Sir Kraab says howdy!
X Name WF Bar Coffee Rest Snax Food Lic. Outside Kids am pm Cover Area St. No. Street Phone Things people say  
x 1900 Lounge   Bar         Liquor Yes No   pm Never Downtown 1900 Rio Grande 495-1800 Mansion at Judges' Hill. Sitting at the elegant oak bar, drinking a red mojito made with rum, muddled mint and pomegranate juice, I looked out the windows at the courtyard with its enormous crape myrtles, supposedly the only plants left from the mansion's original owner Ella Wooten's turn-of-the-century garden. Everything about this place is beautiful, elegant, tasteful. I alternately listened to the music and to occasional bits of conversations near me and read my book. I wished I'd worn silk. (360)
  219 West   Bar       Bar food Liquor   No   pm Never Warehouse 219 W. 4th 474-2194 This numerically named bar has a little something for everyone: corndogs and Cristal, cabernet-poached pear and beer. For some, the extensive menu and booze selection is overwhelming, for others exhilarating. The bar is loosely divided into several sections: the patio, an upstairs lounge, a cozy downstairs room, the bar area and the main floor. The crowd varies from the beautiful to the ballcapped, but the service is always outstanding. (360)
219 West is the only place in Austin with bottle service. And with five different libation-themed zones – Mint Julep Lounge, a Beer Porch, a Martini Bar, a Scotch Room, and a Wine Cellar – you'll have no problem finding your soulmate of the sauce. "So... you like the convenience of alcohol by the bottle no matter the mark-up, too, eh?" is a fantastic way to break the ice and tell the part-time partiers from the heavy-hitters. And if that's not enough, 219 is developing a VIP room with a separate entrance. You wouldn't want to accidently hit on a member of the hops-guzzling lumpenproletariat, now, would you?  (Chronicle)
  Amy's (6th & Lamar)         Snax Ice cream none No Good   pm Never Warehouse   W. 6th    
x Amy's (Burnet)       Rest Snax Ice cream None Yes Playground   pm Never N. Central   Burnet    
x Amy's (Guadalupe)         Snax Ice cream None No Good   pm Never Central   Guadalupe    
x Amy's (S. Congress)         Snax Ice cream None No Good   pm Never SoCo   S. Congress    
  Apple Bar   Bar             No   pm   Warehouse 120 W. 5th 322-9291 I'd heard Apple Bar described as a New York City kind of place, and it was, in fact, small and cozy and big-city vertical (there's an upstairs and a downstairs) rather than wide-open-Texas horizontal. Big art hangs on the walls. The lights are dim. Little love seats and high stools are artfully placed. Bartenders concoct on both floors, and on weekend nights, servers will carry your drinks the 10 feet from the bar to the couch or stool you occupy. The result: sort of Austin, sort of New York. (360)
This lounge is sooo New York, it would never make it there ... so trendy yet so comfortable in that "Austin's version of urban" way. Their signature drink, as it would stand to reason, is a tangy-sweet Apple Martini, which is as "fruity" as it sounds. This in no way implies that the barstaff can't shake a stiff one. No, the drinks are smooth, and the 'tenders well-versed, not to mention sexy – even before the first round. The "lofty" upstairs option makes a great hideaway. (Chronicle)
  Aquarium on Sixth   Bar         Liquor   No   pm   6th & RR 403 E. 6th 499-8003 This college hangout certainly does have fish tanks, but much of the looking going on is between the young men and women who crowd it. A balcony provides a view of the sea of bodies and you can watch some wriggle towards the bar or bathroom, perhaps shake your head "no way" as two or three guys encourage you to jump down into their arms (it's not far, but definitely too far). Think Sixth Street, think fraternity, think sorority, think dollar beer night. (360)
x Ararat       Rest   Middle Eastern BYOB No OK   pm Some N. Central        
  Aussie's Volley Bar & Grill WF Bar       Bar food         pm   South 306 Barton Springs 480-0952 Open since 1989, Aussie's comes with 2 full-sized regulation beach volleyball courts, full of soft sand. Stop by during a tournament and watch tan amazonians dig, set and spike. Stop by during a regular league night and watch T-shirted, mixed-gender, six-player teams bump, set and sometimes fumble. Or play yourself. Food and drink specials happen most every night and change monthly (check www.aussiesbar.com). (360)
x Austin Java Co. WF     Rest Snax Whatever B&W Yes OK am pm Never Barton Springs   Barton Springs    
x Austin Java Co. WF     Rest Snax Whatever B&W Yes OK am pm Never Downtown   Lamar    
x Azul                       Never East side 1808 E. Cesar Chavez   You lounge and read comic books while Mom sings in the kitchen and cooks your favorite fantasy food. That's almost what you'll get when you order a PB&J at Cafe Azul, the art-filled and friendly cafe on East Caesar Chavez. A PB&J on sourdough, buttered, then grilled golden brown. It's light and soft, crunchy and gooey. So hot it almost makes you want to burn your tongue. (Chronicle)
x B.D. Riley's WF Bar       Bar food Liquor No No   pm Never 6th & RR 204 E. 6th 494-1335 The city of Dublin's flush these days and B.D. Riley's is a prosperous-looking pub: banquettes covered in mod red patterns, track lighting that curves like train tracks, light fixtures in warm reds and oranges. The whole place was actually built in Ireland and shipped over. There are TVs and traditional Celtic music and whiskeys and Smithwick's beer and pub quizzes, and on one Sunday afternoon, some patrons' accents were as thick as the heads on the Guinness. (360)
x Baby Blue's   Bar   Rest   Indian     No   pm   N. Central 8440 Burnet 454-8608 This bar for the Sarovar Indian restaurant is neighborhoody. All the twentysomethings seemed to know each other; the bartender sat in on a hand of cards; a group of men played dominoes. No one was paying the big TV any mind. Most people seemed to prefer sitting at the bar, drinking Red Bulls and whatevers, Lone Star in cans, perhaps even a Tuaca. A woman ordered from the restaurant next door — you can get anything off Sarovar's menu. People were playing pool, throwing darts. (360)
  Backstage at La Zona Rosa   Bar         Liquor   No   pm   Warehouse 612 W. 4th 236-0125 How, how, how had I never made it to this bar? Several people had mentioned how cool this joint is — a couple of pool tables, the big semicircle booths, the little tables and chairs, the jukebox worthy of one of Austin's storied music venues. It's a music-lover's bar and feels like a rock club, except with drinks instead of bands, the kind of place where you know the Izod-and-khaki-shorts-wearing guy is being ironic. Who knew going to a music venue when there's no music could be so fun? (360)
  Barfly's   Bar         Liquor   No   pm   N. Central 5420 Airport Blvd. 452-6455 Once the smokiest of bars, this joint above Burger Tex has built a smoking area outside, and the indoor haze has cleared. The corrugated metal walls, the barstools and the pool table are all now plainly visible, as is the fabulous jukebox, which changes up but should make even the most knowledgeable of Austin musicians happy. The crowd tends toward young and funky hip — knee-high socks and short skirts, for example — but also draws a local crowd. Oh yeah, and it has cheap drinks. (360)
  Bess Bistro   Bar   Rest   Am/French Liquor   No   pm Never Warehouse 500 W. 6th 477-2377  
x Billy's on Burnett WF Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc.   Yes OK   pm Never N. Central   Burnet    
x Book People WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse   No OK am pm Never Downtown   Lamar    
x Bouldin Creek WF   Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes OK   pm Never South   S. 1st    
x Brentwood Tavern   Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. Liquor Yes Playground   pm   N. Central 6701 Burnet 420-8118 Between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m., a pint of draft Lone Star will set you back only a buck-fifty — and it's just a buck on Sundays. If draft Lone Star doesn't float your boat, frozen margaritas set you back only $3 during happy hour and the other nine beers on draft, wines and wells are cheaper too. Beer flows. Hefty burgers land on the table with a solid thump. (360)
x Brick Oven       Rest   Pizza B&W No OK   pm Never Central 1209 Red River    
x Broken Spoke   Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. Liquor No     pm Some South 3201 S. Lamar   Open Tues.-Sat.
