Drinks Lounge

Nice vibe along with fantastic food from Arlo’s. A couple small things kept it out of the 5 category. We went on a really cold night and the front door was propped open the whole time. It was quite uncomfortable in there, most people were wearing their jackets zipped up. The drink I got was also a pretty weak pour. I would’ve expected a little better since we were just about the only ones there when we first arrived. By the time we left there were quite a few people there and there was no table service. Hard to get a drink in that scenario. I’ll probably go back but mainly because of Arlo’s, its just so damn good.

This is for the door guy on 1÷8÷16. A ‘friend’ was yelling at me, and while our friends were working on getting him to leave, the door guy let me know he was paying attention to the situation by asking this guy to move about five feet this way or five feet that way. It’s good to know that someone is watching, and doing so in a lowkey way is really reassuring.

My favorite spot in Austin.
If you like overcrowded bars with overpriced drinks and drunk sorority girls then stay away.
If you want good music, good service and good cocktails, then this will be your favorite spot too.

This is a wonderful dive bar! If I lived closer… Id practically live here. The bartenders are awesome! And the drinks speak for themselves. Plus, billiards… Yes, Please!

It was a sleepy rainy Sunday when we stopped in. Not super hungry but wanted to check out the burger. We were greeted by the friendly bearded bartender and ordered up our food and brews. I took ONE bite and ordered another because life is too short to skimp on great food. The IPA was just right for a wash down. The music was hard classic rock and the pool table was $ 1. Great bar in Austin. Portland would be blown away and jealous, and I’m going back to let them know. It’s time to build a burger like this!

I’ve been to Drinks a few times and I’m a fan. I had to leave the first time I came here because there was a spotlight that was shining on a fan that was spinning at the perfect RPM to cause a seizure in someone with photosensitive epilepsy.
My date asked the bartender if the light or the fan could be turned off and the bartender said no as politely and helpfully as possible (I understand, sometimes things are wired weird), but this is something the owners should have been cognizant of to begin with. We paid our tab and downed our drinks outside to avoid a trip to the ER.
I’ve been back a couple times since then and the treacherous light has since been removed or burned out, hopefully to never return again. Getting an aura just thinking about it.
Anyway, the times where I have gotten to go, I’ve had a lot of fun. Sometimes the crowd is bumping, sometimes it’s low-​key, often it is weird when they are having a dance party but you and two friends are the only ones dancing and every one is sitting at tables practically on-​top of the «dance floor» which is really just the aisle between the tables and the stage/​DJ area – hmm, maybe moving the tables when it’s a dance party? There’s something about the orientation of the room that makes that weird. I’m planning on going to a dance party their this Saturday so hopeful but concerned it will be the same weird spectator set-​up.
They have food here, which is cool. I haven’t tried Arlo’s here but have many a time before.
The drinks at Drinks are surprisingly, or not, the least reliable thing here. I could order a simple Ruby & soda from any of the bartenders or send my friend’s really cute boyfriend to go to the female bartender and get a whole variety of different drinks. Which is weird: at Brixton, it seemed like all the pours were the same. But at Drinks recently, it was very evident you or someone else in your group, had to go to a specific person if you wanted a reliable pour. That was a little bit of a bummer cause the bill is still is going to be bigger than you would like whether all your drinks were the same shade of pink or not.

This is my kinda place. Cool neighborhood bar with attentive staff, with a good knowledge of beer & spirits. Great outside patio. I’ll definitely keep coming back again & again

Love this place! I’ve lived in Austin since the early 90’s and live/​work on the East Side. This is one of the few tolerable bars around. Great music, sometimes a DJ who spins VINYL, friendly bar staff, charming owner and perfect bar food. If you are looking for a great neighborhood bar then look no further. Thanks Drinks !!!

I’d like to start by saying, I haven’t had a drink in 12 years. But most of my friends do. So when I go out with them I hope for good music, food, and great atmosphere.
Drinks has all of those and I always have a great time there. The staff is friendly and welcoming. They also have a great patio!

Thought I’d drop a review because I really like this place and don’t think it deserves some of the negative reviews I’ve read.
Drinks Lounge has everything I require: Street parking aplenty, not overly crowded (I rue the day), plentiful indoor and outdoor seating, friendly and attentive bartenders, streamlined and reasonably-​priced cocktail menu, and it’s clean and unpretentious. This has become a stand-​by for my fiancé and me. It’s also walking distance to some other great bars if I need a change of scenery.
See you soon!

