Wunsche Bros Cafe & Saloon is not on my beaten path so I don’t make it there as often as I’d like. But that’s going to change. Having had the opportunity to stop and eat there twice in recent months, I’ve been reminded how exceptional it is. No matter what you order, the food is consistently excellent, the ambiance is fun and enjoyable and the unique history of the place palpitates all around you.
If you’re not familiar with Wunsche Bros, it is a Texas Historical Landmark that opened in 1902 in Old Town Spring. Although a fire broke out in 2015, fortunately, the original historic saloon was left intact. In 2018 the Kosh family purchased the building and restored it back to its glory days.
The cafe is known for its hand-formed burgers, Texas-sized chicken fried steak, homemade beer bread, legendary whiskey cake, strong bourbon, ice cold beer and the fact that the old saloon is haunted. It is also known for its live music. In the old days, it was a stepping stone for the likes of Clint Black and Lyle Lovett. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing one of my all-time faves, Shake Russell, perform there circa 1989. More recently, I’ve enjoyed the musical stylings of CC & the Road Dawgs there.
Local brothers Charlie and Dell Wunsche opened originally as a hotel, brothel and saloon built for railroad workers and travelers. It was built from lumber milled from the Wunsche Family Mill. The business thrived until Prohibition and was sold in 1949 and turned into a cafe. To this day the brothers, Charlie & Dell, are still pretty famous for being the ghosts that haunt the old saloon.
As the tale goes, in 1919, on the night before Prohibition would make consumption of alcohol illegal, folks had traveled to Spring from miles around to help drink the bottles dry and dance the night away. The next morning, the bleary-eyed Wunsche brothers stirred with a proprietary urge to inspect the inventory. Was there any whiskey left? “A ha! Just a few drops here, and a few drops there – let’s leave none to waste,” Dell said. “Here’s to you my dear ‘ol brother,” Charlie replied, pouring the leftover whiskey into Aunt Pearl’s cake. When the first wobbly customer arose and asked, “What’s a feller to eat?” the two Wunsche brothers looked at each other, grinned, and offered their very first slice of Chocolate Whiskey Cake and that is how Texas legend was born.
Located at 103 Midway St. near W. Hardy Rd., the half of the building that was added on to the original site in the early 80s burned during the fire and was essentially leveled down to start over. Although the place suffered smoke damage, they were able to save the entire building. All of the wood floors are the originals from 1902 and the entire building has been rewired with new lighting to bring it up to code. The fixtures installed are not original to Wunsche Bros but are still appropriate for that time. The newer part of the building features a state-of-the-art keg room with 15 beers on tap, a full bar and a giant smoker that will cook 1,000 pounds of meat at a time.
In 1984, the Texas Historical Commission recognized the business as a historic Texas landmark with an official historic medallion marker. The marker reads, “This building was constructed in 1902 by one of Spring’s earliest families, the Wunches, who came here from Germany in 1846. Built to accommodate railroad workers, the Wunsche Bros Saloon and Hotel, later known as the Spring Cafe, has served as a community gathering place throughout its history. The structure, which exhibits typical turn-of-the-century commercial detailing, is Spring’s oldest existing commercial building on its original site.” The site was also named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. n
