Met up with a friend for happy hour. Upon entering, I was immediately greeted by the bartender,…read moreKyle. He told me about the happy hour specials and also informed me that it was free pool night (on Mondays). I'm not a huge fan of whiskey, but I've found that whiskey bars tend to have amazing craft cocktails. I browsed the HH menu and noticed a Whiskey Sour. I actually like a Clarified Whiskey Sour and was curious to see how it compared. The Whiskey Sour wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as the Clarified Sour that I've had at Reserve 101 in Houston. Kyle told me they're working on some clarified cocktails. I also ordered a Boulevardier (which isn't on the HH menu). Kyle admitted that he had never made one. He quickly looked up the ingredients and made one for me and it wasn't bad! I've only had this cocktail one other time before so I didn't have much to compare it to, but I did enjoy it. They have a small cigar menu. Cigars can be smoked outside on the patio (which is shared with Las Perlas and Caña Rum Bar). I liked the laid back feel between the pool tables and the rustic decor (it felt like I was in a lodge). Though I'm not a big whiskey drinker, I did enjoy the cocktails as well as the ambiance.

If you are a whiskey drinker, you will find a fine collection of bottles here…read more Or rather - you will find a very very fine collection of scotches here. There are some highly interesting bourbons as well. The selection of ryes is thin. If you read Whiskey Advocate (which I have been known to do), the rye curating will give you no thrills. The selection of Irish is thin as well - but no blame on that point. The population of upscale Irishes is just not that large, once you pass some over-rated cliches like Redbreast. * * * Seven Grand however is not an abstract name. That is how much you will pay in order to drink here. The prices for two ounces of many of those beverages will make the eyes pop out of your head sideways and go running out the front door. In more than a few cases, two drinks here will cost you close to what you would pay for a full bottle purchased at a liquor store. Now to be sure - bar drinking is expensive. That kind of percentage markup is not unheard of in the industry. But when you move up the price range for the raw material, The absolute amount of money you are overpaying to have that drink goes up astronomically. I will pay big for a peak experience I will remember for the rest of my life. (See my review of Craft Omakase.) I will not pay big for a random experiment with a bottle that could be wonderful and could be overrated. It is more economical to just buy the bottle. If the experiment works, I get a free month of legendary drinking. To my mind, bottle testing at Seven Grand just doesn't make sense.

My fiancée and I chose The Whiskey Bar for a Friday date night because we both enjoy whiskey,…read moreespecially Old Fashioneds. We were looking forward to trying a few different drinks, but unfortunately the experience was disappointing from start to finish. When we arrived, the bartender wasn't welcoming and seemed more inconvenienced than interested in helping us. I asked about an advertised special and was told they were out. I then asked if they had a whiskey list so I could see what was available for an Old Fashioned, but was initially told no because they were "redoing the pricing." I had to clarify that I wasn't asking about prices, I simply wanted to know what whiskeys they carried. Instead of providing any guidance, we were told to look at the bottles behind the bar and choose from those. After ordering, we were informed they were out of oranges and asked if we wanted a lemon slice instead. At a bar that specializes in whiskey, not having oranges for one of the most classic whiskey cocktails was surprising. We declined the lemon, and the Old Fashioneds themselves were below average, especially considering the price. To make matters worse, another employee came over while we were sitting there and began loudly complaining about how slow business was, using profanity within earshot of customers. It came across as unprofessional and only added to the poor overall experience. The bar wasn't busy, there were multiple bartenders and only a handful of customers, so it was disappointing that the service still felt inattentive and unwelcoming. We had planned on spending the evening there and trying more than one drink, but after our first round we decided to leave and go somewhere else. I don't mind paying premium prices for quality drinks and good service, but this experience delivered neither.

This place has a giant selection of whiskey, including rotating versions for their old fashioned…read more This weekend's had a fig infused whiskey. I drank two and forgot to take photos! They also serve delicious panini sandwiches! I've tried 3 so far: korean beef, chicken bacon ranch, and the muffuletta. Plus they serve other drinks, too, not just whiskey. I remembered a photo for the Lychee Martini. Additionally, the bar area is 21+only and has vintage games, pool tables and darts among others.

