An Iconic Austin Live Music Venue’s Final Farewell, Plus the Saddest Restaurant Closings to Know This April

The Skylark Lounge, a haven for Austin’s live music scene, San Antonio Botanical Garden’s restaurant Jardín, and Viet-Cajun crawfish spot Pinch Boil House are saying their final goodbyes

In a fast-paced place like Austin, restaurants come and go all the time. Know of an Austin area restaurant closure that’s not on this list? Drop us a line at austin@eater.com.

The Skylark Lounge

One of Austin’s most iconic live music venues and dive bars is closing Sunday, May 4, after roughly 12 years in business. Skylark staff posted an announcement of their closure on Facebook, adding that the bar will host a “farewell week” of music and events. They encouraged patrons to share photos and memories with them on social media so they could be reshared. Owner Johnny LaTouf did not state his reasoning for closing in the post, but later told the Austin Chronicle simply, “It’s just time.” LaTouf explained that he has faced some of the universal challenges of running a live music venue, including competition with sports bars in the area and the tech industry. LaTouf says the death of his brother Terry last year is also still difficult, especially since he was an integral part of Skylark. The live music venue has built a reputation for being one of the few Eastside bars to book Black artists, which has helped foster a deep sense of community among musicians and local residents. Eater Austin has reached out to Skylark for comment.

Thom’s Market

Some of the most devastating closing news this year: Thom Market’s owner, Bill Thom, announced on social media that he’s retiring and will close all three locations of his neighborhood grocery stores on Sunday, April 20, after 18 years in business. Thom says the markets will permanently close and a new brand will take their place on Tuesday, April 22. KVUE first reported the closure, with Thom noting in a statement that the decision to close wasn’t easy, and growing Thom’s Market has been one of his most rewarding adventures. The grocery store, which has a flagship on Barton Springs Road near Zilker Park, is known for its locally sourced foods and products.

Royal Blue Grocer and Wee Cozy Kitchen

The Downtown location of popular bodega Royal Blue Grocer and its adjoining Malaysian restaurant, Wee Cozy Kitchen, are closing, according to a KVUE report. The landlord, Annabelle LeBlanc, did not renew the lease despite Royal Blue Grocer being a tenant on Congress Avenue for 15 years. LeBlanc stated that the area is undergoing a changing demographic and a shift in preferences, but Royal Blue Grocer’s owner, George Scariano, says he believes LeBlanc did not renew the lease because he had previously requested rent relief due to security issues. Scariano says the sale of alcohol and local business owners’ lack of collaboration have caused the neighborhood to decline and become less safe. Scariano was attacked outside of his business in broad daylight last year after he approached a man who pulled up a chair and asked him if he was a customer.

Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine Austin

This all-you-can-eat Brazilian pizza joint in North Austin closed sometime this year. The Dallas import, which has six locations throughout Texas, was known for its five-course meal, which included salad, cheesy thin-crust pies with lots of toppings, lobster bisque, beef meatballs, and dessert pizzas for a flat rate. An Austin reader noted that the restaurant’s sign is down, and there’s already a “coming soon” notice.

Green Mesquite in Southpark Meadows

The Southpark Meadows location of this Austin barbecue joint is closing, according to an Austin American-Statesman report. Joe Reese, who opened this location with his brother Fred, said he decided not to renew the lease because he believed prices would increase. However, a representative for the landlord stated that the owners were locked out because they owed rent. The Southpark Meadows space is likely to welcome another barbecue joint, as the landlord is in talks with two operators. Meanwhile, the Barton Springs outpost of Green Mesquite, which opened in 1988, is undergoing revival. Reese, the barbecue joint’s director of operations, teamed up with colleagues to purchase the space after the landlord similarly locked out the owner, Tom Davis, for not paying rent.

Looking beyond Austin city limits, here are a couple of closings in San Antonio and the surrounding cities that are worth noting.

Jardín

After five years in business, the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Jardín will close on Saturday, May 31, following its brunch service, according to a release. Chef Jason Dady of the Jason Dady Restaurant Group announced it will not renew its lease for the restaurant, which opened in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Garden’s historic Carriage House. Dady’s partnership with the Garden, however, isn’t coming to an end. The chef will continue to work with the Garden as a caterer for events at its Betty Kelso Center, but he will largely shift focus to work on his newest restaurant, Mexico Ceaty, which will serve Mexican street food. “The timing was right for both parties to transition,” the release stated.

Pinch Boil House

San Antonio’s Viet-Cajun crawfish and Asian American restaurant Pinch Boil House closed on Sunday, April 27, after a decade in business. Owners Andrew Ho and Sean Wen the closure on social media, stating that it was “an extremely difficult decision” that they weighed carefully. Ho and Wen did not state in their post the reasoning behind the closing, but Culturemap San Antonio noted that it coincides with the expansion of their other restaurant Curry Boys BBQ, which opened a second location in 2024.

NB’s Wicked Bah Pizza

This New Braunfels pizzeria, with a name that can only be pronounced with a heavy Boston accent, is closing its location on South Union Avenue by the end of April, after being in business for under three years. “We were afforded an opportunity that we weren’t expecting so soon and have made a decision to close the restaurant by the end of April,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday, April 13. “This is not the end of NB’s Wicked Bah Pizza, it’s an opportunity to do things a bit differently. So keep an eye on our social media for updates.” MySA reports that its owners, who hail from Massachusetts, originally opened the restaurant in November 2022, serving thin-crust South Shore-style pan pizza, which originated in the South Shore area of Massachusetts.

Stixs and Stone

This Asian-Mexican San Antonio restaurant and 2025 James Beard semifinalist held its last day of service on Saturday, March 29, to make way for something new. Stixs and Stone chef Leo Davila announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page that despite closing “this chapter,” he and his team are not going anywhere. “Stixs & Stone started as an idea, turned into a restaurant, and became something bigger than I could have imagined. This place was built on passion, long hours, and a whole lot of trial and error—but more than anything, it was built with the support of an incredible team and a city that celebrates great food,” he says, later adding: “‌I’ve got something new, and special, in the works and I cannot wait to share it with y’all soon.” The restaurant was known for its fusion of dishes, including its Big Red and barbacoa taco flight, which topped a soda-infused tortilla with watermelon radish, chile de arbol salsa, and pickled watermelon rind.