Papercut is another one of those fabulous places close to my home (as in walkable) that I've been wanting to get to and finally did with a group of friends made through Yelp. I felt the vibe instantly, like as soon as I put one foot in the door. Magical, sophisticated, worldly, wonderful and more were the feelings that spontaneously hit me. The dark and elegant decor, lighting, design, & layout made me feel as though I were in a high-end Tokyo cocktail lounge. The front room as I mentioned is an intimate bar and lounge area with artwork adorning the walls. It's a modern, minimalist, and sleek space. The artwork is ever-changing (every couple of months or so) and the cocktail menu changes right long with it. Note: artwork is available for purchase. What an absolutely glorious way of combining different mediums (liquid art vs physical art). The craft cocktails & mocktails are the epitome of works of art. I've had great cocktails and mocktails elsewhere but honestly I'd be hard pressed to find anything on this level. You're taken into an entirely different realm just watching the genius of mixologists. It's mesmerizing watching them hone their craft. In the back of the lounge is an enclave of eclectic art and other pieces that then leads you to Konbini, the sushi bar. It's an industrial, warehouse vibe with a long counter that screams hip, Tokyo inspired, late-night eatery. Service is impeccable and welcoming at this cosmopolitan venue. It's truly an amazing experience. read more

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I am going to leave a similar review here that I am planning to leave for Konbini because at the time of writing, Papercut and Konbini were doing service in the same room. I was pretty bothered by my experience here. Even aside from their mid drinks, it felt like we were constantly chasing down servers and they were only attentive when they needed something from us. We went to the photobooth to take pictures before we sat down, but the machine ate my money and broke down. I let a server know, and he came back and said he would comp $20 off of our meal, which I was happy about. I honestly only wanted them to refund me my $10 for the photobooth strip. However, they came back a few minutes later and gave us a photo card and told us to use it to pay for the photobooth and it could be used an unlimited amount of times. I was also happy with this solution, but what happened afterwards left a bad taste in my friends' and my mouth. We hadn't gotten menus or been asked what we wanted to order yet. We were just waiting around for drink menus and food menus, so we didn't want to get up and go take photos when they might come back to take our orders. The manager (?) came back to me a few minutes later and asked if we had taken photos yet, and I let him know that we were waiting to be given menus. He said someone else would give us menus, and another server gave us only a drink menu. A few minutes later, we are still waiting for food menus. The same manager came back and asked us to not lose the photo card. At this point, we were frustrated. Why come back constantly to ask for a photo card when we haven't even been given our food or our menus yet? When we finally got our food, a different server asked if we had given back the photo card yet. They were so pressed about getting this photo card back and not actually getting our orders, and we also thought it was a bit distasteful to offer a solution (the $20 off the meal) but then go back on it with the photo card. It was presented as "unlimited" swipes but we were rushed to give the card back, and realistically, we only had enough time to take one set of photos. The drinks themselves were truly just okay. I don't think any of us were particularly impressed with our drinks, but the interior of Papercut is really nice and intimate. read more

This may be my top favorite cocktail bar in Austin! I have visited twice and had amazing experiences both times. I love how the menu changes and is on theme with the artwork. The bartenders are incredibly talented and creative. It's so fun to sit at the bar and watch them craft the specialty drinks. They had a clarified mai tai with tequila that I loved the first visit and the signature papercut cocktail is refreshing and delicious too! On my recent visit, I tried the balkan negroni and WOW - so good. And so detailed! Really sweet people and a very cool space. Great music too and just a perfect ambiance. 10/10. read more

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Bear and Anthony at the bar were great. Bear informed me of the art and menu being cohesive and that they change ever so often. And that the menu is curated to tie with the art/artist so you never know what will be on the menu. A regular arrived to the bar and mentioned the edition of the menu. 005. So this is the fifth menu since opening? How fun! Tried the Key Lime drink which was too damn delicious. Tasted like a damn dessert and went down too easy. Only food I tried was the Tofu Chip which was delicious as well. Also got the Milky drink and it went down just as smoothly. All in all great place, just popped in for my second time in the past three days. The vibe was chill and laid back. Dim lighting and good music. read more

