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    Bill’s Oyster

    4.2 (164 reviews)
    Open 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Bill’s Oyster Photos

    Business Info

    BILL’S OYSTER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Bill’s Oyster

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    Cesar salad
    Ceason B.

    Amazing dinner. Tuna tar tar, crab cake, burger and Caesar salad. From hardcore foodies, we will be back. Service was outstanding on top of excellent food.

    Happy hour hush puppies
    Kim H.

    Came for happy hour. Didn't know I should make a reso for 3pm so the small amount of tables they have inside were booked and it was raining so sitting outside was not an option. We took a corner at the bar. The crab and andouille hushpuppies were my favorite snack but they did over cook the outside, I also loved the Brussel sprouts but I never turn down brussel sprouts where ever I go. The burger was good. Worth the $10

    Colorado tower
    Teri K.

    My first time at Bill's, we enjoyed a lovely meal for my birthday. Wonderful selection of fresh seafood. The Colorado tower was very filling for two people. The shrimp cocktail were huge and we enjoyed having a selection of East Coast oysters. We also tried the mozzarella sticks with caviar, the burger (juicy and delicious) and the grouper fingers (extra crunchy and served with a divine garlic tartar aïoli). Each plate was delicious and the restaurant was very sweet to surprise me with a slice of their delicious not too sweet cheesecake for dessert. Wonderful service. It is a bit loud inside, but I would like to try the lovely patio on a future visit.

    Northeast Oysters
    Michelle D.

    Saw someone on Instagram who visits local spots and tries to prove they can eat there for $25 or less. Challenge accepted. This is a cute quantity little place. They do have a good selection of food items on happy hour plus mind you $10 martinis! By far my favorite which surprised me was their hamburger. There's a special something about it that we had to order another for the table. While our party of 4 didn't quite skimp out of there under $25.... I definitely could come back and make that happen with just an extra dirty Martini and a burger.

    Indoor Area
    Samantha J.

    We've had our eyes on Bill's Oyster for a long time, and we're happy to report they are absolutely worth the hype everyone talks about! We originally knew them for their insanely fresh seafood (and yes, it really is that fresh), but what we weren't expecting was how incredible their brunch would be! From the moment we walked in, our host Aubrey set the tone. He was incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, exactly the kind of person you want guiding you through a menu full of heavy hitters and what feels like big decisions in the moment! We made reservations ahead of time since the space is on the smaller side and wanted to ensure we get an inside spot since we were celebrating our anniversary. It wasn't packed when we arrived, but I'd still recommend booking a reservation just to be safe. They also have a super cute and quaint patio which looks like it would be incredible when the whether cooperates! Now... the food. We've seen and heard lots about their seafood, happy hour and of course their famous burger, but hardly saw anything about brunch so we knew that was what we wanted to hit! Cause we're different like that! Honestly, brunch is where they surprised us the most. Every single dish was high quality, beautifully executed, and full of flavor! The oysters, seasonal crudo, and michelada clams (coming from a non michelada person) lived up to their reputation, but the brunch menu? Next level! We got the Chicken Fried Waygu Steak topped with a crawfish tasso gravy which was large, in charge and incredibly crispy! It was the hubby's fav! I had my eye on the Johnny Cakes topped with Smoked Salmon and the Banana Foster Stuffed French Toast and YUP, those were the stars for me! The Johnny Cakes aka basically an incredibly delicious fluffy cornbread muffin felt so light and refreshing paired with their salmon and creme fraiche. But honestly if you go, you HAVE to try the Bananas Foster stuffed French Toast. (Whether you want it as your main or dessert, not only is the presentation beautiful, the bruleed bananas on top, the luxurious filling, fluffy brioche, everything about it was like heaven sent an angel to my plate) It was hands down one of the best we've had in Austin! Absolute must-order! Drink wise, we're tequila and beer people and absolutely LOVED the Mexican martini! This was my second ever Mexican Martini and I can officially say I might be converted from a margarita lover! Perfectly balanced in flavors, but you might not be walking perfectly balanced after two of them (in the best way of course) haha! Since we were celebrating our anniversary they even brought us a slice of cheesecake (they made sure to ask if we still had room in the tank) and YUP, also worth it! They even fly it in straight from the bronx! Its like no other cheesecake we've ever had, seriously! If you love cheesecake and you want a taste of the east coast, then you better pull the trigger on this! Eat it there or take it to go, you won't regret it! Whether you're here for brunch, seafood, or both, Bill's delivers on EVERY FRONT! We left full, happy, and already know we need to head back for more! Highly recommend!

