A Tribute to the G&M Steakhouse, Austin, TX

This is a few years late as the good old G&M is now shut down. But, recent dining events brought it to mind and I couldn't resist.

The G&M was located on Lamar across from Book People in downtown Austin. It was a small cozy sort of place with a long lunch counter in front of the grill and small tables lined up down the wall.

As you walked into the G&M you were greeted by Gus. Gus was the owner and proprietor and a permanent fixture. He had moved an executive's desk chair into the restaurant and sat at the front near the cash register. He always had a cigar in his mouth. Come to think of it, the G&M shut down not long after Austin passed their smoking ban. Bringing Gus a cigar always meant you'd get a little extra food on your plate or a little discount on your check.

Visiting the G&M was always an entertaining experience. Eggs came one way, the way the cook wanted to make them. The waitress, (Gus's wife), was famous for saying, "How would you like your eggs?... Not that it matters."

Coffee worked the same way. I took a friend from out of town in for breakfast once. He told the waitress, "I'll have a cup of decaf please"

"We haven't brewed any decaf."

"I'll wait."

"We haven't brewed any decaf."

"Ummm, I'll have regular."

"Good idea!"

Gus always had something interesting to say about himself, the people at the restaurant, or the state the world was in. I took a friend from San Antonio and her cousin for breakfast one Saturday morning. I left the girls sitting at the counter while I walked across the street to Book People to by a paper. As I walked back in Gus was having an animated discussion with my friends. I just caught the tail end of the conversation before my friends burst into laughter. Gus looked intently into their eyes and said, "Have I ever told you ladies that I've always felt like I was a Lesbian trapped inside a man's body?"

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