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Foreign & Domestic
Foreign & Domestic
Raymond Thompson/EATX

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.

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Foreign & Domestic
| Raymond Thompson/EATX

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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Salt & Time

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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.

Odd Duck

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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.

Justine's Brasserie

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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.

Hut's Hamburgers

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Eating a hamburger at the counter in a classic restaurant space just feels right.

La Condesa

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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.

Foreign & Domestic

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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!"

Sway Thai

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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.

Hopfields

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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. "

Barley Swine

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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."

Want to get serious about the sushi side of Uchi? The bar seats are calling, especially during their sake social hour.

Counter Cafe

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It's called Counter Cafe for a reason, right? Both locations are a great place for a casual kitchen-side meal.

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.

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.

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.

Hut's Hamburgers

Eating a hamburger at the counter in a classic restaurant space just feels right.

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.

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!"

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.

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. "

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."

Uchi

Want to get serious about the sushi side of Uchi? The bar seats are calling, especially during their sake social hour.

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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