    Lobster Roll
    Jed M.

    Really loved my meal at Bill's! Classic oyster bar with classy and charming atmosphere! Loved the oldies music playing which fit the vibe perfectly! Received friendly and attentive service! Amazing happy hour! I experienced the happy hour Tito's martini ($10) and the Bill's burger ($10)! Both were fantastic and what a deal! I also couldn't resist but to try the lobster roll ($39) which hit the spot. Unique flavor as more herby than other rolls I've had but it was delicious- only could have been stuffed with more meat given the price!

    Seafood tower
    Kenzie T.

    Delicious food and great service! We had the seafood tower which was a generous serving of food for a good price, and everything was truly delicious. Great variety of cocktails - enjoyed the orange soda one as well as the elderflower one. It's cute inside, outside there is a decent amount of homeless around (nothing they can avoid) so that's something to keep in mind. Amazing manger and service.

    Bar area
    Caleb H.

    Really great happy hour - $10 burger paired with either $5 fries, or $6 crab and andouille hush puppies. You cannot get food this good for a price like this anywhere else in Austin. Plus $3 oysters. What a treat

    Lobster roll and hush puppies (@food.edventures on IG)
    Edlyn W.

    Came here for lunch with the husband. It's not often that he compliments how well-seasoned every dish is! We ordered quite the spread, but some of the standouts were the fried green tomatoes (believe it or not, they were so good), tuna tartare, lobster roll (the meat was so succulent), and the fried grouper fingers (like fancy fish sticks!). The oysters were super fresh, the mac & cheese was creamy and delicious, and even the crab BLT was fantastic. We also tried the Boston Club cocktail, refreshing and good. Now that I'm reading all the other reviews, it looks like we'll have to come back for their burger at happy hour!

    Hush Puppies!
    Phi L.

    Great service. I cannot give the staff here a bigger applause. Very helpful and knowledgeable. Bartenders were excellent, and the bolos were a nice touch! The hush puppies were so good, very moist and unique in the inside, crispy on the outside. The right amount of lemon zest on the outside carried it to the next level! I can't say the Bills Burger was my favorite but I can say that I enjoyed it. Very cute place to meet up at and just enjoy the day at! Definitely a place to return to. If not the food then the happy hour with 50% off bottles of wine!!

    Steak tartare, with a glass of the still rosé from provence
    Lucy V.

    OK, I came here two years ago when they first opened and it was one of my favorite oyster spots. But now this new happy hour they have is just phenomenal and it is every single day of the week. You definitely need to make a reservation or else you will wait forever for a seat. And I recommend you to make reservations weeks in advance. They're happy hour is so good. They have the martinis and burger and oysters on happy hour. Every time we come, we get the oysters and the burger. You just can't go wrong with it. It is so good there. Definitely my favorite place for oysters. And you can't beat the martinis. Also, it does not have to be just a dirty martini. It can be a flavored martini. I tend to do a cosmopolitan because it is delicious there. They just know how to make them so well. Place is so cute in there now I will say the only downfall is you come out of there smelling like food, but the food makes it worth it.

    Menu
    Jana N.

    Lovely venue. Amazing staff. The seafood tower was lovely. It looks like an old diner inside but I don't think it is. The floor is really cool. The interesting cupboard by the bar is entertaining. I thought it was a dum waiter. I guess it's booze storage. Will be back for sure!!!

    HH burger
    J B.

    Enjoyed the food (oysters, tartare and burger) however the service from Allison D. was disappointing.