We are 9 little Asian girls traveling from LA for a bachelorette party. We walked into the bar and the bartender was extremely rude. We were the only customers he had at the bar at the time. He told us he had other customers to attend to as he excused himself in the middle of our order to assist two Caucasian customers whom arrived after us. We waited 20 mins before we decided to ask for a second round with some of the African American guys that we met at the bar. The bartender told us we needed to pace our selves and chill. After 1 round? No wonder there’s nobody at the bar… Obviously only a particular race is welcomed.

We decided to stop by here to get some drinks. First off, we ordered a round of drinks and then he was so rude!!! He was like hold on there are other people waiting to order which came after us! We had 9 girls and we’re here for a bachelorette party! We were hanging out and didn’t attempt to order another round for 20 minutes and he tells us you should pace yourselves. We are sober… Thanks asshole of a bartender with the tattoos that did not accommodate us! 0 starssssss

I would’ve give it negative 5 stars if I could. Cute little lounge but rudest bartender ever!

As a born-​and-​raised Texas native, I know the neighborhood this bar is in. This is 100% a gentrifier bar. Its whole aesthetic targets the upper-​middle class customer, which may be good for this majority Latin@ working-​class neighborhood’s safety, but it’s very hard on the residents who will see themselves priced out of the area once more gentrifiers move in.
The night I was there, we truly tried to have a great time, but your bartenders, customers, and DJ were incredibly rude to my group. I will say that you have the nicest bathroom I’ve ever been in, period. (Odd for an edgy dive bar? but okay.)
When we went across the street to Buckets, the entire customer base reflected the neighborhood. I highly doubt there’s as much cross-​over between your customers as you say because you price them out – your drinks START at $ 7 and at Buckets I got a Shiner for $ 2.50. Also, I used the term «power punk» because that’s what *your* DJ dismissively told my friend. Whether you like it or not, every photo on Unilocal confirms my observations for lack of diversity, which is a problem when you’re located in a working-​class Latin@ neighborhood.
Thanks for responding to my original review. I’m sorry if it came off harsh.
P. S. I looked up the Bees Knees cocktail, and it’s gin, lemon, honey, and simple syrup. Two parts sugar. :)

Sunday Brunch Review:
On Easter Sunday we decided to attend the Secret Taco Brunch! The décor is old lounge style furniture and I like that this isn’t one of those places that tries to use posh furniture to mask what they are lacking.
The open front wall give this place an open feel but, still feels intimate and I love the front deck! The one warning I would give is to pay attention to where you are parking on the street because some areas are parking by permit only in this neighborhood!
I took advantage of the make your own bloody mary bar and it’s a well stocked one! They serve Bloody Revolution Bloody Mary Mix and if you haven’t tried it yet, you should! They had everything you could ever want in a bloody mary such as horseradish, celery, bacon bits, massive hot sauce variety, olives, etc. all laid out in a nice user friendly way! I feel like this is a reason to come back in itself!
If you haven’t been to the Secret Taco Brunch I would recommend coming here on a day that is happening. The gentleman who makes the tacos is equally as awesome as his tacos! I recommend the ham taco and definitely add some of his homemade salsa to it!
It’s the East Side but, you can expect less hipsters at this spot and more beards! At least at Sunday Brunch!

The door person was nice and that’s about as good as it got for us here. I tried their Old Fashioned and my friend tried their Moscow Mule. Neither of us liked our drink. My friend said the Moscow Mule was boozy, but that the flavors weren’t balanced well. My Old Fashioned tasted really flat. There was no oomph to it and I didn’t feel the lemon in it worked. I’m tempted to give it the title for the most flavorless Old Fashioned I’ve had unfortunately.
For a Saturday night the place was empty. Aside from me and my friend, there were maybe 2 or 3 other people there not including the staff and it’s a big layout with lots of room. Sometimes I really enjoy and even prefer a smaller crowd, but I just wasn’t feeling it here. The décor is fine, I liked the booths, but I felt no energy to the bar. Our bartender seemed fairly disinterested in the evening too and I can’t blame them.
Perhaps it was an off night. I wanted to like Drinks Lounge and I’ve heard really good things about it (from people whose opinions I trust), but I can’t say for sure if I’ll back to experience those things for myself.

