Nightlife - The Austinot

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): 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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Scholz Garten Stands Strong in Austin After More Than 150 Years

March 12, 2019 by Krista Hager Leave a Comment

Scholz Garten: iconic Austin treasure (Credit: Scholz Garten)

Having grown up in Austin in the 1980s, I often feel a rush of mixed feelings when I frequent familiar parts of town that look almost unrecognizable. In the ever-changing, always hip city of Austin, there is a comforting nostalgia when you run across that rare gem that has stood strong for over a century. Scholz Garten is one such treasure, defining the downtown Austin scene and carving out a special space in history as the longest-running biergarten in America.

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Lustre Pearl, Bar That Started It All on Rainey Street, Celebrates 10 Years

February 19, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Custom metalwork greets customers at Lustre Pearl on Rainey Street (Credit: Dunlap ATX)

The bar that launched the bustling, booming Rainey Street entertainment district is turning 10 on Feb. 21, 2019. They grow up fast, don’t they?

Here’s the story behind the bar that started it all.

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Catch a Lesser-known Side of Austin Music at Second Saturday Surf Night

December 5, 2018 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

The Gentle Grifters play Second Saturday Surf in Austin (Credit: Kim Yarbrough)

Started with the intention of bringing more awareness to surf music, Second Saturday Surf is now established as a home base for the Central Texas surf guitar scene. The monthly event at Knomad Bar has been going strong for over five years.

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What to Expect From Austin’s Trail of Lights in 2018

November 19, 2018 by Vi Chetan Leave a Comment

One of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit: a trip to Trail of Lights (Credit: Juice Consulting)

It’s that time of the year, Austin! The pies are baking, presents are being wrapped, and Trail of Lights is back in town. Well, almost. Starting Dec. 10, 2018, Zilker Park will be transformed into a twinkling winter wonderland.

We’ve got all the details on this year’s Trail of Lights festivities. Read on to get ready for your visit this year! [Read more…]

Meet All the Local Businesses at The LINC in North Austin

October 30, 2018 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

AFS Cinema shows independent and themed films at The Linc in North Austin (Credit: AFS Cinema)

If you need a break from tracking down a charged scooter, then soothe your frazzled nerves with an outing to The LINC. The LINC is a one-stop entertainment destination in a former outdoor shopping center (read: it has parking). This north Austin venue offers plenty of fun with one turn of the ignition or a rideshare trip.

Long ago, Austinites flocked to a place known as Lincoln Village to get outfitted for prom or do a quick workout. Times changed, and Lincoln Village emptied out, save for a few holdouts like FedEx and Men’s Warehouse that are still there today.

But in 2013, Misuma Holdings bought the property with the intention of giving Austin businesses a place to expand, especially given other redevelopment in the area.

The LINC shopping and entertainment center

Five years in and The LINC is now a reliable place to experience a variety of local flavor. If you’re new to the area, we’re here to make your first visit easy by mapping out ideas for a leisurely, Austin-focused few hours at The LINC. [Read more…]

Walking Ghost Tours of Austin Reveals Creepy Side of Downtown

October 17, 2018 by Vi Chetan Leave a Comment

Jim Miles leads a group into The Driskill Hotel for story of The Suicide Bride

Isn’t it sad we only get ghouls and spooks one night each year? If, like me, you’re a fan of all-things-Halloween every day, then I have the thing for you: Walking Ghost Tours! Owned and operated by Jim Miles, the tour company offers insight into Austin’s dark past. Part historian, part ghost enthusiast, Miles has melded his passions into an experience everyone is bound to enjoy. [Read more…]

Guide to Austin’s Nightlife Districts for Bachelor Party Planners

July 24, 2018 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

You’ve seen them. Young men roaming the city, with an eye for adventure and matching t-shirts. They touch down in Austin on Thursday or Friday, live their best lives for as long as they can, and then go back to whatever reality they came from.

Bachelor parties are everywhere in Austin, and for good reason. Our city offers the best food, drink, and outdoor activities. There’s the amazing weather, and accessibility within the city that makes it easy to navigate from place to place. If you’re planning a bachelor party in Austin, know you have options–most of all the option to keep it uncomplicated and fun. [Read more…]

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