Oasis On Lake Travis: Something for Everybody

“With open arms I welcome you. Please come in and share my space. Your smile and personality will make this a better place”. These are the inviting words of Beau Theriot, owner of the Oasis Restaurant at Lake Travis. Similar to these words, (and Mr. Theriot’s countenance), Oasis on Lake Travis is equally as beckoning.

With four stories, nine event rooms and perched beautifully more than 500 feet above Lake Travis, the Oasis Restaurant is first and foremost an architectural masterpiece. Originally a 530 acre ranch, the Oasis on Lake Travis opened its doors on June 26, 1982 as a restaurant. “I was 35 years old and I discovered this beautiful spot, and I thought wow, what a great place for a little beer garden”, explains Theriot. Although “beer garden” was the original concept, Beau Theriot managed to build a full service restaurant that can accommodate 3,000 seats, boasts miraculous views, and has become a destination for dining and event hosting; a hot spot for Austinites and tourists, alike.

This year, the Oasis on Lake Travis will celebrate its 43rd anniversary, and within that 43 years, the Oasis has been furnished by and decorated with pieces from Theriot’s own personal collection. Both his experience as an interior decorator, and his world travels have informed his tastes. It is apparent by the pieces he chooses that he sees no fundamental difference between pieces of furniture and pieces of art. To him, they are one and the same, as evidenced by the flow of eclecticism in every room. From imported Indian door frames and structures to Turkish bulb chandeliers and abstract pop art installations, the Oasis surely has something for everybody, aesthetically. This artistic flare extends to the menu, as well. The theme of the restaurant’s menu could easily be described as casual and fun. Staples like fajitas, burgers and appetizers (like their famous Cod Bites) are the customer favorites here, all with their own unique twist on the standard recipes. The restaurant also has its own take on Tex-Mex, with dishes such as its Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano with Sweet Potato Corn Hash Stuffing, Mixed Cheese, Toasted Cumin Creme, and Salsa Roja. Let us not forget, there is also a full bar serving their signature margaritas, as well as any other drink you may want. To top it all off, the service is remarkable. There seems to be a culture of kindness among their staff members themselves that is rarely ever seen elsewhere. This extends from the hostess station to the wait staff and everyone in between. It seems as if everyone at Oasis on Lake Travis truly likes working with each other, and this translates into a better experience for the diner. This culture of kindness, diversity and hospitality all starts with the philosophy of one man.

“It’s not worth having if you can’t share it”, asserts Beau Theriot. He learned this way of thinking from his family. Particularly under the influence of his father, who also ran a business and was respected as someone who would help his customers out from time to time. Theriot credits his father and mother for his sense of charity and his philosophy on philanthropy. Theriot currently gives to a number of causes yearly; He supports everything from the sponsoring of sports teams to funding for animal shelters to providing assistance for special needs children. “Austin Smiles is my #1 charity”, Theriot says. Austin Smiles is an initiative spearheaded by The Austin Plastic Surgery Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide sustainable surgical care to children born with cleft lip and cleft palate, both in Central Texas and Latin America. Beau Theriot was honored with the (4th Annual) Cullington, Fox, Beckham International Service Award for his work with Austin Smiles, and the award was presented at the Austin Smiles Wish Upon a Smile Gala. This is only one of the many ways that Mr. Theriot donates his time, resources and facilities like the Oasis to charitable causes.

Eclectic, iconic, historic, with awe inspiring sunset views, Oasis on Lake Travis also has a tradition that is unique to the restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant (after passing the adjacent stores and gift shops), there is a mini board displaying the day’s time of sunset. Daily, when the sun sets, someone on the staff rings a large bell and everyone gives the sunset a round of applause, some sunsets even get a standing ovation. This is also used to alert patrons that the perfect opportunity to get that selfie-with-a-sunset photo has arrived. You can get it right there, on the staircase that overlooks the lake. Another differentiator that sets Oasis at Lake Travis apart from other lakeside restaurants is the fact that they host around 40-50 weddings seasonally. Aside from its location, the sheer size of the event rooms can accommodate 250-300 people for weddings, and this makes the Oasis a more than ideal venue to celebrate with family and friends.

For over 40 years Oasis on Lake Travis has been providing Austinites with a destination where they can experience creatively prepared meals (and cocktails), mingle with interesting people, and enjoy the best scenery that nature has to offer while doing so. From the menu, to the artwork, to the well-trained and helpful staff members, it is not a stretch to say that Oasis on Lake Travis is one of the top restaurants in all of Central Texas.