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An array of cocktails in fun glasses including one that looks like a bird.
Lovebirds drinks.
Daniel Cavazos

The 14 Hottest New Cocktail Destinations in Austin Right Now

Where to drink right now this June.

by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
View as Map
Lovebirds drinks.
| Daniel Cavazos
by Nadia Chaudhury Updated

Welcome to the latest installment of Eater Austin’s cocktail heatmap, a map of the hottest, buzziest boozing destinations around town. This means the latest bars in town, hot new restaurants offering serious cocktail games, or even older spots mixing it up with a new bar program, all under a year old.

Local bars and restaurants have really stepped up their games to create the best cocktails right now. This June update includes new ramen restaurant Daiboku, downtown lounge Estelle’s, East Austin bar Lovebirds, and South Austin tapas spot El Raval.

For the city’s must-hit essential cocktail bars, Eater has it covered elsewhere, along with the best all-around bars and restaurant bars. And then there are guides to other specific drinks, like refreshing frozen drinks, those other Austin cocktail staples margaritas and Mexican martinis, craft beer, wine, happy hours, bloody marys, and mimosas.

Did Eater miss a recent spot or restaurant with an amazing cocktail program? Show it some love via email.

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Gràcia

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The Rosedale Mediterranean seafood restaurant opened in March with a drinks list that includes spritzes, cocktails (classics like gin and tonics and house creations with one with raki and grapefruit liqueur), and a focused section on amari and vermouths. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4800 Burnet Rd Suite D-450, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 649-4844
(512) 649-4844

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Rosé Gosé

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The new North Loop restaurant’s New European and American menu is accompanied by simple and colorful cocktails since March. This spans pretty drinks incorporating ingredients like aloe, blue curaçao, apple foam, basil, porto, and grapefruit to loads of spirits. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5201 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
(737) 329-2304
(737) 329-2304

Also featured in:

Veracruz Fonda and Bar

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The amazing team behind Veracruz All Natural opened a new restaurant in Mueller in April, which features first-time-ever cocktails. This means enjoyable drinks like the ATX Mezcalita with mezcal, chicha morada, and egg whites; the tart Muellerita with blanco tequila, Curacao, and chamoy; and the creamy Veracruz Colada with coffee liqueur. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1905 Aldrich St #125, Austin, TX 78723

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Daiboku

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Austin ramen restaurant Sazan expanded with this new restaurant in West Campus with, yes, the Japanese noodle soup accompanied by a short but nice selection of sakes, beers, and two cocktails, one with rum and pineapple and the other with whiskey and a plum wine syrup. There are indoor dine-in services.

609 W 29th St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 350-2789
(512) 350-2789

Bar Toti

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Cherrywood Mexican seafood restaurant Este expanded with an intimate indoor-outdoor bar next door in April. Drinks-wise, this means Mexican cocktails like margaritas and carajillos, alongside aperitivos.

2113 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
(512) 522-4047
(512) 522-4047

Also featured in:

Estelle's

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The new very large downtown lounge (in the former original Truluck’s space) offers a cocktail menu inspired by its on-site flower shop since May. This means drinks making use of fruits and floral ingredients like the Pastel made with hibiscus or the matcha martini with dragonfruit. There are indoor dine-in services.

400 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 900-7626
(512) 900-7626

Also featured in:

Bill's Oyster

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The new downtown restaurant, which opened this May, offers a classic raw bar/seafood menu, which means tons of martinis, negronis, hurricanes, and house drinks like the Siberia, a gin cocktail with a basil liqueur and black pepper mist. There are indoor dine-in services.

