The Tavern, with its distinctive Tudor architecture was built in 1916, even before Lamar Boulevard was created. It was designed as a grocery store on then, Ruiz Street which was, at the time, on the outskirts of this town of 30,000. R. Niles Grahm hired Hugo Kuehne who brought the building plans from Europe and modeled it after a German Public House. The Enfiield Grocery Store operated in the building until 1929, when the store moved next door so a steak restaurant could be installed. The best steaks in Austin were sold for fifty cents, but legend has it that a popular and secretive brothel operated upstairs.
When prohibition ended in 1933, the Tavern was instantly born. As a restaurant and bar, few Austin gathering places hold as many significant life memories for soldiers, students, legislators, presidents, and our town’s general citizenry. Peter Mansbendel was commissioned in 1916 to create the ornate carvings that line the bargeboards and entrance sign of the historic building, they were removed ~ 2015.