  Brown Bar   Bar     Snax Bar food Liquor   No   pm   Warehouse 201 W. 8th 480-8330 Here, black is always the new black and the lithe waitstaff all have exquisitely arched eyebrows. You can order cigars, Wedding Cake Martinis and 16-year-old Scotch. Sit quietly at a table and you may well hear guys bragging about their Mercedes. And yet, something about the Brown Bar, with its moody lighting and yellow-topped bar that glows from within, is very appealing. The bruised black-and-brown color scheme, the heavy velvet drapes evoked a very urban feeling. (360)
Located in the historic Brown Building, this elegant Deco watering hole will soothe the senses after a long day at the office. During the week, you'll find business types enjoying happy hour specials and a great appetizer menu. Building residents also love this home away from home downstairs. What a place to live!  (Chronicle)
  Bull Mccabe's   Bar         Liquor   No   pm   6th & RR 714 Red River 478-4022 Bull McCabe, a character in John B. Keane's play, 'The Field,' was fierce, rough-hewn and hardworking. Bull McCabe's, opened in 1999 by a pair of brothers with serious Dublin accents, eschews froufrou and shillelaghs for well-drawn pints of Guinness (or Murphy's or Harp or Smithwick's) and shot glasses containing regulars' tabs. Rugby players and men in soccer jerseys sometimes stop by and patrons' accents tend to Kerry and Dublin as well as Houston and Austin. (360)
x Café Caffeine WF   Coffee           OK am pm Never South 909 W. Mary   Tyrannical governments once considered coffeehouses dangerous places. Caffeine revved up thought and conversation — bad news for the monarchies in France and England. In the mid-1900s, members of the American youth counterculture met in campus coffeehouses to rebel with Beat poetry and war discussions. If a revolution were to begin today in Austin, it might happen at Café Caffeine, amid retro radios and a revolving pie display. Anti-war and anti-Bush stickers and T-shirts line one wall: 'When in doubt, start a war.' 'Wish I lived in a blue state!' The American Civil Liberties Union meets here, as does a group of knitters. I have only one question: Will a vegan chocolate-chip cookie provide the sustenance required for a revolution? (360)
x Café Mundi WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes OK am pm Some East side   E. 5th    
  Cain & Abel's Bar & Grill WF Bar             No   pm   Central 2313 Rio Grande 476-3201 It's beer-tastic. With football games on the TV monitors, pool, an outdoor patio, and big wooden booths, Cain & Abel's is often full of UT students. The pub grub is plentiful and the portions large. Sidle up to the bar on a weekend and you may well hear folks ordering drinks such as a red-headed slut or shots of Jagermeister. One night I saw a sign outside the door that read 'Beer good.' Underneath, someone had scrawled, 'School bad.' My English-teacher self thought, 'Verb needed.' (360)
x Casino El Camino WF Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc.   No No   pm   6th & RR 517 E. 6th 469-9330 Punk rock. Really, that's all you need to know about this bar — that it's got a Joey Ramone soul. Well, that and the fact that it makes a fabulous, fat burger. Casino is worth going to Sixth Street for. The large patio is friendly, the pool tables are fine places to humiliate yourself, and if you're considering getting a tattoo or unusual piercing, the people-watching can be downright inspirational. But the biggest draw is the gi-normous burgers Casino serves. They are huge, delectable monsters. (360)
x Cedar Door   Bar         Liquor Yes No   pm   6th & RR 201 Brazos 473-3712 Frequently relocated, the building and decks have settled at Second and Brazos streets. It's been rejiggered and refigured and rewired and rebuilt. But the tables are the same, a lot of the patrons are the same, and the Mexican martinis are the same. The bar itself is lovely and inviting, with holiday lights and suitably unstable bar stools, but the enormous deck is the real draw. Even on drizzling nights, people sit outside, huddled under the umbrellas sipping the famous Mexican martinis. (360)
x Cedar Street Courtyard   Bar         Liquor Yes     pm Some Warehouse 208 W. 4th 495-9669 Several years ago, I went on a really bad date to Cedar Street Courtyard and only recently managed to find my way back there. The staff was incredibly friendly and easygoing, the martini menu extensive, and the courtyard full of music. Cedar Street (not to be confused with Cedar Door) is that bar between Saba and Malaga where the live music plays in the courtyard seven days a week. The courtyard seats about 60 people, but holds as many as 500. The inside bars have a solid jazz/lounge texture. (360)
With specialty cocktails sure to have your proper pinky kicked to the sky, this cozy courtyard-twixt-the-buildings enjoys props as one of the first places to put the shake back in the district. Masterful mixologists, a menu of martinis, and an almost decadent ambiance complete the scene. Almost. That music you hear walking down Fourth? That's coming from one of downtown's best open-air venues, tucked between two large walls for some killer acoustics. On any given night, stars twinkle and bands groove on the outdoor stage, as hearty toasts hoisted high clink in syncopated rhythm. (Chronicle)
x Central Market     Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes Playground am pm Never Central   N. Lamar    
  Chez Nous       Rest   French     No   pm Never 6th & RR 510 Neches    
  Chuy's       Rest   Tex-Mex     OK   pm   Barton Springs 1728 Barton Springs    
x Cipollina WF   Coffee Rest Snax Pizza B&W No OK   pm Never Downtown 1213 W. Lynn    
  Clay Pit       Rest   Indian   No OK   pm Never Downtown 1601 Guadalupe    
x Clementine WF Bar Coffee Rest Snax Sandwiches B&W Yes OK am pm Never East side 2200 Manor    
  Cloak Room   Bar         Liquor       pm   Downtown 1300 Colorado 472-9808 The below-street-grade bar across from the Capitol and full of politicos is something of a very dark cavern, or maybe more of a crevice. The tables are small and cozy, the TVs tuned to news and golf, and the jukebox plays Johnny Cash or Otis Redding. Men in suspenders and pressed chinos with rumpled hair, customers ribbing each other, the bartenders ribbing the customers, beer and hard liquor running up tabs. No one was smoking cigars, but someone should have been. (360)
x Club De Ville WF Bar       None Liquor       pm Some 6th & RR 900 Red River 457-0900 This place is cool. On the limestone-walled patio, you can sometimes see bands play. The large, comfy patio is an excellent place to hang out. Inside, the place has attitude like a basement band: Candles burn redly on tables, vague red lights roll across the bar, the walls are covered in dim gold padding. Plus the bar is dark, seriously dark, dark enough to make a black dog disappear 3 feet in front of you. And in that kind of dark — well, baby, who's to know you're not really a rock star? (360)
  Cole's WF Bar                 pm   South   S. 1st    
  Continental Club   Bar         Liquor No     pm Always SoCo   S. Congress    
  Cork & Co.   Bar                 pm   Warehouse 308 Congress 474-2675 This combination wine shop/wine bar has newly arrived on Congress Avenue. Clean, well-lighted, with a warm and effusive staff, Cork & Co. offers innumerable varieties of wine by the glass, and then offers the bottle as well (more than 100 bottles to choose from). Nine wine flights provide opportunity to compare flavors, and the flights can be accompanied by chocolates and cheese plates. And the intimate space feels almost like an upscale ice cream store — filled with treats for grown-ups. (360)
With theme nights like "Chocogasm" and "Sparkling wine & sushi rolls," this wine bar and merchant juxtaposes the taste of class and requisite weirdness that Austin's citizens seem to love so much. Cork & Co. is a welcome addition and a certain hit. Bottoms up!  (Chronicle)
  Crown & Anchor WF Bar       Bar food         pm   Central 2911 San Jacinto 322-9168 A staple of many graduate and age-appropriate undergraduate students at UT, the Crown & Anchor is but a short walking distance from campus and offers an impressive array of beer, including 32 on draft and about 100 in bottles. Happy-hour specials run from 11 to 7 every day (pitchers cost between $6.25 and $12); the pub grub, darts and pool lure many in. As does the big patio area with long tables and plastic chairs — where 75 or so folks can nestle. It's as low-key a place as you'll find. (360)
  Cuba Libre WF Bar         Liquor No     pm   Warehouse 409 Colorado 472-2822 This chic place not only draws lovely customers, it helps them get that way. On Thursday nights, women can get a manicure and a martini for $10. And one can eat and drink every night — the kitchen stays open late and offers tapas and full meals. The bar itself is long and sleek; a small front area is open to the street, so guests may watch the world walk by. Cuba Libre also serves a comprehensive list of rums. If you want to know rum, sail to Cuba Libre. (360)
x Dandelion WF     Rest   Hippie B&W Yes OK am pm   East side   E. 11th    
x Dart Bowl   Bar   Rest   Grease Liquor No Bowling   pm   N. Central 5700 Grover 459-4181 Technically, this should be my local. It's as close a place to my house as I can find to buy a bourbon. Technically, however, it's a bowling alley, not a bar. But there's bourbon and hangover food, which is better than I can say for some bars. About 19 tables with primary-colored plastic chairs provide seating, along with a half-dozen booths. One of the walls is from the original Dart Bowl. It's covered in graffiti and well-wishes, which is about as much reading as a hungover girl might could do. (360)
x Deep Eddy Cabaret   Bar       None Liquor No     pm   Warehouse 2315 Lake Austin 472-0961 Once among the most famous of the smoky dives, it now has 100 percent visibility. Deep Eddy won my heart with the impressive array of stuff to look at behind the bar — the Elvis photo particularly endeared the joint to me. You can watch sports with the guys on a Saturday afternoon, watch as they refill pitchers of cheap cold beer, and gossip about players. Or you can wander to the jukebox, flip idly through the music and revel in the tiny bit of guilt for being in a great dive on a sunny day. (360)
x Dirty Martin's   Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. B&W Yes OK   pm Never Central 2808 Guadalupe   Good black bean burgers. Outside picnic tables.
