The only thing I left Whip In filled with was rage. I should have bailed when the smug hipster taking our order demanded we tell him exactly where we were planning on sitting "unless we want cold food" - did I mention they only have three booths and five tables? Of course, cold food would have been better than the no food we received until we flagged a waiter and asked (after a 30 minute wait) - the kitchen printer goes down and you don't check to see if any orders were missed? Their conciliation? Our food will be out soon (in reality another 15 minutes) and 10% discount. After a 45 minute wait. And the kicker? The food was overpriced and mediocre at best. read more

Sunday mornings, post-run, a little sweaty, and this is my favorite place for Austin-meets-Indianish food. I don't expect it to be pure Indian food. If I wanted that, I'd go to a formal Indian restaurant. I want weirdo Austin food, and I like to sit at the bar and eat it with one glass of local craft beer. I haven't had any issue with the service, all my waiters have been funny, down-to-Earth friendly people. The food comes out a little slowly, but it's Sunday morning. And I've just run more miles than reasonable. It's worth the wait. My food is hot and just as I ordered. Thanks, Whip In. I'll see you soon! read more

The Good: nice beer selection. The Bad: overpriced and just plain not good food. Definitely far from the best of what Austin has to offer. read more

Quite confused today. Just back from Bangkok after SRS and am totally silly about this place! The surgery was nothing compared to my udder shock today. In my previous life as a man I enjoyed this totally ordinary convenience store as a place for the ultra-macho simple pleasures of Bud 6-packs and condoms and maybe Marlboros. And now? WTF, no condoms or Bud. In fact with my new vagina I was somewhat wet and turned on by the alt-hipster little boy club sucking down the latest 'Kraft" beer and delicious pseudo-Indian/Tex/Mex/Fresh/Local/over-hyped/fusion/sameshitastheotherguybutdifferent bar food. Yes, oh yes I almost creamed my new panties for the first time until I went back from the future to the past and remembered the truly outstanding potential I recall from the original Whip In that not only carried condoms and Budweiser and Marlboros but Whip-its. What-its? Yes Whip-its. Who doesn't like fresh Whip-Its? I never even would have known what a Whip-it was without Whip In. But now? No where in site. What has this world come to? Thanks for the memories Whip In.... If only we both could have stayed happy and content with our roots and not opted for this post-op new life. There is no turning back now so we both take a trip on the wild side and end up where we may.....journey on! In search of Whip-its..... read more

+Good beer list and bottle selection -not good Indian food. No flavor or spices used. Chick peas were hard and tasted like they were fresh out the can. Really really disappointing, could only take a few bites. If you want to come have some beers and snack whip in would be fine, but if you're looking for decent Indian food, look elsewhere. -it's really tacky that they have a sign on the counter requesting 20% tip when it's counter service. Everyone knows service industry people work for tips and that Austin's expensive, but it's rude and tacky to put in 36 font on your counter basically condemning those who choose not to comply. Will not return. read more

Whip in.. I love you, but why have you recently instigated a $10 credit card minimum? I used to go in there a couple of times a week to pick up a Yerba Mate for my boy & I, and I really loved the place. Friendly staff, convenient, offers a bunch of different types of Mate. But then I went in today and saw a big sign pasted by the register about the new credit card minimum.. and sorry, but I never have cash, & I'm not going to buy another $6 of random crap I don't need just to get my Mate. Maybe $5 minimum I would understand, but $10 just sucks. The only places that can reasonable have $10 minimum are bars.. not gas stations. And Whip In, I love you, but you're still kind of a gas station. Anyway, I'm not really planning on going back unless they change that, or I get a job that pays me in cash. I'm not going to hit up an ATM just to get a Mate, I'm just going to go to Sunharvest. Sorry guys. :( read more

Awesome 'bowl' / small portion Indian food in a TX outdoor setting with a 70's rock cover band ... And(!) wait for it, it's a micro-freaking brewery with an outstanding IPA .... My mind just blew DId I mention the Daily Special? A white bean (cannelini) masala ... As a (CA )visitor to Austin I'm not sure I'm sufficiently mentally endowed to process this level of awesomeness read more

