Late-Night Ping Pong and Drinks Head to Downtown Austin

Ping pong club and restaurant Spin is finally opening its sprawling downtown Austin location this week on Friday, May 18 at 9 p.m. The 213 West 5th Street space features 14 Olympic-grade ping pong tables, and plenty of food and drink.

Eater photographer Courtney Pierce got a sneak peek into Austin’s Spin, which pays tribute to its predecessor Antone’s with its original ceiling wood means, exposed bricks, and old music posters outside the restroom areas. The corner address features garage windows and it took over what was formerly Gourdough’s Public House next door, making use of its outdoor patio.

At the middle of Spin is the center court table, where the club’s professional players will take up shop for Friday night tournaments. Those pros will roam the club helping people with techniques and lessons.

While the menus are similar to the other locations, there are a few Austin-specific items under chef George Thomas. The Pork Jack tacos include a layer of crispy jack cheese. The La Vaca flatbread is what he calls a barbecue plate on a flatbread with brisket braised in Lone Star.

Austin cocktails include a take on the Manhattan with muddled blackberries called the Muddy Waters, and the light Slim Monade with Treaty Oak rum and basil syrup. Scope out the full menus below.

Downtown Austin is turning into an adult activity destination. Along with Spin, Austin’s fancy bowling alley The Goodnight is opening on West 6th Street this summer, and adult playground Punch Bowl Social is expanding to Congress Avenue in 2019.

Spin’s hours are from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Access to the ping pong tables are $15 for half-hour plays and $25 for hour-long plays during off-peak hours, and then $22 for the half-hour and $39 for the hour. People don’t have to play ping pong to eat and drink at Spin.

Jonathan Bricklin and Franck Raharinosy opened in the first Spin in New York in 2009 originally with co-founder actress Susan Sarandon. That was followed by locations in Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, and Philadelphia, with a forthcoming one for Washington, D.C. Austin is its seventh location.

• Susan Sarandon’s Ping Pong Bar Spin Bounces Into Austin [EATX]
• All Coverage of Spin [EATX]