This has quickly become our favorite cocktail bar in Austin! The atmosphere is absolutely amazing—relaxed, cozy, and full of charm. The drink menu is thoughtfully curated (not overwhelming at all), and every cocktail we tried was spot-on. It’s the perfect spot for a date night or simply to unwind and enjoy a comfortable, inviting space.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Kinan Hernandez
Have been trying to go here for a while but it always seems booked up on weekends, finally got a spot. Very unique bar and dining experience. The music curration and acoustics were stellar. The food was also really tasty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
T P
Hidden Gem 💎
The vibes here are always on point. I’ve never have had a bad time and always hear something new. Honor and Cody are the best servers too.
We tried the chicken karrage, tuna ceviche, and lobster rolls and they were excellent. I don’t drink so I can comment on their selection but everything looked good.
Pro Tip: Make reservations at least a week in advance a request for headphones. Trust me.
This place is slowly becoming popular.
Great place for a date if you want to impress your date too. 🖤
10/10 Headphones 🎧
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott S
Please let me live here. I promise I’ll to always pay rent and be a great tenant. Name a price.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alanna Howlett
The equipment room certainly lives up to its hype. The drinks were all well-balanced, but the Casio and Rompe la Dompte were standouts for us! What really takes this bar to the next level is the atmosphere. With a speakeasy-esc entrance and a moody interior, the equipment room becomes an immersive experience. They also put their pride in vinyl front and center as guests are told to be mindful of the music and encouraged to pick up card of what the DJ is playing. My key recommendation would to be try to get a table next to one of the pairs of headphones. My friend I were sat next to one and had such a good time comparing how the music sounded with/without. Overall, this would be a perfect date night or place to take someone you want to impress.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shalin Shah
AMAZING. Worth a special visit.
From the entrance to the vibe, everything here was a standout. Service was stellar - we truly appreciate you squeezing us in. Cocktails are on the higher end but the atmosphere and inventiveness is worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashley Fisher
Fun drinks. Cool dive bar. A bit on the pricey side, but you’re paying for the experience. Service was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Simran Mehrotra
The ambience was lovely, and the drinks were great. The bartender was incredibly sweet and attentive, which made the evening enjoyable at first. Unfortunately, the male manager’s behavior completely changed the tone of our visit.
From the very beginning, it felt like he was gating us — being unnecessarily strict about small things and treating us more like a problem to manage than guests to host. The worst part was when he instructed the bartender, right in front of us, to stop serving us, saying our time was over (when in fact it wasn’t).
This came across as dismissive and unwelcoming, as though we were being pushed out before we had even overstayed. Instead of a warm, relaxed atmosphere, his approach made us feel controlled and unwelcome, which was disappointing given how enjoyable everything else was.
We’ve been here before and the owners are very very nice. But this time it was made unpleasant by the manager.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
Kristin Kurzawski
My husband and I celebrated our anniversary last night at the Equipment Room and it was AMAZING. We were taken care of by a fabulous server named Honor who was friendly, attentive, and had fantastic drink recommendations. In addition their contribution to the B-side cocktail menu the “Thumper” is DELICIOUS. The music sounded fantastic on their carefully curated sound system. I cannot recommend this place enough. We are definitely looking forward to our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amber G
I really want to like this spot, I’ve tried it a few times. The first time I went they were pretty new and the bartender had only been there for a week so I figured it was just some growing pains, but more than a year later and it’s still bad. The service is just awful.
I came in for after dinner drinks for my friend’s birthday and our server was just so lack luster. Not friendly and definitely not attentive. Drinks took 30+ minutes so we could only order 1 round and we ordered some cookies that somehow took even longer than the drinks.
When we were closing out, the server finally acknowledged how long everything was taking and they gave us $9 off, which they were really proud of. Just skip this place, there’s way too many great cocktail bars in Austin for this place to be this lame.
