Crossing South 1st street during rush hour truly is taking your life into your own hands, but it’s worth it once you are on the other side at Freddie’s. Only once have I found a parking spot in Freddie’s’ actual lot, and it was a banner day. Freddie’s is one of those Austin institutions. It has kept Austin weird in the right way, in a good way. Possibly the most laid back restaurant in the city, it features old, not necessarily level, wooden picnic tables with mis-matched random chairs under a canopy of a variety of trees. There is a white picket fence (much in need of a new coat of paint) at the back boundary which backs up to a mix of jungle and creek bed – the pickets come in hand to hang your purse or the baby’s diaper bag on since you don’t want those things on the ground. There is a covered stage where you can hear some really good live music most nights, and next to that is a nice playscape for the children, plenty of pea gravel for ground cover bordered by large natural rocks just perfect for walking on or running around. The inside has a few tables but it’s small because most people come here to eat outside.

But the best feature is you can bring you dog. Yes, anyone who wants to can bring their dog. To the table. While you eat. You’ think there would be lots of barking and dog fights, but I’ve never experienced that there. I don’t know if that’s because these are special laid back Austin dogs, or their masters are exceptional trainers, or people don’t bring mean dogs there. But I suspect it’s the atmosphere – people just don’t want to argue at Freddie’s. There is plenty of tail wagging and butt sniffing, and the occasional bark of greeting but mainly it’s just lots of friendly dogs with their families out for the evening. I’m not even a dog person and I love it.

The food is good. There are the usual offerings of chips & salsa and queso, good burgers and fries, onion rings to die for, massive chicken fried steak smothered in excellent cream gravy, jalapeno mac & cheese, and I’m pretty sure you can even get a salad or green vegetable there; I wouldn’t know. For those so inclined, the beverage menu boasts $2.00 Pabst Blue Ribbon tallboys, $2.00 Jack Daniels shots in plastic shot glasses, or a darn good frozen margarita in a plastic cup. Too many kids and dogs, gotta use plastic and cans.

You can eat and drink at Freddie's, watch the kids play, listen to the band, or just hang out with friends in a cool (except in August) outdoor venue. It’s also a great place to interview a potential candidate for a job, which I actually did a couple of years back. It’s a stress free zone with equal opportunity for casual of the most serious of conversations, not intimidating in any way. Guess what? I wanted this gal to come back to work for us, so after we ate and relaxed we did the interview, I offered her the job and she said yes. Freddie’s works!

My son introduced me to Freddie’s, and we’ve had several good times there, catching up on our lives, sharing a meal, just being together. So it was only fitting that we said goodbye to Freddie’s together. We had tres amigos – chips with salsa, guacamole and queso – and a cold beverage and enjoyed the scenery. Children on the playscape and wandering across the stage, business people and bikers and hippies and families and just regular folks all hanging out under the trees and strung lights. I wonder if the other patrons are as sad to see Freddie’s go as I am. Another Austin institution bites the dust. But life is about change, and Freddie has certainly earned the right to retire and enjoy life with his wife. And I’ll always have the memories.