By: Jeremiah Galo
1. Two Wheel
On the south end of Main Street not too far from the downtown scene you’ll find the first and only craft brewery in Buda -- a unique brewery with an eclectic variety of beers to quench your thirst. As soon as you enter, you can feel the 80's vibe featuring fascinating wall art and
painted skateboards mounted on the wall. With a good deal of outdoor benches and board games you can grab, this is a great place to visit when passing time with your buds. An unquestionable local favorite is the Budaful Blonde. This blonde ale has a nice citrus and malt flavor that has a smooth sip. And if you’re like us, you always have to ask the bartender their current favorite. The Race Pointe IPA with a fruity aroma of pineapple and mango came highly recommended by Two Wheel. They are constantly crafting new brews, so there is always a reason to come back and try more.
Two Wheel Brewing Co.
535 S LOOP 4
Buda, TX 78610
(512) 361-3401
Hours:
Wed 4pm-9pm (Roll of the Dice)
Thu 4pm-9pm (Happy Hour ALL DAY)
Fri 4pm-10pm (Happy hour 4pm-7pm)
Sat 12pm-10pm
Sun 12pm-8pm
2. The Cigar Vault
The only town you’ll find a bank vault of hand-selected cigars is here in the heart of Downtown Buda. A great place for a get together at a one-of-a-kind historic location. From the outside, it may come across as a vintage shop, but when you walk in you’ll
find an easy going lounge with classic leather sofas to unwind, smoke cigars and have a few beers.
With such a large variety of cigars to choose from, staff is ready to provide recommendations based on your tastes all while doing a fantastic job of making you feel welcomed. Head outside and down the alleyway to find a big open patio with live music performances and a food truck on the weekends.
The Cigar Vault
210 N MAIN STREET
Buda, TX 78610
(512) 361-3289
Hours: Sun-Thu 12pm-8pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm
3. Willie’s Joint
If you’ve been to Buda and you haven’t checked out Willie’s yet then you’re missing out. This BBQ restaurant and bar has room for everyone and is ideal for large groups of people to have a good experience, while enjoying some live entertainment outside. They have live entertainment on occasions, and we just so happened to come on a day where they had open Karaoke outside (and as always, Margaritaville was the top hit). Whether you’re throwing washers with the boys or owning jumbo Jenga, the experience outside at Willie’s is unmatched with so much to do, and if you come with an appetite, their BBQ won’t disappoint and is sure to fill you up. Recognized as one of the top margaritas in town and plenty of drink options from both inside or at the outdoor bar, there is no doubt you can find a drink here that satisfies your sips--or gulps.
Willie’s Joint
824 MAIN STREET
Buda, TX 78610
(512) 295-0483
Hours:
Mon-Tue 2pm-1am
Wed-Thur 11:30am-1am
Fri-Sat 11:30am-2pm
Sun 11:30am-1am
4. Growler Express
Further down the strip, you’ll find this local taproom that works to serve local Texas breweries straight from the tap. They currently carry 24 taps that offer a unique variety of craft beers like (512) Brewing Company and SpindleTap Brewery. Invite your friends here to watch sporting games and events inside or compete with the collection of board games they offer (they even have dominoes). Everyone here is very conversational and friendly which helps to keep the bar vibe very laid back and open. This is a remarkable place to bring your friends to try top craft beers around Texas, while avoiding the large crowds of Austin taprooms. You can drink pints from the tap, in a can, or try multiple at once with flights. If you’re out during the day, you definitely want to invite some of your buddies out for a refreshing selection of beers to choose from at Growler!
Growler Express
1567 MAIN STREET #800
Buda, TX 78610
(512) 361-0911
Hours: Mon-Fri 4pm-10pm; Sat 2pm-10pm; Sun 2pm-9pm
5. Pinballz Kingdom
Have you ever noticed a red dragon on top of a castle going up I-35 North? Well, it’s not just your imagination or a renaissance shop, it's actually an arcade! But not just any arcade either, Pinballz is an arcade designed for both the young and young at heart. With many classic game
machines from Space Invaders and Galaga to the newer generation of games -- and of course plenty of pinball machines -- there are more than enough games for your group to play while you’re here. They also have a full-service bar and kitchen, which kept us there playing games longer than we expected. Although the variety of top-notch games featured at Pinballz tends to be the highlight of this place, the food there is simply undeniable--not to mention they have earned recognition for the best burger in town. We got to try their Pulled Pork sandwich and The Kingdom Burger, but we all were so full that we had to take a minute to rest before testing out the arcade games.
Pinballz Kingdom
15201 S IH 35
Buda, TX 78610
(512) 523-4080
Hours: Sun-Thur 10am-12am; Fri-Sat 10am-2am