Mean Eyed Cat — Restaurant in Austin

I have to talk about something that happened in 2018 or 2019. I tipped the bartender $1 for getting me a second beer (a beer, not a mixed drink or anything complicated in the slightest). She scoffed very loudly and aggressively asked, “CAN I SPEAK TO YOU OUTSIDE FOR A MOMENT?” So I actually went outside and spoke with her and she was just yelling about how I’m not tipping her enough and how she has kids to feed and it was very uncomfortable. Plus I was throwing dollars in the tip jar on top of tipping her for the tab… Why was this trashy miserable single mom trying to threaten/rob me in your back alley way? If you hate your job or don’t get paid enough, please take it up with your boss instead of threatening the patrons. Soooo weird and embarrassing. She did it in front of people I worked with too, entirely confident she was in the right. She acted like I wasn’t tipping her at all (which isn’t illegal anyway) but I was tipping her for what I thought was fair for tap beer and nothing else. I believe she was hoping I was drunk enough to be taken advantage of. MEAN is correct. Mean, hostile, and desperate that is. I’ll never forget it.

This chick had reddish brunette hair and I hope she’s long...

I'm so bummed out that my favorite dive in Austin has gone hipster. I've been out of town for awhile so I'm not sure when this change took place but when I walked in recently I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. I saw most of the same stuff but it was not how God and Johnny Cash intended. I took a deep breath and walked to the new bar, avoiding bearded hipsters, girls not wearing dirty jeans and looking like they had been around the block a few times and it pains me to write this. Grown men wearing soccer jerseys. I'm sorry Mr Cash. OK I've made it to the bar. All I need is my go to Mean Eyed beer. With a sudden fear in my chest (I saw craft beer) I asked for a Shiner Black. Not a Shiner Bock. A Shiner Black. It was then I knew I had made a huge mistake. I backed away slowly while the bartender picked up the phone to call the hipster police (I assume) I ran out into the sunlight. I glanced back hoping it was all a dream or possible stroke but alas it was true. The great Cat had taken the plunge that so many great Austin establishments had before. To quote Johnny "This is why I wear black". Goodbye old friend. Oh and 3 stars for staying open even though you had to kill innocent...

So, I can't believe I've never left a review of the MEC. In short, I have known this place during both its current iteration and its previous iteration and liked both though the current operation and staff is a vast improvement on the original. The staff is friendly, professional, and attentive, even when the place gets packed during happy hour and after ACL. Personally, I love the decor and fact that they carry Lone Star Light. I miss the original tin roof that plinked when it rained, but the current layout is a vast improvement. Basically, this is a yuppy dive bar that can cater craft cocktails with the best of them, but manages to maintain a laid back feel missing in most of the hipster infested overpriced $#!+holes that dominate Austin. Even though it doesn't harken back to 90s Austin it definitely gets the vibe right. You can chill, talk with randoms, and generally just relax and enjoy yourself. Normally I'd say avoid it like the plague just to preempt what has become the inevitable @$$#0!€ takeove of such places these days, buy I actually have faith in the management and staff. Sometimes you just gotta shoot a man in reno just to watch him die...