The Robbins were natives of the East Coast and patterned their new restaurant after the delicatessens common back home.
From 1952 to 1957 The Manhattan operated in this building and served up an array of kosher foods to its loyal customers. After the building’s demolition in 1950, Dave and Flo Robbins moved to a new location at 905 Congress Avenue and became owners of The Manhattan, which held its grand opening on August 22, 1952. A favorite joint for local students at the University of Texas, Dinty’s was also known for being a remarkably safe location, and the Robbins gained a reputation as welcoming, fun-loving business owners. The establishment was known as “one of the most fun spots Austin ever had” by patrons and was packed to capacity on any average night. Of these, the Manhattan Club at 911 Congress Avenue is the earliest documented gay-friendly social outlet open to the public.ĭavid and Flo Robbins moved to Austin from New York City after World War II and opened Dinty Moore’s Café and Bar at 123 West 6th Street in 1947. Throughout the late 1950s through early 1970s, Austin was home to only a handful of gay bars, including the Cabaret (3010 Guadalupe), the Red River Lounge (900 Red River), Pearl Street Warehouse (17th and Lavaca), and The Apartment (29th and Rio Grande), all of which were long closed by the end of the twentieth century. The small storefront of the Manhattan Restaurant blended into the scene of commercial storefronts, passing vehicles, and wandering pedestrians on the ever-bustling Congress Avenue. The club operated out of a small backroom of the Manhattan Restaurant and fit approximately eighteen people, according to a patron. Although no official sources document the advertisement of the space for this purpose, several witnesses have verified the Manhattan Club as a gay-friendly establishment in Austin throughout these years.
Operated by Jewish couple David and Florence “Flo” Robbins, the Manhattan Restaurant at 911 Congress Avenue opened in 1957 and closed in 1969. The Manhattan Club was Austin, Texas’s, earliest documented gay bar.