Lazarus Brewing Company

We’d driven by this neighborhood brewery one too many times and finally decided to check it out. First, we commend the owners for making use of an older Austin building. That’s a real plus in our book.

Lazarus does seem to be a popular destination. The patio was quite busy for a hot Thursday in July, although inside was considerably less bustling. We opted for air conditioning and one of the few low tables available.

Inside, the more sparse clientele seemed to consist mainly of assorted single people staring resolutely at their laptops. Laptops on high tops. Only one couple appeared to be mutually perusing their respective screens side by side. Few patrons inside actually conversed, except for a guy—possibly a regular—at the bar who maintained a steady dialogue with another fellow who appeared disengaged at best.

Overall, the inside atmosphere at Lazarus seems designed for singles who aren’t quite ready to give up their screens for face-to-face human contact. Apparently, laptop companionship is perfectly acceptable, even when perched next to your date.

There is no real table service. We considered docking them a single star for that but it's a brew pub. Even in UK you have to order at the bar, so it's all good. You order at the bar, which means standing in line. I ordered a salad that arrived nicely presented in a modern-looking angled bowl. It proved to be delicious, creative, very fresh and crisp. They definitely passed salads 101 and then some.

Phil ordered red chili flour quesadillas with cheese and poblano strips, which he praised lavishly. We also ordered chips and salsa, but had to obtain the salsa ourselves, in tiny plastic containers, from a nearby upright cooler. The chips were totopos which was nice but too large to dip into the tiny plastic salsa container. Phil ordered a Lazarus-brewed Czech style Pilsner beer, which he said was crisp and refreshing--A+ on that.

Our bill came to around $80 for a salad, one beer, quesadillas, chips and an iced tea.That seems steep for a brew pub. Hence the missing star.

Given the price tag, I’m not sure we appreciated the overall vibe. We much prefer having both feet firmly on the floor rather than scaling tall stools and teetering at a tall table--but that's a matter of preference. The food quality was excellent, but the lack of service does not quite justify the cost.

Still, Lazarus seems to have become a genuine Austin spot. And, as we mentioned earlier, they didn’t tear down the building.

Bless their hearts.

Humble sitting area for a small group or you have tables and the bar.

Since coming back a couple times I'd like to add that the vegetarian rajas quesadillas are absolutely delicious. The taco bowl was nothing terribly special, but I appreciate that they serve it and it goes nicely with some beer. They've got a communal salsa station which is a big plus.

On a personal note: Having 30% tip preset for a place where you order at the counter is bold.