3.5 out of 5
Address:
1805 Airport | Large map
Austin, TX 78702
Phone: 512- 477-3233
Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 10:30am-7pm
Friday-Saturday, 10:30am-8pm
Price range: $0 - $10
Location: East Austin
Type of restaurant: Fast food
Payment accepted: Cash, credit cards
Good for: Quick bites
Meals served: Lunch and dinner
A peep inside Terry’s, and you know it’s legit. Cheesy, jazzed-out-swamp-creatures window murals, bumpy piles of grease-smelling fried chicken and fish, metal shelves and an undersized counter… Pavlov’s response transpiring, we were ready to stuff our faces with some southern fried cookin. We explored the little fast-food menu and ordered.
Two pieces of chicken and a roll is under 3 bucks. You don’t get a choice in what pieces you want. We both ordered that deal, along with a side of fries and hushpuppies. Hushpuppies are 15 cents each; no package orders. Ordering hushpuppies individually was a very weird experience.
The fried chicken wasn’t steaming hot or cooked to order, but still boasted tasty, traditionally flavored batter and tender meat. Peppered perfectly, the batter was thick, fatty and scrumptious. Miles beyond Popeye’s. Terry’s only offers thighs, legs and wings, which is OK because the fat-fist-sized wings and thighs make up for the no-breasts downer.
The fries were alright—better and thicker than fast food fries, but not quite up to par with standard casual dining fries. The roll was cafeteria quality; you know—clearly filler, but a decent little starchy munchie.
The hush puppies were long and fry-shaped, which, as a half-cajun, freaked me out. They tasted good, though.
Southeast Airport Boulevard isn’t a fun area; in fact, it’s pretty empty, secluded and uglified by 70’s apartment complexes.
Terry’s breaks that brown-tan clutter with its endearingly vibrant, wooden cigar-smoking catfish posts that decorate each parking spot. The same cartoons adorn the interior as murals. The indoor dining area is pretty tiny—there’s about twenty seats in all. There’s plenty of picnic tables outside, though, if you want to chomp on some fried goodness and watch the sun set over Airport.