Jonas White - The Austinot

Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Floppy Disk Repair Co.

September 9, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Throughout the course of my Speakeasy Secrets series, I’ve been reminded over and over that the term “speakeasy” can be earned in a number of ways. Some speakeasies get the distinction because of their devotion to craft cocktails. Others offer Prohibition-era decor and an early 1900s vibe. Then there are the speakeasies that pride themselves on secrecy. Maybe they require a code or a password. Maybe they’re hidden, perhaps even behind a storefront that could only be described as outdated. Like a floppy disk repair shop.

The first time I noticed Floppy Disk Repair Co. on East Fifth and Brazos, I did a double take. New to Austin, I wondered what most people who aren’t in the know must wonder: how does a floppy disk repair shop survive in 2019? Only later did I hear rumors of a speakeasy behind the confusing storefront.

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Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Midnight Cowboy

August 12, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

You can’t just walk into Midnight Cowboy on a Saturday night and expect to get the experience, or the cocktails, everyone raves about. Certain steps are necessary. This may be why it took me three years to visit what is perhaps Austin’s most well-known speakeasy. Planning ahead has never been my strong suit.

When I made my reservation, found the hidden door, rang the bell, and sat in a booth for the first time, it didn’t take long to figure out why so many people recommended Midnight Cowboy over the years. For the sixth installment of The Austinot’s Speakeasy Secrets series, I’ll teach you how you too can have this same experience, and why you should make it a priority to do so.

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Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): DuMont’s Down Low

July 10, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Cocktails at DuMont's Down Low in Austin — Cocktails at DuMont’s Down Low, located in Austin’s Warehouse District

For the fifth destination on my Austin speakeasy tour, I visited DuMont’s Down Low in the Warehouse District. Be warned: you may miss the entrance if you aren’t looking for it. But once you make your way down the dark stairs off West Fourth Street and into this basement bar, you’ll be glad you made the effort.

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Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Firehouse Lounge

June 12, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Packed bar at Firehouse Lounge in Downtown Austin — Firehouse Lounge, located inside Firehouse Hostel in downtown Austin

Next stop on Jonas’ quest to shed light on the underworld that is Austin’s speakeasy scene: Firehouse Lounge. As my Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets series continues, I’m noticing some similarities among my subjects.

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8 Indoor Activities to Enjoy When Austin Weather Forces You Inside

May 20, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

The marvelous architecture on full display at the library — The marvelous architecture on full display at Austin Central Library (Credit: Amanda Gagnon)

As we know, Austin is built for outdoor hanging. There are outdoor and rooftop bars, restaurant patios, as well as all the bike and water activities you could possibly want. But sometimes outside just isn’t in the cards.

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Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Milonga Room

April 17, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Milonga Room Austin Speakeasy — Milonga Room recreates 1920s prohibition era, set in Argentina

The rapidly developing east side of Austin is filled with just about everything you want in plain sight. Well, almost everything. In the case of Milonga Room, you have a speakeasy that resides underneath Buenos Aires Cafe, which is anything but in plain sight.

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Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Here Nor There

March 22, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Downtown Austin Speakeasy Here Nor There — Here Nor There (Credit: Travis Hallmark)

I heard about a speakeasy called Here Nor There in passing. The entrance was hidden. You needed to make a reservation on an app to get in. You could become a member for an annual fee. They served some of the best drinks in Austin and I had to visit because it was “an experience.”

For my second article spotlighting Austin’s best speakeasies, I visited Here Nor There downtown, to separate fact from fiction and see what the experience entailed.

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Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): The Good Life Bar Bar

February 18, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

The Good Life Bar Bar, one of Austin’s speakeasy-style bars

Sometimes you don’t know what you’re looking for until you’ve found it. One day you’re getting a haircut at the barbershop you’ve been going to for 10 years, and the next you have an offer to open your own bar behind said barbershop. If that feels like a fairly specific example, it’s because…surprise!…it’s based on a true story. Meet Brian Hummel, owner and operator of the The Good Life BAR BAR, a cozy and unique speakeasy in the heart of downtown Austin. [Read more…]

Baton Creole Serves Bayou-style Cajun From Food Truck in East Austin

January 21, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

While covering many of my favorite food options in Austin, I’ve learned that every food trailer has a story. For most, the story began relatively recently. A few years back, perhaps. It was then a dream was formed, idea hatched, menu created, trailer purchased. This relatively recent timeline is to be expected in a city with the rapid growth of Austin.

And then you have the OG’s. The Original Gangsters. The trailers that made their names before it was commonplace to expect fine dining meals to come out of a vehicle. Baton Creole’s story began back then. And now, the Cajun and Creole cuisine creator has Godfather status in Austin’s food trailer scene. Or Godmother status, perhaps. [Read more…]

Cheer Your Favorite Team at These 5 Sports Bars in Central Austin

January 2, 2019 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Outside at 8 Track on Manor Road

We’re entering the few cold(ish) months of the year here in Austin. So what are we to do when it’s too chilly to kayak on Lady Bird Lake and we’ll only jump into frigid Barton Springs after losing a bet?

Here’s one guy’s solution: Grab a friend or 10 and head to your favorite sports bar. Below is a list of my five central Austin recommendations.

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