I have lived in Austin for a while, and had heard Whip In mentioned many times before. I always said "Oh I will definitely check it out sometime." but never managed to make it in for a visit. I decided to meet a friend here for dinner, a few beers, and to catch up. Stepping inside, the lighting is soft but not oppressively dark; there is a small enclosed dining parlour with hanging tapestries and carved wooden screens surrounding old wooden church pews and padded booths, with a small stage at the front, complete with piano. The colors and textures are lush but not garish. Outside of the parlour, in the main area, there is a large wooden bar top lined with stools, wider than what is used for a normal bar, because people sit and eat their meals there too, or just hang out with the friendly staff and sample the dozens of beers they have on tap. The food is great; my first visit I had the "Spongebob" which is a panini (actually a panaani *chortle* because it's made with naan bread), with a crab cake patty topped with cheese and tomato chutney. Om nom nom nom! This one remains my favorite. They let me try little samples of all of the different curries (the masala, the bourbon chicken, the eggplant, & the spinach were especially good) as well as any of the beers on tap (I loved the Bombshell Blonde, it's my new favorite!) I left in good spirits with a warmth in my cheeks and warmth in my heart for this funky little store/restaurant/beer garden. Yes, as I was leaving I saw they have built an enclosed area outside with picnic tables and umbrellas, surrounded by trellises and with a larger stage at the far end. I can't wait for the weather to turn cooler! Ok, from subsequent visits: Two more of their panaanis tie for second place: The Woodland - pulled pork, mango chutney, and feta. The Barton Springs -turkey, bacon, swiss, and habanero cranberry jam. They carry all sorts of Austin, or at least Texas made, and ecologically minded faves, like fresh,locally made brownies, pies, salads, hummus and falafel, frozen pizzas and snacks, 7th generation paper products, handmade soaps, incense.... you get the idea. Also, they have these giant jugs called growlers where you can TAKE HOME BEER FROM THE TAP. I didn't even know such a thing existed. *wipes joyful tear* Yes, of course I bought one. Are you effinkiddingme? Go there. Try everything. read more

Love it-- you can sit at the bar, have good beers on tap (that they change pretty frequently) and actually have a conversation with your friend and/or the bartender. They have the live music now which is nice when you're sitting at the bar--it's not very loud and it adds yet another layer of strangeness to the Whip In experience. ('cause a bar next to coolers of Dr. Pepper and craft beer is already deviating from the norm) Beer prices are standard but I remember the happy hour discount being pretty sweet. I'm going to say it's a dollar per pint... I like that you can also get a 6 pack and snacks to go. Convenient! read more

Seriously guys. Been going there for years, through all the (small) renovation/remodeling and you still cannot add a decent bathroom facility? It's ridiculous. Your prices are not low, you are regularly crowded and doing brisk business, but you can't invest any of that money back into a relatively inexpensive plumbing project? I suppose y'all have heard this before, and probably have an answer for it. Is there a permitting issue? Will adding restrooms put you in a different category or something with the health department? At least put a sign up acknowledging and explaining the pathetic-by-1st-world-2016-standards wait that your customers have to endure, to share a single hole in which to pee. Man, I feel sorry for your female patrons. They have to rely on the good aim of the guys, and in a bar environment that's asking a lot. It's kind of hard to enjoy my food - and especially my beer or wine - when I have to keep a constant eye on the restroom line and time my trip there. Oh, and the porta-johns....freaking empty and/or deodorize them once a century, M'kay? Thanks. read more

