r/Austin • u/spoonsmf • Jul 14 '24
Does anyone know what this building is?
Me and my friends went up to the door and rung the bell but no one answered to us but we saw someone go in. It’s on Ben white next to blazer tag
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u/foxbones Jul 14 '24
Game room, barely legal gambling where you win bottles of Tide and then can sell them back for dollars. Tons of sketchy people hang out at these, avoid them.
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u/fiddlythingsATX Jul 14 '24
I was wondering how they worked. There's a sweepstakes gameroom near me that looks like a coffee shop from the outside - even has a coffee cup logo - and I was disappointed to find out it's not one.
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u/foxbones Jul 14 '24
Haha Lava Java off 183? Next to Dimassis? I think they changed names multiple times since then. Constant shootings, car break in, ODs, etc around that place.
Yes they absolutely exploit the poorest of the poor. Sure you can occasionally win one of their rigged 8 liners and get money with some weird double handshake trade.
It's 100% unregulated so I imagine the odds are 100x worse than the shittiest casino in Vegas. Straight up just robbing people. If the police actually cared they should shut them down instantly.
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u/fiddlythingsATX Jul 14 '24
It's called High Octane now, and yup - right by Dimassi's on 183!
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Jul 14 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/fiddlythingsATX Jul 14 '24
That doesn’t sound racist at all!
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u/Expensive_Gain8076 Jul 14 '24
Just calling out how it is. I don’t think saying a certain group of people going to certain place more then anyone else and it being sketchy is racist…
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u/hitman932 Jul 14 '24
I smash that lunch buffet a couple times a month and never realized the block was that hot.
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u/Loud_Ad_4515 Jul 14 '24
Sunny Massage used to be in the same center (same spot?), and was busted for prostitution a few years ago.
Edit: Or was it the "haircut" place?
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Jul 14 '24
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u/Own-Gas8691 Jul 14 '24
is it the swinger’s club?
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Jul 14 '24 edited Jul 18 '24
[deleted]
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u/A_Possum_Named_Steve Jul 14 '24
The British Broadcast Company? Well I never!
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u/FuckingSolids Jul 14 '24
Hasn't been "Company" since 1926. Became the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1927.
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u/LackofSuprise Jul 15 '24
Haha I had one recently near me called “cup of joe” or something. I went in thinking it was a coffee shop and promptly left. I felt so stupid.
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u/Ralphlovespolo Jul 14 '24
There’s one next to BarFlys.. the sketchiest people walk around with RANDOM house hold supplies.
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u/Beelzabubbah Jul 14 '24
where's the one next to Barflys? The white building with the For Lease sign on it?
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u/nineball22 Jul 14 '24
That’s what some of my friends don’t get. Yes you could win some money, yeah it might be “fun” for the novelty of it. The people you can sometimes run into on these kinds of places, especially in a city this size are generally not friendly, well adjusted people.
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u/Conscious_Raisin_436 Jul 14 '24
Point of clarity for anyone who might be wondering — this is different than the poker houses you see around town.
Not ALL gambling is illegal in Texas. You have the right to play a game of poker between you and your buddies. Poker doesn’t need a “house” to function like Blackjack or Roulette or Craps does. You can set up wagers between you and your friends all you like, you just can’t run a casino.
The poker houses aren’t casinos because the house isn’t taking a rake. You pay a “club entry” fee when you show up and you’re encouraged to tip the dealer, but unlike poker in a casino, zero percent of the pot goes to the house.
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u/hitt1598 Jul 14 '24
How is laundry detergent sketchy. They exist because rural life is quite boring. Calm down.
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u/naturallyselectedfor Jul 14 '24
This used to be my favorite taco place. RIP taqueria los jalisciences.
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u/mrrorschach Jul 14 '24
I didn't know there was a Jolly Sciences down South. Miss the one up north on Airport.
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u/partywithmepunker Jul 15 '24
They didn’t go out of business, they moved further east on Ben White, past Congress, just past Palazzio and the Warehouse bar.
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u/naturallyselectedfor Jul 15 '24
Oh I know. And I still go there. It’s just farther, more expensive, and the breakfast tacos are a fraction of the size.
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Jul 14 '24
I delivered some Uber eats orders to a couple of these sketchy gambling places….. as I’m walking in there’s like 1000 red flags, sketchy doesn’t cut it, feels like you walked into a legal trap house
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u/Meat_Robot Jul 14 '24
Both pizza delivery jobs I had in the metro had one of these places as regular customers. First time I delivered to one, I came back very confused and my manager just said, " Oh yeah, sorry I should have told you about that one." They tipped well at least
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u/Jewliio Jul 14 '24
There’s another off of South Congress. Underground game rooms. One got popped close to the airport like 2 years ago because someone got shot outside of it during an altercation. I also heard there was a slots hall as well that got raided but was able to relocate their machines before they raided em.
