Second Helpings: Free Happy-Hour Buffets

Tasty, bite-sized restaurant listings compiled from new and previous reviews, guides, and poll results. This week's entries were compiled by Chronicle staffer Angela Miller. When you need quick, reliable information about Austin eateries, check here.

Ah, the happy hour, when the work is done, the sun is setting, and the drinks are cheap. Although many establishments have discounts for early birds, only a handful take the extra step and offer patrons a free food buffet. Of these relatively few, proud, and brave establishments, I have a few simple requirements for inclusion below: that the atmosphere of the restaurant be pleasant and refreshing, the food free, decent, and plentiful, and the drinks cheaper than usual (I'm calling drink prices under $2.25 cheap and $2.50-4 moderate). Many establishments listed here rise to the occasion, but since happy-hour buffets are oftentimes only a lure to attract customers to a new business, keep in mind that many will not last forever. Half of the work of the happy-hour connoisseur involves keeping up with the openings and closings of new happy-hour buffets. Consider this list not as an end-all-be-all compendium, but as a guide to the options available around downtown Austin at the moment. Enjoy these happy-hour buffets while they last, and be ever-vigilant in your search for new ones!