x Dog & Duck Pub WF Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. B&W Yes OK   pm Never Downtown 406 W. 17th 479-0598 Beers by the dozen (38 on tap, about 28 in bottles), darts, a pool table, wooden benches and tons of outdoor seating. (360)
  Dońa Emilia's   Bar   Rest   S. American Liquor   OK   pm   6th & RR 101 San Jacinto 478-2520 It says something that my largely teetotaling, largely early-to-bed, very good friend stayed up with us at the Atrium (the upstairs bar at Dońa Emilia's), drinking caipirinhas until the bar closed. Caipirinhas, the Brazilian drinks made with cachaça, muddled limes and I'd swear some kind of demonfire, are fabulous, dangerous things. The Atrium is a white square, bar in the center, and accommodates about 100. Patrons can order from the same full menu offered in the main restaurant. (360)
  Donn's Depot   Bar         B&W       pm Some Warehouse 1600 W. 5th 478-0336 Building was transported, via train tracks, from the town of McNeil to 5th and W. Lynn about 30 years ago. It used to be an actual depot. Now, it's a bar. There's the dance floor, the piano room and the sitting area where people watch sports on a large-screen TV. An old railcar doubles as a wall for the bar. The women's bathroom is an actual caboose, a fabulous red shag caboose. Donn's is beloved not just for live music and its funkiness, but also because people of all ages come. (360)
x Draught House WF Bar       None B&W Yes     pm Never Central 4112 Medical Pkwy. 452-6258 A great bar for storytelling. It's the kind of place you head to with a handful of friends, pull up a beaten-up wooden chair, sit down at one of the wooden tables with more graffiti scratched across them than any high school desk, and exchange news of what's been going on in your life lately. And because the Draught House has an excellent and extensive list of beer to choose from, the longer you hang out there, and the more beers you try, the better your — and your friends' — stories get. (360)
  Driskill Grill & Bar WF Bar         Liquor       pm   6th & RR 604 Brazos 474-5911 Built in 1886, the hotel has a long history of big occasions: Lyndon Johnson watched numerous election returns at the hotel, for instance. The bar looked a little different back then. Over a span of four years in the mid-to-late '90s the building underwent a complete renovation. These days, you'll find light fixtures composed of guns, spurs and tiny lampshades, a copper-plated ceiling, longhorns on the wall and big leather couches and bar chairs with cow-print horsehair backs artfully placed about. (360)
x East Side Café       Rest   American-ish B&W No OK   pm Never East side 2113 Manor    
  Ed's Cucaracha   Bar         Liquor       pm Never 6th & RR 406 E. 6th 785-4960 Located smack-dab in the middle of 6th Street, behind the Jackalope, the bar's patches of brick are exposed and rough, the lights are glum, at least one booth seat has a seriously broken spring, the silent TV plays anime or 'The Simpsons' or something equally entertaining, and the crowd runs the gamut from tattooed rockabilly to random folks escaping the regular Sixth Street vibe to drink bloody marys, bourbons, or Shiner, Newcastle or Maredsous on tap in a funky, almost punky, bar. (360)
  Ego's Bar   Bar         Liquor       pm Some SoCo 510 S. Congress 474-7091 It's funny how many people have told me stories of first dates at Ego's or hanging out at Ego's or getting a little raucous at Ego's when they first arrive in Austin. The crowd itself runs from self-aware thrift-store chic (all that live music and all those poetry slams Ego's hosts will do that to a crowd) to plain old dive bar denizens. The place opens at noon (happy hour is actually from noon to 8 p.m.); Ego's is just an old South Austin dive, in the best way. (360)
x El Chile       Rest   Tex-Mex   Yes OK   pm   East side        
x El Sol y La Luna WF     Rest   Tex-Mex   Yes OK am pm   SoCo   S. Congress    
  Elephant Room   Bar         Liquor       pm Some 6th & RR 315 Congress 473-2279 Just below street level on Congress Avenue, this room is famous for its jazz. The music sounded great: Apparently, I'd come on the perfect night when Brannen Temple played. Though every bandleader may not be as good as Temple, the Elephant Room does have nightly jazz and a happy hour from 4 to 8 p.m. Folks might want to check the bar's Web site to find out who's playing when — and remember that big bands can be loud (all those horns) and preclude conversation. (360)
  Emo's   Bar         Liquor       pm Always 6th & RR 603 Red River   Fuck Emo's. Fuck their almost-free cover; fuck their all-ages all the time policy. Fuck their legendary status as a venue for local bands and great roadshows. (Chronicle) 
  Fado   Bar   Rest   Bar food Liquor   OK   pm Some Warehouse 214 W. 4th 457-0172 The name means "Once upon a time" in Gaelic. Twistily laid out, with lots of wood and glass dividers separating the bar into cozy snugs, it can make it hard to find friends who beat you to the place, but the divisions create excellent spaces for hanging out. On a good day you can catch a trad session (traditional Irish music) or a country band (not traditional Irish anything). World Cup games, World Cup qualifiers, rugby and some Gaelic football are broadcast. Sundry other Irish food. (360)
Need a reason to start drinking before the sun comes up? Not at Fadó. As early as seven in the morn, the rustic wood bar is packed with fans of football, (that's soccer to us Yanks) hurling, and Gaelic football (a rough mix of rugby, soccer, and football), tuning in to the best in international play via satellite. The decor was flown in from Ireland, and it's a good guess that the staff may have been, too. There are even "sessions" where bar regulars break out instruments and play traditional Irish music for hours. Drunken Irish music, that is. With Texas Hold Em' tournament Sundays and Mondays, popular Pub Quiz Wednesdays, music on Thursdays, and a DJ on Fridays, there's definitely no lack of diversion.  (Chronicle)
  Finn & Porter   Bar   Rest     Liquor       pm   6th & RR 500 E. 4th 493-4900 Upstairs: a lounging area replete with overstuffed club-style leather chairs; tables with upright chairs covered in green leather with a red cowhair stripe down the back (they're cool); plush red and green almost '70s-inspired carpet; a bar with a pair of televisions at either end; and, in the afternoon, toward the back of the bar, wonderful, wonderful light. Follow a winding staircase downstairs and you'll arrive at the sushi bar, more tables and chairs, floor-to-ceiling glass and the door to the patio. (360)
  Fino Restaurant   Bar                 pm   Downtown 2905 San Gabriel 474-2905 Sometimes a girl just needs a little paper-thin serrano ham with Manchego and a glass of white wine. Needs it. And when she wants it on a patio, Fino is the place to go. The outdoor patio is rare among Austin patios because of its modernist grace. Clean lines, understated elegance, shades that filter the sun when it's too hot, heaters that warm it when it's cool, and a thoughtful and knowledgeable staff: Fino is a place I intend to spend a few winter afternoons. (360)
  Firehouse Lounge   Bar         Liquor       pm Never 6th & RR 605 Brazos 478-3473 The bar's motto is "everyone is a VIP" — it's swanky, but really comfortable and lacking in pretension. Swanky as in a large silhouette of the Austin skyline behind the bar. Swanky, too, in its long banquette; low, round seats lurking; and gorgeous mosaics beautifying. A few big egg-shaped chairs seat patrons in the main area; the tones are earthy, the bar stools very tall, the DJs trendy. It's small, it's cozy and, well, they've got fake flickering flames in the window above the entrance. (360)
x Flightpath WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes   am pm Never N. Central   Duval    
x Flipnotics WF Bar Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes   am pm Some Barton Springs   Barton Springs   Live music (only on weekends?)
