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Pouring a drink at Emmer & Rye
Pouring a drink at Emmer & Rye
Emmer & Rye/Facebook

11 Austin Restaurants That Take Cocktails Seriously

These bartenders are majorly invested in their craft

by Sommer Brugal
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Pouring a drink at Emmer & Rye
| Emmer & Rye/Facebook
by Sommer Brugal

There’s no doubt about it: a thoughtfully crafted cocktail can elevate any meal, whether paired with a variety of small bites during happy hour or sipped alongside a hearty dinner. Luckily, Austin is in no shortage of restaurants that boast stellar cocktail programs.

Here are Austin’s best restaurants that happen to serve great cocktails. That means freshly squeezed juices with spirits at Odd Duck, pre-Prohibition style cocktails with the buttery-rich menu of Péché, and South American flavors at Peruvian spot Yuyo. Expect classic cocktails with a personalized twist and inventive beverages throughout the map.

For more cocktail needs, check out Eater’s latest cocktail heatmap, Austin’s best Bloody Mary list, and the city’s essential cocktail bars.

Everything below is listed in geographical order from north to south. If a favorite restaurant bar is missing, let Eater know over the tipline or in the comments.

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Barley Swine

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Drinks at Barley Swine are split into two categories: draft cocktails or shaken and stirred. From the former, try the Tangerine Queen, a combination of tequila, green tea, tangerine, amaretto, and honey. Of the latter, opt for the Saving Grace, a cocktail made of beet mezcal, cynar, lime, and Angostura.

6555 Burnet Rd #400, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 394-8150
(512) 394-8150
A drink from Barley Swine
A drink from Barley Swine
Barley Swine/Facebook

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Contigo

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This east Austin restaurant bears classic cocktails made for patio-drinking, like the Old Fashioned and its take on the Moscow Mule, aptly named the Moscow Mueller. Other favorites include the Saturno, a combination of mescal, tequila, honey, and grapefruit, or the William Shatner.

2027 Anchor Ln, Austin, TX 78723
(512) 614-2260
(512) 614-2260
An Old Fashioned from Contigo
An Old Fashioned from Contigo
Contigo/Facebook

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Yuyo

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Peruvian newcomer Yuyo boasts a cocktail program with South American flavors. Favorites include pisco sours, gin and tonics, and punches.

1900 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
(512) 919-4147
(512) 919-4147
A cocktail from Yuyo
A cocktail from Yuyo
Courtney Pierce/EATX

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Salty Sow

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Contemporary fare and hand-crafted cocktails combine seamlessly at Salty Sow. The Cherrywood neighborhood gastropub boasts a cocktail menu with margaritas like the frozen blood orange. Elsewhere there are other cocktails sips like the Moscow Sow, Blue Sow, and the Salty Sow’r, a combination of blended whisky, agave, lime, and tamarind.

1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
(512) 391-2337
(512) 391-2337
The cocktail flight from Salty Sow
The cocktail flight from Salty Sow
Salty Sow/Facebook

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Holy Roller

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All-day brunch offerings require a cocktail program that transitions seamlessly from day to night, especially from Jen Keyser. Luckily, Holy Roller’s program does just that. Mulled wines, cinnamon grenadine, tamarind soda, and caviar are just a few ingredients that make this menu unique. Many options can be served hot or cold.

509 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 502-5119
(512) 502-5119
Cocktails from Holy Roller
Cocktails from Holy Roller
Holy Roller/Facebook

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Péché

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Rich and freshly made French fare is met with pre-Prohibition style cocktails at Austin’s absinthe bar. Located downtown, Péché also offers a variety of vodka-, gin-, whiskey-, and rum-based cocktails. Adult milkshakes are also on the menu.

