Dark moody, keep out sign out front, but no secret password needed for this speakeasy. Our…read morebartender was great! He made us a vodka shot that tasted like a watermelon candy. Yum!

Nice jazz music on the speakers, very cozy, limited seating, one bartender that takes pride in…read moreevery drink so be patient when ordering.

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!

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.

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

First off, for a jazz club in Austin, it has all the ambience. Good conversation, pretty solid…read morecocktails and of course, great music. It is a very lively atmosphere that's accompanied with dim lighting after a long day. I really like how it's never too crowded since they control the amount of patrons allowed. However, service is not great. I hope it's a fluke, but consistency is present on how the waiters and bartenders interact with paying music enjoyers. Could not have begged more to order drinks or get a couple waters to a full table. I suggest tipping the musicians before being met with the lack of friendly service. Or even service for that matter.

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.

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.

Upon stepping in I felt like I was transported to Miami in the 70s or 80s. Once you enter you turn…read morein your phones making it easy to lose time in connecting with your company. The staff was super nice and attentive our waitress came by multiple times and drinks were good and quick. They have a fun magazine style menu and plenty of options including mocktails. The mocktails were well balanced and not too sweet and my husband enjoyed every drink he tried. We ordered the French fries which were so good the perfect blend of freshness and salt. Would definitely come back for the ambiance and the no phones was a great reminder to connect to who your with and be present.

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.

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!

It's a rainy night in Austin. My girlfriend is in town because my cousin and her fiancé are getting…read moremarried in Austin. It's also the weekend of our one year anniversary. An hour ago it wasn't raining, but now it's pouring. A few months ago, I heard of a newer bar and experience called Equipment Room just right off of South Congress. Music means everything to me. Nothing can express emotions and instill a feeling in 3 minutes like a song can. I live for that. Equipment Room is inherently Japanese in concept. Existing in Japan for over 50 years, listening bars combine high fidelity audio equipment with impressively crafted cocktails and alcohol combining the passion of music in a space to gather with comfortable chairs and a beautiful atmosphere. The concept has expanded westward as all cool things inevitably do, but I would never think a spot would be successful in Austin like it would be in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and so on. As I back my car into a parking spot on South Congress, I grab the umbrella out of my trunk and walk my girlfriend and me to the entrance trying to not get ourselves soaked in the process. This is not the first time we have tried to go to Equipment Room. We tried to get a walk-in table just to see out of morbid curiosity and that was a failure. I booked her and me a table for this night and I was madly looking forward to it. As we got to the small entrance, we were introduced to the hostess who brought us from the stairs into the main underground space and to our seats on the couch in a large wraparound sofa with other parties sitting near us. The music is faint from the entrance, but once you walk through the main walkway, a wave of sound hits your eardrums. You're immediately engrossed into the music like walking into a concert hall or putting a fresh pair of headphones on for the first time. As we sat down, selections from Outkast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik were playing through the speakers. Our hostess introduced us to their "User Manual" (their menu) where it contained all the snacks and drinks you could get your grubby hands on. There's more than just drinks and food on the menu. The first page introduces the concept and gives a few house rules. The second page shows all the equipment this so-called room has, from the premium Klipsch speakers, their preamps and amplifiers as well as their turntables and mixers. It's a dream page for music nerds. I want a $15k speaker in my apartment, but those noise complaints would never end. Our waitress came by shortly to give us water and take our order. Their menu is quite expansive, but the main pages we were told to check out were their A-side drinks or the classics and their B-side drinks, which are more experimental. We had to go with experimental for starters because who knows when you'll get to try something similar again. I started with a Goca Dünya while my girlfriend ordered a Deceptacon. The Goca Dünya was a vodka based floral drink with pistachio foam and Amaro Nonino, an Italian herbal liqueur. The Deceptacon was a rum-based cacao drink with a touch of lime and mint. It took a little time for our drinks to come out, clearly, as they are quite intricate. I loved my drink, bluntly. The pistachio foam was a great balance to the herbal flavors at the bottom. My girlfriend and I continued to enjoy each other's company as the music continued. The space we were in was decorated with posters and memorabilia from legendary artists coming through Austin and some general music decor like that purple album from that Prince guy. The DJ-curator that night was on a tear playing incredible soul music holding the bar hostage with a taste of funk. Jimmy Smith came next before transitioning to a few tracks from Bobbie Gentry. The last albums he pulled out were Steely Dan's Aja (a stone cold classic) and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life (a top 10 album of all time). Not only was he playing classics like Isn't She Lovely, but he threw down some deeper cuts like Black Man and Contusion. Incredible. We both got another drink with my girlfriend getting their A-Side Espresso Martini while I got the Brown Sugar from their B-Sides. It was a seaweed and mushroom infused whiskey with a few more bells and whistles and it was super unique. Quite a bit of their menu is Japanese-inspired in homage to the originators of listening bars. This includes Japanese beer, sake, and Japanese-inspired food and beverages on their menu. Very cool. The worst part of the night came when our hour and 45 minute reservation came to a close. I could've stayed there for another 3 hours and never grown tired, but with how popular this space has become, they gotta kick you out at some point. This is an experience you have to have. It's worth it. I'll be strolling back in soon enough because there is nothing like this in Austin and it's truly a special space. RIYL: Actively listening to music.

I visited The Equipment Room tonight to celebrate my wife's birthday, and unfortunately our…read moreexperience at the entrance was disappointing. When we walked in, the hostess asked us to return to the first room because she was not at the seating area. She then told us there was no available seating, which was surprising since I had just been inside and saw multiple open seats, including two that had just been vacated. The hostess--her name sounded like Constanza--explained that the room was full because of Memorial Day weekend. When I said we didn't mind waiting since it was only midnight, she then stated they would be closing soon at 1 a.m., even though the posted closing time is 2 a.m. These explanations contradicted each other, and her tone came across as dismissive. She avoided eye contact, offered no real assistance, and ultimately suggested we check for seats ourselves, which felt unwelcoming and unprofessional. For a venue with such a strong reputation, especially on a special occasion, the interaction fell far below expectations. I hope the team can ensure more consistent and courteous service at the host stand moving forward.