This bar is located in the Firehouse Hostel. In fact, it's a speakeasy hidden behind a sliding bookshelf right in the lobby. It's rightfully named as the building was once an actual firehouse that was built in 1885. Like all good speakeasies, it's got dim lighting that accentuates the building's rustic, 1800s era architecture. Hip and cool interior design with vintage furnishings and accessories. It's cozy and comfortable. This popular spot gets busy and it's easy to see why. The hip decor and good service mixed with excellent drinks makes it apparent why they're so popular. They offer frozen cocktails (my fave) that often change. The craft cocktails are spectacular. The bar menu offers a variety of beer as well. In addition, they do an incredible mocktail and offer different varieties. If you're going for a cocktail, the daiquiri and paper plane are perfection. read more

Great spot featuring delicious craft cocktails that we loved. One of the best Last Word's I have had. I will be back. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We stumbled across this place and it was a great find. Bartenders were super friendly and gave us recommendations for other places in the neighborhood. Drinks were really really good! The firehouse was built in 1885 and is now a hostel and speakeasy. read more

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Expecting a firehouse but somehow ended up at a cute speakeasy where you enter through a bookcase in the wall? Just another regular Friday night in Austin. In all seriousness though, Firehouse is a decent speakeasy where half the fun is in taking photos at the sliding bookcase and the other half is after you wait about 20 minutes for your drinks. We ordered the passion fruit daiquiri and old fashioned (they couldn't make a strawberry daiquiri variation, not sure if they couldn't or wouldn't). The drinks are good and strong but in a dimly lit speakeasy with a strange floor plan it never really felt worth the wait. There is sometimes live music which we unfortunately didn't catch so there's likely nights where the energy is much higher and you wouldn't even notice. The speakeasy is on the far more accessible side (definitely not for parking, but it's 6th so you should Uber anyways) which is good for those who want a casual find and might be fine with waiting for their drinks. It comes across as more of a lounge so be aware of that before expecting a lot of it. But in an area littered with other options, Firehouse feels a bit average. We'd recommend it as a warmup bar if you're going out for a night on 6th but wouldn't put it down as the highlight. read more

Firehouse Lounge - inside - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Considering how long firehouse lounge has been around, it's still holding strong. My friend had never visited so we went on a Saturday night around midnight. The bartenders were friendly and the bees knees and old-fashioned cocktails were well-made. The music being played was fun and not too loud. We were able to find two seats and stuck around for a while. When you walk up to the firehouse hostel go inside to the check-in counter turn right and you'll see the bookshelf that slides over to enter the lounge. read more

Stopped by around Christmas, and enjoyed the vibe and upside down Christmas tree. The event they were hosting was packed, and the bartenders seemed to handle it well. I feel like the drinks maybe could've been stronger, but overall it left a good impression. read more

We were heading to a matinée at the State theatre and I realized my wife had never been in the Firehouse. We stopped in early and the space is lovely. Classic speakeasy - dark wood, red wallpaper, GREAT cocktails and a solid beer selection. Plus - they have tacos. Find your way behind the bookcase into the space. Ou bartender, Gabriel, was engaging and friendly. He brought us up to speed on some of the specialty events like Salsa nights. It's definitely worth stopping in if you define yourself downtown. read more

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Super fun bar! We were actually walking around looking for Eden but stumbled upon the firehouse lounge and are so glad we did! The bartender working tonight was so nice and helpful - great drinks as well! My fiancée got the old fashioned and I got a Paloma and they used jarritos grapefruit sofa which is my favorite way to make a Paloma so it was delicious. My fiancée also loved the old fashioned - he drank it so quickly lol The bar is behind the bookcase inside the hostel and such a cute way to find a new spot! We loved it and we'll be back!! read more

Firehouse Lounge - Bar - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Go here because Speakeasy's are interesting. Go here because what is better than a hidden bar behind a bookcase. So, the entrance to this place is located behind a bookcase. You walk in let your eyes adjust to the darkness and find a place to sit. Not sure if they have table service as we walked up to the bar got a menu, ordered a drink, paid for the drink, enjoyed the drink then left. Drinks were a bit sweet for me so next time maybe a beer. Go enjoy as it's a cool place to tell friends that you have gone to. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Inside - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Wanted some drinks and this place was recommended so we stopped in. It is a speakeasy and once you go inside it feels a bit clubby. There was a DJ and he was playing some good 80/90 jams. Fun mix. The bartender was fantastic and very friendly and attentive. There were lots of people but we were at the bar so it never felt crowded. The bar stools cracked us up because they were extra tall. We stayed for two drinks and had a good time. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Bar area - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