I came to Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar for a casual dinner with family and received so much more…read more No reservation and there was plenty of seating. We were able to change tables to accommodate more privacy. Casey was our server and so helpful. One of my family has dietary restrictions and Casey let us know the kitchen could rework almost anything to accommodate us. She also helped us get an order in before the happy hour ended. The artichoke dip well presented and good but not memorable. The old fashioned and margarita are excellent. For the main event I had the smoked pork chop. There is not a part of the dish I don't think was perfect. The chop, sauce, broccoli and slaw combined perfectly. I would say come back for this alone, but the tavern burger and chicken sandwich were great as well. The fries are crunchy on the outside and flaky inside. Grilled vegetables are an excellent side. You shouldn't leave without an order of the whiskey cake. "I only want a bite," doesn't exist. If you aren't very hungry start with dessert and add the main dish to go. Whiskey Cake has an exhaustive whiskey list and Wednesday has $7 pours which makes tasting easy. I hear brunch is excellent; I can't wait to try it.

Had an absolutely wonderful brunch at Whiskey Cake while I was in Round Rock visiting a longtime…read morefriend. It was one of those meals that felt like old times - great conversation, lots of laughs, and incredible food. I ordered the Farmers Breakfast, and everything was delicious, but I especially took a huge liking to the jalapeño Gouda biscuits. They were absolutely fantastic! My friend ordered the Peach Cobbler French Toast, which looked amazing and was just as delicious. The food, atmosphere, service, and time spent catching up made for a truly memorable brunch. We had an amazing time, and Whiskey Cake was the perfect place to enjoy it.

We expected the same level of food as lunch and dinner, but were highly disappointed for brunch!…read more It was disgusting, disorganized, looked dirty and picked over, many items were needing replenishment so lots of waiting, there was no omelet station or anyone supervising the Buffett room. There were no salads, nor the usual cheese, fruit display that you would find at a typical nice brunch, nor bread and pastry options (only cheap Texas Toast that they were pulling out of a bag.) The butter bowl, yikes! It was disgusting! Denny style grape and Apple jelly by Smuckers was the offering. If you like chips and quest or Mexican breakfast things, then you could find that. There were no desserts. It was like a basic Holiday Inn buffet. Sad.

The group chats were accurate about WR. I'm so impressed by this cute little local joint!…read more We sat on the patio and it was perfect weather. What a gorgeous ambiance. I went for happy hour with another couple but missed it by 30 mins... our wait staff, Mason was very accommodating and attentive. My party shred an app and our sides. My husband and I shared the chicken fried steak, definitely large enough for two. we were all satisfied with the portions and food! Collectively we had: Brisket nachos- must order! Chicken fried steak x2 Creamed corn/spinach Bacon wrapped shrimp -VERY good. Has a hint of horseradish Banana pudding...you must like artificial banana flavors to enjoy this one. Brownie sundae -basic. We each had 2 drinks. The frozen old fashioneds are great! I like the etched ice cubes for non frozen cocktail. Cute little touch. The total was ~$250. Which is very reasonable for 4.

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.

How cool is this? Crowded Barrel is funded by whiskey fans. It's done so through an online method…read more So essentially all of the people backing Crowded are owners in a way. The truest sense of crowd funding comes to life and seemingly thriving. Distillery tours are available for $35 and I strongly encourage folks to give them a visit and check out what's going on. The tasting room is cool + rad. It's like spending time with the greatest people you know. Or maybe it's just the great booze that makes it feel that way? Lol, I kid. It's totally a combo of both. They don't just make whiskey, they've got a gin, tequila (a few) and a vodka as well. I'm a big fan of the vodka. Haven't tried the gin yet. This is a Dripping Springs gem.

Crowded Barrel Whiskey was a great experience overall with excellent spirits, very reasonable…read moreprices, and friendly/fast service! The business is tucked away off the road in a nice neighborhood but it's worth the exploration and drive. The interior of the bar is nicely decorated with a consistent midevil/knights of the round table theme that is tastefully executed with music that wasn't loud and cold AC! The bartenders were knowledgeable and expedient while providing a detailed overview of the spirits lineup. Most importantly, the bartenders did not pressure us into purchasing bottles, memberships, or noticeably more expensive drinks. As a result, I was inclined to spend more money! I'll definitely return to CWB and wish I would have found it earlier.