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Papercut is a vibe. I really enjoyed my time there. The service was really good. I felt attended to without being smothered or rushed. The ambience is polished, but comfortable. The only downside is that it's really challenging to hear because of the music and the acoustics. That said, the cocktail I had was so tasty...one of the best I've had in Austin and worth the price tag. I'd definitely go back! read more

The space appears casual with the garage door entrance but feels a bit more buttoned up with the dark and moody lounge interior. One cool part about the space as it doubles as an art gallery that continually highlight pieces from artists that you can purchase. It kinda reminds me of living in NYC and going to art gallery openings in Chelsea every Thursday. Check out Papercut's website for gallery dates and to learn more about the art and artists. I really enjoyed the cocktails I tried. I got two cocktails, gravitating towards the milky options since they are less common in bars and cocktail menus. - Milky (rabbit hole dareringer, yokka koji awamori, oolong tea, shiro miso, yuzu, caramel, vanilla, milk) - Key Lime (flor de caña 4 year rum, avua amburana cachaça, agricole blanc, amaro montenegro, falernum, key lime, coconut, cream cheese, pineapple, lime) Papercut did both really well - flavorful and well balanced. The Key Lime feels like a treat, a good dessert-like option to end your meal or night with. Another fun aspect of Papercut is Konbini, a speakeasy sushi place housed in the back that you can order food from. Overall, a nice place to go that doesn't take itself too seriously. Most of the cocktails are a little under $20, which is the most I feel comfortable paying for one - especially if I want to have more than one. That being said, I do feel that the cocktails and unique combinations tasted worthwhile of that price tag. read more

Papercut - Milky - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Really enjoyed my visit to papercut! I came here on a date and was pleasantly surprised to find out they are both a bar and a rotating art exhibit. I will start with my only *small* qualm which is that the music is pretty loud - at times it was a little hard to hear my date but I get the vibe they're going for. Otherwise I really like the dark/black/artsy vibe inside, it's very nice! And my drink was EXCELLENT, I asked them about which would be most floral and they recommended the Terracotta which had a sweetness but not overwhelming, and almost a flavor like ginger/burnt citrus? Not sure how else to describe it but it was really good! My date got the papercut (classic cocktail) which was definitely more spirit forward than my drink but it was pretty good. Parking is all street or if you buy something across the street at Whole Foods/target you can get validation up to 2 hrs. This is a VERY busy area so do be aware that the street parking goes fast. Incidentally I did need a few things at Whole Foods so just parked there but otherwise it can be a little difficult. Nevertheless - totally worth the visit! The staff were attentive, friendly, and helpful (and had good recs). This is a great chill/date spot for drinks! read more

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Service is first rate here. Great eye contact and conversation! This bar is a moody black and white theme with a pop of local artwork for sale on the walls. I didn't try the sushi this time. I can't wait to come back with my friends again. read more

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Edit / Update: I wanted to add an update after my original review. The team reached out and invited us back, and the experience this time really showed how much they care about their guests. Huge thanks to Dragan, Bear, and the entire staff for welcoming us back and going above and beyond to make things right. They were incredibly kind and hospitable, the service was attentive throughout the night, and the drinks were just as fantastic as we remembered, easily some of the best in Austin. It meant a lot that they took the time to turn our experience around, and I'm really glad we gave it another visit. Looking forward to coming back again and I'd definitely encourage others to give them a try. read more

What a creative cocktail menu! They update it regularly, and I went for the Good Soup--a cocktail that tastes like a gazpacho. I've honestly never had anything like it, and it was incredible. The sushi was also tasty and well-prepared. The only downside is that it's on the pricier side, but the unique drinks and quality food make it worth experiencing. read more

