Mean Eyed Cat

Mean Eyed Cat - Austin, TX
1621 W. 5th St

A great, little, Johnny Cash themed bar tucked between brand new, shiny, corporate monstrosities. I was worried for this bar when those 2 buildings started going up over a year ago but so far it seems as though the Mean Eyed Cat has survived.

The Mean Eyed Cat is a cool little joint that is covered wall to wall, inside and out, with Johnny Cash art and memorabilia. There is always something new on the walls each time you go in. The crowd is a motley crew of laid back people of all ages who are just looking for a cold beer and good tunes. The jukebox plays everything from Stevie Ray Vaughn to Journey and of course the man in black himself. Although, I have never been there for it, I know they do occasionally have live bands on the patio. I've always seen the same bartender there (I'm ashamed I can not remember his name at the moment) and he is a very cool, funny, easy to talk to, charismatic guy.

The only issue I take with the Mean Eyed Cat is that they only serve beer and wine. The more I think about it that definitely fits their whole scene, but I'm just not much of a beer drinking gal. Also, almost all of their bar food (they only have about 7 things on the menu) is very spicy and again I'm not much for spicy foods.

One final note, the exterior may look a little rough and the large amount of bikes that sometimes add up in the parking lot may deter you but I assure you this is not a combative, aggressive, rough and tumble type of place.


Pros: Good music, Great wall art, Cool bartender, Location, relaxed atmosphere, mixed group of people
Cons: Only serve beer and wine, spicy and overpriced bar food, not a huge selection of beer

Bottom line: A chill place you would take your dad.