March Madness may mean basketball brackets to most, but for Austinites, it describes the mayhem that consumes the city for spring’s biggest festival. The 512 comes even more alive with a social calendar featuring unique programming in music, comedy, tech, film, gaming, literary, not to mention a ton of food and beverage—there’s truly something for everyone.
To get the real scoop on where to go and what to do when not festival-ing, we figured who better to showcase local spots they love than Yelp Austin Elites! In collaboration with Bird, we asked four Yelp Elite Squad members for their mini guides of the city and how it feels to beat festival traffic and congestion while efficiently getting around town on their Bird.
Festival survival tip
“Find that spreadsheet online that shows all the free events.”
Favorite thing about having Bird in Austin
“It’s fun and easy transportation (that avoids the wait time of traffic). Super convenient for exploring downtown.”
Go-to Austin businesses
Velvet Taco: “I had the #8 Korean Fried Rice…It’s just an amazing creation that I’ve never come close to experiencing before… We split the red velvet cake, which is an absolute must.”
The Creek and The Cave: “Here in Austin, the comedy scene is popping! The Creek and The Cave has proven to be an excellent choice for a show…Seriously one of my favorite spots to go in Austin. Worth a visit.”
Upstairs at Caroline: “Fun! They had Connect 4, pool, foosball, among other games. This place feels like a hidden gem…It’s super cute and lounge-y. Wonderful for a date or a low key drink…The Hipster-jito was delicious.”
Favorite thing about being on the Yelp Elite Squad
“I love the uplifting community…I love exploring, trying new things, and sharing my experiences! I’m an analyzer by nature so reviews are my thang.”
Festival survival tip
“Say yes to all the the live music events… you’re bound to find your next favorite band!”
Favorite thing about having Bird in Austin
“Escaping the surge.”
Go-to Austin businesses
Try Hard Coffee: “Lots of options on beans for hot coffee and super reasonably for a pourover. They were already at 5 stars for me before I got into a socially distanced conversation with John about roasting beans. Dude knows his stuff and basically lives in a coffee shop for his whole life from what he told me.”
Golden Tiger: “Mason and Jamie running the truck are super nice and they have a great menu…I just went for the OG chicken sandwich and damn it was good. Piping hot, deliciously moist chicken, not too much breading, and a great sauce…They also have a $6 mini burger which is a great idea for a quick bar snack.”
Kiin Di: “I got the Killer Noodles which were pictured to look amazing, and it came out just like the picture. I’m not the biggest noodle fan but this dish was really good. The other dish I got on a whim…A fried chicken dish. I’m not a big fried chicken fan either but I believe it was The Lost Recipe that was recommended and it was awesome! Definitely going back for this one. Such good flavor.”
Favorite thing about being on the Yelp Elite Squad
“Meeting other foodies.”
Festival survival tip
“Lip balm, hand sanitizer, and most importantly, if you see a bear, lie on the ground and play dead!”
Favorite thing about having Bird in Austin
“The simplicity of getting around and not having to pay for parking everywhere you go.”
Go-to Austin businesses
Ah Sing Den: “My go-to place on the eastside. The vibe, food, drinks, and atmosphere is very eclectic and fits right in with the Austin scene.”
Juniper: “I have been on a mission to find an amazing Italian restaurant in Austin and it seems I have found a winner! Not only was the food delicious, but the restaurant and the ambiance were also top notch!”
Smash ATX: “Smash for ping pong is where it’s at! We like to get a group of people together and get dressed up in 80’/90’s attire complete with headbands and tube socks!”
Favorite thing about being on the Yelp Elite Squad
“Helping others by providing honest feedback.”
Festival survival tip
“HYDRATE. Take breaks when needed. Wear good shoes.”
Favorite thing about having Bird in Austin
“It’s always fun riding Bird, especially once you’ve parked your car and need to get around—we all know how hard parking can be in the city.”
Go-to Austin businesses
Project Pollo: “Sooooo good… I got the Grilled Chikn Caesar Wrap and my husband got the spicy chicken sandwich. Both were delish. Plus a side of veg mac. Everything is made fresh.”
Counter Culture: “All your favorites made vegan. So fresh and healthy…The food is filling and you don’t leave feeling like you overdid yourself. Def recommend this little vegan spot!”
Favorite thing about being on the Yelp Elite Squad
“Getting to experience all the awesome (and sometimes hidden!) places this great city has to offer. I don’t think I would have experienced half the things I have if it weren’t for Yelp Elite events. Not because I wouldn’t want to, but because I might have never known they existed.”
Follow this Yelp Elite + Bird’s Guide to Austin Yelp Collection to have all of the above local businesses at your fingertips. Don’t have Yelp? Download the free Yelp App. We hope you zip around the city on Bird to your favorite spots and create your own Collection.
About Our Partner: Bird is a last-mile electric vehicle sharing company dedicated to bringing affordable, environmentally-friendly transportation solutions to 350+ cities around the world and counting. Bird’s mission is to make cities more livable by reducing car usage, traffic, and carbon emissions. In Bird’s first year, Bird riders collectively traveled 14.3 million miles and prevented 12.7 million pounds of carbon emissions from entering the air across 100+ cities. Check out www.bird.co to learn more.