x Flying Tomato       Rest   Pizza     OK   pm   West Lake   Bee Caves    
x Foodheads       Rest Snax Sandwiches   Yes OK am     Central 16 W. 34th    
  Foundation   Bar                 pm   Warehouse 307 W. 5th 472-4256 Notched square cement columns about 2 feet in diameter mark off two living room-esque areas, one with big leather chairs and coffee tables, the other with mod little orange chairs, coffee tables and rugs. The bar itself is round with small lights dropped from a Jetsons-style ring above it. Tiers of artfully spaced bottles of booze spiral. All of this can be seen from the upstairs balcony, where you can lean over the railing and gaze at vistas of well-buffed bodies. (360)
x Frank & Angie's       Rest   Pizza B&W No OK   pm   Warehouse 508 West    
x Freddie's Place WF Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc.   Yes OK   pm   South 1703 S. 1st 445-9197 Could it be more happening? The South First Street venue with fabulous burgers and 20 kinds of cold beer and washer-pitching has been rock-'em, sock-'em busy every time I've been by. The outdoor patio is shaded by oak trees, the tables are of the picnic variety, and everything has that low-key South Austin feel — the colored lights strung from trees, the basket of fries so full I couldn't finish it even after an hour and a half of swim practice. (360)
Created by the owner of Hickory Street Bar & Grill, this South Austin hot spot offers a menu laden with Southern comfort food and Texas classics set (when the weather is appropriate) in a natural grove of oak trees. (Chronicle)
x Freebirds WF     Rest   Burritos B&W No OK   pm   SoCo   Riverside    
  G&S Lounge   Bar                 pm   South 2420 S. 1st 707-8702 Grungy South Austin hangout bar. The ceilings are low. The flooring's cheap. Air hockey, Foosball, darts, pool (50 cents a game!), Ms. Pac-Man (ditto) — it's got pretty much everything your playful heart could desire. And cheap beer. Really cheap beer, as in $2 for most bottles, domestic and import. Boxes and boxes of beer are stored by the passageway between the main and back rooms, not far from a disorderly stack of TVs in the main room that looks like an angry art installation. (360)
x Garden District Coffee House WF   Coffee             am pm Never South 2810 S. Congress   Sometimes only a cup of coffee at home will do. Luckily there is a coffeehouse for every mood. Garden District Coffee House is like drinking a cup of coffee with Grandma. The recliners and couch make up the living room, the 'kitchen' is a hodgepodge of '70s-style tables and chairs with a kids' table and games. The patio overlooks the plant nursery on the same grounds. A woman comes in dehydrated from the heat. She collapses onto a chair and begins a conversation about her son's choice in women. 'If a girl said, "Let's go to church," ' she remembers, 'that was the cue (to marry).' Late mornings draw the most crowds, usually from the nursery, for Cuban food, but sometimes a student or two wanders in to work in solitude before the 10 p.m. closing time. (360)
x Genuine Joe's WF   Coffee   Snax         am pm Never N. Central 2001 W. Anderson    
x Ginger Man   Bar         B&W Yes No   pm Never Warehouse 304 W. 4th 473-8801 Dark wood snugs, darts, pool, beer garden, the zillion beers from around the world. Actually, the Ginger Man is all about beer. There are about 80 on tap, about 100 in bottles, from countries such as Germany, Australia, Belgium, the U.S., Great Britain, Ireland. You can buy cigars at the Ginger Man, but not liquor and only a few wines. You must drink beer. Good beer, at that. (360)
A pub wiht a focus on what is most important in a pub: Beer. And more beer. The Ginger Man boasts 83 taps and 140 different bottles of it, tempting you to sit and try the gamut ... just don't try standing up afterward. Not a hops guzzler? Check out their daily 4-7pm happy hour nosh and wine menu. Or bring your pooch to the porch and patio with their complimentary doggie water bowl. It's the perfect place to drink beer, play darts or pool, and cohort with your four- and two-legged friends. (Chronicle)
  Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon   Bar             No   pm Never N. Central 5434 Burnet 458-1813 A dive and honky-tonk, The Little Longhorn (known as Ginny's for owner Ginny Kalmbach) has been around for some 40 or 50 years. Before it was known as Ginny's, it was known simply as Dick's, because it's that kind of place. At Ginny's the regulars are just regular people, hanging out and passing the time of day, having a beer. It's the kind of place where the owner might fix some eggs at her house and bring them in for the early-morning customers. (360)
x Go Go Gourment       Rest   Sandwiches     OK   pm   Central 3505 N. I-35    Go Go Gourmet owners Tristan Callaway and Craig Long make no bones about the raciness of its location – between Dreamers and the Crazy Lady on I-35 – but they’re in the business of providing a more wholesome adult pleasure: the sating of the sophisticated palate. Go Go offers a rotation of portable-but-complex entrees – think chicken saltimboca, spinach-stuffed pork cutlets, stuffed portobello mushrooms – along with a variety of fresh veggies and other sides, a salad bar, gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, and more daily innovations. They have ample seating and a healthy Cherrywood clientele, but as the name implies, you can also get your meal swiftly and lovingly packaged if you’re on the road, on the clock, or just hoofing it between, um, entertainments. (Chronicle)
x Grapevine       Rest Snax Sandwiches B&W No OK       N. Central   Anderson    
x Guerro's WF     Rest   Tex-Mex Liquor Yes OK   pm   SoCo   S. Congress    
x Gyro carry out place       Rest   Middle Eastern   No OK   pm   Central   Guadalupe    
x Halcyon WF Bar Coffee   Snax Deli Liquor No OK am pm Never Warehouse 218 W. 4th    
x Horseshoe Lounge   Bar       None   No No   pm   South 2034 S. Lamar 442-9111 When we walked into the 78704 institution early one Tuesday evening, several of the folks said hello, nice and friendly. We ordered Bud Light in a bottle, though the Lone Star was tempting and would have gone well with all the University of Texas décor. Bud Light was certainly in keeping with the Dale Earnhardt Jr. poster. Heck, Bud Light even goes with the Johnny Cash on the jukebox, as do Coors, Pearl, Miller, Michelob, and other fine beers available in bottles and cans. (360)
  Hotel San Jose   Bar         B&W Yes OK   pm Never SoCo 1316 S. Congress 444-7322 Aesthetically, this has to be one of the most pleasing bars in town; it's actually beautiful. Most of the seating is outdoors, on chairs or on thick wooden stumps around heavy wooden tables. Angles and straight lines and thick wood abound. Exotic plants and the bamboo trees separate the small swimming pool from the patio. And everywhere is the sound of water, both from the pool and the small koi pond near the front entrance. It's a place of Zenlike balance, relaxed and soothing. (360)
  Hula Hut   Bar       Tex-Mex-Polynesian Liquor       pm   Town Lake 3826 Lake Austin 476-4852 A day in the sun, a view of the lake, a margarita under a grass-thatched roof. Chuy's Hula Hut has been a West Austin hangout since 1993 and you'll likely find it full of people who like looking at Lake Austin and contemplating the menu of Mexican-Polynesian food while drinking a beer. Surfboards serve as decoration, and about 300 people can gather between the deck bar and the bar actually on a pier; it's as close to the water as a girl can get and still keep her martini dry. (360)
  Iguana Grill   Bar   Rest   Tex-Mex Liquor   OK   pm   Lake Travis 2900 N. RM 620 266-8439 Homemade with a hint of orange juice for flavor and golden color, the delectable Golden Iguana margaritas paired nicely with our calming, unbroken view of Lake Travis and its boats. Located two miles south of the Mansfield Dam, it offers umbrella-covered tables on its patio and each lets you see the water. The menu runs to acclaimed "Lake-Mex" cuisine, and the salsa's a favorite with many, but the bigger lure is that feel-far-far-from-Austin-and-your-regular-life deep breath of a lake view. (360)
  Joe's Bakery & Coffee Shop     Coffee             am pm Never East side 2305 E. 7th   At Joe's, Tejano music drowns out the sounds of clinking dishes and Tex-Mex Spanish. Every morning, some of the same customers from when the coffeehouse and restaurant opened in the 1960s as a panaderia wait for their favorite spot at the counter. The changing neighborhood has brought more diversity to Joe's clientele, says Regina Maciel, the granddaughter of the original founder. 'The neighborhood back then was black and brown.' Customers came for their daily pan dulce and coffee — 'just a regular black cup of coffee.' No lattes or laptops here. Now the panaderia is more of a restaurant, but early mornings in the far left corner, Mexican American politicians from the area still meet for coffee, newspapers and conversation. (360)
x Jo's WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes   am pm Never SoCo   S. Congress    
  Kenichi   Bar   Rest     Liquor   OK   pm   Warehouse 419 Colorado 320-8883 This upscale sushi restaurant has traditionally included a lively bar scene, with willowy bodies wandering through the tall steel tables. Despite its bargains on sushi and rolls during happy hour, early evening seems less popular than late night. Some bar patrons drink while waiting for tables; others show up just for a drink or perhaps a bit of a flirt. Forty or so sakes are served, and if you're lucky half that many attractive people may make eye contact with you. (360)
x Kerbey Lane       Rest   Diner     OK am pm   Central 3704 Kerbey   Pancakes. Cake for breakfast! Kerbey Lane serves them up a variety of ways, with all sorts of fruit, spices, and yummy goodies. Migas and breakfast tacos also tempt. Sometimes it's just too tough to choose what type of breakfast to have. The waistline conscious might just opt for some delicious fresh fruit and cottage cheese. Hey, who says breakfast has to be eaten in the morning? Open 24 hours, Kerbey can satisfy your pancake (or whatever) craving anytime. (Chronicle)
  Kerbey Lane - Guadalupe       Rest   Diner     OK am pm   Central 2606 Guadalupe   Pancakes. Cake for breakfast! Kerbey Lane serves them up a variety of ways, with all sorts of fruit, spices, and yummy goodies. Migas and breakfast tacos also tempt. Sometimes it's just too tough to choose what type of breakfast to have. The waistline conscious might just opt for some delicious fresh fruit and cottage cheese. Hey, who says breakfast has to be eaten in the morning? Open 24 hours, Kerbey can satisfy your pancake (or whatever) craving anytime. (Chronicle)
x Kerbey Lane - S. Lamar       Rest   Diner     OK am pm Never South 2700 S. Lamar   Pancakes. Cake for breakfast! Kerbey Lane serves them up a variety of ways, with all sorts of fruit, spices, and yummy goodies. Migas and breakfast tacos also tempt. Sometimes it's just too tough to choose what type of breakfast to have. The waistline conscious might just opt for some delicious fresh fruit and cottage cheese. Hey, who says breakfast has to be eaten in the morning? Open 24 hours, Kerbey can satisfy your pancake (or whatever) craving anytime. (Chronicle)
