AUSTIN, Texas — Katz’s is officially one step closer to returning to Austin, with construction now underway at the restaurant’s original Sixth Street location.
The Texas restaurant brand announced that construction has begun at 618 W. Sixth St., where Katz’s first opened in 1979.
The original Austin location operated for 32 years before closing in 2011. More than a decade later, co-owners Barry and Lisa Katz purchased the building at auction in 2024 and began planning the restaurant’s return.
“I started working in this very building at eight years old when my dad opened the first Katz’s, so the opportunity to return to the same location is a full-circle, bucket-list moment,” Barry Katz said in a statement.
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The new Austin restaurant is expected to open in late spring 2027 and will become Katz’s sixth location.
Architect Michael Hsu, who has previously redesigned several Katz’s restaurants, is leading the design of the Austin location. The company said the new space will include modern updates while honoring the history of the original restaurant.
Katz’s began in Austin before expanding to Houston in 2000. The brand is known for its 24-hour service, New York-style menu, all-day breakfast, and longtime motto, “Katz’s Never Kloses.”
Barry Katz said returning to Sixth Street is especially meaningful as the company begins a new chapter in the city where it started.
“The spirit and energy of Katz’s is the heart of what makes it special,” Katz said. “I could not be more excited to bring it home to 6th Street next year.”