North Lamar

As with many areas of Austin, the people of North Lamar are varied and dedicated. Residents of this area are hardworking and interested in bettering their neighborhood into an amazing community. Most residents tend to work at the surrounding businesses and industries, with some commuting closer into town for other jobs. Neighborhoods are filled with homeowners enjoying their porches or tending to their yards, and kids play happily in the residential streets.

North Lamar isn't a huge bar neighborhood. Largely residential, many of the businesses reside along Lamar Road. There are a few places to wet your whistle though, like the Jekyll & Hyde Billiards Sports Bar and El Tajuana Bar, to name a couple.

The restaurants and eateries available in this neighborhood very between local restaurants and more familiar names, like McDonald's and Burger King. Whatever your budget, you should be able to find something to fill your tummy. A few restaurants to try are Chuy's restaurant, T & S Chinese Restaurant and Mariscos Tampico Restaurant.

Rental units available in the area seem to be of the larger, multi-unit apartment complex variety. You're not going to find many charming duplexes or garage apartments in this area. In fact, not many houses seem to be for rent either. The good news is that many of these larger complexes are very affordable. You can find studios from $450 and one bedrooms can range from $500-$650 and two bedrooms from $700-$850. Unfortunately, you might have to sacrifice quality and in some cases, safety. Not only is this neighborhood pretty far removed from the more popular parts of town (which is why rents have been able to stay so low) many of these complexes are plagued with somewhat unsatisfactory up-keep and some residents point out their discomfort with walking certain areas at night. You'll definitely want to visit these areas and take very detailed tours of any apartments you decide to rent in this neighborhood.

With main roads being the borders of this neighborhood, travel to this area is easy, but keep in mind that main roads also mean congestion during peak traffic hours. A lot of businesses along Lamar Road also means lots of cars turning in and out of parking lots, sometimes creating unsafe driving situations. Parking seems to be pretty ample, with many businesses located in shopping centers with large attached parking lots. Some residential areas did appear to have many parked cars along streets.

Bus stops of course line Lamar Road, and the neighborhood association has plans to improve the number and quality of those stops in the neighborhood. Sidewalks are spotty, and plans are in the mix to help increase the amount of those also.

Since some of the apartment complexes in this neighborhood have a spotty record, you might want to go beyond just searching for places and taking tours. Using popular review sites like Yelp and Citysearch as well as asking current residents about their experiences will help you figure out which places are right for you and fit your needs.

Without a large amount of green spaces or parks (okay, any) located within the neighborhood, you're not going to see a ton of dogs on walks. It appears pets here are more confined to their spacious backyards, but assuredly pet owners do take their pets on walks. The neighborhood and its pets are serviced by the North Lamar Veterinary Clinic.

Many businesses that exist along North Lamar are practical and important businesses, like food places, auto shops, banks, and other essentials. Shopping isn't exactly for pleasure here. Because the neighborhood is mostly residential, things to do within the confines of this area are done on a smaller level, like spending time with family and friends and neighbors. The neighborhood's close proximity to other ares of Austin does mean that areas of entertainment are never too far away, though.

Certainly North Lamar Road itself is a bustling area of activity, but taking a slow drive or nice stroll around the neighborhood areas will yield you some views of lovely residential gardening attempts and friendly smiles and neighborly waves.

This small neighborhood is lucky to house an amazing variety of grocery stores specializing in basic foods as well as international delicacies. The MT Supermarket is like a trip to the Far East, and features all sorts of amazing finds, plus a big variety of fresh produce and seafood. La Hacienda Market and Taj Grocers offer great food selections. An HEB is located just outside of the neighborhood for resident's convenience also.

This neighborhood does offer close schools and churches for its residents. Schools like Walnut Creek Elementary School offer a good location for learning. Churches like St. Mark Methodist United Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church and Rejoice Church offer North Lamar residents a choice of where to worship. Overall, the large amount of residential areas in this neighborhood offer residents a pretty nice neighborhood to raise a family. Homes built in the 1960s and 1970s feature well-kept yards, and while houses appear to be on the smaller side, they are usually well-maintained.