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Exceptionally made, nuanced cocktails in a chill, vibey art gallery. Light, snacky but filling food from sushi pop-up konbini, and kind, helpful service made for a knock-out first visit to Papercut. I was visiting friend and wanted to do really good drinks and lighter food within walking distance of a show we were seeing on 6th street. This spot, recommended by a friend, fit the bill for that. It's walk-in only, so we were a little nervous about getting in. We went on a Saturday night around 6:30 pm, and it was not super busy at all (maybe half full, and slowly filled throughout the night, but never uncomfortably so, it stayed very chill!) The space is part cocktail bar, part art gallery, and rotates an artist-in-residence's works every few months and will feature a drink to pair with the art. It's quite dark (black walls, tables, low light), but really nice to see the art throughout, and on the night we went, the artist was actually there celebrating a birthday, which was pretty cool! Super attentive kind service whose recommendations were always a hit for us. Cocktails are quite pricy: $18-22 for each drink, but they are truly some of the best cocktails I've had and it was a fun/special night out for us. Once you pass the cocktail bar portion, you can sit at the restaurant portion of the space, which currently has a soft opening for sushi and Japanese small bites pop-up, konbini. Konbini non-sushi items range from $5-12 (which we stuck to) but the sushi was $18+ per piece, so could run you up a bit. Overall, my friend and I really LOVED this spot. It's probably one of my favorite cocktail spots I've tried in quite a while. Not every single drink were hits, but we were really impressed by quality of the drinks overall here and the nuanced balance of flavors in each drink. We tried (in order of preference): 1. Good soup (a savory gazpacho-tasting drink served in a soup bowl with just ridiculous smoothness. Could have had a whole vat of this, one of my favorite drinks ever and I typically don't like vodka at all). 2. liquid kolache (so hard to describe but strong spice notes, but really light overall drink. So perfect for fall.) 3. Milky (whiskey, oolong, yuzu, vanilla were the strongest notes. Very well balanced.) 4. Slow burn (their version of a boulevardier. Classic but well executed and the hint of black cardamom was so delicious. 5. Obey your thirst (N/A that was incredibly light, lemon balm tea was the prominent note, a bit sweet for us.) 6. Mai Thai (their take on a mai Thai. We liked the idea of it and the pandan was beautiful in it but the apricot brandy was a little overpowering and made the drink too sweet.) For food from konbini, we prioritized non-sushi small, snacky bites: tofu crisp (incredible flavor, not spicy at all), cucumber salad, egg salad sando (my fave), and a hot dog with salmon roe. Just really blown away by ambiance and execution overall here and my friend said she can't wait to come back and bring her husband to go again! read more

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Sexy spot for date night cocktails. Great ambience, amazing creative cocktails. Don't miss the new Konbini sushi which opened inside the lounge. We tried the Texas Kolache, Raspberry Cheesecake and Terracotta cocktails. All were super balanced and so unique. Cant wait to try more at this fun spot read more

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Papercut joins the list of top tier cocktail bars in Austin. I had the Milky cocktail, which was sweet, sour, and complex in all the best ways. The bar rotates its featured artist every few months, and the menu contains a rundown on them along with art prices. After a few delicious cocktails it will be hard to walk out without an art piece! If you're hungry you can also order from Konbini, the attached sushi bar. read more

Papercut - Milky cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Drinks were exquisite! My buddies Ryan and Daniel just opened up a bar (MOLA) around the corner on east 7th and we stumbled upon paper cut while walking to target to get some supplies. First, Dragon and his entire staff was super welcoming! The place is dimly lit and super clean. We came during the day time but it's definately a nice intimate date night spot, and there's also a sushi spot attached in the back, super cool. All the drinks were amazing, will definitely be back when I have more time...hopefully with my hot date! read more

Papercut - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Cool place but where are all the people...? We visited this place on a Thursday but there were only half a dozen of guests. The staffs are nice and drinks are decent. They have some interesting drink options, some liqueur forward than others. Inside of this place feels a bit bare bones, cause they only have chairs + tables + art on the wall. I guess it's their style but personally I'd like a more cozy setting, this set up made me feel "exposed" without other guests or furniture etc. Not sure if I want to come back... read more

Unique vibe; moody and dark. Nice and quiet space, would be good for a date night before or after dinner. The menu was interesting, but we opted for the terracotta and an old fashioned. Both were good, service was great from entry to exit. We'd definitely come back when we're in town. read more

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Great concept: rotating art exhibit inspires the palette of the cocktails. Walking in, I felt like I'd stepped into a bar in Taipei, with Papercut's dark walls, table lamps, and maybe-too-sleek bar area. The gazpacho-inspired "soup" cocktail was so good--can't wait to come back for the miso version. I love that there's food available. read more

