At a number of Austin's best restaurants, the bar seating is where it's at. From classic diner-style seats to high-end sushi bars, here's some of Austin's best bets as recommended by readers in the forums. See a beloved counter seat missing? Drop it in the comments or the original forum post.
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Bar Lovers Unite: Eleven Restaurants With Great Counter Seating in Austin
Where sitting at the counter is not just a good move, but the best move.

Salt & Time
Salt & Time's counter is large, well-lit, and overlooks their lovely bar. A great place to grab a bite with a book, or to watch the butcher shop at work.
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Odd Duck
Odd Duck's dining room is dominated by a massive bar wrapped around their open kitchen, making it one of the buzziest counter seats in town.
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Justine's Brasserie
The bar at Justine's is first come first serve, a great way to potentially snag a seat when the restaurant's packed on a busy night.
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Hut's Hamburgers
Eating a hamburger at the counter in a classic restaurant space just feels right.
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La Condesa
La Condesa serves their whole menu at the bar. It's a great excuse to order a couple of their stellar tacos and a couple more of their stellar margaritas.
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Foreign & Domestic
Foreign & Domestic boasts another great counter overlooking an open kitchen. One reader says, "Foreign & Domestic has a great bar facing the kitchen, less than 5 feet from your fingertips. You have to get there early though, it’s packed tight 30 min after opening!"
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Sway Thai
Diners either love or hate Sway's communal dining tables. A great option for the haters is grabbing a kitchen-side bar seat, or one of many by the window.
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Hopfields
Several readers agree that Hopfields has some of the best counter-side dining in Austin. One reader calls the bar their "Cheers" and adds, "I love sitting at the bar & talking with the staff. "
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Barley Swine
Listen: Bryce Gilmore knows how to counter. The bar seats at Barley Swine are another perpetual favorite. One (fancy!) reader even suggests it as "a smooth first date call."
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Uchi
Want to get serious about the sushi side of Uchi? The bar seats are calling, especially during their sake social hour.
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Counter Cafe
It's called Counter Cafe for a reason, right? Both locations are a great place for a casual kitchen-side meal.
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