We drop in periodically. Our out-of-town guests love it as it's quite unique…read more We visited Sat eve and were a bit surprised at the prices. I understand the extra for premium liquor, but overall it could be the reason to not return. The drinks are small and averaged $20 each.

Wandering the square with my brother and sister in law who live nearby. James the owner of hydrate…read moredownstairs as well as the saloon chatted with us and sent us upstairs in search of a cold adult beverage! Laurie the bartender was super friendly and was taking care of the whole place. Such a cool environment and tucked away from the busy street below. Beers were cold and cocktails no nonsense. A hidden gem!

Such a fun speakeasy to find and get into! Reservations are necessary so you can get the code to…read morethe gate. It's also a small place, which makes it intimate. I would have loved a little couch instead of the high top table we got. Probably would have stayed longer if we had a more comfortable spot to relax and converse. Would be a really cute spot for a date night if you get a couch. Wasn't too loud. Our waitress didn't know the menu really well, but the drinks were good. Cute presentation and unique flavor combos. I'd recommend hitting this spot for a pre-game drink before heading off for some downtown fun!

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!

We visited Prohibition ATX and loved our experience! Although it took us about 5 minutes to find…read morethe entrance, once we did, we were glad we made the effort. The atmosphere is very relaxed and cozy/fun. The bartenders were very helpful and the drinks were delicious. I highly recommend the old fashioned!

I am a sucker for a speakeasy when it is done right. I love the idea of being somewhere that not…read moreeveryone knows about. It feels like an IYKYK atmosphere. Located off Anderson Mill in the corner of a strip mall is a bookshelf with a door on the right side. If you cannot figure out the entrance, there is a doorbell to ring as well. I believe it is owned by the same people who own The Mill bar right next door, which makes it feel like a cool bonus space. My friend and I sat next to a faux fireplace, where we were greeted by the only bartender working and placed our order. Once he opened the tab, it was disappointing that he never came back to check if we wanted another drink. It wasn't super busy on the Monday we went, but since he was the only one manning the bar, the bartender was always doing something, so I don't blame him fully for not checking back in with us. I ordered a drink called the Velvet Vice. It looked nothing like the picture and tasted similar to an Aviation cocktail with egg whites. I happened to really like it. It is a very relaxed space, but once the speakeasy gimmick wears off, it does not have much else going for it. It is still a cool place, but I am not sure it was worth the lengthy drive to get there. RIYL: A bar hidden behind a bookshelf

The Elephant Room is one of Austin's most widely known jazz venues. It is located below street…read morelevel on Congress Avenue. If you are claustrophobic, this might not be the best place for you. From the street level, you walk down steps to enter the club. This basement club delivers an authentic jazz experience. The dim lighting, narrow long room, and close seating create an intimate atmosphere. Live jazz musicians are hosted every night of the week, often with multiple sets, featuring a mix of local musicians, rotating house bands, and visiting musicians. Because of the tight space, you are always close to the stage. Tonight's headliner was the Concept Orchestra. Cover tonight was $7. Cocktails range $14-16. The room was pretty tightly packed creating positive vibes.

One of the best bars in Austin. To my dying breath I will say that…read more Love the live jazz. It's constantly full of people, which is fitting because the vibes are so good. It's a hit or miss with the cocktails - the espresso martini is delicious but some of the other drinks are quite strong.

This is such a lovely hideaway bar! The vibes are immaculate and I loved the dark moodiness of it…read moreall. We were a little lost when we first arrived because the door is quite subtle, but fortunately someone else was also entering. Our servers were all very friendly and we were seated by the manager. I highly recommend making a reservation--the only reason we got in was because another reservation for 10:00 didn't show and it was almost 20 past! The drinks were good and they have a pretty solid list of "experimentals" as well as some themed drinks for the bar. I had the Daisy and an espresso martini and enjoyed both. All in all, I think this place is great for a 1:1 or coming with a small group of 2-4 people. And our receipt came inside of a book, which added to the quirkiness of the place. Would definitely come back!

It's located next to Oasthouse and has an entrance either from inside the restaurant or outside…read more Large parking lot! I had the Nick+Nora+Des and the Daisy and while both were good my favorite was the Nick+Nora+Des. There is an upstairs section and even a small third level too.

Really fantastic experience!…read more The cocktail menu is diverse and fun. The quality of drinks was excellent. My favorite part was the DJ was also playing electric guitar to accompany some of the songs in his lineup. It was really cool. I've never seen a DJ do that before. The whole time we were there the service and ambience and tastes were top-notch, but the DJ piece really created a memorable experience that leaves me wanting to come back.

We got there on time and had to wait 20 mins to be sat. We were asked to leave our table promptly…read moreat the 90-minute mark from when our reservation was supposed to begin; not factoring the time we lost at the table due to it not being ready for us. But it was more important to the Powder Room that the next group got their table on time, apparently. The drinks took soooo long, we got ONE round in, and were asked to leave the table before our second round arrived. They had no issues when taking our second round order while we were seated, but we were asked to leave the table immediately after. This round also took forever and we drank it standing, crowded, in everyone's way. I was embarrassed as it was my birthday, and I was taking a group of 7 other people - new to Austin - here to check out what was one of my favorite spots. I was bragging about it and chose it over other spots on their list. They hated it. I'm disappointed. Our server was great to us and apologetic about the service bar.

Great vibe on a Friday night. Jules has put together an eclectic venue that is a great design store…read moreduring the day and then transforms to a club scene. Live music from Brian Andrew Lee is amazing. He has great guitar skills and rich, full vocals. A must try spot in Lakeway.

Absolute stunning bar and the interior is very Feng Shui. Love this place and Kelly is an amazing…read morebartender, not to mention how kind she was to us during closing. Can't recommend this place enough!

Great cigar launch and bar. Good drinks, not to loud, excellent service and nice atmosphere.read more

I was in town for the Texas A&M game and had 2 hours to "burn" before heading to the airport. I'm…read morean experienced cigar smoker and found the Velvet Leaf. The staff couldn't be nicer or more helpful. Great guys. Clientele were a little tougher than my typical cigar lounges but I loved the decor. Drink selection was great as was the music... spot on for the blues-like theme. Only suggestions might be lightening up the humidor so you can see the cigars better. Thanks for a short stay over!