I like the interior design-it has a cool church theme and I went during their "holy hour". Since it was my first time, I was not aware of how the service is. You seat yourself, so you don't need to make a reservation, which our group did. Their menu is not updated. Most of the food items are not available, including the one I was anticipating, the Higher Burger. Got the patty melt-this is ok, nothing special. Burger was pretty good. Cheese oozes over the patty. Mocktails are a bit too sweet, but I enjoy the flavor. Cauliflowers are sweet-I wish they were salty. If I go back, I would try some drinks and more burgers. read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place has a great vibe! The food and drinks were good, though the drinks are a little pricey. Great place to go for happy hour and the outdoor area is cool for shows. read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place seems to be the go-to happy hour spot in the area. Looks like it used to be a church, but I'm gonna assume thats just the theme and design lol. There were about 3 levels and an outdoor deck that we were no able to experience due to rain, but it seemed cool. I love that they take your card to start the tab and give it back to you and that you can go to a different floor and they can pull the tab there. Very cool and convenient. We didn't stay more than an hour but we were able to grab 2 drinks and some fries as we had a reservation somewhere at Here Nor There. The Black Manhattan was pretty good as well as a mezcal cocktail that I had. read more

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Visited Higher Ground on 12/21/2022 (1st time) to check out their Holy Hour specials, which is offered weekdays 4pm-7pm. Since sharing is caring, here are a few of my FYIs & Helpful Tips: ~Atmosphere: I just loved the spirited/church themed decor & vibe! From the spiral staircase that leads to the outdoor patio, candelabras, exposed brick that definitely adds to the charm, and even the menus were theme appropriate! ~Holy Hour Specials : Mon-Fri., 4pm-7pm, w/ a variety of food & drink items to choose from w/ the price range of $4-$10. I ate the burger and fries, both were fresh, hot, & oh so, tasty! I really liked the Pomegranate Ricky and the Bee's Knee's cocktails. Both made me feel just a little bit prettier & tasted so good! ;) On Weds. only they have $5 burgers (good size w/ 2 patties & very tasty) during HH. ~Location: on the corner of Congress / 8th street, across from Paramount Theater ~Parking: During my visit, I parked at the metered street parking and I'm not 100% sure but I think there is a small parking lot right behind the Higher Ground building for customers to use. ~Seating: Reservations can be made ahead of time for a table and there's also bar seating (1st come, 1st serve) for those who just want to walk in. FYI, I was told by one of the employees that they highly recommend a reservation being made on the more popular days (Friday/Saturday) because they do get super busy. They also have a super cute outdoor patio decorated w/ hanging flowers & at night, it lights up w/ purple lighting . There are outdoor heaters & fans to help keep you comfortable while enjoying a cocktail on the patio. The patio had great ambiance for sure and is located right next to the 2nd bar located upstairs (see pics & videos in this review of this awesome little patio area). I definitely need some more "church" in my life so best believe that I'll be checking out Higher Ground's Holy Hour again sometime soon! ;)) Till next time, Rebecca read more

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We came here for drinks and food for a bachelorette party, the place is so unique and pretty! You feel like you're in a chapel with all the intricate decor. Definitely worth a visit if you're in downtown Austin. We started off with drinks which were so so good and the bartender was even able to make some off menu items or take a traditional drink and add a twist to it- she definitely knew what she was doing. There's a spiral staircase in the back that leads to a rooftop which is so beautiful. Definitely check it out if it's nice out. I'm deducting a star because we also ordered food and that's where I feel it like it slightly lacking. Their food menu isn't super hit and I ended up getting a customized rice bowl with ropa vieja. The food took so long and when mine finally came out it ended up being a wrong order which they quickly fixed. Nevertheless, worth trying for the drinks, but maybe plan ahead to go somewhere else for food! read more