I was whirling through East Caesar Chavez one night and decided to hit up this bar. It was OK. It was pretty much dead (during SXSW), which I thought was odd. I did run into a new friend I had met the day before at La Perla, so it definitely seemed like a place the neighborhood locals hit up.
Drinks Lounge is literally exactly what it sounds like … a place to chill and get a drink. We got a round of shots. I had a gin and tonic and we hung out on the front patio. the patio is a bit small out front but still OK.
I probably wouldn’t pick to come back here, but I also wouldn’t avoid it.

What do YOU do after a grueling workout (read: a 3 mile leisurely walk along the boardwalk on a gorgeous day)? Well, BFF and I give ourselves a little pat on the back (read: dinner and drinks… lots of it).
We passed this spot on our way to Mongers and determined to check it out after dinner. On walking in, I immediately loved the interior with its sexy black booths and vintage photos. Very Rat Pack. But they stole my heart with happy hour from 4 – 8 (!). That means all their fancy cocktails are just $ 5. ALL. Keepin it simple. No extra maths needed.
He started with an Old Fashioned (appropriately served over one large rock) and I had the Pink Drink, a new twist on my old fave of Ruby Red and soda as they add St Germaine. Both drinks were great. Then, working down the menu :), he had the Bee’s Knees and I had the Orange Fancy. Well HELLLOOOO NURSE! Imma call that my new favorite medicine. Dripping Springs orange vodka (who knew??), Pom, and bubbles.
While enjoying our drinks, we also had fun petting our barmate’s corgi puppy. Yup, puppies and drinks. Win. Win. There were plenty of other cuties (read: dogs) on the patio as well as a bunch of pizza (read: Local Slice) someone had brought over for a party. Drinks doesn’t have food but will let you bring anything in for your shindig.
One more thing… the women’s bathroom really reminds me of Donn’s Depot (read: you have to climb up steps to the «water closet»). I think this bathroom came with the original building but it’s fun in a trippy way.
I look forward to going back to Drinks for a few (read: 5 or 6) more sweet HH drinks!

Okay, I like playing «What-was-this-place-before-it-became-the-latest-cool-&-trendster-East-Side-bar» game: Was it a taquería? A taxidermist? Or just another old house that’s been gentrified & hipnofied for skinny jeans & tiny black dresses. I’m kidding, it’s all good. But this Drinks Lounge seemed unusually good.
It may be completely different in daylight, but it sure looked cool late night: Dance floor, DJ’s, pool table, a large bar that comped my club soda — that’s the stuff that makes me tip more. Plus it was easy to park up or down the streets around here. This place soars way above dive, but without Louboutin pretensions. Now that’s a refreshing East Side double-​take. I’d bring us to Drinks Lounge anytime.

Sometimes I walk into a bar and immediately know it’s going to be a good one. Upon entering Drinks, I knew I had found a new bar to add to the rotation. There are picnic tables out front, and the inside is large. An entire area of the bar is devoted to playing pool. An added plus are the cozy and swanky black booths to take over, along with plenty of other seating. I read on their Facebook page they have a DJ every now and then with some dancing involved!
I was especially smitten with the specialty cocktails menu. I tried the Orange Fancy (served in a fancy glass!) first, with Dripping Springs vodka, pom (?) and champagne. It was good, but I was eager to try something else. My second choice was the Pink Drink: this is about when I officially fell in love: Deep Eddy ruby red, St. Germain and lemon. I think this drink was made for me. The Tx Mule was perfect if you love ginger beer, and the Whiskey Drink was a keeper, made with Maker’s Mark, cointreau and lemon to give it that extra something. So we probably drank close to half the menu, and it didn’t break the bank. All these drinks were no more than $ 7 each, not served in super tiny glasses, and not weak either. I really like it when a bar offers up a good selection of craft beer and doesn’t take themselves too seriously to overcharge for some well-​made cocktails.
I’m happy to have a new place east of downtown, with easy parking (in the neighborhood), a good casual vibe and a diverse crowd.