Twin brothers and entrepreneurs Ellis and Austin Winstanley bought Abel’s North Grill and Tap House more than two years ago, and Ellis said he still gets excited to walk inside and hear the banquet rooms buzzing with people. “There’s just really nothing else like this around,” he said. “We kind of fell in love with it as soon as we walked into it.” Built in 2000, the 25,000-square-foot facility was formerly the home of Cool River Cafe, which closed in June 2013. In November 2013 the brothers bought and opened Abel’s North. The Winstanley brothers have a history of buying iconic Austin businesses that are struggling and making them profitable again, including Star Seeds Cafe, Cain and Abel’s, Abel’s on the Lake, The Tavern and Hill’s Cafe. “We just love the originals,” Ellis said. “There’s just a lot of value in having generations of attachments to a brand.” Ellis said they bought Abel’s North, formerly Cool River Cafe, because of its location near both Milwood neighborhood residents and several major corporations, including Apple Inc. and National Instruments Corp. The brothers also saw its potential as an event venue. “It was just a good fit for what we do,” Ellis said. The menu at Abel’s North is most similar to Abel’s on the Lake, which also serves oysters, fish tacos and burgers, he said. Ellis said they added steaks to the menu because it was a dish customers had grown accustomed to at Cool River Cafe. “Despite being 25,000 [square] feet, it’s really like a neighborhood place,” Ellis said. Ellis said the restaurant’s staples include the Green Chile Cheese Burger ($11), with smoked gouda, roasted green chiles, caramelized onions and chipotle aioli, and the Crawfish Shrimp and Grits ($19). Abel’s North offers seven indoor event spaces, each with its own character and capacity, Ellis said. The restaurant backs up to a greenbelt and can accommodate outdoor events, he said. Groups can event rent out the entire facility, which can hold up to 1,500 people, Ellis said. The facility sits on 8.5 acres, and Ellis said he and his brother plan to build more on the property.

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With its proximity to many high-tech businesses, Abel’s North is a happy hour hotspot, co-owner Ellis Winstanley said.[/caption]

Get happy

With its proximity to many high-tech businesses, Abel’s North is a happy hour hotspot, co-owner Ellis Winstanley said.

Happy hour: Mon.-Fri. 4-7 p.m., all day Sun. Drink specials: $4 Brewery of the Week, $3.50 Deep Eddy Vodka (all flavors) Food specials: $1 Gulf Coast oysters and additional bar menu food specials