The restaurant has been serving the residents of Austin for more than 65 years. El Patio specialized in Tex-Mex dishes as well as outside catering. David Joseph and his siblings ran the restaurant together and it kept them so busy they said they rarely got a chance to have dinner at home on Saturdays. That’s going to change soon because El Patio will serve its last dish on 9th August.
Joseph has been a part of the restaurant since he was 11 years old. That was easy for him because the restaurant is located next to the home where he grew up along with 13 siblings. David Joseph took over the business when his father died in 1995 and was helped by his sisters Roseann, Renee and Michelle.
El Patio was well known for serving the cash-strapped students from the University of Texas with crackers with salsa. Students would go in, eat the free chips and salsa and leave after making a mess and spending almost nothing at all.
When asked about the closure, David added:
“It’s bittersweet. It’s mixed emotions. But it’s a good thing. There will be a lot of happy tears.”
Flyer printing is a well-used promotional tactic for restaurants, especially when special offers were made or there was a notable announcement, such as a new menu or a celebrity visit. Local celebrities such as Darrell Royal, who is a former coach for the Longhorns, and television news anchor Walter Cronkite were known to make appearances at El Patio.