Much more than just a restaurant, The Oasis is an Austin institution. When most people think of summer in Austin, they think of The Oasis. Also known as the “Sunset Capital of Austin,” it might have begun as a place to get a hamburger and a beer, overlooking beautiful Lake Travis, but it is an ever-evolving Austin tradition. And for years, it has been the go-to spot for anyone enjoying the lake on a summer evening—Austinite and tourist alike.

After speaking with the owner himself, Beau Theriot, I have a deeper understanding of the persona behind the ambiance. He is by nature a designer with an eye towards creation. Mr. Theriot is a man who exudes charm, character, and passion with each thought and word spoken. This same charisma is found in every inch of The Oasis.

When asked about his personal artistic style, Mr. Theriot says that he is not a purist. He does not limit himself to only having an affinity for one particular art form or cultural preference; instead, he likes all that is beautiful. Each piece of artwork adorning The Oasis––whether it’s an original painting from Scottsdale, Arizona, or an antique statue imported from Spain––speaks directly to him.

To say there is something for everyone at The Oasis is not an overstatement. Mr. Theriot’s interest in various cultures ranging from Tuscan beauty, to the intrigue of Buenos Aires, to French fantasy is captured in the subtle hints within The Oasis decor. Worldly excitement and flavor inhabit the details of the restaurant, from the breathtaking view and the extravagant atmosphere, to the tasty food and the friendly people. The Oasis really does offer an appeal like no other; it is an event for the senses.

Mo Lasater is the general manager, but a more appropriate title would be the “leader” of The Oasis. While Mr. Theriot has the vision behind the restaurant, Mr. Lasater is the executor of that very special concept.

In speaking with Mr. Lasater, I learned that there is so much more to The Oasis than what meets the eye. The vision started out as Mr. Theriot’s idea: A place where people could come and take in the wonders of Lake Travis.

The Oasis is located on a cliff 450-feet above the sparkling waters of Lake Travis, offering a magnificent view of the sunset every evening. The descending sun reflects off the water, and the ever-changing colors of the sky creates a mesmerizing backdrop for the lake—a view so unique, its reputation reaches far beyond Texas. People from all around the world come to take in the view and see for themselves just what The Oasis has to offer.

In fact, Mr. Lasater estimates that out of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit The Oasis each year, 30 to 40 percent are tourists. According to Elizabeth Cook, a longtime friend of Theriot and marketing director for The Oasis, “We have a world-wide audience…not just in Texas.” To that Mr. Lasater responds with an affirmative, “Yes, The Oasis bigger than Austin.”

On any given Saturday night, The Oasis greets between 7,500 and 10,000 patrons. What draws so many people to this magnificent place high on the hill? Lasater thinks the “lure of ‘you gotta go see it’” adds to the appeal of The Oasis.

“People hear about it and everyone says, ‘You have to see it,’” Lasater shared. “Part of it is the charm of how it’s been redesigned. Take a look at the number of statues and the bronzes, the number of things that are out here. We have more than 150 to 200 thousand people coming out here just to look and take pictures. It doesn’t even have anything to do with the sunset; they come out here because this is an attraction in the city of Austin.”
Cook sees The Oasis as an “architectural wonder.”

So just how long did it take to grow into the impressive, 40-deck, architectural wonder that diners get to experience today? The answer is simple.

According to Lasater, the easiest answer to that question is to understand Theriot. He is the type of person who is never satisfied with the status quo. He is constantly in motion to make it a bigger, better experience for the guest. As time went on and the demand increased, Beau continued to add on to meet the demand and to “wow” an even larger number of clientele. He continued to build more decks, and after that he added the building that could potentially house the caterings and the weddings that he envisioned.

So what was the growth process like? The Oasis started as a relatively small restaurant in comparison to what it is today, yet it was practically an instant hit from the very first day. For old Austinites, the reason is clear:

There were very few places that had a view of the sunset and there were very few, if any, businesses that utilized the view. Before The Oasis, the edge of the lake where it is now located was barren.

According to Mr. Lasater, there were only two places to go to take in the atmosphere at that time: “One was a place called Dry Creek Inn up on Mount Bonnell, which was a favorite hangout of the college students, a place to go drink beer and look at the sunset up above Lake Austin. Then they had the original County Line BBQ over on Bee Cave Road, which was really it as far as viewing the sunset.”

Lasater continued, “when Beau came out here with the vision of building something that could face the lake and the sunset, with the beer and the burgers, it got really busy really quickly. The word spread all over Austin, and as he became busier, he really thrived. Since Beau owned all the land up on the hill, he just kept expanding and adding more decks to give the people who came for the sunset a place they could truly enjoy.”

