Nobody's Business brings a walk-up kitchen to Lavaca Street Bar at 405 Lavaca St. in downtown Austin. The kitchen opened September 12, serving burgers, nachos, hot dogs, and a fish sandwich from a sidewalk window, as well as from inside the sports bar.
CultureMap Austin reported that Speer had long wanted to open a burger joint but felt boxed in by fine dining. He partnered with Brandon Hunt, who co-founded Via 313, to create Nobody's Business; according to CultureMap Austin, the pair opened the concept in six weeks.
Chef Joe Ballou, previously sous chef at Elementary and executive chef at East End Ballroom, handles day-to-day kitchen duties. CultureMap reported that the kitchen grinds beef in-house from Dean & Peeler and serves its cheeseburger with dijonnaise on a sesame seed bun Speer bakes himself.
A Fish Sandwich Top-Seller and a Soba Bowl Surprise
CultureMap reported that the fish sandwich, made with seafood from Eric Leak Seafood, had become a top seller. The menu also includes a chilled soba noodle bowl with crispy-skinned vermilion snapper and royal red shrimp, under a “worth sitting down for” section.
CultureMap reported that every sandwich was priced below $20. Speer spent 11 years at Uchi before starting his own ventures and currently owns and operates Garage Pizza and Comedor. He also previously owned Bonhomie, known for its burger.
French Onion Patty Melt and Game-Day Specials on Deck
At the time of CultureMap's report, Nobody's Business planned to add a French onion patty melt the following week, with a 7-ounce patty, caramelized onions, raclette, and from-scratch French onion soup. The kitchen also planned future burger collaborations with Joseph Gomez of Joe's Burgers and sports-themed specials, including a cheesesteak when Philadelphia plays and a Chicago beef sandwich when Chicago's team takes the field.
The setup includes one order window that opens into the sports bar and a separate sidewalk window for walk-up customers. CultureMap reported that outdoor seating and breakfast sandwiches served from 9 to 11 a.m. were planned. Speer told the outlet, “I really want to build this downtown community business through this walk-up window.”
A Downtown Window in Context
The Downtown Austin Alliance's 2024 State of Downtown report offers a snapshot of the area's retail landscape: 88% of available downtown storefronts were occupied by operating businesses, down from 90% in 2022, and approximately 54% of downtown retail establishments were drinks and entertainment businesses, restaurants, or food trucks, according to the Downtown Austin Alliance.
Austin has had other food and drink businesses operate from pickup windows attached to existing venues. Eater Austin reported that Austin Daiquiri Factory used a patio pickup window at Sam's BBQ, 2000 East 12th Street, in mid-January 2021. That was a takeout shop, rather than a burger kitchen inside a sports bar, as with Nobody's Business, according to Eater Austin.
The name is intended to keep the business from being identified with any one person's ownership or personality, rather than trade on Speer's name recognition. CultureMap reported Speer's explanation: “We can do whatever we want here, which is what I'm so excited about.” The outlet listed Nobody's Business as open daily from lunch through late night inside Lavaca Street Bar.