We love speakeasies and this one didn't disappoint! You enter through a secret passage and feel transported back in time. We really enjoyed the atmosphere. We had great bartenders and they had a great variety of drinks. We were only staying for a short visit but Austin has a ton of speakeasies so make that a priority if you enjoy that! On to the next place! read more

Firehouse Lounge - The Baptist. - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Stumble ups on this little gem of a place in downtown. Coolest little speakeasy spot with a sliding door that's full of books. The ambiance is very dimly lit and sensual. The drinks were very great. It has a very cool dive bar feel but not the trashy 6th street feel. Highly recommend stopping by if you are ever near this area. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Chards Kick & Paloma - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Firehouse Lounge is a neat spot, it's the oldest standing Firehouse in downtown Austin that is now a lounge and hostel. You enter the lounge through a sliding bookcase. The craft cocktail list was basic, we both got a gimlet and it was good. read more

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Loved this dark and moody speakeasy! A fun stop for tourists if you're in the area. You go through a bookcase within a hostel to get in! There's one TV, so you could attempt to watch a game there but I wouldn't recommend it. This place doesn't really have any specialty drinks - more of your basic bar. One star off because I got just a diet coke and it was really flat. Plus, I feel like a place like this should have some unique drinks! read more

My experience was exceptionally good! Came in on a Wednesday night & it wasn't too crowded yet wasn't empty. I'm from Cali in town visiting and everyone was so friendly. Music was on point was a mix of new and old school R&B we love that. Bartender Adrian was very attentive and made me his recommendation. I had the gold rush which was bourbon lemon and honey. It was really good. We sat and vibes to good music and cocktails for a while. I plan on going back to this place before I leave to listen to some live music! 5 stars! read more

Firehouse Lounge - Gold rush with sparkling water chase. - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Firehouse Lounge has an interesting story. Inside an international hostel, both the speakeasy and hostel are built inside the oldest still-standing fire house in Austin, Texas. Built in 1885, it's a historic building. When you walk inside, go through a bookcase to get to the spacious speakeasy with a bar, tables and couches. Due to space on a Saturday evening, we sat at the bar and ordered cocktails and Austin Eastcider. Our drinks were average. They were playing loud music, proving I am solidly in my 30s and wanting a quieter space. The nearby Driskell Bar provided that space. read more

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Unique and fun with a hidden entrance. Slightly off the beaten path with quirky movies playing in the dim light. They've got all the classics on the menu, well made for very decent prices considering their prime downtown location. The sidecar is always well made and strong and the daiquiri is a true daiquiri not some mash of strawberry and syrup. read more

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This place has a cool and funky vibe to it. They keep it simple with cocktails that are well known and that are classics. The look of the Firehouse Lounge is definitely something to see. I love that it's a proper speakeasy and I never knew it was there. Spencer from Eureka! spoke highly about the Firehouse Lounge and he was spot on. I just got one drink and kept moving. I will be checking this place out again in the near future without a doubt. You should as well. read more

Firehouse Lounge - The menu board - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Here out of town for Thanksgiving. I liked the music and customer service. Very laid back settings. Very nice choices of whiskey and beers. This is small speak easy type lounge with a very diverse customer base . The music is great and pull from various genres. Adrian is good bartender, very attentive, very knowledgeable of different drinks and very welcoming. read more

SO rude!! They denied my friends and I based on the "feel" of our real IDs. We are all 22 years old or over. We are here from Alabama to celebrate our friend's engagement party. Completely ruined the mood of the night. read more

Incredibly rude host! Bartenders and overall feel of the bar have always been great but we had a terrible experience with the host team tonight. Haven't experienced disrespect like that in any restaurant or bar in town. Very disappointed for one of the places that I have always enjoyed going to. read more

Manager kicked out 8 23 year olds because I brought my friends from out of town (Alabama ID's) and the manager then proceeded to call us B*****s and told us our ID's didn't "feel right". If this guy is still running security... run FAR AWAY! read more

This place is one of the best in Austin! If you're looking for a good time and a different kind of experience - stop by. It looks like not much on the outside, then slide behind the book shelves and that's where all the cool kids are. I have seen so many fun epic one of a kind acts here. The bartenders rock- they look like they're having a blast! Shhhhh don't tell anyone ! read more

Firehouse Lounge - This is the whole room! - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

It's a cool speakeasy right across the Driskel hotel. Looked like a hotel but actually it's a bar hidden behind a bookshelf! The vibe was low key and intimate. The drink was pretty nice and the time I hit the place there's no live music, but I could see a stage set for some music events. Would recommend to try there if you like speakeasy read more

