Willie Nelson Owns Part of This One Texas Roadhouse — And It’s in Austin
Every Texas Roadhouse has a corner named after him. Only one location, on the south side of Austin, is actually his — here’s how that happened, how to find it, and how to tell the two apart.
Guide updated July 2026The Quick Answer
Willie Nelson is a co-owner of one specific Texas Roadhouse location — not the chain itself — at 9300 South Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas. It opened in December 2004 as the first and only Texas Roadhouse franchise Nelson personally co-owns, a result of his decades-long friendship with the chain’s late founder, Kent Taylor.
No, He Doesn’t Own the Chain — Here’s What He Actually Owns
Texas Roadhouse is a publicly traded company with hundreds of franchise locations across the country and internationally, so Willie Nelson does not own Texas Roadhouse as a company. What he does hold is a co-ownership stake in one specific franchise location: the Austin restaurant off the I-35 service road, a little under 10 miles from downtown. That distinction matters, because it’s the source of most of the online confusion about this story.
The clearest on-the-ground proof of the arrangement is right at the entrance: the Austin location’s glass front door is printed with the words identifying Nelson as an owner, so visitors know before they even walk in that this isn’t just another location with a themed booth.
How Willie Nelson and Kent Taylor Became Friends
Nelson and Texas Roadhouse founder Kent Taylor first crossed paths at a Farm Aid concert — the benefit series Nelson co-founded to support American family farmers, which he has organized annually for decades.
The two bonded further over Nelson’s famously high-stakes late-night poker games, a running tradition with a rotating cast that reportedly included Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, and Merle Haggard, among others.
Kent Taylor opens the first Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville, Indiana, after pitching the concept to investors for years.
Taylor adds “Willie’s Corner” — a dedicated area of photos and memorabilia honoring Nelson — to the chain’s restaurant design, a tribute that now appears at hundreds of locations worldwide.
The Austin, Texas location opens at 9300 South I-35 — not far from Nelson’s own longtime home base outside the city — as a genuine co-ownership arrangement between Nelson and the company, rather than just another themed franchise.
Worth noting: the exact size of Nelson’s ownership stake in the Austin location has never been publicly disclosed. What’s confirmed by the restaurant itself and independent reporting is that it’s a genuine ownership arrangement, not just a licensing or naming deal.
“Willie’s Corner” vs. Actual Ownership — Don’t Confuse the Two
This is where most of the confusion online comes from. Willie’s Corner is a fixed design feature built into Texas Roadhouse locations generally — it’s decor, not a sign of ownership, and you’ll find it whether you’re eating in Austin or in a Texas Roadhouse thousands of miles away. Co-ownership is a separate, much rarer thing that applies to exactly one restaurant.
- Willie’s Corner — a themed area with Nelson photos and memorabilia, present at Texas Roadhouse locations broadly, in the U.S. and internationally.
- Nelson’s ownership stake — specific to the single Austin, Texas location at 9300 South I-35, and confirmed by that restaurant’s own signage and management.
The location’s managing partner has publicly described the arrangement as a joint venture between Nelson and Texas Roadhouse, which lines up with how the company’s franchise model generally works: individual managing partners buy into and help run specific locations rather than owning shares of the parent company.
What to Actually Expect If You Visit
Don’t go in expecting a Willie Nelson-branded menu — there isn’t one. This is a standard Texas Roadhouse location serving the chain’s normal hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, and fresh-baked rolls, with the same line-dancing staff and jukebox atmosphere as any other Texas Roadhouse. The difference is entirely in the ownership and the extra Nelson-specific memorabilia, not the food.
The location has built a strong local reputation over its two decades in business, consistently drawing large crowds while maintaining high customer satisfaction according to online reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Willie Nelson own Texas Roadhouse?
No, not the company. Texas Roadhouse is publicly traded. Nelson is a co-owner of one specific franchise location, in Austin, Texas.
Which Texas Roadhouse location does Willie Nelson own?
The location at 9300 South Interstate 35 in Austin, in the Southpark Meadows area, which opened in December 2004.
Is the menu different at the Willie Nelson-owned location?
No. It’s a standard Texas Roadhouse menu — the same hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, and fresh-baked rolls served at any other location.
Is “Willie’s Corner” the same thing as Nelson owning the restaurant?
No. Willie’s Corner is a themed memorabilia display found at Texas Roadhouse locations broadly. Actual co-ownership applies only to the Austin location.
How did Willie Nelson and Kent Taylor become friends?
They met at a Farm Aid concert, the benefit series Nelson co-founded, and their friendship grew from there, including through Nelson’s well-known poker games.
Does Willie Nelson still visit the restaurant?
Public reporting doesn’t confirm how often Nelson visits. He has lived on a ranch outside Austin for years, roughly 10 miles from the restaurant.
Ownership details and the account of Nelson and Taylor’s friendship are drawn from the restaurant’s own signage and managing partner statements, along with independent food-industry reporting. The exact size of Nelson’s ownership stake has not been publicly disclosed.
