How to Get Into Austin’s Best Speakeasies & Secret Bars
The coolest underground drinking dens in town.
Though over a century has passed since prohibition forced booze-fueled parties into hiding, its themes still prevail in Austin today. In such an expanding city, the need for a little privacy from time to time is always strong. After all, when it comes to an intimate date or a quiet catch-up with an old friend, those rowdy Sixth Street dives and heaving downtown rooftops just don’t cut it. Not when you’re in the mood for sultry, sophisticated drinking.
In a state raging with bar fanatics, Austin really does have something for everyone. If you’re the type who likes things hush-hush, look no further than our awesome speakeasies…and we’ve even gone through the effort of figuring out how to get in them. You’re very welcome.
Downtown
Google map Moonshine Grill, and when you get there, head downstairs to its awesome underground space that seats just 20 well-dressed patrons. The cocktail lounge and huge spirits library feature a special collection of whiskeys, scotch, mezcal, and tequila in inventive concoctions. If you’re peckish, they also offer charcuteries and cheeses, plus macarons from La Patisserie in Austin. We love coming here and making new friends around the table. Tip: if you’re single and ready to mingle this is where to go.
How to book: Reserve via Resy.
East Austin
This Eastside bar opened softly in 2022, and it’s still semi-secret. Look for the Shangri-La on 1016 East Sixth, and behind that is a staircase leading to a tiny room that’s almost like a vault. It’s a first come first served situation here, so we advise coming early and skipping weekends to avoid disappointment. Best for classic cocktails like old fashioneds or espresso martinis, The Treasury is open Tuesday till Saturday from 6 pm till late.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.
South Congress
An intimate Japanese-style cocktail bar, to get here you’ll need to make your way to the South Congress Hotel courtyard. From there, a set of stairs leads up to Otoko, one of SoCo’s best omakase restaurants. Turn left and you’ve arrived at its attached bar, which boasts specialty Japanese whiskey, sake, and craft cocktails that are curated based on ingredient seasonality. Drinkers also have access to a limited izakaya menu which has bar bites from the restaurant.
How to book: Reserve via Tock.
East Austin
Small Victory certainly lives up to its name when you eventually track it down. Google Maps will lead you to a dingy parking garage but fear not—from there you’ll head up the stairs at the corner and through a door where a narrow corridor of comfy booths and sofas await, beneath a sea of stained glass lamps and, um, parrots (you’ll see). The ambrosial punches are especially popular, as are the well-curated charcuterie and cheese boards that accompany them.
How to book: Reserve via Resy.
Downtown
This semi-private cocktail den offers those who’ve ponied up the $500 yearly membership fee some pretty sweet perks, including priority reservations and private tastings. The speakeasy also welcomes non-members, though, as long as they’ve requested reservations using Here Nor There’s very own app. Reservation-holders punch in a secret door code before following a staffer down into the subterranean space. Cocktails reflect a global discovery of flavors, including a standout Milk & Honey served in an antique teacup (a nod to one of Prohibition’s more clever customs).
How to book: Reserve and apply for membership via the bar’s app (Android, iPhone).
East Sixth
Enjoy a nightcap, go for a tarot reading, and catch an intimate live music performance inside this secret basement bar beneath Buenos Aires Café, a majorly date-worthy Argentinian eatery. The menu includes tapas and wine, but here the spotlight shines on amaros and fernet-focused cocktails, as these herbal concoctions are major players in Argentinian drinking culture. Opt for a flight if you fancy a journey of bitter delight. To get there, walk around the back of Buenos Aires Café and knock on the blue door, Emerald City-style.
How to book: Reserve via Dish Cult.
Manor Road
East Side mezcaleria Techo—from the owners of Mi Madre's—specializes in traditional means of consuming the smoky Mexican spirit. Sip on copitas of single-village mezcal or opt for a cocktail like the always-banging mezcal margarita. Patrons can choose from a very private, candlelit niche or head out on the patio, still the only one on Manor Road. To find it, head up the staircase accessible from Schoolhouse Pub’s patio, step into Techo (Spanish for “roof”) and be transported to a place where the mezcal runs like water. Pop by Wednesday - Sunday.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.
Downtown
You might not expect to discover fine hand-crafted cocktails from some of Austin’s top bar talent at a spot advertising modeling and massage, but at Midnight Cowboy—if you follow the proper process—you can get just that, hidden in plain sight in the heart of Dirty Sixth. Look for the “Midnight Cowboy Modeling” sign, ring the buzzer marked “Harry Craddock,” and slip into the unassuming door at 313 East 6th Street. Once inside, kick back with one of the team’s seasonal specials or supernatural punch bowls.
How to book: Reserve online.
South Congress
While the Continental Club (a.k.a. the granddaddy of live music venues) requires no introduction—nor directions, given the spot’s iconic neon sign—the Gallery is a tad less of a visual landmark. The Continental’s upstairs companion bar offers music, art, and mixed drinks in a far cozier environment than its larger sibling. Visit the website for the live performance line-up—it’s as close to a private living room concert it comes.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.
Downtown
Housed in a former fire station, this stylish hostel takes a Harry Potter-ish turn with Firehouse, a secret bar accessible through a sliding bookshelf in the lobby. Inside, you’ll find a warm, inviting atmosphere, bespoke cocktails (tell the bartender your preferred spirit and let them do the rest), live performances, and—because it’s still a hostel—probably a little late-night debauchery. Drop in Wednesday - Sunday.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.
Downtown
Typically, the only drinks we consume in parking structures are those of the paper-bagged variety, but Garage flips this notion on its head by slinging crowd-pleasers like the rosemary-infused Indian Paintbrush (vodka, grapefruit, lime, rosemary) and a stellar white mezcal negroni packed with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Suze, Strega, Cocchi Americano, and grapefruit bitters. To get there, head into the parking garage on the northeast corner of Fifth and Colorado, where the word “cocktails” adorns the wall and a neon sign marks the bar’s entrance.
How to book: Reserve via Resy.
East Austin
Fashioned after an old-world Oaxacan mezcal bar, Mezcalería Tobalá is the secret watering hole above party palace Whisler’s. The second-floor retreat is more relaxed, with stone walls, a handful of stools, and a thick slab of a bar. In terms of drinks, it’s all mezcal, all the time—if you’re looking for a low-key evening on the East Side (and want to indulge specifically in this unique, smoky spirit) consider Mezcalería Tobalá the ideal destination. Just ascend the staircase on Whisler’s patio on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 pm to 2 am.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.
Downtown
If the W didn’t have an aura of upscale exclusivity before, the Secret Bar (also known as the “Red Room”) seals the deal. Open from 6 pm until late every Thursday through Saturday, the lounge sports its own bar along with a vintage McIntosh sound system that looks just as gorgeous as it sounds. Enter through the 8,000 vinyl-strong Records Room in the W’s Living Room Bar and get ready to rock.
How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating.