A total vibe! I loved this spot and the outdoor bar area. It's lit up by twinkle lights with plenty…read moreof TVs to watch the game. They had a frozen watermelon rose I tried which I really like, if you get an additional shooter to go with it, make sure you mix it in! They have a good amount of drinks to choose from, it's a great place to chill with friends and enjoy the weather. Lots of seating and picnic table style seating. I've been twice and would definitely go back!

Super chill rooftop in the aloft hotel on Congress…read more Food: N/A Service: 3 Atmosphere: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: no walk-in only Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - Liked the casual relaxed vibe in a rooftop so didn't have to be fancy - Mix of ages - Plenty of seating - Cute white lights hanging - Could go full party drink mode or relax with a few - Have water jugs out so you can fill your own Midlights: - Order at bar line can be long and not many working behind it but then saw waiter coming around when was seated - Drinks just ok--there more for vibes Lowlights: - Didn't get to try the tacos since we were off to have a meal after

Upscale yet fun cocktail bar with great staff and drinks…read more Food: 4 Service: 4.5 Atmosphere: 4.5 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: yes Highlights - Classy atmosphere - Upstairs has a few tables and a quieter smaller bar - Downstairs has booths tables and a long bar which is a bit more lively - Isaac: skilled bartender that was fun to watch him make the drinks - Great temperature controlled drinks super cold classes--it's the little extra things that make a differene - Some cocktails have very cool glasses: one with a very long stem, a skull, etc. - Martinis: unique shisho and solid vesper - Grilled cheese: looked basic but the gouda and cheddar mix garlic rosemary oil on the sourdough bread, and crispy cheese on edges were great. 4.5 stars - Looks nice but no dress code where the FAQ said come in what you are comfortable in which which I appreciate - Can make reservation on open table and choose upstairs or down Midlights - Downstairs has a different menu than upstairs : down more simple by time period, up more upscale detailed - Pretzels for dessert were just simple tiny crispy choc covered. 3 stars - For the grilled cheese might have been able to go with an upgraded chip from Ruffles--maybe even a Kettle chip Lowlights - Even in quieter upstairs can't hear the bartender when right in front of him - Special board featuring drinks but they were out of the one I wanted

My boyfriend and I came in for happy hour without a reservation and were seated immediately. The…read morebar had a dark, cozy, and intimate atmosphere. We ordered the Espresso Martini, Vodkadora, French 75, and Pisco Sour. All of the drinks were strong and delicious! The service was fantastic as well. The staff was attentive and friendly throughout our visit. Definitely check this place out if you're in the area! We'll definitely be back to try more drinks.

Here Nor There is a cool, intimate speakeasy that makes you feel like you've stepped into another…read moreworld through its storybook-style menu and delicious cocktails. The entrance is tucked away in a gated alley, and you'll need a reservation to receive the gate code. As soon as we walked in, we were welcomed with complimentary prosecco. Every drink we tried was fantastic, and you can tell the bartenders put a lot of care and creativity into each cocktail. I highly recommend the Milk & Honey and the Wildflower Highball. Toward the end of our visit, the staff surprised me with a complimentary Desert Water for my birthday. It was such a thoughtful gesture and made my night even more memorable!

Here Nor There is one of the best speakeasies in Austin, hands down…read more The drinks are always incredible--thoughtfully crafted and consistently good. The ambiance is moody and intimate, with music that makes the whole experience feel elevated. Definitely a go-to for a great night.

The vibes are great, but I'm not sure they are worth the wait. There are two lines: one for…read morewalk-ins and one for those with reservations. We waited maybe 15 minutes at the walk-in line as others progressively started to pile on behind us. Then again, even people in the reservation line were waiting. This is definitely the kind of place that wants you to wait. The kind of place that wants to build a line outdoors to intrigue onlookers. We were treated nicely, but we definitely could have gotten in right away. By the time we walked in, the place was probably at 60% capacity. It was standing room only at the bar, but not overcrowded by any means. There is a dress code, but it's not entirely clear what it is. Some guy dressed to the 9s got turned away for not having sleeves whereas I got in with sneakers and a t-shirt. They ask for your cellphones upon entering and give you a key in exchange, but there doesn't seem to be any security to enforce it if you don't want to give them up. I have no problem with their policy, but I bet a lot of customers do. Interestingly, their little social experiment seemed to have a positive effect, where we ended up talking to strangers and vice versa. The Powder Room may be making America social again.