205 W 3rd St, Austin, TX 78701

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Uptown Sports Club

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This is one of two bars on this map with cocktail lists created by the oh-so-talented Robert Björn Taylor (see: Equipment Room below). The spot — an Aaron Franklin-James Moody joint, which opened in March — leans New Orleans by way of Texas, which, for drinks, means the Uptown with mezcal, stool, yellow chartreuse, and a rosemary simple syrup; the Rope a Dope with gin, St. Germain, Rambler, and an absinthe mist; and boozy slushies. There are also actually thoughtful non-alcoholic cocktails. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1200 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 551-2013
(512) 551-2013

Also featured in:

La Popular

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It’s all about agave spirits at the new Mexican by way of Mexico City restaurant in West Oak Hills in April. This means many margaritas, the intriguing Oaxacan Jellyfish served with a lemongrass smoke bubble, and tons of tequilas and mezcals. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

7415 Southwest Pkwy building 5 suite 100, Austin, TX 78735
(512) 581-6280
(512) 581-6280

Also featured in:

Lovebirds

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The new East Austin bar (taking over the former Counter Culture) debuted in May with very vibrant cocktails, including the Puppy Love with sotol and grapefruit cordial, the Head Over Heels with fig syrup, and the Lovebird with butterfly pea tea. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

2337 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
A red-ish cocktail with a large stick in it.
A cocktail from Lovebirds.
Eric Webb/Eater Austin

Also featured in:

Holiday

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The Govalle bar opened in March, where co-owner Erin Ashford’s bar genius is clearly evident through the cocktail menu. The delightful drinks include fancies such as the savory-ish Virgo’s Groove with a bell pepper-infused sotol or the frozen Mexican martini. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5020 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702

Also featured in:

Ezov

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The Emmer & Rye/Hestia/etc. restaurant group opened its latest venture, this Mediterranean by way of Tel Aviv restaurant in East Austin this April. The drinks follow the same inspiration train, from the Carmel Market with an olive oil-washed vodka and raki to the Aphrodite’s Crown with rose, hibiscus, and charred pasilla chiles. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2708 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 305-1118
(512) 305-1118

Also featured in:

Equipment Room

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This is the second of two bars with an excellent cocktail list created by the skilled Robert Björn Taylor (see: Uptown Sports Club above). The listening bar’s drinks line-up stems from music, naturally, such as the All Tomorrow’s Parties with French banana liqueur and rum, the bright Gold Dust Woman with sparkling wine and apple juice, along with classics and non-alcoholic options. There are indoor dine-in services.

1101 Music Ln, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 520-5890
(512) 520-5890

El Raval

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The revamped Zilker tapas restaurant (formerly Barlata) includes a cocktail menu developed by the founder of lauded Barcelona dive bar Two Schmucks. There are fun drinks like the dairy-loaded Tangier Fizz (white chocolate, yogurt, and cream), the black truffle martini with a black truffle whey, and a gin and tonic with Sichuan flavorings and elderflower tonic. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1500 S Lamar Blvd #150, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 473-2211
(512) 473-2211

Also featured in:

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Gràcia

4800 Burnet Rd Suite D-450, Austin, TX 78756

The Rosedale Mediterranean seafood restaurant opened in March with a drinks list that includes spritzes, cocktails (classics like gin and tonics and house creations with one with raki and grapefruit liqueur), and a focused section on amari and vermouths. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4800 Burnet Rd Suite D-450, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 649-4844
(512) 649-4844

Rosé Gosé

5201 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751

The new North Loop restaurant’s New European and American menu is accompanied by simple and colorful cocktails since March. This spans pretty drinks incorporating ingredients like aloe, blue curaçao, apple foam, basil, porto, and grapefruit to loads of spirits. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5201 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
(737) 329-2304
(737) 329-2304

Veracruz Fonda and Bar

1905 Aldrich St #125, Austin, TX 78723

The amazing team behind Veracruz All Natural opened a new restaurant in Mueller in April, which features first-time-ever cocktails. This means enjoyable drinks like the ATX Mezcalita with mezcal, chicha morada, and egg whites; the tart Muellerita with blanco tequila, Curacao, and chamoy; and the creamy Veracruz Colada with coffee liqueur. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1905 Aldrich St #125, Austin, TX 78723

Daiboku

609 W 29th St, Austin, TX 78705

Austin ramen restaurant Sazan expanded with this new restaurant in West Campus with, yes, the Japanese noodle soup accompanied by a short but nice selection of sakes, beers, and two cocktails, one with rum and pineapple and the other with whiskey and a plum wine syrup. There are indoor dine-in services.

