I'm no stranger to the Driskill Bar, but I'm no regular either. The Driskill Bar is one of those rare places you go when you want to savor a martini and enjoy quiet conversation; as opposed to downing six double dirties to the loud thumping of house music, and a guy's crotch in your face. Most of the time I prefer the latter...hence why I'm not a regular.
My reviews of the Driskill Hotel for the Democratic watch party during the 2008 midterms, and my subsequent update chronicling Yvette's fabulous wedding probably already made clear as glass that I am a big fan of the hotel, and the bar is no exception.
Once, I had a woman ask what a good date around Austin would entail. Rapidly adjusting for their demographic, I decided not to suggest my idea of a good date, which is usually one that involves a sea of vodka, not a penny out of my pocket, and spontaneous vehicular activity that probably makes Kar extremely uncomfortable. These were people in their 50's; I had to vamp until I came up with a plan.
First off, I suggested the Driskill as the perfect place to grab a martini. It's intimate, but there is a copious amount of decor that provides excellent conversation starters. Cowboy statues, guns for lamps...the list goes on and on. It's a desirable blend of low-key and high-end. Afterwards, I suggested dinner at any number of venues, followed by a show at Esther's Follies. My brain refused to play the tape forward after that, but hey, I thought my contribution sounded nice.
My best friend, Jen L., had come into town, but this was no ordinary visit. This go around, she was interested in MOVING to Austin, which would truly be the final cap on crowning this city the most amazing city for me, even though it already is. With Jen having grown up in LA and Marin County, and having lived and worked in Boston, it was my job to portray Austin as the living, breathing embodiment of everything that is desirable about the Coasts, right smack dab in the middle of Texas. Luckily, Austin pretty much sells itself, but I was on a mission nonetheless.
I decided the Driskill Bar would be a perfect place for Jen and I to grab a pre-dinner cocktail, and would be my answer to the historical hotels she introduced to me during my visit to Boston and Pasadena. She loved the ambiance immediately, as it was very much in the same "old school" vein as the Omni Parker House in Boston, or even the Adolphus in Dallas (the lobby only; remember, the service sucked). Of course, it was old school heavily infused with Texas imagery, but more along the lines of elegant Texas imagery, and less along the lines of trailer parks and gun shows that the rest of the country imagines.
Our bartender was the older gentlemen who has been there forever, and from what I've seen, is quite the staple. He mixed an excellent Grey Goose martini, and even randomly serenaded us once our fried oyster platter came out. I loved the presentation of the oysters, and the olive tapenade included in the bruschetta sampler was quite flavorful. We enjoyed a second martini before heading out.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: this place epitomizes the phrase "hard drink in a dark bar." Occasionally you'll find me here for a date, before a night out, or after a church service.
Sometimes, I'll be there for all three.
4 Stars. read more