x La Dolce Vita     Coffee   Snax Ice cream   Yes OK   pm Never Hyde Park 4222 Duval    
x La La's Little Nugget   Bar       None   No No   pm   N. Central 2207 Justin Lane 453-2521 At dive bar La la's, it's always Christmas and a row of elves hangs above the bar (they're connected to the men's bathroom door; when the door opens, the elves drop a few inches lower, occasionally startling patrons).With pool tables, a jukebox full of Patsy Cline and Frank Sinatra, and a waitstaff that doesn't care whether you're there or not, it's where you'd go to shoot pool and drink bourbon after your wife left you. Or, alternately, if you're a hipster; they seem to pervade the place. (360)
x La Tazza Fresca WF   Coffee   Snax     Yes OK am   Never Central   Guadalupe    
x Lavaca Street Bar   Bar         Liquor       pm Never Warehouse 405 Lavaca 469-0106 Accidentally interfere with a shuffleboard game and folks will groan, but not shout; Lavaca is a friendly, low-key hangout where the drinks are sturdy and the attitude is relaxed. Pool, shuffleboard, Golden Tee, nine TVs and lots of stools at the bar help create the casual atmosphere Lavaca is known for — and which is in direct contrast to many of its swankier Warehouse District neighbors. $1 off most drinks during happy hour. The doors are open. Go on in. (360)
If pool, shuffleboard, and bar sports in general are your cup of tea, Lavaca Street is the place to be. It also happens to be one of the best places in the Warehouse District for people watching (the whole front wall of the bar is completely open to the street). We suggest hitting them up on a "Thirsty Thursday" to take advantage of their $2 Bud Light special. (Chronicle)
  Light Bar   Bar                 pm   Warehouse 408 Congress 473-8544 This has all the trappings of an urban, hip, upscale place (including being named a notable bar by In Style magazine): a fabulous patio overlooking downtown, ever-changing mood lighting (red and blue most often, green for St. Patrick's, orange for Halloween, etc.), DJs, salsa nights, gorgeous tiling, upscale and inventive specialty drinks, cozy seating like split-up suede sectionals and velvet couches, dance music streaming on its Web site. As seems appropriate, the crowd tends to be cool. (360)
The cool combination of steel-and-leather, cascading waterfalls, massage chairs, and plasma screen TVs lends this bar a truly upscale atmosphere. The rooftop lounge provides a great view of the Frost Tower. As if that weren't enough, their online photo gallery makes this one experience that you are sure to remember the next morning. (Chronicle)
x Little City - Congress WF   Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse B&W No OK am pm Never Downtown 916 Congress    
x Little Woodrow's WF Bar       None   Yes     pm   Warehouse 520 W. 6th 477-2337 The sports bar across from Star Bar on the grown-ups' end of Sixth Street is the best kind of sports bar a nonsports girl could hope for. Sure, there are big TVs for watching the game, but there's also a deck with space to congregate, mingle, swan, flirt, tiptoe, sit, wave to the people over at Star Bar and otherwise occupy yourself in such a manner that you can ignore the traffic cruising down Sixth Street if that's what you want to do. The beer selection is extensive — more than 100 different kinds. (360)
  Lobby Lounge at the Four Seasons   Bar     Snax Bar food Liquor       pm   6th & RR 98 San Jacinto 685-8150 In some ways, arriving at the lobby bar feels like leaving Austin. Yes, there's a small deer's head up by the bar, but the bar is elegant. Paris is elegant. Austin is funky. The embossed linen coasters, the fresh towels in the bathroom, tightly folded, the staff courteous and swift: This was big city, elegant stuff. And yet . . . the bar is very much Austin. If for no other reason than that the large graceful windows overlook the Town Lake hike-and-bike trail. (360)
Did you know that Austin's "official drink" is called the Batini? Neither did we. Nevertheless, you can swill Batinis at the Lobby Lounge, housed, appropriately enough, in the lobby of the Four Seasons. On second thought, you'd better sip: It is the Four Seasons, after all, and you don't want to appear gauche. The lounge also offers "light fare" and "hors d’oeuvres," known in more common establishments as "snacks" and "appetizers." (Chronicle)
x Longbranch WF Bar       None B&W Yes No   pm Never East side 1133 E. 11th 472-5477 There are things to love here, namely the gorgeous oak bar, the low modern sofas and chairs, small tables, high bar stools, the almost-downtown location with none of the chaos of actual downtown, the neighborhoodiness, the long narrow (nearly 'gunshot') shape of it so that all things are visible and people-watching extensively possible. Longbranch people-watching is often great — from magenta suits and hats to goatees and long hair and lots of ordinary folks in between. (360)
x Lovejoy's WF Bar       None Liquor No No   pm Never 6th & RR 604 Neches 477-1268 Guys with bedhead and bright orange band T-shirts chatted with girls in pegged pants and ponytails. My friends and I sat on an overstuffed couch and poured house microbrewed beers from the pitcher, while everything from Serge Gainsbourg and Luscious Jackson to Tom Waits sang from the jukebox. But lest you think that Lovejoy's is the exclusive province of the tattooed musical-trivia elite, let me add that it's truly an Austin bar — low-key and full of all kinds of people. (360)
x Lucky Lounge   Bar           No No   pm Never Warehouse 209 W. 5th   It's crowded, but not too crowded. It's loud but not too loud. It's tops for watching music or even a low-key game of pool. On the downside, there's no parking, but on the upside, no cover! It's not about luck; it's about balance. (Chronicle)
x Madam Mam's       Rest   Thai   No OK   pm   Central 2514 Guadalupe    
x Madras Pavillion       Rest   Indian BYOB No OK   pm   N. Central 9025 Research    
x Magnolia - Lake Austin       Rest Snax Diner B&W No OK am pm   South 2304 Lake Austin    
x Magnolia - S. Congress       Rest   Diner B&W No OK am pm   SoCo 1920 S. Congress    
x Malaga   Bar       Tapas Liquor No     pm Never Warehouse 208 W. 4th 236-8020 Smack dab in the middle of the Warehouse Dist., Malaga is a wine and tapas bar. Not that they don't have a full bar; they do and you can find liquors from Grey Goose to sundry Scotches. But with 50 wines by the glass (many priced at $5 and $6) and 300 wines available by the bottle, wine tends to be the more interesting choice. Tapas involve fabulous words like 'manchego,' and 'tortilla,' and selected tapas can be paired with selected wines for only $6 during happy hour. (360) Voted one of the 1,200 top wine lists in the world by Wine Spectator magazine, this place sabe el vino. And it's only place in Austin where you can eat authentic Spanish tapas (fingerfood). Their $6 wine/tapas happy hour special is one of many highlights, as are sporadic flamenco nights, valet parking, and local artists' displays. Wear your finest bolero jacket and get ready to tango, you matador, you. (Chronicle)
x Marrakesh       Rest   Middle Eastern B&W No OK   pm Never Downtown   Congress    
x Mars   Bar   Rest   Pan-Asian Liquor No OK   pm Never Downtown 1610 San Antonio 472-3901 Red and intimate. A handful of tables, a short shelf along a wall, a full bar and wait-staff service: Mars invites. I've been in a couple of times to chat with girlfriends over a Marstini (Absolut Citron, Grand Mariner and a lemon twist) or Martian (raspberry bellini) or wine or bourbon. The Pacific Rim food smells good and looks delectable as it passes us by, but we like chatting over dim lamplight and red and black décor and consuming tasty beverages. (360) Worth another Pathfinder mission. The red planet serves an interesting nouvelle twist on Asian cuisine. Great for dates. (Chronicle)
  Mean-Eyed Cat   Bar         B&W       pm Never Warehouse 1621 W. 5th 472-6326 Here are things I appreciate about the Mean-Eyed Cat: 1) By my third visit into the MEC, the bartender/owner Chris Marsh remembered what I drank. 2) Johnny Cash. The words 'mean-eyed cat' are actually from a Johnny Cash song and the bar is an homage to the man in black. 3) They serve Frito pie on Monday nights. Here's another thing that might interest you: There's no hard alcohol. Beer dominates and it's priced to move: $2.50 a Shiner. $2 Pearl in a can. $3 Carta Blanca. (360)
x Molotov   Bar       None Liquor Yes     pm   Warehouse 719 W. 6th 499-0600 The new rooftop bar and patio at Molotov may be good, but the best thing about Molotov is still the long window facing West Sixth Street. Fresh air circulates when it's open, and more importantly, the window provides an excellent vantage point from which to encourage/tease/cheer on people attempting to parallel park on Sixth. Big arty panels separate one room from another and they suit the bar's vaguely Russian theme, with Americanized Soviet propaganda posters. (360)
  Moonshine   Bar         Liquor       pm   6th & RR 303 Red River 236-9599 You can drink wine; you can drink cocktails; you can drink small-batch bourbon; you can eat shrimp dipped in a corn-dog batter and fried. Moonshine has a little something for everyone. A favorite for its happy-hour specials, Moonshine seats customers on the veranda and the patio, and even has an indoor patio bar at the carriage house, complete with a fireplace. In all these places, you can munch traditional American fare, sip a glass of wine and study the 19th-century building. (360)
x Mother Egan's WF Bar     Snax Bar food Liquor Yes OK   pm Never Warehouse 715 W. 6th 478-7747 Proper Irish pub — pub food, good Guinness, god bless 'em. It's neighborhood-y, the way most pubs in Ireland are, meaning the wood's dark, the snugs are cozy, and people stop in for a casual drink on Sat. (or Tues. or Mon.) afternoons. Mother Egan's offers weekly pub quizzes, Wi-Fi, Sunday brunches, has been known to host live World Cup match viewing. (360)
x Mother's       Rest   Veg-o-rama B&W No OK   pm Never Hyde Park        
x Mozart's     Coffee   Snax Coffehouse None Yes OK am   Never South 3825 Lake Austin    
  Mugshots   Bar         Liquor       pm   6th & RR 407 E. 7th 236-0008 Owned by some of the same folks as Barfly's, Mugshots is downtown and has very affordable drinks ($3.50 Jack and Coke, for example). Conversation is easy; wandering through the various rooms with the original stone and structure exposed. There's a photo booth for capturing memories, a pool table, foosball and lots and lots of seating in a variety of rooms — including a new back smoking patio. Some corners are dimly lit, some have good lines of sight. (360)               From the Barfly's guys, who know what makes a good bar. Good drinks, good tunes, and pictures of celebrities and no-names posing for the po-po's on all the walls. There's even a photo booth to take your own line-up pose. The jukebox is one to ponder over with folding cash in hand, with a simple bar and a mellow aftertaste. Very mellow. Who knows, you might even see someone you know. On the wall. (Chronicle)
  Nau's       Rest   Diner     OK     Never Downtown 1115 W. Lynn    
x New World Deli WF     Rest   Deli   No OK       Central   Guadalupe    
x NorthxNorthwest       Rest   Whatever B&W Patio OK   pm Never N. Central   Braker Lane   Good beer. Music on covered patio some nights.
