Austin's cocktail bar scene has done its research. From converted parking garages to unmarked alley entrances, these bars make the hunt part of the experience. Seven spots that take the drink seriously.
Rainey Street · 86 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Spread across a converted Craftsman house on Rainey, Augustine breaks into three distinct moods: a front porch built for game days, a warm indoor bar, and a backyard that fills up fast on weekends. Sunday karaoke and a …
Downtown Austin · The alley off E. 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701
Look for the purple door in the alley between 6th and 7th, which opens into this candlelit, velvet-heavy hideaway. The cocktail list leans theatrical but precise, with drinks like Fruit of the Forbidden (clarified apple…
Downtown Austin · 503 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Hidden inside the former valet waiting room of a midcentury downtown parking garage, this is the kind of cocktail bar you usually walk past once before realizing you’ve found it. Inside, tiled concrete floors, mid-centu…
Downtown Austin · 612 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Getting in is half the experience: reserve a time slot, receive a code, and track down the unmarked alley entrance before the door opens. Inside, the cocktail menu changes with seasonal themes and isn't afraid of combin…
East Austin · 1708 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702, USA
A deliberately moody East 6th cocktail bar built around a caviar-and-champagne ethos that’s more accessible than it sounds once you’re inside the dim, lounge-forward room. A dedicated Ramos gin fizz machine takes the la…
South Congress · 1101 Music Ln, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Descend into the basement of Hotel Magdalena and you’re suddenly in a lamp-lit listening room where jazz and soul records play through vintage Klipsch speakers and a McIntosh tube amp. The cocktail list splits into A-Si…
Rainey Street · 70 Rainey St #200, Austin, TX 78701, USA
This polished Rainey Street cocktail bar brings a tropical-leaning drink program that’s far more thoughtful than the neighborhood usually demands. Cocktails like a mango-cognac Sazerac layered with banana whiskey and wa…