Sam's Town Point
Austin, TX
Texas Dives Star ⭐
"The Best Bar in Austin Is Sam's Town Point." - Vice Magazine, April 9, 2019
Things are not the same anymore. The Austin you knew in 1981 is long gone. More a dream shrouded by the fog of memory than a place in time. Hell, who even remembers Austin 10 years ago? Before the electric cars, shock jocks, glass towers, and space colonialists took over? The barbarians are at the gate, armed with Macbooks and paddle boards, laying waste to your lands with full cash payments on family homes.
But venture south to the edge of the battleground and a beacon of Old Austin emerges in the form of Sam's Town Point. A Texas dive and music venue for the ages, STP has survived the tides of time with determination and a motley crew of characters who care deeply about Austin's storied music scene.
In 1979, Penny Grossman trekked south from Chicago and bought a plot of land with the goal of opening her own watering hole. Two years later, STP was born and named after a Chicago businessman who helped fund the venture.
The 4-acre plot is downright sprawling in bar terms, with an outdoor stage, food truck, fire pit, and rental house offering Airbnb bookings. Inside, the vibe is a Midwestern spin on a honky tonk. But what shines is the eccentric regulars and packed calendar of quality local musical acts.
This includes Penny herself, who is there nightly and has a dedicated seat at the bar. A few years ago, she stepped down as head honcho and signed the bar over to local musician and friend Ramsay Milwood. He's done a stellar job of keeping the train rolling. Local acts like Nikki Lane and Jonathan Terrell still shred here but it's also home to a popular SXSW showcase. Even Lana Del Rey showed up on a random January night.
Time is a thief. Sooner or later, it takes everything and everyone, running and laughing away from us. But in the case of Sam's Town Point—not yet. It's still here. Do not let it slip away like sand through your fingers. Go see it. You'll be eternally glad you did.
Sam's Town Point is deserving of a Texas Dives Star ⭐, my accolade for exceptionally memorable and authentic establishments in the great state of Texas.