Papercut is a total gem--part art gallery, part cocktail haven, and 100% our new favorite spot. The team behind the bar? Absolute rockstars, bringing their magic from some of Austin's best watering holes to create this killer concept. Here's the deal: every piece of art on the walls is for sale, the drinks are next-level, and they've got plans for some seriously cool collabs with local chefs. We tried the Paper Cut--a smoky mezcal twist on the classic Paper Plane (chef's kiss)--and the Candy Old Fashioned, which was perfectly balanced, not too sweet. But honestly? The best part was the bartenders. Friendly, fun, and just the kind of people you want mixing your drinks. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Loved the ambiance! Such a cool concept. I loved how each work of art had a story and the cocktails rotate with each exhibition. highly recommend if you're looking for something different. The cocktails are super interesting! Staff was so welcoming and helpful. read more

Papercut - Martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great service and extensive cocktail menu. I love the vibe and the unique nature of the rotating art exhibit. The server was knowledgeable and provided good recommendations. I am excited to go back! read more

Papercut - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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A small group of us came here after a show and the place is legit. Great cocktails and our friends had some very tasty looking sushi. It's a quieter vibe than what you encounter on 6th on a Saturday night. Highly recommend. read more

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Papercut is a cool concept with a dimly lit space, with spotlights on various artwork on teh walls. The space itself is intriguing, but I would be curious to know more about choice of artwork - and artists. Menus come with listing of prices for art, but a description or backstory would have added! The spot was relatively empty on a Thursday night, but may fill up on weekends. Staff is very kind and attentive, and describe the drinks thoroughly. Cocktails seemed to be interesting, but I ordered the 'papercut' and it didn't quite hit the mark for me. A sushi spot will be opening next door, so will likely bring in more crowds and add to the energy and overall feel! read more

Went here on a solo date with self. Everyone was completely kind. Even looking around and seeing how the bartenders and team interacted with other guests I was very impressed. The patience and genuine conversations that occurred. Beautiful interior with art displays. Clean bathroom with cute wall paper. I am alcohol-free right now and I was told twice that I would not be judged. I was able to order 2 of the 3 mocktails and let me tell you! These aren't juice and sparkling water or a cup of sugar and soda. These have zero-proof alcohol so you get the distinctive taste and feel of a well balanced cocktail without the buzz. I also ordered nigiri and a potato salad dando, it was so good! Prices were fair and not too steep! Food and drinks were great! I'm sure the regular cocktails are amazing too! read more

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What a creative spot! And not pretentious at all. Just a sharp, cool vibe! Amazing cocktails. Even the drink menu seems like a work of art with the font, graphics, etc. The coasters match the art, which rotates every few months. read more

Papercut - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Y'all, when I say you have to stop here. You have to stop here. This place is amazing. From the cocktails to the service and the people, everything is great! Eddie, Jesus, and Jack were all super welcoming and quick to share the concept behind their idea. 100% recommend. I had the vivo margarita and not only did it smell and look great, it was delicious. I was also greeted with a drink as soon as I was seated. A nice touch. Tried their ??? Drink and it was super interesting, while it doesn't look like it's coffee forward, it definitely is. Horchata vibes for sure. Check them out. read more

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Best drinks in Austin! Dragan is a genius with flavors. Ambiance is great, sushi is some of the best in the city.

Cool new spot. Art gallery + Cocktail Bar which regularly rotates both. A unique concept which executed on both great cocktails and vibe. We really enjoyed each of the 4 drinks we tried, and service was helpful and attentive. Recommend trying out! Only feedback to mgmt was the entrance is dark and hard to tell if you're open; which ok if your going speakeasy vibe. Also the hostess felt unnecessary in what could easily be a self seating bar. Regardless we are looking forward to coming back when the new artist and drink menu come out. read more

Papercut - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The best cocktail program in Austin! This crew is pushing boundaries no one else in town is, between creative new takes on familiar drinks to savory drinks that are unparalleled, it's a fantastic spot. The bar is impeccably clean and the dark room with only Art hanging is minimal and sleek read more

Great cocktails. Probably the best in the city. Not a speakeasy vibe although the place is artistic. It is more of a conceptual vibe. Not super private seating or cozy. Won't be the last place to stop in a night out. read more

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