Support Us Button Widget

Chalmers creates a West Texas oasis in east Austin

The bar + restaurant serves creative cocktails and tasty eats in a refurbished Shell gas station.

bar patio with red and white retro umbrellas and a sign in the background that reads "chalmers"

Shade on Chalmers’ front patio is provided by the old gas station’s overhead and old-school umbrellas.

Photo by ATXtoday

As east Austin continues to evolve, Chalmers has carved out its own slice of the neighborhood. The new bar, restaurant, and music venue opened at 1700 E. Cesar Chavez St. on Thursday, July 4.

The new concept — from the team behind Armadillo Den and Dainty Dillo — is inspired by West Texas, which influences the decor, food, and drinks.

four plates of food include country fried steak tenders and fries, a salad, chicken wings, and a burger and fries

City Editor Morgan ordered the country fried steak tenders, sweet corn Cesar salad, crack wings, and the double quarter-pounder with cheese.

Photo by ATXtoday

City Editor Morgan here. I checked out the new hangout last week. Here are some highlights:

  • Both the interior + exterior exude a retro vibe, making you feel like you’ve stepped into a different decade.
  • The Chalmers Zombie and Frozen Dirty Shirley were exactly how I like my drinks: bright pink, ice cold, and fruity.
  • The menu’s shareables come in large portions and are the perfect salty pairings for sweet drinks.
  • A massive backyard area is scheduled to open in the coming weeks — so keep this spot in mind for bigger groups.
backyard of chalmers has patio chairs arranged in circles on gravel with a sign that says "coming soon" in front of a construction site

We’ll be eagerly awaiting the backyard space’s debut, but there’s a cozy area to enjoy while we wait.

Photo by ATXtoday

More from ATXtoday
Don’t forget to treat your shelf by picking up a new read — or two or three — that was written by your neighbor.
The 2026 James Beard Award season is upon us, and Austin has nine restaurants + foodies vying for a trophy.
From pop princesses to chart-topping bands, there’s no shortage of shows to see this year in the Live Music Capital of the World.
Dig into delicious and nutritious plant-based fare in every corner of the Capital City.
We see ribbon cuttings in Austin’s future, because the next decade has major projects that will change the shape of the city in store.
You’ll never have to deal with a layover again, because these are just a few of ABIA’s nonstop flights, which will take you to over 100 cities in the US and abroad.
Dip your toes into “phillumeny,” aka the practice of collecting matchbooks, while you explore ATX and support local businesses at the same time.
The slate of new grants goes toward projects including new bridge construction, shade structure creation, and trail repair.
Let’s take a deeper dive into some of Austin’s historical markers, the significance they hold, and how long they’ve been standing.
Austin made waves on dozens of studies, lists, and rankings, so we gathered some of the highest points the Capital City hit in 2025.