Whip In is a bit difficult to categorize, and I think that adds to its charm. There are at least four main characteristics. Part I: convenience store Lots of unusual and somewhat hard to find local and micro brews, I think they sell some wine too but I never drink wine as long as there's beer around. Prices seem fairly standard, and you can pick up some pretty hard to find brews sometimes. Part II: bar With no shortage of taps (50+?) there's always something new to try. I do like a good ale or saison but heck, sometimes I just gotta go big and have a strong Belgian. Plenty of IPA's for those that like it hoppy. Plus they have daily happy hour specials, like $3 pints from particular breweries. Part III: Indian restaurant Great dishes, some are standard curries, some are a bit more adventurous. My personal favorite is their beef & beer chili (or whatever it's called). Heavy dish and a bit spicy, so you heat up with the chili and cool down with the beer. Excellent combination. Part IV: music venue Like many places in Austin, you'll find live music inside. Sometimes it's a singer-songwriter type, other times I've seen a country band and jazz band. Nothing has ever been obtrusive or grating. Good background music for drinking. The outdoor patio is a lot more developed than it used to be. There are lots of picnic tables and a stage set up out there, though I've never seen it in use. And unless I'm mistaken, the only restrooms are porta-potties so be prepared if you're not into that sort of thing. Also sometimes it can get somewhat chaotic inside with people purchasing 6-packs at the register, others lining up to order food and drinks at the bar, and people walking in and out of the front door. But you know what? Whip In still gets five stars from me. read more

Great craft beer selection, great wine selection, amazing queso. AMAZING QUESO. The problem with the queso is only that there is not enough of it. And the brunch? THE BRUNCH? So good. My favorite is the breakfast panaano. The chutney on it is delicious. Perfect. Dinner recommendations: quinoa salad, frito pie. It's easy to waste an entire day & entire month's pay at Whip In, any day of the week. Also, unlike other Live Music Capital joints -- when they have live music, it's often quite good. The parking can be tricky during happy hour. read more

Quirky, check. Awesome selection of beers from different countries by the bottle, check. Unique beers to try on tap, check. Friendly and helpful bartenders, who will provide you with tap beer samples just as easy as snippets of Whip In history, check. Inventive panini sandwiches, including breakfast paninis (yea!), check. Being able to find something unique in the grocery aisles you didn't even know you "needed" (check out their tempting selection of teas), check. Being able to pick up some milk and laundry detergent, grab a bite to eat, and down a pint of chocolate stout while chatting up your neighbors in a very "Austinite" locale.....priceless! The only negative is the sometimes twanging music blaring a little too loudly from the giant speaker boxes propped up directly above the dining/bar area booths, making cozy conversation a little halting in between all those "whats?!" Conversations are much easier sitting at the bar. read more

Time to update; it's been a while. Whip in has changed a little bit, in a good way. It still holds the Austin hippie vibe- but I like he interior renovation. Out with the old dark, dingy booths and in with the open glass bringing natural light. I also like how they've put a TV Where there was just an empty stage. Also, it seemed lot open & cleaner than before. The beer as always was refreshing and a lot of choice. The bar tenders were kind enough to let us try several local beers and tell us about them. We tried couple of wheat beers and they didn't disappoint. We tried a cold coffee drink, but wasn't great. Moreover, they have introduced new menu items with a espresso machine and new appetizers. We ordered the hummus trio (babaganoush & beet hummus), was super tasty. We also got the chana dal, chhole & good ole Travis heights. The chhole could use masala and cooking all the way through. I ordered their new tempeh burger on the menu, which had paneer and pepper toppings. Didn't like it at all. Fries were ok. Food could use a slight uplift from a spice standpoint. Overall, we had a nice time. read more

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This hidden gem along I-35 is easily overlooked were it not for the many cars lining the streets surrounding it on Saturday and Sunday evenings. It has a very chill atmosphere and with new American Indian fusion is reminiscent of a food truck embedded in a Specs liquor store. I tried the goat sliders and they were succulent and delicious. All in all, highly recommended for those who love Indian food and adult beverages. read more

My local friends love this place and promptly brought me with them when I suggested we eat Indian food. There was a really hipster-ish vibe going on, but I feel like this is true of half of Austin. I had the Travis Heights and a hard cider, and OMG. My mouth waters at the thought. It was so damn GOOD! If I lived in the city, I'd be a regular. I'm honestly craving another Travis Heights as I write. The only thing is that they're crazy popular, so seating is extremely limited. But it's a minor hiccup and won't be deterring me from coming back. read more

Whip In - Travis Heights - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Austin, Texas