My tips to management would be, train the staff to give a small menu tour or at least highlight one favorite menu item, ask your guests if they’ve been in before and give a little background, maybe even ask if they’re celebrating anything, smile, and ask how everything is. How are you enjoying your drinks? How are the ____? And if for whatever reason drinks are taking 30 minutes please at the very least acknowledge and apologize. This just seems like basic service 🥲. The manager on duty did do his best to rectify our situation, which is nice but I really would’ve loved to just not have the crappy service to begin with.
The aesthetics are lovely though! The vibe and details in the decor including the headphones are so well thought out and unique. Love it! Overall 2.5/5, I definitely wont be back, but I do hope others have a better experience.
The Equipment Room is such a vibe. Love coming here, and their espresso martini is delectable. If you enjoy music, this place is a must-visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Bobby Shaw
One of our all time favorites in Austin!
You can't go wrong with any choice of cocktail or bite here. Seriously. We've loved every item we have tried and the service is always so excellent as folks provide such great recommendations and knowledge to how everything is constructed.
Oh, and the vibes will simply blow you away as it brings forth such a great mixture of the past (Japanese listening rooms) meets the future (with musical selections moving from jazz, to folk, to singer / song writer, to such great choices that are shown for reference).
This a wonderful spot for a date night, group outing, or place to bring visitors (be sure to reserve a spot for any size as it's popularity is justified) - really anyone would love Equipment Room.
As said above, there are no wrong choices and you will find yourself being transported away from the heat of Austin and into a place of amazing tastes and auditory delights.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chabeli Sanchez
One of the BEST bars in Austin. I have gone twice now to ER, the first time impressed me so much I decided to host a private event with them.
Everything was seamless, from the bunkhouse team to the staff at ER!
If you are looking for a chill vibe with amazing music, food and drinks this is the place to go!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
gerkayla kennedy
Very cool space. Cozy vibe and well crafted cocktails. The bartenders and hostesses were very kind and informative.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth Greiner
The absolute disrespect and snobbery the hostess exhibited towards the group before us and our group daring to ask if they had any walk ins available ensured I will never come back. They actually had a reservation I could have gotten later in the evening but I chose not to based on not wanting to give them any of my business. She basically laughed at us and said they're full and step aside (they literally had open reservations online that evening). The vibe is we don't need you. Don't bother.
This has quickly become our favorite cocktail bar in Austin! The atmosphere is absolutely amazing—relaxed, cozy, and full of charm. The drink menu is thoughtfully curated (not overwhelming at all), and every cocktail we tried was spot-on. It’s the perfect spot for a date night or simply to unwind and enjoy a comfortable, inviting space.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Have been trying to go here for a while but it always seems booked up on weekends, finally got a spot. Very unique bar and dining experience. The music curration and acoustics were stellar. The food was also really tasty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hidden Gem 💎
The vibes here are always on point. I’ve never have had a bad time and always hear something new. Honor and Cody are the best servers too.
We tried the chicken karrage, tuna ceviche, and lobster rolls and they were excellent. I don’t drink so I can comment on their selection but everything looked good.
Pro Tip: Make reservations at least a week in advance a request for headphones. Trust me.
This place is slowly becoming popular.
Great place for a date if you want to impress your date too. 🖤
10/10 Headphones 🎧
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Please let me live here. I promise I’ll to always pay rent and be a great tenant. Name a price.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The equipment room certainly lives up to its hype. The drinks were all well-balanced, but the Casio and Rompe la Dompte were standouts for us! What really takes this bar to the next level is the atmosphere. With a speakeasy-esc entrance and a moody interior, the equipment room becomes an immersive experience. They also put their pride in vinyl front and center as guests are told to be mindful of the music and encouraged to pick up card of what the DJ is playing. My key recommendation would to be try to get a table next to one of the pairs of headphones. My friend I were sat next to one and had such a good time comparing how the music sounded with/without. Overall, this would be a perfect date night or place to take someone you want to impress.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AMAZING. Worth a special visit.