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I made reservations for Wednesday, when Higher Ground has $5 burgers as well as Happy Hour from 4p-7p. First impressions: Our hostess was very friendly and engaging, but the waitress was underwhelming. She took quite awhile to bring us water, didn't mention happy hour, and half answered the questions we had. The restaurant itself is really cool. Lots of small tables and a nice church-meets-bar ambience. Food and drinks: I ordered a HG burger, fries and a Pomegranate Ricky cocktail. The fries and drink were solid. Nothing extraordinary, but good. The burger left much to be desired. It lacked flavor, seasoning...really anything that would make it stand out. Obviously for the price point I wasn't too upset, but disappointed since it's on their everyday dinner menu. Would I go back?: If I'm downtown during happy hour, I'd stop in for drinks. But I won't be going out of my way to stop in, especially for food. read more

Higher Ground - HG Burger - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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***Service*** I was really happy with the service here. Felt like I was talking to friends of mine. Nice people with great personalities who want you to enjoy your time here. ***Food*** Not a lot of options but the trio sliders were good, I'd prefer them all to be the beef slider next time or I would just order a burger if hungry. The fries had no salt or seasoning but they were hot and came with ketchup and garlic aioli dips. ***Drinks*** The drinks were delicious. They have lots of liquor & they aren't afraid to make you custom drinks! Obviously you're coming here for the drinks as this is a bar, you will not be disappointed. ***Ambiance*** This place is so aesthetically pleasing! I loved the architecture it felt like I was in a museum a bit. The chairs, the walls, the dim lighting all made for a good feel. The crowd was light on a Thursday around 3pm everyone was cooling. ***Bottomline*** If your looking for a cool bar outing and your in the area come here. read more

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Really nice bar staff as they gave us an overview of what we should check out on our weekend in Austin. They were spot on. Drinks were well made and hit the spot. I can imagine this being a great bar to hang out if we stayed a while longer. Come by here is you have a chance. read more

High Ground has $1 oyster night every Tuesday! My friend & I splurged and each got 2 dozen! It was a steal. They're not the greatest oysters on the planet, they do the job and hit the spot. Amazing happy hour & loved the cocktails based on the 7 daily sins. We got a Pride & Lust. Both mocktail style as we don't prefer alcohol. These were banging and fizzy and beautiful. The service was okay. Everyone working their seemed confused. Haha. The real stand out is the ambiance. Get dolled up and have a cheeky photo shoot. You won't regret it. Sit on the patio! Higher Ground stands on solid ground. Will be back. read more

Higher Ground - $1 oyster night & a side of friens ($4 on HH) - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This place has been on my list for a while and I was finally able to go with a friend during happy hour. On Tuesday they have $1 oysters but on this particular day they also had $1 bubbly to celebrate their anniversary. The place is smaller than expected so it is suggested that you make reservations. If you don't have a reservation, I believe they have a rooftop area that is open seating. The tables are also fairly small and close so it feels as though you're part of another group. We had a party of two and there was a party of 3 seated next to us. We may as well had a reservation together because that's how close we were while dining. We were also seated at the very first table near the front door which was a bit uncomfortable due to the waiting customers standing near and crowding near our table. As for the food, the oysters weren't as big but what do you expect for $1. They are served with a vinegar based sauce as well as cocktail sauce. I found them to taste better with Tabasco sauce that was available upon request. My friend and I ordered a dozen and a half of oysters as well as French fries with Parmesan and aioli sauce. I have to say, the French fries should have been the entree. They were nice and warm and fried to perfection! I can't remember the last time I had fries that good. I 100% recommend the fries if anything! I'm glad I was finally able to knock this place off my list. read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came here after Yelp elite event and ended up staying for 3 hours! Hit the spot just as happy hour was ending and made sure to get our drink and food orders in. Loved sitting at the bar and watching the bartenders do their thing! Each drink looked beautiful! We ordered the happy hour burger and it was delish! Good portion, cooked perfectly, juicy perfect with the Old Fashioned we ordered . Staff was friendly and good vibe at this place ! When our bill came we noticed we were not charged the happy price for the second drink, even though we ordered them before happy hour. Told the Bartender and he checked with the manager who instantly corrected it. Great customer service & even better cocktails ! Will def hit this spot next time!!!! read more

