This neighborhood’s surprisingly short on good sports bars (although we think the Horseshoe can’t be beat for a divey authentic South-Austin experience). Black Sheep Lodge fills the game-day gap rather well, with flat-screen TVs, a pool table, air hockey, and a dartboard. The dark-wood paneling, booths, and loosely Alpine theme are warm and clubby, if the outside seating’s a little shoddy. Good luck finding parking—try the residential area around back, but beware some creepily threatening signs about towing.

It’s not exactly a destination for beer aficionados, but we have seen some excellent local beers on these half-dozen taps; the bottle selection represents Mexico, Belgium, Germany, the British Isles, and American white trash in good measure. (Steer clear of sweet, shot-centric cocktails.) Nor is it a gastropub by any means. Corn dog bites are fried well, although they’re better with mustard than the included curry ketchup; but fried cheese, fried jalapeños, and fried pickles are less successful (in chip form, they’re a juiceless disaster). Chili is good, and the burgers are big and sloppy. Their condiments are nothing special—greenish crunchy tomatoes, dry blue cheese crumbles, and assertive Buffalo sauce—and the beefy patty would be better appreciated with fewer distractions. That said, it’s the best place on this strip for watching the game, or just to get your 11pm burger on.