Papercut isn't a bar that I frequent, but probably should. Each time I've stopped by, I've enjoyed…read morea new menu alongside new art on the walls. I love that their cocktail menu is inspired by the artist on display at that time. The drinks are always delicious. Most recently, I stopped in and was able to try out the new food menu. I had their crab sando, a small but delicious sandwich priced at $15 with real crab (not imitation, I asked). The service was a little slow, but otherwise excellent. It wasn't too busy but I stopped by shortly after they opened.

We loved this spot!…read more Checked it out before dinner and tried the Papercut - mezcal and yummy - def spirit forward My husband got a beer but we will definitely be back to try other drinks on the menu and happy hour and sushi!! Lots of cool art inside and service was great - our server was super knowledgeable We will def come back to try more!

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

I went to Whisler's and had one of the worst bar experiences I've ever had…read more I had one drink. I was completely sober for all intents and purposes. The bartender claimed I was drunk and cut me off anyway. I was at the bar talking to a girl while waiting to get a drink (the wait was long because the service is very slow, despite the bar not being very busy at all). She was clearly into me, and the bartender kept jumping in trying to talk to her too (instead of doing his job making drinks). He was doing all sorts of things to try and flirt with her and make her laugh: pulling out and showing her buckets of pre mixed cocktails, running and sliding under the bar, etc. She was engaging with both of us , and right in the middle of that, I get cut off out of nowhere. No explanation other than claiming I looked drunk, which I very clearly wasn't. It felt very clear what was going on--he wanted me out of the way. I left and asked the bouncer on my way out if I seemed drunk. This was literally two minutes later. He said no, not at all, and asked me why I would even ask that. I then told him exactly what happened and asked him to let the owner or whoever was in charge know about this extremely unprofessional conduct so they can discipline the bartender. His response was that the bartender has discretion to cut anyone off, and let me know the bartender is supposedly married so he couldn't have been flirting with any of the customers. Well, sounds like his logic is flawed--not only COULD he flirt with his customers, he WAS, and was therefore cheating. I hope his wife finds out. This is perfectly representative of Austin customer service lately and not normal in other places. I was in Tampa for an entire month earlier this year and this would've been unthinkable there. I'm not coming back.

Mexico City in Austin and I am so here for it. The vibes are immaculate - intimate and perfect for…read moredate night. Seating is limited so a reservation is a must have. The cocktails here are wonderful and the bartenders are so knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Love this spot

Hands down my favorite bar I have been too…read more It's beautiful the moment you walk in. The architecture and design creates such a cool vibe. The drinks.... Seriously....The best I've had. Very impressed with the drinks and I enjoyed the inspiration of Japanese liquor and design. Our bartender was so attentive and friendly. He made us shots and it was the best thing I've ever had. I been dreaming of the shot everyday. I recommend this place to everyone now. It's dark, it's quiet, it's cool, it's THAT bar. I cannot wait to come back again and again and again. We aren't locals. Not even close. We drove 9 hours. 10/10 will be back

One of my favorite bars in Austin. Some people might see it as a little divey, but that's honestly…read morepart of the charm. The atmosphere is always friendly, relaxed, and easy to settle into whether you're there for a quick drink or hanging out for the night. The drinks are consistently great, and they also have really solid weekday food specials. The sliders and tots are definitely the go-to items on the menu and always hit the spot after a few drinks. One thing I especially appreciate is how much effort they put into the themed décor during Christmas and Halloween. It really adds personality to the space and makes coming back during the holidays feel fun and memorable every year. Just an overall great neighborhood bar with good vibes and a lot of character.

I realize I haven't updated this review since relocating to Austin two years ago. As you may have…read morenoted from my previous review, I'd come here twice a year when visiting from the east coast. One of my stipulations for relocation was to be within walking distance of my beloved Nickel City. Guess what? I am! Less than a five-minute walk. I love this place so much. It's not always about drinking. In fact, quite often I'll do mocktails, water, or soda. It's about community and friendship. The vibe at NC can't fully be expressed in words. It has to be experienced. The staff treat locals and tourists like friends. And, if you're lucky enough, you actually become friends. They're like a family. Same can be said about patrons, whether regulars, sometimers, or tourists, everyone feels the love. Everyone just gets it! They have some of the best cocktails around. The frozen Irish coffee is incredible. Espresso martinis on tap? Yes, please! And if you want the best bar/comfort food ever then order from their food truck, Delray Cafe. Crinkle cut fries A+ Smashburgers A+ Hot Dogs A+ Grilled Cheese A+ Pizza Logs A+ Tater Tots A+ Everything on the menu A+ Be sure to give the gang in the kitchen (food truck) some love! They're putting out the real deal. Oh and let's not forget Steak Night! Much love to my fave neighbor, Nickel City!

Snagged a same day reservation as this has been on my list for a minute. Reservation for 7:30, upon…read morearrival use the buzzer and they come up to meet you. Was sat at the second table inside which I will say the seating set up is a bit funky. The chairs we were in were high back and decorative, comfortable for sure. The booths look like they'd be cozy too. Only two seats at the bar and I'd recommend them as you get to see the action. They did stick to the allotted timeframe due to back to back reservations so....one drink later the bill arrived. Service was nothing of note. The other person in my party was running late and it took 10 min for someone to ask if I wanted to start without them after being sat. Of course I would! Time waits for no one. I got the Venetian spritz and it was strong...needed to wait for the ice to help dilute it and then it was tasty. Noted for next time as there were a couple other drinks that looked good. The menu has food options from Buenos Aries upstairs and while I don't order food, the empanadas are amazing so you def should try. Overall nice experience and I'd go back to try other drinks and enjoy the vibe. Music was lounge ish with a mixture of languages.

