Grand Central Cafe in Kingsland Texas

Our last major stop while we explored Texas Hill Country was at the Grand Central Café in Kingsland Texas.

We stopped here and had a very nice dinner.  In fact, if we had randomly stopped here for a meal, I would be talking about this quality little establishment anyway.  The food and service were both great.

We visited here for a very specific reason though.  The Grand Central Café is connected to a legendary horror movie!  In fact, it is forever linked to THE most legendary Texas horror film, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"!

The original, 1974 film was filmed inside of this home.  The actual building has been moved to its current location, but this IS THE HOUSE!

When I was younger and really appreciated horror, THIS is the movie that REALLY scared me!  It was brutal and dark, and the actors totally sold it.  You believed they were the most terrible humans imaginable!

When we planned our Texas trip, this was a stop I had to make.


The staff was super cool at Grand Central Café.  When we first came in, I told them that this was a pilgrimage for me, and they told me it was fine to explore the place and take photos.

Our waitress told me about a reunion of actors that took place a year or so ago.  She said they were all super cool.  "Leatherface" Gunnar Hansen attended (he just recently passed away) and she was also impressed with Hitchhiker Edwin Neal.  I have met those guys too, and I always found them to be generous with their fans.

I talked to a man running the bar area upstairs and I got the impression that they have been shocked by the fans coming out to see the house.  He said that fans of the movie from around the world stop by.

I didn't want to leave, but we were hoping to get to Austin before it got too late, and they were calling for rain in the evening, so we got on with our trip.  Hey Grand Central Café, thanks for the nice meal, and thanks for preserving a great piece of horror history!