The Oasis kept growing and becoming more momentous with each passing year. Then 23 years later The Oasis met with an act of nature that would put the restaurant business on hold. In 2005, lightning struck and nearly destroyed the entire restaurant.

But even with the tragic incident of a fire that caused a tremendous loss, The Oasis owner and management was able to look at the event in an optimistic light. Obviously, with more than two decades of producing a strong and flourishing business, it would be safe to say Theriot survived this ordeal in true Texas fashion and was not discouraged but encouraged by the ordeal.

The strength to rebuild came from the number of people who shared Theriot’s passion and wanted to see The Oasis rise out of the ashes. Even though Theriot was not able to keep running it the normal way, he was able to keep a strong team in place to get through the difficult time. What is even more remarkable is that Theriot was able to reopen the restaurant’s doors only four days after the fire. Incredible!

Mr. Lasater recounted the inspiring story: “Let’s put it this way, the fire was on Tuesday and on Saturday, they reopened. There was a big wooden deck outside with live music. Then they gutted a trailer outside where they made a kitchen. They had vendors bring in a truck to store food, and they had one of their biggest days on that Saturday just four days after the fire.”

The ability to accomplish such a remarkable comeback in such a short period of time is iconic in many ways, considering the fact that the fire consumed the whole place and took the large wooden decks that wrapped all around the side of the cliff with it. It literally arose from the ashes only six years ago. Looking around, you would never know there was so much destruction brought upon The Oasis. Today it is a symbol of joy, hope and prosperity.

The reason for this terrific success story is that Theriot, the architect, had a picture in his mind—The Oasis was meant to sit atop the cliff, the entire place. His strategy was that the restaurant would act as the hub of what was soon to become Oasis, Texas. He built an anchor with that vision in mind.

When he designed The Oasis as it stands today, he added more of a Mediterranean feel to it. The unique beauty of Theriot’s approach is that even though the architecture may have changed over the years, the vibe has remained the same. His vision was always that The Oasis would be something unique, an opportunity to enhance your experience.

“It’s good, and everyday he just wants it to be better,” Lasater said. This mentality encourages growth in a business. “If you push yourself everyday to always be better and better, you may not always hit the mark but you will receive better results.

Lasater informed me that even he is not sure if Theriot ever intended The Oasis to be just a restaurant or solely one thing. He has just always seen it as an incredibly wonderful place to go and to “wow and attract.” Even back then, he knew it was going to be a long process, and in spite of that he was always driven to turn it into something more than the little restaurant and beer joint it was when it first opened.

“It would become a place where people could come just to sit,” Lasater described.
Cook added that Theriot and Lasater, whom she considers to be an integral part of how The Oasis has grown and how it continually progresses, both feel The Oasis is a warm and friendly, family-style place. That is precisely why it is built as a place not just for Austin but also as a world-renowned destination. The expansive appreciation for the restaurant is apparent in the reactions that came after the fire.

“When it burned, CNN picked it up and the story went all over the world,” Cook confirmed. “We received over a thousand emails and letters.”

Lasater feeds off this the large network of support that spans across the state of Texas, the country and even worldwide. Fromanoperationsperspective, he wants to make sure it will run the way it is supposed to. His role is to carry out both visions, which include Theriot’s commitment to the continued growth and success of The Oasis— the creative elements—and the necessary technical, operational side.

The latter is Lasater’s vision and he works around the clock to bring it all together, while ensuring the two visions blend seamlessly.

“He’s still standing and I can’t figure out how,” joked Cook.

As for the actual building itself, each room is an integral part of the overall design concept. Prior to the fire, the square footage of The Oasis was in the neighborhood of 55,000. Today, the building’s size is a whopping 85,000 square feet. That’s 30,000 additional square feet—what an incredible amount of growth!

The restaurant has a seating capacity of around 2,000 to 2,200 people. There are a total of 11 rooms, three    stories    and    multi-level outdoor decks, which house one of the largest outdoor restaurants in the state of Texas (and probably the country).

Each room is designed to offer a completely different aesthetic from the rest, and all of the rooms are appropriately named according to its own distinct ambiance and functionality. Guests can have a unique experience regardless of where they are sitting! The rooms were designed with a singular purpose in mind: To fill up. Since the majority of people come out to The Oasis for the sunset, the rooms are mostly utilized for events, caterings, weddings and receptions.

So is The Oasis, in all that it is today, still considered just a hamburger joint? Of course a question so complex would not elicit a simple yes-or-no response. Lasater abruptly answered, “Well, we still have hamburgers.”

“I used to think it was just a great place to watch the sunset, have margaritas and enjoy a great view over Lake Austin,” Lasater continued. “Now, I think it’s not just an attraction but an event, something you bring people to and watch them go, ‘Wow!’ It has the wow factor that you don’t find many places. In all my travels throughout the US, I have never found another restaurant that has all this to offer. So, to answer the question, it has gone past a restaurant. It is no longer a hamburger joint, but a place for entertainment.”