I totally love this place. It's quirky, it's fun, it's yummy! How can you not love a bar which is also a convenience store which is also a restaurant. LOTS of different craft beers, huge selection of drafts, lots of room inside and outside to hang with your friends. The vibe is just inviting and relaxing. Whip In is definitely one of my favorite bars in Austin! Parking is definitely pretty tough but I don't like to ding stars for something like that. What do you expect them to do? Pick up and move to a place with better parking?That would destroy the integrity and uniqueness of this location. Just suck it up, find a spot, hike there and enjoy yourself. Or better yet, carpool, take a cab, ride your bike, etc, etc. read more

I think the place has improved. They've got an outside couryard that I do not remember previously. The decor and setup is mostly the same though it looked like there was more seating and small stage that I don't recall. The food is a great mix of Indian and other influences with all the fun that makes south Austin so great. I had the Chicken Beeryani and it was great. $9 might be a little more than I'd prefer to pay but I won't be eating out or here every day. Nothing but good things to say otherwise. Good beer selection. read more

Where has this place BEEN all my life?! What a great, crazy, wonky place. Keep Austin weird, in deed. A great pub feel on the inside on one side-- wood stools, tables, great beer, etc. Then there's the little store part where you can buy wine, beer, ice-tea, other stuff. Then there's the OUTSIDE bar area that is super fun. There's also food, apparently, but we didn't get to that. A cool, chill vibe and a great new favorite place to chill. My ONE complaint here is that people smoke in the outside area... like people are bound to do... but it REALLY kills my buzz. Gross. read more

Three points to ponder 1) Corkage fee of $10 if you have never been 2) The sandwiches will change your life 3) Take a large group of people, because places this awesomely diive like this one with such amazing food/wine/beer seem to be getting bulldozed and everyone should eat here before it is gone. read more

Had a short rondevu with friends here yesterday around 3pm before heading down to SoCo for shopping. We find that only appetizers are available on the early menu. We didn't care. Ordered some chilie cheese fries, nachos and the dal puppies. (I apologize these are not all the names as posted on the menu.) All of these offerings where prepared with a decidedly Indian flare. I've personally been trying to refine my pallet for craft beers a little and have found that I prefer mostly pilsners. Whip in carries six. I had two pints and the other four in a flight. They where all good! Seems to be a good place for the amateur beer enthusiast. All the food was inexpensive and all the food was good. The staff all was helpful, polite, knowledgeable and attentive. The facility is in the quirky minimalist Austin tradition. Actually had a small beer/wine grocery store in the back. I would highly recommend for a date or a group engagement. read more

Whip In - Photo from Beertrotter.com. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Love this place so much. Queso is amazing, the chutney makes it unique and tastes wonderful. Service is lovely, dig the music and atmosphere. Two thumbs up read more

Whip In - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Austin, Texas

... I really want to like this place... and I keep on checking it out but after 40 minutes and Ive been pre charged for food I never got..Ive got to go... read more

It was so so good! A mix of cultures! Great drinks! healthy food too and a nice funky touch on the interior read more

Whip In - this is what I got - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Austin, Texas

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If you asked me for a demonstration of the phenomenon of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, I might take you down to Whip In. This joint offers an improbable but winning mashup of gourmet / niche convenience store, restaurant, bar, live music venue and more. It's not the most sublime Indian food by a long shot, but the creative fusion with more familiar dishes is always a fun treat. Our chicken-fried steak covered in coconut cream gravy was good and definitely fun. Dal pups (Falafel-like hush puppies) seem to always find their way to our table, with samosas not far behind. It's like Indian-themed pub grub, and the tap wall selection of craft and microbrew beers more than covers the pub part. The small dining room and music stage is all decked out with Indian-mashup kitsch that offers a close and intimate performance experience. Low-key acoustic or jazz acts ensure the room isn't overwhelmed. There's also nice picnic tables outside to hang out, and an outdoor stage, as well. And then there's the store. It offers a great selection of beer and wine, along with natural, gourmet and niche food offerings. Though all of this is packed into a very small space, there's tons of variety and surprises. For us it was a beloved Ben & Jerry's flavor (Mission to Marzipan) that we haven't found ANYWHERE else in the ATX!!! But the best part of it all is how it all just fits and works together. It's always been a pleasurable and memorable experience. I can imagine the vibe suffering when the place gets packed - intimate can go to obnoxiously claustrophobic pretty quick. Luckily the buzz of activity has been just right on my handful of visits. I see some negative reviews from folks who've felt they've lost things as they've evolved (convenience store staples, consistent service during peak times, etc.) and I can imagine these being legitimate concerns. But if ever there was a place innovating and reinventing itself in a way that fulfills the potentially disparate demands of south Austin funk and commercial viability, this is the joint. Props! read more

