Third-floor Song Wat listening bar pouring craft cocktails to a steady rotation of vinyl soul and funk. Seating splits between a warm indoor room and an open balcony where DJs spin records against old town sunset views.
Digital art gallery and event space tucked into a graffiti-covered courtyard. Exhibitions focus on net-based art; the program regularly shifts to live music and DJ sets.
Vibrant Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar fueled by one of Europe's largest agave collections. The Tulum-inspired back terrace hosts weekend DJs, serving Baja fish tacos and strong margaritas to a party-ready crowd.
Mid-century modern Belmont Street lounge pouring classic cocktails in a dim, sleek space. Bartenders serve cheap drinks and grilled cheese through the early evening, while late nights shift to the back patio and corner photo booth.
Queer-friendly neighborhood bar spread across a three-story converted house. The basement handles ping-pong and pool, while the main floor and outdoor patios fill up for drag shows, trivia nights, and cocktails.
Colorful craftsman bungalow serving naturally leavened Neapolitan pies. Sourdough pizzas arrive with scissors for slicing and a side of whipped ricotta with garlic and honey for dunking the chewy crusts.
Psychedelic dining room serving Chinese-Malaysian street food under a disco ball. Roti canai and tamarind fried chicken hit gold tables backed by a soundtrack of 1970s Indonesian funk.
Wood-paneled neighborhood bar with a 70s basement vibe, pouring specialty cocktails and vegan Jell-O shots. Regulars pack the house for weekly karaoke, while the photo booth stays busy all night.
Family-run Peruvian restaurant serving big plates of lomo saltado, fresh ceviche, and arroz chaufa. The heated, covered back patio stays busy all night with shared dishes and rounds of passionfruit pisco sours.
Busy Marina cocktail bar pouring craft drinks and serving small plates. The wood-paneled room runs past a green-tiled fireplace to an active pool table and a heated, plant-filled courtyard.
Lower Haight taproom pouring experimental house brews and natural wines alongside rotating food pop-ups. The moody, plant-filled interior opens onto a secluded back deck for outdoor sessions.
Taco counter running the kitchen at Woods Lowside. Handmade corn tortillas carry homestyle fillings like charred broccoli and pork chile verde for the crowd drinking in the booths and heated parklet.
Fast-casual Mission storefront slinging seasoned Filipino sisig in heavy burritos and tacos. Orders run through front kiosks, with seating pushed out to a covered, mural-lined back patio.
Intimate Indian lounge on West Third Street serving large portions of custom-spiced Punjabi curries and tandoori. The skyroom has floor seating built for lingering over massive shared platters and specialty cocktails.
Warm, eclectic Argentinian restaurant in South LA serving classic empanadas, choripán, and steaks. The romantic dining room runs steady into the evening, while the industrial-chic bar next door pours Latin American wines.
Distinctive Culver City A-frame serving casual modern Mexican small plates. Tables fill with duck albondigas, homemade tortillas, and salt-foam margaritas.
Candlelit Los Feliz restaurant serving seasonal Californian plates on a walled wooden patio. Dinner runs on a daily chalkboard menu, pairing house-made pastas and dry-aged ribeye with a tight list of natural wine.
Snug Highland Park storefront serving hearty dishes that merge Mexican and Italian cooking. The compact dining room runs warm, spilling out onto a back patio for elote agnolotti and masa-laced pasta.
Sprawling Arts District back patio with string lights, picnic tables, and a full-length bocce court. The menu is simple and direct – craft cocktails, buttermilk biscuits, and a standout cheeseburger.
Low-lit Virgil Village cocktail bar with moody red-and-blue lighting and records spinning from behind the counter. Wooden booths fill up late for sesame highballs, savory martinis, and bowls of free popcorn.
Lush plants soften an industrial Arts District warehouse serving Enrique Olvera’s modern Mexican cooking. Tables fill with seafood tostadas and duck carnitas alongside small-batch agave spirits.
Gritty, 200-capacity rock club running loud, standing-room-only shows. The dark, no-frills layout splits into a tight main stage area, a back bar with a pool table, and a small patio for catching air between sets.
Multi-room Thai restaurant and gallery operating behind a plain Centro storefront. Live trees and vintage furniture fill the dining spaces, with tables sharing plates of Pad Thai and green curry.
Restored pink stone Polanco mansion running as an intimate 17-room hotel. Live orchids and stained glass fill the ornate common spaces, opening onto a leafy terrace serving morning pastries and Neapolitan pizza.
