Support Us Button Widget

French-Texan bistro Le Calamar opens in Austin this week

The new restaurant from the Underdog team opens Thursday, May 29 with charcoal-cooked cuts, a pastry program, and happy hour martinis.

A plated dish of sliced medium-rare sirloin flap topped with blistered shishito peppers and drizzled with a rich brown sauce, served on a cream-colored plate with black trim. In the background, a square slice of bread topped with finely chopped herbs sits on a matching plate next to a glass of red wine.

Fans of now-closed restaurant Underdog didn’t have to wait long for its replacement.

Photo by Clay Grier

Le Calamar, a new venture from the team behind Underdog, will take over the shuttered Korean restaurant‘s South 1st Street space on Thursday, May 29.

Here’s what to know before booking a reservation.

What’s on the menu?

Dubbed “a Texan perspective on the modern French bistro,” the new restaurant’s menu features starters like oysters charentaise, main courses like grilled trout, and a daily selection of charcoal-cooked cuts.

ATXtoday-Le-Calamar-Bar-Interior-May-2025.jpeg

Seating at Le Calamar includes 12 seats at the bar + tables in the moody dining room and on the outdoor patio.

Photo by Clay Grier

Boozy beverages

Curated by acclaimed sommelier Richard Hargreave, Le Calamar’s wine list boasts French, Mexican, and Texas bottles from independent growers. Cocktails fall into three main categories: martinis, Manhattans, and mezcals.

A toasted meringue dessert with a spiked, golden-brown pattern is artfully plated on a cream-colored dish with black trim, set atop a larger matching plate with a linen napkin and silver spoon. A glass of amber-colored drink sits to the side on a dark wooden table.

Le Calamar’s pastry program will highlight desserts made with local produce.

Photo by Clay Grier

Happy hour

Enjoy $10 martinis, $3 St. Elmo Carl’s, and daily specials + bar snacks from 4 to 5:30 p.m. daily. The late-night happy hour features the same deals from 10 to 11 p.m. on Thursdays and from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday-Saturday.

More from ATXtoday
These mansions are on the market right now, so you can dare to dream about living in some of Austin’s nicest homes.
Got a hot new fling? Hoping to spice things up with your longtime partner? We’re here to help plan your next date in the Capital City.
Whether or not you have tickets to the upcoming I-35 Series games, the San Antonio Spurs are inviting Austinites to get in on the action during Spurs Week.
Whether you’re looking for omakase, sake pairings, a sushi conveyor belt, a whimsical interior, or an “Ahi Tower,” we’ve got the restaurant for you.
The historic Huston-Tillotson University has produced dozens of notable alumni who have shaped the Austin folks know today.
Chef-owner Amir Hajimaleki has been honing the concept through local pop-ups since 2018 with plans to showcase the Persian “art of hospitality.”
As you watch the 2026 Super Bowl, keep watch for a few familiar, local faces that will make a cameo during the commercials.
Cheer on Team USA at this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan, where four talented Texans will compete for the gold.
The annual Great Backyard Bird Count attracts more than one million people nationwide to help record the bird population.
The company will drop 350 new memberships with the opening of its second workspace, a former auto repair shop, in March.