x Noodle-ism WF     Rest   Pan-Asian B&W No OK   pm   Warehouse 107 W. 5th   Soba noodles, udon noodles, Nitro noodles, and even noodles that are less Asian and definitely more Italian, plus all manner of tasty sauces, soups, seafood, sides, and beverages to accompany those noodles in an elegant little eatery. Can you beat that? They can: They're open late! 10pm, weekdays and 11pm, Friday and Saturday. And did we mention the mochi balls? Do not leave without trying these creamy, sweet confections! (Chronicle)
  Nuevo León   Bar   Rest   Tex-mex Liquor       pm   6th & RR 1501 E. 6th 479-0097 I first found out about floaters at this relocated and expanded Mexican restaurant with its lively indoor and outdoor drinks scene, the latter overlooking Plaza Saltillo. Just that splash of premium tequila on the crest of a creamy frozen margarita elevates the drink from an adolescent slushy into an adult delectation. Politicos assemble here, as do folks fresh off from work; the interior bar can get overly festive, but the deck — when shaded — can be paradise with a buzz. — Michael Barnes (360)
  Oasis   Bar   Rest     Liquor       pm   Lake Travis 6550 Commanche Tr.   The Oasis is all about the view. This multidecked mammoth of a restaurant hangs high on a cliff overlooking Lake Travis. Folks come from miles around to enjoy the panoramic view of the Austin sunset, which at the Oasis is marked by the enthusiastic clanging of a bell followed by hearty applause from the masses.
  Oilcan Harry's   Bar       Bar food Liquor       pm   Warehouse 211 W. 4th 320-8823 It's gay goodness. Oilcan's has been around for years and is a hopping joint. Although it has a quieter room, most of the bar is loud and crazy on weekend nights. The entire space encompasses about 6,900 square feet: outdoor patio with bar, big central bar, dance floor with a mirrored ball. Women are welcome (there's even a women's bathroom, though men have been known to use it too). Nights are themed. And of course, there are DJs, playing music you can dance to. (360)                Nights at Oilcan Harry's can't be beat when it comes to stuff like Retro Tuesdays — complete with retro drink prices — and strippers doin' their thang from all angles as you dance your pants off underneath a faaabulous disco ball. Really, the only place you'll find a better selection of meat is at the deli. (Chronicle)
  One-2-One Bar WF Bar         Liquor       pm Never 6th & RR 121 E. 5th 473-0121 It's a neighborhood joint, sure, and yeah, there's cheap drinks, but the real draw is poker. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, there are two seatings: at 7 and 10 (5 and 8 on Saturdays). Get there a half-hour early to sign up for one of eight spots at each of the tables. No, you can't win actual money, but you can win prizes. And if you don't want to play, pretty soon you should be able to go to the rooftop bar (opening in the not-too-distant future) and smoke a hookah. (360)
x Opal Divine's Freehouse WF Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. Liquor Yes OK   pm Never Warehouse 700 W. 6th 477-3308 The rambling wooden pub is ideal for fans of single-malt scotch: Scotch tastings are regularly organized, and the list of whiskeys runs from peaty Highland scotches (yuck) to delectable Speyside scotches (Balvenie — yum). Beer, gin, Guinness, a full bar and a kitchen keep non-scotch folks happy, too. What's even more appealing is the copious amount of deck seating. Shady, sunny, upstairs, downstairs — but no matter where you set down, there are few things more pleasant than sitting outside with a cold beer on a warm night. Or a warming scotch on a cold night. Or beer and scotch on any night. Yeah. (360)
One of the best wine and spirits menus availble in our fair city, a massive porch, and a kickin' jukebox. What more could you ask for in a pub? Darts? A faux British telephone booth? Tasty vittles? They got those, too. (Chronicle)
x Opal Divine's Penn Field WF Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. Liquor Yes OK   pm Never SoCo   S. Congress    
x Pacha     Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes OK am pm Never N. Central   N. Lamar    
  Paggi House   Bar         Liquor       pm   South 200 Lee Barton 499-8835 One of the oldest buildings in Austin has long housed a traditional linen-napkin restaurant. Now, the back room has been cleared out for a light-filled, lively bar, which spills out onto patios, some decorated by recently uncovered limestone cisterns. The cocktails are among the most scrumptious in town and waiters regularly float by your table (or couch) with tempting delectables. The new owners have added music, art and movie events, as well as a thriving happy hour. — M.B. (360)
  Peacock   Bar         Liquor       pm   East side 515 Pedernales 276-8979 Designed by Joel Mozersky, who also did Uchi, Oslo and the Real World Austin house, the walls are a deep teal green when the lights are dim, blue when they're brighter. Peacocks emblazon the low white chairs and the high tall bar stools. Chandeliers tinkle and all the trim is bright white. The interior felt like Faulkner meets Wonka. The cement patio, divided from the street and parking lot by white cinderblock walls with corrugated metal, is reasonably sized and, on some nights, hip. (360)
  Pete's Dueling Piano Bar   Bar         Liquor       pm   6th & RR 421 E. 6th 472-7383 Who knew so many people would go to a piano bar and how many of them would request wedding DJ classics such as 'Sweet Home Alabama' and 'Sweet Caroline'? Two guys, two pianos, a whole lot of crowd participation. At Pete's, patrons request songs, offer the bartender a tip. Occasionally, rival songs are requested, with people throwing more and more money into the kitty for their song to be played. Combine that with some adult beverages and a rowdy night may ensue. (360)                What?! No celebrity death match? At least there's plenty of “friendly fire” in the forms of Captain & Tennille or Simon & Garfunkel. But then again, it's listeners' choice. Audience requests from AC/DC to Eminem are welcome as two baby grand pianists tinkle it out. Plus, one of the bartenders is local hip-hop artist MC Overlord (Don Robinson), who sometimes freestyles along. The measly $5 cover is worth it for a rootin’, hootin’, and hollerin’ good time. And if you want to get Pete’s name tattooed on your arm, you can visit Buzz Jr.’s Tattoo upstairs. (Chronicle)
  Poodle Dog Lounge   Bar         B&W* No No   pm Never N. Central 6507 Burnet 465-9468 Frat boys and alternative types come in, but the Poodle Dog is essentially smoke-voiced and blue collar. It's AC/DC's 'Back in Black' and George Jones' heartbroke wailing, depending on who's at the jukebox. When the George Jones folks get going, they sometimes two-step through the pool tables, paunchy older guys leaning in close to their wives and girlfriends. Beer comes in cans or bottles, but mostly cans. You can bring hard liquor and buy set-ups, but mostly you drink beer. (360)
x Progress Coffee WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W No OK am pm Never East side 500 San Marcos   Our fair burg sports its share of good politics, great nosh, and stylish environs, but few dare to dream of the hat trick upstarts Joshua and Sarah Bingaman of Progress Coffee have pulled off: the harmonic convergence of all three. Located in a developing area but conscientiously occupying a revamped warehouse rather than gobbling up any of the neighborhood’s precious housing, Progress serves fair-trade, shade-grown organic coffee; the food – fresh, mostly local, organic – walks a tasty line between deli standards and gourmet innovation; they tirelessly co-sponsor events and projects with local nonprofits; and some of Austin’s best artwork can be found in their carefully curated, superbly lit, gallery-worthy space, which is airy and sophisticated without being pretentious. They’ve recently introduced some early music shows and film events, and there’s no reason to doubt Progress will continue to live up to its definition of “continual betterment,” every day in every way. (Chronicle)
x Quack's - 37th 1/2 WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse None Yes OK am pm Never Central 1400 E. 37 1/2th    
x Quack's - Hyde Park WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse None Yes OK am pm Never Hyde Park 411 E. 43rd    
  Rain on 4th   Bar         Liquor       pm   Warehouse 217 W. 4th   Look at Austin, getting all gay district on ya'. This Fourth Street club is a classy, non-pretentious way to do up your cocktail right. The backyard patio is big enough to inspire romantic whisperings, (or slurrings, depending on how late it is) with heaters to keep you warm if no one else will and a view to die for. There's enough bar to go around, and, here's the kicker: a throwback to old school disco with their Billy-Jean's-not-my-lover-light-up- dancefloor; this place has flare. It's got style. It's a mixed crowd, a casual atmos, and strong drinks poured by strong hunks. Definitely a classy way to go gay. (Chronicle)
  Red Fez   Bar         Liquor       pm   Warehouse 209-B W. 5th 478-5120 Some folks say the bar is romantic — it's dimly lit, it's got an exotic flair, the drinks are reasonably strong. Other folks really like the music — the Sunday night hip-hop with DJ Kurupt in particular. The Fez hosts an Arabian Night with belly dancers, offers hookahs and free Middle Eastern appetizers, and the interior has an Arabian Nights flavor: mosaic tiles, long drapes, large hexagonal metal screens that complement the tile, a hookah. It tends to pop later, rather than earlier, in the evening. (360)
  Ritz   Bar         Liquor       pm Never 6th & RR 320 E. 6th 474-2270 The Ritz is a great place — flames on the walls, high ceilings, eight pool tables, two air-hockey tables, pinball machines, arcade games, foosball. It's like a punk rock/skater/alternatype teenager's fantasy den. The tables and chairs would make a House & Garden editor cry: metal benches covered in stickers and beat-up sofas — things a little spilled beer wouldn't hurt. And surely at least one beer has been spilled in the joint, perhaps at one of the regular air hockey tournaments. (360)
