50 Best Cocktail Bars in Austin

“Food was excellent!! our waitress, Claudia, was super friendly.“

“A great spot and fun atmosphere.“

“My date brought me to this amazing establishment, knowing just how much I love stargazing. ✨ And to my surprise, the entire ceiling is covered in stars! It was absolutely gorgeous and made the experience feel so magical.

The dim lighting, sophisticated underground atmosphere, and overall ambiance created such an incredible vibe. It’s giving little bit of magic all in one.“

“Great mix of cocktails. I tried a variety of their cocktails and each was perfectly balanced.“

“We had such a wonderful experience hosting our event here this past weekend! From start to finish, Shanna was absolutely incredible to work with. She was responsive, accommodating, and went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly. Her professionalism and attention to detail made such a difference, and we truly appreciated all of her support throughout the planning process and onsite. The event was an overall success, and we couldn't be happier with how everything came together! We would absolutely recommend this venue and look forward to hopefully working with Shanna and the team again in the future!“

“Thanks!! We’ll miss your delicious food and presence in the neighborhood“

“Great Food and awesome ambiance.“

“Great selection and Service“

“We visited Moonshine Bar & Grill this weekend, and I can honestly say it exceeded every expectation. From the moment the food arrived, it was clear we were in for something special—chef’s kiss doesn’t even begin to cover it! Every dish was perfectly prepared, full of flavor, and clearly made with care and excellence. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the service was attentive, and the overall experience was simply top-tier. This is the kind of place that reminds you why great food and great hospitality matter. 10 out of 10— We will absolutely be recommending Moonshine Bar & Grill and can’t wait to return! 🍽️✨“

“So good !!! Highly recommend!!!“

“Nice chill spot to kick it“

“Supercool spot 🖤🤘😎🎶🤪👏 July 23rd, Saturday night with friends and bands: Stuck on 45, Morocco, Cruel Summer TX. KilLRrr night…“

“Definitely worth a visit at least once! Soulful meal and service experience.“

“I wish we could’ve been there. One music was playing, but it was still fun. The bartender there was very knowledgeable and helped us find some other venues for the night that were playing music. He made me a drink somewhere too an old-fashioned, but even more delicious.

Some other ladies were there for a night out on the town and they were trying to take a picture back in the photo booth. I happened to get a picture of them all squished into that booth which they said was better though the picture they had.

THANK YOU“

“Absolutely love the vibes here. Small, quaint, and intimate space. They have a wide selection of cocktails, and light bites that are satisfying and not overwhelming in terms of size. The service is always top notch as well. This place is perfect for date night or a gathering with a couple of friends.“

“Amazing is the only way to describe it.“

“We love to eat, and love food. Simply put, our anniversary dinner at Ember was absolutely a Top 3 dining experience in our 26 years of marriage! The only thing that topped it was a one-off dinner at The James Beard House we were lucky enough to be a part of...and that is saying a LOT to just barely be runner-up to that! Not only was the food simply incredible (we had filet skewers, the seafood plate, and the mole pork chop...with roasted carrots and the potatoes as sides, and the flan for dessert) but it was the best service we've ever received. Not just from our server but the entire staff from chefs to managers to bartenders. Not only do you get an incredibly attentive server, the entire restaurant staff seems attentive to your needs. To go deeper on what makes Ember so special, they cook nearly everything in a Mesquite coal Josper oven which is unique to ATX. It gives a distinct smoke to everything, but in no way overpowering. The culinary team at Ember then highlights the Josper with both incredibly complex dishes (pork chop with handmade mole that is as deep, rich, complex, and paired with sweetness via a sweet potato with honey drizzle and brightness of fresh citrus and absolute umami bombs via picked / brined tomatoes) and the most "simple" of dishes (crispy roasted yukon and red bliss potatoes with garlic, shallot, tossed in tallow...simply amazing and must have) everything is constructed and executed perfectly. Whether a special occasion or just a random Wednesday, this is one of the best restaurant experiences anywhere. Huge thanks to the staff at Ember for making our special night super memorable.“

“Fun place to have a drink and start the night for some east austin fun!!“

“Wow! What a cool hotel! AND noon checkout?!!! Sweet! I’ll be back!“

“Loved the drink menu, every cocktail was delicious and so well made. The menu itself is fun and creative.“

“This is the best steakhouse in Austin. The service was delightful, drinks were fantastic, and everything we ate was amazing. We even got to enjoy some A5 wagyu. Our server was very personable and thoughtful throughout the evening. This place is worth every penny spent.“

“Such a lovely setting and an oasis in the middle of Austin. Loved the food as well and the service was outstanding. I want to come back to enjoy the patio and the gardens with all those beautiful live oak trees. Such a treasure!“

“Excellent service. Alex the restaurant manager and sommelier was brilliant. He spent time in explaining us about Spanish wines and their nuances and recommended us an excellent bottle of Red wine. He certainly made us feel welcomed and we will return to this beautiful cute spot.“