609 W 29th St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 350-2789
(512) 350-2789

Bar Toti

2113 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722

Cherrywood Mexican seafood restaurant Este expanded with an intimate indoor-outdoor bar next door in April. Drinks-wise, this means Mexican cocktails like margaritas and carajillos, alongside aperitivos.

2113 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
(512) 522-4047
(512) 522-4047

Estelle's

400 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701

The new very large downtown lounge (in the former original Truluck’s space) offers a cocktail menu inspired by its on-site flower shop since May. This means drinks making use of fruits and floral ingredients like the Pastel made with hibiscus or the matcha martini with dragonfruit. There are indoor dine-in services.

400 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 900-7626
(512) 900-7626

Bill's Oyster

205 W 3rd St, Austin, TX 78701

The new downtown restaurant, which opened this May, offers a classic raw bar/seafood menu, which means tons of martinis, negronis, hurricanes, and house drinks like the Siberia, a gin cocktail with a basil liqueur and black pepper mist. There are indoor dine-in services.

205 W 3rd St, Austin, TX 78701

Uptown Sports Club

1200 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

This is one of two bars on this map with cocktail lists created by the oh-so-talented Robert Björn Taylor (see: Equipment Room below). The spot — an Aaron Franklin-James Moody joint, which opened in March — leans New Orleans by way of Texas, which, for drinks, means the Uptown with mezcal, stool, yellow chartreuse, and a rosemary simple syrup; the Rope a Dope with gin, St. Germain, Rambler, and an absinthe mist; and boozy slushies. There are also actually thoughtful non-alcoholic cocktails. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1200 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 551-2013
(512) 551-2013

La Popular

7415 Southwest Pkwy building 5 suite 100, Austin, TX 78735

It’s all about agave spirits at the new Mexican by way of Mexico City restaurant in West Oak Hills in April. This means many margaritas, the intriguing Oaxacan Jellyfish served with a lemongrass smoke bubble, and tons of tequilas and mezcals. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

7415 Southwest Pkwy building 5 suite 100, Austin, TX 78735
(512) 581-6280
(512) 581-6280

Lovebirds

2337 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

The new East Austin bar (taking over the former Counter Culture) debuted in May with very vibrant cocktails, including the Puppy Love with sotol and grapefruit cordial, the Head Over Heels with fig syrup, and the Lovebird with butterfly pea tea. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

2337 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
A red-ish cocktail with a large stick in it.
A cocktail from Lovebirds.
Eric Webb/Eater Austin

Holiday

5020 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702

The Govalle bar opened in March, where co-owner Erin Ashford’s bar genius is clearly evident through the cocktail menu. The delightful drinks include fancies such as the savory-ish Virgo’s Groove with a bell pepper-infused sotol or the frozen Mexican martini. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5020 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702

Ezov

2708 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

The Emmer & Rye/Hestia/etc. restaurant group opened its latest venture, this Mediterranean by way of Tel Aviv restaurant in East Austin this April. The drinks follow the same inspiration train, from the Carmel Market with an olive oil-washed vodka and raki to the Aphrodite’s Crown with rose, hibiscus, and charred pasilla chiles. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2708 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 305-1118
(512) 305-1118

Equipment Room

1101 Music Ln, Austin, TX 78704

This is the second of two bars with an excellent cocktail list created by the skilled Robert Björn Taylor (see: Uptown Sports Club above). The listening bar’s drinks line-up stems from music, naturally, such as the All Tomorrow’s Parties with French banana liqueur and rum, the bright Gold Dust Woman with sparkling wine and apple juice, along with classics and non-alcoholic options. There are indoor dine-in services.

1101 Music Ln, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 520-5890
(512) 520-5890

El Raval

1500 S Lamar Blvd #150, Austin, TX 78704

The revamped Zilker tapas restaurant (formerly Barlata) includes a cocktail menu developed by the founder of lauded Barcelona dive bar Two Schmucks. There are fun drinks like the dairy-loaded Tangier Fizz (white chocolate, yogurt, and cream), the black truffle martini with a black truffle whey, and a gin and tonic with Sichuan flavorings and elderflower tonic. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1500 S Lamar Blvd #150, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 473-2211
(512) 473-2211

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