x Ruta Maya WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W   Toys am pm Some SoCo   S. Congress    
  Saba   Bar         Liquor       pm   Warehouse 208-D W. 4th 478-7222 I prefer Saba's mojitos to its caipirinhas, but I appreciate knowing both are an option. The vast majority of this blue-water watering hole is occupied by the restaurant. However, the tall tables and stools in the bar area can get packed to the gills during happy hour as plush people nibble on appetizers and drink the fabulous and ordinary. Watch the fish in the giant tank behind the bar, chat with bartenders when it's slow, or sit near the window so that everyone walking down Fourth can see you. (360)
Named not for Texas' San Saba River but for a volcano in the Caribbean Sea, Saba overflows with tropical cocktail concoctions. One specialty they make by the raftload is the tastiest mojito to ever touch lips. The house fave, they're fresh, stiff, and fruity. Another specialty is their Saba Island Tea, a Long Island Iced Tea with an altogether different sort of island tinge. They also serve the Michelada: a bottle of Corona, lime, a salted glass of ice, and Bloody Mary mix. One sip and you're on island time!  (Chronicle)
The bar-long fish tank, wave-inspired walls, and constant sound of trickling water give Saba a refreshing sea-breeze ambiance. Or it just makes you have to use their restroom. It's pretty hip, hip-hop music blaring, and an open bar area for lots of schmoozin'-n-boozin' with the area's hottest duders and ditties. Happy Hour (Mon-Fri, 4-7pm) is hopping with select sharable plates and speciality drinks half-price. Busy, loud, and plenty of drinking.  (Chronicle)
x Salvation Pizza       Rest   Pizza B&W Yes OK   pm Never Central 624 W. 34th St. 535-0076  
  Sam's Town Point   Bar                 pm   South 2115 Allred Dr. 282-0083 Low ceilings like an old rec room, green patterned carpet, wooden chairs and stools with those rounded spokes that look like they could have come from a tall ship's steering wheel, long tables, little tables, round tables: A plethora of seating options is yours in the one big room that is the bar. If you order a beer — and it's the kind of place where you should order a beer — you get your own koozie with it. This bar is just outside city limits, meaning you can light up. (360)
x Saxon Pub   Bar         Liquor       pm Always South 1320 S. Lamar    
x Scholz Garten WF Bar         B&W Yes     pm Never Downtown 1607 San Jacinto 474-1958 This is an old-fashioned beer garden. Opened at the end of the Civil War in 1866 by August Scholz, it's an enormous place; outdoors alone, more than 25 picnic tables seat guests — some of whom share tables when the place is crowded, just like in a German beer garden. Polka bands play, famous Texas politicos have hung their hats and eaten lunch here, novels (at least one) have featured the joint, and folks cheer on UT here. It's a storied Austin venue. And there's beer. (360)
x Shady Grove   Bar   Rest   Burgers, etc. Liquor Yes OK   pm Some Barton Springs 1624 Barton Springs 474-991 The patio is one of the main draws at Shady Grove. With shady sections, sunny sections and about 35 tables, pasty-faces and sun goddesses alike can be accommodated. Additionally, a completely covered outdoor waiting area is available, and a no-cover-at-all waiting area allows you to drink as you burn. Wagon wheels, wooden fences, strings of light bulbs, umbrellas in the real heat of summer: things to look at while sipping margaritas after a day at Barton Springs. (360)
  Sherlock's Baker Street Public House & Grill   Bar         Liquor       pm Never N. Central 9012 Research 380-9443 This place is bells and whistles and British-themed. A red phone booth stands by the front door. Inside, the first room has lots of polished wood, snugs, booths and big sit-and-chat leather chairs. Exit stage left — to the game room next door has three Golden Tees, darts, pool and foosball. To the right of the main room is the gi-normous dancing room. The dance floor runs up almost to the stage, where bands play every night but Sundays and Tuesdays. (360)
  Shoal Creek Saloon WF Bar   Rest   Louisiana Liquor       pm   Warehouse 909 N. Lamar 474-0805 Shoal Creek Saloon, the neighborhood sports bar with Louisiana flair, serves po' boys and oysters and fried crawfish to soothe the gullets of the saintly fans. It's worn and comfortable, with wood that's been distressed by years instead of style. Games play in the background — baseball and football and whatever else requires numbers to determine who wins. Outside, plastic chairs mix with wooden benches; ceiling fans whir. In addition to the usual beer, now serves hard liquor. (360)
  Side Bar   Bar                 pm Never 6th & RR 602 E. 7th 322-0697 Located right behind Elysium on Seventh Street, this is an addition to the Red River world and feels like it belongs to the Casino-Lovejoy's-Deville triumvirate. It's got a wry, ironic side: The first Thursday of every month is moustache night when all bartenders, women included, wear sweeping 'staches and patrons are invited to do the same. It's got a hipster tenor: Hong Kong action films have been known to karate chop their way across the pair of TV screens. (360)                        We're not sure when the Side Bar crept into the Austin's collective hipster consciousness, but it doesn't look like it'll be leaving anytime soon. The bar may not share the dark, gritty ambience and aesthetic of Casino or Ed's Cucaracha, but it's beginning to share their regulars. The weekend crowd keeps the noise level high enough that you can ignore your post-show tinnitus and still hear your own conversation. (Chronicle)
  Six   Bar         Liquor       pm   Warehouse 117 W. 4th 472-6662 Two words: rooftop patio. Six has joined the handful of bars around town with stairs that lead to a view of the city. Heat lamps, a full bar, a view of the Warehouse District nightlife below round out the patio amenities. 2nd floor has dark, intimate seating near the turntables (DJs 3 nights a week). And a balcony that overlooks the main floor, with its cocktail tables and plush seating, as well as two enormous TVs (and several less enormous ones). (360)
x Spiderhouse WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse B&W Yes OK am pm Never Central 2908 Fruth    
  Star Bar   Bar         Liquor Yes     pm   Warehouse 600 W. 6th 477-8550 It might happen. You might be sitting at a table in the urbane Star Bar, when the people at the table beside you ask to borrow a chair. When you ask what it's worth to them, they might reply that they're starving artists and so it's only worth their eternal gratitude, which you accept. You might suddenly find yourself subsumed into their group, their rowdy, flushed group of faux-finishers and wood-distressers-to-the-newly-wealthy; they are drunk and promise you endless entertainment. (360)
Almost finished with the backside patio to complement the one up front, Star Bar looks to continue its trend of luring 20 and 30-somethings in with its inventive drink menu and cozy interior. (Chronicle)
x Star Seeds WF     Rest   Diner   No OK am pm   Central 3101 N. I-35    If it's breakfast you want, they have eggs the way you like, pancakes in multiple flavors, french toast, oatmeal, and breakfast burritos. No? Well how about some chicken and mashed potatoes, a variety of veggie burgers and hamburgers, kettle fries, french fries, BLTs, tacos, or just a delicious slice of apple pie? We all know and love this Austin landmark for its atmosphere and loud music, but for those odd-hour grilled cheese and ice cream cravings or for picky eaters at all hours of the day, noon to midnight, this is the place to be. (Chronicle)
  Starlite WF Bar         Liquor       pm   Warehouse 407 Colorado 374-9012 Now that it's moved next to the Alamo Downtown, you may, if you wish, drink a pomegranate cocktail in the main bar. But if there isn't a private party, you might consider checking out the upstairs lounge. It's cozy and intimate, with dining tables and a pair of small rooms where you and five or so of your friends can lounge. Light blue and funky cool, it's the kind of space that makes your want to find some deco shoes and a dress Hepburn wouldn't be ashamed to wear (Audrey or Katharine). (360)
  Stephen F's Bar & Terrace   Bar         Liquor       pm   6th & RR 701 Congress 457-8800 I never sit inside; always on the terrace. The appeal is something akin to elegance. The interior of the bar itself is attractive, but in a leather-and-cigar-and-TV kind of way. Outside, there's a loveliness to sitting on the terrace, the lights of the Capitol illuminating a friend's face, the traffic and people moving through Congress Avenue a flight below. I often find myself undoing my budget by ordering one of the $12 drinks on the menu because Jack Daniels doesn't look pretty in a martini glass. (360)
x Summermoon WF   Coffee             am pm Never South 3115 S. 1st   London coffeehouses in the 1600s helped spawn newspapers, when patrons came hungry for information and journalistic souls spread news from one shop to another. Today we have the Internet for that, but should we desire to feel paper in our hands, Summermoon would be the place. Every chair is cushy, and there's always a free table. The music is low, and the few conversations taking place aren't loud. Recent law-school graduates Patty Chang and Julie Pandya rely on Summermoon to get them through hours of reading to prepare for the bar exam. 'Other places, my butt starts hurting,' Chang says. Plus, with the stone wall in the middle of the room and the lime-green plush table and chairs, it's almost like having coffee at the 'Brady Bunch' house. (360)
x Sunflower       Rest   Thai None? No OK   pm   N. Central 8557 Research    
  Sweetish Hill - Downtown     Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse None   OK am   Never Downtown   Congress    
x Sweetish Hill - W. 6th     Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse None Yes OK am   Never Warehouse   W. 6th   Best scones in town.
