So Austin: Eat at the Drive-In Where Matthew McConaughey Coined the Phrase Alright Alright Alright

0 comments

It’s national hamburger month so we think it’s high time we salute the So Austin burger joint that’s more than alright, alright, alright. Top Notch Burgers opened in 1971 and hasn’t changed a bit – and that’s a good thing.

Top Notch Hamburgers 
7525 Burnet Road

top notch
Photo via Top Notch Austin on Instagram.

Matthew McConaughey was a junior at UT when he got offered the part of Wooderson in Dazed and Confused. What was originally set to be a small part, grew into something bigger as the actor’s onscreen presence captured the attention of director Richard Linklater’s attention. The iconic scene at Top Notch was actually a spontaneous addition to the film. The scene was added to give McConaughey more time on screen and he ad libbed the now infamous line. You can find “alright, alright, alright” written on everything from stickers, mugs, t-shirts, murals, and more! It’s become Matthew McConaughey’s signature catchphrase. He even said it when he accepted his Oscar!

Dazed and Confused isn’t the only movie that was shot at the North Austin burger joint. In the film Varsity Blues, Top Notch is the place where Jules Harbor (Amy Smart) works. To see more of the Varsity Blues Austin filming locations, click here.

Top Notch Hamburgers
Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Want to learn more about Dazed and Confused filming locations? Check out this post!