5 Stars for the beer selection; Unfortunately I came for the food. Really, what it boils down to is that everything here is more expensive than it should be. When I was ordering my expectations were VERY high because of all the positive comments and the price. I mean, the flavors were okay but I prefer the offerings elsewhere like New India or Bombay Bistro. I tasted two other items and I wasn't wowed with them either. At other places you'd get paratas, naan, roti, some kind of bread item and your whole meal isn't just a leidel of slow cooked mash over rice. I found it boring and somewhat unappealing. Also, to get a samosa required a mortgage application. There was no option to get something more interesting like curry, rice, samosa and pickle. Really, the kitchen isn't well run, it just runs and someone brings out your food. For serving Indian food and having a great beer selection I'll punt them a three. I'll probably be back; cautiously optimistic. read more

Now here's a hidden gem of Austin. I haven't eaten the food there - though I'm told it's quite good if you like a TexMex/Indian fusion kinda thingie (yes, in those words) - but the beer selection is outstanding. A large beer garden outside and a spacious inside provide a great casual environment to chat with your fellow beer snobs. And chat you will - the crowd at WhipIn is amazingly social and friendly. The beer selection is exquisite - broad, interesting, and constantly changing. The bartenders know their beer incredibly well, and I hear tell that they're looking at becoming a microbrewery, which is exciting. I hope their passion for serving translates to brewing, because if it does it may well be the best beer ever made. read more

Best healthy food ever. Friendly staff, impressive beer selection. I kind of wanna move to the southside just to eat here often. I got some spicy indian bowl with garbanzo beans and cabbage, and a glass from their nice selection of wine. The BF was in heaven looking at the rows and rows of brews lining the walls. We met an odd man who talked for quiet a while about his love affair with Whip In, how he lived right down the road, how he spent all his money there and how angered he was if anyone wrote any smack about Whip In on yelp. Well, between the avid fans, great drink selection and super awesome yummy food- I am sold. Worth the trek to the southside for this NW gal. read more

Food is hit or miss here. I really like the vibe but after eating here a few times, I have to concede that the food doesn't meet my expections. It's like an old art project that was never finished... started with some great Tex-Indian fusion ideas but were never fully developed. One time, I had the chicken confit, which was nice, but it was accompanied by an overly dry quinoa salad. More recently, I tried the pork sandwich with tomato and cucumber salad. So sad... the tomato and cucs were totally limp from sitting around too long in their dressing while the puny sandwich lacked filling... it was really a quesadilla, and way overpriced for the two bites I got out of it. Really, beer and music are the focus here, great for groups, with a nice shangri-la atmosphere that permeates the air.... just be careful, many food options here are downers. read more

I came here because I was craving some Indian sweets and people on LJ were recommending this place. Do I do the drive (about 3 miles, which is farr for me to drive anywhere!), and get there and there are NO indian sweets. boo..In fact, the one dessert item they had on the menu was naan with peanut butter and nutella or something REALLY american. Great selection of wines and beers though. I know where to go to when I want to get some Belgian beers. I ordered their Dal w/ spinach and cauliflower curry and 2 naan. It was about 8 dollars but what disappointed me the MOST that was naan wasn't real naan! It was more like pita bread!!! Seriously?!!? Naan is my favorite part of getting indian food! Booo. The staff were very kind though and seemed very helpful. read more

