With half of its 350 seats devoted to two covered outdoor patios, The Park at The Domain is a magnet for patrons who want to dine al fresco in Northwest Austin.

"We used to own Union Park downtown, and we had a rooftop deck," said Greg Bodle, who co-owns the restaurant with brothers Jeff and Darren Van Delden. "So when we were coming up here, we wanted to do a place that was a little nicer, more sophisticated, more family-friendly and definitely more restaurant-friendly as well."

At its core, though, The Park is a sports bar with a customized 360-degree TV screen that displays games in the middle of the dining room. A private dining room seats 40–60 people, and is available to rent for private parties and big games. The Park's front patio is restricted to patrons age 21 and older at night and features an outdoor bar. The side patio is child-friendly and open to anyone.

The trio has owned 18 bars in the past 13 years—including Aquarium on East Sixth Street and the Foundation in the warehouse district—and they still own four bars in Houston, where Darren lives. But with The Park, which opened in May 2011, they wanted to focus more on the restaurant aspect of bar ownership.

"As we get older, we like to have a heavier food component in our stores. It allows us to generate revenues every day, not just on weekends," Jeff said.

Bodle describes the menu as comfortable and approachable with a burger selection that includes The Park originals such as the The Rebel, made with with sharp cheddar, fried pickle slices and ranch dressing ($9), and craft pizzas ($9–$11.50).

The Vandeldens and Bodle have two other projects in the works: a cocktail lounge located next door to The Park and a country-western bar called Mavericks on Grand Avenue Parkway in Pflugerville.

Sunday brunch

The Park at The Domain owners said they contributed to the trend of making Sunday brunch just as much of an event in Austin as going out on Fridays nights.

Bodle said he and his business partners first offered Sunday brunch at Union Park about a year after opening the restaurant in 2007.

At The Park, the $15 all-you-can-eat buffet is offered every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The buffet has some of The Park's menu staples, including the green chile macaroni and cheese—which is actually green in color—and The Park Salad with feta cheese, red onion and cranberries.

Other brunch favorites, such as rum-spiced French toast, biscuits and gravy, and migas, are also available.

But it is the $1 mimosas, available in six flavors, such as cucumber honey and pineapple basil, that are a big draw for people like Austin resident Kerry Nelson.

Nelson said that other than the mimosas, her brunch favorites are the green chile macaroni and cheese and the cream-filled churros. She also said that despite the heat, the restaurant does its best to make it pleasant enough to sit outside by using misters and fans.

"There's not too many patios in North Austin," she said. "Come early so you can get a seat."

The Park at The Domain, 11601 Domain Drive, Ste. 200, 512-478-7275, www.theparkdomain.com