Let me start by saying that my first experience here was fabulous, which is exactly why I wanted to…read morecome back. Unfortunately, my most recent visit was extremely disappointing and honestly embarrassing. I went with two friends, and the atmosphere was completely different from what I had previously experienced. It was very crowded and felt more like a loud bar than a speakeasy. Our waiter was mediocre at best and only came to our table about three times during the hour and a half we were there (there's a time limit). Our drinks were brought by someone else, and I had to wave him down multiple times just to order or ask for water. It was clear he was much more focused on a large party than our table. When it came time to pay, my friends and I decided I would just put everything on my card. After I handed him my card and filled in the tip, he told me my card didn't work and asked the other two girls if they had a card instead. I told him it shouldn't have been declined, but I did have another card, which he took, clearly upset. That's when he told me there was a mandatory 20% tip that had to be added to the bill. At that point, I realized he had lied about my card. I had left a 15% tip because the service simply didn't warrant more, especially for what felt like bar service. He brought this up in front of my friends, who then started asking what was going on. I explained that he was refusing to run my card unless I changed the tip to 20%. Not wanting to make a big scene in front of my friends, I reluctantly agreed, even though I told him it was dishonest. To "make up for it," he later brought me a cookie. After this incident, I called the establishment at least five times and left messages, but management never returned my calls. To make matters worse, the charge from the first credit card, the one he claimed was "declined", was pending on my account for three days. So clearly it was never declined. Very disappointing. It's sad to see such a great establishment allow this kind of behavior from their staff. If you go, be aware.

5-star speakeasy...if you like cool, secretive, unusual speakeasy cocktail bars - this is the place…read morefor you! Located on 6th street in downtown Austin (near the Driskill hotel), in what looks like from the street an apartment complex. You buzz the "secret" button and if you have a reservation, they let you in and escort you to your beautiful, sexy table. Their menu is creative and their every cocktail delicious! The theme we experienced was tarot cards and we loved the presentation and creativity of cocktails. Service is excellent and all drinks are around $20. Worth a visit for sure - great 5-star speakeasy and so fun for a date or with a group.

This is an interesting establishment, and I think I liked the cocktails more than the food. It is…read moredefinitely a date night spot, although there were some families here as well. We didn't get to sit near the conveyor belts, but we were ok with it because we were still able to enjoy the decor. Parking can get tight very quickly. We didn't have a reservation, but I think we were very lucky to get a table for 2.

Fantastic coffee shop! Setting is great! Customer service was fantastic. Great food at the food…read moretrucks on site.

Met a friend here on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I was happy that it wasn't overcrowded - one of us…read moredid have to utilize the add-on parking in the back. There are plenty of different seating options but very few seats inside. The place is chill, ordering drinks took some time even with no rush. Seems like they have some pre-mixed type of cocktails. Honestly, neither of us liked our drinks much. We actually left it behind. The food truck is nice to have though we didn't get to try. Happy that South Austin is finally seeing some nice spacious outdoor hangout spots.

Really enjoyed this rooftop bar at the top of Marriott. It's totally open, but they have space…read moreheaters. The decor and the views are nice. Lots of space, comfy couches, and a good drink menu with some small plates as well. Our servers were also friendly and prompt. Great times, Highly recommend.

Great mixology for all of the drinks we had! Whatever shot the bartender mixed up for me was yummy…read moreas well. The food was good too but it is definitely small bites, so we got more food after drinks here. Service could have been better with the server for our table, who we caught rolling her eyes at us with an attitude several times and the most irritated look on her face from greeting til check. Otherwise the bartenders and hosts were all great and welcoming. This place is great for photo ops with views of the city all around! We parked in the parking garage across the street ($10 for the time we were there, about 3hrs?). You take an elevator up to the place but there is a just downstairs that directs you prior to meeting the hosts upstairs.

