Best Sign

TIE: El Arroyo, Austin Motel

Whether by clever wording or an, um, iconic shape, these two signs are as Austin as hot sauce. El Arroyo's ever-changing and racy wording keeps the traffic on West Fifth all agog and has won multiple "Best of Austin" awards … but so has the Austin Motel's historic sign which was, um, erected in 1938 still reigns over the SoCo Strip. Though it's the Austin Motel sign that says, "So Close, Yet So Far Out," the sentiment certainly applies to both establishments.

El Arroyo
1624 W. Fifth, 512/474-1222
www.elarroyo.com

Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress, 512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com