“We just had one of the best culinary experiences in Austin. My husband and I checked out The Guest House on a Monday evening and the vibe was awesome. They had a great DJ playing upbeat lounge music. Our server Vaden was so friendly and made some great recommendations for our meals. The salmon and braised short ribs were absolutely delicious. The Humachi was incredible as well. Overall an excellent date night!“

“Great drinks with low key atmosphere“

“Amazing food and overall cool vibe! Highly recommend this restaurant!“

“This is a great place to get great service and delicious food. Review by Gabriel Culiat“

“You can’t come to Texas and not have the chicken fried steak at Ranch 616. But everything on the menu is so good!! Including the Frito pie, the queso, the steaks, tostadas at happy hour, and Trungale ceviche is one you will remember. Pair any of those with a Ranch Water — it’s where the drink originated and you’re in for a real treat! Save room for banana pudding for dessert. Tell them I sent you! 🤠“

“My husband loved the crudo dish, had the smashed cucumber (smoked labne, nigella, amba, aleppo). Frena - this was delicious! (mediterranean wheat, za'atar, lamb butter, beet horseradish. Chicken Shawarma - laffa, carraway cabbage, green tahini and fixins Favorite was the falafel - tahini, amba, green shug..... yum! Cocktails of course! Our waitress was Sophie she was very gracious and attentive. Definitely going back.“

“If you're looking for a venue that goes above and beyond in terms of hospitality and service, look no further. The staff here are simply incredible - they are always on hand to help, and nothing is too much trouble for them. I recently had the pleasure of performing, and I have to say that I was blown away by the level of support that the staff provided. As a DJ, it can be stressful trying to set up and sound check your equipment, but the staff made the whole process a breeze. They were so helpful and accommodating, and they went out of their way to ensure that my performance went smoothly. But it's not just the music guests who receive exceptional treatment. The staff are attentive and friendly with everyone, making sure that each and every guest feels welcome and valued. All in all, I can't recommend them highly enough. If you're looking for a venue with an outstanding team of staff who will go above and beyond to make your experience unforgettable, then look no further.“

“I love the small intimate atmosphere. I love the vibe of walking into this secret room through the back alley. So cool. I do wish they had appetizers to go along with the drinks. It’s just a sip and chill place. So eat before you enter.“

“Went for the first time on a Friday morning. Definitely won’t be the last time. The migas in green sauce had a great flavor, flour tortillas were fresh, my friends’ huevos rancheros were on point. On top the cinnamon roll -huge size, looks like a cake- was delicious. Service was great. Lately I’ve been feeling everything in Austin tastes the same, can’t wait to go back to this great spot!“

“Amazing staff. They made one of my favorite go to drinks. Colorado Bulldog. I had the Loaded Italian sandwich and the bread to meat to cheese to vegetable ratio was perfect.“

“This place is amazing it’s a breath of fresh air“

“We had such a good time here! The food was great, the atmosphere was nice, and our waitress Isa was AMAZING! She was so sweet, attentive, and welcoming from the moment we sat down. She checked on us throughout the meal and made sure everything was perfect. Definitely one of the best service experiences I’ve had in a while. We’ll definitely be back!“

“Brought a friend in for the smash burger hour hour and thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved our server! She was so informative, attentive, kind. (*only issue that the AC was full blast as to where it was almost too chilly! ha (how could this be in Austin during the heat?! :-) Overall, a great time, yummy dishes! ***the Baba Ghanoush is a must!“

“Great staff, beautiful lounge and very clean. Great date spot“

“Good views, good service. I highly recommend this place. 😊“

“Welcoming spot! I enjoyed my first time! Thank you!“

“My new favorite restaurant for fancy dates with my husband 😍🥰“

“My wife took me here yesterday for mt birthday dinner. The atmosphere is Beautiful, sexy, romantic. Food was amazing. Great size portions. Easy shareable. We each ordered a plate from each section of the menu and did not have one complaint. We loved it so much we came back tonight before we left town. We will definitely be back.“

“Great place to eat watch games or and chill all around great ppl in and outside“

“I really recommend Juicy Claws 🦞 they have excellent food a lot of options it’s delicious 🤤 and the great thing about it it’s that even they’re a seafood restaurant it’s not fishy smelly 😅 so am glad 😃“

“My wife and I stayed at the hotel Magdalena and ended up here at least once a day, either before we headed out or for a night cap before bed. Service, food and drinks were on point every time. We were especially well taken care of by Divine. Divine’s cocktails were incredible and she made us feel so welcome every time we came in. Huge shout out to her and for making us feel so at home.“

“De nada is amazing!!!!! If you are looking for a Mexican place look no further and come to de nada. The queso, the salsa trio, and the Barbacoa taco… I would sell my first born for the barbacoa taco. The margs are very fresh and strong. Our server Jorge is the best server in the game. I would 10/10 recommend this fine establishment!“

“We loved the quaint atmosphere and the specialty cocktails. The bar crafters were amazing!!! Check it out!“

“Staff - especially Nikki at the front was extremely helpful! Game was also super fun!“

“We had an absolutely amazing evening. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the food is fantastic.“

“Delicious brunch. Every dish we ordered was beyond my expectations!“

“😃What a fantastic place, staff was incredibly nice and friendly, as were the customers!“