One of the many alluring attractions of The Oasis is that it is always changing, so there is always something to take in and then be awestruck by some other detail the next time you visit.

Cook clued me in on a little insight into Lasater. Apparently, he was speaking rather modestly about his role.

“We went from having cooks in the kitchen to have chefs,” said Cook. “It’s been instrumental in the whole culture of what we wanted to do.”

She said that Lasater has really done a lot in the time he has been part of The Oasis. He took their menu to a new level, which is evident in the presentation and the food itself.
So which dish on the menu accurately represents the taste of The Oasis? The margaritas.
“I’m telling ya, we have the best margaritas,” Lasater stated. “But honestly I think now, I would hang my hat on the fajitas. We have brought it to a place where I can say, I’m pretty proud of this menu.”

Apart from the menu and their killer margaritas, The Oasis has a tradition of clapping during each sunset. Lasater reminisces his first time experiencing the clapping, proceeded by the ringing of the bell: “I remember when I used to come up here, you would be drinking and having fun and then all of a sudden someone would ring the bell and all heads would turn to look at the sunset and start clapping.”

According to Theriot, the bell that is currently rung each day at sunset holds a lot of symbolic meaning. Unfortunately, the original bell used to denote the sunset for over 20 years melted in the fire. So a new bell was given to Theriot, in a sense donated to The Oasis as a gesture or heartfelt contribution to the history and endurance that lies within The Oasis.

As the story goes, a man who used to frequent the restaurant in the early days held The Oasis close to his heart. He grew up in the country, where they used to ring a bell every night at suppertime. Just before the man moved away from his home in the country, the bell was taken from his home. One day, nearly 20 years later, and coincidently not long after the fire at The Oasis, the man’s bell was returned to him along with a note.

The note read: “Twenty years ago I stole this bell from you, because I grew accustomed to hearing your family ring it each evening. When I found out you were moving away, I took it into my possession. I have felt heavy guilt by my actions for all these years, so now I am returning it to you, the rightful owner.”

The beautiful irony is not merely the sincerity of the letter, but the timing of its return to the man who had such fond memories of The Oasis. When he heard about the original bell being burned in the fire and then having his old bell reappear after all these years, he knew it was a sign. The man passed along his bell to Beau as a gift—one that is sure to be cherished by all who dine at The Oasis. The ringing of the bell will be a tradition that will survive through the many years to come.

Speaking of the coming years, the big picture for the future encompasses both The Oasis as well as the surrounding development—Oasis, Texas. The team has already broken ground on Oasis, Texas and opened the doors to a couple of new restaurants located within. They plan to introduce further productions this summer.

Lasater says that Oasis, Texas is an integral part of The Oasis and the two parts fit together in a symbiotic way. For years, The Oasis has largely been a seasonal destination. In November, business slows down considerably for reasons such as weather and then Daylight Saving Time. What Oasis, Texas adds to The Oasis is a 12-month experience. The addition of retail shops will give people a reason to visit all year ‘round, turning that nine months of the year into a 12-month attraction.

Lasater’s face brims with excitement as he describes how The Oasis comes alive during
Christmas. People come to see the “winter wonderland” that Theriot creates each year.
“He decorates it to the hilt—you would never believe it. Now he’s going to take that, out into this,” Lasater effused, as he gestures with his hands to showcase the whole place.

“People have started to learn just how well we can do things, like the catering and the weddings. I think that is going to be huge growth for us,” Lasater described. “I think the biggest growth we can achieve will not only be having 12 months of the year, but it will also be the fact that we have beautiful facilities to hold any kind of event you want in this restaurant. And we have an excellent caterer that can provide the food, so I see this place just continuing to grow.”

Lasater confidently explains that it is his opinion that people will flock to the shops and that it will become an “outdoor lifestyle center” that you could find in California. “You don’t see that uniqueness,” Lasater said. “That is what will bring an energy here that will bring the people out here year-round.”

Cook believes that the sky is the limit with a dual force such as Theriot and Lasater at
the head of The Oasis.

It is clearly a work in progress. Lasater stated, “You would know this thing is moving along if you just compare it from a year ago to now: We have condominiums coming, we have hotels coming, we have all these 30 to 35 shops to fill, we have all that. It’s not going to happen overnight, but it is happening now. It is incredible how much we have changed and how much we will continue to change; it is not ever going to stop. It’s always going to be the next best thing, and Beau is someone who believes in the next best thing. So there you go.”

The Oasis
6550 Comanche Trail
Austin, TX 78732
T. 512.266-2442
W. www.oasis-austin.com