During the holiday season, both Lala’s locations have extra, coverd outdoor space to accomodate more patrons, co-owner Max Moreland said. (Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)
It’s always Christmas at Lala’s Little Nugget in North Austin. The year-round holiday bar is decorated with tinsel, ornaments and vintage Santas, some of which have been donated by loyal patrons.
“It feels homey and warm and it's like grandma's basement,” said Max Moreland, co-owner of Lala’s and co-founder of FBR Management. “It's like the bar gives you a hug when you walk in.”
Many of the decorations at Lala’s Little Nugget were donated to the bar over the years, Moreland said, each of which carry their own story. (Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)(Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)
The history
Frances Lala opened Lala’s Little Nugget in 1972, bringing over 50 years of holiday nostalgia and themed drinks to the Crestview neighborhood.
Lala was ready to step away from the business in 2015, as she was experiencing health complications in her 80s, Moreland said. The neighborhood, however, was not ready to watch the bar shutter. Neighbors and friends brought the concept to FBR Management, which previously took over local spots Lavaca Street Bar, Star Bar and Mean Eyed Cat. For the first time, the management group assumed ownership of a bar with no construction necessary.
“Over time we did make some changes,” Moreland said. “But, aside from that, it was really just like here's the model that works. Here's something that this neighborhood and the city adores. Let's make sure it's still here for them to enjoy.”
Lala’s offers a “Jolly Hour” weekdays from 4-7 p.m. with $5 bloody marys and margaritas. The menu also offers $3 domestic bottles and $4 well drinks. (Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)(Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere
The Lala’s cocktail menu rotates throughout the year, though the bar always has Lala’s famous bloody mary, Moreland said. Another drink highlight is the bar’s eggnog, which is crafted from scratch using a former manager’s family recipe. Customers can also grab a gingerbread man shot, which features fireball, butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream.
Craving pizza?
After assuming ownership of Lala’s, FBR Management added a few touches to the bar, including adding a patio, more Christmas decorations, extra bathrooms and food. The bar now serves Pedroso’s Pizza Tuesday-Sunday. Patrons can order American-style or New York-style pizzas, salads and appetizers like meatballs and breadsticks.
Pedroso’s offers build-your-own pies or menu offerings like the Texas Chainsaw, which is an American-style pizza prepared with salami, meatballs, capocollo, pepperoni and sausage. For dessert, customers can choose from plain, pistachio or chocolate chip cannolis.
Did you know?
The mystery of Lala’s famous Christmas decor remains unsolved. There are three key theories as to why Lala adorned the bar with festive cheer in the first place, Moreland shared. The first theory is that when Lala opened the bar in 1972 during the holiday season, she put up the original decor. When January rolled around and she took the seasonal decorations down, the bar felt so bare that she put them back up.
Another story is that her husband left her on Christmas, which caused Lala to go into a state of depression, during which she didn’t have the energy to take any of the decorations down and eventually the decor “took [on] a life of its own,” Moreland explained.
The final theory is that Lala’s son left to fight in the Vietnam War right before the holidays, prompting her to make a vow that she wouldn't take the Christmas decorations down until he returned. Legend has it that he never came home, thus the decorations remained a permanent fixture of Lala’s. That theory became popularized with Hayes Carll’s song “Jesus and Elvis” in 2019, which talks about Lala’s bar, Moreland said.
“I choose not to tell people which story is true,” Moreland said. “It's one of those three, I'll tell you that. But, whatever one you like the best, we're happy to entertain you with.”
Lala's throws several Christmas parties each year, including Zombie Christmas, Lala's Christmas Bash, 1/2 Christmas and Lala's Anniversary Party. (Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)(Courtesy Madison Richards Photography)
The expansion
FBR Management expanded the Lala’s brand in August 2024, bringing a similar year-round cheer to South Austinites at 3008 Davis Lane, Ste. 101, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Lala’s South Pole was born when the landlord at Lala’s Little Nugget built a new building in South Austin and asked the Lala’s team if they’d like to expand to a second location.
“Recreating the bones of a bar that's been there for a half century is pretty difficult,” Moreland said. “So we didn't want to do that in a cheesier, missed fashion. So we took it a little bit in a different direction.”
Lala’s South Pole instead has a hunting cabin vibe, with dark wood walls and a large moose known as Marty, Moreland said. The menu is also completely different from the original Lala’s. One of the most popular beverages at the South location is the Yule Shoot Your Chai Out, shaken with Maniball Peanut Butter Tequila, El Jimador Tequila, coconut, chai and brown sugar.
In their own words
Lala’s is an incredibly welcoming place, Moreland said, with an environment that subconsciously reflects the happiness and peace associated with holidays.
“There's a happiness that just [fills] you when you walk [into] the space and we're really happy to be a part of that,” Moreland said. “It's something Frances created and we're just thrilled to continue her legacy.”