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Super snazzy with open air/outdoor upstairs and a fun party vibe with views of downtown buildings and live music. Enjoyed the fresh Eastern oysters, croquettes, and the Oaxacan Paloma with mezcal. A lot of thought went into the funky gothic church decor (stained glass, chandeliers, candelabras, organ). Odd moment where only VERY hot water came the bathroom faucets upstairs. Lost a star because of the noise. With Covid I'm not as into being within spraying distance while someone is talking . Look forward to returning for brunch. read more

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Perfect spot for a girls night, happy hour, or date night! The ambience both inside and on the patio are so unique and Instagram worthy! There is parking behind the building as well. Happy Hour had lots of options too! You need to try the bruschetta! Only downside is how hot it gets in the back- they should get misters. Right now they have fans that are pretty noisy but you can still hear fine. read more

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I love a themed bar and the theme at this place is SO cool and unique! I had never seen anything like it! The bar is two stories, both of which are themed like an old church. The benches are church benches, there's crosses and floral decor everywhere making you feel like you're in a chapel, it's so beautiful! And the most incredible portion is the upstairs outdoor patio with gorgeous pink flowers hanging from the sky, looks like a scene from a movie. Now let's get to the exciting part. Cocktails! They have everything you'd see at a standard bar plus their specials menu of Church themed cocktails. I tried a few from their happy hour menu that were delicious, delicate, and absolutely stunning in terms of presentation. They also have a small bites happy hour menu with things to nibble on. The Shishito peppers were to die for! One thing to note, parking is hard to come by as the bar is downtown Austin in the middle of the action. And prices even on happy hour are a little high for the area. All that to say, the scene is lovely and the food and drinks are great as well. P.S. on Friday's when where what austin holds a fun record music night that is super fun! We accidentally stumbled in on this and had a blast. read more

Higher Ground - Lower level bar and entrance - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing $1 oyster happy hour all day Tuesdays but I think it was too amazing (and costly) that they may have since changed it to tapas Tuesday. Either way, love the spot and their other happy hours look great! read more

Holy crap is this place a new fave of mine. When I was visiting Austin for a wedding, my friend suggested we'd grab drinks at Higher Ground. Now I recognized this location in its former life but Higher Ground did such a bomb job of a full revamp and creating its own identity. Higher Ground not only has a sick happy hour (we caught the end of it), but they also serve some great bites to have alongside your cocktails. I went for an old fashioned and ended up knocking back a few of them because they were made so clean. What I really loved about this spot was the intimacy yet open space. The staircase leading up to the second floor was my fave moment! There's an altar of some sort to snag a few pics and I was impressed there was even an outdoor space on the second floor. What I thoroughly enjoyed was the second bar up top as it had a different vibe than downstairs. This place is about quality and service so just know you'll be taken care of. Ugh still thinking about my experience here and the goth church vibes I got (aka I freaking loved it). read more

You seriously can't beat Sunday Funday at Higher Ground. We visited midday and the back patio was packed. They have $10 bottle of champagne...which is crazy! We got a couple mixers and enjoyed it out on the patio. They had a DJ and beautiful decor. We've also visited for cocktails during happy hour and sat at the beautiful bar downstairs. The cocktails are a bit pricey, but worth it. read more

Solid spot for food and drinks. It's a bit tight but found spots at the bar. Service was o.k. And the drinks were good. food is standard pub fare, nothing out of the ordinary but good and prepared well. Nice spot with cool vibe. read more