From the entrance to the vibe, everything here was a standout. Service was stellar - we truly appreciate you squeezing us in. Cocktails are on the higher end but the atmosphere and inventiveness is worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fun drinks. Cool dive bar. A bit on the pricey side, but you’re paying for the experience. Service was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The ambience was lovely, and the drinks were great. The bartender was incredibly sweet and attentive, which made the evening enjoyable at first. Unfortunately, the male manager’s behavior completely changed the tone of our visit.
From the very beginning, it felt like he was gating us — being unnecessarily strict about small things and treating us more like a problem to manage than guests to host. The worst part was when he instructed the bartender, right in front of us, to stop serving us, saying our time was over (when in fact it wasn’t).
This came across as dismissive and unwelcoming, as though we were being pushed out before we had even overstayed. Instead of a warm, relaxed atmosphere, his approach made us feel controlled and unwelcome, which was disappointing given how enjoyable everything else was.
We’ve been here before and the owners are very very nice. But this time it was made unpleasant by the manager.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
My husband and I celebrated our anniversary last night at the Equipment Room and it was AMAZING. We were taken care of by a fabulous server named Honor who was friendly, attentive, and had fantastic drink recommendations. In addition their contribution to the B-side cocktail menu the “Thumper” is DELICIOUS. The music sounded fantastic on their carefully curated sound system. I cannot recommend this place enough. We are definitely looking forward to our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I really want to like this spot, I’ve tried it a few times. The first time I went they were pretty new and the bartender had only been there for a week so I figured it was just some growing pains, but more than a year later and it’s still bad. The service is just awful.
I came in for after dinner drinks for my friend’s birthday and our server was just so lack luster. Not friendly and definitely not attentive. Drinks took 30+ minutes so we could only order 1 round and we ordered some cookies that somehow took even longer than the drinks.
When we were closing out, the server finally acknowledged how long everything was taking and they gave us $9 off, which they were really proud of. Just skip this place, there’s way too many great cocktail bars in Austin for this place to be this lame.
My tips to management would be, train the staff to give a small menu tour or at least highlight one favorite menu item, ask your guests if they’ve been in before and give a little background, maybe even ask if they’re celebrating anything, smile, and ask how everything is. How are you enjoying your drinks? How are the ____? And if for whatever reason drinks are taking 30 minutes please at the very least acknowledge and apologize. This just seems like basic service 🥲. The manager on duty did do his best to rectify our situation, which is nice but I really would’ve loved to just not have the crappy service to begin with.
The aesthetics are lovely though! The vibe and details in the decor including the headphones are so well thought out and unique. Love it! Overall 2.5/5, I definitely wont be back, but I do hope others have a better experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
The Equipment Room is such a vibe. Love coming here, and their espresso martini is delectable. If you enjoy music, this place is a must-visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
One of our all time favorites in Austin!
You can't go wrong with any choice of cocktail or bite here. Seriously. We've loved every item we have tried and the service is always so excellent as folks provide such great recommendations and knowledge to how everything is constructed.
Oh, and the vibes will simply blow you away as it brings forth such a great mixture of the past (Japanese listening rooms) meets the future (with musical selections moving from jazz, to folk, to singer / song writer, to such great choices that are shown for reference).
This a wonderful spot for a date night, group outing, or place to bring visitors (be sure to reserve a spot for any size as it's popularity is justified) - really anyone would love Equipment Room.
As said above, there are no wrong choices and you will find yourself being transported away from the heat of Austin and into a place of amazing tastes and auditory delights.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the BEST bars in Austin.
I have gone twice now to ER, the first time impressed me so much I decided to host a private event with them.
Everything was seamless, from the bunkhouse team to the staff at ER!
If you are looking for a chill vibe with amazing music, food and drinks this is the place to go!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very cool space. Cozy vibe and well crafted cocktails. The bartenders and hostesses were very kind and informative.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
The absolute disrespect and snobbery the hostess exhibited towards the group before us and our group daring to ask if they had any walk ins available ensured I will never come back. They actually had a reservation I could have gotten later in the evening but I chose not to based on not wanting to give them any of my business. She basically laughed at us and said they're full and step aside (they literally had open reservations online that evening). The vibe is we don't need you. Don't bother.
Loading...