208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-4011
(512) 494-4011
Cocktails from Peche
Cocktails from Peche
Peche [Official]

Swift's Attic

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Swift’s Attic’s focus on the creative, whimsical, and delicious lends itself to both cuisine and cocktails. The bar features an ice tap that pours four ice-cold liquors instantly and includes updated versions of favorite cocktails, like the Mr. Lebowski and the Newgroni, a blend of bourbon, sweet vermouth, Campari, and rhubarb bitters.

315 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 482-8842
(512) 482-8842
Ice ball cocktails from Swift’s Attic
Ice ball cocktails from Swift’s Attic
Swift’s Attic/Facebook

Also featured in:

La Condesa

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For an extensive tequila selection, head to La Condesa downtown. Opt for a classic margarita or spicy Paloma. The Mexican restaurant also offers a variety of spirits such as mescal and rum.

400 W 2nd St A, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 499-0300
(512) 499-0300
Margaritas at La Condesa
Margaritas at La Condesa
La Condesa/Facebook

Also featured in:

Emmer & Rye

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While the focus might be on grains and whole-animal butchery, cocktail offerings at this Rainey Street restaurant are worth noting. Pair pasta with the Army Navy Cocktail, a Texas gin, homemade pecan orgeat, and lemon blend, or the Velveteen Rabbit, a combination of vodka, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, raw carrot juice, lime, and ginger beer.

SkyHouse, 51 Rainey St #110, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 366-5530
(512) 366-5530
A cocktail from Emmer & Rye
A cocktail from Emmer & Rye
Kyle S./Yelp

Odd Duck

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Inspired by local farmers and purveyors, Odd Duck makes everything from scratch, which means using fresh juices to make their cocktails, like the draft Paloma, a combination of tequila, Aperol, grapefruit, ginger, lime, and salt. The Just Beet It and Don’t Chai This At Home highlight the program’s wittiness.

1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 433-6521
(512) 433-6521
A drink from Odd Duck
A drink from Odd Duck
Richard Casteel

Also featured in:

Kemuri Tatsu-Ya

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Kemuri Tatsu-ya infuses Japanese and Texan cuisines. And while the meat-centric food menu focuses on shareable plates, the cocktail menu emphasizes unique pairings. Take the Puff Puff Pass, a sharable cocktail comprised of sweet potato shochu, aged rum, pecan, grapefruit, and five spice bitters. The menu also features an impressive selection of sake, shochu, and whiskeys. The particularly fun Matcha Pain Killer is served in a feline tiki mug.

2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702
The cocktails at Kemuri Tatsu-ya
The cocktails at Kemuri Tatsu-ya
Kemuri Tatsu-ya/Facebook

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Barley Swine

6555 Burnet Rd #400, Austin, TX 78757

Drinks at Barley Swine are split into two categories: draft cocktails or shaken and stirred. From the former, try the Tangerine Queen, a combination of tequila, green tea, tangerine, amaretto, and honey. Of the latter, opt for the Saving Grace, a cocktail made of beet mezcal, cynar, lime, and Angostura.

6555 Burnet Rd #400, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 394-8150
(512) 394-8150
A drink from Barley Swine
A drink from Barley Swine
Barley Swine/Facebook

Contigo

2027 Anchor Ln, Austin, TX 78723

This east Austin restaurant bears classic cocktails made for patio-drinking, like the Old Fashioned and its take on the Moscow Mule, aptly named the Moscow Mueller. Other favorites include the Saturno, a combination of mescal, tequila, honey, and grapefruit, or the William Shatner.

2027 Anchor Ln, Austin, TX 78723
(512) 614-2260
(512) 614-2260
An Old Fashioned from Contigo
An Old Fashioned from Contigo
Contigo/Facebook

Yuyo

1900 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722

Peruvian newcomer Yuyo boasts a cocktail program with South American flavors. Favorites include pisco sours, gin and tonics, and punches.

