That red neon bird flappin' its feathers on the side of the Frisco is the signature of a local restaurant chain of Night Hawk diners owned and operated by one Harry Akin. Making his first burger in Austin in 1932, Akin came to Texas during the Depression, by way of Hollywood. A showman, but also a helluva businessman, Akin was a trailblazer in many arenas. Whether it was the late-night grub he served (thus the name: Night Hawk) or unprecedentedly integrating staff and clientele in the early Sixties (African-Americans and women moved up the ranks like any white male in Akin's ventures), the Night Hawk restaurants, of which the Frisco is the last stalwart sentinel, are part of the historical fabric of this city. And, you know, their pies are effin' delicious. So the next time you lift that bite of Top Chop't steak to your mouth, lift your eyes skyward and rustle up some mental praise for Harry.
