Chili's at 45th and Lamar

Chili's at 45th and Lamar
Interactive map of Chili's at 45th and Lamar
Restaurant information
EstablishedSeptember 1999 (1999-09)
Food typeTex-Mex, American cuisine
Dress codeNone
Location4420 North Lamar Blvd, Austin, Texas, 78756, United States
Coordinates30°18′48″N 97°44′18″W / 30.3133°N 97.7383°W / 30.3133; -97.7383
ReservationsNo
Websitewww.chilis.com/locations/us/texas/austin/45th-lamar

The Chili's at 45th and Lamar is a Chili's restaurant located in Austin, Texas that has been the subject of internet memes[1][2][3] promulgated chiefly through the /r/Austin subreddit since at least 2011.[4]

History

Chili's at 45th and Lamar opened in September 1999[2][5] at 4420 North Lamar Blvd. From October 1985 to at least 1994, the site contained a Goodwill concept store.[6][7][8]

On April 5, 2024, mayor Kirk Watson officially declared April 5, 2024 as Chili's at 45th & Lamar Day.[9][10][11][12]

In an August 11, 2025 article, Texas Monthly reported that Chili's at 45th and Lamar was "one of the ten best-performing Chili's locations in the country" and that it was slated to get a "flagship" remodel in 2026.[13]

On April 6, 2026, it was reported that the 0.7 acres on which the Chili's sits had been listed for sale and that would-be buyers would have to contend with Chili's lease on the property, which runs through 2029 and does not include a renewal option. The tax appraised value of the property was US$3.64 million at the time of the listing.[14][15][16]

Meme

According to the San Antonio Express-News, the meme is based on a running joke that the restaurant is the best restaurant in Austin and that "the joke is that every Chili’s is exactly the same, including the one at 45th and Lamar, but this one is ours."[1][3]

On February 20, 2023, Austin punk band Trunk released a song titled "Chili's 45th and Lamar".[17][18]

On April 1, 2025, for April Fool's Day, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport jokingly announced on social media platforms an airport expansion that would include a full scale replica of Chili's at 45th and Lamar.[19]

On July 28, 2025, Austin-based Tecovas had a launch party at Chili's at 45th and Lamar[20] for the July 29 launch of a pair of boots made out of "genuine Chili’s Booths". The boots retailed for $345 USD.[21]

On June 4, 2026, comedian Shane Gillis was reported to have worn a shirt referencing Chili's at 45th and Lamar while attending Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks.[22]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 O'Connell, Chris (January 17, 2023). "Why is the Chili's at 45th and North Lamar famous online?". San Antonio Express-News.
  2. 1 2 Bradshaw, Kelsey (March 6, 2023). "Chili's forever: How a chain restaurant became Austin's favorite spot". Austin American-Statesman.
  3. 1 2 Reese, Ginny (January 17, 2023). "See Why This Texas Chili's Is Infamous Among Residents And Visitors". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  4. ↑ Falcon, Russell (December 10, 2022). "Is Austin's best restaurant really the Chili's on 45th and Lamar?". KXAN-TV. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Now Hiring". Austin American-Statesman. September 12, 1999. p. 79 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Goodwill puts fund raising on book store shelves". Austin American-Statesman. November 7, 1985. p. 9 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Grand Opening Announcement". Austin American-Statesman. October 4, 1985. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Fort, Marc (July 21, 1994). "Once more for the (vinyl) record". Austin American-Statesman. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Falcon, Russell (April 6, 2024). "Austin mayor names April 5 'Chili's at 45th and Lamar Day'". KXAN-TV. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  10. ↑ Castro, Johann; Eubank, Britny (April 5, 2024). "Austin's Chili's at 45th and Lamar Day Is Real and Official". KVUE.
  11. ↑ Chaudhury, Nadia (April 10, 2024). "Austin mayor declares April 5 'Chili's at 45th and Lamar Day'". Eater.
  12. ↑ "Austin Mayor Gives Chili's at 45th and Lamar Its Own Special Day". Austin Monthly. April 8, 2024. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  13. ↑ "How Chili's Won Gen Z—and the Casual-Chain Restaurant Wars". Texas Monthly. August 11, 2025. Archived from the original on August 13, 2025. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  14. ↑ Norum, Kate (April 6, 2026). "Austin's Chili's at 45th and Lamar among 2 lots currently for sale". KVUE. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  15. ↑ Russ, Julianna (April 6, 2026). "Land occupied by famous Chili's at 45th and Lamar up for sale, records show". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  16. ↑ Nevarez, Arianna (April 22, 2026). "Chili's on 45th and Lamar land plot for sale". The Daily Texan. Archived from the original on April 24, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  17. ↑ O'Connell, Chris (February 21, 2023). "Austin band Trunk drops song to beloved Chili's at 45th and Lamar". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  18. ↑ Anderson, Jack (February 20, 2023). "Trunk: "Chili's 45th and Lamar" [PREMIERE]". KUTX. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Our favorite April Fools' jokes from Austin businesses". 6AM - ATXtoday. April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ @tecovas; (July 28, 2025). "We took over the 45th and Lamar Chili's to celebrate @chilis x Tecovas Booth Boots. Set your alarms for tomorrow at 10 AM CST—quantities are extremely limited" – via Instagram.
  21. ↑ Jones, Abigail (July 25, 2025). "'Collab we didn't know we needed'; Why the internet is buzzing over Tecovas, Chili's 'Booth Boots'". KXAN. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  22. ↑ Odam, Matthew (June 4, 2026). "Shane Gillis brings 45th and Lamar Chili's to the NBA Finals". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved June 6, 2026.


This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.