Whisler’s Is Opening a New Cocktail Bar in Downtown Austin

Downtown is the Austin’s boozy epicenter, and joining the pack of cocktail bars is a new one from the team behind East 6th essential cocktail bar Whisler’s. While the 720 Congress Avenue address (right next door to The Townsend) is confirmed for the future bar, no further details are being provided as of yet. It’s safe to expect thoughtfully-made cocktails at the very least.

The bar already has a liquor license under the temporary title of 720 Congress, while permits currently peg the name as Bar on Congress. Initial building plans reveal two floors and rooftop space.

The Congress Avenue cocktail bar is under Let’s Go Industries, LLC, the company run by Whisler’s owner Scranton Twohey. Maker Architects, the architecture firm behind Blackheart and Vinaigrette, will design the lounge.

Austin’s cocktail heavy-hitters can be found along or near the busy stretch of Congress already. Right next door is The Townsend (formerly run by Justin Elliott and now under the guidance of Dushan Zaric), and then there’s Small Victory, Garage, Second Bar + Kitchen, Swift's Attic, Midnight Cowboy, and others. New York’s lauded cocktail bar Employees Only is currently looking to open its Austin branch somewhere in downtown Austin, although it hasn’t settled on a specific address yet.

Twohey opened Whisler’s and upstairs mezcal bar Mezcalería Tobalá in the former Rabbit’s space on East 6th Street back in 2013. The Congress Avenue site used to house a location of the Austin Shoe Hospital.

• All Coverage of Whisler’s [EATX]