Ten Favorite Places in Austin

One reason we return to Austin again and again is that, like many of our go-to cities, each visit brings the comfort of returning to beloved favorites blended with the pleasure of discovering new gems. Though we could never keep up with this city’s food and drink scene, we’ve listed some of the spots we’ve loved on our visits over the years.

Frose at Hotel San Jose
I’ve made a point to visit the bar at this pretty boutique hotel on each of my Austin visits, and it never gets old. The frose is perfect (I can never bring myself to order anything else), though pricey, and the ambiance is cozy and hip, with verdant plants, a small pool (only guests are allowed in), and perfect textiles. It always feels like a worthy stop during a day of shopping and walking on South Congress. If you’d like to get a picture at the Greetings From Austin mural, it’s a 15 minute walk (or 3 minute drive) away, and the “I love you so much” mural is just steps outside the hotel.

2. Jester King Brewery

Jester King is located half an hour outside the city in Texas Hill Country, but it is well worth the effort of getting there. The property is large and beautiful, with mature trees, plenty of seating, and outstanding beer. Dogs and children are welcome, and it was a perfect place to visit on a warm October day.

There are enough breweries in Austin to keep you occupied all weekend- Blue Owl on Cesar Chavez, which specializes in sours, is another favorite.

3. Drinks on East 6th Street

Every time I visit, there’s a great new-to-me place to discover on East 6th, full of breweries, restaurants, bars, and, more recently, boutique hotels. Last October, our newest find was Whistlers, with its ornate interior bar and the excellent cocktails that we sipped in the large patio area. Afterwards, we had Detroit-style pizza at Via 313 (this brick and mortar restaurant didn’t quite match the quality I remembered from their food truck. Still, the Cadillac pizza with fig, gorgonzola, and balsamic never disappoints). Arrive, a hotel we loved in Palm Springs, just opened an Austin location on East 6th that we’re looking forward to visiting some day.

4. Animal Experiences:
The Bat Cruise & Chicken Shit Bingo

This is a bona-fide tourist activity that we wholeheartedly believe visitors should do once. Each night at sunset, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from under the Anne W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, looking for food. Though this initially might not sound appealing, it really was impressive to see their quantity as they simultaneously emerged from the bridge. We booked with Capital Cruises, which was an hour long trip (from 8-9pm in June; we arrived at 7:30pm) that was BYOB. It was affordable and entertaining and it was a pretty time to cruise the lake and take in the skyline.

Chicken Shit Bingo occurs on Sundays from 4-8pm at the Little Longhorn Saloon. When you arrive, you’ll get a numbered ticket for $2. Once all the tickets are sold out, a chicken will be brought to the cage, where its eager fans will observe it until it poops in a numbered square, thus determining a winner (the chicken’s owner will take it away afterwards so it doesn’t have to linger inside the bar). It’s strange and fun and very Austin.

5. Staying Cool

I’ve visited Austin in October, December, April and June, and the Summer visit was HOT. Stay cool at a airbnb with a pool, which was such a great part of my bachelorette party, Barton Springs Pool (the water felt a bit shocking in April, but will be more refreshing in the summer), cocktails (see above), iced coffee (see below) and ice cream. I loved the beet and mint flavor from Lick (which has multiple locations).

6. Franklin Barbecue

We’d put off visiting this Austin institution for years after reading about the necessity of bringing camp chairs and waiting in line before opening time. Planning for my bachelorette party, we realized that Franklin allows guests to call in larger to-go orders ahead of time, and these customers get to bypass the line when picking them up. It was a great discovery and the food is not overhyped- the brisket, pulled pork, sides and even the pecan pie for dessert were all delicious. We are looking forward to trying LA Barbecue on our next visit.

7. Restaurants that are as pretty as they are delicious

Austin is know for its food scene, and while its food trucks get a lot of attention, it also has beautiful restaurants where the ambiance is just as much of an experience as the food. Hillside Farmacy, Laundrette, Elizabeth Street Cafe, and Kemuri Tatsy-Ya were all memorable places to which I’d happily return again.

8. Singing and Dancing with friends

One of my not-so-guilty Austin pleasures is Barbarella, which is divey and crowded but a great place to dance. It has theme nights and multiple areas with DJs playing a variety of music. This is a great place for a group, and a great place to end the night.

On my bachelorette party, I also had a blast doing karaoke at The Highball. We rented the big top room, and the circus-themed space was an ideal place for our group of 11. The waitress returned frequently, their music catalog was extensive, and the hourly rate was fair.

9. Quirky Coffee Spots

Spider House, near UT, is quirky as can be, with its large patio and mismatched vintage furniture. It’s open all day- I’ve been for coffee drinks and mid-day cocktails. At night, it’s also a performance space, though I’ve never been to one. Our friend Jenny also took us to quirky Bouldin Creek Cafe, a vegetarian/vegan spot where we had a great breakfast along with our coffee.