'BaseCamp' is Bringing Better Bar Food to Downtown Austin

The food and drink menu at a sports bar typically stops at burgers, wings and mass-produced beer, but BaseCamp is looking to change the standard when it opens its doors in Downtown Austin this fall on West Fifth Street.

BaseCamp will offer cocktails, craft beer and “elevated bar food”, according to a press release. Sports fans will have a plethora of TV screens showing games and sports news, but bar owner Chad Barrett wants to make sure that the food is above the usual standard of surrounding bars. According to the press release, Barrett decided to open the bar in the Warehouse District after noticing a lack of good sports bar options. His venture into the Austin bar scene began in 2013, when he created the Summit Rooftop Lounge in the same building where BaseCamp will be. 

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“I wanted to create an establishment that is comfortable to watch a game while enjoying fresh and distinctive food,” he said in the press release.

Barrett partnered with Dan Wyman of Uchi and Parkside Projects. Owens attributed Wyman’s hospitality background as a helpful addition to his vision. He believes the Wyman will give “BaseCamp that something extra: a menu that is thoughtful, prepared with fresh ingredients, and a staff and atmosphere that assures that the experience will be both lively and fun,” Barrett said in the press release.

BaseCamp’s executive chef, Eric Kuypers, has been involved at Uchi, the Peached Tortilla and Barton Creek Country Club, where he’s worked since graduating from the Texas Culinary Academy. He’ll add a mix of items on the menu, from salads to barbecue.

BaseCamp will be open Mon.-Fri. 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and 11 a.m. through 2 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. at 120 W. 5th Street. You can also check out their Facebook page for more information.