Where to Celebrate Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday in Austin

Mardi Gras season right now, and Fat Tuesday — aka the final day of the Carnival season — takes place on Tuesday, February 21. Now is when people celebrate America’s finest excuse for weekday drinking and eating tons of cake and crawfish. Grab that king cake, and hit up these restaurant and bar events fully loaded with New Orleans cocktails and food.

Everything below is listed in alphabetical order.

2 Dine 4 Catering
3008 Gonzales Street, Suite 100, Govalle
NOLA-ish diner Sawyer & Co.’s catering parent company is hosting two Mardi Gras dinners. The five-course meal includes grilled oysters, gumbo, king cake, and a la carte wines and beers. The dinner is $60 per person.
When: Saturday, February 18, and Tuesday, February 21, at 7 p.m.

Banger’s
79 Rainey Street, Downtown
The beer garden and sausage restaurant is hosting its regular multi-day Pardi Gras celebration. On deck’s food like boudin links with red beans and rice, gator hush puppies, and beignets, among other dishes; special bourbon and run barrel-aged and New Orleans beers; plus live music.
When: Friday, February 10 to Saturday, February 11 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and then on Sunday, February 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m,

Better Half
406 Walsh Street, West Austin
The restaurant is hosting a combination of Mardi Gras and a five-year anniversary multi-day celebration with a Low Country seafood boil with shrimp, mussels, and crawfish; a pop-up by Zee’s Wiener System; drink specials; live music; and DJ sets.
When: Friday, February 17 through Monday, February 20.

Black Sheep Lodge
2108 South Lamar Boulevard, Zilker
The bar is hosting a party with free beads, drinks, and food.
When: Tuesday, February 21, 11 a.m. to midnight

Bouldin Acres
2027 South Lamar Boulevard, Zilker
The bar and barbecue truck CM Smokehouse’s party includes king cake doughnuts, crawfish, other dishes, live music, and face painting.
When: Tuesday, February 21, 5 p.m.

Cypress Grill
4404 West William Cannon Drive, Oak Hill
The New Orleans-y restaurant’s Mardi Gras party includes live music, king cake slices from New Orleans bakery Gambino, crawfish, and beads.
When: Tuesday, February 21. 6 p.m.

Easy Tiger
multiple locations
The Austin bakery mini-chain is offering Mardi Gras food specials all day, including prime rib po boys, chicken and sausage gumbo, muffulettas, and king cakes.
When: Tuesday, February 21

Frontyard Brewing
4514 Bob Wire Road, Spicewood
The brewery’s Mardi Gras celebration includes beers and drinks, live music, and festive mask-making setups.
When: Saturday, February 18, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Hive
10542 Menchaca Road, Far South Austin
The cafe is hosting a Mardi Gras shindig with live music, food from its on-site food trucks, themed drinks, and crafts.
When: Sunday, February 19, 4 to 8 p.m.

The Cavalier
2400 Webberville Road, East Austin
The East Austin bar and restaurant is hosting a party with crawfish etouffee, boudin balls, Sazarac and Hand Grenade cocktails, Abita beer specials, and beads.
When: Tuesday, February 21

The Fika Table
Barrett’s, 713 West St. John’s Avenue, Highland
The Nordic baked goods pop-up is honoring Fat Tuesday with a Scandinavian take on king cake: semlors (cream puffs) made with cinnamon and almonds.
When: Saturday, February 18, 8 a.m. to noon.

Scholz Garten
1607 San Jacinto Boulevard, Downtown
The historic beer garden is hosting lots of live music (brass band included) and a DJ as well as offering food and drink specials, ranging from crawfish to jambalaya to po’ boys to Hurricanes.
When: Tuesday, February 21, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Whisler’s
1816 East Sixth Street, East Austin
The East Austin bar’s annual Fat Tuesday celebration comes with crawfish, a brass band, king cakes, and cocktails.
When: Tuesday, February 21

Update, February 21, 12:23 p.m.: This article, originally published on January 27, has been updated to include more events.