas 78702 (512) 524-5702
http://chowpapi.com/?p=4
review of Galloway Soul Food above
omnibus of Sam’s barbecue stories and photos
http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/search.cfm?search=sam%27s%20barbecue