Cozy, hidden, and just the right amount of mysterious. The drinks were fantastic and dangerously…read moreeasy to finish, and the bartender was really good. The music was excellent and made the whole experience even better. Absolutely worth a return visit.

In search of a bar that wasn't packed on a Friday night, we were lucky to stumble across Marlow…read more The atmosphere is dark and cozy. There's enough of a vibe for this place to feel lively even when it's mostly empty, yet it also avoids the earsplitting noise that may come with a more crowded venue. The bartenders are amicable, and the menu showcases some creative - and creatively named - cocktails. Lara went with a Moon Song (rum, blackberry, lime, and honey with lavender cold foam) and an espresso martini and enjoyed both. I opted for a zero proof drink: the high and mighty (agave, nonalcoholic ginger and floral liqueurs, jasmine tea, and spiced salt). It was refreshing but didn't quite hit the mark for me. What should have been complex and balanced came across as overly floral. All told, Marlow is worth a visit even if it is unlikely to wow you.

My friends and I loooved this bar in Austin! The drinks were unique, well-curated, and delicious…read more My friends got drinks with corn foam and lavender foam, which we enjoyed immensely. The vibes were great, it wasn't too loud inside but still very lively. This is the exact type of cocktail bar I love, and I would definitely be back!

Met a few friends here a week or so ago to listen to a jazz band called Ananto. We enjoyed the…read moremusic, the drinks, and the fries! The basket of fries was huge! I arrived a bit earlier and it was confusing how to get into the building. I first went to the door closest to the Busy Signal sign and it was locked. I walked into the bar next to it, Victory East, and told the bartender I was waiting for Busy Signal to open, but he didn't tell me that the entrance was through their bar so my friends and I sat there for a while before realizing we could walk in and grab a seat inside the music location. Other than the confusion at first, we found the venue to be cute and nicely decorated. The bartender came up to our table to take our order. We had a nice view of the band (except for one pole in the view path) and chatted with the musicians during their break. One of my friends had met one of the guitar players before which is why we had even heard of this venue! A big plus was there was relatively easy and free nearby street parking!

First, there was absolutely NO SECURITY or anyone at the door checking people, unacceptable. It…read moredoesn't matter if it's a short-staffed night or someone called off, there should always be someone to check people. And this was on a SATURDAY. At the least you have someone on the weekend. We literally walked straight in--no questions, no acknowledgement, just straight to the back. Two, I came on Saturday and there were two DJs who were obviously having a lot of fun, which is good however, they do have the tendency to take you high and immediately low. For example, they would play a Sexxy Redd song and immediately Frank Ocean or even slower, Keith Sweat--the choices didn't make sense a lot of the time. WOMEN WHO COME TO DANCE don't like this, it really messes up the flow. I will say this is one of the few places that black people gather IN the city, so there's that. The bathroom is also disgusting but what can you expect when there's only TWO STALLS IN TOTAL, meaning there's no separate stalls for men or women. Also, these are the same two stalls that you share with restaurant goers so it can get busy.

Here Nor There was a fantastic experience. The interior vibe is quite lovely. My partner and I sat…read morein one of the side velvet booths. I loved how personal that area felt. We were able to have a conversation without feeling like others were listening. The music is very different than the vibe of the actual area. They were playing different rap & hip-hop artists. It was loud, but I enjoyed it. It felt very Austin-y. Loved the drinks. There was one that had something to do with Bob's Lake, or something like that. That drink was absolutely delicious. We also got the caviar service, and I really enjoyed that. Was not crazy about the blinis, I believe they were made with black corn flour. The crème fraîche was very nice. Very nice night out. This place also doesn't feel overly expensive. It's expensive, but in a similar price range to other cocktail bars in the area.

You're gonna love the vibe of this speakeasy. I visited for the first time on a Wednesday evening…read moreand enjoyed a handcrafted menu (literally, the menu is hand drawn) full of unique and delectable cocktails. There is something for everyone--no kidding. I loved their spin on a Paloma and my friends enjoyed standard items like old fashions and Moscow mules. Very very comfortable lounge seating, plush velvet and other soft textiles with leatherette coasters. Very elevated and calm. Music is perfect but kinda loud so conversation is a bit of a struggle. It is very very very dark in there so it's super intimate and features candles and mini tap light lamps. If you have sight or mobility issues, you may not like this venue from a safety standpoint. Steep incline stairs lead down to this dungeon like hold. I would return in a heartbeat. Must have the password. Exclusive and decadent is the mood. So if it matches you, you have to visit!

Def in my top 10 of cocktail bars in Austin. The staff is really nice and knowledgeable!!read more

I really enjoyed myself here on Friday night. We had a pre-wedding day happy hour (so technically a…read morerehearsal happy hour to meet all the other out of town guests.) the staff was SO NICE, and the cocktails and different spaces for seating; indoor and out were lovely. Finished our night with to go sandwiches from the food truck out back-which were also killer!

We were looking for laid back but adventurous bar something to spruce up the night but don't make…read moreit all night it was really nice as we got here early at 8p we had discovered the speakeasy if I hadn't asked anyone we wouldn't have known that was a peer delight great night w my bf will do again. So a Photobooth, tequila room, and leopard billiard table how fun

It was busy at a random between lunch and dinner time we wine in and waited a while to get some…read moredrinks because they only had one bartender working. She was super professional, worked quick, and was overall very nice despite being slammed. Upstairs has a free pool and an additional bar (was closed when we came). And they have a photo-booth at the downstairs patio. Sucks that it didn't take a tap to pay though, otherwise I'd have used it.