Austin Texas is well-known for its rich music scene. You may not realize that the city has a thriving cocktail culture as well. In fact, Austin has more speakeasy bars per capita than any other city in America! During my last trip to Austin, we had a great time visiting these establishments! Take this list of five innovative speakeasy bars to get you started exploring Austin’s underground drinking scene:
Eden Cocktail Room
The Eden Cocktail Room is a sin-themed cocktail bar, located in an alleyway right behind Sixth Street. It’s easy to miss this spot if you don’t know where to look! Keep an eye out for the purple door with red light above it. The small dimly-lit room has limited seating that’s roughly the size of a large walk-in closet. Expect some elbow rubbing.
The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable about their craft–they’ll gladly tell you all about their signature drinks. I highly recommend the “Diary of Eve”. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, and the music selection is spot-on. I found myself staying longer than I intended to simply because the place has such a great vibe!
Here Nor There
Here Nor There, a semi-private speakeasy bar, is located in a basement under an alleyway in downtown Austin, next to The Driskill. To enter, make reservations through a dedicated app and receive a secret code. Arrive before your scheduled time with the code that you’ll input at the gate. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a gate with an electronic keypad on your left side. Enter the code, and the gate will open. Once you head down the stairwell, you’ll be greeted by a life-sized stuffed bear holding a tray of champagne (what else?). The bar has old school hip-hop on the speakers and dimly lit tables with candles scattered throughout its intimate space. It’s perfect for date night or catching up with friends over cocktails!
Kinfolk Lounge & Library
Kinfolk Lounge & Library is a speakeasy-style bar hidden within Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill in the heart of downtown and has one of Austin’s best whiskey selections.
The 170-year-old cellar under the downtown restaurant Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill houses the fancy, semi-secret bar and tasting room dedicated to high-end spirits and cocktails. The cocktails are organized by style and time period. You can stick with Prohibition-era classics or grab a modern take on a Cosmopolitan if you’re feeling adventurous.
Midnight Cowboy
One of the oldest Austin speakeasies, Midnight Cowboy is housed in a former brothel on Sixth Street. You must make a reservation, which will come with a name that you’ll hit on the buzzer located outside of an unmarked door with a little red light overhead.
Once inside, you’ll walk through a long room that looks like it was plucked directly out of the Prohibition era, complete with tufted leather booths, dark marble tables and old wood flooring.
If you’re looking for a place to get a drink that feels like it’s straight out of the Prohibition era, look no further than Midnight Cowboy. The bar has a 1920s theme and its menu is made up of classic twists and staff creations (with many drinks made tableside off a rolling bar cart).
P6 Lounge Bar
The P6 Lounge Bar is a hidden bar on the 6th floor of the Line Hotel in Austin, Texas. To access the bar, walk inside the hotel and use the special elevator to the left. In its past life, it was a rooftop parking garage. The shared small plates and antipasti menu is influenced by Mediterranean cuisines. This makes sense considering it’s located on South Congress Avenue–a street known for its food trucks and restaurants serving up international fare like Greek gyros or Korean tacos.
The intimate lounge space for open-air dining and drinks with sweeping views of Town Lake and the lush South Austin skyline has been transformed into an inviting space with art deco decor inside as well as out.
The speakeasy bar scene in Austin is booming and it’s not hard to see why. From hidden entrances to secret passwords, these bars are a fun way to spend an evening with friends or a date night out.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments if you’ve visited any of these speakeasy bars in Austin or other suggestions not listed!