Firehouse Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

I'm a huge fan of speakeasies, and it's one of my goals to visit every single one in Austin. This one is cool because it's located behind a bookshelf inside the Firehouse Hostel. I can tell that during pre-COVID times, there might've been a lot of people dancing on their spacious floor. The vibes are really nice. Their drinks are just okay, but I did enjoy the South Sider. I would recommend to anyone who also likes speakeasies! I've been to better ones in Austin, but the vibes are still nice. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Fitzgerald & South Sider - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

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What a great find! This was our first stop our first night in Austin. Luckily, we had some friends staying in this hostel and they told us to check it out. It was super tucked away behind this bookshelf giving it the speakeasy vibe. The place was like a typical lounge with big booths and moody lighting and fancy drinks. A good low-key way to start our night on sixth, since it was less clubby than most of the other bars around it. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place used to be an old firehouse. They have a lot of firefighter memorabilia and live music. The cocktails were delicious. The bartenders were very friendly. Just a heads up it is Smokey in there, definitely adds another elevation to the ambiance however, it is strong, so if you get bothered by strong smells this place probably isn't good for you. All in all definitely a good place to check out. read more

The Firehouse Lounge is a cute little spot, perfect for casual, intimate drinks in a dimly lit bar behind a bookcase. I came on a weekend when a live performer was singing, and can't say I enjoyed the loud noise of it all. The venue is teeny tiny and would've been better without an entire band and large venue speakers. It's a bit difficult to order drinks at the bar, as most of the patrons that are seated there are on an elevated platform of some sort. You definitely have to wave and scream or squeeze your way in and enunciate. The bartenders here are more skilled than your usual bars. I had the Moscow Mule while my other half had the Paloma. Both were crisp, flavorful, and refreshing in a vodka and tequila way (respectively). read more

Delicious mezcal drink. Friendly bartenders. Somewhat small, and dark, speakeasy. Santana playing. Chill vibe. Lots of comfortable seating. 5:45pm on a Saturday. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Delicious mezcal drink! - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Pretty disappointed coming here. I've heard about this "secret bar" a few times and we tried coming once but they weren't open yet, but got in this time. It's kitchy to have a bookshelf open to the bar, but other than that there really isn't anything special about this place. None of their specials were really calling to us so we asked for something not that special (zombie punch), and they were 1) flabbergasted and confused about what that was and subsequently obviously 2) did not make it. They even claimed that they didn't have rum... the bartenders really didn't seem to give a S, which is all too common here where there's so many people it doesn't really matter anymore if your customers dislike you because someone new and unsuspecting will happily take your place. read more

I was staying in the Firehouse Hostel which is in the same building as this bar. A bartender at another bar recommended I go here. I like to drink and I plan my trips around bars and restaurants. This bar had a good happy hour and a discount for people who stay at the hostel. All of this just made sense that I visit this place. When you enter the Firehouse Hostel, go to your right and you'll see a little bookshelf type thing next to the elevator. Your entrance to the bar will be there. This is a cool little speakeasy type bar that has a good ambiance and good atmosphere. It's an intimate place and a nice place to chill with some friends over some drinks. Their happy hour is from 5-8pm Monday to Wednesday and from 12-8pm Thursday to Sunday. They also have live music 9-11pm on Thursdays and 10-12am Friday and Saturday. I ordered the eastern sour ($11) and the old fashioned ($11) which were both pretty good. They have their own signature cocktail creations along with the classics. They also have cocktails on the chalkboard above the bar. The prices of the cocktails were reasonable and with the hostel discount it was even better. It was a great bar! read more

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REALLY enjoyed the drinks, vibes, and service - so hard to get these days. It was a low key weeknight and I'd be curious what the weekends are like. Highly recommend checking it out! You'll be pleasantly surprised by the entrance. read more

There's certainly that cool moment when you see the bookcase and realize that there's a whole secret bar behind it. The moment is actually in slo-mo because the door is quite heavy and slides open slowly, further building the suspense. But that's it. It's all downhill from there. The drinks taste good but it's 10% cocktail and 90% ice - for $12++. The seating is limited. The decor is basic. There is no service at the table - only bar service where you order. There was also a comedy show tonight. I feel bad because the pandemic quarantining has probably taken away the creativity and everyday observations that good comedians write into jokes. I was expecting some joke-testing but not the entitled laugh-shaming when half of them showed up with zero content. If we're investing our time to come listen, you can spend yours to write some content. I wasn't a fan of the endless calling out the audience for not laughing. I wanted to - that's why I drove all the way. But you drove me away. There were a couple of comedians who at least tried and I appreciated the effort. read more

