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Where to Drink in Austin Right Now, June '14

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Welcome to the latest installment of Eater Austin's drinky heatmap, a list of the hottest, buzziest boozing destinations around town. That might mean brand-new bars, hot restaurants with serious cocktail game, or established places mixing it up with a new bar program.

The past few months have been very, very good to the Austin drink scene, and this update of the previous installment features lots of great new options. From hidden-away Garage to impossible-to-miss Container Bar, there's lots of fun spaces to explore. And new bars Pleasant Storage Room and Mezcaleria Tobala offer a chance to get to know rum and mezcal very, very well.

Don't see your favorite new spot on the list? Heard about an older place that's made some changes? Let us know down the tipline or leave advice in the comments.

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This hidden-away bar inside a downtown parking garage is worth seeking out: the midcentury-inspired space is a stunner, and Chauncey James' cocktail program features a great mix of classics and original cocktails

The Container Bar

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Rainey bar maven Bridget Dunlap finally opened her crazy shipping container bar during SXSW, and it's already a certified hit. A food trailer is coming soon.

Bar 2211

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Rainey's Blackheart features one of the best whiskey selections in the city, and the team behind the bar bring that same focus to this newly opened, more casual neighborhood bar.

Licha's Cantina

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Licha's serves up traditional Mexico City cantina fare that makes for a great accompaniment to their agave-forward drinks menu.

LaV's elegant Provencal dining is generating serious buzz, and their large bar area offers its own unique drinking and dining experience. Enjoy their impressive wine selection and solid cocktails with their approachable bar menu.

Mezcalería Tobalá

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Whisler's bar manager Cesar Aguilar shares his passion for mezcal in this stripped-down, intimate space above the main bar. Designed to encourage exploration, all mezcals can be sampled in half or full pours. Open Thursday - Saturday only, starting around 9.

The Pleasant Storage Room

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If Pleasant Storage Room has its way, this summer will be the summer of rum. The first bar in Austin to focus on the spirit, Pleasant also features a street-food inspired menu to compliment their classic cocktails.

Half Step

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Co-owner Chris Bostick honed his skill at craft cocktail meccas like L.A.'s The Varnish, and now he's returned home to heat up the Austin cocktail scene. Half Step's friendly service and intimate setting is worlds away from wild Rainey, and the ice program alone demonstrates a serious commitment to quality.

The bar at Shawn Cirkiel's new Radisson stunner overlooks the pool, and the cocktail menu features options like a smoked cherry margarita and a michelada made with Pearl Snap's pilsner

Odd Duck

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Barley's Swine's more casual sibling is focused on making everything in-house, including the cocktail ingredients. They're not afraid to have fun with their cocktail menu, either: check out the frozen orange margarita.

School House Pub

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This Cherrywood neighborhood bar from the team behind Mi Madre's is serving up inventive cocktails with playful school-inspired names, as well as an extensive menu of bar snacks.

Haymaker

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This laid-back Manor road neighborhood pub is primarily about the beer, but they serve up a solid menu of cocktails as well, and it's a great place to watch all sportsball worth watching.

Garage

This hidden-away bar inside a downtown parking garage is worth seeking out: the midcentury-inspired space is a stunner, and Chauncey James' cocktail program features a great mix of classics and original cocktails

The Container Bar

Rainey bar maven Bridget Dunlap finally opened her crazy shipping container bar during SXSW, and it's already a certified hit. A food trailer is coming soon.

Bar 2211

Rainey's Blackheart features one of the best whiskey selections in the city, and the team behind the bar bring that same focus to this newly opened, more casual neighborhood bar.

Licha's Cantina

Licha's serves up traditional Mexico City cantina fare that makes for a great accompaniment to their agave-forward drinks menu.

La V

LaV's elegant Provencal dining is generating serious buzz, and their large bar area offers its own unique drinking and dining experience. Enjoy their impressive wine selection and solid cocktails with their approachable bar menu.

Mezcalería Tobalá

Whisler's bar manager Cesar Aguilar shares his passion for mezcal in this stripped-down, intimate space above the main bar. Designed to encourage exploration, all mezcals can be sampled in half or full pours. Open Thursday - Saturday only, starting around 9.

The Pleasant Storage Room

If Pleasant Storage Room has its way, this summer will be the summer of rum. The first bar in Austin to focus on the spirit, Pleasant also features a street-food inspired menu to compliment their classic cocktails.

Half Step

Co-owner Chris Bostick honed his skill at craft cocktail meccas like L.A.'s The Varnish, and now he's returned home to heat up the Austin cocktail scene. Half Step's friendly service and intimate setting is worlds away from wild Rainey, and the ice program alone demonstrates a serious commitment to quality.

chavez

The bar at Shawn Cirkiel's new Radisson stunner overlooks the pool, and the cocktail menu features options like a smoked cherry margarita and a michelada made with Pearl Snap's pilsner

Odd Duck

Barley's Swine's more casual sibling is focused on making everything in-house, including the cocktail ingredients. They're not afraid to have fun with their cocktail menu, either: check out the frozen orange margarita.

School House Pub

This Cherrywood neighborhood bar from the team behind Mi Madre's is serving up inventive cocktails with playful school-inspired names, as well as an extensive menu of bar snacks.

Haymaker

This laid-back Manor road neighborhood pub is primarily about the beer, but they serve up a solid menu of cocktails as well, and it's a great place to watch all sportsball worth watching.

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