Maudie's Cafe

'HEY, YOU WOULDN’T WANNA BUY A CAFÉ, WOULD YA?” And, so, Maudie’s Tex-Mex, the best Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin and an Austin icon was born… Maudie’s Café has been a tradition in Austin since the early 50’s serving the best home-style cooking around. Faithful clientele would often stand in long lines for breakfast and lunch. In his quest to find a place to live, Joe Draker found himself knocking on opportunity’s door, literally. Joe had just moved back to Austin and was looking for a house to rent. One “For Rent” sign led him to the home of Maudie Wilson Hamilton. Joe was inquiring about renting the house next door. As he turned to walk away, Maudie’s daughter, Bennie yelled out…”Hey, you wouldn’t wanna buy a café, would ya?” This piqued Joe’s interest, so he went back in to visit with Maudie – who was now in poor health. He thought it sounded like a pretty good idea. So, in just a matter of time, Joe Draker became the proud owner of Maudie’s Café on Lake Austin Blvd. When he bought the restaurant in 1992, Joe changed the menu to Tex-Mex. What didn’t change was the way people flocked to Maudie’s for the delicious food. Maudie’s has won numerous awards over the years for its Tex-Mex food and fresh-squeezed margaritas. With seven successful city restaurants, Maudie’s has become a true tradition in Austin.