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I came in specifically for the $1 oysters on Tuesdays and really enjoyed it. The space is pretty cool and pretty but casual and the servers are nice. The oysters are a bit smaller than ones I've had before but they're fresh and I'm not complaining for $1. Note that you have to order in increments of 6 which is standard. The pickled onion sauce it comes with is also really good. We also got shishito peppers which were pretty good, particularly the dipping sauce. Additionally we got a non-alcoholic and cocktail drink which were both good. I'd like to come back again for the happy hour deals. read more

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The wait in the evenings can be terribly long, but there was some nice live music and after some time we were able to secure a seat at the bar. The bartenders were great, cycling around as necessary, water refills frequent. Everything seemed a bit pricey in relation, and cramped together spacewise. We had ordered drinks along the way, with some bruschetta, sliders, and shishito peppers to share. The food was decent I'd say. For the drinks I'd say I liked lust the most. I'd say everything was okay for the night, and not sure that the wait was worth. But the bartenders were good and made for nice conversation over the course. read more

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Had reservations upstairs in this awkward corner. Seemed like we were waiting to go to confession. Outside was downstairs are all really beautiful. I wish we were sat downstairs. Drinks were yummy. Didn't see it on the menu, but we got candelabra shots that you could pick from a few options. We liked it. Made for cute pictures. Definitely an insta friendly place read more

Higher Ground - Candelabra shots - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

I am actually typing this while nearing hour 2 of waiting for my entire happy hour meal to reach my table. What is this complicated, time consuming meal I ordered, you ask? 12 oysters, a mock tail, and a plate of French fries. I kid you not. I had a reservation and was seated on time, but no one came to help me until 30 minutes in. I was finally able to place an order. My "mock tail" was ginger beer with a splash of orange juice and club soda. I started with six oysters (they have $1 oysters on Tuesdays). They brought them, but then there was no silverware or napkins on the table. So I had to wait another 20 minutes for them to bring cutlery. Then I realized they didn't bring ketchup for my fries, which took another 20 mins. Took another 30 minutes to flag down someone to get 6 more oysters. They finally arrived. They took 35 minutes to come out. Now I am sitting here waiting for the bill.... I just want to go home This is my second time here. It is loud inside so not the best for trying to have a conversation. Happy hour is well priced. I'd recommend this place only if you have time to burn. If you are on a tight schedule (like I am right now), I wouldn't risk it. Highly recommend doing a reservation ahead of time read more

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I was a little disappointed to find out that the entire food AND drink menu advertised online has been cancelled. No more 'sinful' drinks, which were the fun, unusual drinks I came for. Now that have a much more standard drink menu. The food menu is also much smaller. Service was generally good, although I was disappointed that the greeter originally tried to seat me at the bar despite several empty tables, asserting that they were for reservations. Well after checking there was magically a table available. Atmosphere downstairs is dark and chill, with edm music playing. I didn't get to see the pretty flowers shown on the website. Overall a meh experience compared to what I expected from the website. No real reason to come back read more

Let me start off with the obvious- this is a very cool space.The decor was all on theme and had gothic church vibes all around. 5/5 on the decor. Decided to try out Higher Ground for dinner on a Thursday. We walked in and were designated to find an available seat. It seemed to be the end of dinner rush, so the restaurant was pretty open. We grabbed a seat at the bar and were given waters as we browsed the menus. The service is where Higher Ground lost some stars for me. After we were seated for a while, someone came over and asked if we had our order taken. We informed them we had not, then they walked away. It took almost another 10 mins before we were greeted by a different bartender who took our food and drink order. It seemed like there was some disconnect in the flow of service. All the drinks looked incredible and I thought it was cool that they were all named after the 7 deadly sins. I decided on the Lust-a delicious mezcal berry cocktail. Our food did not take long to come out-crispy Porchetta, meatballs, and bruschetta. If the three, the Porchetta sandwich was DEFINITELY my favorite. The bruschetta had a good flavor, but the bread came out in one piece so we had to cut it on our own. Seems like a great place to revisit for live music at night! read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place was amazing. We got there early afternoon, but ended up staying quite a long time because all the DJs were great. It's rare that we find a spot that has house music that me and my two friends all love, but this spot was it. Nice outdoor patio with misters. Even at 106 it was perfectly comfortable. And the service was great at the bar. (I'm looking at you, Kendall!) We'll be back!! read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place is awesome! I visited on a Saturday at Happy Hour. I had two drinks that were absolutely amazing. It was such a cool atmosphere. I sat at the bar, which in my opinion has the best view. The décor here is stunning. They had great music playing as well. The bartenders were funny, engaging and knowledgeable. The only thing that I hated was it was closing early for an event, so I didn't get to stay as long as I hoped. I wonder if this info can be found in the future on their website?? I did not try any food, but the Happy Hour menu looked great! I will definitely be back if I'm in town again. read more

