The Texas Restaurant That's A Piece Of Horror Movie History
In 1974's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," a group of teenage roadtrippers ease their green van into a dirt lot punctuated by a single-story structure boasting a "We Slaughter Barbecue" sign. In the film (spoiler alert), the remote stop and its denizens collude to ensnare travelers with promises of fuel. The gas station, with its glossy red soda machine and empty gas pumps, starts as a pitstop, though ultimately serves as a place of pitfalls. In truth, the humble edifice houses a barbecue pit, welcoming diners, fans, and horror enthusiasts to delve into slow-smoked specials – including apps wrapped in bacon the way some people upgrade their corn cobs.
The aptly named Gas Station, situated in Bastrop, Texas has been around since the '60s, but it's the building's role in the first installment of the cult franchise that delivered it into infamy. In 2016, Roy Rose, a businessman and longtime fan of the original macabre movie, purchased the building. Rose partnered with Ari Lehman — the original Jason Voorhees — to restore the building and convert the site into a restaurant and ode to the thrilling horror series (similar to the Texas cafe is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit").
Eat surrounded by horror history
The gas station in "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" ranks among cinema's great haunted hotels, terrifying towers, and creepy cabins. With a facade cemented in horror history and a store stocked with spooky souvenirs, The Gas Station is a destination for travelers in search of hot dishes and a chilling dining experience similar to those found in New Orleans. The restaurant's menu lists classic Texas barbecue fare like brisket, chili, coleslaw, and potato salad, plus nachos and burgers. There is also a dessert menu starring comfort food confections like pecan and pumpkin pie.
The Gas Station is around a 40-minute drive from Austin, but the restaurant also has an online shop that sells tee shirts, photos signed by "Texas Chain Saw" cast members, ghoulish jewelry, and slabs of wood from the original structure. Roy Rose also outfitted the site with prop replicas from the film (the aforementioned van and the subsequent getaway pickup truck) and installed a cluster of cabins with interiors swathed in crimson paint, for gutsier visitors to spend the night in.