Ambience was great, for sure has the speakeasy vibe with it being dark, small, and hidden away. Some seating is available, however, it can get packed and harder to maneuver around. Service was amazing as well, we had our orders in quick and enjoyed our drinks. We didn't have any food, but the drinks we got were amazing. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Entering through a secret bookshelf is a fun way to meet the speakeasy criteria, and the personable young man checking us in was good bait (even at $10/person covers), and then there was a salsa band that particular night that sounded perfect, but it's all downhill from there. Infrastructure is difficult, watch your step, and because it's a smaller space with thumping live music good luck holding a conversation. Ordering your drink is a chore yelling up at the high bar as if requesting a song from a DJ, who in this case is played by a jerk bartender who'd rather exude impatience and insult my people for taking time and him not hearing orders, thinking it's cool to scoff with other customers. He sucks. And I tipped because that's my style but if he could've heard me I told him to f*ck off. On the receipt it said his name as "Lucifero Uhhh!!" lol. Going to keep the receipt for many reasons... read more

Firehouse Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love this place been coming here for years but noticed last night they added a $10 gratuity on to my tab . I had already tipped $20 so I didn't change it but make sure you look at your tab before you Add an additional tip ! read more

Dimly lit cocktail bar with style! Has a speakeasy kind of feel to it and some really cool decor/features (e.g., bookcase). The cocktails are well made. I ordered the Jack Rose and it was good. It's a bit limited on seating however, it does have a few spots for larger groups of people. A good spot to go for something more low-key to just have a few cocktails and hang out. I think it actually has a hostel above it too. read more

Firehouse Lounge - Jack Rose - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was staying at the Firehouse Hostel and popped in here at the end of a night out, for a night cap. We were already nice and sauced and were just delighted by the speakeasy feel to it. There is a sliding shelf that is the entrance to the lounge, located within the lobby itself of the Hostel. It was dark and sexy inside. A little late so there was only 1 other pair in there. The bartender was engaging and friendly. Brought us over our drinks right away. What I found incredibly funny, in a good way, was how high the bar itself stood. Now I'm a short girl, under 5 foot, and the bar came to about my neck. (see pictures) We only stayed for one drink, but it was a great stop on a great trip to Austin. read more

This spot is a speakeasy located inside a hostel. It really doesn't look like much from the outside, no sign of any kind of bar or a lounge. Right off the entrance, there is a bookshelf to the right, next to the hostel check in/out counter. And this bookshelf is the door to the lounge! I always loved the idea of a secret door, which is a bookshelf, and behind it is a secret room... The inside was dimmed with bright red walls. Since it was a week night, there were still several tables that were not occupied. It still had a good amount of crowd in here. The space itself is not that large, but it is adequate, maybe just the right size for a speakeasy lounge. We were actually hoping to get some drink AND food, but all they had was bar snacks. I saw a TV show about them with secret menu, which was some kind of sandwich. However, that TV show was originally filmed about 5 years ago or so, and they no longer have that... How sad... We decided to have one drink before heading out to a restaurant to get some real food. They have a really nice selection of cocktails, both classic and house creations. The ones we got were elegant without being fancy. A solid, good drinks that were not watered down. Staffs were friendly and helpful, they felt bad about not having that secret menu sandwich...but hey, the TV show was really old. We had a nice relaxing time here, even thought we didn't stay long. read more

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Laidback speakeasy bar with a good selection of classic cocktails. Hidden behind a bookcase at the Firehouse Hostel, this speakeasy offers some solid classic cocktails and other drink options. Once you get beyond the bookcase entrance, the interior is a bit more evocative of your typical lounge-type bar, with a dance floor area in front of the bar. There are also a few nooks and crannies on the periphery of the inside where you can get a table and get away from the crowds. Out of all the speakeasy bar options in downtown, this is by far the most "laidback" of them. For one thing, you don't need a reservation (in fact, I don't believe they actually accept reservations). You aren't assigned a table to drink at and you instead find your own seating (or standing room on crowded nights). The dancefloor draws a younger crowd for sure. Additionally, the bar serves a few classic standards (e.g., negronis, saezeracs, etc.), which are tasty, but doesn't hold itself out as a snobby cocktail bar with tons of custom-made options. It hits a happy medium between an average dive bar and a more upscale cocktail bar. One word of caution: this place is usually popping on the weekends, so it's best to set expectations if you're coming here late on a Friday or Saturday night. That said, it's a great option if you don't have reservations anywhere else. read more