These are moments I think why do I live in San Antonio ( and often work in Austin ) when I can just…read morelive here and enjoy great restaurants, bars and weird gothic haunts like this with weird dark goth decor, a scent of palo santo , superb music, a great crowd and amazing drinks! College me would have lived here !! Enjoyed a French 75, my husband enjoyed a smoked Old Fashioned and it was a great place to grab a drink prior to seeing Springsteen at the Moody seated amongst candles , a weird alter of sorts while enjoying some Stevie Wonder as is playing now though some weird NIN or Type O might have been more appropriate

I went to Whisler's and had one of the worst bar experiences I've ever had…read more I had one drink. I was completely sober for all intents and purposes. The bartender claimed I was drunk and cut me off anyway. I was at the bar talking to a girl while waiting to get a drink (the wait was long because the service is very slow, despite the bar not being very busy at all). She was clearly into me, and the bartender kept jumping in trying to talk to her too (instead of doing his job making drinks). He was doing all sorts of things to try and flirt with her and make her laugh: pulling out and showing her buckets of pre mixed cocktails, running and sliding under the bar, etc. She was engaging with both of us , and right in the middle of that, I get cut off out of nowhere. No explanation other than claiming I looked drunk, which I very clearly wasn't. It felt very clear what was going on--he wanted me out of the way. I left and asked the bouncer on my way out if I seemed drunk. This was literally two minutes later. He said no, not at all, and asked me why I would even ask that. I then told him exactly what happened and asked him to let the owner or whoever was in charge know about this extremely unprofessional conduct so they can discipline the bartender. His response was that the bartender has discretion to cut anyone off, and let me know the bartender is supposedly married so he couldn't have been flirting with any of the customers. Well, sounds like his logic is flawed--not only COULD he flirt with his customers, he WAS, and was therefore cheating. I hope his wife finds out. This is perfectly representative of Austin customer service lately and not normal in other places. I was in Tampa for an entire month earlier this year and this would've been unthinkable there. I'm not coming back.

I always see this bar on social media and I finally decided to give it a try. This bar exceeded my…read moreexpectations with the drinks, the size, events, games, and shops. The actual bar is to the left of the entrance. I love that they have a variety of drink specials as well as nonalcoholic beverages. I was hoping to get a taste of the food, but the kitchen doesn't open until 4pm. I would also suggest coming later if you want to catch a show from the live band or explore their seasonal mazes. There's plenty of photo ops, jenga, corn hole, pool, foosball, connect four, pacman, and a few other arcade games. This place is completely filled with 80s, 90s, and early 2000s' nostalgia. It's the perfect spot of tourist and for native austinites. There also a lot of vintage signs from old stores and restaurants that were local to austin as well. I would say this spot is worth the hype! I also give bonus points for the shops & food trucks outside of the bar. The perfect place to hang out with friends and have some fun.

This place has showed on my Social Media feeds several times and while we were in the area on…read moreSunday we stopped by. Really great assortment of old signs, like walking through the Neon museum in Vegas but filled with old Austin haunts. We took a bunch of pictures and really liked the layout of the place, we gotta come back at night, as I am sure its even better.

I found this via search of rooftop bars near downtown and I was pleasantly surprised at this…read morelocation and the venue itself. Arrived around 5:45-6 PM on a Thursday. This is gonna be located on the fifth floor in the JW Marriott. You have to walk through the pool area as this is on the west side of the building. Well, we didn't have a reservation and we were able to get sat right away. I forget the name of the individual who assisted us by placing our order. I ended up getting the espresso martini, and then my other person got an old-fashioned. I was asked if I wanted a shot of Bailey's with the espresso martini and that to me would've been way too much. The martini itself was almost kind of smoky. Not your typical kind of very crisp espresso martini had a nice foam on top of it. We also ended up ordering the sliders to go along as we had dinner reservations, and that bacon jam on there is magnificent. The sliders were all juicy and very well put together bun was very soft and the flavor of everything was really good. I would totally go back just for the sliders. Overall the service was great. The views were also quite stunning of downtown and the ambience overall which is very chill. The front part of the bar was actually closed due to a private event so I can imagine getting to take photos on that corner would be really pretty to see.

My friends and I had a FABULOUS time here. The ambiance is beautiful and so cozy! Without a res on…read morea Friday evening (around 6:30/7) we were able to get a nice, big cabana area. The couches were so comfortable and the ambiance was so pretty. In terms of the drinks and food, it was okay! Got the job done, but nothing to rave about. I enjoyed the sliders the most. I enjoyed my drink as well (5th Floor Cooldown) once we added the extra sweetener we requested. Without it, I wasn't a huge fan (wasn't sweet, despite being told that it was). Valet parking is only $15 (for 2 hours) with validation. I appreciated that, as it made parking not a headache.