What a random and incredibly awesome place! When you think about Indian food I'm pretty sure you don't think about going over to the local convenience store. You might think about picking up a case of beer there but I bet you would never imagine there to be a full bar and a seemingly endless list of beers to choose from! All around the Whip In is unique! I've only had the food here once but it was really tasty. Maybe a tad on the salty side but I attribute that to the fact that they basically have a soup pot heating it all day, condensing down the flavor and salt. I'm all about it though - really good Indian treats here. I can't wait to go for happy hour after work soon. read more

Really cool quirky place in South Austin. The food is fantastic. Anna got a Panaani with pork, feta and mango chutney. I got a lentil/spinach curry over rice. We shared spicy fries. Wow! Spicy, flavorful and awesome. Beer - so many beer. So much beer. They give free tastes so you can figure out what you want. A great find in South Austin. Yum yum yum. read more

Super confused at the negative reviews about poor customer service. Ever since I found the place everyone who works at the Whip has been exceptionally friendly and always in a good mood. The beer selections are great as are the beer recommendations. They're adding a wine bar as well which will be a nice addition to an already great place. Legit only negative is that one time my rice was undercooked. That's it. I've been to the Whip probably 50 times and had one "bad" experience. And it wasn't bad because they replaced my undercooked rice with a side of fantastic collard greens. read more

This totally unexpected beer store/ bar/Indian/Mexican/American food spot makes a phenomenal meal and keeps you dehydrated really well with tons of great beer on tap. Right off the freeway but once you see the chilled out patio, the dark but inviting interior, can't help but feel relaxed and stop cursing the heat. Excellent paanini (naan + panini), unique super Desi appetizers and innovative food creations with serious Indian(me) certified spice levels. And to think, the great beer selection already had me sold... Must see and perfect location on exit from an airport!! read more

This is the best (beer, grocer, wine, restaurant?) convenience store (this is not a convenience store) ever. Let me say, I love beer. I really love beer. I love people who know about beer... and I particularly love stores that employ people who know about beer. To go one step further... I love a store that carries the harder to find beers that employ people who also love beer. *tap tap* Am I making any sense? They also carry the good kind of chocolate milk (the kind escapes me now) and you can even pick up a pre-made sandwich which is actually good. The last few times I've been in, they were working on a new restaurant/cafe area that I'm sure will make this place all the better. But if you love beer, you need to put this place on your map. read more

Kudos to Whip In for keeping Austin weird. Their concept is definitely random... Indian food + microbrews + live music + wine cellar + cigars. The seating area has kind of a Village-y New York feel to it, but this place is definitely an Austin original. I love Indian food, and was not disappointed by the fare at Whip In (bonus points for the generous portions that easily provided me with leftovers for next day enjoyment). I hear that the paninis are awesome, so I'll definitely be back soon to try one. Apparently they are also adding a brewery in Fall 2010, giving us all something to look forward to Yelping about! read more

Good food, good beer, and hands down the worst sound system around. Dear Whip In owner(s) spend even just a little money on your sound system and your patrons might enjoy the live music performance. Just to be clear it's not the artist or the guy doing sound for them either. read more

Whip In - Oliver Rajamani - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Austin, Texas

Whip in is legendary. Its food is delicious. Its beer selection is pretty swell. The concept is novel and fun, and its execution is more than decent. There are lines. Things do take time, at times. The bartenders are no-nonsense types, which isn't for everyone. Me? I love this place, with its caveats. :) read more

I this place, makes me wish I still lived in S Austin. They have live music at times, friendly staff, small outdoor area with fans, and inside dining for these insanely hot Texas summers! They have a great selection of beer and wine, with rotating tap for local beers. They also have beer and wine you can purchase to go. I've eaten lunch here several times-I like to try their daily lunch special, one which usually includes curried vegetables, basmati rice, simosa, and Dahl. It's spicy but oh so good! read more

First trip to the Whip in was amazing. HUGE beer and wine selection. Great atmosphere, cool and helpful staff. Went for lunch so there was no live music but the stage area looks cool. I had the special which was a butter chicken dish chalked full of tender chicken and buttery potatoes. I'm new to the area and this will be a new regular destination. Thanks Whip In for being awesome. read more