Location: D&D has a great location for people that work around the capitol and unlike most places downtown, the parking is decent. Also, as a dog owner, I enjoy places that are animal friendly. They have water bowls and both times I have brought my dog they have offered and then brought her a milk bone! Very nice.
Drinks: Pretty sure this is a beer/wine only place, which I prefer. It tends to keep out the people who are trying to be seen and the sorority girls who order red b*ll & vodkas only to end up wearing them. The beer is what you'd expect from a decent pub. There are 60 or so, bottles and draft, mostly british/western european imports. I don't recall the prices being great, which is also very typical of pubs with a good variety.
Food: The fish and chips seem to be the consensus favorite fare and for good reason. The "small" protion could feed almost anybody and the "large" portion is basically 3 whole fish battered in that great beer batter style. The "bangers and mash" (bland English sausage and mashed potatos) is definitely filling and is the definition of "meat and potatoes," although the side of baked beans may be the best part. Overall, the food is good (like a 6 or 7), but you could always stick to the fish and chips.
Service: Some good, some bad. Like most places in Austin, even my favs, the servers tend to seem mad at the world and even more mad that our wretched society expects them to work and produce in order to enjoy the things they want. But you sometimes run into the nice ones or the ones that just need a little softening up. Of course my problem might be that I usually arive in formal work clothes and look nothing like the tatooed faux-philosophers slinging beers.
Overall: I will probably always like Crown and Anchor better but D&D is a good alternative. It's what you love about Austin, outdoor, dog friendly, duck friendly, beer.
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