    "Jumbo" Lump Crab Cake

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    Ask the Community - Bill’s Oyster

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    Whisler's - Left On Read - Delicious! (Tequila, Amaro, Bitters, Strawberry, Citrus, Spice, Egg White )

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    These are moments I think why do I live in San Antonio ( and often work in Austin ) when I can just…read morelive here and enjoy great restaurants, bars and weird gothic haunts like this with weird dark goth decor, a scent of palo santo , superb music, a great crowd and amazing drinks! College me would have lived here !! Enjoyed a French 75, my husband enjoyed a smoked Old Fashioned and it was a great place to grab a drink prior to seeing Springsteen at the Moody seated amongst candles , a weird alter of sorts while enjoying some Stevie Wonder as is playing now though some weird NIN or Type O might have been more appropriate

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    4.5(120 reviews)
    0.9 mi78704 (South Austin)

    It's a rainy night in Austin. My girlfriend is in town because my cousin and her fiancé are getting…read moremarried in Austin. It's also the weekend of our one year anniversary. An hour ago it wasn't raining, but now it's pouring. A few months ago, I heard of a newer bar and experience called Equipment Room just right off of South Congress. Music means everything to me. Nothing can express emotions and instill a feeling in 3 minutes like a song can. I live for that. Equipment Room is inherently Japanese in concept. Existing in Japan for over 50 years, listening bars combine high fidelity audio equipment with impressively crafted cocktails and alcohol combining the passion of music in a space to gather with comfortable chairs and a beautiful atmosphere. The concept has expanded westward as all cool things inevitably do, but I would never think a spot would be successful in Austin like it would be in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and so on. As I back my car into a parking spot on South Congress, I grab the umbrella out of my trunk and walk my girlfriend and me to the entrance trying to not get ourselves soaked in the process. This is not the first time we have tried to go to Equipment Room. We tried to get a walk-in table just to see out of morbid curiosity and that was a failure. I booked her and me a table for this night and I was madly looking forward to it. As we got to the small entrance, we were introduced to the hostess who brought us from the stairs into the main underground space and to our seats on the couch in a large wraparound sofa with other parties sitting near us. The music is faint from the entrance, but once you walk through the main walkway, a wave of sound hits your eardrums. You're immediately engrossed into the music like walking into a concert hall or putting a fresh pair of headphones on for the first time. As we sat down, selections from Outkast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik were playing through the speakers. Our hostess introduced us to their "User Manual" (their menu) where it contained all the snacks and drinks you could get your grubby hands on. There's more than just drinks and food on the menu. The first page introduces the concept and gives a few house rules. The second page shows all the equipment this so-called room has, from the premium Klipsch speakers, their preamps and amplifiers as well as their turntables and mixers. It's a dream page for music nerds. I want a $15k speaker in my apartment, but those noise complaints would never end. Our waitress came by shortly to give us water and take our order. Their menu is quite expansive, but the main pages we were told to check out were their A-side drinks or the classics and their B-side drinks, which are more experimental. We had to go with experimental for starters because who knows when you'll get to try something similar again. I started with a Goca Dünya while my girlfriend ordered a Deceptacon. The Goca Dünya was a vodka based floral drink with pistachio foam and Amaro Nonino, an Italian herbal liqueur. The Deceptacon was a rum-based cacao drink with a touch of lime and mint. It took a little time for our drinks to come out, clearly, as they are quite intricate. I loved my drink, bluntly. The pistachio foam was a great balance to the herbal flavors at the bottom. My girlfriend and I continued to enjoy each other's company as the music continued. The space we were in was decorated with posters and memorabilia from legendary artists coming through Austin and some general music decor like that purple album from that Prince guy. The DJ-curator that night was on a tear playing incredible soul music holding the bar hostage with a taste of funk. Jimmy Smith came next before transitioning to a few tracks from Bobbie Gentry. The last albums he pulled out were Steely Dan's Aja (a stone cold classic) and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life (a top 10 album of all time). Not only was he playing classics like Isn't She Lovely, but he threw down some deeper cuts like Black Man and Contusion. Incredible. We both got another drink with my girlfriend getting their A-Side Espresso Martini while I got the Brown Sugar from their B-Sides. It was a seaweed and mushroom infused whiskey with a few more bells and whistles and it was super unique. Quite a bit of their menu is Japanese-inspired in homage to the originators of listening bars. This includes Japanese beer, sake, and Japanese-inspired food and beverages on their menu. Very cool. The worst part of the night came when our hour and 45 minute reservation came to a close. I could've stayed there for another 3 hours and never grown tired, but with how popular this space has become, they gotta kick you out at some point. This is an experience you have to have. It's worth it. I'll be strolling back in soon enough because there is nothing like this in Austin and it's truly a special space. RIYL: Actively listening to music.