1900 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
(512) 919-4147
(512) 919-4147
A cocktail from Yuyo
A cocktail from Yuyo
Courtney Pierce/EATX

Salty Sow

1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722

Contemporary fare and hand-crafted cocktails combine seamlessly at Salty Sow. The Cherrywood neighborhood gastropub boasts a cocktail menu with margaritas like the frozen blood orange. Elsewhere there are other cocktails sips like the Moscow Sow, Blue Sow, and the Salty Sow’r, a combination of blended whisky, agave, lime, and tamarind.

1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
(512) 391-2337
(512) 391-2337
The cocktail flight from Salty Sow
The cocktail flight from Salty Sow
Salty Sow/Facebook

Holy Roller

509 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78701

All-day brunch offerings require a cocktail program that transitions seamlessly from day to night, especially from Jen Keyser. Luckily, Holy Roller’s program does just that. Mulled wines, cinnamon grenadine, tamarind soda, and caviar are just a few ingredients that make this menu unique. Many options can be served hot or cold.

509 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 502-5119
(512) 502-5119
Cocktails from Holy Roller
Cocktails from Holy Roller
Holy Roller/Facebook

Péché

208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

Rich and freshly made French fare is met with pre-Prohibition style cocktails at Austin’s absinthe bar. Located downtown, Péché also offers a variety of vodka-, gin-, whiskey-, and rum-based cocktails. Adult milkshakes are also on the menu.

208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-4011
(512) 494-4011
Cocktails from Peche
Cocktails from Peche
Peche [Official]

Swift's Attic

315 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Swift’s Attic’s focus on the creative, whimsical, and delicious lends itself to both cuisine and cocktails. The bar features an ice tap that pours four ice-cold liquors instantly and includes updated versions of favorite cocktails, like the Mr. Lebowski and the Newgroni, a blend of bourbon, sweet vermouth, Campari, and rhubarb bitters.

315 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 482-8842
(512) 482-8842
Ice ball cocktails from Swift’s Attic
Ice ball cocktails from Swift’s Attic
Swift’s Attic/Facebook

La Condesa

400 W 2nd St A, Austin, TX 78701

For an extensive tequila selection, head to La Condesa downtown. Opt for a classic margarita or spicy Paloma. The Mexican restaurant also offers a variety of spirits such as mescal and rum.

400 W 2nd St A, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 499-0300
(512) 499-0300
Margaritas at La Condesa
Margaritas at La Condesa
La Condesa/Facebook

Emmer & Rye

SkyHouse, 51 Rainey St #110, Austin, TX 78701

While the focus might be on grains and whole-animal butchery, cocktail offerings at this Rainey Street restaurant are worth noting. Pair pasta with the Army Navy Cocktail, a Texas gin, homemade pecan orgeat, and lemon blend, or the Velveteen Rabbit, a combination of vodka, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, raw carrot juice, lime, and ginger beer.

SkyHouse, 51 Rainey St #110, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 366-5530
(512) 366-5530
A cocktail from Emmer & Rye
A cocktail from Emmer & Rye
Kyle S./Yelp

Odd Duck

1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

Inspired by local farmers and purveyors, Odd Duck makes everything from scratch, which means using fresh juices to make their cocktails, like the draft Paloma, a combination of tequila, Aperol, grapefruit, ginger, lime, and salt. The Just Beet It and Don’t Chai This At Home highlight the program’s wittiness.

1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 433-6521
(512) 433-6521
A drink from Odd Duck
A drink from Odd Duck
Richard Casteel

Kemuri Tatsu-Ya

2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702

Kemuri Tatsu-ya infuses Japanese and Texan cuisines. And while the meat-centric food menu focuses on shareable plates, the cocktail menu emphasizes unique pairings. Take the Puff Puff Pass, a sharable cocktail comprised of sweet potato shochu, aged rum, pecan, grapefruit, and five spice bitters. The menu also features an impressive selection of sake, shochu, and whiskeys. The particularly fun Matcha Pain Killer is served in a feline tiki mug.

2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702
The cocktails at Kemuri Tatsu-ya
The cocktails at Kemuri Tatsu-ya
Kemuri Tatsu-ya/Facebook

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