I went to a networking event at DuMont's Down Low and I was pleasantly surprised. I've walked past…read morethis place a few times and never actually went inside. When I entered the event, I was blown away. First, the food was fantastic. Second, the bartenders and staff were friendly. Third, the cocktails were great. Lastly, I liked the vibes and ambiance in the venue. I absolutely plan on returning here again.

What a lovely spot on 4th! This whiskey bar has some very strong drinks! My friend ordered an…read moreespresso martini which he said was pretty good. I had the Lavender Bee which was perfection! I usually just need one to start out or finish off the night. Service was very friendly on a Friday night and the place was very crowded. Such a great vibe! It's very moody and dimly lit perfect place to meet friends or a date. The music was okay mostly EDM which did not mesh with the chillness of the place. Parking can be difficult on 4th. I parked in the 405 Colorado garage which is very cheap (5 hrs for $10)

Fabulous stop in Salado! Refreshing cocktails on a hot day, I got to taste the "Outlaw Margarita"…read more"Velvet Peach" and the "Traditional Old Fashioned". Please don't make me pick one! Mine was the Velvet Peach, I even ate the candied orange and tasted the Outlaw Margarita, great kick, and the Old Fashioned was divine! I was so impressed the single giant ice cube, keeping my cocktail icy cold. We came before the rush and chose one of several cozy parlors. Glad I could take pictures before it was packed. Lovely patrons in comfy cozy settings. Elegant ladies' room, great ambience in every room, coupled with sweet service. Highly recommend Bourbon Speaks in this "Little Napa". Great destination vacation!

Laid back, warm atmosphere, staff are friendly, drinks are good. Limited parking right in front but…read morethere is a parking lot nearby.

Decided to finally pay a visit to the distillery while I was…read morein town. This is such an awesome spot. The staff is so amazing. Absolutely knowledgeable of the product of the product. They have a great variety of in house cocktails. There is some seating inside and a chill seating area outside with a stage for when they have live music. Next time I'm in a Austin, I will definitely be stopping in again

I was very excited to take this tour and have been a longtime supporter of Still Austin. Before the…read moretour began, I purchased drinks and was encouraged to buy a bottle I already planned to purchase because it was close to the 9:00 PM sales cutoff. Unfortunately, the bartender who sold me the bottle failed to note my purchase or communicate it to the other staff. When I later picked up the bottle and informed a different bartender that it had already been purchased, he took the bottle from me and refused to verify the transaction, even after I showed proof of payment from my bank account and asked him to look up the purchase by amount and time. Only after the original bartender was located and confirmed the sale was I allowed to leave with my bottle. The entire situation was embarrassing and completely diminished what should have been a great experience. I have a whiskey review channel and have been a devoted fan of Still Austin. A brand is defined not only by its products but also by how it trains its employees to treat customers. Unfortunately, this experience fell far short of that standard.

I love Dance Dance Karaoke. It's my favorite place to go for Karaoke in Austin. The pricing is…read moregood in comparison to places like Punch Bowl and Hi Tunes. The staff is friendly and helpful. You can choose songs from their karaoke song list or YouTube. They're BYOB, so you and your friends can be your own bartender. Food is available for purchase via QR code and it will be delivered to you while you're in the room.

Came here for my birthday and it was a let down. I'm not sure if their karaoke system was super…read morelimited (the song selection booklet didn't seem that extensive and I only saw mostly Asian songs) and so that was the reason they had us just using YouTube, but I feel like if I'm paying $200+ I'm expecting a better system than just YouTube because I can do that for free at home--especially when we kept running into issues while using YouTube. First, finding songs was irritating since it's not an actual system that allows you to do that without refreshing the page and we had to spend like 10 minutes figuring out a playlist method on our own phones. Then, once we figured that out, the screen kept popping up with an error message saying playback was paused because the account was being used in another location. The first few times the staff came in to fix it but eventually they just taught us how to fix it ourselves and said it should be fine after we refresh the page and it'll just be another room's problem. . . After these mishaps the rest of the time was fine but these things just really left a bad impression on me.