Cozy South Austin cottage serving macarons, butter croissants, and espresso. Colorful umbrella-covered tables fill the front garden for morning pastries and afternoon coffee.
No-frills South Congress juke joint running live soul and blues seven nights a week in a dark, red-lit room. The 1950s-style lounge upstairs pours sake and Japanese beer when the main floor gets loud.
Loud, old-school red-sauce joint turning out massive plates of chicken parm and hand-rolled pasta. Trays of martinis move through a dim, checker-tiled dining room packed with groups sliding into red leather banquettes.
Hyde Park pub where students and locals mix over pitchers and burgers. The sprawling patio stays packed year-round with dogs, darts, and game day crowds.
Casual East Austin spot serving heavy Cajun staples, charcoal-grilled oysters, and strong frozen cocktails. The covered patio runs loud on game days, as tables fill with bowls of gumbo and prime rib debris po'boys.
Walkable downtown stretch of historic craftsman bungalows and food truck parks. The preserved homes are busy nightlife spots with front porch drinking, sprawling backyard patios, and live music under string lights.
Modern, two-story brunch spot with a shaded rooftop deck and breezy ground-floor patio. Weekend waits can stretch past two hours – arrive when the doors open for a table.
Casual East Austin Tex-Mex joint slinging heavy breakfast plates all day, often with a handshake at the door. The massive Don Juan is a towering mound of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheese served with stacks of warm tortillas.
Restored East Austin corner restaurant running steady all day with cold cocktails and Louisiana homestyle cooking. Fresh oysters, chicken gumbo, and shrimp po'boys land on round wooden tables out on the street-side patio.
East Austin cocktail lounge with a moody mid-century interior and a sprawling yard. The indoor bar pours classic drinks, while the dog-friendly patio runs on frozen agave cocktails and tacos from the resident food truck.
Wood-paneled East Austin pub in the Springdale General complex with sixteen draft beers and a dog-friendly patio. Counter-service sandwiches on house-baked bread run steady alongside open laptops and casual afternoon drinks.
Cheerful Burnet Road dining room serving a mashup of Southern and Asian comfort food. Plates of pork belly buns and chow fun noodles sit alongside habanero-infused margaritas.
Long-standing neighborhood Tex-Mex joint serving massive plates of sizzling fajitas and enchiladas. Comfortable booths and an outdoor patio run steady with tables full of chips and the decades-old secret red and green salsas.
Casual Cajun spot serving messy, by-the-pound seafood boils and fried platters. A glass back wall faces a playground, letting kids run loose while adults work through rounds of spicy crawfish.
Intimate 36-seat Harbord Village restaurant cooking a seasonal menu in a wood-burning oven. The tight, leather-lined space runs loud with shared Filipino-influenced plates and savory cocktails.
Downtown restaurant with a modern dining room and a popular covered patio for date nights. The menu is global and varied – think Baja fish tacos and bibimbap alongside classic steaks and cocktails.
Pizzeria and Italian market centered around a large, covered patio. The menu focuses on classic antipasti and pies, with an onsite bottle shop selling curated wines and provisions.
Williamsburg wine bar pouring small-producer bottles alongside rotating plates like crab toast and steak skewers. Walnut tables fill the slate-gray front room, leading back to a covered garden patio used for group drinks and wine classes.
Breezy West Village dining room serving coastal Mediterranean seafood and natural wine. Floor-to-ceiling French doors line the cherry wood space, hosting long dinners over chilled oysters, red shrimp carpaccio, and cold martinis.
Sleek Chinatown cocktail bar pouring surprising drinks and strong martinis. Most people come for the spacious backyard patio – the fried taro cake is the essential order.
Tiki-themed queer dive with chaotic decor, frozen cocktails, and cheap shots. The large, no-frills backyard is the main hangout, with DJs spinning everything from 90s R&B to techno.
Garden-level Harlem brownstone serving Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican, and Bangladeshi plates from a small open kitchen. Books sit stacked above the bar, and string lights hang over dinner out on the lush back patio.
Bright, oak-lined cafes pouring precise shots of the signature Heritage Blend. Flat whites and cold brew drive the morning rush alongside fresh pastries and bags of beans.
Long-standing Leslieville cafe running late into the night under a metallic ceiling and Art Deco lamps. Mismatched padded chairs and low tables fill with quiet conversation and open laptops over brass-pulled espresso.
Restored 19th-century San Telmo tenement house turned boutique hotel, built around three open-air courtyards. High-ceilinged rooms open onto the terraced patios, leaving the mezzanine library and rooftop pool for quiet afternoons.