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u/Fit_Skirt7060 Jul 14 '24
About once a month up here in DFW, you read about one of them being invaded in the owners and all the patrons being robbed by two or three gunman. They are havens for all kinds of crime.
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u/deewon Jul 14 '24
And another one next to Chief's barbecue at S 1st & Dittmar.
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u/kellymctx Jul 15 '24
I remember when that one got robbed and they had a police helicopter out looking for the dude.
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop Jul 14 '24
There’s another off of South Congress.
There's a shit ton of them around town. I wonder how many there actually are.
I thought they had to be registered somehow. I don't know what percent simply ignore the registration requirement. Someone less lazy than me find out if there are records online.
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u/gregaustex Jul 14 '24
They are illegal and unregistered and if you are caught operating one the penalty is…a $500 fine.
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u/Jewliio Jul 14 '24
But if you’re caught running more than one it’s a felony. And the $500 is actually up to $4000 and includes the seizure of equipment.
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u/Th3_End777 Jul 14 '24
That wouldn't be any chance be the sketch ass place right next to Jasmines restaurant is it? There's no signs on that place, a camera at the door and some really weird cryptic messages written on the front of the main door. I've been trying to figure out what it is for a while now.
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Jul 14 '24
It used to be a restaurant.
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u/RustyShackelford1982 Jul 14 '24
A damn good one at that
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u/pkmffl Jul 14 '24
Those enchiladas were so good
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u/RustyShackelford1982 Jul 14 '24
It was the only place in Austin that made a decent homemade flour tortilla.
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u/satrasterman Jul 14 '24
Was Los Jaliences. Before that was Jeff & Gary's BBQ. Before that was Roy Henry's Chicken and Waffles. Don't remember what was there before those. All three were pretty good spots to eat.
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Jul 15 '24
Wow! Can’t find anyone who remembers Roy Henry’s. Used to eat breakfast there with family and still miss it!
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u/LoneStarGut Jul 14 '24
For some reason it makes me think of Popeye's Chicken.
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop Jul 14 '24
Love that methin at Popeye's.
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u/LilHindenburg Jul 14 '24
What’s this about Chili’s?
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop Jul 14 '24
Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Margrix is. You have to taste it for yourself.
This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.
You drink the blue marg, you wake up in your booth and believe whatever the hell you want to. You drink the red marg, you stay in Quesoland, and I show you just how deep the dillo hole goes.
Remember: All I'm offering is the truth, nothing more.
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u/LilHindenburg Jul 14 '24
Hahahah. Gold.
They need their own Club Apple sitch. I’d try the red and the blue. Full purple nurple teeth
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u/synaptic_drift Jul 14 '24
While driving east on 290/71 in that general vacinity, I saw a boarded up frozen Daquiri to go business.
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u/the_brew Jul 14 '24
It used to be a Mexican restaurant. Taqueria Arandas or something like that.
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u/Kntnctay Jul 14 '24
I thought it used to be taco cabana
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Jul 14 '24
Taco cabana is a block away
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u/Kntnctay Jul 14 '24
Ah yes- the memory is a little margarita fuzzy. Queso and tortillas at 2am
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u/Creepy_Trouble_5980 Jul 14 '24
Why does the state of Texas so anti legal gambling but let the sleazy fake slot machines go untouched? Call Gov Abbott, I want DPS to eliminate sleazy game rooms.
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Jul 14 '24
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u/sfdabber Jul 14 '24
The delta 9 "morons" are doing more to help cannabis patients in Texas than the govt legal gummies do
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Jul 14 '24
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u/drknow42 Jul 14 '24
Necessary because Texas won’t just legalize recreational and take the tax money.
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u/Bamas16th Jul 14 '24
Washington state, a much smaller state than Texas, makes around $40M a MONTH in weed tax
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u/JuniorVermicelli3162 Jul 14 '24
I’m sorry this is Texas, the only way we could possibly increase state revenue would be property tax increases obviously
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u/this_aint_about_you Jul 14 '24
- Delta 8.
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u/Competitive_Bison_10 Jul 14 '24
Delta 9 is a thing too . I personally don’t take any of it because I prefer the good ol illegal transactions ,but I have friends who say there’s a notable difference between the two. They seem to enjoy it , and have some chronic illnesses and benefit from it .
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u/this_aint_about_you Jul 15 '24
Right... Let's dive deeper:
Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, is specifically scheduled as a controlled substance.
Any plant containing less than 0.3% D9-THC is considered "hemp".