  T.C.'s Lounge   Bar         B&W* or liq?       pm Some East side 1413 Webberville 926-2200 An historically African American East Austin bar owned by T.C. Perkins since 1979, it lures musicians and locals with its blues and DJs. T.C. sells only beer and set-ups. Beer is cheap, but lots of folks bring their own booze. One Saturday, lots of folks were dressed to the nines — purple suits and hats, glorious thigh-high boots — and lots of folks weren't. There was dancing and bustle and a $3 cover. Mondays, they play the blues. (360)
  Tambaleo   Bar                 pm   Warehouse 302 Bowie 472-3213 Everything about Tambaleo — housed in the old Electric Lounge space — is fat and sassy and well-to-do. The couches are overstuffed, the color scheme runs to tasteful umbers and reds, the bar curves fully around. Think DJs, think art on the walls, think wide open space adjoined by cozy small rooms, think collared shirts undone a button or two. And don't forget parking (there's an actual lot just outside the bar). 'Intelligent Austin Lounging,' the Web site calls it. I buy it. (360)
  Tavern   Bar         Liquor     am pm   Warehouse 922 W. 12th (12th & Lamar) 320-8377 It's one of the few bars where you can order breakfast. Every day but Monday and Tuesday, at 7 a.m., patrons can help themselves to omelets and tacos with their screwdrivers. After a fire closed it down in 2002, the Tavern sports bar reopened with the same low-key attitude and brand new paint. A full bar, with a full menu, the Tavern looks vaguely German from the outside but is full of all-American goodness on the inside. Sports dominate the TVs. Open, in one form or another, since 1916. (360)
x Thai Kitchen       Rest   Thai   No OK   pm   Central 3009 Guadalupe    
x Thai Passion       Rest   Thai Liquor No OK   pm Never Downtown 620 Congress   Open late. Entrance on 7th
x Thai Tara       Rest   Thai   No OK   pm   Warehouse 601 W. 6th   Thai Tara totally tanatalizes tastebuds. At 2 o'clock. On a Tuesday. Seriously, the Yum Pla Duk Foo is delicious: fluffy fried fish and peanuts in a green apple salad. It's Thai-rific (you knew that was coming…). (Chronicle)
x Theo's WF   Coffee   Snax Ice cream   Yes OK am pm Never Central   W. 35th    
  Threadgill's - N. Lamar WF Bar   Rest     Liquor   OK   pm Some N. Central   N. Lamar    
x Threadgill's - SoCo   Bar   Rest Snax   Liquor Yes OK   pm Some SoCo        
x Thunderbird Coffee WF   Coffee   Snax     Yes OK am pm Never N. Central   2222    
x Triannon WF   Coffee   Snax Coffehouse None No OK am   Never West Lake   Bee Caves    
  Trophy's   Bar         Liquor       pm Some SoCo 2008 S. Congress 447-0969 Trophy's is long and deep toward the back, where the stage is. It's got crummy floors, the pool table, the jukebox, the bad lighting, bathrooms that make me want to hold it till I get home — real dive bar stuff. Sure, there are some fancy beers on tap, like Sierra Nevada, and all kinds of imports in bottles, and yes, there may be some serious hamburgers coming from the kitchen, but it's still a dive. And one loved by hipsters and hardened barflies alike. (360)
  Trudy's Texas Star   Bar         Liquor       pm   Central 409 W. 30th 477-2935 Who can resist a Mexican martini? Actually if you want to keep your wits about you, resisting that martini may be in order. (Two are the limit.) Created in 1977, Trudy's stays open till 2 a.m. — at least in the bar area. All-day happy hour happens on Mondays. So close to UT and all that is Central Austin, Trudy's is low-key and full of people, some eating, some drinking, nearly all making merry. Plus, with locations down south and up north, merriness can be had all over town. (360)
Nobody likes Mondays, right? Unless, of course, you leave work early, or never go in, and report to the bar at Trudy's, where the restaurant's regular happy hour lasts all day and you get a dollar off all margaritas and 50 cents off beer and alcohol. Then Mondays are just fine. You've got to admire efficiency, poise, and grace, especially when it's in the form of a waitperson that you know must spend three quarters of their time on the job "in the weeds." We salute the waitstaff of Trudy's Texas Star, who always bring our quesadillas and chips quickly to our table, and we toast them with our Happy Hour margs and Mexican martinis (with extra olives). Cheers!  (Chronicle)
x TX French Bread - 29th WF   Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse   Yes OK am   Never Central   Rio Grande    
  TX French Bread - Red River WF   Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse     OK am   Never Central 3213 Red River    
  TX French Bread - S. Congress WF   Coffee Rest Snax Coffehouse     OK am   Never SoCo 1722 S. Congress    
x Upper Crust     Coffee   Snax Coffehouse   No   am   Never N. Central   N. Lamar    
  V Lounge   Bar         Liquor       pm   6th & RR 301 E. 5th 472-1860 This is a high-class joint at Eddie V's Edgewater Grille, with live music, good wine and seafood artfully presented on a plate. It's also full of high-class people. It's a good place, candle-lit and warm. Happy hour is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. every day and all night Sunday and Monday. During happy hour, oysters cost about 40 cents apiece, and appetizers are half off. Drinks are a dollar off too, but that really doesn't much matter if you're ordering martinis or cosmos anyway. Pricey and worth it. (360)
x Vivo   Bar       Tex-Mex Liquor Yes     pm   East side 2015 Manor 482-0300 This East Austin hot spot, which has added a monthly gay and lesbian night, has a lovely deck full of brightly colored plants. But for those who don't like sitting outside on spacious decks vined with flowers, Vivo has an inside drinking area. A dozen chairs line the fully-stocked bar, a quartet of tall tables provides room to nosh, and a pair of large brown leather love seats match an ottoman or two and low wooden rustic coffee table. House margaritas cost $8.95 (a small is only $4.95). (360)
  Whisky Bar   Bar         Liquor       pm Some Warehouse 303 W. 5th 481-8599 Given that the bar specializes in single-malt scotches such as Scapa and small-batch bourbons such as Basil Hayden's, it would behoove you to order something spiffy — or, at the very least, a nice sipping Irish whiskey. The big front room, with its many booths, tables, modern art and a small stage for live music; the tiny middle room with its booths facing the bathroom doors and cigarette machine; and the back room with space cleared out to dance to DJ music: each good to drink whiskey. (360)
  Wink Wine Bar   Bar                 pm   Warehouse 1014 N. Lamar 482-8868 The wine list, as you might imagine from the reputation of the restaurant next door, is sterling. You can order nibbles from the restaurant here, but the real lure to this intimate space is the wine. They're labeled welcomingly: 'Rich, ripe & substantial whites' for example or 'Big, bold & brazen reds.' The wine list changes as the wine-istas who run the show find new things: At any given point, about 40 to 50 wines are available by the glass; or by the bottle, of course. (360) Stewart Scruggs and Mark Paul are two celebrated Austin chefs, who together have created an incredible - and affordable - dining experience. From the gourmet menu that'll have you wishing for a little taste of everything to the wine bar with 70 high-quality vintages, Wink is an Austin fave. (Chronicle)
x Zen - Anderson WF     Rest   Pan-Asian   No OK   pm Never N. Central   Anderson    
x Zen - Guadalupe WF     Rest   Pan-Asian     OK   pm Never Central   Guadalupe    
x Zen - SoCo WF     Rest   Pan-Asian     OK   pm Never SoCo   S. Congress    
  Z'Tejas   Bar         Liquor       pm   Warehouse 1110 W. 6th 478-5355 The margaritas will kill ya. But in such a good way. When I first moved to Austin, I ordered a swirl margarita, forgetting that the last time I had one (or four), I called an old friend's parents' home number, instead of his, at a rather late hour. Ten years later, I know how to have just one beverage. But it's hard. Z'Tejas, with its 40-person wooden front patio, 50-person annex bar, fresh Mexican appetizers to nibble, full bar and deadly margaritas, still calls like a siren. (360)