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New bat in ATX, and I'm so glad I found out about it! I love the old church theme! They really went all out with it. There is stained glass, beautiful chandeliers, and church like light fixtures. One of the DJ booths is made out of an organ! The bartenders were so full of life and very attentive! If you check out the drink menu, they are based off of the 7 deadliest sins! This place gets you so in character, and what made it better was the vibes! We met new friends, and everyone around were all having a great time! We will be back read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

I will always visit Higher Ground when in Austin. Between the convenient location, delicious drinks, friendly staff and good music, it's already a wonderful spot. But the minute you go upstairs, you're simply transported. I want to get married again so I can married on this roof deck. We didn't have much time to spend here, as we were about to head to the airport, but I'm so glad I went before the recommendation slipped from my memory. Now that I've been, I'll never miss it again. I hope to come back soon so I can really spend some real time relaxing here. Like, I want to camp out upstairs with a book and a bottle of brut rosé. That may be hard to do when I'm normally here for short work trips, but I may just tack on a personal day next time -- that's how wonderful it is! I'm also excited to try the food next time I'm back. read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Been here twice, both times earlier in the day, both times good just not amazing. I plan on going again when it's busier and has a vibe. I want to go hang out in that beautiful patio. read more

Higher Ground - Gluttony - no cream - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We can here on a Friday night to see the Alvata show. Loved the dance music. Awesome DJ. Cool vibe. The bartender gave us a complimentary Shirley Temple, but he ran out of cherries. Boo. read more

$1 oysters Tuesday! and happy hour until 7. Really good drinks and vibes during the early evening. Cons service was slow (but he was super nice and helpful) and oysters are small and really salty (some people like that but I don't). Overall I'll be back for happy hour- definitely make a reservation, we had to stand at a standing table outside lol. read more

Higher Ground - $1 oysters Tuesday's - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

I think the pictures that I've seen of higher ground made it look a lot fancier than what it was. I stopped in here on a girls night and was very confused. They have a restaurant/bar on the bottom floor and a rooftop bar upstairs. There is a very narrow venue so it looks very small. it was quite packed on the first floor, but we made our way up to the second floor and it was dead. We came on Thursday night so that could have been the case. Upstairs felt very dive.-ish. It gave old bar vibes.. I could see how they try to make the aesthetic " churchy". But I guess I was misled thinking that it was a lot fancier and it's not. Was OK for what it was.. probably will not be back, was not too impressed. read more

Higher Ground - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This bar is cool! I only stayed downstairs so can't comment on the club upstairs (only open on weekends if I remember correctly) but the downstairs area is nice. There's a long central bar with lots of bar seating but only a couple (3-4) tables beside that so not a huge amount of seating. I walked by once on a Saturday night and the place was totally popping so a reservation would prob be needed, but I came back with a res on a Tuesday night before going to a show across the street, and all the tables were wide open, just a few folks at the bar. They do a happy hour from 5-7 PM on weeknights where you get the special cocktails for $10. They're fun! I tried a couple with my friends and they were strong, enough that I went to my show with a nice buzz. The decor and low light in this place is nice too, it's "cathedral/church" themed. The bathrooms are also quite clean, all the way in the back just past the spiral staircase. Overall this is a cool place! The downtown parking situation can be a nightmare but apparently downtown street parking is mostly free mon-tues after 6 PM, and it's not too bad all other days re: price (but good luck finding any thurs-sat, it's always packed and usually you have to go for an expensive garage). Overall I do rec giving this place a try! It's too central/inconvenient to become a regular haunt but it's got great vibes. read more

