At $10 a pop ($8 during Happy Hour and from 11 PM to 2 AM on Thurs-Saturday nights), a variety of classy classics will be available from the bar for one month only. That’s right: now you sip ‘em, now you don’t. Throughout the month of May, enjoy imbibing such Nick & Nora-esque throwbacks from How to Mix Drinks or the Bon-Vivant’s Companion as the Sherry Cobbler (sherry, sugar & fresh berries), the Old Fashioned (rye, bitters & sugar — considered the world’s first cocktail), the Martinez (Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino & orange bitters).

If you’re feeling a little more modern, tantalize your tasebuds with Norris’ own Pasado de Moda — made of mescal, “navy-strength rum” (whoa nelly!) and mole bitters.

Check back in June and July for highlights from The Savoy Cocktail Book and Trader Vic’s Book of Food & Drink, including Cameron’s Kick (Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky, orgeat & lemon), the Bijou (gin, chartreuse, sweet vermouth & bitters), the Millionaire No. 1 (aged rum, sloe gin, apricot brandy, grenadine & lime), Navy Grog (Demerara rum, light rum, blackstrap rum, lime, grapefruit, honey & soda), the Suffering Bastard (bourbon, gin, lime, bitters & house ginger beer), and the Scorpion (light rum, brandy, orange, lemon & orgeat). Norris’ modern takes will be the Dover to Calais (more navy-strength rum, chartreuse, orgeat, lime and Peychaud’s Bitters) and the award-winning Waco Haze Cutter (Balcones Rumble, Balcones Baby Blue, gin, grapefruit, orgeat, cream & sherry).

Norris emphasizes the importance of these legendary cocktail books, saying “This cocktail series is a great way for Haddingtons to honor the influential cocktail legends of the past. Bartending would be nowhere without these books. And it’s a nice way to expose our guests to something a little different.”

If you’ve been looking for a change from the played out shaken-not-stirred Martini or sex-in-the-city Cosmopolitan, Haddingtons offers respite from mixologist cliches. Try a few of these tried-and-true mixes and get in touch with your inner booze conoisseur.

Haddingtons is located at 601 W. 6th Street and is open for lunch, dinner and late-night cocktails ’til 2 AM.

Big-deal sponsors like Mashable have been rounded up by the lovely IleenieWeenie, the event’s organizer, and plenty of cupcakes will be on hand, thanks to local bakeries Lux Bakery & Cafe and The Cupcake Bar. T-shirts will be available for $12 a pop from Pinqued, and photos of the event will be snapped by Lori Luza of As You Wish Photography.

Tickets (and waiting-list tickets!) are all sold out, but they’ve recently added tickets for their Happy Hour, where free drinks from Treaty Oak Rum, Graham’s Texas Tea and TabbedOut will be served up (did I mention they’re TOTALLY FREE?!). Mix and mingle with the hardcore bloggers who stick it out to the day’s party-hearty end, and enjoy the musical stylings of Gina Chavez.

Sound like fun? Hit up the Eventbrite page to score your FREE ticket, and I’ll see you there!

Outside of Hut's Hamburgers (photo via hutsfrankandangies.com)

I’m not sure what era, exactly, Hut’s is currently channeling, but the place has been around since 1939, so there’s plenty of memorabilia to gawk at. Penants from all manner of university teams, photos signed by famous sports heros and celebrities, Texas license plates, neon lights, a longhorn steer’s head, and a big woolly buffalo head. While you wait for your food, you’ll likely find yourself wondering where all this stuff came from, how long it’s been there, and what the story behind it all could be.

Inside, Hut's Hamburgers (photo via hutsfrankandangies.com)

But then you’ll get your juicy burger, with all manner of unusual condiments and fixin’s, and all of your concentration will be diverted toward enjoying it to the fullest—while it lasts. Those burgers are often devoured as fast as they’re placed on the table, so be prepared! Plus, they’ll put everything but the kitchen sink on there, if you want it. (Actually, they’ve even got a “Sink Burger” on the menu.) Chili, jalapeños, various cheeses from Swiss to Cheddar to Bleu, mushrooms, guacamole, even pineapple, my friends. Plus all the usual suspects like mustard, mayo, ketchup and (my favorite) delicious salty bacon. God bless America, and Texas for spicing things up!

In my opinion, the best burger on the menu is the “Mr. Blue,” a delightful mix of bleu cheese crumbles with dressing, Swiss cheese, lettuce, bacon and one of Hut’s Texas-bred longhorn-beef patties. Grass-fed, hormone-free, this beef is some of the best, and with these simple but classic toppings, it’s a surefire winner. Another one I’m tempted by is the “Milner’s Mushroom Burger,” with thick, creamy mushroom sauce and grated cheese. And you can’t go wrong with the all-American classics like the “Hut’s Favorite” (mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and American cheese), “The Dagburger” (double the meat plus mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and American cheese), or the aptly-named “All American Buddy Holly Burger” (mayo, mustard, onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and American cheese).

If you’re feeling wild and crazy, and have somehow wound up at Hut’s without a craving for a juicy burger (are ye MAD?!), the menu also offers all manner of fast-food eats, from hot dogs and grilled cheese to southern-style Po’ Boys, NYC-style Reubens and pure Texas chili. For dinner, there are also plate specials on chicken-fried steaks, fried chicken, meat loaf and catfish on Fridays (the menu states “while supplies last,” which makes me wonder how fast catfish goes in Texas, anyway). Grab a soup and a salad if you’re on a diet, and be sure to save room for dessert, cus they’ve got old-fashioned milkshakes, Coke and root-beer floats, fudge brownies and a Brownie Blitz—one of their fudge brownies blended into a milkshake and topped with whipped cream. Yum!

As far as specials go, this one’s tops: On Wednesdays, from 6-10 PM, Hut’s offers a “happy hour” on all their burgers, where you can get two of the same type for the price of one. Yowza! For vegetarians, you can get the same deal on Monday nights as well (but only on veggie burgers). More good news for vegetarians: All of their veggie burgers are made in-house, fresh, and never frozen.

I’m glad I stopped by, as Hut’s is one of those places I’ll return to again and again, trying something different every time. Plus, it’s a great place to people-watch (especially during the lunchtime rush) or take a trip down memory lane. Although I’m not old enough to remember the 1950s, I do remember going to a similar 1950s-esque joint in Chicago when I was a kid. Portillo’s is now a chain throughout the Chicagoland area, while Hut’s remains at its’ original location, but the vibe at each was the same: good food, good prices, and plenty of atmosphere. Just what I like from my nostalgia-laden fast-food eateries. Dig it!

P.S. Be sure to check out their sister restaurant, the Italian Frank & Angie’s, just behind Hut’s if you’re in the mood for pizza and pasta, or a nice Francis Ford Coppola wine.

ADDRESS: 807 West 6th Street
PHONE: 512-472-0693
ONLINE: hutsfrankandangies.com