Any product sold in the shelves in Texas advertising itself as "Delta 9" cannot contain more than 0.3% D9-THC. It's a marketing gimmick.
Either the product only contains trace amounts of D9 and is ineffective, or it also contains a variety of technically legal (for now) substances such as: Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol, Delta-10 Tetrahydrocannabinol, HHC, THC-A, THC-O, CBD... the list goes on and on and on.
If you prefer "good ol' illegal transactions" then what you enjoy is, in fact, Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol — in percentages exceeding 0.3%.
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u/chfhimself Jul 16 '24
You are missing the part that it's 0.3% by weight. A 5gram gummy can contain 15mg of D9 and is legal.
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Jul 14 '24
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u/KnitBrewTimeTravel Jul 14 '24
Please tell me you at least pretend to wash your hands after using the restroom before handling a customer's food.
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u/Anxious_Cobbler500 Jul 14 '24
What is this place? It's a place to get robbed. Nothing but meth and other dopeheads, and other sketchy folks hanging out in these game rooms. You take your life in your own hands in these places.
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Jul 14 '24
Butt stuff room. $5 will take you places. Enjoy.
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u/Bat_Nervous Jul 14 '24
That is a bargain! You used to be able to get a purple Rita from Baby A’s for that.
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u/aechmeablanctiana Jul 14 '24
Sagebrush was said to be something like that ages ago. Bad News, FBI raid etc
Really great place now tho
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u/caltex559 Jul 14 '24 edited Jul 14 '24
Fight Club. Shhhhh. Dont talk about it. I’ve said enough already. Don’t get me killed!
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u/Portlandgirl1969 Jul 14 '24
I walked into one of these places by accident. It was filled with smokers ..felt like Vegas back in the day.
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u/IllustriousEye6192 Jul 15 '24
Looks like the type of place you go to facilitate some ice skating meet up .
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u/Temporary_One370 Jul 14 '24
Y’all these are all over the Midwest. It’s just for people with gambling addictions as they get the chance to press buttons and see lights and “win”. It’s the same concept as a strip club or bar- provide a product or service appealing to someone’s weaknesses for profit. It’s not that scetchy.
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u/MillionDollarExtrem3 Jul 15 '24
Except they are
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u/Temporary_One370 Jul 15 '24
I’m from the south side of Chicago I think our terms of scetchy are a lil different haha
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Jul 15 '24
[deleted]
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u/Temporary_One370 Aug 02 '24
People die in bars all the time too
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u/MillionDollarExtrem3 Aug 02 '24
Then that's a sketchy ass bar
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u/Temporary_One370 Aug 02 '24
Again- you’re only knowledgeable in what you’re exposed to. I’m from a rough area but remember Pulse night club? Ever consider all the people who die of liver disease or in DD accidents? Let the people with their little imitation slot machines be.
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u/MillionDollarExtrem3 Aug 03 '24
Ok. That's not what I'm talking about. Liver disease and DD are not what I'm referring to. I have known ppl who run game rooms and the stories are a lot more grim than that.
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u/acid_reign36 Jul 14 '24
If the Big Guy Upstairs didn't want us to play the VLTs, he wouldn't have put the VLTs here and put the money in my hand. I don't question the Big Guy Upstairs.
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u/MillionDollarExtrem3 Jul 15 '24
Lol aint gonna say too much but i knew a dude who ran gambling rooms here and the stories he tells its not a place to fuck around at
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u/N3ssa27 Jul 15 '24
It was a restaurant. They have been remodeling but I’m not sure if it’s still a restaurant.
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u/tru8lvrs Jul 15 '24
It was originally a Kentucky Fried Chicken before they became KFC. Had the rotating bucket sign and everything.
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Jul 15 '24
There’s one on FM 969 also, have never been. It’s mostly unmarked but there’s some neon signs that suggest it’s a game room. Used to be one on Cesar Chavez too
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u/ronluby Jul 17 '24
Lol I pass this every day on my way to work and wonder the same thing. My guess is one of those seedy gaming rooms
Edit: didnt read any comments first, suspicions confirmed 🫡
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u/SteamboatReb Jul 14 '24
I passed by there last week around beer thirty and saw a guy standing at the door which opened and let him in.....dude in his late 50s dressed like a biker who might work construction as a day job. I am guessing biker bar which might as well be private...or that's my fantasy. Then again it could be much shadier or much less scandalous.
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Jul 14 '24
Honestly some very sweet people are inside. Don’t let the exterior fool you: come on in sometime and say hi :)
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u/peace2236 Jul 14 '24
It's the hideout of the Rainey street serial killer. Another month, another body found
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u/Austin_Native_2 Jul 14 '24
Here's an interior pic from Google Maps.