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I would have loved to review the place if anyone had bothered to serve us. Booked a birthday dinner here for a large group. When we arrived they ushered us to the musty area in the back and completely forgot about us. We waited 30 minutes and no one even acknowledged us. When we got up to leave they didn't even apologize for what had just happened. read more

one of my favorite bars in austin for many reasons! 1st, they typically always have a dj during the nighttime to create a great going out environment! their specialty cocktails are absolutely delicious too! 2nd, every Tuesday they have $1 oysters and let me tell you, these are amazing! they are a great size & are always fresh, where they are immediately shucked and served once your order gets put in! they also have a number of other happy hour specials including fries & a charcuterie board (my favs)...i'd HIGHY recommended getting a resy for tuesdays, as they do tend to be extremely busy and I have been turned away in the past. if you are turned away, you can go upstairs and just order food and drinks at the bar and eat there! one thing to note it is a lot less formal than the downstairs dining, but definitely worth the deal! they don't have a dedicated parking lot so you can either street park or i'd recommend just ubering since it does get pretty busy in that area! read more

Higher Ground - oysters - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

Food 10/10 Environment 10/10 Service 20/10 Had the most amazing night with my sister in law and soon to be sister in law!! Couldn't have expected better food, I was sooo full and couldn't stop eating! The people around are chic and so interesting to people watch it was a spot of glamour ! The service... I've had nice servers but the group of ladies who helped us order, made recommendations, and even used the table lights to help light the pictures we asked them to take of us was above and beyondddddd ! If I had to go back to Austin, you bet I'm going back here! read more

Higher Ground - Dessert - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Dropped downtown for Moontower at the Paramount, headed over after the show - 30min ago - my wife wanting to show me a new find! Not too busy, waited a couple minutes for two seats in the middle of the bar. 7-8 minutes passed and nobody greeted us, meanwhile both bartenders working either end of the bar. Two ladies who sat after us (I told them to watch the corner parties about to leave) were served wine and we still hadn't even received a "hi, be right with you..." We live here, not strangers to the scene, my wife is pissed and starts to leave. The bar back (?) offers us menus, I ask if anybody is working our seats? "Sorry, this is my first day..., I don't know... I can help you...?" Too late, my wife's half way out the door. I asked who's working our part of the bar because folks after us are already drinking? Neither bartender, within earshot, glances over. #higherfail read more

Fun bar located downtown. It has a vibe that's between dive bar and cocktail bar with a unique ambiance. Higher ground because they borrow some elements from a church setting - candles, stained glass etc. On Wednesday night they have a jazz artist upstairs and a pianist. We thought they were really good. Two bars, one down stairs and one up. Decent selection cocktails and a good friendly crowd too. Lovely outdoor rooftop patio to hangout at too. read more

Higher Ground - Outdoor patio - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Austin, Texas

Music was amazing as was the Halloween decor! Loved the drinks also! I got my usual whiskey sour & old fashioned. Food was okay, I think the menu was limited because of how late it was but otherwise the ordering system was unique! You order from the QR code on your table and put your table number. Food will then be delivered, but you still have to go to the bar for drinks. Otherwise great costumes, theme, and music. Seriously good DJ read more

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Came for "holy hour," as they called it here. I love a good theme bar and the vibe here was very cool. We sat at the bar and ordered drinks and some snacks before heading to a dinner. The cocktails were lovely and the charcuterie plate was perfect for 2 people. I also LOVE a good charcuterie plate so this place really suckered me in. Overall, this place had a good look, good drinks, and yummy snacks. I'd definitely go back. read more

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