    Loved this place so much..!!! If you want to go somewhere to just lounge with low lighting and have…read moresome delicious drinks with great music in the background , this is place is it! They play no digital music and their speakers are installed throughout the whole building. The sound is great! The menu was so cute and on theme. The furniture and decor is mid century modern. I went here for my birthday and they gave my table a round of Sake shots, which was nice! My table ordered drinks: the Brown Sugar, Goca Dünya, Suffer No Fool (non alcoholic), Vitamin C. They were all delicious and they did not skimp on the alcohol! It was well balanced! I seriously recommend the Goca Dünya--that pistachio foam was addictive! For food, we got the Cheese board to have something to pick on and we demolished it, haha. It came with marmalade and crackers. The cheeses were great, along with the dried fruits and nuts. The cheese selections seem to rotate every other season, which is cool.

    Photos
    Equipment Room - XS made NA -- Lustau Fino Sherry, Giffard NA Pineapple Liqueur, passionfruit, lime, blue spirulina, mirin, dragonfruit syrup, Liquid Rizz

    XS made NA -- Lustau Fino Sherry, Giffard NA Pineapple Liqueur, passionfruit, lime, blue spirulina, mirin, dragonfruit syrup, Liquid Rizz

    Equipment Room - Beautifully simple bar tops

    Beautifully simple bar tops

    Equipment Room - Bar area

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    Bar area

    Midnight Cowboy - Drinks LOOKED delicious

    Midnight Cowboy

    4.0(580 reviews)
    0.4 miDowntown
    $$

    I was unable to check out the quality or ambiance of this establishment as there were a number of…read moreissues with my reservation. Basically, I had a large group reserved for a celebration, and I didn't get a confirmation email and when I noticed this I scrambled to find another reservation. The reservation link I was sent to kept erroring out when I tried to process it. Apparently the incorrect date was selected and I did not notice I was charged an exorbitant amount of money because it was a larger party, but we had every intention of going and we would have spent quite a bit of money. After being charged a $120 no show fee I tried to contact them to see if they could at least squeeze us in or take the no show fee off but they said their policy was clearly stated and they don't respond to my last email. Also, there is no phone number which is incredibly frustrating as I would have called to confirm my 5:30pm reservation issue, but instead just assumed it didn't go through While part of this was undoubtedly user error, the process of reserving and confirming reservations was not easy. Furthermore, the establishment was not overly understanding Some tips: Go to a different bar. There are so many great bars, lounges, and speakeasy's in the area, and I wouldn't risk the potential hassle. We pivoted to the Roosevelt room last minute and we had a great time Cheers!

    5-star speakeasy...if you like cool, secretive, unusual speakeasy cocktail bars - this is the place…read morefor you! Located on 6th street in downtown Austin (near the Driskill hotel), in what looks like from the street an apartment complex. You buzz the "secret" button and if you have a reservation, they let you in and escort you to your beautiful, sexy table. Their menu is creative and their every cocktail delicious! The theme we experienced was tarot cards and we loved the presentation and creativity of cocktails. Service is excellent and all drinks are around $20. Worth a visit for sure - great 5-star speakeasy and so fun for a date or with a group.

    Photos
    Midnight Cowboy - Table side bartending

    Table side bartending

    Midnight Cowboy - Libations of the night

    Libations of the night

    Midnight Cowboy

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    Bill’s Oyster - seafood - Updated May 2026

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